Hi, I'm Dan Mintz. I'm a comedian and the voice of Tina Belcher on Bob's Burgers. My first standup album The Stranger is out this week. You can download it here and it will be out on CD on October 21. Limited edition signed CDs available here. Ask me anything!

Proof: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10154663656470322&id=84316070321

Okay I have to go, but thanks for all the wonderful questions! If I skipped your question it was only because I couldn't think of a good answer, not because I didn't like the question. Sorry. Thanks everyone!

Comments: 1042 • Responses: 70  • Date: 

zpearlman1886 karma

Hey, It's Zack Pearlman, from Mulaney. You know? The show you write on? Anyways... My question is more of a suggestion which you can respond to. You should eat more greens I think. I only follow you into the bathroom once MAYBE twice TOPS a day, and it's usually to pee. I'm just concerned as a friend that maybe you aren't "regular" because you aren't swallowing natures broom.

DanMintz1404 karma

I usually just use John Mulaney's bathroom.

cupcakeaffair1766 karma

Have you ever used your Tina voice during sex?

DanMintz3497 karma

Yes because it's my own voice

Gfunkz1024 karma

Hello Dan,

Serious business here. Would you rather read erotic fan fiction about 100 butt sized Jimmy Juniors or 1 Jimmy Junior sized butt?

Uhhhh thanks.

DanMintz1165 karma

100 friend fictions about 1 butt

crow-bot310 karma

erotic friend fiction

DanMintz312 karma

thanks fixed it

manmanma997 karma

Hey Dan-

Huge fan of your stand-up comedy!

My question for you is: "How many mints could Dan Mintz mince if Dan Mintz could mince mints?"

DanMintz1391 karma

Thanks! I actually can mince mints and the answer is 115

zarofearth771 karma

I saw you at the John Mulaney show in New York last week, and afterwards I saw a guy who looked exactly like you and was dressed exactly like you leaving. I said "hey great set" and he said "I wasn't up there".

Was that really not you, or were you just messing with me? Please let me know if you ever want me to sleep again.

DanMintz822 karma

haha no not me. Thanks for saying great set though

Jaycatt653 karma

Hi Dan, really love your stand up, and your voice acting as well! I notice you use your regular voice as the voice of Tina. Do you know if they picked you for Tina because of your voice? Or because of your delivery? Or maybe both?

At first it seemed like an odd choice for a girl's voice in an animated series, but after all these seasons of the show, I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role!

DanMintz1368 karma

Thanks! They originally picked me to play a boy - Gene and Louise's brother - but then changed the character to a girl after I was already cast. I was very skeptical but when they showed me an animation with my voice it somehow actually really worked with that character

blinkingsandbeepings634 karma

I want to know about Tina's groan sound. Is that just you, or did you figure it out specifically for the character, or what? Do you do it in everyday life now? Because I do.

DanMintz1186 karma

I remember Loren asking me to make a nervous sound for an episode and I guess that's what I did. Don't remember why I thought of that one in particular, but now I do it all the time when I'm nervous without realizing it.

communistdaughter45627 karma

how does it feel to work with jon benjamin and just listen to him switch effortlessly on the regular between his classic bob, archer, and mcguirk characters?

DanMintz856 karma

haha I make fun of him about how all his characters sound the same, but of course I do fewer voices than he does

beerorkid567 karma

Has your appreciation for butts increased since voicing Tina?

DanMintz877 karma

It's stayed about the same

Velorium_Camper553 karma

What's your favorite moment from Bob's Burgers?

DanMintz1084 karma

When Tina had her first kiss.

_wait_what_now522 karma

hi dan!

what have you learned about teenage girls from your time as Tina?

thanks!

DanMintz1311 karma

that it's not easy being a teenage girl

Catapottamus466 karma

What will Tina's voice be like after puberty?

DanMintz1259 karma

That's a great question. I hope they don't ask me to do that because I can't make my voice any lower.

frailtythyname401 karma

I love you as Tina! She is my favorite character on the show. I'm curious about the show - some of the bits sound super natural and funny - are any of these ad-libbed or improvised?

DanMintz539 karma

Actually there's a ton of improv - mostly by the other actors though, I'm not as good at it. Most of the time, the script is already perfect though, so it's not that the improvised lines are funnier, but Loren thinks it sounds better and more natural if the actor thinks of it right as they say it.

Frajer353 karma

How do you relate most to Tina?

DanMintz987 karma

When people don't notice her when she talks - no one can ever hear what I say

bronsonw83325 karma

Does doing Tina's voice provide enough income to live off or do you have to do other stuff too?

DanMintz861 karma

It's the kind of money where if you were making it every year until you retired you could live well off of it, but since no show is on the air forever, you have to save most of it and it's good to take other jobs when you can get them.

