Interview with Owner and Blogger of Jim Hill Media, Jim Hill
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | Android
Jim Hill Media ‘s Jim Hill (redundant he knows haha) is a hilariously great story teller and writer!
Connect with Jim Hill Media!
The Unofficial Guide’s Disney Dish Podcast with Jim Hill
Jim Hill is an award-winning entertainment writer who lives in New Boston, NH. Over the past 30 years, he has interviewed hundreds of veterans of the animation & themed entertainment industry and written extensively about The Walt Disney Company.
Jim is currently working on a behind-the-scene history of the development & construction of Disneyland. For his more immediate musings on movies, TV shows, books and theme parks, please check out his blog, Jim Hill Media.
Jim, in this interview, talks about how he got his start with his Disney blogging, as well as writing in general. He also discusses the origins of how Jim Hill Media came about. The stories that Jim shares are rich with Disney history, but ties it nicely into his own history.
It was so great to get to know the guy behind Jim Hill Media, as well as the awesome Disney stories on The Unofficial Guide’s Disney Dish Podcast. This episode wound up being much longer than either of us intended it to be. This episode of Dreamers Podcast is rich with great stories about Disney, as well as Jim’s past and his advice for people getting started on their career path!
As mentioned in the beginning of the episode, the income report for July will be up within a week or so which you can check out here.
Adventurtorium Live is a live video streaming concert to help raise money for Give Kids the World! The event starts August 2nd at 7pm EST! Check Adventurtorium.com for more details!
Buy Hunchback of Notre Dame Now
Mentioned Blog:onthegoinmco.com
Book Mentioned: Keys to the Kingdom: The Rise of Michael Eisner and the Fall of Everybody Else
Episode 41
Transcription
1
00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,339
hey dreamers i hope everyone had a great
week with an even better weekend ahead
2
00:00:06,150 –> 00:00:10,19
so July is now over and we’re getting
closer to the end of the summer which is
3
00:00:10,19 –> 00:00:13,530
really sad because i really enjoy this
summer couple quick things i want to
4
00:00:13,530 –> 00:00:18,240
share the financial report for july will
be available in about a week or so you
5
00:00:18,240 –> 00:00:22,229
can check those out as well as the
current download stats for the show how
6
00:00:22,230 –> 00:00:28,410
to dream backhoe slashing come tomorrow
Saturday August second at 7pm i will be
7
00:00:28,410 –> 00:00:32,969
live streaming video from a venture
torium live i invite you all to check
8
00:00:32,969 –> 00:00:38,760
out adventure tourism com download for
free or stream for free as well as
9
00:00:38,760 –> 00:00:44,70
donate to give kids the world and even
buy t-shirts and by a limited-edition
10
00:00:44,70 –> 00:00:49,890
dual CD set of adventure tutorial I will
be performing a live version of my DJ
11
00:00:49,890 –> 00:00:54,750
mix inspired by Pixar’s Up with disney
music mashups done live on two
12
00:00:54,750 –> 00:00:57,390
turntables again tomorrow night
13
00:00:57,390 –> 00:01:02,250
august second 7pm there will be a live
video feed of me performing adventure
14
00:01:02,250 –> 00:01:06,810
tutorial you can check it out at
adventure torium . com check the show
15
00:01:06,810 –> 00:01:09,990
notes for a link i hope everyone has a
magical weekend
16
00:01:09,990 –> 00:01:12,550
take care
17
00:01:12,550 –> 00:01:21,910
and of course i’m here with Joe on his
show and thank you for inviting me this
18
00:01:21,910 –> 00:01:26,560
was really nice of you to let me talk
for way too long you are going to edit
19
00:01:26,560 –> 00:01:31,990
this right like with aksar and a chisel
and get it down to three or four hours
20
00:01:31,990 –> 00:01:34,30
is that the plan now
21
00:01:34,30 –> 00:01:40,330
oh I apologize to all you people okay
cannot just she you got things that are
22
00:01:40,330 –> 00:01:44,289
right laundry cooking gonna just make
the bed i owe you all an hour-and-a-half
23
00:01:44,290 –> 00:01:48,940
For Your Lives I’m really sorry this is
the dreamers podcast where dreamers
24
00:01:48,940 –> 00:01:52,179
shared their stories to inspire you
25
00:01:52,180 –> 00:01:57,700
now join host Joe Pardo as he interviews
a dreamer who is living their dreams
26
00:02:04,290 –> 00:02:07,290
ok
27
00:02:11,780 –> 00:02:16,250
welcome to the dreamers podcast I’m your
host Joe Pardo and today I’m
28
00:02:16,250 –> 00:02:19,850
interviewing Jim Hill who is living his
dream through writing about theme parks
29
00:02:19,850 –> 00:02:25,670
& animation welcome to show Jim major
how you don’t doing wonderful i myself
30
00:02:25,670 –> 00:02:31,549
um well just provided the house is in
struck by lightning and I don’t die in a
31
00:02:31,550 –> 00:02:33,410
horrible flood I’m good
32
00:02:33,410 –> 00:02:39,620
no yeah as Joe and I are recording this
there’s this giant storm covering the
33
00:02:39,620 –> 00:02:43,910
eastern seaboard effect- we’re lucky we
thought under the background with you
34
00:02:43,910 –> 00:02:44,660
right
35
00:02:44,660 –> 00:02:50,600
yeah so so i’m at least on higher ground
so gonna just go get you get your in the
36
00:02:50,600 –> 00:02:55,519
basement you could be the first to go
Joe and I said this he ok
37
00:02:55,519 –> 00:02:59,720
jesse is supposed to fall off into the
water at some point isn’t it Oh to be
38
00:02:59,720 –> 00:03:04,819
nice to jersey i’m nancy has family down
there and you know whatever we go back
39
00:03:04,819 –> 00:03:08,958
and forth the Florida always driving
through New Jersey and i love the name
40
00:03:08,959 –> 00:03:15,50
sir hoboken stockist in a wee Hawkin and
just you know when you live up where I
41
00:03:15,50 –> 00:03:20,000
live where everything’s a borough you
know it’s a boxborough northborough
42
00:03:20,000 –> 00:03:24,380
southborough middleboro it’s like you
guys couldn’t come up with any names you
43
00:03:24,380 –> 00:03:31,340
know we look in jersey and just like
secaucus I mean there’s a name so you
44
00:03:31,340 –> 00:03:34,940
know it’s funny you say i actually live
in a clarksboro next to a paulsboro next
45
00:03:34,940 –> 00:03:41,359
to swedesboro next to it gives borrow
you gotta wonder did they get like a
46
00:03:41,359 –> 00:03:45,680
break get adjusted like you know where
we’ve got these five letters left over
47
00:03:45,680 –> 00:03:52,160
all Gators put something in front of it
you know it’s a well well let’s get
48
00:03:52,160 –> 00:03:54,410
started by giving some background about
yourself
49
00:03:54,410 –> 00:04:02,450
uh who well this is going to be boring
arm I again I’m that guy that guy lives
50
00:04:02,450 –> 00:04:09,200
in New Hampshire of kind of backed into
writing about disney basically I was in
51
00:04:09,200 –> 00:04:14,238
the military was a disney to eat from
way back i mean again again . to date
52
00:04:14,239 –> 00:04:17,959
myself but is a fifty-five-year-old I
remember when there were only three
53
00:04:17,959 –> 00:04:21,500
channels and one of them was NBC and
54
00:04:21,500 –> 00:04:24,500
on Sunday night that was when you sat
down
55
00:04:25,190 –> 00:04:30,50
730 or thereabouts and watch kindly old
uncle Walt who introduced the wonderful
56
00:04:30,50 –> 00:04:34,100
world of color and every so often he do
a show about the theme parks or
57
00:04:34,100 –> 00:04:40,190
Imagineering or animation you know more
often than not it was a big dog that was
58
00:04:40,190 –> 00:04:43,940
lost in the forest and somehow made its
way home but every so often maybe these
59
00:04:43,940 –> 00:04:48,740
great Imagineering base shows are great
animation chosen that just fascinated me
60
00:04:48,740 –> 00:04:53,450
so i began chasing disney information
about the disney company in early early
61
00:04:53,450 –> 00:05:00,349
age I in fact I remember must have been
71 72 the very first disney history
62
00:05:00,350 –> 00:05:06,500
works uh were richard chicles the Disney
version which is really kind of a nasty
63
00:05:06,500 –> 00:05:11,150
book it was clear even as a 10 11 12
year old reading the thing Richard
64
00:05:11,150 –> 00:05:15,140
didn’t really like the walt disney
company and you know just wrote and then
65
00:05:15,140 –> 00:05:19,370
most negative possible terms or the
other book was was actually the Disney
66
00:05:19,370 –> 00:05:24,230
films it was Leonard Maltin gotta
remember was about 10-15 years ago
67
00:05:24,230 –> 00:05:28,160
Leonard was hosting a talk at the
Philadelphia films was actually
68
00:05:28,160 –> 00:05:33,110
interviewing Roy Disney at the you know
they’re worried is he talking about his
69
00:05:33,110 –> 00:05:38,150
career and at the end of the
presentation you know so can the entire
70
00:05:38,150 –> 00:05:42,530
dizzy and community lines up to get
autographs with Roy or get their picture
71
00:05:42,530 –> 00:05:47,239
taken and that sort of thing and I’m the
one slob going over to Leonard sitting
72
00:05:47,240 –> 00:05:52,460
there by the piano alone that bring out
this by mafia are beaten up cuz like i
73
00:05:52,460 –> 00:05:57,859
have the first edition of this book like
I read this and say she’s like this is
74
00:05:57,860 –> 00:06:01,790
cool and adjust everybody else has the
paperbacks and I had the heart back from
75
00:06:01,790 –> 00:06:04,910
way way back but again if that’s what
you had to do back then nobody in this
76
00:06:04,910 –> 00:06:09,530
pre-internet days and you think some
books and magazines and newspapers that
77
00:06:09,530 –> 00:06:11,309
you actually have to read and
78
00:06:11,310 –> 00:06:16,530
she sound the info and then from there
are going to jump ahead to the early
79
00:06:16,530 –> 00:06:21,479
eighties I end up in the military I’m a
journalist because the nice thing about
80
00:06:21,480 –> 00:06:28,200
journalists is they don’t tend to places
where things blow up you know you mean
81
00:06:28,200 –> 00:06:32,130
you go there after they’d blown up and
all i got a blue up you know but you if
82
00:06:32,130 –> 00:06:35,760
you’re lucky you’re not there when
they’re actually shooting at you so I
83
00:06:35,760 –> 00:06:40,50
spent four years in the army and while I
was there my friend I’d gone to the
84
00:06:40,50 –> 00:06:45,300
Defense Information college with i ended
up on the west coast and i want to say
85
00:06:45,300 –> 00:06:53,940
29 palms which is a military base on the
west coast and this is this is 83 and
86
00:06:53,940 –> 00:07:01,320
donald duck had just turned 50 and the
commander of 29 palms was this complete
87
00:07:01,320 –> 00:07:06,630
publicity hog he told he loved seeing
his face in the paper he loved you know
88
00:07:06,630 –> 00:07:10,469
just deep wanted pictures you wanted
stories about himself and he shows up
89
00:07:10,470 –> 00:07:15,150
one day at the pr artisans like Donald
Duck is 50 years old and everyone kind
90
00:07:15,150 –> 00:07:20,940
of links Adam goes okay and did make
cartoons during World War Two and my
91
00:07:20,940 –> 00:07:24,120
friend Marjorie ver who works at the
office that well I don’t know that for
92
00:07:24,120 –> 00:07:27,540
sure but I know this idiot massachusetts
i could call who maybe would have
93
00:07:27,540 –> 00:07:28,830
information about this
94
00:07:28,830 –> 00:07:32,370
hang on so she gets on the phone she
calls me and it’s yes Donald directed
95
00:07:32,370 –> 00:07:37,320
several cartoons during world war two
you know sergeant tuck and we’re going
96
00:07:37,320 –> 00:07:41,760
to various different names and she goes
back to her commander says yes then he
97
00:07:41,760 –> 00:07:47,490
goes he ever retire from the military
and called me back as a no I don’t think
98
00:07:47,490 –> 00:07:51,390
so but hang on i know dave smith so I
called the disney archives and Dave goes
99
00:07:51,390 –> 00:07:54,539
through all his papers from nope never
tart
100
00:07:54,540 –> 00:08:00,690
so this its base commander seriously if
this is his big idea he’s gonna hold a
101
00:08:00,690 –> 00:08:06,240
retirement ceremony for Donald Duck
alright and again just keeping my folks
102
00:08:06,240 –> 00:08:07,980
this is your tax dollars at work
103
00:08:07,980 –> 00:08:13,20
alright he sets up he calls the disney
company they loved this idea they go
104
00:08:13,20 –> 00:08:17,490
down to the closet they pull out every
duck costume that’s ever existed in the
105
00:08:17,490 –> 00:08:22,620
history of man so here we doing Louis
Daisy would pick on Drake uncle scrooge
106
00:08:22,620 –> 00:08:28,380
they’re all common all right and they’re
coming to 29 palms and get in not only
107
00:08:28,380 –> 00:08:34,110
that but in vintage 1940s cars and you
know the disney creates this this
108
00:08:34,110 –> 00:08:36,240
uniform for Donald that go
109
00:08:36,240 –> 00:08:41,789
I guess he’s still private at this point
and the base on the other hand assembles
110
00:08:41,789 –> 00:08:42,959
a pageant
111
00:08:42,960 –> 00:08:46,350
ok we’re talking about fifteen hundred
soldiers pass in review
112
00:08:47,100 –> 00:08:51,600
we’re talking full military band you
know color guard the works alright again
113
00:08:51,600 –> 00:08:53,820
and you paid for this
114
00:08:53,820 –> 00:08:58,470
alright and it all came down to his
picture that wound up in the paper of
115
00:08:58,470 –> 00:09:02,520
the general smiling into the camera as
he hands Donald in his world war two
116
00:09:02,520 –> 00:09:07,20
uniformed his retirement certificate and
it says buck sergeant . because of
117
00:09:07,20 –> 00:09:10,860
course they promoted in both are led by
the service my friend writes a story to
118
00:09:10,860 –> 00:09:15,600
go with the photograph and it gets great
play on the west coast and she sends me
119
00:09:15,600 –> 00:09:21,420
a copy of the article she sends me an
eight-by-ten of the photo and I read
120
00:09:21,420 –> 00:09:25,890
article and it’s great it’s fun and fuck
with the photos killer and I call
121
00:09:25,890 –> 00:09:31,770
Marjorie back and say look if I ask nice
can i get all use your photo credit your
122
00:09:31,770 –> 00:09:35,189
name to it became right refers to this
article because i’d love to this from my
123
00:09:35,190 –> 00:09:38,550
book based newspaper because i think
it’s funny as help and she says now
124
00:09:38,550 –> 00:09:42,689
absolutely you helped get with the
research and do what you want but the do
125
00:09:42,690 –> 00:09:46,140
what difference was my version get
picked up by the AP wire service in
126
00:09:46,140 –> 00:09:50,189
World War why hers did well in the west
coast but suddenly I’m in Britain them
127
00:09:50,190 –> 00:09:54,240
in Germany am everywhere and I get this
call from disney and the saccade we
128
00:09:54,240 –> 00:09:57,690
loved her article that was really funny
and very interesting well research and
129
00:09:57,690 –> 00:10:02,680
by the way were holding the 30th
anniversary of disneyland and
130
00:10:02,680 –> 00:10:06,849
we were wondering if you’d like to come
out and cover that and it’s like oh sure
131
00:10:06,850 –> 00:10:09,940
you know and that’s kind of how it
started
132
00:10:09,940 –> 00:10:15,910
that was a bizarre event I mean it was
they had a 30 hour long party so the
133
00:10:15,910 –> 00:10:21,250
park was open from like six o’clock at
night till that day or so later six
134
00:10:21,250 –> 00:10:25,60
o’clock in the morning I remember
distinctly they really let us do things
135
00:10:25,60 –> 00:10:29,140
we should not have been allowed to do i
can actually stood on the roofs of Main
136
00:10:29,140 –> 00:10:33,819
Street USA and look down at all of the
people running back and forth and there
137
00:10:33,820 –> 00:10:37,510
was a lot of really rotten plywood up
there I could have wound up in the
138
00:10:37,510 –> 00:10:39,700
Emporium real easy
139
00:10:39,700 –> 00:10:44,230
also they let us climb all over the the
Main Street Electrical Parade they were
140
00:10:44,230 –> 00:10:49,510
parked backstage between Main Street and
tomorrow land and I this was about the
141
00:10:49,510 –> 00:10:52,959
same time that return to house the movie
had come out and I was one of the only
142
00:10:52,959 –> 00:10:57,790
people on the planet who really like to
return to oz so they had tik-tok to the
143
00:10:57,790 –> 00:11:02,770
army the Royal Army of Oz the little
rascal I there and you know my god that
144
00:11:02,770 –> 00:11:05,620
must be the one from the film when I
leaned down and I look and it’s like
145
00:11:05,620 –> 00:11:09,610
it’s got the plaques it’s like you turn
this one for the brain and you turn this
146
00:11:09,610 –> 00:11:14,230
one for his action and you know so I had
that I had to try i turn the key and it
147
00:11:14,230 –> 00:11:19,89
came off in my hand and about this
moment that Disney security camera on
148
00:11:19,89 –> 00:11:23,110
the corner I jumped off the floor and
into the president so somewhere down in
149
00:11:23,110 –> 00:11:27,220
the basement I still have to tick tock
ski and it’s not one of my nightmares
150
00:11:27,220 –> 00:11:30,790
that some night and tik-tok is
eventually going to find music where’s
151
00:11:30,790 –> 00:11:34,810
Mikey but knowing that that’s the thing
that was the event where I got to meet a
152
00:11:34,810 –> 00:11:38,50
lot of the disney legends who would come
out who worked in the park and I got to
153
00:11:38,50 –> 00:11:42,310
interview them and they like that i
actually knew who they were and what
154
00:11:42,310 –> 00:11:46,449
they done and they would say the next
time in California want to come to the
155
00:11:46,450 –> 00:11:51,160
house you know do things like I got to
go to market Alice Davis’s house in fact
156
00:11:51,160 –> 00:11:56,980
that was with my ex Michelle mark was
kind of a prankster you go into his
157
00:11:56,980 –> 00:12:01,779
studio and go to sit down in a chair and
you know he’d be oh by the way that’s
158
00:12:01,779 –> 00:12:05,320
waltz chair and you know everybody for
some reason we just jumped out of the
159
00:12:05,320 –> 00:12:08,980
chair because that you know i got that
you know it’s like I said this has Walt
160
00:12:08,980 –> 00:12:13,89
aspirin in it but yeah he should great
stories about attractions that he worked
161
00:12:13,89 –> 00:12:13,920
on and
162
00:12:13,920 –> 00:12:18,870
year after year to year we know of
talking with people interviewing people
163
00:12:18,870 –> 00:12:24,29
and am introducing me to other folks
it’s just it’s kind of mushrooms and
164
00:12:24,29 –> 00:12:28,260
blossom since then and and now these
days i have my own website gmail media
165
00:12:28,260 –> 00:12:33,209
is alright for the Huffington Post and
so it that’s where it really got strange
166
00:12:33,209 –> 00:12:39,420
when i started working for huffpost
suddenly i went from somebody who worked
167
00:12:39,420 –> 00:12:45,420
basically in the Disney blogosphere and
people liked what I did to suddenly it
168
00:12:45,420 –> 00:12:50,10
was like oh could you talk about our
movie can adjust this whole notion of
169
00:12:50,10 –> 00:12:54,959
because again i get to talk to the huge
Huffington Post audience as opposed to
170
00:12:54,959 –> 00:13:00,329
the small did the blogosphere audience
and so the joke make as i get a much
171
00:13:00,329 –> 00:13:04,769
nicer class of people saying no now
adjust this whole notion of but at the
172
00:13:04,769 –> 00:13:08,970
same time you get to help I mean I just
right now for example Glen Keane has
173
00:13:08,970 –> 00:13:12,959
left the walt disney company and is
doing you might have actually seen this
174
00:13:12,959 –> 00:13:18,869
prop online that is private passion
project that he’s done for Google+ duet
175
00:13:18,870 –> 00:13:22,980
this is the the thing that’s actually
you’re going to be able to sort of
176
00:13:22,980 –> 00:13:26,550
design animation that’s the first piece
of classically drawn hand-drawn
177
00:13:26,550 –> 00:13:32,40
animation that’s being done for a
handheld device you know it’s this is a
178
00:13:32,40 –> 00:13:35,730
very different concept of moviemaking I
mean the notion is behold it directly in
179
00:13:35,730 –> 00:13:39,810
front of you you have this amazing piece
of animation but if you move it to
180
00:13:39,810 –> 00:13:44,430
either side there’s actually pieces of
animation that key off of that I mean
181
00:13:44,430 –> 00:13:49,859
the whole notion of you’re surrounded by
animation and at the same time they’re
182
00:13:49,860 –> 00:13:53,640
telling this wonderful story and the end
this is actually a passion project for
183
00:13:53,640 –> 00:13:58,949
Glenn Glenn is actually working with his
son Max who you know for those of you
184
00:13:58,949 –> 00:14:04,199
who who love Tarzan and cars and sort of
skateboarding his way through the trees
185
00:14:04,199 –> 00:14:09,359
that’s max that’s Glen got that idea by
watching his son skateboard in the
186
00:14:09,360 –> 00:14:13,139
driveway and wouldn’t it be cool if
Tarzan did that
187
00:14:13,139 –> 00:14:16,680
meanwhile if you saw tangled
188
00:14:17,939 –> 00:14:24,179
love the you know for example the little
baby girl version of Rapunzel that’s his
189
00:14:24,179 –> 00:14:27,899
granddaughter you know that you know
they modeled baby
190
00:14:27,899 –> 00:14:32,249
Rapunzel after the granddaughter in fact
cleanse daughter Claire was one of the
191
00:14:32,249 –> 00:14:36,29
art directors entangled so they’re all
three of them working on this amazing
192
00:14:36,29 –> 00:14:40,619
piece of animation and and where I come
in is I’m the one who gets to write the
193
00:14:40,619 –> 00:14:44,699
article that helps to sort of raise
awareness of it and what’s really cool
194
00:14:44,699 –> 00:14:48,959
is this with this wonderful opportunity
coming up in a week or so we’re disney’s
195
00:14:48,959 –> 00:14:53,429
finally putting Tarzan out on blu-ray
and i reached the Clinton said hey we’ve
196
00:14:53,429 –> 00:14:58,319
got the great story about you know you
watching your son skateboard and why
197
00:14:58,319 –> 00:15:03,238
don’t we tell that story is a way to say
hey and now you and your son are working
198
00:15:03,239 –> 00:15:09,479
together on this film I think honestly
that’s kind of what I’m doing now I used
199
00:15:09,479 –> 00:15:13,319
to do a lot of disney history i used to
do a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff and
200
00:15:13,319 –> 00:15:17,488
now I just feel like I’ve kind of
mutated into this position of like well
201
00:15:17,489 –> 00:15:18,659
how can I help
202
00:15:18,659 –> 00:15:23,220
for example i was just contacted by a
gentleman who’s writing a book about the
203
00:15:23,220 –> 00:15:29,129
disney online fan community and it was
just one of these things where he was
204
00:15:29,129 –> 00:15:32,699
interviewing me to get some stories in
the same time that long you know you
205
00:15:32,699 –> 00:15:36,569
should probably be reaching out to the
theme park press people they do a lot of
206
00:15:36,569 –> 00:15:42,118
disney titles these days and i’m sure
that they would help you know or get
207
00:15:42,119 –> 00:15:45,509
this sounds like a book they be
interested in and contact them tell them
208
00:15:45,509 –> 00:15:49,319
I told you you know the total reach out
and if there’s anything else I can do to
209
00:15:49,319 –> 00:15:54,329
help open the doors again I wouldn’t
have gotten where I am today wouldn’t be
210
00:15:54,329 –> 00:15:59,39
able to do what I’m doing now if a lot
of people whether the disney legends are
211
00:15:59,39 –> 00:16:03,598
people working on animated films or that
sort of thing hadn’t been nice Africa
212
00:16:03,599 –> 00:16:08,909
okay fine we’ll kill i’ll listen to the
fat man’s questions and they like the
213
00:16:08,909 –> 00:16:12,359
articles that I wrote and they in turn
introduced me to their friends or open
214
00:16:12,359 –> 00:16:17,399
held open doors for me so I feel that’s
really part of my job to pay it back get
215
00:16:17,399 –> 00:16:22,529
a whole notion of if somebody comes and
asked me for information i share if
216
00:16:22,529 –> 00:16:25,349
somebody you know needs help
217
00:16:25,349 –> 00:16:29,729
introduction or door held open I field
that’s part of my gig as well it’s
218
00:16:29,729 –> 00:16:31,290
really kind of fun is my
219
00:16:31,290 –> 00:16:37,439
own daughter Alice has started doing
what i do now and in fact she we were
220
00:16:37,440 –> 00:16:42,89
just talking about this off mic that she
went and covered the Muppets Most Wanted
221
00:16:42,89 –> 00:16:46,920
premiere for JJ and did a great job and
she’s actually headed to comic-con next
222
00:16:46,920 –> 00:16:51,60
week and going to be covering that for
the site called dad stays home and
223
00:16:51,60 –> 00:16:56,880
writes I guess she also has the gift for
asking questions that people like and
224
00:16:56,880 –> 00:17:00,389
they open up and tell great stories
always that’s a really long winded
225
00:17:00,389 –> 00:17:03,959
answer we still have time to record at
this point or up now I’m sorry Jim we’re
226
00:17:03,959 –> 00:17:10,139
done that one question ended the show
tonight everybody so the high that
227
00:17:10,140 –> 00:17:13,79
hopefully the answer to many of my
future questions
228
00:17:13,79 –> 00:17:18,659
oh okay sorry sorry okay back up the
truck ok so what does writing mean to
229
00:17:18,660 –> 00:17:19,380
you
230
00:17:19,380 –> 00:17:24,510
i I don’t know all of all of my heroes
are writers John Steinbeck Neil Simon
231
00:17:24,510 –> 00:17:30,660
gene Shepard are you know Larry Gelbart
you know people who can not only inform
232
00:17:30,660 –> 00:17:33,660
and entertain can make you laugh
233
00:17:34,260 –> 00:17:38,280
the one thing that stands out
differently from the stuff i do then a
234
00:17:38,280 –> 00:17:43,230
lot of people do online about disney
theme parks or animations i’m always in
235
00:17:43,230 –> 00:17:48,480
it for the stories i’m always in it for
if I can make you laugh and I can make
236
00:17:48,480 –> 00:17:52,169
you think i can for example I just I
just interviewed the guys who doing
237
00:17:52,169 –> 00:17:55,559
planes Fire and Rescue and there was
this wonderful moment out of the
238
00:17:55,559 –> 00:18:00,90
interview where they were talking about
you know you ever watch when a plane is
239
00:18:00,90 –> 00:18:03,658
dropping chemicals in a fire you know
that that weird sort of read crap that
240
00:18:03,659 –> 00:18:07,530
comes out the back it has a technical
name but the people the area
241
00:18:07,530 –> 00:18:13,649
firefighters the way they refer to it
it’s either mud or slurry and what it is
242
00:18:13,650 –> 00:18:17,640
is you know it you deliberately dropped
in front of the fire and consider
243
00:18:17,640 –> 00:18:21,990
crickets kind of the salt bay stuff that
that stops the fire from spreading it
244
00:18:21,990 –> 00:18:26,730
creates artificial chemical barrier and
I’m talking with Paul Gerard who is the
245
00:18:26,730 –> 00:18:33,929
creative director for DisneyToon Studios
he says so i’m at the helmet Ryan air
246
00:18:33,929 –> 00:18:36,929
attack Base in California is actually
located
247
00:18:36,929 –> 00:18:41,220
riverside california literally just down
the road basically from from glendale
248
00:18:41,220 –> 00:18:43,170
with a disney media campuses
249
00:18:43,170 –> 00:18:47,250
says he knows I couldn’t help myself so
i cant got reached out and I touch the
250
00:18:47,250 –> 00:18:51,660
stuff and it feels like snot all right
and it’s like one of these things and I
251
00:18:51,660 –> 00:18:54,270
know it’s not because i have an
eight-year-old son
252
00:18:54,270 –> 00:18:58,980
alright and so he said I made the
mistake of mentioning it to the other
253
00:18:58,980 –> 00:19:01,740
animators and artists who would come
along in this field trip that they
254
00:19:01,740 –> 00:19:05,250
actually went to the base of the good
design the end of the characters and
255
00:19:05,250 –> 00:19:09,870
based on the actual vehicles and also
intercepted look at the base this is
256
00:19:09,870 –> 00:19:14,340
this stuff feels like snot and so the
animators to a man went really can’t
257
00:19:14,340 –> 00:19:19,139
touch it and it was just this whole
notion of that animators in their heart
258
00:19:19,140 –> 00:19:22,230
of hearts are really just big kids you
know I mean that’s one of the reasons
259
00:19:22,230 –> 00:19:26,100
that you get that sense of fun and joy
that comes through really good animation
260
00:19:26,100 –> 00:19:29,550
because they’ve kept the kitchen live in
them and just the whole notion of here
261
00:19:29,550 –> 00:19:32,790
is this this group of supposed grown-ups
when somebody says hey this feels like
262
00:19:32,790 –> 00:19:37,950
snot it’s like oh I gotta touch that I
just I i love stories like that i love
263
00:19:37,950 –> 00:19:42,570
something humanizes people that makes
the person who makes the animated film
264
00:19:42,570 –> 00:19:47,159
or makes your favorite movie or makes
your favorite attraction relatable
265
00:19:47,160 –> 00:19:52,650
I mean makes them sound like a person
not a press release but yeah I mean that
266
00:19:52,650 –> 00:19:57,000
that’s when I i love about writing if
you can do that if you can bring people
267
00:19:57,000 –> 00:20:03,30
sort of behind the curtain and talk
about their favorite movie in a way that
268
00:20:03,30 –> 00:20:07,260
surprises them you know for example
frozen dinner that the whole notion of
269
00:20:07,260 –> 00:20:12,780
two years before that movie hit theaters
they didn’t know Anna and Elsa there
270
00:20:12,780 –> 00:20:14,250
were sisters
271
00:20:14,250 –> 00:20:18,960
I mean think about that they had labored
for years where the ice queen was this
272
00:20:18,960 –> 00:20:25,380
kind of comic villain in fact relatively
recent version of this where the idea
273
00:20:25,380 –> 00:20:29,490
was that Elsa or the ice queen was
either going to be voiced by megan
274
00:20:29,490 –> 00:20:34,380
mullally who you may know from will &
grace played the Karen character was
275
00:20:34,380 –> 00:20:39,450
really obnoxious or Bette Midler you
know the whole note of this big brassy
276
00:20:39,450 –> 00:20:44,100
showgirl and in an entirely different
you know think about what an entirely
277
00:20:44,100 –> 00:20:48,000
different movie that would have been
that kind nice sweet in a dealing with
278
00:20:48,000 –> 00:20:49,360
Bette Midler
279
00:20:49,360 –> 00:20:53,740
it was somebody just at disney drew the
strong of the two of them standing back
280
00:20:53,740 –> 00:20:59,410
to back and sort of looking sisterly and
somebody’s like oh my god sisters
281
00:21:00,10 –> 00:21:07,210
wouldn’t that be bizarre and this whole
movie grows out of one drawing and even
282
00:21:07,210 –> 00:21:11,260
then you know just two years out like
that’s good that’s great okay thats in
283
00:21:11,260 –> 00:21:18,190
theaters november 2001 third 13 it and
everybody hard charges at it just the
284
00:21:18,190 –> 00:21:21,40
notion of they did it they actually
pulled it off on that impossible
285
00:21:21,40 –> 00:21:25,840
schedule that affects every movie they
were smart enough to bring Kirsten Bobby
286
00:21:25,840 –> 00:21:30,250
Lopez in to do the music and it all
became this huge phenomena that i will
287
00:21:30,250 –> 00:21:35,260
tell you flat-out they didn’t know what
they had august of last year
288
00:21:35,950 –> 00:21:40,809
Nate and I were invited down to was
screening in New York we were the first
289
00:21:40,809 –> 00:21:45,490
civilians to get to see frozen you know
and we’re in the world’s tiniest
290
00:21:45,490 –> 00:21:50,410
screening room I swear there’s like 15
16 seats it’s it’s on Fifth Avenue in
291
00:21:50,410 –> 00:21:55,540
New York and fifty first and fifth i
think and we’re sitting in an audience
292
00:21:55,540 –> 00:21:58,990
full of people with suits and ties and
looking very severe and they start the
293
00:21:58,990 –> 00:22:04,840
movie nobody laughs nobody applauds
nobody says anything the movie ends and
294
00:22:04,840 –> 00:22:09,159
needs like wow we kind of enjoy that why
is everyone so quiet it turns out we’re
295
00:22:09,160 –> 00:22:12,850
in a room full of agents and they’re
watching the movie all they care about
296
00:22:12,850 –> 00:22:16,659
is how their client came across in fact
that you remember i was leaving the
297
00:22:16,660 –> 00:22:20,860
woman standing by the door ran the
president what did you think and this
298
00:22:20,860 –> 00:22:24,820
woman who represented both Idina Menzel
and Kristen Bell dings I think its
299
00:22:24,820 –> 00:22:29,740
service my clients very well like what
did you like the movie i think it serves
300
00:22:29,740 –> 00:22:33,490
my clients very well to three days later
I’m in LA and they’re doing the long
301
00:22:33,490 –> 00:22:37,809
lead media event so finally I end up you
know that everybody gets a chance to
302
00:22:37,809 –> 00:22:42,10
talk to everybody so i finally end up
sitting down with chris buck and
303
00:22:42,10 –> 00:22:47,110
generally the two co-directors of this
and actually leaned in close because I’m
304
00:22:47,110 –> 00:22:49,928
the only one of the all the other
members the first have only seen 20
305
00:22:49,929 –> 00:22:53,679
minutes of smoke they’ve only seen and
they only showed us action scenes i mean
306
00:22:53,679 –> 00:22:57,820
the the snow guy chasing after and then
christoph and
307
00:22:58,400 –> 00:23:03,80
I think you the one song they showed us
was let go but everything else is action
308
00:23:03,80 –> 00:23:09,620
and comedy and musical what musical you
are a mi this isn’t a musical but they
309
00:23:09,620 –> 00:23:13,820
leaned in close because I’m the only one
who seems like it work is it okay is it
310
00:23:13,820 –> 00:23:17,629
good and they didn’t know that means
they’re literally you know there’s six
311
00:23:17,630 –> 00:23:20,810
away two weeks away from that this point
being released in theaters and they
312
00:23:20,810 –> 00:23:23,810
didn’t know what they had you know that
would you please tell us it’s good so my
313
00:23:23,810 –> 00:23:26,240
god is it good and so good
314
00:23:26,240 –> 00:23:29,870
oh wow ok we work we were worried
because you you work on something like
315
00:23:29,870 –> 00:23:34,280
that for so long and you’re so close to
it you don’t know how people are gonna
316
00:23:34,280 –> 00:23:35,180
respond
317
00:23:35,180 –> 00:23:38,840
which I guess we could discuss mother
was wanted at this point Joe or you
318
00:23:38,840 –> 00:23:40,10
could move to another topic
319
00:23:40,10 –> 00:23:43,10
okay what’s the next question
320
00:23:44,420 –> 00:23:50,750
well well what would you say inspires
you what inspires me is getting
321
00:23:50,750 –> 00:23:55,100
information out when somebody hands me a
good story or I’m able to connect dots
322
00:23:55,100 –> 00:23:59,90
mean for example they would that there
was a story i wrote once called disney’s
323
00:23:59,90 –> 00:24:04,520
long long road to ours and it was one of
the more popular things I ever wrote for
324
00:24:04,520 –> 00:24:07,160
the web but it was one of these things
where people committed wow that’s a
325
00:24:07,160 –> 00:24:10,940
great story it’s like well good I’m glad
you liked it took 15 years I mean it
326
00:24:10,940 –> 00:24:15,740
took a long time to pull all of those
stories together in the little bits and
327
00:24:15,740 –> 00:24:19,640
pieces that people had told me over time
and just sort of the string them all
328
00:24:19,640 –> 00:24:25,940
together and and come up with a cohesive
whole that told you about how Walt back
329
00:24:25,940 –> 00:24:29,960
in the nineteen thirties you know did
actually pursue the rights to the wizard
330
00:24:29,960 –> 00:24:34,430
of oz’ not only to find out that Samuel
Goldwyn had them and then when they
331
00:24:34,430 –> 00:24:39,170
became available MGM snatched but the
reason I’m James snatch them is because
332
00:24:39,170 –> 00:24:42,440
know why did just come out it was making
more money than God and it’s like
333
00:24:42,440 –> 00:24:46,520
suddenly seems like all I want one of
those and so it’s like all right so we
334
00:24:46,520 –> 00:24:52,400
could turns into his advisors into a
musical The Return to Oz and the thing
335
00:24:52,400 –> 00:24:57,440
that is he was going to do there and
that was actually produced by Gary Kurtz
336
00:24:57,440 –> 00:25:02,210
but was directed by walter murch was the
gentleman who did all of the sound
337
00:25:02,210 –> 00:25:06,680
editing i want to say or the editing
editing for star wars and disney just
338
00:25:06,680 –> 00:25:09,730
wanted somebody associated with Star
Wars to be in charge that move in
339
00:25:09,730 –> 00:25:15,40
he did a great job but it was a tark
weird movie that it took a couple of
340
00:25:15,40 –> 00:25:18,879
decades for people to find it and like
it but yeah I mean need to get back to
341
00:25:18,880 –> 00:25:22,840
it that sort of stuff excites me that to
get a story out there or to step into a
342
00:25:22,840 –> 00:25:27,550
situation where people think is one
thing is really another and you have to
343
00:25:27,550 –> 00:25:32,889
sort of apply the lessons of history and
go-go not made for example everyone’s
344
00:25:32,890 –> 00:25:37,630
right now kind of reading about the subs
for disneyland and they’re coming back
345
00:25:37,630 –> 00:25:42,280
to the 60th anniversary but how are they
going to stay after that and and the
346
00:25:42,280 –> 00:25:48,610
hard reality is that the substance they
open in 59 been an operational nightmare
347
00:25:48,610 –> 00:25:52,270
I mean they were back then they were
powered by diesel and you know they
348
00:25:52,270 –> 00:25:56,590
always gave off these horrible fumes and
in order to make the water clear enough
349
00:25:56,590 –> 00:26:01,330
for people to look out to the portholes
and actually see the show scenes that’s
350
00:26:01,330 –> 00:26:06,490
things chlorinated up the yin-yang and
so that means your beautifully colored
351
00:26:06,490 –> 00:26:11,380
coral after six to eight months fades
away and likewise the strings that held
352
00:26:11,380 –> 00:26:16,330
the fish into place corrode and snap and
the fish float away so it was one of
353
00:26:16,330 –> 00:26:20,110
these things where every year they had
to shut it down for prolonged rehab and
354
00:26:20,110 –> 00:26:24,850
repaint and so when it closed in the
late nineties there are a lot of people
355
00:26:24,850 –> 00:26:29,260
in disney like God thank God that right
is gone away but it turns out that John
356
00:26:29,260 –> 00:26:33,730
Lasseter who worked at the park in the
sixties loved it and there was this
357
00:26:33,730 –> 00:26:37,930
thing called finding nemo that they
wanted to put in the parks and you know
358
00:26:37,930 –> 00:26:42,640
so they brought it back and I want to
say 2007 but it still has a lot of the
359
00:26:42,640 –> 00:26:47,680
problems that had back in 59 it’s got
low capacity it’s a maintenance
360
00:26:47,680 –> 00:26:55,330
nightmare and so I if your subs fan i
would suggest seeing them next year
361
00:26:55,330 –> 00:27:00,310
during disneyland 60th because I’m not
entirely convinced what was everything
362
00:27:00,310 –> 00:27:04,840
that’s planned for tomorrow and what
would be star wars ation of that side of
363
00:27:04,840 –> 00:27:08,199
the park that the subs are going to
survive that they need a lot of room for
364
00:27:08,200 –> 00:27:12,310
what they’re planning to do fruit star
wars in the parks and it’s entirely
365
00:27:12,310 –> 00:27:15,610
possible this the subs will fall victim
366
00:27:15,610 –> 00:27:18,610
to a higher capacity attraction
367
00:27:19,210 –> 00:27:23,920
let’s celebrate star wars so you want to
find Nemo you better look for him soon
368
00:27:24,460 –> 00:27:28,570
that’s i’m saying so you are talking
about twenty leagues under the sea right
369
00:27:28,570 –> 00:27:34,600
now no this is the the disneyland
version of the the subs out there the
370
00:27:34,600 –> 00:27:40,419
the ones for florida the 20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea of course that again same
371
00:27:40,420 –> 00:27:44,980
thing that they shut that down and i
want to say 94 for a quote unquote
372
00:27:44,980 –> 00:27:50,860
temporary rehab and then two years later
basically admitted now we’re closed and
373
00:27:50,860 –> 00:27:56,379
that of course eventually became new
fantasyland though there was this
374
00:27:56,380 –> 00:28:01,480
wonderful little moment where for a time
there was going to be where new
375
00:28:01,480 –> 00:28:07,960
fantasyland is now the whole aerials you
know the bells village are gonna be our
376
00:28:07,960 –> 00:28:12,429
guest restaurant that was going to be
disney’s villain village there was this
377
00:28:12,429 –> 00:28:17,830
great idea that basically they’d be the
sort of weird scary gate in every
378
00:28:17,830 –> 00:28:21,639
morning it would open and the villains
could come out of where Disney kept him
379
00:28:21,640 –> 00:28:24,250
locked up at night because you know
again you want to keep an eye on these
380
00:28:24,250 –> 00:28:30,790
guys and so if you went down into the
village there would be it wasn’t Gaston
381
00:28:30,790 –> 00:28:34,840
tavern but it was forgetting the villain
they had it built around but there was a
382
00:28:34,840 –> 00:28:40,629
nurse Allah spinner there was an
internal you was the puppeteer from
383
00:28:40,630 –> 00:28:45,850
bullies from bullies sort of restaurant
tavern kind of a dark scary place where
384
00:28:45,850 –> 00:28:48,969
you could go to eat with the villains
would hang out in fact there was this
385
00:28:48,970 –> 00:28:53,380
great idea that they actually tried to
revive with gas stones turns out they
386
00:28:53,380 –> 00:28:55,179
didn’t accommodate space for this
387
00:28:55,179 –> 00:28:58,179
it was supposed to be this great show
that would happen every day at five
388
00:28:58,179 –> 00:29:01,960
o’clock if you were down by strombolis
and eventually again they wanted to
389
00:29:01,960 –> 00:29:05,980
revive this idea for get stones and you
start to notice that from different
390
00:29:05,980 –> 00:29:10,450
sides of the park here comes captain
hook and here comes Maleficent and here
391
00:29:10,450 –> 00:29:15,130
comes the old hag from you know Snow
White and they’d all meet up at the bar
392
00:29:15,130 –> 00:29:19,630
and they kind of Chris fallen and they’d
order a drink and they would proceed
393
00:29:19,630 –> 00:29:24,540
I almost had her I swear to God I had
her you know like the Apple
394
00:29:24,540 –> 00:29:28,649
those stupid Wars and just the notion of
these that evidently was supposed to
395
00:29:28,650 –> 00:29:33,510
build into this great musical number
about how the villains almost succeeded
396
00:29:33,510 –> 00:29:36,870
but they’re going to petitioners up and
tomorrow they’re gonna go out again and
397
00:29:36,870 –> 00:29:41,879
try to defeat these stupid princes and
that kid in the green thing that flow
398
00:29:41,880 –> 00:29:46,620
and you know and it was this great idea
it’s just I keep hoping that that
399
00:29:46,620 –> 00:29:50,850
bubbles up again in fact that’s the
other thing of I think that’s important
400
00:29:50,850 –> 00:29:55,860
my job is it i’ll hear about this stuff
will hear about people getting various
401
00:29:55,860 –> 00:30:01,919
ideas and the kind of the problem with
Imagineering right now is it’s it’s not
402
00:30:01,920 –> 00:30:06,660
got a lot of institutional memory is a
lot of newer people are younger people
403
00:30:06,660 –> 00:30:10,830
have risen up through the ranks but they
don’t know you know they don’t know
404
00:30:10,830 –> 00:30:13,470
they’re in history and it’s just one of
those things where it’s like why don’t
405
00:30:13,470 –> 00:30:18,120
you guys revisit that villain idea like
what villain idea go to files go pull
406
00:30:18,120 –> 00:30:22,260
the files and sure enough to pull the
files and this thing’s like the villain
407
00:30:22,260 –> 00:30:26,700
mountain theme park attraction I’d that
was actually supposed to be built this
408
00:30:26,700 –> 00:30:31,800
kind of kid off of the fact that splash
around huge lines and so the belief
409
00:30:31,800 –> 00:30:34,200
within disney’s like while we need on
the form right
410
00:30:34,200 –> 00:30:38,370
and meanwhile we have 20,000 Leagues
balloon just sitting empty and wouldn’t
411
00:30:38,370 –> 00:30:44,129
it be cool if you know maybe we could do
a flume right into that and then
412
00:30:44,130 –> 00:30:47,520
somebody was saying well within the
village and it’s like what if we did a
413
00:30:47,520 –> 00:30:54,180
ride that that had all of these villains
in it and again I just I got lucky one
414
00:30:54,180 –> 00:30:58,470
of my friends who work for the company
for a number of years like this idea so
415
00:30:58,470 –> 00:31:03,480
much that when he was leaving disney he
spent his last afternoon at at
416
00:31:03,480 –> 00:31:07,980
Imagineering color xeroxing all of the
concept art so I’ve seen it I’ve seen
417
00:31:07,980 –> 00:31:14,100
the art for the davillon mountain and it
it had a really killer gimmick the whole
418
00:31:14,100 –> 00:31:18,419
notion is it’s a standard flume ride in
fact you do that classic scene that you
419
00:31:18,420 –> 00:31:23,910
doing every flume ride when they have to
get you up to the top of unity chunk of
420
00:31:23,910 –> 00:31:27,130
the show scene when you start to begin
your descent down the mountain
421
00:31:27,130 –> 00:31:32,830
and in this room you’re in with
militiamen and so she turns and sees you
422
00:31:32,830 –> 00:31:36,460
and you can actually see what your boat
is supposed to go in the next room and
423
00:31:36,460 –> 00:31:40,330
even enough disney theme park rides into
okay so I’m gonna try off i’m at the top
424
00:31:40,330 –> 00:31:43,240
that’s the next one we’re going to go
and that’s where i dropped out of its
425
00:31:43,240 –> 00:31:44,170
like so
426
00:31:44,170 –> 00:31:50,200
ok i’m comfortable like know what
happens is Maleficent waves her staff a
427
00:31:50,200 –> 00:31:55,270
whole blows in the wall next you and
your your flume vehicle now sort of
428
00:31:55,270 –> 00:32:00,700
heels over in this direction and fall
through this hole in the wall and you
429
00:32:00,700 –> 00:32:04,780
know you you dive down straight down to
the bottom of the building out of this
430
00:32:04,780 –> 00:32:08,980
show soon as you’re diving you’re going
in between merciless tentacles because
431
00:32:08,980 –> 00:32:12,490
she’s trying to grab you and stop you
and you end up at the bottom and you’re
432
00:32:12,490 –> 00:32:17,470
surrounded by flames and suddenly hear
the sound of a fire extinguisher in the
433
00:32:17,470 –> 00:32:22,330
flame set to go out and as the clouds
clear its Hades from Hercules with the
434
00:32:22,330 –> 00:32:26,20
fire extinguishers like i’m a tease her
the dead how you doing
435
00:32:26,20 –> 00:32:29,830
and that’s the sort of write it was
gonna be it was this really funny ride
436
00:32:29,830 –> 00:32:33,490
that played with your knowledge of the
villains and also played with your
437
00:32:33,490 –> 00:32:37,60
knowledge of how theme park attractions
work i mean the whole notion of wait a
438
00:32:37,60 –> 00:32:40,480
minute that’s where i’m supposed to be
going well you ain’t going there and
439
00:32:40,480 –> 00:32:42,400
again the finale of the ride
440
00:32:42,400 –> 00:32:46,150
I don’t know how they would have pulled
it off but you finally you get to the
441
00:32:46,150 –> 00:32:51,280
very top of the mountain for the big
splash down and it’s only as you enter
442
00:32:51,280 –> 00:32:58,990
the room you realize that you’re
basically in between Chernabog hands and
443
00:32:58,990 –> 00:33:03,940
he wakes up as you are there you know in
the room in his presence and hands start
444
00:33:03,940 –> 00:33:09,40
to reach toward you to grab the boat and
it’s just at that precise second we’re
445
00:33:09,40 –> 00:33:12,129
gonna get you that you go fall down the
outside thing but again killer
446
00:33:12,130 –> 00:33:16,750
attraction the arts there they could
turn key on this thing tomorrow
447
00:33:16,750 –> 00:33:22,360
it’s designed its planned but nobody
remembers it except me because I got to
448
00:33:22,360 –> 00:33:28,000
see the art and Justin Jorgensen’s
living rooms so graphic not the name any
449
00:33:28,000 –> 00:33:29,80
names or anything
450
00:33:29,80 –> 00:33:31,960
not the name any names but if you’re
looking for with the art is going to
451
00:33:31,960 –> 00:33:37,690
justins out well originally how was your
dream of writing received by your family
452
00:33:37,690 –> 00:33:43,29
members I come from a family of teachers
so there was a lot of pressure to become
453
00:33:43,29 –> 00:33:46,720
a teacher because the whole notion was
like look if you want a seriously right
454
00:33:46,720 –> 00:33:50,169
you could be an English teacher and you
have your summers off and you could
455
00:33:50,169 –> 00:33:56,169
right then and I almost almost almost
went that route until I graduated high
456
00:33:56,169 –> 00:34:01,179
school I was starting to go to college
in framingham state in Massachusetts
457
00:34:01,179 –> 00:34:03,159
when huh
458
00:34:03,159 –> 00:34:08,20
this is a hard story to tell but
basically my favorite English teacher on
459
00:34:08,20 –> 00:34:12,790
the planet an amazing guy you know
introduce me to people like Robert
460
00:34:12,790 –> 00:34:18,730
Benchley and Dorothy Parker I mean
writers i love to this day and you know
461
00:34:18,730 –> 00:34:22,179
I enjoy this guy so much during high
school I must have taken three and four
462
00:34:22,179 –> 00:34:27,460
different classes with an amazing guy
and in fact I so enjoyed working with
463
00:34:27,460 –> 00:34:32,139
him i became the co-editor the the
yearbook because he was the guy was in
464
00:34:32,139 –> 00:34:36,460
charge of the yearbook and and the girl
who lived on my street was the other
465
00:34:36,460 –> 00:34:41,319
co-editor of the yearbook really funny
very talented young lady and I just
466
00:34:41,319 –> 00:34:44,649
figured this is a sort of English
teacher i want to be i mean this is the
467
00:34:44,649 –> 00:34:49,960
guy who gets people excited about the
writers and you know and is really in
468
00:34:49,960 –> 00:34:53,889
touch with the students and you know
this this is what I want to emulate and
469
00:34:53,889 –> 00:34:59,500
so september-october november that year
I get a call from again my co-editor of
470
00:34:59,500 –> 00:35:03,10
the yearbook who kind of pulls me aside
and design want you to be the first to
471
00:35:03,10 –> 00:35:05,140
know but I’m pregnant
472
00:35:05,140 –> 00:35:11,980
oh that’s kind of a surprise and who’s
the father and it’s the English teacher
473
00:35:11,980 –> 00:35:16,960
and it was one of these things where
it’s like you know this was the guy who
474
00:35:16,960 –> 00:35:21,490
are was modeling my path after all right
it’s like that’s that’s the search
475
00:35:21,490 –> 00:35:26,950
feature want to be and he gets my best
friend from high school pregnant and it
476
00:35:26,950 –> 00:35:30,189
don’t get me wrong i’m not i’m not
saying he’s a bad guy in fact that met
477
00:35:30,190 –> 00:35:36,430
him since he’s still a wonderful person
and i’m still friendly with the young
478
00:35:36,430 –> 00:35:41,20
lady in fact the daughter is she’s such
a great kid such a great now we’re great
479
00:35:41,20 –> 00:35:44,829
adult now but it was one of these wake
up moments where it’s like if I follow
480
00:35:44,829 –> 00:35:48,230
that path you know in 20 years i’m going
to be making this
481
00:35:48,230 –> 00:35:53,359
I’m exact mistakes i’m going to end up
being that same English teacher who gets
482
00:35:53,359 –> 00:35:59,90
forward or takes a stupid risk and and
this was actually again this is 77 where
483
00:35:59,90 –> 00:36:02,780
you were allowed to resign you didn’t
end up on fox news
484
00:36:02,780 –> 00:36:08,150
alright you know and uh huh that’s what
kind of spurred me to maybe I shouldn’t
485
00:36:08,150 –> 00:36:12,590
teach you know the interesting thing is
having again a family of teachers now
486
00:36:12,590 –> 00:36:17,180
all i hear my brothers and sister
talking about is how tough it is to
487
00:36:17,180 –> 00:36:22,40
teach now where you have things like No
Child Left Behind where you’re suddenly
488
00:36:22,40 –> 00:36:26,779
in this situation where you aren’t
really teaching kids to teach your
489
00:36:26,780 –> 00:36:31,369
teaching kids how to take a test so they
can then prove that they’ve been taught
490
00:36:31,369 –> 00:36:35,390
and just teaching has become something
different over the last couple of
491
00:36:35,390 –> 00:36:39,560
decades so and waste away i’m glad i
went in this direction was a tougher
492
00:36:39,560 –> 00:36:44,270
path I mean the thing of writing is that
particularly when I was coming up you
493
00:36:44,270 –> 00:36:49,460
chase explodes steady gig like working
for a newspaper because that was you
494
00:36:49,460 –> 00:36:53,390
know a steady paycheck but in the end
there was good money we made magazines
495
00:36:53,390 –> 00:36:58,40
but you had to send something often hope
and pray it was what they were looking
496
00:36:58,40 –> 00:37:02,750
forward that the editor liked you and
then wait for the check to come back so
497
00:37:02,750 –> 00:37:07,400
it was tough at the same time try
different types of writing for a couple
498
00:37:07,400 –> 00:37:12,170
years there tried my hand at
screenwriting and that I came scarily
499
00:37:12,170 –> 00:37:17,660
close to actually making that work i
actually got a script optioned for a
500
00:37:17,660 –> 00:37:22,399
high dimension movie that disney was
going to try to make with the folks at
501
00:37:22,400 –> 00:37:28,40
keystone which are the people who make
all of the Air Bud movies for disney and
502
00:37:28,40 –> 00:37:32,690
get the option the script I got a very
nice check and but again it was kind of
503
00:37:32,690 –> 00:37:37,400
conditional on and as soon as we see how
well hocus-pocus does at the box office
504
00:37:37,910 –> 00:37:41,720
we’re going to make a decision about how
to mention and I know everybody loves
505
00:37:41,720 –> 00:37:48,410
hocus-pocus now but when it came out in
94 93 did not make a whole lot of money
506
00:37:48,410 –> 00:37:54,140
you know the haunted mansion just stop
there but i also wrote a sample script
507
00:37:54,140 –> 00:37:59,150
for a version of the adventurer’s club
is a sitcom that was going to be shot
508
00:37:59,770 –> 00:38:04,30
in orlando in the disney channel I mean
that made that very high up it was very
509
00:38:04,30 –> 00:38:09,220
strange because they were excited about
the idea of being able to use say epcot
510
00:38:09,220 –> 00:38:12,520
as sort of a setting that they could
send the adventurers off and they could
511
00:38:12,520 –> 00:38:17,50
go to China or Africa or that sort of
thing and i wrote a sample script in
512
00:38:17,50 –> 00:38:21,550
treatment for like six or seven episodes
after that it was kind of interesting
513
00:38:21,550 –> 00:38:25,720
that this was the disney channel trying
to decide what it wanted to be when it
514
00:38:25,720 –> 00:38:31,540
grew up and they hope it’s like we have
this adventurer’s club thing from jim
515
00:38:31,540 –> 00:38:37,300
hill and we have this script called
lizzie mcguire what should we do
516
00:38:37,300 –> 00:38:42,640
and you know I think we all know the end
of that story you know Lizzie McGuire
517
00:38:42,640 –> 00:38:49,569
began miley cyrus the hannah montana you
know and and now we’re in you know
518
00:38:49,570 –> 00:38:53,170
places like mighty med or dog with a
blog you know that they were just
519
00:38:53,170 –> 00:38:56,860
discovering that they wanted to do
sitcoms for kids and that’s where they
520
00:38:56,860 –> 00:39:00,880
are now so I mean that’s interesting to
wonder what would have happened if I’d
521
00:39:00,880 –> 00:39:05,770
gone that route but I honestly I always
feel bad for people who spend entirely
522
00:39:05,770 –> 00:39:08,440
too much time staring the rearview
mirror
523
00:39:08,440 –> 00:39:12,970
yeah it was an opportunity would have
been cool if that happened but because
524
00:39:12,970 –> 00:39:17,830
it didn’t happen other equally fun
opportunities came along and right now
525
00:39:17,830 –> 00:39:22,120
as i was mentioning earlier it’s just
you know you never know what the day is
526
00:39:22,120 –> 00:39:25,630
going to bring I mean just this morning
up getting coffee and here comes the
527
00:39:25,630 –> 00:39:30,700
fedex truck rumbling up the driveway and
they drop off a box full of big hero 6
528
00:39:30,700 –> 00:39:36,9
stuff and I’m just no talking with the
folks at walt disney studios about what
529
00:39:36,10 –> 00:39:40,240
are the story opportunities here you
know who can I talk to and and it’s
530
00:39:40,240 –> 00:39:43,359
interesting because I’ve actually
interviewed a bunch of these guys before
531
00:39:43,360 –> 00:39:51,520
and really Connolly the producer of this
is the producer winnie-the-pooh likewise
532
00:39:51,520 –> 00:39:53,960
Don Hall is one of the directors on that
note
533
00:39:53,960 –> 00:39:57,530
talk with all of them before the nice
thing is when you’re interviewing
534
00:39:57,530 –> 00:40:01,910
somebody when you interviewed previously
and if it’s gone well you know you can
535
00:40:01,910 –> 00:40:06,890
get through that five minutes of well
how’s your kids very quickly and and
536
00:40:06,890 –> 00:40:10,190
just get to the actual meat of the
conversation and and hopefully get some
537
00:40:10,190 –> 00:40:13,849
cool stories but but that’s that again
that’s what I’m doing now
538
00:40:13,849 –> 00:40:18,890
so how is all this disney Fame received
by your friend whoever wrote the
539
00:40:18,890 –> 00:40:23,29
original article that you got her
permission to use to write your article
540
00:40:23,30 –> 00:40:31,820
to become mr. Jim Hill honestly the
became meeting mr. Jamil that took 30
541
00:40:31,820 –> 00:40:36,800
years and to be honest Marjorie went on
to have a great career in really for
542
00:40:36,800 –> 00:40:40,940
real writing you know I mean that he
wrote the magazines newspapers she’s
543
00:40:40,940 –> 00:40:46,520
very happy with her life now arm and but
it at the same time you know I never
544
00:40:46,520 –> 00:40:50,89
planned on writing for the web i mean i
thought i was in magazine newspaper guy
545
00:40:50,89 –> 00:40:53,599
and I gotta call in I want to say
546
00:40:54,440 –> 00:41:02,690
98 from my ex wife Michelle and she was
working with outlets on the precursor of
547
00:41:02,690 –> 00:41:06,80
mass planet the website called the
disneyland information guide and they
548
00:41:06,80 –> 00:41:11,450
had just decided that they wanted to
start doing publishing stories on a
549
00:41:11,450 –> 00:41:15,740
regular basis they didn’t know if they
would do you know two or three a week or
550
00:41:15,740 –> 00:41:20,899
five a week or get what they were going
to do but Michelle thought you know well
551
00:41:20,900 –> 00:41:26,869
Jim rights and he knows a lot about
disney let me call him she was like look
552
00:41:26,869 –> 00:41:32,900
can you do just one story we just need
one and as it turns out in masters book
553
00:41:32,900 –> 00:41:38,300
about michael eisner had just come out
the title of that book we had a great
554
00:41:38,300 –> 00:41:41,660
subtitle it was the rise of michael
eisner and the fall of everybody else
555
00:41:41,660 –> 00:41:45,500
and I’d read it and thought okay this is
fun and i just threw together a quick
556
00:41:45,500 –> 00:41:51,530
review of it and that got published i
have to admit that was my first taste of
557
00:41:51,530 –> 00:41:56,150
the immediacy the web by many handed it
off and i’m a guy who are right so you
558
00:41:56,150 –> 00:42:01,40
write something for a newspaper and
investigator an editor and this 24 hours
559
00:42:01,40 –> 00:42:04,130
before it comes in print or cod help if
you’re writing for a magazine where it
560
00:42:04,130 –> 00:42:06,920
can be 30 days 60 days 90 days
561
00:42:06,920 –> 00:42:11,930
however you see it and the web thing was
handed after L Alan an hour later it’s
562
00:42:11,930 –> 00:42:17,930
up on the web and it’s like well that’s
cool and that first little taste of
563
00:42:17,930 –> 00:42:24,259
heroin you know and then from there you
know just like why that was fun i want
564
00:42:24,260 –> 00:42:29,210
to do that again and that’s where i am
now I mean it just it’s kind of fun for
565
00:42:29,210 –> 00:42:32,869
example right now as we’re recording
this i stopped working on an article i’m
566
00:42:32,869 –> 00:42:37,280
doing about planes Fire and Rescue I’ve
got a piece that soon as we wrap up here
567
00:42:37,280 –> 00:42:41,690
i go over put it up on huffpo and that’s
bizarre
568
00:42:41,690 –> 00:42:46,460
I mean half was this big worldwide
organization you know just move you know
569
00:42:46,460 –> 00:42:52,250
new medium and for the longest time I
just treated it like you know magazine
570
00:42:52,250 –> 00:42:55,579
or newspaper it’s like okay I’m working
through the big boys so you know it
571
00:42:55,579 –> 00:42:58,819
contact matter and say hey I got an idea
for a story and i’m doing an interview
572
00:42:58,819 –> 00:43:01,220
next week and we would you like to do
this
573
00:43:01,220 –> 00:43:05,720
sure and so say 90 days that three
months after I started eventually
574
00:43:05,720 –> 00:43:09,859
matters that you know Jim you understand
about the whole blog idea right you know
575
00:43:09,859 –> 00:43:15,20
you got the job means you don’t have to
actually ask my permission to write
576
00:43:15,20 –> 00:43:18,680
about something we trust you would like
you know we wouldn’t have reached out if
577
00:43:18,680 –> 00:43:22,609
we didn’t like what you do but even then
there was still this sort of weird .
578
00:43:22,609 –> 00:43:26,900
where you submit it and maybe sometimes
maybe an hour sometimes would be six
579
00:43:26,900 –> 00:43:33,230
hours before things would be posted on
on HuffPost entertainment page and about
580
00:43:33,230 –> 00:43:38,960
three months ago this change and this is
just kind of shocking to me again I
581
00:43:38,960 –> 00:43:42,349
guess over time they decided we can
trust Jim he’s not going to do anything
582
00:43:42,349 –> 00:43:43,309
stupid
583
00:43:43,309 –> 00:43:50,780
so it’s like now it’s I submit something
the pole and it just completely bypasses
584
00:43:50,780 –> 00:43:55,760
editorial it just goes up and that’s not
to me i mean just the whole notion of
585
00:43:55,760 –> 00:43:59,990
how pole goes out to 32 32 million
people worldwide
586
00:44:01,380 –> 00:44:05,940
and it’s like you shouldn’t there be
somebody that kind of look at that and
587
00:44:05,940 –> 00:44:06,510
go
588
00:44:06,510 –> 00:44:11,250
he says walt disney’s alive and tap
dancing in toledo that that can’t be
589
00:44:11,250 –> 00:44:18,330
real kid can have been you know and it’s
so it’s like well he brought it put it
590
00:44:18,330 –> 00:44:24,60
up and it just it just goes its inner so
i don’t know i I just I both love this
591
00:44:24,60 –> 00:44:28,620
area that we work in for instant media
but at the same time it occasionally
592
00:44:28,620 –> 00:44:32,670
scares the crap out of me because they
just again that whole notion of click
593
00:44:32,670 –> 00:44:37,770
and send it goes to do all of these
people i mean at least when it’s jim
594
00:44:37,770 –> 00:44:41,340
hill media and I screw up you know which
sort of like okay my small group of
595
00:44:41,340 –> 00:44:45,930
writer or my readers I’m sorry I won’t
do that again you know where it’s tough
596
00:44:45,930 –> 00:44:50,580
though I mean that’s why i always try to
fact check out the wazoo because once it
597
00:44:50,580 –> 00:44:54,870
goes it goes was you know with great
power comes great responsibility and I
598
00:44:54,870 –> 00:44:59,520
mean that you’re living it but you know
just that there’s a line out of the
599
00:44:59,520 –> 00:45:03,180
rescuers are always bring this up when
people talk about this you know that
600
00:45:03,180 –> 00:45:07,440
there’s a moment out of the rescuers
that I love where it’s penny you know
601
00:45:07,440 –> 00:45:11,430
the boat you’ve seen her in tears that
now Here Come beyond Bernard and Bianca
602
00:45:11,430 –> 00:45:17,549
are going to rescuer and it’s like you
and she looks at them but she’s grateful
603
00:45:17,550 –> 00:45:21,240
that they’re there but she also says did
you bring any one big with you like the
604
00:45:21,240 –> 00:45:25,500
police you know it’s just that’s the
thing I just keep thinking with with her
605
00:45:25,500 –> 00:45:31,50
poets isn’t there somebody big here
isn’t there somebody who’s really should
606
00:45:31,50 –> 00:45:36,90
be in control like not go ahead put up
your story we trust
607
00:45:36,90 –> 00:45:42,510
so once you decide you want to be a
writer and you were about to embark on
608
00:45:42,510 –> 00:45:44,640
being an adult leaving high school
609
00:45:44,640 –> 00:45:49,230
what steps did you take I think the
thing of writing is there’s a line that
610
00:45:49,230 –> 00:45:52,860
Lawrence cast and the gentleman who
wrote raiders of the lost ark the big
611
00:45:52,860 –> 00:45:57,870
chill and oddly enough they brought him
back to work on episode 7 of showers for
612
00:45:57,870 –> 00:46:02,940
disney he said this really interesting
thing that stuck with me that a career
613
00:46:02,940 –> 00:46:06,570
in writing is like having homework for
the rest of your life
614
00:46:07,170 –> 00:46:12,270
alright so that’s the thing about you
know every so often all our council
615
00:46:12,270 –> 00:46:14,640
writers you know that people will reach
up to
616
00:46:14,640 –> 00:46:18,720
me within an idea or a book proposal or
something like that and the whole notion
617
00:46:18,720 –> 00:46:26,459
of I wrote it it’s done and it’s like
really did you didn’t read it yet i mean
618
00:46:26,460 –> 00:46:30,210
every time I read something that i wrote
i mean all the jumps out at me like how
619
00:46:30,210 –> 00:46:32,190
the errors oh you moron
620
00:46:32,190 –> 00:46:35,850
you know it’s like I could do so much
better and so you rewrite and rewrite
621
00:46:35,850 –> 00:46:40,20
and rewrite and even when you put things
out into the world look at the car oh i
622
00:46:40,20 –> 00:46:45,630
forgot that i should put that in there
so it’s always about you have to work at
623
00:46:45,630 –> 00:46:50,220
your craft you have to have to be
willing to do the research you have to
624
00:46:50,220 –> 00:46:53,40
put in the time I mean you know the
gentleman who wrote the tipping point
625
00:46:53,40 –> 00:46:56,640
talks about you know in order to get
good at what you do and I’m not saying
626
00:46:56,640 –> 00:47:01,680
I’m good at what I do I just got I got
lucky for some reason people like the
627
00:47:01,680 –> 00:47:06,180
crap that are right all right you know I
i have a way to tell the story that’s
628
00:47:06,180 –> 00:47:10,830
reasonably amusing but these gentlemen
the general who did the typically talks
629
00:47:10,830 –> 00:47:16,319
about the 10,000 hour rule that you have
to do something in order to get
630
00:47:16,320 –> 00:47:20,610
proficient or good or you know he always
makes the example of the beatles had the
631
00:47:20,610 –> 00:47:26,550
play in those horrible clubs and Germany
for 10,000 hours before they became the
632
00:47:26,550 –> 00:47:30,990
beatles before they became really
comfortable with one another and new one
633
00:47:30,990 –> 00:47:34,259
another’s riffs and knew how to do the
harmonies and you know that’s how they
634
00:47:34,260 –> 00:47:39,120
became the beatles neil simon who wrote
all those wonderful plays you know the
635
00:47:39,120 –> 00:47:45,390
odd couple the chapter 2 prisoner of
second Avenue he spent hundreds of hours
636
00:47:45,390 –> 00:47:50,850
working in a writing sketches fisted
Caesar and and chill silver and you know
637
00:47:50,850 –> 00:47:56,370
this PE have to practice your craft you
have to put in the time and you know the
638
00:47:56,370 –> 00:48:01,259
nice thing about the web is again when I
was coming up it again it was magazines
639
00:48:01,260 –> 00:48:04,830
and newspapers you had a hope and pray
that when you submitted something that
640
00:48:04,830 –> 00:48:08,279
you know somebody opens in manila
envelope reads it thinks you’re funny
641
00:48:08,280 –> 00:48:13,710
and we’ll publish your story it so there
was this whole pyramid structure where
642
00:48:13,710 –> 00:48:18,000
you had to have the early person who’s
reading the slush pile like what you did
643
00:48:18,000 –> 00:48:21,630
who headed to the editor above them who
then handed it to the editor in chief
644
00:48:21,630 –> 00:48:25,800
who signed off on the idea is that ok we
will deem to publish this
645
00:48:25,800 –> 00:48:28,890
send you know the idiot messages a check
646
00:48:29,400 –> 00:48:34,80
nowadays in the world of blogs the
pyramid structure is a pancake course
647
00:48:34,80 –> 00:48:36,120
the problem is getting people’s
attention because there’s a billion
648
00:48:36,120 –> 00:48:40,650
blogs out there but anybody can anybody
can right now and anybody can catch
649
00:48:40,650 –> 00:48:47,280
people’s attention it’s always amazing
to me to watch two breaks through but
650
00:48:47,280 –> 00:48:51,000
you know the weird thing is is that the
people who do in fact breakthrough
651
00:48:51,000 –> 00:48:58,80
typically have a unique view or can we
bring some fun interesting stuff to the
652
00:48:58,80 –> 00:49:03,870
table you know if I’m encouraging people
to enter this field it’s actually it’s a
653
00:49:03,870 –> 00:49:07,980
great time you know this no editors
barring the way the only thing that’s
654
00:49:07,980 –> 00:49:12,120
bothering the way is you you know you
have to be the one but again the other
655
00:49:12,120 –> 00:49:16,740
other thing you have to understand about
writing for the web are I think I
656
00:49:16,740 –> 00:49:20,970
mentioned this about the wizard of oz
story 15 years to write this story and
657
00:49:20,970 –> 00:49:24,959
people that was like that was really
good at that i really enjoyed that what
658
00:49:24,960 –> 00:49:26,400
else you got
659
00:49:26,400 –> 00:49:31,560
and you know the free next day I talked
about when I write for the web we can
660
00:49:31,560 –> 00:49:34,500
understand this is like you get up every
day and throw a brick in the Grand
661
00:49:34,500 –> 00:49:40,320
Canyon alright the web’s appetite for
new content is bottomless
662
00:49:40,320 –> 00:49:44,880
all right on ending so no matter how
well you do no matter what comedy
663
00:49:44,880 –> 00:49:48,960
podcasts recorded many stories are
written it’s like that’s good what else
664
00:49:48,960 –> 00:49:50,160
you got
665
00:49:50,160 –> 00:49:54,870
and you have to be able to to produce
you have to be self-disciplined enough
666
00:49:54,870 –> 00:49:58,470
to go yes i would love to sit and watch
all eight of the Harry Potter movies as
667
00:49:58,470 –> 00:50:02,700
they are showing on ABC family this
weekend but i gotta sit down and crank
668
00:50:02,700 –> 00:50:06,810
on a story so that’s what you do and you
have to make sacrifices
669
00:50:07,710 –> 00:50:13,920
just this week coming up I am so far in
the weeds in regard to stories that I am
670
00:50:13,920 –> 00:50:19,680
overdue on and stuff I gotta get done
next week in San Diego is the white
671
00:50:19,680 –> 00:50:24,359
tights under the white-hot center of the
pop-culture university to a comic-con
672
00:50:24,360 –> 00:50:28,440
for four and a half days all of these
amazing people come the ones place and
673
00:50:28,440 –> 00:50:34,440
do these amazing presentations and I you
know I was credential them all set the
674
00:50:34,440 –> 00:50:35,720
goal i gotta
675
00:50:35,720 –> 00:50:40,40
wonderful romantic bed and breakfast
that’s a mile away from the hall and i
676
00:50:40,40 –> 00:50:44,840
had to stare down the barrel and go i
can go i got to stay home and work so
677
00:50:44,840 –> 00:50:48,800
luckily I have a beautiful smart
daughter who can go in my place into a
678
00:50:48,800 –> 00:50:52,340
lot of interviews and I have a nice
understanding ex-wife who will also go
679
00:50:52,340 –> 00:50:56,90
and do some interviews and even her
husband now there’s some photography for
680
00:50:56,90 –> 00:50:59,599
the site I mean it’s weird when a sitcom
about to happen folks I understand that
681
00:50:59,599 –> 00:51:03,230
but still they help out sometimes you
have to do that you have to stare down
682
00:51:03,230 –> 00:51:07,520
the barrel of like i’ll be at a press
event who there’s still shrimp and
683
00:51:07,520 –> 00:51:11,480
they’re still serving alcohol and
there’s cake that’s like now I gotta go
684
00:51:11,480 –> 00:51:16,400
back to the room right gotta walk out of
the party and go work you can’t play and
685
00:51:16,400 –> 00:51:21,500
it’s weird because again you know just
like every so often I find myself i mean
686
00:51:21,500 –> 00:51:25,130
this this weird space where it’s like
come down you know universes come down
687
00:51:25,130 –> 00:51:30,230
for the opening of Diagon Alley you know
and I mean it was great in invite but it
688
00:51:30,230 –> 00:51:34,550
was just this whole notion of oh I gotta
go to Florida again and that means
689
00:51:34,550 –> 00:51:39,260
changing planes in Philadelphia and you
know i gotta pack gonna get your laundry
690
00:51:39,260 –> 00:51:44,60
and it just sort of like anybody else
I’m going to a deeper yeah and i’m like
691
00:51:44,60 –> 00:51:48,740
oh it’s i’m going to the proctologist
together and I better wear my good pants
692
00:51:48,740 –> 00:51:53,660
you know just again you you have to
sometimes remind yourself know you have
693
00:51:53,660 –> 00:51:58,220
a gig that p other people would kill for
you know it’s like come see our cartoon
694
00:51:58,220 –> 00:52:03,379
then come let us send you a box of swag
you know come down to our theme park and
695
00:52:03,380 –> 00:52:06,200
ride a new I mean again that was the
thing we got the right on green Goods
696
00:52:06,200 –> 00:52:11,210
you know during a time when they could
really keep the ride running and it’s a
697
00:52:11,210 –> 00:52:16,849
green ride and that’s why I actually
lived in orlando for four years in in
698
00:52:16,849 –> 00:52:20,930
the nineties that was actually Michelle
and I live there i want to say 93 to 97
699
00:52:20,930 –> 00:52:25,940
before we split and every so often
people will say well why don’t you in
700
00:52:25,940 –> 00:52:26,869
California
701
00:52:26,869 –> 00:52:31,460
why are you doing this in New Hampshire
and I honestly think that there are a
702
00:52:31,460 –> 00:52:34,369
lot of folks who are actually in the
orlando area who are covering disney
703
00:52:34,369 –> 00:52:38,390
know and I also i kind of feel sorry for
them because sometimes i go to the park
704
00:52:38,390 –> 00:52:42,980
with them and they will pick the
weirdest stuff to get a dar look they
705
00:52:42,980 –> 00:52:45,290
didn’t pay the bench to the right color
706
00:52:45,290 –> 00:52:48,440
you know oh my god the trash cans and
six inches too far away from the
707
00:52:48,440 –> 00:52:49,310
entrance
708
00:52:49,310 –> 00:52:52,279
it’s one of these things like you don’t
notice the hundred-million-dollar
709
00:52:52,280 –> 00:52:56,750
attraction run in front of you now I
know the flowers are in the wrong place
710
00:52:56,750 –> 00:53:00,500
it’s weird they live in the candy shop
now and because they live in the candy
711
00:53:00,500 –> 00:53:04,220
shop and they go to the candy shop every
day they’ve lost their taste for
712
00:53:04,220 –> 00:53:04,879
chocolate
713
00:53:04,880 –> 00:53:07,880
I mean for the rest of us going to
disney world are going to Disney that
714
00:53:07,880 –> 00:53:09,350
that’s a treat
715
00:53:09,350 –> 00:53:13,549
alright any given you walk in it was
gonna look at the right there’s a parade
716
00:53:13,550 –> 00:53:17,150
and fireworks and they’re the ones you
know it’s like well you know I got to go
717
00:53:17,150 –> 00:53:19,820
over and get pictures of the
construction wall because you know they
718
00:53:19,820 –> 00:53:24,740
put up a different wall you know just it
just hit they get obsessed about the
719
00:53:24,740 –> 00:53:28,879
wrong end of it and sometimes they
forget and that’s the thing i always try
720
00:53:28,880 –> 00:53:32,360
to whenever I find myself drifting in
the direction like oh god I gotta get on
721
00:53:32,360 –> 00:53:36,830
a plane and go to do something it’s like
you moron shut up there are hundreds of
722
00:53:36,830 –> 00:53:41,90
people that would say get rid of him i
will take his place i will do that and I
723
00:53:41,90 –> 00:53:46,460
will be excited you know and so you just
you you have to keep that in mind you
724
00:53:46,460 –> 00:53:50,840
can’t get jaded and that’s tough
sometimes because they’re you know now
725
00:53:50,840 –> 00:53:54,140
where we live in a world where it’s not
just disney doing great things and theme
726
00:53:54,140 –> 00:53:58,9
parks its universal and seaworld also
doing some some pretty impressive stuff
727
00:53:58,10 –> 00:54:02,840
and this lots of little parks and this
God you an animation is what this
728
00:54:02,840 –> 00:54:07,850
picture this DreamWorks is disney this
DisneyToon Studios is blue sky Warner’s
729
00:54:07,850 –> 00:54:12,500
just did this amazing lego movie and
they’re going to get even crazier in the
730
00:54:12,500 –> 00:54:17,810
animation and you gotta stay on top coat
and where that gets interesting of
731
00:54:17,810 –> 00:54:22,940
course all the people working students
now are former Disney or pixar and
732
00:54:22,940 –> 00:54:26,810
dreamworks employees so you know these
are people I’ve interviewed the past and
733
00:54:26,810 –> 00:54:31,790
they’re like he come talk about my movie
so it’s alright so I’ll try
734
00:54:31,790 –> 00:54:35,270
so what robots have you had along the
way I don’t like being the type of guy
735
00:54:35,270 –> 00:54:42,860
who bitches about stuff but I was tough
in 2001 when a let’s toss me off a
736
00:54:42,860 –> 00:54:47,720
bounce planet that was weird i was
actually talking with David caning who
737
00:54:47,720 –> 00:54:49,819
still writes from his planet and
738
00:54:49,819 –> 00:54:55,880
another writer who worked there and we
were lost planet had sort of peaked at
739
00:54:55,880 –> 00:55:00,589
that point they had really been riding
the construction of disney’s california
740
00:55:00,589 –> 00:55:05,719
adventure and the park it just opened
and yeah we knew the park had problems
741
00:55:05,719 –> 00:55:09,19
but it was just one of these things
where it’s like I was talking with David
742
00:55:09,19 –> 00:55:12,738
and it’s like again coming out of the
magazine newspaper world it’s like I
743
00:55:12,739 –> 00:55:18,289
don’t think this this website can be so
substan- momentum just writing about dca
744
00:55:18,289 –> 00:55:23,719
I thought that you know you would be a
smart time at that point the sort of
745
00:55:23,719 –> 00:55:27,739
diversified you know just have everybody
and again I just I wanted to do what we
746
00:55:27,739 –> 00:55:32,29
did out of the print world so everyone
would have an individual beat and so it
747
00:55:32,29 –> 00:55:35,509
was like you know David and I were
talking about what could we do well I
748
00:55:35,509 –> 00:55:38,539
could cover animation you can do theme
park so we could have a lot of gossip
749
00:55:38,539 –> 00:55:45,19
and we’re going to pitch this to Al and
Al for some reason found out thought it
750
00:55:45,19 –> 00:55:50,359
was threatening and inside of a
five-hour period threw me off of mouse
751
00:55:50,359 –> 00:55:51,288
planet
752
00:55:51,289 –> 00:55:56,89
delisted everything that ever written to
the site and you know and again he was
753
00:55:56,89 –> 00:55:59,509
weird because i had been their part of
growing this site and growing the
754
00:55:59,509 –> 00:56:04,430
audience into but it was his site and he
tossed me out and then from there I
755
00:56:04,430 –> 00:56:11,328
struggled God for a year and a half two
years trying to find a new nation i went
756
00:56:11,329 –> 00:56:15,170
and worked with the folks at laughing
place and Nubian Rebecca mostly are
757
00:56:15,170 –> 00:56:19,9
really really sweet people and they’re
good friends to this day but it just
758
00:56:19,9 –> 00:56:23,449
didn’t work i wrote a little sharper
than I think they were interested in
759
00:56:23,449 –> 00:56:27,289
they love the history and stuff that I
did they were always a little worried
760
00:56:27,289 –> 00:56:31,430
about possibly offending people i think
it’s mark twain that said you know the
761
00:56:31,430 –> 00:56:35,29
do you know if you’re not offending
somebody really not doing your job as a
762
00:56:35,29 –> 00:56:35,690
writer
763
00:56:35,690 –> 00:56:41,749
somebody’s got to be offended and then I
work Tony Ward on pc a central and
764
00:56:41,749 –> 00:56:45,890
that’s a sight that crashed and burned
so I was out in California visiting with
765
00:56:45,890 –> 00:56:50,808
my ex and my daughter and dca central
dinner was falling apart was out there
766
00:56:50,809 –> 00:56:54,829
and getting on a plane to go home and
it’s like oh god I gotta start again
767
00:56:54,829 –> 00:56:57,700
I gotta find a place to write on the web
but
768
00:56:57,700 –> 00:57:03,9
from the time it took me to fly home
from long beach to New Hampshire
769
00:57:03,10 –> 00:57:06,910
Michelle went out and bought the domain
name Jim Hill media and set it up and
770
00:57:06,910 –> 00:57:11,350
said aren’t yours running and for the
longest time I actually thought Jim Hill
771
00:57:11,350 –> 00:57:15,670
media was a stupid name for a website
again i come from this fairly large
772
00:57:15,670 –> 00:57:20,80
family there’s seven of us by parents
and three brothers and a sister and
773
00:57:20,80 –> 00:57:23,380
again when you come from a family of
that size it’s you’re not supposed to
774
00:57:23,380 –> 00:57:28,120
know it’s all about me it’s like no more
on there’s a lot of us here that you
775
00:57:28,120 –> 00:57:32,650
know just so it just seemed to me that
the name gym leader was incredibly
776
00:57:32,650 –> 00:57:37,210
egotistical but Michelle was you know
very persistent in factor catchphrase
777
00:57:37,210 –> 00:57:40,960
for the website was like finally a
website that one fire room and is it
778
00:57:40,960 –> 00:57:44,710
turns out it was actually a really smart
move one I personally never would have
779
00:57:44,710 –> 00:57:50,170
made but it was like weirdly branding
because my name was on the site and i
780
00:57:50,170 –> 00:57:55,360
wrote stories for the site so you’re Jim
Hill me and it took me a long time to be
781
00:57:55,360 –> 00:57:59,740
comfortable saying hi I’m Jim hello
general media it’s like I am from the
782
00:57:59,740 –> 00:58:02,919
department of redundancy department i
mean just seems like a really stupid
783
00:58:02,920 –> 00:58:09,850
name arm but over time the internet
finally became legit and it became
784
00:58:09,850 –> 00:58:16,240
easier to say hi I’m a blogger you know
as opposed to a writer so that was tough
785
00:58:16,240 –> 00:58:19,660
I mean when you’re part of something and
getting thrown out of it arbitrarily
786
00:58:19,660 –> 00:58:24,580
that stuff and not being able to fit but
yeah I mean I guess the lesson there was
787
00:58:24,580 –> 00:58:31,390
just how you have to persist and you
have to do what you do and hope that
788
00:58:31,390 –> 00:58:36,310
people like it and I got lucky you know
just about the same time I’m getting Jim
789
00:58:36,310 –> 00:58:41,650
Hill media of the ground i go to or from
mega mouse meet in florida and that’s
790
00:58:41,650 –> 00:58:46,90
where I me Glenn testo and Bob soldier
the editor in the publisher of the
791
00:58:46,90 –> 00:58:50,830
unofficial guide and they’re doing a
group photo of us all of us disney to
792
00:58:50,830 –> 00:58:56,650
eat in one place and so i’m at the back
of the thing with landon Bob and I’m
793
00:58:56,650 –> 00:59:01,30
basically doing what I’ve done my entire
life which you whisper things on your
794
00:59:01,30 –> 00:59:06,460
voice and you make people laugh around
you Bob and lend had never met a funny
795
00:59:06,460 –> 00:59:08,590
disney person up to the point
796
00:59:08,590 –> 00:59:12,730
you know I mean they’ve been very sweet
and very serious about disney and here
797
00:59:12,730 –> 00:59:17,440
was this fat man at the back of the pile
joking about disney and it’s a weed like
798
00:59:17,440 –> 00:59:21,760
you and that’s how I ended up first
writing the Disney douche items for the
799
00:59:21,760 –> 00:59:27,490
unofficial guide i think i’ve been done
for like ten years now and then the
800
00:59:27,490 –> 00:59:32,439
weird offshoot about two-and-a-half
three years ago Len decided you know
801
00:59:32,440 –> 00:59:37,120
this might be fun to do I have fun
talking to you i think other people
802
00:59:37,120 –> 00:59:40,720
would do would have fun listening to a
stock and that became the unofficial
803
00:59:40,720 –> 00:59:46,990
guide Disney douche podcast and that
took off in a really weird way I can
804
00:59:46,990 –> 00:59:51,9
reach it’s just a lot of them are just
landed i walking around the park and he
805
00:59:51,10 –> 00:59:54,850
turns into Michael’s ok fat man talk and
it’s just sort of like you know whatever
806
00:59:54,850 –> 00:59:58,000
attraction where in front of i have
stories about because I’ve been talking
807
00:59:58,000 –> 01:00:03,490
to engineer’s for 30 years so yeah I
mean yeah again I it’s weird maybe if
808
01:00:03,490 –> 01:00:07,359
I’d stayed at my house planet that gig
that door wouldn’t open so I guess you
809
01:00:07,360 –> 01:00:12,280
have to leave yourself open for
sometimes things that you want don’t
810
01:00:12,280 –> 01:00:14,200
happen but for the right reason
811
01:00:14,200 –> 01:00:19,89
yeah I would agree would you say that
downtime after mass planet you just keep
812
01:00:19,90 –> 01:00:20,50
writing
813
01:00:20,50 –> 01:00:26,290
regardless you had to that’s it just
comes down to the only way in a
814
01:00:26,290 –> 01:00:31,240
situation like that we’re going to
suddenly lose your forum you lose the
815
01:00:31,240 –> 01:00:34,390
place where people know you add it’s
just like an effect that was what was
816
01:00:34,390 –> 01:00:39,100
kind of funny was that people looked for
me they liked what I wrote know where
817
01:00:39,100 –> 01:00:42,819
the hell did he go now you know just in
fact when I went to a mouse pointed to
818
01:00:42,820 –> 01:00:47,20
two laughing place to dch central and it
to watch how the people who would
819
01:00:47,20 –> 01:00:51,460
comment on the stories would get I found
you again and the sort of like like to
820
01:00:51,460 –> 01:00:56,560
thank you google but yeah I just I just
have to persevere in a situation like
821
01:00:56,560 –> 01:01:00,910
that we get knocked down it’s just sort
of like the classic definition of
822
01:01:00,910 –> 01:01:04,180
success you could you know knocked down
two times you get up three
823
01:01:04,720 –> 01:01:09,339
it’s something like that you just ok
alright didn’t work out back to work
824
01:01:10,000 –> 01:01:14,170
so you could you share favorite memory
I’ve been very lucky i’ve gotten to do
825
01:01:14,170 –> 01:01:20,320
some really really really really cool
things you know and and they keep
826
01:01:20,320 –> 01:01:24,430
happening I just this within the past
month that’s and I were at the New
827
01:01:24,430 –> 01:01:30,669
Amsterdam Theatre and Michael cars are
in the the gentleman who orchestrates
828
01:01:30,670 –> 01:01:35,680
all of the music for dinner you see if
the Disney state your disney animated
829
01:01:35,680 –> 01:01:40,299
musical Michaels had a hand in all right
and i was interviewing him and he’s like
830
01:01:40,300 –> 01:01:45,40
oh well hang on let’s go downstairs and
he actually took us into the basement of
831
01:01:45,40 –> 01:01:48,250
the new amsterdam we were down the
orchestra pit
832
01:01:48,250 –> 01:01:53,890
what was really cool was that you know I
that’s neither Nathan I had ever been in
833
01:01:53,890 –> 01:01:58,150
this place or a big professional New
York Broadway theater it was one of
834
01:01:58,150 –> 01:02:02,110
these things where I turned to Nancy and
said we got to do it so she actually
835
01:02:02,110 –> 01:02:07,480
climbed up to where the conductor stood
and got to look out into the world and
836
01:02:07,480 –> 01:02:12,400
see the view that a conductor gets a
Broadway show and it’s like and she said
837
01:02:12,400 –> 01:02:14,710
we gotta do this like no that’s yours
838
01:02:14,710 –> 01:02:19,90
I think half the fun of this job is
getting to share and doing something
839
01:02:19,90 –> 01:02:20,260
like that
840
01:02:20,260 –> 01:02:24,280
Nancy who studied music a lot of her
life to to be in that center position
841
01:02:24,280 –> 01:02:26,620
was cool and special for her
842
01:02:26,620 –> 01:02:32,650
conversely i was just down at his knees
again i was down earlier this year for
843
01:02:32,650 –> 01:02:37,390
the opening of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
and again Nancy because she wants me to
844
01:02:37,390 –> 01:02:42,700
be a less fat man has been going to
water aerobics three times a week and I
845
01:02:42,700 –> 01:02:46,810
keg and when you’re the guy in water up
ensure the back of the class you’re the
846
01:02:46,810 –> 01:02:50,230
one grounding the deep end because you
know what a frightened woman it turns
847
01:02:50,230 –> 01:02:53,530
out there was this high school kid who’s
next to me and his mother had brought
848
01:02:53,530 –> 01:02:58,120
him along his name was Joe he played in
that the nashua marching band any
849
01:02:58,120 –> 01:03:02,440
mention that he was going to be down at
disney it turns out the day he mentioned
850
01:03:02,440 –> 01:03:05,290
that his high school is going down and
marching to the magic kingdom was the
851
01:03:05,290 –> 01:03:08,950
day that they’re going to have the party
for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train the
852
01:03:08,950 –> 01:03:12,250
press party and i was like wow well if
you’re down there let me see if I can
853
01:03:12,250 –> 01:03:17,950
get you on the attraction and as it
turns out we go into the party and it’s
854
01:03:17,950 –> 01:03:22,299
like Fort Knox the security is
ridiculous and meanwhile Joe is giving
855
01:03:22,300 –> 01:03:23,380
the colleagues in the park
856
01:03:23,380 –> 01:03:26,49
he’s with his family and it’s like jeez
I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to
857
01:03:26,49 –> 01:03:30,160
make this happen and I feel bad because
I promise this kid I would try to get
858
01:03:30,160 –> 01:03:31,839
him into this ride mean oil
859
01:03:31,839 –> 01:03:36,700
we’ve got we’ve gotten on it because of
the press thing four five six times at
860
01:03:36,700 –> 01:03:40,960
this bunch of great ride really enjoying
it but I still feel bad that I promise
861
01:03:40,960 –> 01:03:43,390
show that i would try to get them on
this and that doesn’t look like it’s
862
01:03:43,390 –> 01:03:47,618
gonna happen and so meanwhile we the
word sweet through the party that grumpy
863
01:03:47,619 –> 01:03:52,869
cat is there and Nancy who loves cats
just like suddenly the grumpy cat is
864
01:03:52,869 –> 01:03:56,619
here and so you know we were there with
Shelley Carroll the woman behind
865
01:03:56,619 –> 01:04:01,930
excellent website by the way we were
quick plug on the go in MCO but Nancy
866
01:04:01,930 –> 01:04:05,618
just basically should you go to the back
and show me you go to the front we’re
867
01:04:05,619 –> 01:04:09,130
gonna find this get and so everybody
takes off in a different direction so
868
01:04:09,130 –> 01:04:12,880
I’m walking to the back of the party and
they blocked off basically the perimeter
869
01:04:12,880 –> 01:04:17,559
seventh mind trains with these sort of
mobile hedge things that disney has but
870
01:04:17,559 –> 01:04:21,670
as i get to the back i noticed that that
you know the old mercantile shop from
871
01:04:21,670 –> 01:04:27,250
mickey’s toontown fair that that’s now
guess it’s called Big Top mercantile now
872
01:04:27,250 –> 01:04:32,619
because it’s in the number of circus
area but this is hole in the hedge and
873
01:04:32,619 –> 01:04:36,369
as a plant one of the people who gets
relations standing in the home and I
874
01:04:36,369 –> 01:04:38,79
walk up to her inside
875
01:04:38,79 –> 01:04:41,170
that’s where the restrooms are isn’t
she’s yes sir
876
01:04:41,170 –> 01:04:45,250
so it’s gonna go back to have absolutely
no like I found the hole in the
877
01:04:45,250 –> 01:04:49,690
perimeter you know so i got back i use
the restroom and I call joey said get
878
01:04:49,690 –> 01:04:53,799
your ass back here to big-time
mercantile and so five minutes later he
879
01:04:53,799 –> 01:04:58,450
and his mom and his dad and cousin show
up and go I’m sorry I can only get one
880
01:04:58,450 –> 01:05:04,180
person right think i can get one person
and I now turn to the plaid and I just
881
01:05:04,180 –> 01:05:07,930
explained the situation that show has
come all the way from New Hampshire and
882
01:05:07,930 –> 01:05:12,519
he marched in your Park today and he
entertained all these people and no
883
01:05:12,519 –> 01:05:16,569
can’t can’t we make an exception well
can’t we get this kid in here on general
884
01:05:16,569 –> 01:05:21,130
just and the plan I what I love about
her she stepped out of the door and she
885
01:05:21,130 –> 01:05:24,579
deliberately set of turns her back the
means like you know I never noticed that
886
01:05:24,579 –> 01:05:28,990
architectural detail over there before
and I grabbed Joey one through the
887
01:05:28,990 –> 01:05:34,118
entrance or the exit and I get them on
the ride and seriously the second the
888
01:05:34,119 –> 01:05:36,740
right is that we pull back into the
station this announcement
889
01:05:36,740 –> 01:05:40,729
party’s over so weak we got him at the
last possible but his Houdini screaming
890
01:05:40,730 –> 01:05:44,810
he’s having a great time for the point
he has bragging rights over the other
891
01:05:44,810 –> 01:05:49,520
250 members of his high school band
because he got on the ride and they did
892
01:05:49,520 –> 01:05:58,160
and that to me is in the last six or
eight months that’s a that’s one of my
893
01:05:58,160 –> 01:06:02,118
top disney related memories because it’s
like again i was able to do something
894
01:06:02,119 –> 01:06:07,70
nice then to somebody who you know who
lives outside the chocolate shop who
895
01:06:07,70 –> 01:06:08,600
loves chocolate
896
01:06:08,600 –> 01:06:12,830
you know and got this Ted extra special
taste of it ahead of everybody else you
897
01:06:12,830 –> 01:06:15,470
know I mean I’d been around a couple
times at night and I was beginning to
898
01:06:15,470 –> 01:06:19,250
think it’s a good right but riding with
Joe it’s like it’s a great right
899
01:06:19,250 –> 01:06:23,570
they really did a nice job and is this
civilian he confirmed that i guess that
900
01:06:23,570 –> 01:06:28,280
comes from being in a large family or
just the whole notion of your talk to
901
01:06:28,280 –> 01:06:33,680
share your toys and so you know for
example when the big hero 6 box showed
902
01:06:33,680 –> 01:06:37,910
up today was just sort of like okay so
getting my daughter is coming out to
903
01:06:37,910 –> 01:06:42,140
spend three weeks for this the summer
and she called today to check in and say
904
01:06:42,140 –> 01:06:46,520
ok the big hero 6 box showed up so you
know Nancy’s getting the t-shirt I get
905
01:06:46,520 –> 01:06:50,150
the action figure you get the Hat it’s
like cool i’m done you know
906
01:06:50,150 –> 01:06:54,140
so again share your toys I guess that’s
the lesson with all the great memories
907
01:06:54,140 –> 01:06:58,310
that you’ve shared so far today is there
have been any real disappointments with
908
01:06:58,310 –> 01:07:02,960
your dream along the way I’m I know
being kicked off of a mouse planet was
909
01:07:02,960 –> 01:07:04,340
but outside of that
910
01:07:04,340 –> 01:07:08,840
no I you know the weird thing is I think
I’ve never been one of these guys who
911
01:07:08,840 –> 01:07:15,320
nurses I can hold a grudge the same
American all my breath you know it’s
912
01:07:15,320 –> 01:07:19,520
just one of those things you can get bad
you can get angry and disappointed but
913
01:07:19,520 –> 01:07:22,880
it’s like if you dwell on it it’s like
how much time how much energy
914
01:07:23,510 –> 01:07:29,60
are you willing to put into preserving a
bad memory adjusted to keep it close to
915
01:07:29,60 –> 01:07:29,990
keep it tight
916
01:07:29,990 –> 01:07:35,390
they always talk about how what’s kind
about memory is over time the corners
917
01:07:35,390 –> 01:07:41,240
get shaved off the sharp edges fade away
I mean I think you know I mean have
918
01:07:41,240 –> 01:07:45,319
their disappointments have there been
hurts i’m the first divorce in my family
919
01:07:45,320 –> 01:07:48,450
I’m not particularly proud of that but I
worked hard
920
01:07:48,450 –> 01:07:53,399
it’s becoming my ex-boyfriend I worked
hard at becoming a good long distance
921
01:07:53,400 –> 01:07:57,60
daddy and and and that’s like I think
that one of the things I’m proudest of
922
01:07:57,60 –> 01:08:01,710
now is that I have this great
relationship with my daughter who’s out
923
01:08:01,710 –> 01:08:07,380
in California with my accent I’m in the
spot i wanted to be in you sometimes see
924
01:08:07,380 –> 01:08:12,599
kids of divorce who with their dads get
overly excited and you know there’s a
925
01:08:12,599 –> 01:08:17,9
lot of pressure to deliver to build
strong memories because they don’t see
926
01:08:17,9 –> 01:08:22,380
one another enough in my case with my
daughter it’s the exact opposite i am to
927
01:08:22,380 –> 01:08:28,319
be taken for granted dead i wanted so
badly to be the sort of the parental
928
01:08:28,319 –> 01:08:32,790
equivalent of like every other parent on
the planet i wanted to be the debt you
929
01:08:32,790 –> 01:08:37,769
know we talked every night on skype and
you know cellphone or whatever and it’s
930
01:08:37,770 –> 01:08:39,270
just her like dat ya dad
931
01:08:39,270 –> 01:08:45,390
all right in no big deal that Oh dad is
coming to town that is actually one of
932
01:08:45,390 –> 01:08:49,49
the sweeter parts of this gig that I do
get them to California’s offer them as i
933
01:08:49,49 –> 01:08:54,660
do and get to hang with Alice or get to
take your to how when she grows up she
934
01:08:54,660 –> 01:08:59,700
wants to be a sequential artist in fact
she’s at a long beach community college
935
01:08:59,700 –> 01:09:05,580
right now building your portfolio to
eventually go after a degree of CalArts
936
01:09:05,580 –> 01:09:11,460
though the interesting thing is she just
went and covered a panel for our website
937
01:09:11,460 –> 01:09:16,560
at the LA Film Festival and here’s Alex
Hirsch the gentleman who produce gravity
938
01:09:16,560 –> 01:09:20,130
falls for disney channel which is great
series of young do you really going to
939
01:09:20,130 –> 01:09:23,880
do but he was up there talking about how
he went to Cal arts and he said what was
940
01:09:23,880 –> 01:09:27,779
great about calories they made us make
them one movie a year but it’s also
941
01:09:27,779 –> 01:09:32,819
crazy-expensive and wouldn’t it make
more sense in the long run if you were
942
01:09:32,819 –> 01:09:37,380
filmmaker just to make your movies put
them up on on youtube or itunes or
943
01:09:37,380 –> 01:09:40,890
whatever get the world’s attention and
break through there whereas opposed to
944
01:09:40,890 –> 01:09:45,690
putting yourself and your family and
debt you know to go to to quell arts and
945
01:09:45,689 –> 01:09:50,939
it was just kind of bolts I didn’t know
whether the punch him or shake his hands
946
01:09:50,939 –> 01:09:54,839
when I heard that news because it’s like
I don’t know if that’s the lesson I want
947
01:09:54,840 –> 01:09:57,989
my daughter hearing but at the same time
I kind of like that my daughter heard
948
01:09:57,989 –> 01:10:04,320
that so i just i don’t believe it it’s
healthy to obsess on disappointed it’s
949
01:10:04,320 –> 01:10:08,910
good to learn the lessons if you did
something stupid go to remember that but
950
01:10:08,910 –> 01:10:13,410
at the same time not to obsess on
failure or success on mistakes or things
951
01:10:13,410 –> 01:10:18,000
that might have been it just sort of the
I think it’s more positive 22 just march
952
01:10:18,000 –> 01:10:22,440
forward to just learn from mistakes and
apply them to future projects and be
953
01:10:22,440 –> 01:10:23,190
done with it
954
01:10:23,190 –> 01:10:25,980
you know it’s funny that you mentioned
that about film I was just talking to my
955
01:10:25,980 –> 01:10:30,570
cousin who went to school for film
direction and I was like you know in
956
01:10:30,570 –> 01:10:33,269
this day and age if you can’t make
something entertaining for about a
957
01:10:33,270 –> 01:10:34,860
hundred bucks or less
958
01:10:34,860 –> 01:10:39,269
hmm you know I don’t it’s probably not a
good idea for you to seek out
959
01:10:39,270 –> 01:10:43,170
professional major debt education on
that
960
01:10:43,170 –> 01:10:47,310
oh no I totally agree and it just the in
any but you feel bad because that’s what
961
01:10:47,310 –> 01:10:51,120
we’ve been taught you know you want that
piece of sheepskin hanging on the wall
962
01:10:51,120 –> 01:10:54,780
to validate things were you know the
weird thing is at least when you work in
963
01:10:54,780 –> 01:10:59,550
film animation your degree and your
student film will get you your first job
964
01:10:59,550 –> 01:11:05,70
but only your first job it’s everything
you do after that . that makes your
965
01:11:05,70 –> 01:11:09,59
career and and yes you know for the
longest time for the last 10 or 15 years
966
01:11:09,60 –> 01:11:12,780
there are a lot of people that’s like
who you know everyone picks are with the
967
01:11:12,780 –> 01:11:17,429
colored so I want to go there but I just
I worry that this generation of kids who
968
01:11:17,430 –> 01:11:20,520
think that’s a straight pipe into Pixar
and it really isn’t
969
01:11:21,180 –> 01:11:25,950
you know what’s a straight pipe into
Pixar or Disney or DreamWorks or blue
970
01:11:25,950 –> 01:11:31,19
sky is a really good student film and a
demonstration of a really good work
971
01:11:31,20 –> 01:11:34,710
ethic and beyond that it’s all crap
shoot
972
01:11:34,710 –> 01:11:38,250
what would you say your dreams for the
future look like you know I’m really
973
01:11:38,250 –> 01:11:43,410
happy with where I am right now I mean I
just I live with a lovely young woman
974
01:11:43,410 –> 01:11:47,790
well shit since she’s my age when I talk
about i’m 55
975
01:11:47,790 –> 01:11:51,780
I’m sorry grade on a curve here folks I
plan on living to be a hundred and ten
976
01:11:51,780 –> 01:11:57,330
and we have two annoying cats i get to
do fun stuff i get the drive down to New
977
01:11:57,330 –> 01:12:00,600
York or LA or orlando
978
01:12:00,600 –> 01:12:06,540
i’m working on a book you know I get to
see my daughter go regularly my parents
979
01:12:06,540 –> 01:12:11,40
are in relatively good health in my
dreams for the future I’d like this to
980
01:12:11,40 –> 01:12:11,970
continue
981
01:12:11,970 –> 01:12:16,200
I’d like to meet more people who have
fun stories to share i’d like to help
982
01:12:16,200 –> 01:12:20,670
promote their films of their projects or
whatever I like to keep holding open
983
01:12:20,670 –> 01:12:25,170
doors for people who are getting their
career started offering advice i guess
984
01:12:25,170 –> 01:12:30,360
the funniest part about my job is that I
get the guy get the wake up but you know
985
01:12:30,360 –> 01:12:34,950
seven eight o’clock in the morning and I
can be professional ignorant you know
986
01:12:34,950 –> 01:12:36,30
this is my job
987
01:12:36,30 –> 01:12:39,30
someone will ask me something if you
heard about this is like no I haven’t
988
01:12:39,30 –> 01:12:43,19
but I can get on the phone or i can get
on the internet and I can research it
989
01:12:43,20 –> 01:12:46,980
and I can hold together info and i can
build a story and by the end of the day
990
01:12:46,980 –> 01:12:51,89
I’ve actually learned something and
hopefully i’m sharing something with my
991
01:12:51,90 –> 01:12:53,700
audience and then I get to do it again
tomorrow
992
01:12:53,700 –> 01:12:57,480
I mean just I think you know when i can
the sensing I all something new is
993
01:12:57,480 –> 01:13:01,530
always coming through the door for me
and I know there’s a lot of people you
994
01:13:01,530 –> 01:13:04,920
know again I come from a family of
teachers and and there’s a certain
995
01:13:04,920 –> 01:13:09,600
repetitive nature to that scan you
teaching you know the the teaching 1st
996
01:13:09,600 –> 01:13:13,320
graders will become second graders or
third graders and I have great respect
997
01:13:13,320 –> 01:13:17,670
for those folks who can keep it fresh
and can keep something that they’ve done
998
01:13:17,670 –> 01:13:22,380
over and over and over again and and
make it new and unique and wonderful
999
01:13:22,380 –> 01:13:26,700
that people come to the door but I have
the luxury of just real new comes
1000
01:13:26,700 –> 01:13:31,19
through the door every day just again
like the big hero 6 box so is there any
1001
01:13:31,20 –> 01:13:32,310
last thoughts you’d like to share
1002
01:13:32,310 –> 01:13:38,370
um again it’s it’s it’s kind of
flattering again when do the invitation
1003
01:13:38,370 –> 01:13:42,300
came to the door to come to the show
home but I egg at the very thing that
1004
01:13:42,300 –> 01:13:46,530
the very nature of getting the title of
the shower the dreams and I know why are
1005
01:13:46,530 –> 01:13:50,880
people have a lot of dreams that you
know that they want to come true that
1006
01:13:50,880 –> 01:13:57,420
they want for their lives in my own case
everything I ever achieved happened to
1007
01:13:57,420 –> 01:13:58,740
fit two reasons
1008
01:13:58,740 –> 01:14:03,570
alright either somebody was very very
kind to me and I’m not just talking
1009
01:14:03,570 –> 01:14:09,299
about disney legends i’m talking about
Nancy the one in my life when we met was
1010
01:14:09,300 –> 01:14:13,560
right after every divorce from michelle
i was a miserable work my kid with 6,000
1011
01:14:13,560 –> 01:14:15,60
miles away in Hawaii
1012
01:14:15,60 –> 01:14:21,720
I you know I i was i was a reclamation
project you know I would you know I she
1013
01:14:21,720 –> 01:14:26,190
looked at a swamp and so yeah I could do
something with that so you know that
1014
01:14:26,190 –> 01:14:31,259
that’s again every good thing that’s
happened in my life for the past 15 20
1015
01:14:31,260 –> 01:14:37,50
years flows from Nancy also flows from
my parents who again when i was at my
1016
01:14:37,50 –> 01:14:43,50
lowest my worse gave me away again it’s
the UH what is it the the Tom Thomas
1017
01:14:43,50 –> 01:14:47,40
Wolfe line and you know defective you
know homes where they have to take you
1018
01:14:47,40 –> 01:14:47,340
in
1019
01:14:47,340 –> 01:14:50,430
you know yet when I was divorced in my
life is crashing down around me that
1020
01:14:50,430 –> 01:14:57,120
they threw open the door again allow me
to come home so i try to remember that I
1021
01:14:57,120 –> 01:14:59,340
tried to remember that one
1022
01:14:59,340 –> 01:15:05,940
I needed people to be kind and generous
they were and I get stitches
1023
01:15:05,940 –> 01:15:10,860
sometimes in today’s world when we are
so cynical or were on deadline er you
1024
01:15:10,860 –> 01:15:15,900
know that’s something it’s easy so easy
to say no and what I would just suggest
1025
01:15:15,900 –> 01:15:20,730
is if you can just trying to remember
you where you are in your life where you
1026
01:15:20,730 –> 01:15:25,559
are in the cruise is somebody saw the
sweaty person on the other side of the
1027
01:15:25,560 –> 01:15:28,20
desk with the bad resume and took the
chance
1028
01:15:28,20 –> 01:15:34,380
ok so just try to remember that i just
it just seems in this internet age where
1029
01:15:34,380 –> 01:15:39,840
it’s facebooking or twittering and
trying to figure out 140 characters how
1030
01:15:39,840 –> 01:15:43,110
we can be mean to one another just be
nicer
1031
01:15:43,110 –> 01:15:49,710
ok so that’s it that there’s there’s be
business as profound as i get folks all
1032
01:15:49,710 –> 01:15:50,640
right
1033
01:15:50,640 –> 01:15:57,360
I think it’s a great message Jim you
watch the plug all your website’s oh god
1034
01:15:57,360 –> 01:16:00,660
okay we’re going on here
1035
01:16:00,660 –> 01:16:04,650
I’m okay we got Jim Hill medium we got
the huffington post where I’m supposed
1036
01:16:04,650 –> 01:16:11,549
to be writing two stories a week at
least I do my podcast with uh you know
1037
01:16:11,550 –> 01:16:16,650
our blend the unofficial guide disney
dish and we’re actually we’re doing our
1038
01:16:16,650 –> 01:16:23,910
first-ever live show actually in
flushing meadows in a couple weeks in
1039
01:16:23,910 –> 01:16:29,370
August sixteenth where we’re going out
there it’s myself lent esta and mike
1040
01:16:29,370 –> 01:16:33,59
newell is joining us for the show and
we’re doing sort of a tribute to the
1041
01:16:33,60 –> 01:16:36,930
50th anniversary of the new york world’s
fair but we’re actually recording it
1042
01:16:36,930 –> 01:16:41,250
with an audience and then putting that
up as a podcast and we’re kind of hoping
1043
01:16:41,250 –> 01:16:46,110
that if that works we can then use this
excuse to go to all these places that
1044
01:16:46,110 –> 01:16:49,49
I’ve always wanted to do shows from let
go to Virginia and do what about
1045
01:16:49,50 –> 01:16:54,780
disney’s America I got a long beach and
talk about court disney and you know so
1046
01:16:54,780 –> 01:16:58,650
we would be really great if this were a
success so if you people want to come
1047
01:16:58,650 –> 01:17:00,179
that’d be cool
1048
01:17:00,180 –> 01:17:04,560
and of course i’m i’m here with Joe on
his show and thank you for inviting me
1049
01:17:04,560 –> 01:17:09,30
this was really nice of you to let me
talk for way too long you are going to
1050
01:17:09,30 –> 01:17:14,730
edit this right like with a hacksaw and
chisel and get it down to three or four
1051
01:17:14,730 –> 01:17:21,179
hours is that the plan now you know
although there is some editing but it
1052
01:17:21,180 –> 01:17:24,180
will probably still be about an hour and
a half
1053
01:17:24,810 –> 01:17:29,880
I apologize to all your people okay
cannot just she you got things to write
1054
01:17:29,880 –> 01:17:33,960
laundry cooking you know just make the
bed i owe you all an hour-and-a-half For
1055
01:17:33,960 –> 01:17:37,950
Your Lives I’m really sorry know it the
pleasure was all mine i really
1056
01:17:37,950 –> 01:17:42,450
appreciate you taking the time to come
on and and even over the time to come on
1057
01:17:42,450 –> 01:17:47,99
the stories are great and the messages
were wonderful i think that a lot of
1058
01:17:47,100 –> 01:17:51,120
people are going to resonate with it and
i hope a lot of people check out your
1059
01:17:51,120 –> 01:17:56,370
website in your work and I you know I
would love to be on August sixteenth
1060
01:17:56,370 –> 01:17:59,370
unfortunately unfortunately but
unfortunately i’ll be on the west coast
1061
01:18:00,920 –> 01:18:04,910
well enjoy the whisk where you going
well because vegas and then to
1062
01:18:04,910 –> 01:18:11,239
California for LA and did my first time
at disneyland as well as my wife very
1063
01:18:11,239 –> 01:18:15,500
cool while well enjoy I mean just take
i’ll be intrigued to hear your thoughts
1064
01:18:16,400 –> 01:18:21,110
I’ve always help the disney world is a
little too big for disneyland it’s just
1065
01:18:21,110 –> 01:18:25,910
it’s the right scale it’s just something
about that it’s so charming that coupled
1066
01:18:25,910 –> 01:18:29,750
with vegas have you done Vegas before no
it’s my first time there to who carried
1067
01:18:29,750 –> 01:18:30,620
him
1068
01:18:30,620 –> 01:18:35,150
ok I think again will love to hear
stories from your experience there I’m
1069
01:18:35,150 –> 01:18:39,739
I’m you know I was just out there for
the licensing show and man that that
1070
01:18:39,739 –> 01:18:44,000
town it’s just you just I feel like they
just leave could just pick up your
1071
01:18:44,000 –> 01:18:47,660
ankles and shake you for well your money
follows a lot we leave you alone you
1072
01:18:47,660 –> 01:18:52,730
know just just raising them anyway thank
you again this was a treat to the show
1073
01:18:52,730 –> 01:18:58,669
and again please edit it I’m swear to
God get a hacksaw to try to get it down
1074
01:18:58,670 –> 01:19:00,860
to at least five hours
1075
01:19:00,860 –> 01:19:05,509
all right dentist ok no I will try my
best I promise
1076
01:19:05,510 –> 01:19:10,370
alright thank you can joke thank you
thank you thank you for joining us for
1077
01:19:10,370 –> 01:19:13,630
this episode of the dreamers podcast
1078
01:19:13,630 –> 01:19:19,480
follow us on twitter and dreamers
podcast join us on facebook at
1079
01:19:19,480 –> 01:19:25,929
facebook.com slash dreamers podcast if
you or someone you know would like to be
1080
01:19:25,930 –> 01:19:32,650
a guest on the dreamers podcast please
send an email to j @j par . co this
1081
01:19:32,650 –> 01:19:36,700
podcast is copyright 2014 by j parr .
cone