Standish913.com has been blessed to do an exclusive interview with...
"JESS HARNELL"!
Hey Christopher, it's Jess Harnell. I just want to say thank you very much for reaching out for the interview. I wish you luck with your channel and it seems like you're doing some great things. Let's get started!
STANDISH: You voiced "Chilly" in "Doc McStuffins", can you tell us more...
JESS: Doc McStuffins I was so grateful for because it really helped a lot of young kids feel more comfortable about going to the doctor and not so scared if they got sick. So I was happy to be part of that.
Basically Chris you know any time you get to voice a major character like that it's just a huge blessing in a real gift, because hopefully it can impact people's lives in a happy, positive way and make them smile which is really a kind of know what I'm all about at the end of the day.
STANDISH: You voice "Crash Bandicoot" in video games, TV series & more, how'd you land this amazing role and what's it like being apart of such a great legacy?
JESS: Crash Bandicoot obviously I think it's fantastic because so many people have played those games for so long. It's like whenever I meet somebody who loves Crash I always say that it's like we've been friends for years because we've been playing together for years ya know?
STANDISH: You voiced "Ghost Knight", "Jimmy the Gardner" & more in different "Scooby Doo" projects, tell us how that feels and also how you landed these?
JESS: As far as the Scooby Doo stuff is always a pleasure! I've even got to do Shaggy for something but I don't member what it was. In any time you take on a legacy character like that from your own childhood it makes you smile because there's that connection you know?
STANDISH: You voiced "Ironhide" in many "Transformers" projects, can you tell us more?
JESS: Transformers was fantastic! I actually didn't know what I was auditioning for the first time that I recorded for that, but then I found out it was Transformers and I'm very happy to be a part of that franchise and legacy too. I can tell you it was funny because they wanted an English accent. I always wonder why there are so many English accents in space, much less coming from a robot.
STANDISH: You voiced "Wakko Warner" in "Animaniacs", tell us more about how you landed this awesome role...
JESS: As far as Wacko Warner, that was my first really big series that I ever got. Before Animaniacs and that came about as when I did the call back, we were just trying all kinds of different impressions and somebody said how about the Beetles? And, I said yea how about them, I love those guys! So that's how we arrived at Wacko sounded like Wacko you know which is pretty cool. He sounded like a beetle on helium.
STANDISH: What was it like working with Adam Sandler's movie "Little Nicky" as "Gary the Monster"? How'd you land this role?
JESS: You mentioned working with Adam Sander or Little Nicky, I landed that with an addition. Adam couldn't have been nicer. In fact my wife and I ran into him in a hollywood restaurant recently and again couldn't have been nicer. It's always nice, always great to see a nice person become so successful because man you know the world needs nice people right? Right!
STANDISH: What's it feel like being apart of the "Tom & Jerry" legacy?
JESS: I'm just very grateful to be a part of that as well as a lots of other things that hopefully do have a legacy or will have a legacy as years go by. Sometimes we work on shows, and we don't know that they're going to be as impactful as they are until a years later, so I consider that a real honor.
STANDISH: With me being born & raised in Kansas, I see you've landed several "Wizard Of Oz" projects, how'd those come about and do you have any history in Kansas yourself?
JESS: Yes, I have and I love that. That's my favorite movie of all time, so how cool is that Chris? I got to be the lion, so I love doing that. It came about again through auditions and the fact that I think I had a little advantage or of a secret weapon and that I got lion hair and, I know the movie like the back of my hand so I came and very prepared. Don't have any history in Kansas myself except passing through the state which of course as you know is beautiful and I met a lot of nice people there so I'm happy about that.
STANDISH: If you could play one specific voiceover/role today, what would it be?
JESS: I would have to go with Batman. I've loved Batman since I was a kid and haven't had the chance yet to play him, but hopefully one day I will. I would love to do that, just because it's a part of my own childhood.
STANDISH: Can you tell us a little about your overall mission, Jess?
JESS: Well, that's a good question, Chris. I like that. My overall mission is to be a good man. I want to be a good Christian. I want to be a good husband. I want to be a good man. And all those things come into play in my daily life. Hopefully, a part of being a good man is just, you know, taking a minute whenever possible to make somebody else feel good because the light that we shine on other people always seems to reflect the most brightly on ourselves. So I just kind of go through my life. I try to be nice, and I hope I agree. That's my wish that everybody would do that because the world is a brighter and happier place.
STANDISH: You're in a band called "Rock Sugar", can you tell us more about this?
