Nickelodeon Animation Podcast

Everyone loves a theme song! It's the first thing you hear on your favorite toon, and it's a tune you'll never forget. Why are Nickelodeon theme songs so catchy? What makes a good theme song? Hector finds out when he talks toon tunes with some of our iconic Nick creators from CatDog, Invader Zim, Hey Arnold!, Dora the Explorer, TMNT and more in this special musical episode of the podcast. Get ready to start singing along!

Pinky Malinky creators Chris Garbutt and Rikke Asbjoern are the proud parents of the first social media savvy cartoon character on Nickelodeon - who also happens to be a hotdog! Pinky Malinky is an infectiously-positive wiener who lives in the human world, goes to school, sings, dances, inflates like a balloon, and makes hilarious social content with his best buds Babs and JJ. The ingenious creators join Hector and share the inspirations for the series design, music, diversity, and humor.

Beast Boy! Stinkyfly! Craz! Steven Jackson! Tu! Kevin Levin! Chiro! And of course, the amazing Michaelangelo on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Greg Cipes is one of the most successful and soulful voice actors working in cartoons. But as Hector discovers in this epic episode, Greg's passions don't stop there. He teaches meditation, writes music and is devoted to the rescue and welfare of animals. Booyakasha!

Earth. Fire. Air. Water. And a whole lot of elements of awesomeness in this episode with The Legend of Korra cast! Janet Varney (Korra), Seychelle Gabriel (Asami), David Faustino (Mako) and P.J. Byrne (Bolin) join Hector on a deep dive into their auditions, favorite memories and what it was like to star in one of the most inspiring toons of all time.

The Angry Beavers creator Mitch Schauer was more than an expert animator when Nick heard his idea for a cartoon; he was also a self-educated beaver expert! Luckily for future fans, Nick said "yes" to the idea and before long, Norbert and Daggett became the network's most memorable cartoon critters ever. Join Hector as Mitch stops by the studio to share beaver fun facts, career stories, and insights into the creation of these ridiculous broad-tailed rodents.

Dora The Explorer co-creator Valerie Walsh Valdes helped bring to life the world's most popular Latina explorer. As one of the longest running series ever on Nickelodeon, Dora wowed kids and parents in homes and toy aisles across the globe, while always empowering audiences to come along on her adventures. From Dora The Explorer to Go Diego Go! to Dora and Friends, Valerie is one of the few creators who knows what it's like to see a creative vision explode into a worldwide phenomena.

John DiMaggio is the mad voice genius behind some of our favorite cartoon characters ever: Bender from Futurama, Jake from Adventure Time, the Scotsman from Samurai Jack, Penny from Sanjay and Craig, and lately the grumpy Mr. Grouse from The Loud House. Hector holds on tight as the actor, comedian, and producer of the documentary I Know That Voice recounts his career and inspirations, and shows us why he's one of the best of the best.

Welcome To The Wayne's creator Billy Lopez grew up in a big city, in an apartment building, and was obsessed with the mysteries of the strange place he called home. It's no coincidence that Welcome To The Wayne is about three kids who have exactly the same experience! Nick's newest creator (and voice of series star Olly Timbers!) joins Hector in the booth and reveals the musical, literary and brotherly influences behind Nick's new cartoon.

3-2-1...Season 3 of the podcast blasts off with the legendary cast of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Debi Derryberry (Jimmy), Jeff Garcia (Sheen) and voice super-genius Rob Paulsen (Carl) visit the studio and share all the nerdtastic details of this CG-animated classic. Join our super fan host Hector as the actors discuss taking each other and cartoon fans to new dimensions of time, space and hilarity with an Academy Award-nominated film, a series and the spin-off Planet Sheen.

