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 everybody, welcome wander fam. This is Alicyn's Wonderland, the show that takes you through the looking glass into the wild and wonderful world of animation and video games. I'm your host, Alison Packard, and boy am I excited because we have a special guest tonight. The one and only voice actress Secunda Wood.
Secunda is the voice of Mercat on the TV show, Moxie's doll - oh, sorry! - Mercat on the TV show Gabby's Dollhouse. She's also the voice of Moxxie Swaggerton on Captain Underpants Adventures in Space. You also know her fromSpy Racers Fast and Furious as Tiffany Benson. There she is. Miss Secunda Wood. Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo. Perfect. How are you, honey?
Secunda Wood
I'm great. How are you?
Alicyn
I'm doing good. It's been just like a whirlwind of a day. I was like, I went and like was pulling into my, my home. And I was like, I didn't even go live to tell people that you were coming. I mean, of course, I posted the picture all the time. But I mean, so hopefully glad to see that everybody's here that needs to be here though.
Secunda Wood
Yay!
Alicyn
To bask in your Mercat magic.
Secunda Wood
My Mercat magic!
Alicyn
Yes. How about a little Spa Science, huh?
Secunda Wood
Spa Science, get a reaction. Spa Science, bubble brigade! Spa Science! I love that song.
Alicyn
I love it too, the Gabby's Dollhouse soundtrack is a frequent listen in my family.
Secunda Wood
I love that.
Yeah.
I love that.
Alicyn
Oh I love it! It's so cool to see shows and doing so much interaction. You know, it's like we have the music from the show. We have the show. And now finally, finally, finally, the Gabby's dollhouse doll. Oh
Secunda Wood
Oh my god. Okay, I was just talking to a friend.
Alicyn
Yep.
Secunda Wood
Earlier today, whose daughter loves Mercat. And I love her. And she's like, telling her friends like, I'm friends. Mercat. And I'm like, but her mom can't find the dollhouse for $55. She's seen it like online for like 400 bucks. Oh, I'm like, like, people can't -
Alicyn
That has been the case, actually, for I know, my sister was looking for it. I felt like I just saw it on Walmart. So maybe they got some more stock in but it could have been one of those things where you click through and it's like, site available. But yeah, it's like $100. You know what? That's a good sign. I mean -
Secunda Wood
It's awesome.
Alicyn
Obviously supply chain issues are a big deal this season. But the fact that it's one of the hot toys of 2021. Pants on Wednesday, you can like
Secunda Wood
If I wasn't on it, I would love it. So I get it. I'm just like, "Oh my God."
Alicyn
So, for those who don't watch Gabby's Dollhouse. Can you tell? Tell us about Mercat and the show a little bit?
Secunda Wood
Well, basically, it's a show a live action. Little girl who's 12 years old. Who is the cutest sweetest thing ever. Where I'm like, for for little girls to be looking up to her is perfect because she's an amazing person. And it's about a live action girl in her little house with a real live cat. And she has a doll house with a bunch of cats in it. And she can pinch one of her little ears and sing a little song that you can get she can shrink down into the doll house and play with all of her cat friends. And I'm I'm one of the cat friends but there's there's Pandy and Cakey... Oh my gosh, Cakey is actually my thing.
Alicyn
Julia Donenfeld she was on the show -
Secunda Wood
How adorable is she? I can't even!
Alicyn
Yeah, but we love Mercat. Mercat encouraged us to make some facials one night.
Secunda Wood
Oh that's right with with the avocado. He was trying to get her sparkle back.
Alicyn
So my whole family did it. Not just me and my son but my husband to put like, avocado face masks on that we...
Secunda Wood
You did not!
Oh yes, he's got a picture somewhere.
Oh my god, please show me a picture because I I'm gonna people have sent me so many great pictures of that and there's other like people love the show which is well the the people who created the show are the same people who created Blue's Clues.
Alicyn
Yes.
Secunda Wood
And we all love Blues Clues.
Alicyn
Yes, yes, yes.
Secunda Wood
They created a show with a girl and some cats. And so of course people love it because the writing and the everything about it is so great. I'm so fortunate. I'm so lucky. Okay, so I want to tell you what happened when I got the audition.
Alicyn
Tell us! Oh, my goodness, storytime!
Secunda Wood
Gather round folks. I got the audition. And it was like three days, you know, like, oh, it comes in three days. And I was had a totally busy week. And I saw a little Mercat and I was like, I have to do this. Okay, but I got other stuff I got to be doing until the day that it came around. I was like, okay, and I think it was due at like five o'clock. Like, one o'clock. I was like I'm gonna I'm just gonna blow this out and send it. And so actually, the the script I got was for Pillow Cat.
Alicyn
Okay?
Secunda Wood
Realize that. So I started reading the pillow cat stuff. And I was like sassy chick I thought I was auditioning for what's happening right now? And then I went, "Oh, gosh, I have the wrong script." So I went to my agent and I was like, I got the wrong script. And, and he, I guess didn't understand. I guess my my email. So now it's like 4:35, waiting for him to send me the right script. And he's waiting for me to do something. I don't know. So I called and I'm like, "Are you going to send me the script?" He's like, "Oh, I thought you were saying you were going to audition for Pillow Cat instead." What? And I was like, "No! I need the Mercat script!"
Alicyn
My soulmate.
Secunda Wood
I know! Is there any time left? He's like, No, has to be in my five. I'm like, God, please send it to me. And so he sent it. And I remember I was like, okay, cuz you know, we take time whether auditions sometimes we just want to, you know, yeah, but I was like, I had like 10 minutes. And I was just like, okay, but this is me. She was so me like, she was my, my spirit animal. So I did that in 30 seconds, send it and then they're like, "Oh, you have a callback." And I'm like I was so excited because I was just like, I was so in love with her from like, the picture.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Secunda Wood
I was like, it has to be me. So I sent it and then I got the callback and then you know, the rest is history as they say.
Alicyn
Do you feel like maybe singing a little Spa Science maybe?
Secunda Wood
Spa Science, get a reaction. Spa Science, a bubble brigade! Spa Science, brand new discovery each day, hey! Spa science!
Alicyn
Oh, girl, I love your voice Do you sing often? Are you Yeah, obviously you're a singer.
Secunda Wood
Oh yeah. But this is my favorite singing gig ever.
Alicyn
What's your, what kind of stuff do you like to sing?
Secunda Wood
Mostly pop music. I'm pretty basic.
Alicyn
Do you do karaoke or did you do karaoke?
Secunda Wood
Oh yeah, talk about basic when I go to karaoke which I love. I always seeing just a small town girl living in a lonely world she took the midnight train going...
Alicyn
Anywhere!
Secunda Wood
Yeah.
Alicyn
Oh my God.
Secunda Wood
Especially by walking and nobody singing in I'm like, This is my time! Yeah. Wrap it up. I just thought like the best thing about that song. Is that everybody sings with you. So I think that's why I love it so much. Yeah. You never have to sing alone when you get on a karaoke mic and sing that song.
Alicyn
Now, you've been performing pretty much your whole life. You started acting when you were five, I believe, and then...
Secunda Wood
I did, quit gave it up for a little while.
Alicyn
How did I start?
Secunda Wood
Okay,so I started doing commercials when I was five years old.
Alicyn
And you grew up in Los Angeles, right?
Secunda Wood
I was, yeah. I mean, I was a cute kid in Los Angeles, who was smart. And so I'm pretty sure, like, you have to be an actress. When you grew up in LA, and I grew up in West Hollywood.
Alicyn
Oh, wow.
Secunda Wood
So, like, you have to peep, somebody's gonna be like, somebody is gonna tell your mom, you need to be on stage or you need to be in a commercial or something, right? I'm a little chocolatey, baby.
Alicyn
Aww.
Secunda Wood
And I'm smart, my mom taught me how to read when I was like four. And I, I was very precocious. And I could speak very well at like, four years old, like, "Hello, I'm Secunda. Here I am." And they're like, "Oh my God, you're gonna put her on TV."
And so my mom did. And then I just wasn't into it. I was like, I have to see what they tell me to say I don't like that. My mom was like, "Okay, sweetheart. Let's just forget about this." And then I was like, but I want to do it now. Now. I was like, 10 or 11. She was like, we tried that. And I was like, No, really. And so my mom was just like, Nah, I'm not doing that again, for years. And then I went to
Alicyn
Was your Mom, anyone else in your family in the business?
Secunda Wood
My grandmother, she was a singer. And she was beautiful. Oh, my God. That's my family is like Creole.
Alicyn
Uh, huh.
Secunda Wood
Only dark skinned person in my family. They're all like light skinned green eyes, red hair. Not weird. And my grandmother, she was singing. And what's that guy's name with the deep? I can't think of his name. The guy who used to sing with that deep voice like deep sexy voice. I know. But if I say you'll know it, but I can't think of his name. Like in like in the 70s and 80s. Anyway, he was famous. He wanted her to go on tour with him. But my grandpa didn't want her to.
Alicyn
Oh.
Secunda Wood
No. Oh my god. What's his name? I can't think of it. Quick, Google him. He's got like, it's like a deep
Alicyn
Tamar says, "Barry White?"
Secunda Wood
Barry White! Thank you. Yes, he wanted her. He wanted my grandmother to go on tour with him. And my grandpa was like, "Hahaha, no."
I don't think so. Yeah, I think he probably did have a little crush on her. My grandpa was like,
Alicyn
So did your grandma's singing rub off on you?
Secunda Wood
Well, it was just I mean, I think so. Cuz my mom cannot sing. My mother has a beautiful speaking voice.
Alicyn
Is your grandma on your dad's side or your mom side?
Secunda Wood
My mom's side, my mom's.
Alicyn
Okay.
Secunda Wood
So maybe she can sing and I can sing but my mom. God bless her. She is the heart and she's a wonderful human being and she has a beautiful speaking voice, truly. But she cannot hold. She can't like people who can like I can't sing but I can carry a tune. She can't even carry a tune. Wow, it's not even funny. And we're like, the generation isn't that weird? It's a generation.
Alicyn
Wow.
Secunda Wood
My mom's gonna see this she's gonna be like, "Thanks."
Alicyn
Thanks. I pulled you from my loins.
Secunda Wood
No, she'll actually agree. Like, I don't, I don't sing.I don't know. My, my mother. My child can sing. I don't sing. Yeah.
