Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show!

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! Join us on today's episode as we chat with puppeteer and voice actor, Tim Blaney. Tim's work has brought so many beloved characters to life, most notably as the puppeteer and voice of the iconic Johnny 5 in the Short Circuit films. His career with The Jim Henson Company began with Dinosaurs, leading to ext...

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! Today, we had the pleasure of speaking with the incredibly talented composer, arranger, and orchestrator, Bill Sherman. Bill's musical journey has taken him from the bright lights of Broadway to the streets of Sesame Street, and everywhere in between. He's a key collaborator with Lin-Manuel Miranda, having orchestrate...

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! In today's episode, we chat with writer and author, Ellis Weiner. From his early days as an editor at National Lampoon and columnist for Spy Magazine, to his work with the Muppets (including writing the mock behind-the-scenes book The Great Muppet Caper!: The Making of the Masterpiece!), Ellis has left his mar...

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! On this episode, we have a conversation with Michael Hirsh, the creative force behind so many cherished childhood memories. Michael co-founded Nelvana, the studio that brought us classics like Little Bear, Franklin, Babar, Max & Ruby, The Magic School Bus, Rolie Polie Olie, and many others. If that wasn't...

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! In this episode, we talk with puppeteer, writer, and director David Skelly. David's journey began at The Jim Henson Company, where he honed his puppetry skills as a puppet builder on projects like The Muppet Christmas Carol and Sesame Street. He then transitioned to Pixar, where he contributed as a story developer and...

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! Join us as we chat with writer and producer Michael Poryes, the mastermind behind a number of iconic series! Michael co-created the hit Disney Channel shows That's So Raven and Hannah Montana, shaping a generation of viewers. He also created Life with Boys on YTV and Home Sweet Rome! on Max. Tune in as Michael...

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive! On this episode, we speak with the incredibly talented puppeteer, Tracie Mick! Tracie has brought characters to life for Disney stage shows like Playhouse Disney Live!, Bear in the Big Blue House Live!, and even contributed her puppetry skills to Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney Imagineering projects. Tracie has...

In this episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we are joined by Steve Roslonek, better known in the children's music scene as SteveSongs! Steve shares stories from his beginnings with a capella group The Vineyard Sound, his years appearing on PBS Kids as Mr. Steve, performing at a wide variety of live events and so much more!

In this episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we discuss puppetry, animatronics and more with British master puppeteer, David Barclay! David, a true master of his craft, shares his incredible experiences working on iconic films like Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, where he helped bring to life the beloved Yoda and the formidable Jabba the Hutt. Beyond Star Wars, David...

Get ready to jump into a world of puppetry and voiceover with Australian puppeteer and voice actor Adam Kronenberg! Adam's best known role is performing Dumpster the Cat in the beloved children's series Raggs. He also lent his voice to the English dub of Ketchup: Cats Who Cook and performed Fidget on Bambaloo and Squidge on Pipsqueaks. Get ready for a delightful conversation with Adam and maybe a...

Get ready to dive into the world of on-camera acting and voice acting with the incredibly talented Daniel Ross! As an on-camera actor, he is known for his roles in HBO's The Wire and portraying Kyle in the Ninjas vs. Zombies films. In voiceover, Daniel is one of the voices of iconic Disney character Donald Duck and has also been the voice of Lucky the Leprechaun for Lucky Charms, Grimace for McDon...

In this episode, we're joined by the delightful Dennisha Pratt, best known for her beloved role as one of the hosts of the Sprout morning block, The Sunny Side Up Show. Dennisha shares heartwarming stories from her time on the show, including behind-the-scenes glimpses and the lasting impact it had on her life and career. We'll also explore her diverse journey, from her guest appearance on The Wig...

Get ready for a delightful dive into the world of puppetry with the incredibly talented Greg Ballora, a master puppeteer whose work consists of films like RoboCop 2, The Flintstones, Stuart Little 2 and Spider-Man 2 and series like The Adventures of Timmy the Tooth and Greg the Bunny. Greg shares stories from his experiences working with The Muppets, his time as puppet captain on Crash & Berns...

