Merry Christmas, CineDumpers! How's everyone doing after the break? Well, daddy is back with an interview that is best served hot. If the title hasn't given it away yet, of course, I'm referring to the one and only Drake Bell! The voice of Spider-Man and I had a lovely discussion about an assortment of topics. Shit. Why the fuck didn't I ask him about Spider-Man?
Like most of the people I get it chance to talk with, they're extremely talented, and Drake is no exception. However, it wasn't until I started digging that I realized how busy this guy truly is. Which probably explains why he doesn't make time to go to the movies, don't worry, we'll get there. Enough rambling, on to the speed round!
Drake Bell: Jessie!
Jessie Hobson: Hey, what's going on, Drake, man?
DB: Chillin.
JH: Hey man, so, in Bad Kids of Crestview Academy you play Ben. How is he different than any other character you've played before?
DB: Well, this character is a tech genius guy, so I've definitely never played that. I usually play sort of the, kind of the dim-witted cool guy, ya know? So, this is pretty interesting cause I had to say, a lot of it I definitely didn't understand.
JH: Well, it definitely has an eclectic cast. I don't mean that in the wrong way, because it is a great cast. Speaking of which, Sean Astin is in this, what's it like working so closely with him?
DB: I mean, I've known Sean for years. I've, met him, probably, I mean, God, I must have been... ten or eleven the first time we met. Ya know, I've been acquaintances throughout the years and stuff. So, ya know, it's awesome to get on set with people you're familiar with and that you know so it's not... ya know, it just makes the scene feel comfortable and very easy to get right into work.
JH: Okay, so, looking back at the time when you first met Sean, like, are you more of like a Lord of the Rings guy, or a Rudy guy, or like... how did you first approach Sean when you encountered him?
DB: Nah, I mean, I was definitely from the 80s early 90s generation. Yeah, I haven't even seen Lord of the Rings, so...
JH: Okay.
DB: It was much more from his work as a kid, ya know? That was the stuff that I grew up on, and that was my memories of him. Ya know?
JH: See, for me, I'm more of an Encino Man guy, so... I would totally...
DB: Oh, exactly! That's what I'm talking about. Encino Man was one of my favorite movies growing up, I've probably seen that movie shh, a hundred times. That was my generation, so it's funny when people are like Sean Astin from Lord of the Rings and I'm like... or, you put the same thing with Can't Buy Me Love and Grey's Anatomy. Like, I've never seen an episode of Grey's Anatomy, but I've seen Can't Buy Me Love enough that that's how I know Patrick Dempsey, ya know?
JH: No, I hear that too. I totally get that. Speaking of the cast, and revisiting cast... this isn't the first time you've worked with Sammi, correct?
DB: No, it's not. Yep, she worked on Drake and Josh, and I think she was a little... eight years old.
JH: Yeah.
DB: So, yeah she came on and played a little character. And it was so funny, I guess, when I went to do this film, we hadn't seen each other since Drake and Josh and I was like hey, you look really familiar. Were you on Drake and Josh? And she was like, yeah, years ago, when I was eight! How do you even remember? I'm like yeah, cause you look so familiar and she's like I can not believe that you remembered that I was on that show, like, I was a baby. Ya know, so funny.
JH: So, like Drake and Josh, you worked on some of the soundtrack for this particular film. Did that help you secure the role, or was it sort of a package deal sort of thing? How did that kind of work out ultimately?
DB: Ya know, it just kind of happened naturally. You get on set and you start hanging out with the producers. I was working on some music at the time, and the song I was working on was called Bitch Craft which had sort of a very big witchy, kind of, old-school... kind of new... I was playing that to kind of let them hear it. Ya know, this is some music I've been working on, what do you guys think? Not to try to pitch it for the movie or anything, just trying to get an opinion, what do you guys think? And, then they called me up, and they're like hey, that song you played us would be pretty cool for the... it just kinda happened naturally. Ya know, hey check this out, maybe we could use this for the credit sequence or maybe... it just kinda happened naturally.
JH: Cool, well like, keeping that in mind, I listened to Jam in the Van this morning, and so I knew that that had been...