Catapottamus290 karma

What's your favorite quote from Tina?

DanMintz1563 karma

Girls have uteruses, boys have duderuses

judomonkeykyle262 karma

Have you seen the “Bob’s Burgers Tina Moombahton Mix” that has been trending on YouTube? Opinions?

DanMintz324 karma

I really want to, I've heard it's so great. I just get uncomfortable hearing my voice

Marmoe255 karma

Hi Dan, what advice would you give someone who wanted to break into voice acting?

DanMintz1022 karma

Be friends with Jon Benjamin so he recommends you to the creator of a show.

DanMintz550 karma

I wish I had better advice, but I just kind of fell into it. A good first step to take a class - not just to learn how to do it but to connect with other people in the industry. And then at some point you need to make a reel and use that to get an agent. But it really all comes down to luck.

jmigandrade203 karma

hi Dan! what was the funniest occasion where someone recognized you as the voice of Tina? was it in person, or was it on the phone and they thought you were prank calling them? related: have you ever prank called someone while pretending to be Tina? cheers!

DanMintz435 karma

Actually I've almost never been recognized for my voice - maybe one or two times. Even when I talk to a big fan of the show they're surprised when I say I play Tina. I guess they don't connect the voice with my face. But I'm always afraid when I call a credit company or whoever to complain they'll recognize me and I'll have to be nice

judomonkeykyle172 karma

How excited were you to work on Adventure Time? Did you get called directly or have to audition?

DanMintz278 karma

I actually am out of the loop about what's going on in culture so I didn't even know what it was the first time I did it. Was excited to find out later it was such a great show that so many people loved

Epicbuilder33169 karma

Whats your favorite burger of the day?

DanMintz468 karma

Mission A-Corn-Plished Burger

Miss_Kaye163 karma

Hi Dan! You are one of my favorite people ever.
My question, do you think horses get songs stuck in their heads?

DanMintz321 karma

Thanks! That's so nice of you to say!

I think it happens much more often with horses because they get exposed to few songs.

gfxlonghorn134 karma

Hey Dan, I have been a fan of yours since your Comedy Central Special (I was psyched to hear the new album), and your delivery style has definitely influenced my sense of humor since then... Your style is very reliant on the jokes themselves, much like Stephen Wright and Mitch Hedberg; how difficult is it to write a "pure" joke versus ones that are reliant on the performance?

DanMintz196 karma

Thanks so much! For me it's much easier if you don't have to rely on the performance. A more conversational comedian has to come across as confident and at ease the whole time, which would be hard for me to fake onstage

propaneshower126 karma

How frequently do people mistake you and Nathan Fielder for each other?

DanMintz239 karma

People tell me they love my show Nathan for You a lot

Hondo_Rondo113 karma

What do you have to do to get the Tina moan just right?

DanMintz214 karma

Use only the very back of your tongue

judomonkeykyle107 karma

What is your favorite skit you are credited with writing, from Human Giant?

DanMintz202 karma

Mother son moving company? Although I don't know if I can technically get credit. I pitched the idea and then they wrote the script on a day I wasn't there

RamsesThePigeon88 karma

Hey, Dan!

Dan! Hey! Over here!

Oh. Hi. Heh.

So, um... if someone wanted to become a writer on a show like Bob's Burgers, would harassing a voice actor be a viable first step? If not, what would you recommend?

DanMintz178 karma

Yes, I will PM you Jon Benjamin's phone number

notjoshinyou84 karma

How fast will you answer this?

Also, your jokes feel absurd like Steven Wright and Rodney Dangerfield had a monotone baby. Is this on purpose? I guess I'm asking if you look up to those comedians.

DanMintz119 karma

Haha yeah it is very flattering to be compared to either of those comedians. Not trying on purpose to be like them, but everyone you like influences you in some way

Smerphy83 karma

How did Bob's Burgers end up with a predominantly male cast, when the characters were predominantly female?

What's the most interesting thing you've learned from playing a teenage girl on Bob's Burgers?

DanMintz121 karma

For Linda, Loren cast John based off of youtube videos where he did impressions of his mother. For me it was kind of an accident, I was originally cast as a boy, then they changed it to a girl

brendzz0375 karma

My Husband and I are HUGE fans of the show. You put SO much feeling and emotion when voicing Tina. Where does that "emotion" come from and do you base the character off of a real person?

DanMintz145 karma

Thanks so much! I guess I'm just basing her on myself if I was a thirteen year old girl. It's actually pretty simple to play her emotions because she's not someone who tries to hide her feelings usually, so you can be pretty straightforward.

tdcm9374 karma

Do you get tired of the Tina hype? I love the show but i think your standup is just as funny!