In this episode, we welcome the legendary Fred Garbo, a performer whose career spans decades and continents. From his iconic role as Barkley on Sesame Street, including unforgettable moments like Follow That Bird and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, to his Broadway performance and touring with Foolsfire, Fred shares stories from a life dedicated to entertainment. We'll also delve into his innov...

In this episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're kicking off 2025 by speaking with the legendary Jennifer Batten, a guitar virtuoso who has wowed audiences worldwide. From her electrifying performances with the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, to her collaborations with Jeff Beck and her own successful solo career, Jennifer shares incredible stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and the inspirati...

Join us as we finish off 2024 by welcoming back Jeff Sutphen, known by many for hosting the Nickelodeon game show, BrainSurge! As BrainSurge celebrates its 15th anniversary, our follow-up conversation with Jeff dives into how this iconic game show came to be, filming episodes with celebrities, the transition to Family BrainSurge and so much more! Also, our guest co-host, Justin, was a Brainiac on...

Join us as we catch up with three past guests! Author and illustrator Marc Brown, his son, producer Tolon Brown, and children's writer Peter K. Hirsch. Our previous conversation with them mostly covered the new Max series HOP, a show that celebrates diversity and inclusion with a cast of differently-abled characters. This time, we take a trip back to Elwood City, where we discuss the iconic Arthur...

Join us as we talk with the legendary Sharon Hampson and her talented daughter, Randi Hampson, of the children's musical duo, Sharon & Randi. Together, they continue the beloved legacy of Sharon, Lois & Bram, a musical trio that has entertained children for generations. Sharon and Randi share stories about their experiences on television with The Elephant Show and Skinnamarink TV and discu...

Join us as we speak with actor and voiceover artist Ty Olsson. From his early days on projects like The X-Files and Lake Placid to his memorable voiceover work as Ord in the PBS Kids series Dragon Tales, Ty shares some wonderful stories from his diverse career. We dive into his more dramatic roles, including his powerful portrayal of Mark Bingham in A&E's Flight 93, his recurring role as Benny...

Join us for a heartwarming conversation with "Mrs. Big Bird" herself, Debra Spinney, the wife of the late Caroll Spinney, original Muppet performer of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street. Debra offers a unique perspective on the world of puppetry, having worked closely with Caroll on iconic projects such as Big Bird in China and Follow That Bird. Beyond the Muppet world, Debra shares st...

Join us as we speak with the incredibly talented Colleen Smith, a puppeteer and actress whose work includes various projects with The Muppets and The Jim Henson Company. She has also lent her puppetry talents to shows like Nickelodeon's The Barbarian and the Troll and Disney+'s Earth to Ned. Colleen shares stories from her incredible career, from her early days as a puppeteer to co-creating GLOP,...

Join us as we talk to Traci Paige Johnson, the creative mind behind one of the most beloved children's shows of all time. As the co-creator of Nick Jr.'s Blue's Clues and the voice of its title character Blue, Traci shares stories about the show's creation and the casting of the original hosts, Steve Burns and Donovan Patton! Traci also discusses working on the 2004 spin-off Blue's Room, casting J...

Join us as we speak to the talented director Scott Preston. From puppetry to reality, Scott has directed a wide range of television. Hear stories about his experiences working on shows like The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, Oobi and Between the Lions, as well as his work on Sesame Street. Plus, learn about his career directing talk shows and reality shows, including The Daily Show, The Rachael Ray...

Join us as we talk to the iconic Sonia Manzano, known by generations for her role as Fix-It Shop co-owner Maria Rodriguez on Sesame Street from 1971 to 2015. Hear stories about her time on the show, her experiences as a writer, and the impact of Sesame Street on her life and career. Sonia also discusses her memoir Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx, her role on Law & Order: Spec...

Join us as we talk to acclaimed composer Jeff Danna. From the scores of Silent Hill and The Boondock Saints to Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends and The Zula Patrol, Jeff shares stories and insights about his iconic work. He is also best known for collaborating with his brother Mychael on Disney/Pixar's The Good Dinosaur and Onward.