Alicyn
Welcome to Alicyn's Wonderland. I'm your host, Alicyn Packard. Join us as we journey through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole into the wild and wonderful world of animation and video games.
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Hey guys, welcome to Alicyn's Wonderland, the show that takes you inside the world of animation against hate. What if I were to tell you that the stars of Nickelodeon is Big Nate are actually real life best friends? Whoo! Please welcome - I was going to say Nate, right? Please welcome Ben Giroux and Arnie Pantoja.
Arnie Pantoja
You were so close! It was Pan-to-ja, but hey, honestly even I struggle with that.
Alicyn
Pantoja, Arnie, I asked him right before this how to pronounce his name.
Arnie Pantoja
It's tough. It is really hard. Yeah.
Ben Giroux
We were joking. Before we started recording that actually our showrunner mispronounced our names for the first year and a half. So you're not alone!
Alicyn
Oh! Yes, actually, Mitch Watson was here.
Arnie Pantoja
Mitch was on your podcast right?
Alicyn
On the show for season one. Actually, funny story. Mitch was on the show in Wonderlands incarnation where it was just an audio podcast, circa 2010, I think, 2011.
Ben Giroux
He did a recent -
Alicyn
I interviewed with him in a bar.
Ben Giroux
Really?
Alicyn
Yes. And then.
Ben and Arnie
And now he's banned?
Alicyn
Yeah.
Alicyn and Arnie
We don't talk about Mitch. All about Mitch-cha-cha! We don't talk about Mitch-cha-cha!
Ben Giroux
I like that you added some vocal percussion.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah, you got an...
Ben Giroux
Start an acapella group. Are you auditioning? Mitch, wait, do you have to stay on course with anything because that's very difficult. Typically in a podcast, they ask you questions.
Arnie Pantoja
Oh shoot!
Ben Giroux
If you'd like to interview Alicyn, that's totally acceptable.
Alicyn
We're in the intro sec. So this is free. This is free this free wheeling,
Arnie Pantoja
I was gonna tell you what blows my mind about Mitch Watson. I gave him the biggest compliment that I ever give anybody. And I asked him what his favorite book was, and it's Geek Love. It's awesome. It's written by this like, amazing female writer. And it's very weird. And it made me realize that that's what he is, is this guy who has a family of freaks. And he gathers these freaks, and he's the ringleader with all these freaks.
Ben Giroux
Not an actual failure, not calling his actual family.
Arnie Pantoja
No, no, no, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah. His family is lovely! No, but like, I was like, I told him, like, 'I get it now'. You gather all these freaks, and you keep all these weirdos with you. And you just let them do what they do.
Ben Giroux
He's truly the greatest voice director we've worked with.
Alicyn
Mitch was on the on the show, he was talking a little bit about a show he was working on and how amazing the two leads were, and that they were best friends and writing partners and that they improvise and they would just riff and riff and riff. And I think you know, as a voice actor, a lot of us don't realize or it depends on the situation, really how much room for improvisation you have. But it was so cool to hear that. And having worked with Ben before co-doing some coaching and stuff. It's like, the more permission you give yourself to have fun with it, the more fun it becomes. Hence, the more fun it is to watch cartoons come alive. And we can play.
Ben Giroux
Yeah, I would say like on our show, which we've now been recording for two years.
Alicyn
And you can finally talk about it.
Ben Giroux
I know. Yeah, I would say like a good I don't know, 10% of it feels improvised. Now how much of that they they ultimately use is up to them? And...
Arnie Pantoja
Oh, yeah, I get a lot of notes.
Ben Giroux
But I get a lot of credit to our showrunner Mitch for saying, "Hey, you have the freedom to explore, to riff." He will let us know when we have to draw stuff out. But that's how Arne and I have built our partnership is yes ending everything and that is certainly reflected on the show.
Arnie Pantoja
I agree. And I like it's interesting because I often tell people like the most difficult part about improvising is knowing when not to improvise. And that's if you don't know if it's actually going to do really stand out if you're going to change their lines. It better be funny, or else it'll stand out.
Alicyn
You mean on a scripted show?
Arnie Pantoja
On a scripted show show in the bit the thing about like having fun like you're saying like up there and really just shines when you're when I was six I said out loud that I was like, I want to be a cartoon one day only took 30 years to get there.
Ben Giroux
Yeah baby!
Alicyn
Dreams do come true!
Arnie Pantoja
But like I truly would have told Ben, like I truly am mostly just doing performance for myself like I Are you all with this word? You do. You've always done weird voices and they gain control of you almost? No, that sounds great. I think you just looked at me right now says no.
Ben Giroux
Maybe you're having an emergency medical condition.
Alicyn
Varying degrees of control. I need some clarification.
Arnie Pantoja
I used to date a girl and this one voice would come out, called Monster.
Alicyn
Tell me more!
Arnie Pantoja
Monster would say really mean things. And it was funny, but I think would be I would have no control that recently she made me do it and I'm like, what she's like what's monster have to say? And I'm like, I don't want to. And she's like, "Do it!" And I'm like, "Well it makes sense that you're 40 and you live alone!" And it's funny and the laugh but I'm, literally, I think that's rude and I'm sorry. But it comes. It takes control.
Ben Giroux
You're disassociating characters.
Alicyn
I can relate to that. And this character love monster who's like just the sweetest most impressive monster love you so much I hug you until I crush your bones! Like, oh, just that urge inside you to just love something to smithereens. Oh my god. So... yes and?
Ben Giroux
And that's literally what we do on the show. We you know, we just love Crazy things out there. I don't know if you do this. But when I break down my big made scripts I'll literally sort of isolate areas in the script where I want to riff where we want to sort of organically do some improv, we'll write all lines but like Arnie already said it better be better than the amazing joke that's already written because we have an amazing writers room. Yeah, and sometimes it's just not sometimes like you said just honoring the page is the best Oh yeah. already amazing.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah.
Alicyn
So how long have you guys known each other? When did you meet?
Ben Giroux
You want to explain? Should we?
Arnie Pantoja
Ben and I met...
Alicyn
Take me back.
Arnie Pantoja
I feel like it's like 12 years now.
Alicyn
Did you meet back in the 90s?
Ben Giroux
We met in a commercial casting.
Arnie Pantoja
Did your voice just crack?
Ben Giroux
Well, I'm remembering the memory now.
Arnie Pantoja
It actually makes sense. We met at - it was a callback in between Ben and I for I think some sort of cell phone.
Ben Giroux
Alltel Wireless.
Arnie Pantoja
Alltell Wireless. And the gag in it is that we Ben and I are smaller. No. You know what? I'm tiny and proud.
Alicyn
Yeah, Team Tiny!
Ben Giroux and Arnie Pantoja
Team Tiny!
Ben Giroux
Five-two. Five-four.
Alicyn
Five-two!
Arnie Pantoja
But Ben and I have to fight for, in the callback, be strapped to a large man's chest.
Ben Giroux
So we met in this casting lobby where we're in these big Lady oryzalin going, "Oh hey, man."
Arnie Pantoja
Models! They were literally having like, a model casting.
Ben Giroux
They were casting supermodels at the same time, though.
Arnie Pantoja
I've told Ben my biggest regret was that when they were walking through the lobby on this large man's chest, and there was this beautiful girl sitting here. I wish it would've been like, "Stop! Will you ever go on a date with me?" Because that would've been confidence!
Ben Giroux
Oh, yeah. In fact, that's actually how I booked the role. So I booked the job.
Arnie Pantoja
He asked the director out I asked the director out.
Ben Giroux
I did. I asked the director out. And we're now married.
Arnie Pantoja
No, they're divorced.
Ben Giroux
The director goes, "Hey, how you doing?" I go,"Ah, you know, typical Wednesday, because I was strapped with NFL player." Long and short of this is, Arnie and I talked after the fact, he called to congratulate me on booking the role. And I congratulated him on not!
Alicyn
Were you typecast?
Ben Giroux
Well, yeah, you know, as a man baby. Not the only man baby I've played. So yeah, we met we met in Baby Bjorns.
Alicyn
Wow, you guys go way, way back.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah. In a painful way back. I think there was a moment where it's like, Hey, I get I get what you go through.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Arnie Pantoja
Did you do an elf casting like, this week?
Ben Giroux
I own three pairs of elf stockings.
Arnie Pantoja
I've worked in Santa's Workshop.
Ben Giroux
Yeah, we've played many Christmas elves. But I will say when we first just started to hang out, we realized we had a similar point of view. We have similar sort of improvisational, yes and vibe about comedy, about improv. So similar sort of worldview. As two short guys. And we I think, originally, and maybe you would agree with this, maybe you wouldn't. I think we first viewed ourselves as actors who happen to write and now we view ourselves as writers who happen to also be actors separately. And I think that sort of shift has allowed us to really create an interesting portfolio of writing stuff that removes our actor ego from it.
Alicyn
Now as a writing duo, you guys have a lot of projects in the pipeline and development, just tons of different projects on your website. That all seem amazing. Can you talk a little bit about how long you guys have been working together and what you're currently working on?
Arnie Pantoja
I started this off jamming because I need to if you don't know Ben, I literally today told him I had a shower thought, and I was like...
Ben Giroux
He thinks in the shower often.
Arnie Pantoja
Actually legitimately. Weird. I mean, ya know,
Ben Giroux
It's real strange.
Arnie Pantoja
Like, the shower thought was a who said that saying words like you have to work like work your hardest or ever take a break or whatever. There's someone out there working 10 times harder than you. It's your own goal. And I realized that Sean, I'm like, and I made that person my writing partner. Ben, is it I've always told him I'm like, if you were a robot, I would really believe it.
Ben Giroux
I don't know what you're talking about.
Alicyn
Wind him up. Wind him up!
Arnie Pantoja
He's a windup [unintelligible]. He's a steampunk robot!
Ben Giroux
Compliment. I appreciate it. I run on steam.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah, I love it. You're going, "I'm a tea kettle."
Ben Giroux
That's very sweet.
Alicyn
As you are.
Ben Giroux
Oh hey!
Ben and Arnie
Tea kettle! Sponsored by tea!
Arnie Pantoja
God this vodka's strong.
Ben Giroux
I'm slushed.
Alicyn
Whiskey in here...
Ben Giroux
But no, I think you actually are cut from a similar cloth as us in that you hustle. You make your right here we are doing your podcast, you hustle to create things. That's where I think you and I really connected on you have to sort of carve your own path in this industry. So yeah, so Arnie and I formed this great prolific writing partnership where we started writing single camera comedies. We have original animated series we're pitching now, we've written a feature we were showrunners of CW comedy pilot that almost went right before the pandemic.
Alicyn
Was that the, uh, Stand-ins?
Ben and Arnie
No!
Alicyn
That's amazing.
Ben and Arnie
That's something else.
Ben Giroux
That's called Shortcomings.
Arnie Pantoja
We will do that one.
Ben Giroux
Two short guys who are stand-ins for a TV show.
Alicyn
You two probably need a girl child, right?
Arnie Pantoja
Right, right. The pink steaks? No.
Ben Giroux
But yeah, it's I think we pride ourselves on having a really diverse portfolio of stuff that is ever expanding. You know, our goal is to you know, be showrunners.
Arnie Pantoja
Hey, and keep creating Yeah, like there's that I don't know, if you're like this, there's not an end goal for us. We're just doing it. That's the fun about creating in like to love it and going actually completely off topic. Have you guys ever experienced this? To where what's the deal with?
Ben Giroux
What's the deal with? Sorry. Continue.
Arnie Pantoja
Lawless! It kills me that when I started doing voiceover, I felt like I'm like to see all the different roles. Now not getting typecast. And then it's like, Hey, we got a bunch of elf roles for you. And like the weird. What? Like, have you guys experienced that as well, but like, you get the same auditions that you would for on-camera in voiceover.
Ben Giroux
Well, yes, I definitely started getting like this is early on, I started getting leprechaun rolls. I was like, I mean, okay, I'll do it. But like, I just doesn't feel like it has to be that right. I think that's one of the things I actually appreciate about animation and voiceover is it widens the net of things that you're applicable for. Case in point we're playing sixth graders on TV. I think we're slightly unable to play sixth graders on camera now.
Arnie Pantoja
Hey.
Ben Giroux
Speak for yourself, dude.
Arnie Pantoja
Don't limit me and my talent. I am a character actor.
Alicyn
Just got to shave.
Arine Pantoja
Shave? No, no, no.
Ben Giroux
A hairy sixth grader.
Alicyn
Yeah, well, how do you think that your relationship in real life is reflected on the show?
Ben Giroux
Oh, my God, that's like...
Arnie Pantoja
It's actually I sing about this the other day, it's almost hard to see where we begin. And it ends like...
Ben Giroux
And it's not just for us.
Arnie Pantoja
I think all the characters, it's really bizarre of how actually that on the characters are, I mean, then drew all of his life. And like the care in banking, like he orchestrates these crazy huge, like, schemes. And I'm like, I'm so excited because I'm Mexican. And on camera. They don't let me play it because like, I look super white. But like I said, this, like they allowed me to be Mexican on it too.
Ben Giroux
And like, it's been really cool. I'll brag about it for a second. He has such pride in his Mexican heritage. And we actually have a show that we're pitching about that. And to get to play a Mexican character it was so it was euphoric. And we had he actually found out he got the role of Teddy before I found out about Nate, we were just celebrating that. And so the icing on the cake was to get cast on the show together. And like Arnie said, I used to do to live to draw, that's what Nate does on the show. So we're just playing elevated versions of ourselves. I would also say the thing that makes our show I think special and magical is that we're all good performances are fairly grounded, particularly for a kids show.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah.
Ben Giroux
They get a little wackier as you get to some of the ancillary characters, but I think the core four are pretty playing it pretty grounded.
Arnie Pantoja
And I can't express how much fun you're having that you can hear like I mean, there's I've literally cried laugh in two different sessions to like it is the it literally is everything I imagined as a kid. It's rarely am I a part of something where I'm like, I shouldn't let them know that I would do this free.
Ben Giroux
Don't tell them! We have bills to pay.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah, yeah.
Alicyn
Did you guys audition together? Is that how you both wound up on the same show?
Arnie Pantoja
Well, I went in first, and I knew Ben was coming in and like I just started messing around. Like I had a line in the script. The line was written like, "Oh, Bowlby, you're about to be dumped or to pick on you and I'm like telling him like, Hey, don't worry, man. I'm like, I got your back. And that was the line but I just kind of kept going like I got your back and like bite you back. I mean, I got your backpack when you die. Which is a joke! Because I would totally go for your shoes. And like, you know, we're like singers messing around and the director Mitch came out afterwards he said "Do you normally improvise?" And I'm like, Yeah, that's what my writing partner and I do. And he's coming in and like 20 minutes. And yeah, it like, it just felt like it was meant to be.
Alicyn
Yeah. Goosebumps.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah.
Ben Giroux
Yeah. And similarly, we teach each other I was like, Hey, I heard you just met my writing partner. I rift too. Actually, I had a subsequent callback after that. And I pretty much abandoned the script. I just rift as Nate, you know, but that's because we sort of read the room that improv was going to be encouraged on the show, certainly don't want to do everything. But by and large, any of my career, you, I think you would feel the same. I've never really booked a role that hasn't involved some level of improv.
Arnie Pantoja
I find that I think that's just what I bring is, but I like to do, I like to honor it and do what is written, but like, um, if we got that and guys are gonna, like be stupid enough to say, Arnie can play but I'm never going to stop. I will keep going. It's awesome.
Ben Giroux
And you know, your role in particular on the show is the jokes is the punch line guy. So I mean, he'll just have a list and rattle them off when it gets to its....
Arnie Pantoja
I sit here, Ben and I talked about this because he has so many lines. He'll have like 80 and I'll have like, 12. And it is so entertaining to me, because I'm like, I'm having a great time, I'm gonna take little breaks and go to the bathroom like...
Ben Giroux
We're all recording from home.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah, yeah. Just sweating in his closet. Like...
Ben Giroux
You know, it's funny, we had a we can't give anything away because it hasn't aired yet. But there is a more Teddy-centred episode. And we kind of flipped for that episode where Arnie had the real heavy lifting to do in the episode. And I got to kind of kick back put my feet up, say a couple things here and there. And after the session, we always have a phone call session just to sort of talk how it went.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ben Giroux
And now you know how it feels!