JESS: Yes, I am! Rock Sugar took off in a big way. For those of you who haven't checked it out you can go to RockSugarBand.com or to hear the music you can go to youtube and just put in a Rock Sugar. If you like anything about the eighties you will love this man and I say that with no ego because if I had nothing to do with it, it would be my favorite band just cause it's so much a darn fun. Basically what we do is we take eighties metal songs from artists like Metallica, AC/DC and heavy bands like that and then I sing pop songs by artists like Journey, Madonna, Paula Abdul and stuff like that over these heavy rock songs and create mashups. As far as I know we were one of the first bands to do that live and it took on a life of its own. It really became a big deal, on which I'm very blessed and grateful for we got to play in front of ten and thousands of people, and opened up for bands like Aerosmith, AC/DC, Deaf Leppard and a lot of bands that I loved when I was a kid. So that was pretty awesome! We just put out a second album last year, no actually like three years ago now that I think of it. Time flies man and you can get that album on Rocksugarband.com and I even if you don't get it check it out on youtube, guarantee it'll make you smile and if you play it at a party your friends will think they're drinking a whole lot more than they are cause it's full of surprises.
STANDISH: What can we look forward to in the future from you?
JESS: Man, hopefully more of the same. You know it's like I've been doing this, like so many of the great people that I work with, have been doing it for a very long time, and every year that we get to do it again is a huge gift and I don't take it lightly.
In the meantime, you know hopefully new projects will continue to come up and they do. I'm working on a few series right now that I can't say too much about but hopefully people will love them. You know more of the same, more music and if we ever have the pleasure of meeting you or any of the people reading or listening to this interview hopefully a lot more smiles, that's a good thing!
STANDISH: Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
JESS: Again basically just doing my thing man, and my thing. My world has gotten a little smaller since I think 2020. I met my wife shortly before that time and at this point my favorite thing to do is just stay home. I'm not you know the oldest guy in the world but I love just being at home under a blanket with my girl and our kitties, watching movies, watching tv, reading, taking walks and going to great restaurants. And in five years hopefully more of the same, as well as some more you know cool credits to be proud of but I am already so lucky and so blessed to have the list that I do. You can check that on IMDB, I always forget the stuff that I worked on and then people read and I had no idea you worked on that, I said yet neither and I forgot.
STANDISH: Who were some of your mentors?
JESS: Well God is a big one, Jesus is a big one, Dale Carnegie is a big one. Dale Carnegie wrote a book called How to win friends and influence people, that changed my life. If you haven't read it, it will change yours, it's all about how to just get along with people, which when you think about it is maybe the most valuable skill you can have in the workplace or in your personal life. In voice over I would say my animaniacs co-stars because it was my first series, Rob Paulson, Tres McNeil, Frank Welker, people like that. Also Jim Cummings I worked with Jim you know when he was the star of a couple of shows that I guested on and I watched him work and was so impressed and I still am.
STANDISH: During COVID, we all faced struggles, what was one of your main struggles?
JESS: During covid we all faced struggles, what was one of your main struggles? My biggest struggle during covid because I was happy as a clam because I got to be at home with my girl which as I said above is to a favorite spot of mine. My means one of my the biggest struggle I think I had was feeling bad for other people. I consider myself a compassionate person and I saw lots of people lose their businesses, lose their restaurants, lose their stores. These are independent stores and restaurants not the mega stores that you now seem to come through just fine, but that really made me sad. Made me sad to see kids miss their friends and feel secluded and not get to go to their proms or graduations or events that they otherwise would have been able to go to. I felt very sad and I was really happy when it was over.
STANDISH: Where can fans find your work?
JESS: First of all I never use the word fans to describe myself. I look at it like their friends because they support me and that's what friends do. They can find it anywhere! I have had the extreme good fortune of being featured on almost of every big animate animated project in a long for a long long time and even like I said early or I'm surprised sometimes to see my name because I forgot I worked on them., but I did and if you just google me or go to imdb you'll find all that stuff I'm all over it, youtube with a Rock Sugar and other things and you never have to look too far which is kind of nice.
STANDISH: Anything you'd like to include here?
JESS: Anything I'd like to include yes, I just want to say that I wish everybody out there all the best and that they continue to be happy and make a other people happy and do their best, because we only got one shot of this thing and it's not a dress rehearsal so let's make it fun on less make it count.
STANDISH: What are your social links?
JESS: My social links are...
Instagram @JessHarnell_
Facebook @TherealJessHarnell
Twitter @Jessharnell
Also I would like to include that there's a little Instagram page that my wife and I created @harnellevision and that's on Instagram. All it is, is like two to three minute wishes and like advice and input and experiences that we've had. That we hoped might benefit other people. It's free, it's quick, and from what I've heard it adds a bright spot to people's days so if you're looking for something or you're looking for a little you know being uplifted this is a good place to find it we hope. And if you like it all we ask is that you share it with your friends who might use a positive word on a sometimes negative day, you know?
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Thanks so much for your time!
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