Alicyn
So you start acting you dabble you get back into it kind of it's so somebody came to your school. Is that right?
Secunda Wood
That's right.
Alicyn
Tell us that story.
Secunda Wood
I went to a school, a Junior High School in West Hollywood called Bellaire Prep School.
Alicyn
Sounds fancy.
Secunda Wood
And I know and it was there were lots of actors and stuff like that. And so this casting director came to our school and asked for regular kids for a Rice Krispies commercial. And like me and my best friend who was a redhead. We were the only ones who did not go to our lockers and pull out headshots. And we were like, they want regular children. Well, they want regular LA kids, I guess I don't know. But we were both like, so we ended up going in and doing the audition. And I ended up getting a callback. And so did she. And we went to studio, and we were like, in Hollywood. And we were just like, "Oh my gosh." And so I don't know if you know, anything about on cameraauditions. They were
Alicyn
A good time.
Secunda Wood
But they had us sit there in the lobby, and Catherine will come out and be like, you can go home, you can go home, you can go home. Everybody else stay. So we started at like, four o'clock in the afternoon. And it went to like nine o'clock at night with them coming out and being like, "Okay, you come in, you come in, you come in, okay, you go home, you go home, you go home. Thank you so much." And so like they were casting it that day.
Alicyn
Oh man, you poor children, like that sounds just so...
Secunda Wood
So me and my friend are like down to the last few people and there was like...
Alicyn
Were your parents, they're with you or?
Secunda Wood
Yeah, our parents are there.
Alicyn
Okay.
Secunda Wood
And we were just like, "What the heck?" And so finally, like it got down to like me and this other girl. It was like three of us. And they were like, Okay, you go home, you can go home, you can go home. Okay, you girls, you booked it. And we're like what? Like I booked like, yeah, like you booked a national Rice Krispies commercial. On a Wednesday.
Alicyn
It's like The Voice.
Secunda Wood
And I wasn't even like in Sag, and they like tapped hardly me. I was like, "What?"
Alicyn
And then you're like, "Can we eat dinner?"
Secunda Wood
Yeah, I was like, "Can we go to McDonald's?" Yeah, it was just been. Yeah, that was that was how I entered the fray, so to speak.
Alicyn
So she came, she came back. Career was off hiatus.
Secunda Wood
So my mom was like, "Well, okay, like, you've been begging to do this. I guess you can do this. So I guess we need to get your headshots and stuff." Okay. Okay. Universe. Yeah, it was like, totally, the universe was like, okay, Secunda, let's help you out.
Alicyn
Nice. Aww!
Secunda Wood
It's kind of awesome, right? I was like, "Mom!" and she was like, "No, I'm not, I'm not doing it. You didn't want to do it. I don't want to." And I was like, "Mom, but I can, I can. I'm older now. I'll do it." And then this, these people come into my school and book me. And she was like, "Oh, gosh, okay, well. Okay, I guess we're doing this."
Alicyn
You are?
Secunda Wood
Yeah. Thank you.
Alicyn
They could tell.
Secunda Wood
Actually, in the commercial, all I did was laugh. Oh, it was like big. It was like a vignette with like the Rice Krispy guys. And I was just like, and then whatever laugh they took, it was like and I was like, so embarrassed. I was like, "Really? That's it?"
Alicyn
That's what you're going with? Oh my gosh.
Secunda Wood
Okay.
Alicyn
So acting becomes a hobby. How did you and you also you were an episode of Sister Sister!
Secunda Wood
Sister Sister! I was in a couple episodes in Sister Sister. Tell us all about it. Oh, so fun. It was so fun. Those girls are amazing. And very nice and sweet. And like, just nice to everyone.
Alicyn
Uh huh. And they rebooted that show, right?
Secunda Wood
No, but they It's on. It's on like Netflix and Hulu and stuff now. So I'm getting residual checks from that again, which is weird. That's amazing. I'm getting residual checks from Sister Sister.
What was that?
Oh, gosh. ninety...four?
Alicyn
Wow, that's amazing.
Secunda Wood
I know. It's pretty insane.
Alicyn
So at what point were you like, "Okay, this is not just a hobby. This is now my career"?
Secunda Wood
Snap Carcklepop. That's totally true. That's exactly. How the grammar went, I think. Actually, it wasn't even then it was like, because, okay, so I was doing on camerashows and commercials and then when I turned 17.
Alicyn
Uh-oh.
Secunda Wood
I know.
Alicyn
Come in to the danger zone.
Secunda Wood
I got an audition for NYPD Blue.
Alicyn
Wow.
Secunda Wood
And I was excited. And I did a great job. And the casting director actually called me call my agent totell her that they really wanted to hire me. But they needed somebody who was eighteen. And that like, like, I was, I was like, what? My mom and I were talking about, like getting me emancipated. We're like, what? What are we talking about here? Like, we need to fix this. And then I got an audition for Picket Fences. And they said the same thing. They were like, we really want her but she's not 18.
And then I saw the girl who was on Picket Fences go on to do that movie with Michelle Pfeiffer, spendin' most our lives, livin' in a gangster paradise, right?
Alicyn
Oh no! Stop!
Secunda Wood
Like, I saw that girl go on and do other stuff. And I was just like,
Alicyn
No.
Secunda Wood
I hate being seventeen! So I was like, I'm out of here. They don't appreciate me.