Alicyn
Wow, jeez guys, I guess, I gotta be honest, I'm feeling a little jelly of your relationship!
Arnie Pantoja
Jelly?
Alicyn
Hey, Internet, where's my Arnie?
Ben and Arnie
Aww!
Alicyn
Where's my Arnie? I need my, my bestie writing partner person.
Ben Giroux
You know, I would say I think both of us went through other writing partners before we landed on our partnership. And originally it was supposed to be, hey, we're just gonna work on this one project together.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ben Giroux
But then it worked so well. The difference that I would say about our writing partnership that I haven't felt in other partnerships before, is I was excited. Every time even now eager to get together to create, to laugh, to mess with each other is always a joy. And that's when you know it's the right kind of creative partnership because you want to do it.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah. It's it's tricky with like writing partnerships. And like, I think it's really tough because like, just gonna like with the writing partnership you write with everyone that they have written before with the past. And you -
Alicyn
Talk about that
Arnie Pantoja
Talk about STD jokes. I liked it! Let's talk more about that.
Ben and Arnie
talk more about STD jokes. I like to
Ben Giroux
No, it's, yeah, there's mutual respect. There's no ego between us, we always we have this phrase where we say best joke wins. So it's not like you're looking through back through a script or like, oh, well, I already wrote that one. And I wrote down what it's like, there's -
Arnie Pantoja
That's not the point.
Ben Giroux
Yeah. Even when we it's a collaboration. Yeah. When we pitch our shows when we're in a pitch meeting, you know, maybe sometimes he speaks more, maybe sometimes I speak more, it doesn't really matter. The whole goal is in the end product, this mutual level of trust. And I mean, that's really what comedy is built on its trust. And....
Arnie Pantoja
I think that is the secret sauce is the we want the best for each other. And like, I mean, genuinely they will go out for things and battle poker. Bucha. Like no, no jealousy whatsoever. And like, I think that's like the core of creativity comes from being comfortable knowing whenever we go into pitches, we always say, Hey, man, I got your back. And no matter what, "Hey Ben, you can just go nuts in this and I'll be like, Hey, dude, I'm supporting it." And he's running around with his shirt off. And I'll be like, nice work, dude. We might have to talk afterwards....
Ben Giroux
Probably shouldn't have done that. But yeah. It was an adventure!
Alicyn
You guys are soulmates!
Ben Giroux
The executive vomited because of what you did. But you know, I have your back.
Arnie Pantoja
It could have been an excited vomit.
Ben Giroux
Yeah, it was projectile. So it's done with force.
Arnie Pantoja
So it was done with force. Does that make it better for you?
Ben Giroux
Yeah, it was it was a commitment.
Alicyn
Hey, guys, this is Alicyn Packard. Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to let you know that if you like the show, please, please, please remember to subscribe to this podcast. And leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps us to get heard by more people. Thanks so much.
So have you guys had the opportunity to see how Big Nate is affecting kids? And are there any feedback from some of the fans that are watching?
Arnie Pantoja
I haven't. Have you? I'm dying to hear some.
Ben Giroux
Yeah!
Alicyn
Family members or anything?
Ben Giroux
You know, I would say like certainly on TikTok. I know you do TikTok. That's been sort of a pretty integral to all the things that I do lately, a lot of great feedback for the show. We're actually about to go to - we're actually really excited about it. So I'm really excited about a reading at a school.
Arnie Pantoja
I'm so excited with that.
Ben Giroux
With the rest of the cast so that'll be cool. To cool to see...
Alicyn
What school?
Ben Giroux
Do you remember?
Arnie Pantoja
I don't remember.
Ben Giroux
A school?
Alicyn
A school!
Arnie Pantoja
Nice!
Ben and Arnie
Yeah!
Arnie Pantoja
It doesn't matter to me as long as -
Ben Giroux
Yes. The key to comedy is specificity.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah, yeah.
Ben Giroux
Something like that. No, but I think the feedbacks been great. We were told I think we can say this now it's it, at least for the first month, was the number one show on Paramount Plus. You know, we just they just announced they picked us up for season two, so...
Alicyn
Wow. Congratulations.
