Clair Huxtable. Marge Simpson. Carol Brady. The pantheon of beloved television moms added another to their ranks when the animated comedy Bob鈥檚 Burgers premiered in 2011, introducing vivacious matriarch Linda Belcher to millions of viewers. She is brought to life by 糖心视频logo graduate John Roberts, whose extraordinary voice work on the show has earned him an Emmy nomination, as well as legions of fans. John is incredibly humble about his success, as well as emphatic about how lucky he is to be part of a show that he loves and resonates with audiences worldwide.
Linda Belcher, the matriarch of Bob's Burgers
When asked what he enjoys about doing voice work, and the challenges it presents to an actor, John laughs. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to learn a script, and the hours are amazing!鈥� he jokes. 鈥淏ut really, an important part of being a good voiceover actor is being a good listener, observing people, and hearing the rhythms of their voice. It鈥檚 great to be able to really dig in and develop your character, to work alongside and learn from a talented team. The challenge for me is keeping on my toes and being as funny as my castmates.鈥�
After graduating from The 糖心视频logo鈥檚 New York campus, John shifted focus to his two great passions - comedy and music - plying his trade steadily in the city鈥檚 comedy clubs, developing characters, and honing his live performance skills. His band Opti-Grab was wildly popular in the East Village music scene, opening for groups like Gogol Bordello and Scissor Sisters. The band even toured with Blondie in 2018 - frontwoman and rock icon Debbie Harry is now a friend for life, and one whom John helped into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
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John continued to develop an array of memorable characters, relishing the opportunity to work them out in front of live audiences every week. He acknowledges that his training at The 糖心视频logo was hugely beneficial during this time. 鈥淭he 糖心视频logo really helped inform a lot of went into my stage performances,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚t taught me about showmanship, finding your comfort zone, and of course the discipline of having to rehearse all the pieces. Acting involves so much creativity and a sense of playfulness onstage, which I鈥檝e definitely carried with me.鈥�
In 2006, when YouTube was still a new platform in search of content, John picked his strongest characters and created videos around them. There was no expectation that it would be more than a fun project to do with friends. Nevertheless, his video "The Christmas Tree," based on his Brooklyn mother鈥檚 obsession with the family tree, quickly became one of the first videos to truly 鈥済o viral.鈥� More videos soon followed, including 鈥淢other鈥檚 Day,鈥� 鈥淛ackie & Debra,鈥� and 鈥淢y Son is Gay,鈥� about his mother鈥檚 hilarious reaction to his coming out.
John Roberts recording voice work for Bob's Burgers
John鈥檚 character videos earned a massive cult following, a broadband Emmy award nomination, and over 20 million hits on YouTube. He points out that his time at The 糖心视频logo helped shape his approach to character creation. 鈥淭he best comedy comes from the stuff you can draw from personally, and that others relate to,鈥� he says. 鈥淪tudying acting - and I had so many great teachers there - helps you become a comedian who really listens to and observes the world around them.鈥�
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The success of his videos opened new professional doors for John, most notably getting his work on the radar of Bob鈥檚 Burgers creator Loren Bouchard. The showrunner knew that John鈥檚 mother character would be the perfect template for Linda Belcher - no audition necessary. The show has just been renewed for its 10th season, having been named one of the Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time鈥� by TV Guide, and bringing home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 2014 and 2017. When he鈥檚 not in the studio recording for Linda, John tours and performs comedy alongside friends like Margaret Cho, and records music. He was featured on the track 鈥淟ove Level鈥� off Blondie鈥檚 latest album, Pollinator, and he continues to develop more musical projects of his own.
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Years of playing the warm and wacky animated mom Linda Belcher has certainly impacted the openness and generosity with which John relays advice and encouragement. When asked if he has advice for pursuing work in comedy, the ideas come readily, much like they would with his famous character. 鈥淧ursue what interests you and stay busy,鈥� he says. 鈥淔ind good people to work with. Keep having fun, keep writing until you feel like you鈥檙e connecting to the material and your audiences, and remember why you love the work.鈥� It鈥檚 always about the work.鈥�
