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Showing posts with label Nick Jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nick Jr.. Show all posts
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Nick Jukebox Episode 12: They'll Soon Discover that I'm One Step Beyond Losing You Over Sandwiches
In this episode of Nick Jukebox, Patricia goes back to basics playing Nickelodeon songs from the 80's, 90's and 00's. Expect songs from Livewire, Blue's Clues, and Naked Brothers Band.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Old School Lane's Nickelodeon Tribute: Yo Gabba Gabba!
If you've been reading our Nickelodeon show reviews, then you've been noticing that Kevin and I haven't tackled a lot of the kids' shows and preschool programs from Nick Jr. in this tribute. It's not that we didn't want to put the time in watching them as much as we with the Nickelodeon live action shows, cartoons, and movies, we did. It's just that there wasn't anything to say about them. While we did give credit to shows such as Pinwheel for being the first show featured for Nickelodeon and Mr. Wizard's World for being a smartly written show that would later on be a timeless classic, most of them were based on books such as Little Bear, Franklin, and Maisy. Others were very basic and told their lessons straight forward with simple characters such as Eureeka's Castle, Allegra's Window, and Gullah Gullah Island.
It wasn't until Blue's Clues came out in 1996 that Nick Jr. finally had a groundbreaking success that even surpassed Sesame Street and later became their first official cash cow. Then as time went on, the show went on without Steve Burns after he left to pursue a career on music and then had a spinoff called Blue's Room that was complete crap and officially killed the franchise. After Blue's Clues ended after over a decade's run, Nick Jr. was at a standstill again. Every single Nick Jr. program was basic either relying on book adaptations such as Little Bill, Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, Olivia, and Peter Rabbit or we're very basic with simple characters such as Peppa Pig and Oswald. Deja vu. Only Dora the Explorer was still popular enough to rake in merchandise and is still to this day featuring new episodes after almost 14 years on the air.
So with that, Nick Jr. needed a new show to bring them back to the top fast. But it was getting harder and harder to come up with the next big preschool show since new, fresh ideas for them seemed to have ran dry. Puppetry was still pretty dead at this point with only Sesame Street still on the air. The last show that featured them on Nick Jr. was Jack's Big Music Show in 2005. So with that, Nick Jr. debuted a new preschool show from outside Nickelodeon Productions. It was none other than Yo Gabba Gabba! which debuted on August 20, 2007.
The show begins with the host named D.J Lance Rock (played by Lance Robertson) bringing out his friends named Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex and performing many games and songs focusing on a theme such as summer, food, love, friends, and fun. Most of the songs that were featured in Yo Gabba Gabba! were done by indie singers that were simple, catchy, and fun. Throughout the show, there would be many special guests appearing to dance with Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex such as Elijah Wood, Weird Al Yankovic, Solange Knowles, and Biz Markie. Also in the mix, there's a segment in which Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh would draw animals for the kids. It sort of reminds me of Picture Pages by Bill Cosby that was featured in Pinwheel back in 1977.
The show was created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. Jacobs was an actor who appeared in various cult films such as Pretty in Pink and Gleaming the Cube as well as being the founder of The Aquabats back in 1997. They were two dads who wanted to create a fun kids' show for their kids during the time in which they felt that preschool programs lost their creativity. Taking inspirations from 8-bit video games, indie singers, and kids' shows such as Sesame Street, H.R. Pufnstuf, and Pee-wee's Playhouse, they did a little pilot for Yo Gabba Gabba around 1999 thanks to the donations of friends and family. It didn't become noticed until it was leaked online and had a little cult following. One day, Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre director Jared Huss saw the pilot and immediately loved it. He then showed it to Nick Jr. vice president Brown Johnson and she approved of it enough to make it into a TV series.
It wasn't until Blue's Clues came out in 1996 that Nick Jr. finally had a groundbreaking success that even surpassed Sesame Street and later became their first official cash cow. Then as time went on, the show went on without Steve Burns after he left to pursue a career on music and then had a spinoff called Blue's Room that was complete crap and officially killed the franchise. After Blue's Clues ended after over a decade's run, Nick Jr. was at a standstill again. Every single Nick Jr. program was basic either relying on book adaptations such as Little Bill, Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, Olivia, and Peter Rabbit or we're very basic with simple characters such as Peppa Pig and Oswald. Deja vu. Only Dora the Explorer was still popular enough to rake in merchandise and is still to this day featuring new episodes after almost 14 years on the air.
So with that, Nick Jr. needed a new show to bring them back to the top fast. But it was getting harder and harder to come up with the next big preschool show since new, fresh ideas for them seemed to have ran dry. Puppetry was still pretty dead at this point with only Sesame Street still on the air. The last show that featured them on Nick Jr. was Jack's Big Music Show in 2005. So with that, Nick Jr. debuted a new preschool show from outside Nickelodeon Productions. It was none other than Yo Gabba Gabba! which debuted on August 20, 2007.
The show begins with the host named D.J Lance Rock (played by Lance Robertson) bringing out his friends named Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex and performing many games and songs focusing on a theme such as summer, food, love, friends, and fun. Most of the songs that were featured in Yo Gabba Gabba! were done by indie singers that were simple, catchy, and fun. Throughout the show, there would be many special guests appearing to dance with Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex such as Elijah Wood, Weird Al Yankovic, Solange Knowles, and Biz Markie. Also in the mix, there's a segment in which Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh would draw animals for the kids. It sort of reminds me of Picture Pages by Bill Cosby that was featured in Pinwheel back in 1977.
The show was created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. Jacobs was an actor who appeared in various cult films such as Pretty in Pink and Gleaming the Cube as well as being the founder of The Aquabats back in 1997. They were two dads who wanted to create a fun kids' show for their kids during the time in which they felt that preschool programs lost their creativity. Taking inspirations from 8-bit video games, indie singers, and kids' shows such as Sesame Street, H.R. Pufnstuf, and Pee-wee's Playhouse, they did a little pilot for Yo Gabba Gabba around 1999 thanks to the donations of friends and family. It didn't become noticed until it was leaked online and had a little cult following. One day, Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre director Jared Huss saw the pilot and immediately loved it. He then showed it to Nick Jr. vice president Brown Johnson and she approved of it enough to make it into a TV series.
When the show first came out, it was an instant hit. Not only were kids and their parents loved it, but even teens and college students saw it. It had been nominated and won various Emmys for Best Costume Design, won the BAFTA Children's Award, was featured in the top 10 best shows of 2007, was nominated for Outstanding Children's Program from The Television Critics Association Awards from 2008-2012 and won from 2009 and 2010, and won two Kidscreen Awards for Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series and Best Music in 2013. Currently, Yo Gabba Gabba! has a live stage show, The Aquabats has a spin off series on The Hub, and the show has made it in mainstream pop culture.
Overall, this is one of the best kids' shows I've seen in a very long time. It reminded me of the old kids' shows from the past such as Pee-wee's Playhouse and Sesame Street and does it in a way that's modern and new. This is what I would imagine if The Adventures of Pete & Pete ever did a kids' show. It's crazy, zany, teaches lessons that isn't too preachy, has amazing animation, catchy music, and just plain fun. I listed this as one of my top 5 favorite Nickelodeon preschool shows and I still stand by it. I highly recommend that you check it out. Yo Gabba Gabba! gives me hope that there's still creativity for kids' shows out there.
That's all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
-Patricia
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Nick Jukebox Episode 6.2: Happy Halloweenie
In this special episode of Nick Jukebox, we celebrate Halloween with some Nickelodeon songs from Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Old School Lane's Top 5 Best and Worst Nickelodeon Preschool Shows
We've talked about Nickelodeon: the Nicktoons, the Nickcoms, the game shows, the movies, and so much more. But the one thing we really haven't delve deep into was the preschool shows. Unless you're a parent or an expert of television or education, you don't really have deep conversations about shows geared towards 3-year-olds. But the fact of the matter is is that they're most likely the first things we saw on TV and we have a special place in our hearts for them. Whether they're influencial, iconic, groundbreaking, have memorable characters, a colorful background, have great morals told in a smart way, or just plain edutainment fun, we're going to count down the top 5 best Nickelodeon preschool shows.
5. Pinwheel
The show that started it all with the network has to be on this list. Debuting on December 1977, the show had a simple premise consisting of humans, puppets, and short segments of blocks and cartoons. Pinwheel was a huge success when it first came out lasting for over 10 years and having 6 hour marathons 5 days a week. However, it's pretty low on this list because the show is very outdated by today's standards. Looking at it now, it's a low budget Sesame Street clone. The characters are a bit forgettable, the setting looks a bit cheap, and the cartoon segments are long and boring. But I can't deny what a huge impact Pinwheel was for Nickelodeon. Without the show's success, the network wouldn't even exist.
4. Yo Gabba Gabba!
During the late 2000's, Nick Jr. was going through a slump. With the exception of Dora the Explorer, there were no Nick Jr. programs that grabbed the kids' attention. The majority of them were either cartoons based on books. But then, two regular dads named Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz were sick and tired of the lack of great quality preschool shows on TV. So they decided to create one that was both informative, entertainment, and fun filled with artists, performers, and life lessons. The show starred a man named DJ Lance and 5 other characters named Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex learning a themed lesson of the day and singing songs based on it. There were also special celebrity guests, 8-bit transitions, singers, and artists who drew pictures to teach to the kids. It became an instant hit and is still really popular by many kids and adults watching it. This is definitely a show that people would be looking back 10 years from now as a classic.
3. Eureeka's Castle
When Pinwheel ended its 10 year run, Eureeka's Castle was its forerunner show for the new time slot called Nick Jr. It was about a wizard named Eureeka and her friends Magellan the dragon, Batly the bat, Bog and Quagmire the moat twins, and more living in a castle going through various tasks and learning important life lessons. Just like Pinwheel, Eureeka's Castle was similar to Sesame Street with its puppets, segments, and characters. But Eureeka's Castle has aged much better than Pinwheel, it has funnier jokes, and more developed characters. Plus the show was co-created by R.L. Stine. Not much to say about it but a very well crafted preschool show that still has its charm.
2. Mr. Wizard's World
A reboot of the 1951 show Watch Mr. Wizard, Mr. Wizard's World starred Don "Mr. Wizard" Herbert would have a kid come in every week and teach him an experiement that would focus on what he was known for: science. From optical illusions to gravity, Mr. Wizard would make learning about science educational, informative, and fun. Plus, the experiements that he would teach the kids could be tried at home. Looking back at Mr. Wizard's World, it's a classic that still holds up to this day. The experiments look just as cool as it ever was and it became hugely influencial to a lot of science programs in the 90's such as Beakman's World and Bill Nye: The Science Guy. The episodes are on DVD and uploaded on YouTube. Check it out when you have a chance.
1. Blue's Clues
In the 90's, most preschool shows were preachy, sappy programs that shoved the lessons down kids' throats and had adults irratated that kids were subjected to watching them. But then Blue's Clues came along and everything changed. The show starred Steve, a young man who lived in a small house with a blue puppy named Blue. Whenever she wanted something, she would play a game simply known as "Blue's Clues". Steve would have to find 3 clues, draw them on his handy dandy notebook, and figure out what Blue wants. Along the way, he would meet up with his friends Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper, Shovel and Pail, Sidetable Drawer, Mailbox, Periwinkle, and more. They would teach many lessons for kids such as recycling, fruits and vegetables, the planets, sign language, singing, story telling, and more. While I was too old for Blue's Clues when it first came out, I cannot deny what a huge show it was to all the little kids I knew when they saw it. It was everywhere! To this day, Blue's Clues is not only the best Nickelodeon preschool show, but one of greatest kids' shows of all time. Steve Burns was one of the best kids' show host of all time and the show still holds up very well. It's a timeless classic that generations of kids will continue to watch and love.
We've talked about the best Nickelodeon preschool shows. Now let's talk about the worst. There's a ton of them. Which shows made it on the list? Let's find out.
5. Ni hao Kai-Lan
What do you get when you combine Dora the Explorer with Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat? You get Ni hao, Kai-Lan. It's the story about a little girl named Kai-Lan who learns new things alongside her grandfather and pet tiger. She also teaches a few Chinese words to the kids watching the show. Yeah, that's it. It's pretty boring and forgettable. While I did say that I don't really like Dora the Explorer, at least they do different tasks and go to various places while teaching Spanish. Imagine Dora staying in one place and teaching Spanish once every few minutes. Not fun, is it?
4. Wonder Pets
There's one word to describe Wonder Pets: monotonous. Pretty much the same thing happens in every single episode. The story is about three pets from a daycare center who save baby animals from around the world. They learn about teamwork, the animal they rescue, and the place they live in. The problem is is that show is formulaic, redundant, and annoying. Once you watched one episode, you've seen them all.
3. Max and Ruby
Just like Wonder Pets, Max and Ruby is also monotonous, redundant, and annoying. The show focuses on two siblings named Max and Ruby who go through everyday life of tea parties, gardening, and bedtime. Ruby tries to have everything neat, presentable, and nice looking while Max is the mischievious little brother who says one word per episode and tries to pester or help Ruby with her problems. Ruby neglects or ignores Max and in the end, Max helps Ruby with her problems. Plus, it's questionable on where the parents are and the indication that kids are proven to be annoying and useless until the last minute. But the worst part about this show is is that it's still on the air.
2. Binyah Binyah
In my review of Gullah Gullah Island, I said that the show was a very basic kids' show that never lived up to its full potential. But around the end of its run, it had a spinoff based on the most popular character Binyah Binyah Polliwog. The show didn't last for very long. In fact, it lasted for only 1 week. I couldn't even find videos on the show on YouTube. No one remembered it and for good reason. It was a dumb idea to begin with and critical failure at the end.
1. Blue's Room
Around 2004, Steve left Blue's Clues to go to college (actually to pursue on a music career) and was replaced by his little brother Joe. While Joe wasn't a bad character, he was not Steve and Blue's Clues wasn't the same afterwards. But if Joe was the downfall for the show, the spinoff Blue's Room killed it. It was about Blue finding a magic music box and transfering her into another world where she could talk, a bunch of uninteresting characters, and the introduction of Blue's baby brother. The show only lasted for 3 years and the popularity of Nick Jr. died along with it. That is until Yo Gabba Gabba came out!
Those are my top 5 best and worst Nickelodeon preschool shows. What preschool shows do you love or hate from Nickelodeon? Post it in the comments below. That's all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
-Patricia
5. Pinwheel
The show that started it all with the network has to be on this list. Debuting on December 1977, the show had a simple premise consisting of humans, puppets, and short segments of blocks and cartoons. Pinwheel was a huge success when it first came out lasting for over 10 years and having 6 hour marathons 5 days a week. However, it's pretty low on this list because the show is very outdated by today's standards. Looking at it now, it's a low budget Sesame Street clone. The characters are a bit forgettable, the setting looks a bit cheap, and the cartoon segments are long and boring. But I can't deny what a huge impact Pinwheel was for Nickelodeon. Without the show's success, the network wouldn't even exist.
4. Yo Gabba Gabba!
During the late 2000's, Nick Jr. was going through a slump. With the exception of Dora the Explorer, there were no Nick Jr. programs that grabbed the kids' attention. The majority of them were either cartoons based on books. But then, two regular dads named Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz were sick and tired of the lack of great quality preschool shows on TV. So they decided to create one that was both informative, entertainment, and fun filled with artists, performers, and life lessons. The show starred a man named DJ Lance and 5 other characters named Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex learning a themed lesson of the day and singing songs based on it. There were also special celebrity guests, 8-bit transitions, singers, and artists who drew pictures to teach to the kids. It became an instant hit and is still really popular by many kids and adults watching it. This is definitely a show that people would be looking back 10 years from now as a classic.
3. Eureeka's Castle
When Pinwheel ended its 10 year run, Eureeka's Castle was its forerunner show for the new time slot called Nick Jr. It was about a wizard named Eureeka and her friends Magellan the dragon, Batly the bat, Bog and Quagmire the moat twins, and more living in a castle going through various tasks and learning important life lessons. Just like Pinwheel, Eureeka's Castle was similar to Sesame Street with its puppets, segments, and characters. But Eureeka's Castle has aged much better than Pinwheel, it has funnier jokes, and more developed characters. Plus the show was co-created by R.L. Stine. Not much to say about it but a very well crafted preschool show that still has its charm.
2. Mr. Wizard's World
A reboot of the 1951 show Watch Mr. Wizard, Mr. Wizard's World starred Don "Mr. Wizard" Herbert would have a kid come in every week and teach him an experiement that would focus on what he was known for: science. From optical illusions to gravity, Mr. Wizard would make learning about science educational, informative, and fun. Plus, the experiements that he would teach the kids could be tried at home. Looking back at Mr. Wizard's World, it's a classic that still holds up to this day. The experiments look just as cool as it ever was and it became hugely influencial to a lot of science programs in the 90's such as Beakman's World and Bill Nye: The Science Guy. The episodes are on DVD and uploaded on YouTube. Check it out when you have a chance.
1. Blue's Clues
In the 90's, most preschool shows were preachy, sappy programs that shoved the lessons down kids' throats and had adults irratated that kids were subjected to watching them. But then Blue's Clues came along and everything changed. The show starred Steve, a young man who lived in a small house with a blue puppy named Blue. Whenever she wanted something, she would play a game simply known as "Blue's Clues". Steve would have to find 3 clues, draw them on his handy dandy notebook, and figure out what Blue wants. Along the way, he would meet up with his friends Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper, Shovel and Pail, Sidetable Drawer, Mailbox, Periwinkle, and more. They would teach many lessons for kids such as recycling, fruits and vegetables, the planets, sign language, singing, story telling, and more. While I was too old for Blue's Clues when it first came out, I cannot deny what a huge show it was to all the little kids I knew when they saw it. It was everywhere! To this day, Blue's Clues is not only the best Nickelodeon preschool show, but one of greatest kids' shows of all time. Steve Burns was one of the best kids' show host of all time and the show still holds up very well. It's a timeless classic that generations of kids will continue to watch and love.
We've talked about the best Nickelodeon preschool shows. Now let's talk about the worst. There's a ton of them. Which shows made it on the list? Let's find out.
5. Ni hao Kai-Lan
What do you get when you combine Dora the Explorer with Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat? You get Ni hao, Kai-Lan. It's the story about a little girl named Kai-Lan who learns new things alongside her grandfather and pet tiger. She also teaches a few Chinese words to the kids watching the show. Yeah, that's it. It's pretty boring and forgettable. While I did say that I don't really like Dora the Explorer, at least they do different tasks and go to various places while teaching Spanish. Imagine Dora staying in one place and teaching Spanish once every few minutes. Not fun, is it?
4. Wonder Pets
There's one word to describe Wonder Pets: monotonous. Pretty much the same thing happens in every single episode. The story is about three pets from a daycare center who save baby animals from around the world. They learn about teamwork, the animal they rescue, and the place they live in. The problem is is that show is formulaic, redundant, and annoying. Once you watched one episode, you've seen them all.
3. Max and Ruby
Just like Wonder Pets, Max and Ruby is also monotonous, redundant, and annoying. The show focuses on two siblings named Max and Ruby who go through everyday life of tea parties, gardening, and bedtime. Ruby tries to have everything neat, presentable, and nice looking while Max is the mischievious little brother who says one word per episode and tries to pester or help Ruby with her problems. Ruby neglects or ignores Max and in the end, Max helps Ruby with her problems. Plus, it's questionable on where the parents are and the indication that kids are proven to be annoying and useless until the last minute. But the worst part about this show is is that it's still on the air.
2. Binyah Binyah
In my review of Gullah Gullah Island, I said that the show was a very basic kids' show that never lived up to its full potential. But around the end of its run, it had a spinoff based on the most popular character Binyah Binyah Polliwog. The show didn't last for very long. In fact, it lasted for only 1 week. I couldn't even find videos on the show on YouTube. No one remembered it and for good reason. It was a dumb idea to begin with and critical failure at the end.
1. Blue's Room
Around 2004, Steve left Blue's Clues to go to college (actually to pursue on a music career) and was replaced by his little brother Joe. While Joe wasn't a bad character, he was not Steve and Blue's Clues wasn't the same afterwards. But if Joe was the downfall for the show, the spinoff Blue's Room killed it. It was about Blue finding a magic music box and transfering her into another world where she could talk, a bunch of uninteresting characters, and the introduction of Blue's baby brother. The show only lasted for 3 years and the popularity of Nick Jr. died along with it. That is until Yo Gabba Gabba came out!
Those are my top 5 best and worst Nickelodeon preschool shows. What preschool shows do you love or hate from Nickelodeon? Post it in the comments below. That's all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
-Patricia
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Old School Lane's Nickelodeon Tribute: Interview with Kristin Fairlie
What better way to conclude our review of Little Bear than to talk to Little Bear himself...or herself. Wow! Deja vu! Little Bear's voice was done by Canadian actress Kristin Fairlie. She's started her acting career when she was 8-years-old debuting in the 1995 film The Scarlet Letter as Faith Stonehall. She had won her first Young Artist of Hollywood in the Showtime movie The Sweetest Gift at 14.