Arnie Pantoja
Knock on all the doors.
Alicyn
And Nickelodeon has also picked up your cartoon voice battles.
Ben and Arnie
Yes. Yeah. This was a cool thing that... you did one with me, didn't you?
Alicyn
I did. I was Jibanyan - no, Josh.
Ben Giroux
Josh. That's right. From Rugrats. Yeah, so over the pandemic, when we were all stuck in our living rooms, I started challenging voice actors for us to try each other's voices on TikTok, really a great way to sort of promote the voice community, the voiceover community, animation community, highlight people's work. And you know, just to stay creative during the pandemic. And Nickelodeon has been really great about working with me and us on our just sort of building that relationship developing different ideas, social media teams been awesome. So yeah, they just made it. I'm still gonna do my own cartoon voice battles, but we've created...
Alicyn
You go on Tik Tok.
Ben Giroux
Yes. That's okay, Nickelodeon cartoon voice battle, which will be on all Nick's social channels. We just had our first shoot the other day, which is Kaylee, Rob Paulsen and Carlos Rakhee. Great a lot. I mean, it was just an awesome little characters that they play just to throw it out. Oh, that Tommy Pickles and Rocco of Rocco's Modern Life and Azula from Avatar The Last Airbender, and Donatello from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Arnie Pantoja
We grew up on that.
Ben Giroux
Yeah, it's a real humbling pleasure for me to bring that idea over to Nick to host it and to, you know, be able to riff with literally the biggest Nickelodeon legends. So excited to see where it goes. And just, again, really grateful that Nickelodeon has been open to our crazy ideas.
Alicyn
Where can our fans catch it?
Ben and Arnie
That'll be on Nickelodeon's TikTok, Instagram, all their social media stuff.
Alicyn
Wow, that's so exciting.
Ben Giroux
Yeah!
Alicyn
You know, you never know what's gonna come about if you put it out there, huh?
Ben Giroux
Well, I mean, case in point, here we are sitting in your set for your podcast, we'll set that we use it as a eautiful an Instagram Live getting. So it's, I think it's a great testament to when you put stuff out there and you try things and you experiment and you create, it's, you're just constantly, you know, notching yourself up those ladder rungs, and you never know where it's going to lead. So...
Arnie Pantoja
It's the law of physics or an object in motion stays in motion, if you from creation comes creation. And if you don't believe it, just try it. And you'll be shocked. It might not happen right away. But there's stuff that I did for free seven years ago, and then they reach out. And it turns into a great job. Like, you know, you just got to guard yourself and value yourself. But like, I think I do this because I like to create, I have no desire to be famous, or any of that. I'd like to explore these characters. I like to connect with people. And I'd like to work with people like Nickelodeon that, like, I don't know, if you saw their, um, their anthem to children. But it's like, every kid has the right to like their own opinion. And they all deserve to they, they know that they're respected. And like all these amazing things. And I'm like, man, it's so wild. When your work aligns with like, your core beliefs, your beliefs. Yeah, it's not weird. It's amazing when it... when it happens.
Alicyn
I grew up on Nick, and like watching Rugrats and being the pilot and you know, being like, we're so God, we're so edgy. We're watching Nickelodeon. Kids are getting slimed. And like...
Arnie Pantoja
You're saying that because they're going back to that, like....
Ben Giroux
It's certainly our show.
Arnie Pantoja
You know, our show. Very fun way. It's edgy, but it's very real. It's they're not talking down to kids. It's stuff that kids really experience. It's so much fun.
Ben Giroux
Oh, it's awesome. I mean, that must have been huge for you when you found out. Hey, grew up watching Rugrats. Now you're on it.
Alicyn
I know. It's a big deal. It's a trip. It's definitely a trip. It's definitely a dream come true.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah, that's what we feel about Big Nate. Yeah, I grew up watching Doug and Rugrats and Ren and Stimpy. And now to have our own. Nick Toon is...
Alicyn
Big Nate was actually based on the book series and comic page. Do you - were you guys fans of the had you heard of big Nate, did you read it growing up or anything?