Alicyn
Okay.
Secunda Wood
I like walked away. I went, I moved to Washington. I got married. I had a kid. I was like, I'm out. That's a lot of things. Yeah. And then. Oh, and also Oh, my God. I auditioned for Sister Act Two.
Alicyn
Uh huh.
Secunda Wood
And I was the second person behind Lauryn Hill to get that part. And that, like, messed with my mind. I was because they were like, what's the cause the better actor but Lauren's the better singer and they picked Lauren. And it was, I mean, for months, like I remember, like people in high school. Like, I went to my high school reunion and like, "We remember you going to all of these auditions for Sister Act Two". And I'm like, don't talk to me about that. But then, of course, you know, it's like Lauryn Hill, like, what do you do? You can't even get like upset. It's like, wow. Lauryn Hill beat me out. So I'm okay.
But yeah, I just kind of walked away for a while and had a baby and moved to the, you know, Northwest and...
Alicyn
Yeah.
Secunda Wood
And then I started like, doing like, like, regional theater stuff. Because I, I have this, like, need to audition and put myself in those uncomfortable situationS.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Secunda Wood
Like, I don't, I haven't been in any uncomfortable situations where I get rejected anytime. So then I started, you know, doing that. And then I actually I went on, I think it was Craigslist. Yeah. And they have this audition for a German something. And I was like, "Oh, wait. I can do the VO." Oh, hey, welcome to math alive. A lot of people think. Right. But you probably know way more math than you think. It's all around us all the time. I love her. She was in the Smithsonian. I'm gonna be in the Smithsonian museum?
Alicyn
Lauryn Hill's not miss Smithsonian.
Secunda Wood
Exactly. I did the Spanish one too.
Alicyn
What? Are you bilingual? Apparently?
Secunda Wood
Well, I'm like, I'm, like conversation. I hate to say I'm bilingual because I'm not like, perfect.
Alicyn
Okay.
Secunda Wood
But I can be conversational.
Alicyn
That's amazing.
Secunda Wood
So I did. I did the Spanish version, too, is so exciting. Oh, that was ever and that went around to all these different museums. I think still touring actually.
Alicyn
Wow. We have to go see it.
Secunda Wood
The MathAlive kids. Your son would love it. It is so cool. The exhibit is the coolest thing ever. I'm telling you, your son would love it.
Alicyn
Yeah. We're gonna go check it out. So Craigslist, back to Craigslist was it, was it math alive or no?
Secunda Wood
No. It was something else. And it was it was a German voiceover And they didn't care like what color you were?
Alicyn
Uh huh.
Secunda Wood
So I could do this German accent said nobody cares about except I went and they cared. And I was like, "Oh! I can do German and they care about this." I was so excited. I was like, oh my god that like, opened my eyes. I was like, Oh, God, all of these accidents. I've been doing my whole life. Nobody cared what because I'm black actress on camera. I was like, this is the ticket. So I did the job. And then I remember like I got the job and I was like a minion for somebody. Uh huh. And in they were like, can you do like, a German, like valley girl? I was like, "Why yes, I can like, What are you talking about? Where are we going, like, I don't understand the gag me with a spoon!" And it was great. Everybody was having a good time. And I was like, voiceover! Hoo! This is it!
Alicyn
I know for some of us, it is the holy grail of like, this...
Secunda Wood
Cuz doesn't matter. No matter where you like, it doesn't matter. It just matters what you sound like. And for me, as a, you know, a girl doing on camera, in the days of you have to be super skinny and all the stuff like it was so great. I mean, it was like, everything. I was like, "Oh!"
Alicyn
Yeah.
Secunda Wood
I can do a German accent. And they actually care. And they like it! This is wonderful.
Alicyn
Yeah, prior to that, was VO not even on the radar?
Secunda Wood
No, because because when I because when I was doing on camera, VO was like, and because I remember having a couple of VO auditions with my agent, and they were like, yeah, there's no thing just just do it. You know, you're done. Right? Right. It wasn't like a like now. It's like everybody wants to do VO but back then it was like, they need VO people. I don't know. Do you want to do it even like, sure. Okay. I didn't have any classes. I didn't. Nobody can't you know what I mean? And so when I figured out the VO was a viable way to make a living. I lost my mind. I lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my God, people are making a living this way. Okay, I'm down.
Alicyn
What what note what other changes in the industry? Have you noticed since you've been doing VO, like, I mean, I, yeah, it has become such a more desirable career that like kids are going up. Like, I want to be a voice actor when I grow up. I want to be an actor when I grow up. Well, at least I'm a voice actor.
Secunda Wood
I think the differences that people are seeing voice acting is acting now, as opposed to back in the day when it was like, like, Oh, you do VO? And now it's like, you do VO?! I've had people who have wonderful careers, doing on camera, TV shows and movies, who are impressed that I do animation VO and I'm like, re-really? Like your face is out there to millions of people. And you have all these fans and you're you're impressed by me?You know that? I think that's new. For me. Like really? Yeah.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Hey, guys, this is Alison 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.
Do you think the pandemic has made some changes?
Secunda Wood
I think the pandemic made a lot of changes. I think that we all had to figure out our booth situation real quick. You know, it was like, Oh gosh I need to upgrade. Yeah, yes. You know what I was like, Oh gosh, yeah. And that was, that was that.
