Pamela Adlon (Bobby Hill on "King of the Hill") on NPR's "Fresh Air"

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Voice actress Pamela Adlon, best known for playing Bobby on "King of the Hill" and Spinelli on "Recess", was a guest on NPR's "Fresh Air". In her interview, she discusses her new TV show "Better Things", co created by herself and comedian Louis C.K. The show is based on her real life experience as a single mom. She mostly talks about the show, but if you skip to the 26:15 mark she talks a little about how she first started doing voice over.

http://www.npr.org/2016/09/06/49281...s-better-things-is-dedicated-to-her-daughters

 

[D'Snowth]

I'm disheartened that she's pretty much been practically doing porn in recent years.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

I'm disheartened that she's pretty much been practically doing porn in recent years.

Wasn't that only like two movies? And one of them she was only a secondary character. I'm sure those films wouldn't be her first choice, actors don't always have full say in the movies their in and i'm sure it's not easy for her to get better roles. She's a single parent, she's gotta pay the bills, put food on the table, y'know? I mean, let's face it, as much voice acting as she does, that's still not exactly the best paying job. I'm just glad greater opportunities are opening up for her now.

 

[D'Snowth]

Wasn't that only like two movies?

I think she was also a regular on CALIFORNICATION.

 

[Drtooth]

I mean, let's face it, as much voice acting as she does, that's still not exactly the best paying job.

I remember this one great story from voice actor Tom Wayland at a convention once about how all the anime fans think it's this great gig to dub anime, and he's talking about how he makes most of his money dubbing Turkish soaps because they're more reliable and plentiful.

Not everyone can be a Frank Welker and be so well paid that you can't even afford to hire him. And a lot of voice actors start their careers as comedians, often very not for families stand up acts as well. Tom Kenny as interviewed as part of a podcast by Nickelodeon Animation somewhere on youtube. I highly recommend checking that out. He has a great story of how he got into stand up as a teenager. Think he even said he went to school with Bobcat Goldthwait. Probably why he's a voice actor now too.

As for better Things, I really want to see that. I really like Louie's own series, as depressing as it is (season finale ended with a drunk comedian falling off a toilet and dying from a head wound). I especially love the one that has the most accurate depiction of dreams I've ever seen in a TV show. Things suddenly get dark and eerily quiet and a thing from the shadows jumps out and grabs him. I can attest to the all too familiar "dream suddenly gets horrifying out of nowhere because your body wants you to wake up" dream. UGH... I am very accustom to that kind of dream.

 

[D'Snowth]

Tom Kenny as interviewed as part of a podcast by Nickelodeon Animation somewhere on youtube. I highly recommend checking that out. He has a great story of how he got into stand up as a teenager. Think he even said he went to school with Bobcat Goldthwait. Probably why he's a voice actor now too.

Both Tom Kenny and Carlos Alazraqui started out that way, and even brought this up when the cast of Rocko, along with Joe Murray, appeared on Rob Paulsen's TALKIN' TOONS, which was included as a bonus on the Season 4 DVD - in fact, Charlie Adler was the only voice actor on the show who had already had a career as a voice actor, for the others, this was their first gig in voice acting.

I especially love the one that has the most accurate depiction of dreams I've ever seen in a TV show. Things suddenly get dark and eerily quiet and a thing from the shadows jumps out and grabs him. I can attest to the all too familiar "dream suddenly gets horrifying out of nowhere because your body wants you to wake up" dream. UGH... I am very accustom to that kind of dream.

Same here, I have dreams like that myself. However, when I tried exploring my dreams on screen, I just got complaints that the film was "too long" and "too dragged out."

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

As for better Things, I really want to see that. I really like Louie's own series, as depressing as it is (season finale ended with a drunk comedian falling off a toilet and dying from a head wound). I especially love the one that has the most accurate depiction of dreams I've ever seen in a TV show. Things suddenly get dark and eerily quiet and a thing from the shadows jumps out and grabs him. I can attest to the all too familiar "dream suddenly gets horrifying out of nowhere because your body wants you to wake up" dream. UGH... I am very accustom to that kind of dream.

I've had some pretty strange dreams, I wish I had written more of them down to use a inspiration for my writing.

As for his show, I've still yet to see it. It's on my mental list of shows to watch. But I do enjoy his stand up and his appearances on "Parks and Rec".

Not everyone can be a Frank Welker and be so well paid that you can't even afford to hire him.

Hmm, I guess that makes sense. I was wondering why he isn't on cartoons as often anymore.

Tom Kenny as interviewed as part of a podcast by Nickelodeon Animation somewhere on youtube. I highly recommend checking that out. He has a great story of how he got into stand up as a teenager. Think he even said he went to school with Bobcat Goldthwait. Probably why he's a voice actor now too.

Yeah, I love that podcast. Not only did he come very close to becoming a cast member on SNL, but also Robin Williams is the person who helped ease Tom's parents anxiety about his future. You could almost make a movie about his life!

 

[MuppetSpot]

I surprised that Frank Welker still does Scooby & Fred but, wasn't Fred his first gig as a voice actor.

 

[Drtooth]

Hmm, I guess that makes sense. I was wondering why he isn't on cartoons as often anymore.

He makes most of his money off of doing animal noises in movies and TV shows. But usually they'll just go with the slightly cheaper Dee Bradley Baker for animal sounds. Seems the only regular cartoon gig he's still associated with is the Scooby-Doo, considering it was his earliest big role as Fred and he's the official Scooby voice as well. Unless Curious George is still in production. He's supposed to be in the next season of Transformers Robots in Disguise as a mystery character.

Not that he isn't worth every dime. It's just dimes that animation studios don't really have.

 

[MuppetSpot]

I am surprise that WB can still paid Frank Welker to voice Scooby and Fred, I thought they would Scott Innes to voice Scooby & Someone else like Freddie Prinz Jr. as Fred but, who knows.