Arnie Pantoja
You know, I did it because it was like a generation I think right before us. But my friends a teacher and I was telling her about like, yeah, it's a show Big Nate. And she laughed at me. And I'm like, what? And she's like, Oh, it's as if like 30 years ago. You're like I'm doing this movie called Harry Potter. Yeah, I know Big Nate. I's a huge dude.
Ben Giroux
Yeah, I think we are at the age group that we kind of missed it so I they spent a lot of fun for us to sort of retroactively go back and realize the existing sort of global fanbase for beloved characters. It's been really cool to, you know, go back and dive into the comic strip and the book series. And I actually just read one of the books too. If I told you this, I read books, too.
Arnie Pantoja
No, he tells me every book you read.
Alicyn
Aww.
Ben Giroux
I got on a Zoom with a bunch of children's hospitals and read was the first Big Nate book to that. Yeah, it was really cool. It was a really cool experience. But -
Alicyn and Arnie
Amazing
Ben Giroux
Many of them new characters hadn't were aware of the book. So yeah, I think that there's an extra responsibility to play in characters that people already know. But also kind of opening up to folks that might not know Big Nate and sort of creating a new generation of fans for it. So it's sort of a bit that's some of the special sauce on the show. Because we have we have Lincoln, you know what, you correct me with the thing. We had Lincoln Pierce, who's the creator of Big Nate, and he sat in on our first few sessions. That was kind of intimidating, because it really does feel like it's a golden my gonna get fired today? You know, but like, Arnie, we have to talk to you. already. I've already leaving guys. I know. Yeah. I'm sorry. No. But like he, he basically deserved quality control to like, put his stamp of approval that. And it's really cool, because they stay very true to the show, but still, like, explore creatively outside of the box.
Alicyn
Yeah, that's amazing.
Ben Giroux
All of our episodes are based off of characters and locations and relationships that are in the comic strip in the books, but they're clearly new storylines. And so I think there's something for everybody in it. There's been it's interesting. There's a, there's a subreddit about Big Nate that has existed for a long time. And I think they were a little critical, the idea of the show before it launched.
Arnie Pantoja
But wait, people on the internet are always so friendly.
Ben Giroux
I know. It's strange that someone would be critical on the internet.
Arnie Pantoja
Okay.
Ben Giroux
But it's so interesting, because once the show came out, the feedback was like, this is, this is kind of funny. I like this...
Arnie Pantoja
The show is awesome.
Ben Giroux
Yeah.
Arnie Pantoja
If you don't like the show, there's something wrong with Yeah, not really. That's a joke.
Ben Giroux
I wouldn't say there's something object. I try to be as objective as possible. I think we both been parts of thing before where you're happy to have a job.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ben Giroux
But you look at and go like, I don't know, I'm gonna tell my friends about this. This is probably the first thing I've ever done where I'm like, I am so rude. Forget the fact for a second put aside the fact that I'm weak role. But I think it's so funny, and so good that I want everyone I know to see it, because I'm just proud of the work that everyone's Yeah, particularly in a pandemic.
Arnie Pantoja
Yeah, I don't know if the pandemic got like to anyone else, like mentally like, I wasn't aware. No, who are you that? Yeah, I was. Yeah, that whole year alone was fun. I know. But like, it was really a bright light. I think, I think for everybody to be going in your closet and be laughing. It was also bizarre, because literally, I've dreamed of this since I was six. It'd be like, Oh, it's all coming through in this really crappy hot, tiny closet.
Alicyn
Alone but I am...
Arnie Pantoja
It's beautiful.
Alicyn
Mtich said... Did you guys would do group records. Is that right? Yes. Sure, pandemic or not? Yeah.
Ben Giroux
I mean, I think our show might have been the first of its kind because we immediately you know, we booked this role as soon as the pandemic began these roles. And so I think that the show is made by the fact that we still do ensemble records, we get on a zoom once a week. Sometimes there's as many as 12 actors. There's Mitch, our showrunner. There's our recording engineer Ryan Green, who's a godsend and is so instrumental in us like setting up all of our our individual recording spaces.
Arnie Pantoja
Patience of a saint.
Ben Giroux
And look, Zoom has its hiccups and its problems and its glitches, but we're sort of used to those glitches now. And so being able to look at each other's eyes, in a Zoom window, and actively riff and improv with each other, I think has made our show special. Instead of just doing a solo recording session with a recording engineer and then cutting it together after the fact.
