This week on Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by actress and singer-songwriter Sofie Zamchick! Many viewers and listeners will know Sofie as the voice of Linny, the adventurous guinea pig and leader of the beloved Nick Jr. series Wonder Pets!. Beyond her memorable work on the show, Sofie has built a career spanning television, film, and theatre, showcasing her talents both on screen and on stage. In recent years, Sofie has also pursued her passion for music as a singer-songwriter, relea...
Jun 06, 2026•1 hr 3 min
This week on Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by actor Doug Jones and filmmaker Derek Maki! Doug Jones has built one of the most remarkable careers in Hollywood, bringing unforgettable characters to life through extensive makeup and visual effects. His iconic roles include Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus, Abe Sapien in Hellboy, the Faun and the Pale Man in Pan's Labyrinth, The Amphibian Man in The Shape of Water, and the beloved McDonald's advertising character Mac Tonight. Derek's cred...
Jun 03, 2026•46 min
This week on Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by Larry Brantley, Betty Buckley, and Joey Stewart! This conversation touches on the upcoming documentary What's the Story, Wishbone?, which Larry, Betty, and Joey produced. Centered around the beloved Wishbone, the documentary reflects on the legacy of the classic literature-inspired PBS series and the lasting impact it has had on generations of viewers. Larry, the voice of Wishbone himself, joins producer Betty Buckley and assistant direct...
May 30, 2026•39 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by actress, singer, and dancer Lana Whittington! Lana is best known to Barney fans as Jill from Season 6 of Barney & Friends and several Barney home videos. Lana shares the story of how she landed the role, including her audition process and what it was like stepping into the world of Barney. She reflects on the strong camaraderie between the cast and crew and the friendships and memories that made the experience so special....
May 23, 2026•56 min
Also this week on Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by puppeteer, director, and producer Frankie Cordero! Known for bringing Rudy to life on Sesame Street, Purple Panda on Donkey Hodie, and Mamu and Papu on Oobi, Frankie shares his journey into puppetry, including getting his start with Sesame Street through the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He talks about working alongside Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby Cadabby (Rudy's stepsister), plus collaborating with David Rudman and Adam Rudman ...
May 16, 2026•1 hr 20 min
First up this week on Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by creators Halle Stanford and Dorien Davies! Halle has helped bring beloved Henson projects to life including Sid the Science Kid, Pajanimals, Dinosaur Train, and Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, while Dorien's impressive career includes work with The Muppets and Henson productions such as Puppet Up!, Julie's Greenroom, Word Party, The Happytime Murders, and Earth to Ned. Together, they discuss their brand new PBS Kids special Wowsa...
May 13, 2026•25 min
(We apologize for the delay in posting this as we had a bit of trouble getting this up yesterday.) Also this week on Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by actor Barry Pearl! Barry is best known to many as Doody in Grease and Professor Tinkerputt in the Barney franchise, including the primetime special Bedtime with Barney: Imagination Island and the Barney's Big Surprise tour. Barry shares the stories behind landing these unforgettable roles and what made those experiences so special. He a...
May 10, 2026•1 hr 48 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by rock and alternative rock singer-songwriter Greg Amici! Greg's musical career took a complete halt for 16 years due to a vocal injury, and eventually returned not with a continuation of his past work, but a reinvention. His latest album, Tragicomic, plays like a time capsule rebuilt from memory, drawing on classic rock, Americana, ska, and folk-punk while channeling the late '70s through '90s with a modern, darkly humorous ed...
May 06, 2026•35 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by executive producer and creator Angela Santomero! Angela is best known for her extensive career in children's entertainment, by co-creating the beloved Nick Jr. series Blue's Clues, its spin-off Blue's Room, and the reboot Blue's Clues & You!, as well as PBS Kids favorites Super Why! and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, among other beloved series, including the digitally animated hit Princess Penelope's Purse of Preposterous T...
May 02, 2026•21 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by Canadian writer, creator, and showrunner John Derevlany. John joins us to share his journey through the worlds of adult and children's television. Starting out writing for National Lampoon, John eventually transitioned into television, initially writing for adult audiences before finding his niche in children's programming. He discusses his work on the Nickelodeon series The Angry Beavers, creating Jim Henson's Animal Jam, de...
Apr 25, 2026•50 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by production designer Bob Lavallee. Bob spent 14 and a half years shaping the visual world of Barney & Friends, working from Season 4 through to the very end. He also contributed to numerous Barney home videos, including Camp WannaRunnaRound, Sing & Dance With Barney, Barney's Night Before Christmas, Let's Play School!, and Come on Over to Barney's House, just to name a few. Bob shares how he transitioned from live thea...
Apr 18, 2026•2 hr 34 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by singer-songwriter and educator Keeth Apgar! Keeth joins us to talk about his journey as the founder and frontman of the family music band The Harmonica Pocket. Their latest single, Imperfection is a Gift, shares a message of embracing life's accidents and finding the beauty and power within those moments of imperfection we all experience. Keeth opens up about balancing storytelling with crafting catchy, memorable melodies, sh...
Apr 11, 2026•49 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by writers and producers Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere! Paul co-created Rugrats alongside Arlene Klasky and Gábor Csupó and oversaw the show's first three seasons, while Joe joined as a writer during those early years, helping bring the adventures of Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, and the gang to life. After Rugrats, Joe went on to co-develop the Nickelodeon series Hey Arnold! with creator Craig Bartlett, while Paul and Joe's par...
Apr 04, 2026•2 hr 1 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by writer and producer Alex Rockwell! Alex began her work with The Jim Henson Company in the late '1980s, first as a producer on The Jim Henson Hour, continuing as a producer and executive producer on series such as Dinosaurs, Muppets Tonight, and Bear in the Big Blue House, as well as the feature films Muppets from Space and The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. She was also behind the creation of Frances, Pajanimals, Word Part...
Mar 28, 2026•1 hr 27 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by writer and producer Jim Lewis! People will know Jim's work best from his many years with The Muppets and The Jim Henson Company. He got his start with The Muppets as the editor of Muppet Magazine, with his first production being the video Hey, You're as Funny as Fozzie Bear. From there, Jim wrote and produced a variety of home videos, television series and specials, and live performances for The Muppets and Henson. We also to...
Mar 21, 2026•55 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by creator and executive producer Jennifer Oxley! Best known for her extensive career in children's television, today's conversation with Jennifer touches specifically on creating and executive producing the Wonder Pets! reboot series Wonder Pets: In the City. She discusses the upcoming second season, how it introduces kids to diverse cultures, sparks global curiosity, and encourages compassion and empathy, etc. Season 2 of Wond...
Mar 18, 2026•16 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by TV hosts Doug Momary and Emily Peden! In the '1970s, Doug and Emily were beloved for playing the hosts Doug and Emmy Jo on New Zoo Revue, with Doug also serving as co-creator. The conversation dives into the creation of the show, including Doug's collaboration with fellow co-creator Barbara Atlas, and their work with the legendary Sid and Marty Krofft on designing those unforgettable costumes. Doug and Emily reminisce about t...
Mar 14, 2026•40 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by children's author, writer, and television producer Marilyn Sadler! Marilyn has had the pleasure of writing and producing for children in multiple different fashions. She is a children's book author, best known for book series such as P.J. Funnybunny, Honey Bunny, and Alistair Grittle, which was featured on two episodes of the PBS literary series Reading Rainbow. She is also best known for writing the book that became a DCOM, ...
Mar 07, 2026•48 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by creators and executive producers Genie Deez and Thy Than! This week's conversation covers the brand new PBS Kids series Genie and Thy created, Phoebe & Jay, which follows two children who live with their father and grandmother at Tobsy Towers in the fictional city of Nadaville, California. Genie and Thy share favorite episodes, diversity and representation in today's media, the collaborative process between the writers an...
Feb 28, 2026•22 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by Canadian actress and voice actress Bryn McAuley! Bryn's career began in a truly iconic way, as the original voice of Caillou on the long-running children's series Caillou. From there, she brought life to a wide range of memorable characters across animation, including Gina Lash on Angela Anaconda, Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series, Becky Lopez on George Shrinks, Harriet in Franklin, Skye Blue in Carl²,...