DB: I'm sorry you listened to what?
JH: I listened to Jam in the Van... this morning?
DB: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
JH: But, you are working on an album as well, correct?
DB: Yeah, I'm working on new, I wouldn't say a whole album, I mean, what is anymore, ya know? People are just scared, kinda working on just new records, ya know, just singles. I tour a lot. I just got off an East coast tour, then I was in Mexico, then I head to Mexico again in April where we'll be playing with The Killers, and Mike Posner... bunch of really awesome acts that I'm really excited about. I guess I wouldn't say I'm not working a record, but I got a bunch of new stuff put together, however, they are gonna be released whether it be an EP or singles, I have no idea yet.
JH: Yeah, definitely, times are changing as far as mucic goes so I don't think that's out of the realm of how you do things these days. But, also, kind of going along with that, I've noticed you've started uploading vlogs again on YouTube, and I have to say they are extremely entertaining. What provoked you to start doing that recently?
DB: Ah, thanks. Ya know, I was, I have a friend of mine, I have two friends. One's Justin Scarred and the other's Adam the Woo, and they're two vloggers who vlogged about amusement parks, a lot of Disney Land stuff, ya know... and I just was hanging out at home. I'm at home a lot, especially during the holidays. And they're just like... I was skateboarding around, I'm like, man, I've got nothing to do. I'm like so bored. I'm like gonna going to the record shop and be like, hey can I sell records for you guys, for free, I'm pretty bored. And, so I was like, ya know, why don't I just buy some camera equipment and start shooting stuff. I've always loved shooting stuff, I just don't have any equipment to do it. So, I called my buddy and asked him that... about what kinda of cameras and stuff he used, and just started shooting stuff. And, it's been really cool cause it's more of, oh, cool, we went and did something tonight and now we have a little five-minute memory. It's like a journal almost, it's really cool. I didn't realize how fun it was, now instead of remember the other night when we went to the roller skating rink, now I can pull up a cool little five-minute video, ya know. Oh, this was when we went to Queen Mary or this is when we went to this. Ya know, if you do them daily, it's almost like you have journal interests. It's so cool, you can always just look back. I was hanging out with Richie Sambora one time, we were at dinner, from Bon Jovi. He was saying, do you keep a journal? And, I'm like... no, I don't keep a journal. He goes, man, that's gonna be one of your biggest regrets. He goes, you need to keep a journal cause I have a journal entry from every day from the past, ya know, thirty years. He goes, I can open up my journal and tell you exactly what happened on what day. He goes, there so much you miss and so much you forget, and that really just stuck with me. Now that I'm doing these vlogs, I'm like that's so cool. Now everything I do, I'll have like, ya know, I'm always going to cool countries, and meeting cool people, and playing awesome concerts and then those are just memories that are in your head, ya know? So, now I get to have them and share them with people. It... I didn't know I was going to have such a fun time doing it, but I love it. A lot of fun.
JH: I can definitely say, I appreciated the Ferris Bueller's Day Off, like, kinda, nod. That was pretty cool. And...
DB: Ah, thanks yeah.
JH: I also heard a podcast recently where these wrestlers were talking about how it's kinda looked down upon to take photos when you're backstage or this or that. It's not ideal to like, hey, we're back here, let's take a photo. But, now moving forward as they become professionals it's like, man, I wish I would have taken a photo or at least pulled out my camera for some video, like once they become these big names. It's like to look back and know where you came from, ultimately.
DB: Yeah, exactly. Totally, totally.
JH: So, kinda keeping that in mind...
DB: I like, I like being able to share with my fans, the fans, like what we do every day. Like, this is just, ya know, like this was just, out just having fun, staying busy. It's cool to kinda let the fans in on that a little bit, ya know? I always loved being able to watch people who I'm a fan of. I mean, I'll sit there and watch their daily lives all day, ya know?
JH: Dante Basco, the guy that played Rufio in Hook, he's actually pretty legit as far as his vlogs go. Like, he'll jump on Pokémon Go and...
DB: Oh, really? That's so funny. He's actually a really good friend of mine, and I've never seen his vlogs. How funny, I was just with him the other night.