Arnie Pantoja
You can see it you can really hear and see difference. I mean, it affects the performance 100% Also, I just wanna point out I love how intense you were about look in the eyes. It makes me feel like you're like a weird actor that like, "You have to maintain constant eye contact with Ben."
Ben Giroux
I can only act as Big Nate when staring at you! Only on Nick! But you know what's interesting. I would say like we at first, we were really missing and we certainly do still miss me all in person in a recording studio, and Nickelodeon, which has this wonderful. It's such a great environment. However, I will say when you're recording in a studio and Nickelodeon or anywhere else, as an ensemble, as the actor is you were typically in your little recording pod and you're facing the studio, a glass pane where you're looking back and seeing the director or the writers and the engineers, and you can't see each other. I will say by doing it all remote and still as an ensemble being able to see each other is kind of cool.
Arnie Pantoja
It's cool. Yeah, it's really cool. It's kind of cool.
Alicyn
It's the magic. That's what it's about. And it's so good that you have each other to like, be able to keep you anchored in that magic so that you when you're performing you can be so fully present the moment that's when the funny comes.
Ben Giroux
We created a little discord chat server, just the cast. So sometimes we'll be able to, like, you know, in the midst of a record, it's great to have a side conversation going where you where I can be like, hey, Arnie, give me some space before line 24 so I can lop you something. Or, you know, hey, I got an idea for blah, blah, blah. It's just kind of a cool way for us to...
Arnie Pantoja
Hey Arnie, give me some space.
Ben and Arnie
Just give me some space just overall. It's getting to controlling.
Ben GIroux
Arnie, log off.
Arnie Pantoja
But I love you. No, no, no!
Ben Giroux
Get out of here.
Arnie Pantoja
I don't want to do this!
Alicyn
It's been so amazing chatting with you guys today. I'm so grateful that you came on the show to talk about Big Nate, everything else you have going on. I'm so excited for your future. Where can people find you online? If they...
Ben Giroux
Arnie, where can people find you online?
Arnie Pantoja
You know, I don't know the answer to that. I don't really have a social media presence. But you know, you find me online under Google.
Ben Giroux
Google.
Arnie Pantoja
Is Google still a thing?
Alicyn
Where do they address the fan mail to? Your agent?
Arnie Pantoja
You know what? I don't, and I have people very upset with me. But like...
Ben Giroux
I really just enjoy doing this. Arnie is probably the most successful voice actor that doesn't really have a presence online. Voice of Konosuba, uh, on Trolls.
Arnie Pantoja
Reno was uh, guy's like from Final Fantasy. It was the first time I got to play some cool.
Ben Giroux
Yeah.
Alicyn
Cast again.
Ben Giroux
Rick and Morty.
Alicyn
Wow.
Arnie Pantoja
I mean, Ben and I are on Rick and Morty. And we get...
Ben Giroux
Yeah, but massive credits. And so kudos to you for saying...
Alicyn
It's amazing. It's they can always send your fanmail to Ben.
Ben Giroux
We like to joke that Arnie's presence on social media.
Arnie Pantoja
There's so there's so many things that are bad like the weird scenes when we write to I don't do this with anyone else. I it makes me kind of uncomfortable that this naturally happens. But when we read back the script, I naturally play all the female and Ben plays the male roles.
Ben Giroux
And we never talked about it!
Arnie Pantoja
We never planned it! Natural.
Ben Giroux
I don't know why that happens.
Arnie Pantoja
But he respects me. And he opens the door for me.
Alicyn
And Ben, where can we find you?
Ben Giroux
Just my name? Tick tock and Instagram and all that stuff...
Alicyn
Arnie's already following you.
Ben and Arnie
Oh. Yeah.
Alicyn
Well, thank you guys for coming on the show. We hope you tune in next week to Alicyn's Wonderland!
Outro
Thanks for tuning in to Alicyn's Wonderland, where we explore the wild and wonderful world of animation and video games. Please remember to subscribe and leave us a review. For more episodes of Alicyn's Wonderland. Please visit us at www.AlicynPackard.com See you next week.