Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Middlemost Post’s Becky Robinson

Becky Robinson is an LA-based comedian, writer, actor, and voiceover star who’s bringing the laughs in film, television, and on the stage.

This July, she lends her voice to the must-see new Nickelodeon series, Middlemost Post, which marks the network’s first original animated show in over five years!

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Becky about her multifaceted career, Middlemost Post, and why the show is coming out at the perfect time.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts, storytelling, and comedy?
Becky: I was the youngest of three. I always had an audience. I always felt the need to tap-dance and perform for them. [laughs]

From a young age, I loved performing. I was a gymnast growing up, so I think a lot of it came from sports too. Anytime I was nervous, I found that laughing my way through it was very helpful. That was a big part of my childhood. I also liked to do impressions of movies that I probably shouldn’t have seen as a kid. [laughs]

Then I took some theater classes. I loved filming things and wearing wigs and stuff like that. It wasn’t until I went to college that I was like, “I’m doing this.” There’s actually a video of me as a kid where I planned out my whole life. I said, “First, I’m going to be a gymnast. Then I’m going to be a comedian. When I get really old, like thirty, I’m going to do hair.” Now I’m thirty. [laughs]

So I think from a young age I knew that I was going to be a comic. It wasn’t until my twenty-first birthday that my sister pushed me on stage at the Comedy Store in La Jolla. It was the first time I ever did stand-up. I was like, “I have to do this forever.” That was it. My mom was the one who kept on me about diving into voiceover. She was like, “You have a scratchy voice like me. You should do voiceover.” It took over five years of auditioning before anything happened, but I’m thankful that she pushed me into that world. It’s such an interesting profession. It’s very competitive. Learning how to do voiceover has become a whole new form of art.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Becky: I have to say definitely my family and Mike Myers. I’m very much a product of my family’s humor. My dad’s really funny. My mom’s really quick-witted. From a young age, they were always joking around and telling funny stories. When I actually first started doing stand-up, my parents called me crying. They were mad. They were like, “This is so embarrassing.” I was like, “This is your guys’ fault! You’re the reason I’m this way.” [laughs] I couldn’t believe that they didn’t comprehend that.

I grew up loving Mike Myers and Robin Williams. I watched movies like Austin Powers and Wayne’s World. I was enamored. I loved how Mike Myers could transform himself. That was something I really loved from a young age. I grew up watching Robin Williams and Mike Myers transform into characters like Mrs. Doubtfire, Dr. Evil, Austin Powers, Fat Bastard. I wanted to do that. I’ve always incorporated wigs and transformations into my stage performances whenever I could. I really like to become other characters. As I’m training to become those characters, I’ll put on different wigs and go out in public and live a day in their shoes, finding their voice and their little quirks.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success throughout your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Becky: The times I bombed. [laughs] Those are the moments that stand out. The times I was getting off the stage after bombing and running home to cry. A lot of the time, it doesn’t work out.

With my voiceover work, if I’m auditioning, it’s go big or go home. A lot of the time, they’re like, “Thanks so much. That’s nothing like what we wanted.” But there are times when it does work out.

I remember auditioning for Wild ‘n Out. You feel the energy in the room. You know when a joke lands and you’re like, “Something magical happened.” The same thing with Middlemost Post. I actually auditioned for a different character. I went in to audition for the magical walrus, which didn’t have any lines, just sound effects. [laughs] It was making sounds of a walrus getting beat up. I was like, “Okay. How the hell do I do that?” I was punching myself trying to get those noises. They were like, “Okay, cool. Could you actually come in and audition for Parker?”

I remember being like, “Oh yeah. That’s perfect.” It’s neither a boy nor a girl. It transforms into anything and is full of energy and emotion and has an older father figure in August who teaches it all these life lessons. I feel I found that voice really quickly. I went in and I knew exactly what to do. It’s moments like that when you feel something special happening. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, it’s special.

Middlemost Post

PC: What was it about Middlemost Post that stood out to you?
Becky: The creators were so cool. Dave [H. Johnson] and John [Trabbic] are so funny. They were down for anything. They immediately made me feel comfortable. Plus, it’s Nickelodeon! It’s the most colorful building I’ve ever stepped foot inside. From the second I stepped in there, I felt at home.

I also love that Parker represents the rainbow after the storm. The show is meant to bring joy, laughter, heart, and emotion after such a hard year. I’m glad that it’s out because the show is a ball of happiness and we all need that right now. Kids especially after having to do homeschool over Zoom.

I love this character so much. I love that it can transform whenever it wants. I love that it’s not a boy or a girl. It leads with emotions and loves people no matter what. That really stuck out to me. From the get-go, it reminded me of what I do on stage. I love that Parker is the young, naive one in the crew. I’ve always felt like that too because I’m the youngest in my family. I relate a lot to Parker.

PC: You and John [DiMaggio] have incredible chemistry. How were you able to build that remotely?
Becky: I remember when we did the pilot, I was so intimidated by him. He has this OG swagger. He knows it too. He’s been in this business for twenty-five years. He’s so confident and comfortable. Being on Zoom, they always budgeted for longer recording sessions than we needed. We would always goof around for the first thirty minutes. We were doing a recording yesterday, and we were laughing constantly. We started following each other on Instagram and we’ve gotten so much closer. We’re all on Zoom, the dogs come in, our family members are coming in, we’re bringing quesadillas and coffee. [laughs]

You end up meeting everyone’s family. You see their pets in their homes. There’s just a level of comfortability that we have being on Zoom. We really got to know each other through those sessions.

When the guys have us improvise, it’s the best. John has done so many characters. He teaches character classes. We have a lot in common and I have so much respect for him. He’s so positive and cool to work with. I’m in awe of him every time that we record. It feels like I’m working with a mentor every time we record. I learned so much from him. It’s been so cool.

It’s funny. At first, I didn’t realize we were working on the same show. Everyone was texting me and they were like, “You’re working with John DiMaggio! What?” I’m like, “Oh my God. I’m working with a legend.” I’m glad I didn’t know his whole career before we started recording because I would have been so nervous. I probably would have said something dumb. He’s just so cool. He’s Italian and he’s loud. My family’s Italian as well. He just makes me feel so comfortable. He always has us laughing.

To keep up with Becky, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Middlemost Post on Nickelodeon.