Alicyn
Were you recording Gabby's Dollhouse at that time?
Secunda Wood
No, well, yeah. And I was recording at the studio. Yeah, I didn't even have a home setup. Because I had no idea that I needed to. I was just like, Oh, I'm just gonna go to the studio and do my thing. And then you know, March and April hit and it was like, so you have a like, I don't... I'm gonna get one now!
Alicyn
Did they send you stuff? Did you get like a home studio? Did they send you like a rig to record on or?
Secunda Wood
They offered to? They did, which was really cool. DreamWorks is awesome. By the way, can I send a little DreamWorks shoutout? They are the coolest. And most like, they don't care what color you are. They don't get they just care about your performance. And I love them for that. But I, I didn't have anything and they they offered to send me something and then I just I got my own stuff.
And I had like a rudimentary setup at the beginning. Like I had, like, you know, the moving blankets and the PVC pipes. And I got a really good microphone. I got I got a really good Sennheiser 416 microphone. But I was I was beholden to the people mowing their lawn. I can't record that Nickelodeon show for you at 11. Because my neighbor likes to do yard at that time.
Alicyn
Did you hire anybody to build a home studio or?
Secunda Wood
My husband did!
Alicyn
Aww!
Secunda Wood
I know. My husband did he was like, Oh, I'm gonna. I've looked on my husband. He's like, I've looked on YouTube. I've seen how it's made. I can make one and I was like, "Sure." You can't just carpenter. You get it. He's He's a Marine. Oh, but I'm like, you can't just make it. He's like, yes, like he built it. I have the most amazing, amazing booth.
Alicyn
Do you mind if we have a little tour? You don't have to if you don't feel like it. It looks like you're in there right now.
Secunda Wood
I am. Okay, how do we do this?
Alicyn
Describe it too for at home listeners that don't have the visual.
Secunda Wood
This is all my egg crates! And then my setups kind of a mess. But it's here. See?
Alicyn
Ring light!
Secunda Wood
I have to have two ring lights!
Alicyn
Oh yeah, I have at least two. So many ring lights! You can never find the perfect ring light.
Secunda Wood
I know right. It's enough, buddy. It's always at least two!
Alicyn
To make them problems.
Secunda Wood
I'm glad you I'm glad you have to do it too. Like am I the only one I have like three ring lights?
Alicyn
No, but did you ever hear my ring light song?
Secunda Wood
No, tell me tell me I want to hear it.
Alicyn
There's this boom. It's like my skin is smooth my teeth are white, I look pretty good with a guy looking at the ring light. It's pretty rough.
Secunda Wood
It's got a ringtone by the way. Can I have that as a ringtone?
Alicyn
I will see if we can do that.
Secunda Wood
I would I'm telling you right now. I don't know who else would buy it. But I promise you that would be my ringtone.
Alicyn
On it. On it. Oh, God. A thousand percent! Cuz that was perfect. And I was like, Alice is a genius, Alicyn's a genius.
Secunda Wood
Yeah, yeah. Sorry, I was looking for my cat. I was I was drinking my water and my cat popped off. And it's like gone.
Oh okay, that's fine. We'll wait. We'll wait, Secunda.
I don't know I just happen it's literally disappeared. It's nowhere in this booth. It's not that big! It's gone.
Alicyn
Oh my goodness.
Secunda Wood
It went to the same thing where Smokey the Bear went.
Alicyn
You're gonna have to give me more than that.
Secunda Wood
Have you heard the Mandela Effect. Okay, so apparently all these people thought the Mandela died in the 90s.
Alicyn
Oh, really?
Secunda Wood
Yeah. So they call it the Mandela effect because this huge group of people think the same thing. But like it didn't happen. And so for me, like the Berenstein Bears, when we were kids?
Alicyn
Oh, it had an 'E', Berenstein Bears. I mean, because it did.
Secunda Wood
But you can't find... Now they're like you Google it. And it's always in 'A'.
Alicyn
Yeah, I know. I know. That's a weird thing. Right?
Secunda Wood
I'm telling you, it was an 'e' when we were kids like what are you talking about? So that's why I said like, the Mandela. Like, the cat wasn't really here.
Alicyn
I read an article that like the the, the, there's a couple that wrote the Berenstain Bears that their son said no, it was never an E.
Secunda Wood
Really?
Alicyn
And I'm like, but it was because I remember it.
Secunda Wood
Oh me too! because I remember learning that an E, Berenstein, could sound like an A, even though it was an E. I remember learning that like, Oh, okay. Oh, okay. Like, I'm telling you, telling me. This is all. Like, we're from the same generation. Like, it was an E.
Alicyn
It was an E. So back to the 80s. The 80s I'm curious about what some of your favorite shows were growing up. Did you have some favorite cartoons?
Secunda Wood
My favorite cartoons. But Carebears...
Alicyn
Carebears! Oh my god.
Secunda Wood
Strawberry Shortcake? Rainbow Brite.
Alicyn
Rainbow Brite.
Secunda Wood
Yeah. Those are my favorite. Are they gonna bring any of those back, because they're bringing everything back, why don't they bring those back? Those were awesome shows.
Alicyn
My Little Pony was brought it back a few times. Yeah, they brought back My Little Pony again.
Secunda Wood
Well, and My little Pony is awesome.
I love it.
But like Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brite. How are they not in the mix?
Alicyn
Are they not? I mean...
Secunda Wood
I haven't found them.
They brought back Popples, that's true. Do you remember? Popples? No, it's true.
But my favorite. What?
Alicyn
What about Snorks?
Secunda Wood
Oh, I love Snorks! Are they bringing back Snorks? Rob Paulsen was on that show. Oh, I don't know. I don't know.
I feel like I just read that they might be.
Alicyn
I've got two actresses for you right here.
Secunda Wood
That would be so cool.
Alicyn
Or I'm such a dork. Sorry. I don't know what group you into my dorkness.
Secunda Wood
I would wear that as a badge.
Alicyn
A badge, a badge of total animation nerd.
Secunda Wood
I'm very, very proud.
Alicyn
Teddy Ruxpin had a cartoon why? Yes, of course. I did. Can I watch?
Secunda Wood
Who was on it? Like, do we know people that were on that?
Alicyn
What do you also would you remember the show? Super Ted. Somebody brought that up recently? It was a blast to the past super Ted. I think he lived in a department store or something it's very Paddington. The bear actually now that I mentioned it's exactly like the plotline of Paddington, Super Ted. I don't know that for hero. And then there What did you ever watch Danger Mouse?
Yes!
Danger Mouse!
Secunda Wood
Yeah. Did you ever watch Felix?
Alicyn
Felix the Cat?
Secunda Wood
Yes!
Alicyn
Yes. Yes.
Secunda Wood
That was one of my favorites, too. I love Felix the Cat. I love Strawberry Shortcake. And I love Rainbow Brite. Those were like my, like favorites.
Alicyn
Okay, so well Ryan was in, he just recently passed away. So RIP Ryan.
Secunda Wood
Oh.
Alicyn
But he was Grubby. Remember Grubby?
Secunda Wood
When did he pass away?
Alicyn
About a week and a half ago.
Secunda Wood
I didn't even hear about that. I'm so sad I didn't hear about it. He deserved better than that. When VO people pass away and don't get like big press? That kind of upsets me. Like they should, they were a part of our childhoods. They were a big deal to us. You know?
Alicyn
Yeah. Yeah.
Secunda Wood
Yeah.
Alicyn
Yeah. Did you have a favorite character on Strawberry Shortcake?
Secunda Wood
Who?
Alicyn
Did you have a favorite character in Strawberry Shortcake?
Secunda Wood
I did. Orange Blossom.
Alicyn
Aww.
Secunda Wood
Yeah. Remember the toy? Orange Blossom smelled so good. They all smelled good. But yeah, but yeah, orange button was the very first dark skinned character I saw on on TV. That, Wow, I was in love with her. I was in love with her. I was just like, there's somebody that looks like me on television. It was crazy. And she's a cartoon. I didn't care. I was just like, I want so my favorite color is orange to this day because of that.
Alicyn
Aww that's so powerful.
Secunda Wood
Yeah, I was so in love with that character. It was her. And Cherry from Punky Brewster.
Alicyn
Cherry!
Secunda Wood
They were the only black girls I ever saw back then. I was like, oh, there's two little black girls that look like me on television. It was just the coolest. Actually Cherry is there because I guess I guess I never thought about orange blossom is like, you know, someone I could be or something I could do. I didn't register it then. But Cherry, like, that's when I started hounding my mom again, I was like, she was like, now we tried this when you were five. I'm like, No, but there's Cherry now. I can do this. Cherry's doing it! Cherry. Have you seen it through, on Peacock? The new show, the new No.
Alicyn
Oh my god.
Secunda Wood
And Cherry's on it. They're there. Oh my god and Cherry is a lesbian. She has a lesbian girlfriend in there. So it's because I'm always a Cherry when we have like reboots of old things, but it's and they made a joke about the refrigerator. It was kind of awesome.
Alicyn
Oh my god the refrigerator!
Secunda Wood
I know what you have to watch it. It's so it's so worth it.
Alicyn
Yeah, I want to watch it with you though.
Secunda Wood
Can we do that?
Alicyn
Yeah.
Secunda Wood
Can we like well, even like, at our houses, we can watch it like on there's there's there's technology.
Alicyn
Oh yeah, I was thinking more like a Punky Brewster party. But yeah. Netflix and there's a couple of watch party. You can stream shows.
Secunda Wood
Yeah, great idea. We're gonna go with your idea cuz I just bought a Punky Brewster jacket. Do you want to see it?
Alicyn
What? Yeah.
Secunda Wood
Okay, hold on. I gotta go get though. It was like a teenager. It's called dolls kill. And they've had this jacket. No, I was like, Oh, hold on.
Alicyn
Let's see you talk to Cherry Johnson from Family Matters. Cherry Johnson. Yes, that is her name. So the actress sub character was named after the actress. Hmm, that's pretty interesting. So how did she how can they named? They named the character Cherry after Cherry? I'm curious about that.
Secunda Wood
Jerry Smith. Got one red sleeve. What? Ooh. pink one. Look at this thing. How cute.
Alicyn
Oh my gosh, is that Wow, is that? Do you have the exact jacket? Yeah. Where did you find it?
