Coconuts (Ian James Corlett) Interview

1. Did you enjoy playing Coconuts?

IJC: Oh boy did I! I always list the little monkey as one of the favourite characters that I've played.

2. What was your motivation and reason for why you chose that voice?

IJC: Up until then, that was my go-to funny little guy" voice. But really, it's never me that chooses the voice. It's the director and producers!

3. What did you think of your fellow cast member's performances?

IJC: That was such a fun show to work on. We were known as the terrible three. By we I mean Garry Chalk, Phil Hayes and myself. Poor Long John just had to put up with us. It was like he was the only good kid in class.

4. Would you like to see AOSTH back on the airwaves?

IJC: Love to.

5. What was it like working for DIC?

IJC: Great. Mostly because the front line people where great. By front line I mean the voice director Paul Quinn and his assistant Shirley. He's one of my favourite directors to work with. But again, they were crazy sessions. The poor guy was like a lion tamer at the circus with us.

6. What was the involvement of Sega from your perspective?

IJC: Nil as far as I could tell.

7. How would you describe your experiences working with the team?

IJC: As I mentioned earlier, it was a really REALLY fun show to work on. So many crazy stories and out-takes came out of that series. Like the time Garry Chalk had to burp on cue (which I something I do all the time and usually "burp-double" for people who can't). He asked for a can of Coke to help him work one up. Well he did, and when the tape was rolling he read the line which was to follow-up with a BURRRRRRP! but instead it came out as a part-burp/gag/throw-up of Coke foam all over his music stand. You can hear us jump back and away as he FOAMED UP everywhere. It's a really funny peice of tape!

8. Have you worked with anyone from the show since 1993?

IJC: Loads. I worked with Garry extensively in a show called BEASTWARS from the Transformers guys. And I don't work with Phil too much since he relocated to Los Angeles. But I hired him to work on my show BEING IAN a couple of years ago to play a whacked out German film director, and just recently he came back to Vancouver to play "The King" in Dinosaur Train, which me and BOTH my children are voices in. My son plays the lead, BUDDY and may daughter plays TINY. They are co-stars! Oh, and "the King" who Phil played sounded suspiciously like Elvis Presley and he does a fantastic job!

9. What's your favorite biscuit?

IJC: Peak Freen Fruit Cremes, the ones with the jam in the centre hole.

Thank you for your time.

IJC: You are most welcome!!