Feb 21, 2026•58 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by songwriter and music director Joe Phillips! Joe's professional career began with sound design work for television and film, contributing to major feature films such as Braveheart, Natural Born Killers, Time Cop, and Pocahontas. He also served as audio supervisor on the Nick Jr. series Allegra's Window. Many fans know Joe best for his extensive work with the Barney franchise. His journey began with the former attraction A Day ...
Feb 15, 2026•1 hr 26 min
On this week's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by musician and singer-songwriter Sean Griffin! Sean fronted the Irish punk band The Ruffians for an incredible 25 years, helping to shape the group's sound and legacy through decades of performances. In our conversation, Sean looks back on the beginnings of the long-running band, shares stories from some of his favorite places to perform, and reflects on what it was like leading a group for so many years. We also dive into Sean...
Feb 07, 2026•44 min
Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! This week, we talk all things Yo Gabba GabbaLand! as its second season is now available to stream on Apple TV. We speak with rising star and host Kamryn Smith (Kammy Kam), as well as Scott Schultz and Christian Jacobs, the co-creators behind the beloved franchise. The conversations dive into how they would describe the show to brand new fans, Kamryn's experience stepping into the iconic host role once held by DJ Lan...
Jan 31, 2026•28 min
Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! This week, we're thrilled to welcome former ice dancer and actress Judy Sladky. Judy takes us behind the scenes of her time bringing beloved characters to life on ice, including performing Snoopy in various ice skating shows and special appearances for the Peanuts franchise, including a scene in the feature film Jingle All the Way. She also shares stories from her work in Holiday on Ice, where she performed Sesame S...
Jan 24, 2026•46 min
Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! This week, we're honored to welcome legendary sound effects and foley artist Dick Maitland, whose masterful work has helped shape the soundscape of children's television for over five decades. Since Sesame Street first hit the airwaves in 1969, Dick has been behind countless iconic noises, from Cookie Monster's cookie eating noises to Muppet footsteps, crashes, squeaks, rustles, the list goes on! Dick shares stories...
Jan 17, 2026•1 hr 31 min
Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! This week, we're delighted to welcome Canadian puppeteer, voice actor, and creator Ingrid Hansen. Ingrid joins us to talk about her early roles bringing characters like Gertie G. Gopher on Tiga Talk, Skeeter on Tick & Skeeter, and Melissa the Dog on Seasons 2 and 3 of Miss Persona to life. We also dive into her best-known work as the lovable, curious Heart on Helpsters, as well as her exciting recent journey int...
Jan 10, 2026•1 hr 15 min
Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! This week, we're thrilled to welcome legendary director and associate director Ken Diego, whose remarkable career has helped shape some of the most beloved moments in children's television. Since 1993, Ken has been a creative force behind Sesame Street, directing and associate directing countless episodes, fan-favorite segments, home videos, television specials, and educational outreach projects that have touched ge...
Jan 04, 2026•1 hr 44 min
Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! This week, we close off 2025 by welcoming acclaimed television director and producer Jonathan Judge, a major creative force in the kids and family entertainment world. Jonathan's career in children's programming began with one of the most iconic preschool series of all time, Blue's Clues. He later directed its spin-off, Blue's Room, and a wide range of other hit children's series, including LazyTown, Johnny and the ...
Dec 20, 2025•43 min
Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! This week, we're joined by the multitalented puppet artist David Bizzaro! David's journey in the world of puppetry has taken him across some of the most beloved corners of children's entertainment, beginning with his work as a puppet wrangler for Sesame Street, including the specials The Magical Wand Chase, When You Wish Upon a Pickle, and the spin-off The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo. David went on to puppeteer and ...
Dec 13, 2025•1 hr 32 min
Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! This week, we're thrilled to welcome the incredibly versatile puppeteer, puppet builder, and humanitarian worker Lisa Buckley! Lisa began her career bringing characters to life for television and film, including serving as an assistant puppeteer on the classic sitcom ALF. In the early 1990s, she joined the legendary Sesame Street team, where she helped perform a wide range of Muppets—most notably the beloved Betty L...
Dec 06, 2025•1 hr 4 min