Secunda Wood
No, it just Punky Brewster inspired, but I was like, I'm just I'm still obsessed with and Strawberry Shortcake. I still like anything like to do with them? Um, no. Like, I had to have it! My husband's like, oh, you're a grown lady. I'm like, am I Shut up? Do Yeah. And I remember like wearing like, make mix matched shoes and stuff until a Punky Brewster party would be literally the coolest thing ever.
Alicyn
Winter Break. Punky Brewster party. There we go. So do you have some time to take a few questions from the audience?
Secunda Wood
Of course. Oh, my gosh. They have questions. Oh, yeah. I wasn't even. Like, I think because like when you say that about other people. I'm like, of course but me. I'm like, do people have questions for me?
Alicyn
We did. We did cover a lot of these. We covered who your first character you ever voiced was. We carry we when you got started in voice acting? Who was your biggest influence in acting? Anybody you wanna shout out?
Secunda Wood
Cree Summer.
Alicyn
Ah,
Secunda Wood
Oh my gosh, when I found out that she played Penny. Uh huh. I was like, Oh my gosh. Because also like back in the back in the day. Like they wanted black people to sound a certain way. And I don't sound like that. I never have. I'm from Redondo Beach. I just sound the way I sound.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Secunda Wood
And, and Penny, was a white character played by a black actress. That was like, everything.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Secunda Wood
Well, I met her at a callback one time. And I was like, so starstruck and like, insane. She was like, Hey, how are you? She totally engaged me in conversation. She's a normal, wonderful person. You know, people always say don't meet your heroes. In VO, you absolutely should. Every hero I've met in VO is the most amazing human being. Tara Strong, Cree Summer, Grey Delisle they are the kindest, most generous, wonderful humans. Elle Newlands. Oh! I mean, they're just so encouraging. And Wonderful. So yeah, Cree Summer is my...
Alicyn
Aww.
Secunda Wood
She's everything.
Alicyn
That's amazing. I'd love to get her on. This is very interesting. So if you could time travel to any time period what time period would it be? Oh, also, I just saw Mark Avenir dropped by and said, "Hey Secunda!" You know, Mark, the one you booked on your panel!
Secunda Wood
I know! Oh, Mark, I'm so excited. Yeah, time period. Wow. Well, I have two answers to that one. I would probably go back to the 90s.
Alicyn
Yeah!
Secunda Wood
And not be an idiot. And like, care more about VO because oh my gosh, where was it gonna go in the future if I'd known. But also, I would say now, like, Honestly now, because there's so much diversity, and so much that we've never had before. And not to say VO hasn't been wonderful. It has been. But it's just, it's really nice to have so much variety, you know, so many different kinds of people. And I love it, I would never want to change how it is now. You know?
Alicyn
Yeah. Yeah. Or if you had a time where you could keep going back and forth, like back to the 90s for the fashion.
Secunda Wood
Back to the 90s to change my career trajectory. Now.
Alicyn
At least you had a career in the 90s I was floundering trying to do community theater in Massachusetts.
Secunda Wood
Don't you dare you change people's lives. They were like, Oh my God. I want to be an actress now. Because I saw her do that. What the eff, don't do that. I'm sure. I'm sure you were amazing.
Alicyn
I'll have to tell you about my beauty pageant horror stories someday, but we'll save that for another session.
Secunda Wood
I'm possitive they weren't horror stories. I want to see the pictures. I'm sure you were freaking gorgeous. Oh, my hair. There's dying. You are. Oh, you being a pageant girl...
Alicyn
I wasn't though. That's the thing. I just read about it in the paper and thought it seemed like a good idea. I didn't realize that. The pageantry was the thing that you couldn't read the magazine.
Secunda Wood
Oh my gosh. So you didn't?
Alicyn
Was a little you know, short, shorter, you know, kind of dress that my grandma got me. And then there was just let's just say unprepared is an understatement.
Secunda Wood
Letter by the way, what was that? Thank you. That's the cutest thing ever.
Alicyn
Bambi. No, it's just a dough. And it says on it. It says can you read what it says? Is it backwards? It says this sucks!
Secunda Wood
That's Bambi.
Alicyn
It's Bambi.
That sucks.
So Jim has a question. What is it been like getting the opportunity to teach during the pandemic? Yes. So -
Secunda Wood
Jim! I love him. Okay, what did he say?
Alicyn
What's it like teaching during the pandemic, getting the opportunity to teach?
Secunda Wood
Weird because I wasn't a teacher at all.
Alicyn
Oh, uh huh.
Secunda Wood
So, he asked me to do it. I was like, okay, sure, because I'll do it. But because, because I always think like, teachers or people who? I don't know, I guess I had like this long stream of teachers because I maybe, like I studied with along the people, right? And I felt like, oh, I don't, I don't. I'm just gonna, like, tell you weird stuff that goes on. I'm gonna teach you something like this, because it's so sucks. Like, I might do my teacher. Sure. But, I mean, it turned out well, I think I think I did. Okay, but yeah, I think Charlie Adler is a teacher.
Alicyn
He's amazing teacher. He's transformational.
Secunda Wood
Ridiculous. So for me, comparing myself to him was like, What am I doing here? You know, but actually, not really. Good. Yeah. Turns out,
Alicyn
Is it something you want to do more for?
