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INTERVIEW:
Jon Benjamin

by kittenpants

jon benjamin

You may recognize Jon Benjamin as Ben Katz ("Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist"). Or maybe you know him as Jason Panapolis ("Home Movies"). Or possibly you remember him as an inspirational (and apparently flexible) can of vegetables (WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER). Maybe you don't recognize him at all, since none of these roles required him to show his face.

Now you can see Jon in person--touch him, even! (Okay, maybe don't touch him). Jon is co-hosting two weekly shows in NYC: the Sunday-night talk of the town, TINKLE, and it's Monday-night-best-friend, Midnight Pajama Jam.

Todd Barry, had much say about his friend and TINKLE co-host: "I've known Jon over ten years and I'm still not sure whether he's taller than me."

For the record, I think they're the same height.

kp: Your first name ("H.") is the same as Jesus's middle name. What does the "H" stand for?
hjb:
Happy birthday to you...Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Kittenpants, Happy Birthday tooooooooo...you!

kp: You know, when I tried to research you online I didn't find a lot. If you search "Jon Benjamin interview" on google, my site comes up fourth and I haven't even interviewed you yet.
hjb:
Maybe try other search engines?

kp: Do you think that because your most popular work is in voiceover/animation it keeps you hidden from the public eye?
hjb:
That and the fact I don't get hired to do much.

Voiceover work for cartoons and stuff really comes from this one company in Cambridge and they keep hiring me and they are great to work for because they're my friends and it's fun to do. So, in that sense, it's great, because the work is enjoyable. That's better than being on TV in some show with Jim Belushi or Ashton Kutcher, etc., who I most likely wouldn't hang out with.

Alright, maybe I'd hang with Jim Belushi or Ashton Kutcher but not that other "I" asshole I mentioned.

kp: Do you prefer voiceover work to other acting jobs or stand up?
hjb:
Nah... I like 'em all. I like generating my own material and bringing my own ideas to life, so whatever medium facilitates that...I use the three dots a lot I realize...

kp: How did your role in WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER come about? Was it in the original script, or did it evolve later?
hjb:
I was asked to the voice of a can of vegetables by David Wain and Michael Showalter( the filmmakers) and the rest is movie history. And yes, I do get free canned vegetables forever now. How many times to I have to answer that fake question that I just asked myself?!

kp: How awesome is Christopher Meloni?
hjb:
I envy his work-out ethic.

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Kittenpants
PAGE ONE
INTERVIEW: Jon Benjamin
FEATURE: FREEDOM Food
FEATURE: Wrestling
FEATURE: Jesus: Hot or Not?
FEATURE: Wine Corner
FEATURE: Answer Me This
FEATURE: Dreams Interpreted
FEATURE: Truth About Cats, Dogs, Terrorism
FEATURE: YourPersonal EMagazine.com
FEATURE: A Night at the Theater
COLUMN: Corn Mo's Tales of Wonder
COLUMN: Music News + Reviews
MUSIC: Danny Lama Interview
COMICS: Uncle Sloppy's "Cooter" + "Buddy"
 
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