The Loud House is the brainchild of creator Chris Savino and one of the most popular cartoons on television. But what goes into writing this smash hit week after week? On this epic season 2 finale of the podcast, Hector learns the behind-the-scene details when he takes our crew out of the recording studio, across the Nickelodeon campus, and into animation offices of this beloved series. We're unpacking all the secrets with writers Mike Rubiner, Karla Sakas Shropshire, Kevin Sullivan, Whitney Wetta, Sammie Crowley, and the main Loud-man himself, Chris Savino. So join the gang and learn what it takes to tell hilarious stories straight from the heart.

"Are you ready kids?! I can't hear you!" SpongeBob SquarePants is cartoon royalty and adored worldwide but what goes into making our favorite sponge fresh, hysterical and a fan favorite year after year? This week supervising producers Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli break it all the way down to Bikini Bottom.

Rugrats co-creator Paul Germain belongs in the Animation Hall of Awesomeness for his work on the seminal Nickelodeon show. And then there’s that little thing called The Simpsons that he developed as shorts on The Tracy Ullman Show. Then there’s Recess. And Lloyd In Space. You want more? How about getting his first job after college on the Academy Award-winning movie Terms of Endearment and giving Cameron Crow the idea for the graduation speech in Say Anything? Paul joins Hector in the studio for a lively talk about his incredible career and breaks it down for aspiring writers, producers, and animation buffs. So listen up and learn from one of the masters of the Hollywood trade!

When your cartoon career includes Snoopy, Scooby-Doo and Stimpy you really have run with the BIG DOGS of animation. Veteran producer Margaret Dean (Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers, Mattel, Stoopid Buddy Studios) and co-president of W.I.A. (Women in Animation), brings her incredible insight to this week's podcast. Join us as she discusses equality in the industry, the changing landscape of animation, and what the impacts and opportunities are for anyone with the drive to create.

Butch Hartman (The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, T.U.F.F. Puppy) has created another MONSTER hit series, “Bunsen is a Beast!” This week the legendary creator stops by the studio with the show’s stars Jeremy Rowley (Bunsen), Ben Giroux (Mikey), and Kari Wahlgren (Amanda) to discuss how this new toon is made, developing the “voice” of a character and just how hard a hard-working actor works. (Hint: REALLY HARD!) It’s a beastly cartoon world out there and we're thrilled that this talented trio and their fearless leader is bringing Nick's next hit to life!

HELLOOOO PODCAST! This week living legend Rob Paulsen is in the studio! The voice of your cartoon favorites Yakko Warner (Animaniacs), Raphael (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1987), Pinky (Pinky and the Brain), Jack Fenton (Danny Phantom), Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 2012) takes us through his 30+ year career in animation. Did Rob almost sabotage his chance to play tech turtle, Donnie? Which of his characters is a fan favorite with the ladies? Will he sing the “Nations of the World” song!?! We get ZANY TO THE MAX answering these questions and so many more!

Shimmer and Shine creator/genie Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz cut her teeth in post-production at Nickelodeon, learning all she could from My Life As A Teenage Robot, Dora the Explorer, Go Diego, Go and Ni Hao, Kai-Lan before creating magic on her own hit series. Farnaz doesn't just walk she runs us through her career journey, explaining how she broke through the boxes that people tried to put her in, and the misconception that preschool animation is "easy." Get ready for a shot of animation energy and inspiration by this amazing talent and self-proclaimed spontaneous planner.

Pete Docter was just 21 when he joined Pixar and since then he’s been the creative force behind some of the most influential animated films of all time like Inside Out, Up, Wall-E, Monsters Inc., and Toy Story. His films are modern animated classics, with characters and stories that break new ground, thrilling generations of cartoon fans, and that is exactly what we celebrate on the Nickelodeon Animation Podcast. Pete shares with Hector what it was like to be one of the first animators at Pixar, how constraints can elevate storytelling, and he even drops a few hints at what's next for him and the animation wizards of Pixar.

We're GOING GHOST! Get ready to enter the Phantom fan dimension as Danny Phantom cast members David Kaufman (Danny), Grey Griffin (Sam), Rickey D’Shon Collins (Tucker), and Colleen O’Shaughnessy (Jazz) join Hector in the ghost portal. The cast talks about their favorite Phantom fan theories, the chemistry between Danny and Sam, and recently reuniting to record the “The Fairly Odd Phantom" an animated short that combines all of the iconic Nick characters from the world of Butch Hartman. So prepare to start singing, “Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause he's Danny Phantom!”

A podcast's gotta do what a podcast's gotta do, and this week we're talking toons with the incomparable E.G. Daily. Known worldwide as the voice of Tommy Pickles, one of the most iconic characters in Nickelodeon history, E.G. has also given life to Buttercup (The Powerpuff Girls), Mocking Bird (The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes), and Baby Mumble (Happy Feet). Hector gets the scoop on how and why EG does what she’s gotta do, including working with everyone from Rob Zombie to Pee-wee Herman ("Dottie!?") to making her own music and being a finalist on The Voice. E.G is living proof that listening to the voice inside yourself can be the greatest asset to your career.

The music for Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are two of the most daringly brilliant TV soundtracks ever. Composer Jeremy Zuckerman and series co-creator Bryan Konietzko visit the studio to discuss their decade-long musical collaboration. Hector guides the duo song by song through a selection of inspired and memorable tracks, discovering how and why they created musical magic worthy of the epic Avatar universe.

Buckle up, because the podcast gets “white and nerdy” when Weird Al Yankovic visits the studio. Everyone knows that the Almighty Weird One is a legendary songwriter and pop culture satirist, but did you know that he’s an animation geek who has done voices on The Simpsons, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Adventure Time, Pig Goat Banana Cricket, Teen Titans Go!, Gravity Falls, Wallykazam!, and Milo Murphy's Law? Weird Al talks with Hector about his craft, his upcoming projects, and getting the white-glove thumbs up from none other than Michael Jackson.

MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT creator Rob Renzetti has worked with some of the most legendary names in animation: Genndy Tartakovsky, Craig McCracken, Samurai Jack, Harvey Birdman, the Powerpuff Girls, and some guy named Dexter who had a laboratory. Rob tells Hector that he's lucky to have come up during a new renaissance in TV animation, but with the resume of Rob Renzetti, it's clear that he's a massive talent of his own who never stopped working his cartoon butt off.

Let's kick off the insanely unpredictable world of 2017 with the most insanely unpredictable cartoon cast of all time! Yes, INVADER ZIM! Richard Horvitz (Zim), Rikki Simons (Gir), and Melissa Fahn (Gaz) reminisce, talk shop, and break into musical numbers while discussing the iconic series. What was it like working for the legendary Jhonen Vasquez? What is Zim's favorite episode? And, why was there bacon in the soap, Gir?! SILENCE! Zim's empire of podcast doom begins NOW!

To call Fred Seibert "a producer" is like calling Steve Hillenburg "a guy who drew a sponge." A visionary force in the early days of Nickelodeon, the former president of Hanna-Barbera, and the current big cheese behind Frederator, Fred has produced cartoon classics such as The FairlyOddparents, Adventure Time, Fanboy and Chum Chum, and Bee And Puppy Cat, to name a few. To us, he's a legendary animation entrepreneur, even though Fred calls himself a professional fan.

Blues Clues creators Angela Santomero and Traci Paige Johnson forever changed the way that kids interact with television. Combining their backgrounds in child development, love of Mister Rogers and the paper cut-out aesthetic of Monty Python, they created an animated/live-action phenomenon. Skidoo into the studio with Hector, Angela, Traci and Blue to discover that you really can "do anything that you want to do" with a clear animation vision and a commitment to getting every detail right.

The SNL star tells Hector what it was like playing a runty Christmas tree with big dreams in Albert, an animated holiday movie coming to Nickelodeon this month. Bobby also shares his journey from humble pizza-maker at Pizzeria Uno to the comedy heights of SNL, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and We Bare Bears.