JH: Yeah, he's like the ultimate guy as far as acting vlogs go. I'd definitely try chatting him up about it and see where it goes.
DB: Oh, cool, I gotta rack his brain.
JH: There ya go, man.
DB: Oh, cool.
JH: So, I know we're kinda taking a step back so... if you don't mind, we take a step back to 2008. Ah, College. I liked the movie, man. I feel like I might have been the demographic back at the time, was that an attempt to step away from Disney and Nickelodeon, or was that another project in your eyes?
DB: Um, the movie College, yeah, I mean, we were, it was cool because I got to work with a lot of my friends that were, a lot of other movies, I already knew we were already friends, we got to hang out in New Orleans for like two months. Just party in New Orleans, it was a fun party movie, so it was... I don't ever really think of anything, I always get that question like, so were you trying to do something separating you from Nickelodeon? Or, do you wanna break this mold? And honestly, I don't ever think of it that way. I don't ever think of like, I don't know, I don't ever think of it that way. It's like, and I gonna have fun? Am I gonna enjoy this? Is this gonna be cool? Alright, sweet, ya know? That's what College was, I got to go to New Orleans for two months, hang out with all my friends and make a movie and... get put up for free. And then, sign me up, I'm down.
JH: I hear ya though, man. It was weird because I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I also knew you as a role outside of that. So, it was kinda nice, it was a breath of fresh air to see you in a more adult role, if you will. So, I was kinda just curious...
DB: Yeah, yeah. I mean it, it was definitely... yeah, I mean, it was definitely fun. It's interesting to get off of a show where you're so constant... like, oh wait, is that joke, did we go too far with that joke? Or, is that joke too adult? We gotta cut it out... to being on a movie set where it's like wait, that's not filthy enough. Let's push it more, let's do that more. So, I was like, it was pretty fun to be able to be like, oh, whoa, we just kinda like, get to screw and not have to worry about the executive sensors like coming in and going, that can't be on children's television! Ya know?
JH: Sure.
DB: So, that was pretty fun.
JH: Did you see Star Wars yet?
DB: I have not seen Star Wars yet, I have no time.
JH: So, to wrap things up this year will you be watching Merry Christmas Drake and Josh, to cap off the holiday?
DB: Yeah, I mean, I definitely, we have a few we every year. I have thirteen nieces and nephews and ya know, it's so, we're always watching Merry Christmas Drake and Josh and... it's really cool because I have Merry Christmas Drake and Josh, we've got The Fairly Odd Parents, The Fairly Odd Christmas. We've got, I've done a lot of animated Christmas movies. So, I've always said like it's gonna be awesome when I have kids because Christmas is just going to be watching Dad for like all of Christmas because I've got like ten Christmas movies that I've done and it's just, and it's my favor returned so... yeah, being able to watch, and actually, we have an ugly Christmas sweater party every year. I have since before, that's where Dan got the idea for Merry Christmas Drake and Josh is because every year I would have an ugly Christmas party. We just had ours last Friday, it was like our tenth one or something like that, doing it for like ten years or something like that. But yeah, we always have the ugly Christmas sweater party like in the movie, but yeah it's always a lot of fun around the house during the holidays.
JH: Well, hell yeah, that was also on the YouTube channel. I really appreciate your time and a Merry Christmas to you, buddy!
DB: Yeah, thank you so much, Merry Christmas!
JH: Alright, take care, man.
Obviously we talked around Christmas time, and obviously, I can't believe Drake hasn't seen Star Wars. Well, jokes on him, I haven't seen an episode of Drake and Josh. Oddly enough, though, that damn Christmas special was on as soon as I turned my television on. I'll probably watch an episode eventually, but now that Christmas is behind us I guess I have to wait an entire year for his specials to air back to back to back to back... I'm not even kidding. It was like Disney had tailored their programming to reflect my search history. Sorry Drake, I watched something else. And you should too, watch Drake Bell's latest feature, Bad Kids of Crestview Academy, when it arrives in theaters January 13th.
And apparently, his TV Dad is missing, stay tuned HERE.