Voice-Over Royalty Kenny & Talley Celebrate SpongeBob’s 10th Anniversary

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Now in its 10th year, the multiple-Emmy nominated hit animated series SpongeBob SquarePants is a phenomenon. This quirky underwater tale stars sensation Tom Kenny and features his wife, sought-after Jill Talley. The duo dish to Hollywood Today on what its like as voice-over actors on dry land.

Before starring in Nickelodeons wunderkind SpongeBob SquarePants, which has spawned a feature film and merchandise sold all over the U.S., Kenny says he was the weakest man to ever work on a loading dock. He also spent time down in the bowels of a bank in San Francisco taking pictures of cancelled checks everyday for a year, Kenny deadpans.

Being fascinated with cartoons and animation in his pre-teens, Kenny read up on the voice-over industry becoming aware of the credits on cartoons and veterans like June Foray, Mel Blanc, Daws Butler and Don Messick. Foray, who has lent her voice to hundreds of shows including Bugs Bunny, is like five Mick Jaggers, he says.

As a teen, the 47-year-old Annie Award winner remembers talking with long-time friend, comic Bobcat Goldthwait about whose career each would have if given the opportunity. Bobcat, who Kenny describes as very John Belushi-esque staked a claim in Belushi. I said Mel Blanc and my reasons were because hes had this impact on pop culture thats not immediately apparent. And hes old and working in show business. Even at 16, I was sort of worried about the ageist aspect. I thought then, as I think now, find something that you love to do and then do it for as long as you can.

Syracuse-born Kenny, who says he was never the out-there class clown admits he played around a little with voices as a child. However, the humble actor drew comics and was Goldthwaits sidekick. As teens, Kenny and Goldthwait formed comedy duo The Generic Comics getting paid to write sketch shows. Every Tuesday at a biker bar in Syracuse, the two would take the reins over the small stage; gaining invaluable training for the future.

Kenny reflects the two were ballsy and calls his career, smart by mistake.

The bulk of Kennys stand-up experience came in the 80s in San Francisco, when it was really creative, comedy was king, he enthuses. You could make a good living at it as a single guy with a cheap apartment.

One of his fondest memories is meeting legendary stand-up comedian George Carlin, who encouraged his unique style and liberal politics. He offered newbie Kenny his phone number to use when he moved to L.A.

I never used it, he confesses, presuming Carlin didnt sincerely want to hear from some kid.

After some fairly rough gigs at fish houses and bowling alleys making anywhere from $150-$275 each set (not bad in 1986) he earned his stripes as a fan favorite, segueing into an incredibly successful career in voice-overs. Kenny and writing partner Andy Paley have written songs for SpongeBob and Disney. Toms upcoming projects include the animated feature film Winnie the Pooh and Cartoon Networks Adventure Time.

Another highly recognizable voice in the industry is Jill Talley, Kennys wife, who came up in the ranks studying comedy with heavy-hitters Conan OBrien, Amy Sedaris and Steve Carrell. Talley has voiced dozens of characters for cartoons like The Boondocks, American Dad, WordGirl, and the award-winning indie film Little Miss Sunshine. Shes appeared on-camera on The Sarah Silverman Show, Frasier and Seinfeld.

Married with two kids, ages 6 and 12, the down-to-earth couple met at CBS Radford Lot doing the sketch show The Edge with Jennifer Aniston and Julie Brown.

It was 1992 a year of sketch comedies, including The Ben Stiller Show but The Edge, starring an unknown Jennifer Aniston lasted only one season. Kenny says of Aniston, she was quite good and completely unconfident.

Jill began her career at Chicagos infamous improv mainstay Second City. I was very scared when I first joined, Talley admits of teaming up with the award-winning touring company whose alum includes the late Chris Farley, who Talley performed alongside. But it was at Second City that she broadened her range, hitting the road visiting schools and honing material written by the actors on the Main Stage where she eventually landed.

47-year old Talley, who almost followed in her fathers footsteps becoming a firefighter, says she likes character roles the most. And revels in the normalcy of not taking on starring roles.

Highlighting the differences between voice-over work and on-camera toils, Jill says, The simple pleasures of taking your kids to the park and not having anyone disturb you I would have trouble giving that up.

A niche industry, Talley notes that while there is some acrimony in voice-over work among women, mostly there is respect. Yeah, I think theres competition in any performing field, but I think theres also such mutual respect among the top women. Grey DeLisle, Pat Musick, Tara Strong who are so good at what they do, theres no denying it. The very top women in the voice-over industry love each other.

However, she observes, I never really feel there are enough roles in general for women.

Neither Kenny nor Talley watches or listens to their performances, choosing instead to donate the DVDs to their childrens school auctions.

Being uncomfortable in my skin made me infer that voice-over was the best place for me, says Kenny. Not being seen gives me so much more freedom. Being on camera would limit the ::dolphin noise:: out of me.

While many people make the assumption that he must be rattled that SpongeBob hasnt lent the way to more on-camera work, Tom clarifies that sitcom fame was never his intention.

I dont need to speed-date a career, Kenny muses. Im already doing what I love.
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http://www.hollywoodtoday.net/2010/03/07/v...th-anniversary/
 
Hmm...no censoring of internet articles?! :xD: I'm surprised an article about the voice of one of the most beloved kid's cartoon characters, which also emblazens his likeness at the beginning, didn't censor the (dolphin noise) in it.
Anyway, very interesting article about Kenny and his wife. Didn't know he was that close with Bobcat Goldthwait. Also, I wasn't aware of Talley's involvement in Seinfeld or Frasier, two of my most favorite comedies of all time.
 
PhilipB said:
It's only one swear word.
Click to expand...
What difference does that make? At what point does it become unacceptable to you, then? Two? Three? Five swear words in one article? One or ten, it's all the same. And if you let one slide, then you'd have to let them all slide. I just find it unacceptable, period, in this type of article that kids are likely to read. Even if kids never read it, still not worth printing the stupid word when it's easily censored.
 
I was saying that article does not need to be censored because it is only one swear word and I doubt kids are going to go on an adult website like HT.

In my general opinion swear words should be taught as normal words from an early age to make sure that they become normal language as time goes by. This makes it less hurtful when swear words are made as an insult, and they won't even be an insult anymore anyway.
 
PhilipB said:
I was saying that article does not need to be censored because it is only one swear word and I doubt kids are going to go on an adult website like HT.

In my general opinion swear words should be taught as normal words from an early age to make sure that they become normal language as time goes by. This makes it less hurtful when swear words are made as an insult, and they won't even be an insult anymore anyway.
Click to expand...
In my general opinion (racist, bigoted, or otherwise demeaning and derogatory) words should be taught as normal words from an early age to make sure that they become normal language as time goes by. This makes it less hurtful when (racist, bigoted, or otherwise demeaning and derogatory) words are made as an insult, and they won't even be an insult anymore anyway.

Do you see the fallacy of your argument, there?!?! You have just put yourself into the category of those types of people who say that if you say or believe something long enough, it makes it true and/or acceptable.

And any credible article doesn't need obscenities. IMO
 
OH MY GOD THERE'S A SWEAR WORD OH MY GOD WTF MAN THERE'S A SWEAR WORD HOW CAN THERE BE A SWEAR WORD IN THERE OMG WTF!!!!!1111!!!!1111!!!!111
 
sireatsalot said:
PhilipB said:
I was saying that article does not need to be censored because it is only one swear word and I doubt kids are going to go on an adult website like HT.

In my general opinion swear words should be taught as normal words from an early age to make sure that they become normal language as time goes by. This makes it less hurtful when swear words are made as an insult, and they won't even be an insult anymore anyway.
Click to expand...
In my general opinion (racist, bigoted, or otherwise demeaning and derogatory) words should be taught as normal words from an early age to make sure that they become normal language as time goes by. This makes it less hurtful when (racist, bigoted, or otherwise demeaning and derogatory) words are made as an insult, and they won't even be an insult anymore anyway.

Do you see the fallacy of your argument, there?!?! You have just put yourself into the category of those types of people who say that if you say or believe something long enough, it makes it true and/or acceptable.

And any credible article doesn't need obscenities. IMO
Click to expand...
I wasn't talking about racist words, I was talking about swear words. Racist words should NEVER be taught to ANYONE but SHOULD be taught that they are bad.

Also, a website like HT is an adult one and not mainstream so they've taken the decision to allow profanities into the article. It should be reminded that the site is a small site (you can tell by the design) which are known for their policies against internet censorship:

censorship.png
 
^^ @_@ extreme, much?

And I didn't say you were talking about racist words, etc., just that you can easily plug any category of words into your statement. Swear words are equally offensive for some people. So where is the line drawn? It needs to be drawn at respect, imo. If everyone just had even a little bit of respect for everyone else, we wouldn't need this conversation.
 
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