Rocko's Modern Life remains one of the most iconic and influential cartoons in Nickelodeon history. Creator Joe Murray joins Hector and a live audience at the EW Popfest and shares why he was initially reluctant to bring our favorite anxiety-prone wallaby back to television and why flying under the radar was the best thing that could have happened to the inhabitants of O-Town.

Nickelodeon's TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES wouldn't be a smash hit without its cartoon mastermind Ciro Nieli. The veteran of TEEN TITANS, FAMILY GUY and SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPERFORCE GO! talks about his love of Creature Double Features, the Melvins, and his early days in LA surviving on one burrito a day. Join Hector for a deep-dish dive into the life and times of the cartoon super genius behind Kevin Eastman's favorite version of TMNT.

Tara Strong’s voice is everywhere and we’ve got her in the studio to kick off season 2 of the podcast! The voice of Timmy Turner, Twilight Sparkle, Harley Quinn, Dil Pickles, Ben 10, Raven and many more characters talks to Hector about voicing Hello Kitty as a kiddie, her origins at Second City, love of the fans (that means you, Bronies!) and why “getting paid to be silly” is the best job in the world.

We're getting LOUD on the final podcast of season one! Hector is joined by the seven actresses who play the ten sisters on the new hit cartoon THE LOUD HOUSE: Grey Griffin, Lara Jill Miller, Jessica DiCicco, Cristina Pucelli, Nika Futterman, Liliana Mumy, and Catherine Taber. It's a LOUD lovefest as Hector finds out what it's like to be one of Lincoln's sisters, who went to law school, who was on Family Feud in high school, who's a champion poker player, and so much more.

Yo Gabba Gabba! was the first punk rock preschool show ever. When their radical series idea was rejected at every pitch, creators Scott Schultz and Christian Jacobs did a very punk rock thing and made the pilot themselves! Soon, kids and families worldwide were busting out their Dancey Dance moves! Scott and Christian talk with Hector about their DIY journey, their love of weird midnight movies, The Aquabats! Super Show!, and that damn arcade game at 7-Eleven that took all their quarters.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic creator Lauren Faust hated the My Little Pony TV show as a kid. Why can't girl cartoons be badass too? After honing her storytelling skills on Iron Giant, Powerpuff Girls, and Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, Lauren got her chance to make My Little Pony the way she always wanted. You're welcome all you girls and Bronies!

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius creator John Davis claims that even though he was once a boy, he was never a genius. Fans of Jimmy, Planet Sheen and the movie Ant Bully will certainly disagree. Hector talks tech with the computer whiz, animation master, and astrophotographer (whatever that is!) and learns how technical challenges can be your best inspiration as we roam Spaceship Earth.

It was the mighty Popeye who taught EL TIGRE: THE ADVENTURES OF MANNY RIVERA creator, Jorge R. Gutierrez that "If you fight people bigger than you, for something greater than you, you can win the girl of your dreams!" Jorge's fight for his artistic vision has been a heroic journey too. From his work on MAD to THE BOOK OF LIFE Jorge discusses why staying true to yourself, your culture and heading the advice of a "good Mexican woman" are the keys to success!

When a young Jennifer Yuh Nelson (director of KUNG-FU PANDA 2 and 3) watched her mother draw it was like watching magic! She saw her future in that talent and has risen to the top of the animation world.. On this week’s episode Hector speaks with the most successful female animation director in history about all things Kung-Fu, her love of cartoon blood and gore, and why she'll never draw another horse.

Few cartoons in the history of kid's animation are as joyously dark and comically cruel as Invader Zim. Legendary creator, artist and writer Jhonen Vasquez discusses his journey from a disgruntled video store clerk, to his breakthrough gig as a comic book artist, to the fateful day that Invader Zim became his “hideously immortal baby” on TV. Jhonen also tells Hector about his lifelong fandom of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and discusses the original animated Turtles short that he wrote, produced and premiered at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con.

