Ask Futurama Star Billy West About...?

In case you haven't heard, Futurama is coming back — in like 2008, so don't go channel-flipping in hope quite yet. This is the first interview Billy West (who voices Fry, Prof. Farnsworth, Zapp Brannigan, Zoidberg, and other Futurama characters) has done since the announcement. Realize, too, that Billy has also been the voices of Ren and Stimpy and hundreds of other animated characters over the years, and old-school Howard Stern fans will remember that part of his career, too. Ask Billy about anything you like; we'll send him 10 top-moderated questions (and maybe he'll answer a few extra ones of his choice, too). We expect to post his answers Wednesday, the day after Freedom Day's 21st Century predecessor, the 4th of July (which, sadly, is not known for nude hot tub parties). Meanwhile, to tide you over, here's a little MP3 voice montage Billy did in his home studio just for Slashdot.

Comments

Futurama Flavored Humor

[eldavojohn]

I can think of a lot of things I'd like to ask him. Pick which ever one seems best.

First I'll state my question in the form of a question: What do you think it is that gives Futurama such a unique kind of humor? Do you think that only a small part of the population finds Futurama funny?

More specifically, I enjoy the humor in Futurama. Maybe it's because I'm a nerd and appreciate the N-NP references or maybe it's because I read a lot and I like obscure references (or perhaps even the two are inherently married). What I can't seem to understand is why I like Futurama so much.

You do a great job on the voices and the writing is pretty good. But every so often there will just be these little "intellectual" jokes left and right that just make me laugh every time I see them. Some shows try to be scientific and just dribble the facts down the leg of their pants. It annoys me to no end. Futurama seems to manage to make fun of itself and in the process keep me entertained.

I don't want to sound like a snob but I wonder if Futurama suffers from being too genre or personality specific. Does it target only graduate level people with its nerdy humor?
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I'd also like to ask a second question: Do you select what shows you work on by their quality?

You've been in a lot of my favorite shows as a voice actor ever since I was a kid. I've also noticed that from your IMDB entry that you really stick to some genuinely funny shows. There are some where I've never found the shows funny but that's just me. I've always wondered if you only like to do shows that you yourself find funny. Do you think that many people in your business do this? I mean, assuming you're not starving and dying for work.
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Third question: Why do you think Futurama was cancelled?
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Fourth Question: What were your favorite voices you've done? What were your most hated?
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Fifth Question: When you're approached to do a voice for a show, how is the type of voice (sound, texture, pitch, etc) determined? Is there a line of people ready to do their interpretation of a character? Do you come up with your own idea based on the character's personality and then sit there refining it with the show's creators/writers? What does this process entail? Do you think of someone you know with the same personality and mimic their voice as a base for the character? If not, where do you get your ideas from?
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Sixth Question: What made you want to do voice acting as a profession? It must not be very glamorous if the only way a fan could recognize you is by your voice, why'd you choose it?
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Seventh Question: What exercises (if any) do you use to warm up your voice when you perform? Is it just something you're naturally good at or do you go through daily techniques and practicing like a musician or singer?
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Eighth Question: Have you ever used computer enhancements for your voices? Does this ever occur?

What is your favourite character to synchronize?

[Anonymous Coward]

What is your favourite character from Futurama to synchronize? Which one from other shows?

- kRemit

Copyright permission?

[Manip]

Do you have copyright permission to use the Futurama theme in that sound recording you made? ... And are you scared of the RIAA?

Getting in the Biz

[The Iconoclast]

I've always been good at doing goofy voices and what not. I was a real hit with my younger cousins and kids I babysat, and it has always been a secret dream of mine to get my name in the "With the voices of" section of a cartoon, if only once. How does one break into voiceacting? Do you have any advice for an aspiring voice actor?

Your projects

[AiY]

I saw something a few months back about a project you were trying to get off the ground called "Billy Bastard - Amateur Human Being". It sounded like a great premise and promised me something better than most television. Any updates? Air dates? General info?

Question number plz99

[ak_hepcat]

Who are some of your favorite voice actors to work with, obviously not limited to just the Futurama cast,
and what are your favorite moments or stories with them?

Re:Question number plz99

[dr_dank]

This leads to a bigger question: does Billy actually get to work with his castmates? Especially on an ensamble show like the Simpsons, its extremely common to have voice actors record their bits at different studios or at different times of day.

When the cast of the Simpsons did "Inside the Actors Studio" a couple of years ago, they joked that that was one of the few times in the run of the series that the cast was all in the same room together at the same time.

Guidance and Backstory...

[RyanFenton]

As a voice actor, what level of input do you prefer when chosing between jobs? Do you prefer to fully understand the universe you project a character into with as much information as your clients can provide, or do you prefer to focus on just what you need to know?

How much of a role do you like to play in shaping the worlds you play a part in?

Similarly, what level of informational feedback do you think is appropriate from producers?

Ryan Fenton

Well...

[Black Parrot]

Leela or Amy?

Who is returning?

[Anonymous Coward]

Besides the excellent voice talent, who else is coming back for the next run? The writing was great on Futurama, and many people are concerned about the quality of the show if the writers don't return. Will most of the original writers be returning?

New Series: Writers

[justinstreufert]

Billy --

We've heard a lot about the original voice actors who are returning to Futurama. This is great, and I believe it is absolutely essential to the success of the new season. However, what about the other staff? Are the writers of the Fox episodes returning for the new season? Is there anyone who isn't coming back to the show who you'll miss?

Thanks! Can't wait for the new season!! Can I be cryogenically frozen until 2008?

Phil Hartman

[Oliver Defacszio]

Hey there, Thanks for doing this interview. The character of Zapp Brannigan was apparently created specifically for Phil Hartman, and the style of voice that you use for this character has a ton of similarities to how Hartman performed his Simpsons character voices. Did you purposely take on Hartman's swaggery vocal style as a tribute or something, or is it just what suited the Brannigan character the best? Thanks again.

Re:Phil Hartman

[Old Grey Beard]

Speaking of Phil Hartman, Have The Simpsons producers approached you about voicing Troy McClure, or conversely have you approached them? Phil's death, while tragic, should not be the end of Troy McClure any more than (say) Yeardley Smith's death (heaven forbid!) would mean the end of Lisa Simpson. Put another way Would you voice Troy McClure if The Simpsons producers offered you the role?

Other cartoons he watches?

[88NoSoup4U88]

What other cartoon do you really enjoy? And what cartoon (either classic, or still being made) would you like to do voices for? And of course, why?

And keep up the good work.

Hello Billy

[palad1]

Can I axe you a couple of questions ?

Did you get a chance to listen to any international version of Futurama, and what did you think of the performance of the voice actors?

Which brings me to the following question: Did you ever do voiceovers for a foreign production, say, a turkish sitcom , and if so, what kind were the challenges you were faced with?

Cheers,
Palad1,
Foreigner

"Pirates"

[TheRequiem13]

How you you (not your eomployers) feel about consumers downloading episodes of Futurama and watching them on their personal computers or portable media player of choice?
In particular, I mean those that pay for cable TV, but don't enjoy being bombarded with ads interupting the shows every 5 minutes, and find major network schedules highly restrictive.

Voice alterations

[MagicDude]

How do you (and other voice actors) go about fine tuning the voices you use? The voice of the professor in the first few episodes of futurama is somewhat different than the voice that the professor had for most of the series. I imagine there was similar tweaking of other characters as well, but they aren't as noticiable to an untrained listner such as I. How do you decide what kind of tweaking is needed in the voices as a series progresses? Is it personal preference, or are you directed to change the voice based on viewer feedback?

Voices

[Robotron23]

I have a relatively simple, but vital question for Billy:

Way back when Futurama began in 1999, did the creators and producers specify fairly specifically how they wanted your various parts to sound? Or did you maintain a relative degree of autonomy when coming up with all the great voices we know and love?

Can't wait for the new episodes; if they are nearly as good as the 3rd and 4th seasons we'll all be grateful. The simple, sardonic humor and geek references can draw on so many new phenomena of the past three years. Let's hope the cynicism is utterly dispeled and that Futurama hasn't even thought about the shark, let alone jumped it as some persons say.

Writing

[captnitro]

Do/did you ever get to work with the writers on material, or improvise something on your own that makes it into the show? It seems like separating the inherent humor of many of the voices (Zoidberg comes to mind) and the way they speak, and the written material itself, would be hard.

A question for Billy West.

[roryrhorerton]

Having been taken off the air and brought back years later, do you fear a decline in quality in new episodes of Futurama? (A condition known as Family Guy Syndrome?) Is it better to end a series while it is still fresh, or to risk a decline is quality in order to bring something to the fans that still has life in it? (That's not two questions, that's one question in two parts)

The Web

[ThePolkapunk]

You're one of the few actors I know of with a web site that includes the actor's involvment. How import do you think this has been in your career and continued fame? Do you think this will become important for all successful actors to have?

How important do you feel the internet has been in the success of Futurama? I know there are tons references to fan posting's and web sites on the Futurama DVD's. Do you think Futurama episodes online contributed to the continuing success of Futurama after it was cancelled? I'm sure there are plenty of people who weren't significantly exposed to Futurama until the episodes began making their way online...

Production Values

[Lave]

One of the first things I noticed with Futurama was the quality of the animation, sound and the whole kit and kaboodle. Clearly it's an expensive show - to what extent was that due to the money being flung at it? Will there be an inssue maintaining this quality?

P.S. - I don't care if there is - crayon drawings will do if it gets to come back.

P.P.S. - Slashdot hosting an mp3? Can slashdot slashdot itself?

Actor vs. Voice Actor ... where's the hipness?

[soren42]

So, answer the question Tress always avoids...

Does being a famous, well-known, prolific voice actor get you the kudos, bennies, fame, and fortune being a live-action (TV/Movie) actor does?

You've worked with many, know many (I'm certain), and probably have a lot of exposure to the Hollywood "scene" - and no doubt have an opinion on this. In short, does being Fry get you the babes? :)

Seriously, that's a little tongue-in-cheek, but do you actually have a similar public life to Katey Sagal? Good - instant recognition, fan mobs, free swag, etc. - and bad - instant recognition, fan mobs, constantly being asked for autographs and free swag, etc.?

Thanks - love your work, especially the way you bring zoidberg's understated, self-deprecating humor to life with your portrayal. Glad to have you back from syndication!

Your voice?

[DamienMcKenna]

What does your normal voice sound like? Given that you've done so many different character voices, do you ever get stuck and "forget" what your normal voice is supposed to be? Silly bonus question: if you forgot what your normal voice was supposd to be, which of the many character voices do you think you'd like to have instead?

Damien

Leave it at the beep

[El_Smack]

What's the message on your answering machine?

Where do voice actors hang out?

[FrenchSilk]

Is there a voice actor bar somewhere in Hollywood where you and guys like Jim Cummings, Mark Hamill, Dan Castellaneta, Hank Azaria, and Seth McFarlane sit around, tip a few, speak in character, and mock Issac Hayes?

Sirius

[dr_dank]

Has Howard Stern or any other representative of Sirius Satellite radio approached you about doing a show there?

How was the show written?

[futuretaikonaut]

I am interested in learning about the writing process of a typical Futurama episode. Given the obscure nature of some of the more geek-prone jokes (e.g. "Announcer: ...and horse X finishes in a quantum finish! Farnworth: No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!"), it would seem that the writers of the show were more inclined to make inside jokes for geeks than for a more mainstream audience. Was it difficult to find a balance between the two audiences? Where there producers who allowed you such leeway? What would you suggest for artists and writers who want to create things that appeal to niche audiences and yet can still be accessible to the masses?

Home Studio?

[ickypoo]

Billy,

Given the sound quality of that montage, it would appear that your 'home studio' is actually the voice mail on your cell phone.

But seriously. I just watched the documentary "My Date With Drew", and was treated to a nice little segment with an appearance by (I believe) voiceover artist George Del Hoyo. We get to see his home studio: a computer, a microphone, some preamps and compressors. What *is* your home studio like? Do you record at home often, or in roundtables with other actors? What microphone do you find suits your voice best? Do you have a favorite piece of recording equipment?

Character voice ownership?

[wulfbyte]

Billy, Do you retain ownership of the voice characterizations you create or does that go to your employer?

Queue the "over-your-head" gesture . . . WHOOOOSH!

[Yocto Yotta]

eldavojohn, if that's his real name, is refering to things discussed here, and, wait . . . OMG, by George, right here!. Read the articles reported on so kindly by /. and you'll understand which humor he's refering to. Funny (to me at least, I'm sure not you), your post rather answers his own question well.

PS - don't call people idiots, sir. That's really really mean.