But she's mostly known for her voice acting in shows such as Madeline, Babar: The King of Elephants, and the Total Drama series. But she'll always be known as the sweet innocent Little Bear. Nowadays, she's been in a few indie movies such as Moonpoint and Jesus Henry Christ and she's the founder of a website named Hate and Heartbreak. Hope that you enjoy this amazing interview with Kristin Fairlie.
Patricia- What were your favorite shows/TV shows growing up?
Kristin- My favorite shows when I was really little were Road to Avonlea, Fresh Prince, The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show, Jem, Rainbow Brite, My Pet Monster and Full House.
Kevin- At what age did you decide that you wanted to pursue your life into acting?
Kristin- I was eight years old when I started in the industry, but I began making short films with the my siblings and the kids on my street when I was 6 : ) I always wanted to be an actor.
Patricia- Who are your influences?
Kristin- A lot of people inspire me in my life. I love Kate Moss' style, I love Julianne Moore, Joan Allen and Fiona Apple. Anne Heche is someone who's friendship, strength and advice had an incredible impact on me, I admire her lot as an actress and a person. Sarah Polley is someone I have looked up to since I was a little girl. And I love Frank Ocean. Just want that to be known lol.
Patricia- What was the audition process like for The Scarlet Letter, The Sweetest Gift, and The Virgin Suicides?
Kristin- I auditioned for The Scarlet Letter when I was 12, for director Roland Joffe. He was incredibly kind and so inspiring to work with. I remember being at the callback with him and him asking me if I'd like to go to BC and Nova Scotia to shoot the film. My parents were excited that I would be working with Robert Duvall, Gary Oldman and Demi Moore and I was too young to know who they were! Stuart Margolin, the director of The Sweetest Gift was a guiding light for me on that film. And meeting Sofia Coppola was inspiring and a little overwhelming! I am a huge fan of hers.
Kevin- What was it like working alongside actors such as Demi Moore, Robert Duvall, Gary Oldman, Anne Heche, and Laura Dern?
Kristin- These were some of the greatest experiences of my life. Anne became a dear friend to me while filming Gracie's Choice and gave me advice I will cherish for the rest of my life. Demi Moore is one of the strongest and coolest women I have ever met. Robert Duvall and Gary Oldman were so sweet to me and so talented, and Laura Dern is incredible, I took a lot away from acting opposite her. She truly has a gift. And she's in Jurassic Park! Favourite trilogy of all time :)
Patricia- What funny memories can you tell us while working on the set for those movies?
Kristin- On The Virgin Suicides, there was this boy on set that was one of the most handsome guys I've ever seen. He was really nice, and I wanted to get a picture of him just because I couldn't believe how cute he was, so I asked him to take a picture of me and Sofia Coppola, and then I was like we might as well get a picture too and Sofia took a picture of the two of us. I went to school and showed my girlfriends the picture like look how hot this guy is! About a month later The Faculty and Halloween H20 came out and the boy in my photo was suddenly one of the biggest stars in the world. It was Josh Hartnett.
The Sweetest Gift was jokes and laughter for the entire shoot. Marc Donato (Degrassi) and Dylan Provencher (Wind at my Back) played my brothers and we bonded over a summer of playing with the animals on set and learning Southern accents together. The entire cast and crew were amazing, working with Helen Shaver, Tisha Cambell and legend Diahann Carroll was a great learning experience to be working opposite such strong and talented women.
On The Scarlet Letter, there were two oxen meant to pull a cart. They had different white patches of fur on their faces, and production wanted their faces to be matching. They (safely) dyed the oxen's faces brown to match and their fur turned purple so they had to be replaced! I hope those oxen got their chance at stardom on another movie.
Patricia- What was your reaction when you won the Young Artist of Hollywood Award Winner for The Sweetest Gift?
Kristin- I was so honoured. Showtime flew me to Los Angeles to attend the ceremony and when my name was called I almost didn't hear it it was so surreal. I barely remember accepting the award, I was vibrating with excitement and nerves. Afterwards I stood onstage with the other winners, and I looked to my left and right and realized I was standing in between Jena Malone and Dominique Swain and I felt really proud to be in such fantastic actresses company. Also Leonardo DiCaprio who I love had previously won a YAA so I felt like that might lead me to work with him one day lol fingers crossed.
Kevin- What made you decide to go into voice acting?
Kristin- I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I didn't know that it was even possible to be a voice on a cartoon series. Who doesn't love cartoons? It never occurred to me that I could be a cartoon. When I got my first voice audition, I walked into the studio and though you're kidding me. I just talk and you record it and make me a cartoon?? It was mind-blowing. My first cartoon voice was Nicole on the cartoon Madeline. I got to speak in a French accent and sing songs with the other girls in the studio. I was very small so I had to stand on a milk crate to be able to sing at the mic with the other girls. It was too much fun.
Patricia- What was the audition process like for Little Bear?
Kristin- Originally, I auditioned for the roles of Duck and Hen. I read the same voice for both of them. Casting told me the show was for preschool kids, so I thought of the voice I heard in my head when I was learning to read and I guess Little Bear is what it sounded like lol. The casting director came into the vocal booth and said the producers would like me to read for Little Bear. And I was like for sure, which one is Little Bear? And they told me the show was called Little Bear. I think I used the same voice. Afterwards they gave me 4 Little Bear books and said they would see me soon. When I began recording the show, Maurice Sendak came to visit the studio, and he drew a Little Bear picture in each one of my books which are some of my most treasured possessions.
Patricia- Did you read the books before auditioning for the show?
Kristin- I had never heard of Little Bear when I auditioned for the show. I had no idea the impact Little Bear would have on people and it's something I am so proud to have been a part of. I am continuously surprised by the variety of people I meet at Fan Expo and Comic Con that hug me and tell me that they love Little Bear. He is loved by all ages :)
Patricia- What characteristics do you share with Little Bear?
Kristin- Little Bear is kind and he has integrity. He always stays true to himself and he cares about his friends and family very much. He has an amazing imagination and always tries his best. I like to think those are the characteristics we share.
Kevin- What was it like working with Maurice Sendak and Else Holmelund Minarik?
Kristin- I unfortunately never had the opportunity to meet Else Holmelund Minarik, but I did get to spend some time with the wonderful Maurice Sendak when he came to a recording session. He was so interesting and he was very pleased with the series and how it turned out. He said my Little Bear voice was just right :)
Kevin- What would a typical day be like for voicing an episode?
Kristin- My mom would pick me up from school at lunch time, and we would head down to the city to the studio. Little Bear was almost always recorded as an ensemble, so I would be in the studio all afternoon while different characters joined me and others left. Usually about 4-6 hours per record. There was a lot of jokes and laughter. Sometimes I would record pick up lines for episodes already completed, so I would get to watch a screen and see a snippet of the episode and record my lines along with Little Bear's mouth movements. That was fun.
Kevin- What was your favorite episode?
Kristin- I wouldn't even know where to begin I have so many favorites. I loved "The Puddle Jumper" episode. Zen frog was so funny to listen to. I love when Little Bear goes to the moon. The first three episodes are so dear to me, especially "What Will Little Bear Wear"? as they were my first ever and set the tone for the five seasons of the series.
Patricia- Do you still keep in contact with the creators or the voice actors from Little Bear?
Kristin- I still work often with Director Merle Anne Ridley, and I'm in touch with Tracy Ryan (Duck), Amos Crawley (Owl) and Janet Laine Green (Mother Bear)
Patricia- What was it like doing The Little Bear Movie?
Kristin- It was incredible. I recorded the film with my brother Kyle Fairlie, who was the voice of Cub, the bear cub that Little Bear helps to find his family. Afterwards I got to record the voice for the plush Little Bear that sold at Target so that was a pretty amazing experience.
Patricia- How did it feel that you were doing this movie alongside your younger brother?
Kristin- It is one of my proudest moments and something we both cherish.
Kevin- When was the last time you watched an episode of Little Bear?
Kristin- I see it all the time flipping channels.
Patricia- After over 12 years after Little Bear was on air, do you think that the show has held up well?
Kristin- I think Little Bear is hands down the best cartoon for young children on television. Little Bear is about friendship, family, nature and using your imagination. It teaches people to be kind and I think that is an important lesson at any age.
Kevin- What was the audition process like for the Total Drama series?
Kristin- Just like every voice audition, you go to the studio, read the character description, look at the sketch of the character, and then interpret their voice how you feel it should sound.
Patricia- What characteristics do you share with Bridgette?
Kristin- Bridgette is kind, friendly, determined, she loves to sing, she loves animals and she's clumsy. I constantly bang my elbows off everything.
Kevin- Do you enjoy singing or acting more?
Kristin- I don't think I could live without either. It's a toss up.
Patricia- What was it like doing Moonpoint and Jesus Henry Christ?
Kristin- Moonpoint was hilarious fun. Jesus Henry Christ was one of my proudest moments in my career so far.
Patricia- What was it like working with Julia Roberts, Toni Collette, and Michael Sheen?
Kristin- I didn't have scenes with Toni or Michael, but I met Toni who is lovely. Julia Roberts. What can I say? She is an angel among us. She was so sweet, and flattering. She told me she had everything to do with me being cast in the film. I squeezed her arm when I thanked her for having me in the movie and afterwards I thought, Richard Gere touched those arms! Ha ha.
Patricia- Can you tell us what made you come up with the idea for Hate and Heartbreak?
Kristin- I have always wanted my own label and clothing store. When we began building the website, I wanted the name to be universal and something that everyone could relate to. I was trying to think of a positive name but I had lost someone in my life to cancer and I was so consumed with anger and heartbreak. And then I realized that everyone can relate to that. We all experience those emotions at some point in our lives and they are inescapable. Even if you ignore them, they will bubble up in some way at some point in your life, and it is only when you embrace those emotions that you are able to break free and move forward from them. And I want to support people through that darkness and be a symbol of strength in the face of hate and heartbreak. I want to let people know that it's okay to feel those things and that they are never alone in feeling that way and it's okay to move forward. You will come through it stronger than you knew was possible.
Kevin- When people approach you, what voice do they demand that you do the most?
Kristin- Little Bear.
Patricia- What are your reactions of people approaching you and saying that they watched Little Bear growing up and they loved your character portrayal?
Kristin- It makes my heart full. People tell me I was a huge part of their childhood, or their children's, and I'm so honoured to have touched so many lives.
Patricia- What are your upcoming projects?
I have several projects in the works, but I have just completed a guest star on the CTV /Fox International Series The Listener. I am very excited for everyone to see the episode! It is episode 2 of Season 4 :)
Patricia- Alright then. Kristin, thank you so much for the interview.
Kristin- Thank you!
For more information about Kristin, visit her website at hateandheartbreak.com. Follow her on FaceBook and Twitter @kristinfairlie. That's all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
-Patricia and Kevin
But she's mostly known for her voice acting in shows such as Madeline, Babar: The King of Elephants, and the Total Drama series. But she'll always be known as the sweet innocent Little Bear. Nowadays, she's been in a few indie movies such as Moonpoint and Jesus Henry Christ and she's the founder of a website named Hate and Heartbreak. Hope that you enjoy this amazing interview with Kristin Fairlie.
Patricia- What were your favorite shows/TV shows growing up?
Kristin- My favorite shows when I was really little were Road to Avonlea, Fresh Prince, The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show, Jem, Rainbow Brite, My Pet Monster and Full House.
Kevin- At what age did you decide that you wanted to pursue your life into acting?
Kristin- I was eight years old when I started in the industry, but I began making short films with the my siblings and the kids on my street when I was 6 : ) I always wanted to be an actor.
Patricia- Who are your influences?
Kristin- A lot of people inspire me in my life. I love Kate Moss' style, I love Julianne Moore, Joan Allen and Fiona Apple. Anne Heche is someone who's friendship, strength and advice had an incredible impact on me, I admire her lot as an actress and a person. Sarah Polley is someone I have looked up to since I was a little girl. And I love Frank Ocean. Just want that to be known lol.
Patricia- What was the audition process like for The Scarlet Letter, The Sweetest Gift, and The Virgin Suicides?
Kristin- I auditioned for The Scarlet Letter when I was 12, for director Roland Joffe. He was incredibly kind and so inspiring to work with. I remember being at the callback with him and him asking me if I'd like to go to BC and Nova Scotia to shoot the film. My parents were excited that I would be working with Robert Duvall, Gary Oldman and Demi Moore and I was too young to know who they were! Stuart Margolin, the director of The Sweetest Gift was a guiding light for me on that film. And meeting Sofia Coppola was inspiring and a little overwhelming! I am a huge fan of hers.
Kevin- What was it like working alongside actors such as Demi Moore, Robert Duvall, Gary Oldman, Anne Heche, and Laura Dern?
Kristin- These were some of the greatest experiences of my life. Anne became a dear friend to me while filming Gracie's Choice and gave me advice I will cherish for the rest of my life. Demi Moore is one of the strongest and coolest women I have ever met. Robert Duvall and Gary Oldman were so sweet to me and so talented, and Laura Dern is incredible, I took a lot away from acting opposite her. She truly has a gift. And she's in Jurassic Park! Favourite trilogy of all time :)
Patricia- What funny memories can you tell us while working on the set for those movies?
Kristin- On The Virgin Suicides, there was this boy on set that was one of the most handsome guys I've ever seen. He was really nice, and I wanted to get a picture of him just because I couldn't believe how cute he was, so I asked him to take a picture of me and Sofia Coppola, and then I was like we might as well get a picture too and Sofia took a picture of the two of us. I went to school and showed my girlfriends the picture like look how hot this guy is! About a month later The Faculty and Halloween H20 came out and the boy in my photo was suddenly one of the biggest stars in the world. It was Josh Hartnett.
The Sweetest Gift was jokes and laughter for the entire shoot. Marc Donato (Degrassi) and Dylan Provencher (Wind at my Back) played my brothers and we bonded over a summer of playing with the animals on set and learning Southern accents together. The entire cast and crew were amazing, working with Helen Shaver, Tisha Cambell and legend Diahann Carroll was a great learning experience to be working opposite such strong and talented women.
On The Scarlet Letter, there were two oxen meant to pull a cart. They had different white patches of fur on their faces, and production wanted their faces to be matching. They (safely) dyed the oxen's faces brown to match and their fur turned purple so they had to be replaced! I hope those oxen got their chance at stardom on another movie.
Patricia- What was your reaction when you won the Young Artist of Hollywood Award Winner for The Sweetest Gift?
Kristin- I was so honoured. Showtime flew me to Los Angeles to attend the ceremony and when my name was called I almost didn't hear it it was so surreal. I barely remember accepting the award, I was vibrating with excitement and nerves. Afterwards I stood onstage with the other winners, and I looked to my left and right and realized I was standing in between Jena Malone and Dominique Swain and I felt really proud to be in such fantastic actresses company. Also Leonardo DiCaprio who I love had previously won a YAA so I felt like that might lead me to work with him one day lol fingers crossed.
Kevin- What made you decide to go into voice acting?
Kristin- I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I didn't know that it was even possible to be a voice on a cartoon series. Who doesn't love cartoons? It never occurred to me that I could be a cartoon. When I got my first voice audition, I walked into the studio and though you're kidding me. I just talk and you record it and make me a cartoon?? It was mind-blowing. My first cartoon voice was Nicole on the cartoon Madeline. I got to speak in a French accent and sing songs with the other girls in the studio. I was very small so I had to stand on a milk crate to be able to sing at the mic with the other girls. It was too much fun.
Patricia- What was the audition process like for Little Bear?
Kristin- Originally, I auditioned for the roles of Duck and Hen. I read the same voice for both of them. Casting told me the show was for preschool kids, so I thought of the voice I heard in my head when I was learning to read and I guess Little Bear is what it sounded like lol. The casting director came into the vocal booth and said the producers would like me to read for Little Bear. And I was like for sure, which one is Little Bear? And they told me the show was called Little Bear. I think I used the same voice. Afterwards they gave me 4 Little Bear books and said they would see me soon. When I began recording the show, Maurice Sendak came to visit the studio, and he drew a Little Bear picture in each one of my books which are some of my most treasured possessions.
Patricia- Did you read the books before auditioning for the show?
Kristin- I had never heard of Little Bear when I auditioned for the show. I had no idea the impact Little Bear would have on people and it's something I am so proud to have been a part of. I am continuously surprised by the variety of people I meet at Fan Expo and Comic Con that hug me and tell me that they love Little Bear. He is loved by all ages :)
Patricia- What characteristics do you share with Little Bear?
Kristin- Little Bear is kind and he has integrity. He always stays true to himself and he cares about his friends and family very much. He has an amazing imagination and always tries his best. I like to think those are the characteristics we share.
Kevin- What was it like working with Maurice Sendak and Else Holmelund Minarik?
Kristin- I unfortunately never had the opportunity to meet Else Holmelund Minarik, but I did get to spend some time with the wonderful Maurice Sendak when he came to a recording session. He was so interesting and he was very pleased with the series and how it turned out. He said my Little Bear voice was just right :)
Kevin- What would a typical day be like for voicing an episode?
Kristin- My mom would pick me up from school at lunch time, and we would head down to the city to the studio. Little Bear was almost always recorded as an ensemble, so I would be in the studio all afternoon while different characters joined me and others left. Usually about 4-6 hours per record. There was a lot of jokes and laughter. Sometimes I would record pick up lines for episodes already completed, so I would get to watch a screen and see a snippet of the episode and record my lines along with Little Bear's mouth movements. That was fun.
Kevin- What was your favorite episode?
Kristin- I wouldn't even know where to begin I have so many favorites. I loved "The Puddle Jumper" episode. Zen frog was so funny to listen to. I love when Little Bear goes to the moon. The first three episodes are so dear to me, especially "What Will Little Bear Wear"? as they were my first ever and set the tone for the five seasons of the series.
Patricia- Do you still keep in contact with the creators or the voice actors from Little Bear?
Kristin- I still work often with Director Merle Anne Ridley, and I'm in touch with Tracy Ryan (Duck), Amos Crawley (Owl) and Janet Laine Green (Mother Bear)
Patricia- What was it like doing The Little Bear Movie?
Kristin- It was incredible. I recorded the film with my brother Kyle Fairlie, who was the voice of Cub, the bear cub that Little Bear helps to find his family. Afterwards I got to record the voice for the plush Little Bear that sold at Target so that was a pretty amazing experience.
Patricia- How did it feel that you were doing this movie alongside your younger brother?
Kristin- It is one of my proudest moments and something we both cherish.
Kevin- When was the last time you watched an episode of Little Bear?
Kristin- I see it all the time flipping channels.
Patricia- After over 12 years after Little Bear was on air, do you think that the show has held up well?
Kristin- I think Little Bear is hands down the best cartoon for young children on television. Little Bear is about friendship, family, nature and using your imagination. It teaches people to be kind and I think that is an important lesson at any age.
Kevin- What was the audition process like for the Total Drama series?
Kristin- Just like every voice audition, you go to the studio, read the character description, look at the sketch of the character, and then interpret their voice how you feel it should sound.
Patricia- What characteristics do you share with Bridgette?
Kristin- Bridgette is kind, friendly, determined, she loves to sing, she loves animals and she's clumsy. I constantly bang my elbows off everything.
Kevin- Do you enjoy singing or acting more?
Kristin- I don't think I could live without either. It's a toss up.
Patricia- What was it like doing Moonpoint and Jesus Henry Christ?
Kristin- Moonpoint was hilarious fun. Jesus Henry Christ was one of my proudest moments in my career so far.
Patricia- What was it like working with Julia Roberts, Toni Collette, and Michael Sheen?
Kristin- I didn't have scenes with Toni or Michael, but I met Toni who is lovely. Julia Roberts. What can I say? She is an angel among us. She was so sweet, and flattering. She told me she had everything to do with me being cast in the film. I squeezed her arm when I thanked her for having me in the movie and afterwards I thought, Richard Gere touched those arms! Ha ha.
Patricia- Can you tell us what made you come up with the idea for Hate and Heartbreak?
Kristin- I have always wanted my own label and clothing store. When we began building the website, I wanted the name to be universal and something that everyone could relate to. I was trying to think of a positive name but I had lost someone in my life to cancer and I was so consumed with anger and heartbreak. And then I realized that everyone can relate to that. We all experience those emotions at some point in our lives and they are inescapable. Even if you ignore them, they will bubble up in some way at some point in your life, and it is only when you embrace those emotions that you are able to break free and move forward from them. And I want to support people through that darkness and be a symbol of strength in the face of hate and heartbreak. I want to let people know that it's okay to feel those things and that they are never alone in feeling that way and it's okay to move forward. You will come through it stronger than you knew was possible.
Kevin- When people approach you, what voice do they demand that you do the most?
Kristin- Little Bear.
Patricia- What are your reactions of people approaching you and saying that they watched Little Bear growing up and they loved your character portrayal?
Kristin- It makes my heart full. People tell me I was a huge part of their childhood, or their children's, and I'm so honoured to have touched so many lives.
Patricia- What are your upcoming projects?
I have several projects in the works, but I have just completed a guest star on the CTV /Fox International Series The Listener. I am very excited for everyone to see the episode! It is episode 2 of Season 4 :)
Patricia- Alright then. Kristin, thank you so much for the interview.
Kristin- Thank you!
For more information about Kristin, visit her website at hateandheartbreak.com. Follow her on FaceBook and Twitter @kristinfairlie. That's all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
-Patricia and Kevin
Movie Review: Little Bear: The Movie
Around the 2000's, Nick Jr. decided to follow the same path of what Nickeloeon was doing a few years previously: movies. Around Christmas 2000, Nick Jr. had their first theatrical movie debut with The Little Bear Movie.
Based on the Nick Jr. TV series and the books written by Else Holmelund Minerak, Little Bear is about the simple stories of a young bear cub named Little Bear and his numerous adventures alongside his parents and best friends. For how I feel about the TV series, I like it okay. It's simple, has nice animation, nice, calm orchestrated music, and sticks very close to the theme of the books. So how does the movie stand out? Let's check it out. Here's The Little Bear Movie. The movie starts off with a bear cub waking up finding himself all alone calling his mom and dad. While looking around the deep woods, he then learns that he's all alone. Meanwhile we see Little Bear getting ready to go on a camping trip with Father Bear. Little Bear is very excited to go out with Father Bear and he quickly finishes his packing.When fishing near a lake, Little Bear sees the bear cub from the beginning of the movie catching fish with his paw. He's having difficulty as he fell down and scared the fishes away. Little Bear finds it funny and joins alongside him not knowing that he was fishing like a bear.
The bear cub doesn't find it funny and walks away. Little Bear wanted to know more about him so he introduces himself. The bear cub simply introduces himself as Cub. He goes off where we also see his friend Little Moose. Little Bear follows them not knowing about the danger that lurked behind him with a mountain lion. Cub saves his life with Little Bear not having a clue to what was going on. Cub then realizes that Little Bear is not from the woods. Little Bear finds himself lost not knowing where Father Bear is. Cub helps Little Bear settle in the woods and make himself feel calm. Little Bear questions him on where his parents were. Cub tells him that he doesn't know where they are. He had been lost for a long time and has looked everywhere for them. Little Bear tells him that he'll take Cub home to his house the following day. When Little Bear and Cub walk over to the house, Father Bear find them heading towards the path and was worried sick about where his son was. Little Bear explained about Cub's problem and Father Bear decides to take Cub home to take care of him until they find his parents.
Cub isn't able to understand the indoor life of Little Bear with them cooking their food and sleeping in beds. Little Bear realizes that Cub doesn't feel at home so he decides to help find his parents. The next day, Little Bear's friends Duck, Cat, Hen, and Owl come over to play with Little Bear and are confused to seeing Cub. Little Bear explains that Cub is lost and needs to find his parents and they offer to help. As they search around the woods, the gang gets separated from one another. Little Bear, Cub, and Duck try to look around the deep woods for both Cub's parents and the separated group consisting of Owl, Hen, and Cat. They come across Little Moose and Cub's other friends Poppy and Pete, two foxes. They had seen where Cub's parents were so they follow them. Meanwhile Trouble, the mountain lion, sneaks in to try to eat Duck, but Little Bear comes and saves her life. Poppy and Pete then lead Cub's parents over to Cub and the movie ends with them reuniting.
Overall, the movie was okay. It was very nice, colorful, and had a calm, relaxing atmosphere. However, I find the pace to be a tad bit slow and the main villain to be underwhelming. But then again, it's a movie based on a pre-school show. It doesn't do anything preachy or awful. Kids nowadays would find it to be very boring and would want to tune into a more faster paced show, but I liked the Little Bear series okay. It's a nice relaxing refresher to stray away from the fast paced shows you would see like Yo Gabba Gabba!
That's all for now. Tune in next time as we have a special interview with one of the voice actors from Little Bear. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
-Patricia
Based on the Nick Jr. TV series and the books written by Else Holmelund Minerak, Little Bear is about the simple stories of a young bear cub named Little Bear and his numerous adventures alongside his parents and best friends. For how I feel about the TV series, I like it okay. It's simple, has nice animation, nice, calm orchestrated music, and sticks very close to the theme of the books. So how does the movie stand out? Let's check it out. Here's The Little Bear Movie. The movie starts off with a bear cub waking up finding himself all alone calling his mom and dad. While looking around the deep woods, he then learns that he's all alone. Meanwhile we see Little Bear getting ready to go on a camping trip with Father Bear. Little Bear is very excited to go out with Father Bear and he quickly finishes his packing.When fishing near a lake, Little Bear sees the bear cub from the beginning of the movie catching fish with his paw. He's having difficulty as he fell down and scared the fishes away. Little Bear finds it funny and joins alongside him not knowing that he was fishing like a bear.
The bear cub doesn't find it funny and walks away. Little Bear wanted to know more about him so he introduces himself. The bear cub simply introduces himself as Cub. He goes off where we also see his friend Little Moose. Little Bear follows them not knowing about the danger that lurked behind him with a mountain lion. Cub saves his life with Little Bear not having a clue to what was going on. Cub then realizes that Little Bear is not from the woods. Little Bear finds himself lost not knowing where Father Bear is. Cub helps Little Bear settle in the woods and make himself feel calm. Little Bear questions him on where his parents were. Cub tells him that he doesn't know where they are. He had been lost for a long time and has looked everywhere for them. Little Bear tells him that he'll take Cub home to his house the following day. When Little Bear and Cub walk over to the house, Father Bear find them heading towards the path and was worried sick about where his son was. Little Bear explained about Cub's problem and Father Bear decides to take Cub home to take care of him until they find his parents.
Cub isn't able to understand the indoor life of Little Bear with them cooking their food and sleeping in beds. Little Bear realizes that Cub doesn't feel at home so he decides to help find his parents. The next day, Little Bear's friends Duck, Cat, Hen, and Owl come over to play with Little Bear and are confused to seeing Cub. Little Bear explains that Cub is lost and needs to find his parents and they offer to help. As they search around the woods, the gang gets separated from one another. Little Bear, Cub, and Duck try to look around the deep woods for both Cub's parents and the separated group consisting of Owl, Hen, and Cat. They come across Little Moose and Cub's other friends Poppy and Pete, two foxes. They had seen where Cub's parents were so they follow them. Meanwhile Trouble, the mountain lion, sneaks in to try to eat Duck, but Little Bear comes and saves her life. Poppy and Pete then lead Cub's parents over to Cub and the movie ends with them reuniting.