Secunda Wood
Well, yeah, I think because of the response that I got, people were like, Thank you for saying that odd thing that you probably shouldn't say kind of helped. And that's Oh, thank you.
Appreciate that. No other teachers said that to me, and I'm like, Well, you're welcome.
Alicyn
Do you do any one on one coaching? For people that are interested?
Secunda Wood
I said, I was gonna say no. But then I do I help my, help... I help friends. Like if I have a friend who's like, Oh, I'm just not getting a lot of callbacks for like VO. And then I'll say, Okay, let me hear what you did. Don't get your feelings hurt when I tell you why you probably didn't book it. Okay. So, yeah, I don't know if anybody wants to pay for that. My friends love me.
Alicyn
Oh, well sit kinda smack on the Oh, Secunda!
Secunda Wood
Times. I'll be like, great. I don't know what the hell was this? So? I will be honest. Either way, you know, like, I don't know. Let's figure it out. Because this is amazing what you're doing, you know? So I don't know. But we Yeah. I don't charge people to do privates because I can't imagine doing that.
Alicyn
ScottChambersVO says this will make you blush. But so kinda has one of the kindest hearts of anyone in our business.
Who's said that?
ScottChambersVO.
Secunda Wood
Thank you.
Alicyn
Aww.
Secunda Wood
Someone named Scott Chambers?
Alicyn
Yeah. I hope you know him. Thank you.
Secunda Wood
Thank you. Why would you say that? Why? Am I? I think everybody in VO is pretty awesome. I really appreciate what you said. But what is there a reason why you said that?
Alicyn
He doesn't have to justify.
Secunda Wood
No, I'm not!
Alicyn
Well, I've created this slideshow.
Secunda Wood
Did I do something nice. I'm so like...
That's amazing. Okay, well, what's?
Alicyn
It's a slideshow about why you're the You're the nicest heart. Okay, this is me after I talk to you. Because of hearts.
Secunda Wood
Oh my gosh! That's so nice! I can do a slideshow too. But I don't have no pins. At first. I can do that. Because that's how I feel about you. Like whenever I talk to you, and I remember Okay, when I first met you, like we connected on Instagram, and I was like, "Oh! Alicyn Packard's stalking me!" I told my husband, "I was like, "Oh! Alicyn Packard likes me!"
Alicyn
Remember coffee date where we were just like?
Secunda Wood
You just have the you just have you have the sweetest art. You're so nice. And so kind. And so friggin super talented. It's like I, I think it blows my mind sometimes how talented. And I know it doesn't make any sense. Like why can people be talented and be kind, but it just feels like weird. Like, you have so many fans, people love you...
Alicyn
Hours people, we got uh...
Secunda Wood
People are telling you how great you are all the time. And yet you're so humble and nice. It's like, how? How do you do that?
Alicyn
How do you do that? How do you do that, Secunda? I'm so glad we got to chat tonight. I really appreciate you taking the time to come on the show. Mark Avenir says Everybody likes Secunda I think that's a show idea right there. But he loves Secunda is there it can you tell us about anything else you're working on? Or is everything NDA?
Secunda Wood
Oh, yes. There is a oh my gosh. Okay. My very first movie, like, like a like a movie is coming out December 31. It's called SEAL team. And like, the cast is like Academy Award winners and like, Oh my god. So this SEAL Team, they're seals and they're sharks. I'm a shark. I like No is in the movie as seal. Dolph Lundgren is in the movie as Dolph.
Alicyn
That's very cool.
Secunda Wood
It's gonna be amazing.
Alicyn
Oh my gosh. What do you play? What can we hear?
Secunda Wood
I play Scarlet.
Alicyn
Scarlet, okay, cool.
Okay, cool.
Secunda Wood
She's in shark that has like a scar on her face. That looks like eyelashes. Oh my gosh, it's the coolest part. Oh my gosh. I cannot wait. It's gonna be on Netflix. December 31st. I cannot wait for you guys to see it. It's gonna be amazing!
Alicyn
We need to have, you should have a party screening.
Secunda Wood
I should.
Alicyn
You can rent out a theater.
Secunda Wood
Can we have it at your house because your house is friggin amazing.
Alicyn
Do you backyard? Yeah, can we?
Yeah, we can, it'll be fine. I think that will be awesome. Oh, well. Thank you so much, honey, I appreciate your coming on the show. And thanks to everybody who's tuning in. Let's see, what do we have up next week? Oh, Jordan Koch is coming on next week. Ah, you know, Jordan?
Secunda Wood
You have the most amazing people on your show.
Alicyn
I have one job board artist, he worked in Tom and Jerry and a bunch of other shows. So that's gonna be really awesome. And, and that's the last one of the year because we're taking two weeks off after that. And I'm not actually sure when we'll be able to get the reboot and have everything start airing over there. Or if we're going to do a couple more lives in January, but we'll be back so you better tune in next week, because this might be the last one for a while you guys. So...
Secunda Wood
Do I come back when it's all brand new?
Alicyn
Yes. Definitely.
Secunda Wood
Okay.
Alicyn
All right Secunda. Thank you so much. It was good to see you. I love you guys.
Secunda Wood
Thank you.
Alicyn
Have a great night. Thanks.
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.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai