Rob Paulsen offers us the scoop on the next "Animaniacs" series

Mention the name Rob Paulsen to any true animation enthusiast and you will get an instant smile. The talented voice actor has been behind some of the most beloved and iconic cartoon voices since the early 80s. By Spike (The earth ahead of time) and Carl Wheezer (Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius) to Yakko, Dr. Otto Scratchansniff and Pinky (Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain) and Raphael and Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle), the unstoppable Paulsen has voiced over 250 different characters and performed in 1.000 commercials. Winner of a Daytime Emmy and three Annie Awards, Paulsen was kind enough to spend a few minutes with us and tell us about his exciting career:

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. We know you've been very busy as usual (appearing on Doc McStuffins, The Loud House, SpongeBob SquarePants, DuckTales, Green Eggs and Ham, Mixed Mickey Adventures, etc.). Of course, we are all excited about the new Animaniacs restart coming later this year. What can you tell us about the project?

Rob Paulsen: Well, I can tell you it's for Hulu, and it was scheduled for a fall premiere, but it did

before the pandemic, and I know everything is in flux these days. Most of the original cast has returned for this new version to some extent, which also introduces some new characters. Yours is truly back as Yakko, Pinky and Otto. Tress MacNeille is my little sister Dot, Maurice LaMarche is Brain and Squit, Jess Harnell is also back in the shoes of my silly brother Wakko. Mr. Spielberg (Amblin TV and Warner Bros. Animation producer) is back on the show, which is very cool. Our new showrunner is Wellesley Wild, from whom you know The Griffins and Ted movie. He is a wonderful boy who is doing a great job. I know that we are now in post-production.

The Animaniacs are self-aware and know they have been off the grid for 20 years, and that comes into play. We have great music and we use a 30-piece orchestra for every half hour of the show. The musical functions are now handled by the incredible Steve and Julie Bernstein, who were the proteges of Rich Stone, the notable composer who won a bunch of Emmys for making the music for the original show.

How is the new show different and similar to the original, which ran successfully from 1993 to 1998?

As I said earlier, irreverent and sometimes subversive humor is the same. But in addition to Yakko, Otto and Pinky, new accessory characters will be introduced, many of which I am not aware of. We have a new showrunner and new writers, who grew up watching the original series. What I can tell you is that it is as funny and ridiculous as the original. The scripts just read really, really funny. I haven't seen much of the animation yet, but I wouldn't bet against Mr. Spielberg. You can tell that the kids who are writing the show are informed by the genius of the writers who worked on the first show and the show's creator, Tom Ruegger. I don't think it's hyperbole to say that he did an amazing job and that the show has become an iconic part of our cultural landscape. Some incredible talents have been promoted by him, and it was quite cool to witness all of this. Well done, Tom!

Hence, we know that many voice artists easily adapted to work from home during the COVID era. how are you doing these days?

Well, I'm working from home, and that's one of the coolest things about this concert: nobody cares what I look like, which is absolutely wonderful for an actor, especially an old man! I am only limited by my talent and the kindness of the people who hire me. I can record from home and don't have to be in the studio with others. I truly consider myself a lottery winner and realize how terribly lucky I am. This is the truth about our business: being able to make a living by bringing joy and happiness to people - my God, what a great way to move through life.

I've found new ways to interact with my fan base. I am becoming more and more involved with social media. I have attended some online handwriting events and fundraisers for charity events. All other cons have been canceled this year, but Rob's counter-COVIDs are happening! I was also binge watching shows like Defend Jacob, Dead for me and the black comedy by Ricky Gervais After Life. Sure, I'm watching Rick and Morty. I made an entry for that show - Snowball, which is a little dog looking for his testicles.

What was the best career advice you've ever received?

Oh yes. My dear friend and true mentor, Alan Oppenheimer - is a wonderful, extraordinary man. He saw me frustrated because my agent on camera was trying to book me for a read Hill Street Bluesand I told him I couldn't do it while I was working Jonny Quest in the morning and The Tick in the afternoon at that time. Here I am, working with legends like Alan, Jonathan Winters and June Foray. So Alan said to me: “You have to make a decision. You're getting good at this cartoon concert and it will create a bit of conflict. " My wife told me: "It's not that you're hard to watch, but you're starting to kill him in this animation concert."

So, I am so happy that my ego was such that I listened to my friends and family who convinced me to follow this path no less resistant, but also with the greatest financial reward. I'm so happy to be able to do what got me into trouble in second grade. It makes my soul happy every day!

What were your first animated concerts?

I got my first animated concert thanks to Don Jurwich, who supervised the producer Gi Joe. (1985-86) I played Snow Job and Tripwire on that show, and I did Slingshot and Air Raid on the original transformers series.

What are your favorite programs you've worked on?

I have three: Animaniacs (which also includes Pinky and the brain) and then, Teenage mutant ninja turtles (1987) and TMNT (2012-2016). I always say Ninja turtles it changed my career path and Animaniacs it changed my life.

Animaniacs it is the perfect example of the axiom of luck being the meeting of opportunity and preparation. I've been a singer for decades, I've created all these character voices for myself. I had been in animation for eight years at the time. As a singer who can sing in character, I had a foothold in animation and after that Tiny Toon Adventures with Tom Ruegger, I told them, “If you don't hire me for Animaniacs, you are making a mistake! " I was right. Not only was I ready, that show literally changed my life, and for that I will be forever grateful to Tom Ruegger, Jean MacCurdy and Steven Spielberg. Now that I have the chance to do it again for a larger fan base, many of whom are fans of the original show and are now sharing it with their children and grandchildren, I can't quantify what that means.

Top Ninja turtles, having the chance to be Raphael's voice would be a big deal for any actor. But being able to try and do a different character - Donatello - for the same franchise some 25 years later for this iconic franchise. And for the new show to be equally interesting and watchable for both original and new fans. Having the chance to do two versions of an iconic franchise was mind blowing. But honestly, being a part of shows like The Tick, Mighty Max, Biker Mice from Mars, Goof Troop, Jimmy Neutron, Fairly OddParents … Come on, I'm a lottery winner!