Overall, the movie was okay. It was very nice, colorful, and had a calm, relaxing atmosphere. However, I find the pace to be a tad bit slow and the main villain to be underwhelming. But then again, it's a movie based on a pre-school show. It doesn't do anything preachy or awful. Kids nowadays would find it to be very boring and would want to tune into a more faster paced show, but I liked the Little Bear series okay. It's a nice relaxing refresher to stray away from the fast paced shows you would see like Yo Gabba Gabba!
That's all for now. Tune in next time as we have a special interview with one of the voice actors from Little Bear. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
-Patricia
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Old School Lane's Nickelodeon Tribute: Interview with Marc Weiner
A tad bit late, I know. But still, better late than never. Our
next interview is comedian/puppeteer Marc Weiner. Around the 70’s and 80’s, Weiner
performed his kooky and creative puppets on Saturday
Night Live, The Bizarre Show, The Jim Henson Hour, Laughs, The Joey Delux Show, and many more. For
kids who grew up in the 90’s, he’s mostly known for his 1993 variety show Weinerville.
For kids who grew up in the 2000’s, he’s mostly known as the voice of Swiper and Map from the Nick Jr. program Dora the Explorer. Today he still does his standup show worldwide, he’s the founder and developer of The Empathy Labyrinth Center, and he’s currently working on putting new Weinerville videos on YouTube alongside his son Max.
Patricia- What were your favorite cartoons/programs growing
up?
That’s all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
For kids who grew up in the 2000’s, he’s mostly known as the voice of Swiper and Map from the Nick Jr. program Dora the Explorer. Today he still does his standup show worldwide, he’s the founder and developer of The Empathy Labyrinth Center, and he’s currently working on putting new Weinerville videos on YouTube alongside his son Max.
Kevin and I had the chance to interview Marc, so I hope you
enjoy it.
Marc- Little Rascals,
Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello, Red Skelton Show, and Laugh-in.
Patricia- Who are your comedic influences?
Marc- Red Skelton,
Stooges, Abbott and Costello, Jerry Lewis, Jonathan Winters, Lucille Ball, Robin
Williams, Ray Abruzzo and Marvin Silbermintz.
Kevin- What was it like doing your puppet show on The
Bizarre Show?
Marc- AMAZING! The
producer of that show, Bob Einstein was and still is one of the funniest and
nicest person I have ever met in show business. As well as John Byner, the
host. Both John and Bob were very supportive of my work and gave me room to be
funny. I will always be grateful to them.
Patricia- What funny stories can you tell us about your
experiences being on Saturday Night Live?
Marc- It was after my first appearance on SNL that Joe Piscopo took me into the producer's office and made
them hiring me for the following week. My head writer and dear friend Ray
Abruzzo, wrote a rap song for my Afro-American puppet Weindulah to perform. We
played it for Eddie Murphy and he said, "You white boys don't know how to
write rap music" and re-wrote the song on the spot. It went over very
well.
You can see these SNL
shows on Netflix (Feb 1980)
Patricia-What made you decide to create half-human half-puppets?
Marc- I worked with a street puppeteer in Boston and then
when I came to NYC, I joined the Bond Street Theater group. They asked me to
make puppets for them and I just did it. I developed the Weinerville style puppet for my nightclub act because I wanted to
be able to do many different puppets on stage without having to make the
audience wait as I took off one and put on another. So I lined a series of puppets
up each behind little closed door on my puppet set and I would put my head on
one and open the door, do my routine close the door and move to the next one.
It was quick and funny.
Kevin- How did you come up with the idea of Weinerville?
Marc- I was coming up with all these head puppet ideas and
getting them on many different TV shows and a producer suggested that I could
actually have my own show, I'll called it Weinerville.
Patricia- What were your inspirations to become a puppeteer?
Marc- When I first came to NY, I watch a street mime use his
fingers to do a tight rope walking routine. I didn't just see his fingers but I
saw a little man. So I sewed a little puppet outfit for my hand and asked a
mask maker to help me make my first mask to fit around my wrist. That's how I made my first hand Weinerette
style puppet (Rocko and Socko).
Patricia- How did you come up with the ideas of your puppets
such as Dottie, Boney, Socko, and Cocktail Frank?
Marc- Dottie, well, I think I put on a wig and just went
with it and out she came. The idea for Boney came from a very funny man named
Marvin Silbermintz, who was one of my writers on Weinerville. Marvin told me his idea, I came up with the voice, and
puppet master David Jordon made the puppet. Socko is a younger version of my
puppet Rocko from SNL. Cocktail Frank
is living my dream of being a rock n roll star.
Patricia- What would be the process of getting an episode of
Weinerville done?
Marc- Someone would pitch the premise for the episode, then
I would ask them to add twice as much shtick and gags to it and then we would
shoot it.
Kevin- If you could've had any guest on Weinerville, who would it be and why?
Marc- I never thought I could have guests on my show. The
only reason a few guests appeared on the show was because they happened to be
visiting Nickelodeon at Universal Studios in Florida. A PA would come running
in and say so-and-so is on the Nick Tour, do you want me to ask them if they
would appear on the show? Yes!!!!! Grab them and quickly get the writers.
Patricia- When Weinerville
first came out, it had gotten many praises from viewers because there was
nothing like it on TV. Even still to this day, there's no other show like Weinerville. What, in your opinion,
makes Weinerville still a very unique
show that still holds up today? Why do you think no one tried to replicate it?
Marc- I think Weinerville
was kind of in the genre of The Soupy
Sales Show and Pee-wee’s Playhouse:
silly funny shtick for kids and adults.
Patricia- What was the audition process for voicing Swiper
and Map on Dora the Explorer?
Marc- I knew the producers from working down in Florida and
they just hired me.
Patricia- On January 2011, you made an announcement that you
and your son Max were going to release new episodes of Weinerville on YouTube. How's the process coming along? When can we
expect to see new episodes?
Marc- Max is very busy with his musical career and we hope to
release a few short Boney shorts each year. We really appreciate all our
YouTube fans.
Kevin- What was the nicest feedback you had ever received
from a fan?
Marc- I think it was when a fan wrote to us saying that they
had been watching Weinerville on TV
in their family play room instead of playing in the front room of his house.
All of a sudden, a car crashed into that front room of his house. If he hadn't
been watching Weinerville, he would
have been in that front room and would have been killed. Now that's great fan
mail!
Patricia- Whenever you're out and about, do people stop and
say "Oh my god, you're Marc Weiner. I was a huge fan of Weinerville when I was a kid. You're
awesome!"
Marc- Back in the day.
Now it's just when I look in the mirror.
Patricia- What are your upcoming projects?
Marc- Finishing up
our 8th season of Dora, teaching
children and adults how communicate more compassionately with each other via my
Empathy Labyrinth, touring with my stand up show, and trying to be the most
empathic and loving father I can be to my children.
Patricia- That’s all the questions. Marc, thank you so much
for taking the time to interview us. It has been an honor.
Marc- Thank you very much for this interview. Happy
holidays.
To learn more about Empathy Labyrinth, you can check out the
website at www.el4peace.com. For more
information about Weinerville, check
it out at weinerville.com. Also follow him on Facebook and Twitter at
facebook.com/Weinerville and @WeinervilleTV.
That’s all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.
-Patricia and Kevin
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