The podcast has a backstage pass at this year’s San Diego Comic Con where Nickelodeon celebrates 90’s Nick shows plus 25 amazing years of animation. Hector’s fanboy frenzy includes interviews with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Executive Producer Ciro Nieli and voice actors Sean Astin, Rob Paulsen, Greg Cipes, Mae Whitman and others, plus SpongeBob SquarePants’ very own Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass and more. Hector also gets a Comic Con exclusive on the upcoming Legends of the Hidden Temple movie from superstar animation actor Dee Bradley Baker, the voice of Olmec!

Craig Bartlett's legendary career in cartoons includes three of the most iconic kid shows ever: Pee Wee's Playhouse, Rugrats, and his very own, universally adored Hey Arnold! As he embarks on a new TV-movie adventure with Arnold and friends, Craig stops by the podcast to discuss his illustrious past, and the future of his beloved football-headed hero.

You know Andy Richter as Conan O'Brien's sidekick, but to us, he's one of the top dog's when it comes to giving voice to hilarious cartoon characters like Mort in the Madagascar films and TV spinoffs, Benjamin Higgenbottom in The Mighty B!, and hilarious roles on Bob's Burgers, Metalocalypse, Robot Chicken, and King of The Hill. Hector talks cartoons, comedy, Studio Ghibli films and more with the comic actor who will never be a second banana to fans of cartoons.

Butch Hartman has been making The Fairly OddParents for 15 years. Hector gets Butch to share the secrets of his success, like the fact that Butch knows every cartoon joke in history because he was born in 1850 and cloned.

Tom grew up loving two things: punk rock and comedy. He pursued both until he voiced Heffer the cow in Rocko's Modern Life. Then he gave life to a sponge in squarepants, and the world of cartoons has never been the same. And for that, Tom thanks punk rock and comedy.

If it happened to Doug Funnie in a cartoon, there's a good chance that it happened to Doug creator Jim Jinkins in real life. Hector discovers that from a crush on a girl named Patty to the torment of bully named Roger to the superhero fantasies of Quail Man, no cartoon in Nick history is drawn more from the life of its creator than Doug.

Chowder and Harvey Beaks creator C.H. Greenblatt talks cartoons, cooking, steampunk, stalking Spongebob creator Steve Hillenburg, and still finds the time to summon the voice of Billy and Mandy's Fred Fredburger.

Hector shares the mic with the legendary comedian, cartoon voice actor, Lady Dynamite star, and former Nickelodeon receptionist. Unfortunately the receptionist job didn't end well for Maria, but like every low in her life, she finds the funny in it.

Kevin Eastman co-created Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Enough said. Seriously. If you love cartoons like we do, what more do you need to know to listen to this episode?

When Arlene Klasky formed her animation company with Gabor Csupo, they dreamed that one day they would produce a cartoon. Their first cartoon was a little show called The Simpsons. Then came Rugrats, Aah Real Monsters, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power and As Told By Ginger. Dreams come true? Check.

Hector tries to convince Billy West that Billy is the greatest cartoon voice-over actor ever, and not a sad untied shoe. Joining Billy in the booth are Doug Funny, Roger Klotz, Ren, Stimpy, Elmer Fudd, Philip J. Fry, Dr. Zoidberg, President Richard Nixon, and Billy's seven-year-old self.

Life changed forever for Chris Savino when barely out of high school, Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi made him an artist on the legendary series. So began a career that included gigs on Rocko's Modern Life, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack, and now his own Nickelodeon series The Loud House.

3-2-1...Season 3 of the podcast blasts off with the legendary cast of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Debi Derryberry (Jimmy), Jeff Garcia (Sheen) and voice super-genius Rob Paulsen (Carl) visit the studio and share all the nerdtastic details of this CG-animated classic. Join our super fan host Hector as the actors discuss taking each other and cartoon fans to new dimensions of time, space and hilarity with an Academy Award-nominated film, a series and the spin-off Planet Sheen.