DanMintz172 karma

haha I can't imagine I ever would. I think if I was already a famous standup I could see getting annoyed if people focused more on Tina, but since no one really knew who I was anyway, any attention is great. But thanks for your compliment!

ButtRito65 karma

I'm dressing as Tina for Halloween this year, but I don't have the skillz to pull off your/her signature nervous groan. Is it okay with you if I bring a tape recorder along with me all night and just play a recording of you making the noise, or would that be creepy?

DanMintz123 karma

Other people might find it creepy but it's okay with me!

euthlogo59 karma

Bob's Burgers is incredibly good. The cast of Bob's Burgers is incredibly good. How did that happen?

DanMintz83 karma

I think it's just because Loren is a genius. He had such a strong vision for the show from the very beginning

samantraa58 karma

Dan -- how did you pick the title for your new album AND what did you eat for breakfast today?

DanMintz97 karma

It's just the title of one of my jokes and when I looked over all my jokes, it's the only one that sounded good as an album title. I had scrambled eggs.

eatsbabydingos51 karma

Hey Dan:

Old guy here. When I was a kid, the first long play stand up I ever heard was Bill Cosby's "The Chickenheart That Ate New York" in the early '70's. Who was the first comic you remember hearing, and did you buy his/her album?

DanMintz126 karma

When I was very little I remember hearing a George Carlin special my dad was watching. I did not buy the album because I was three.

zensunni6649 karma

Hi Dan! I interviewed you for a radio station earlier this week. I meant to ask you: Which Bob's Burgers character do you think has the best comedic chemistry with Tina? I'm thinking it's Bob...they're hilarious together.

DanMintz98 karma

Yeah Bob, and also Jimmy Jr. - I think just because I've known Jon Benjamin the longest he's the easiest for me to riff with

GummyZerg47 karma

When recording for Bobs Burgers what do you and the rest of the cast usually wear? If it were me I'd pretty much look like the Dude.

DanMintz167 karma

You'd think you could just wear anything, but usually there's a famous guest actor I want to look cool in front of

oh_no__notagain45 karma

Hi Dan,

Do you have any advice for someone who battles social anxiety?

DanMintz164 karma

Just set small goals for yourself, just a little outside your comfort zone, and gradually make things harder. One of the things I tried doing when I was younger was making practice phone calls to businesses to get more comfortable talking to strangers. I'd just ask a random question then hang up and call another one.

ImRichieDagger44 karma

I loved your new album. Are you going to be touring any time soon?

DanMintz155 karma

Nothing booked right now, but we are hoping to have Bob's Burgers Live tour in the spring if it works with everyone's schedules.

joegleason37 karma

What happened to the Dan Mintz Podcast Starring Dan Levy?

Is it one and done or will you break the year-long silence?

DanMintz51 karma

Still working on the second one

euthlogo35 karma

Are you sure that you aren't actually Nathan Fielder? How can you tell?

DanMintz151 karma

I have a small birthmark on my left calf. If I forget whether I'm me or Nathan I just check to make sure it's there.

plusharmadillo33 karma

What's your favorite Bob's Burgers episode?

You rule, by the way.

DanMintz81 karma

Thanks so much! I would say Topsy

likedatyall33 karma

I've always wanted to get into voice acting but I don't come from any sort of acting or performing background. I can just do funny voices and have a pretty good range (in my books.) Any advice on how to get started? What is your background? Tina is basically your natural voice right?

DanMintz61 karma

My background is just in standup and I was just extraordinarily lucky to be in the right place at the right time to cast on Bob's Burgers. Tina is my natural voice because it's the only voice I can do. I'm always so impressed by people who can do a hundred different voices. But it just takes a lot of luck to get a voiceover job. The first step, though, would be to take a class and make a reel.

katherinedevir30 karma

Salut Dan, I love Bob's Burgers and think you're hilarious, silly question, are you a ticklish guy? If yes, where? Kiss from France!!

DanMintz61 karma

Yes, everywhere. It even tickles when someone tries to hug me

selectpanic28 karma

Did you have any hesitation about voicing a teenage girl?

DanMintz55 karma

Well not hesitation, but I was surprised when they asked me to do it. I never thought I had a woman's voice. But when I learned more about the character it made sense.

El_Camino_Real27 karma

Hey Dan!

I love your stand-up, it's so twisted and the timing is priceless. What advice would you have for an aspiring comic who is comfortable on stage but has never tried stand-up comedy? What are some good exercises and begging steps to take?

Who are good contacts to make?

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

DanMintz32 karma

Thanks, I really appreciate it! The only step to take is to just do standup. You can't really prepare for it because you just have no idea what it's like until you do it. Then keep doing it to get used to it, and only after you've done it a few times should you start worrying about how to develop a better act.

drunkwhitegirl26 karma

Favorite and least favorite Bob's character? (Besides Tina, obviously) :]

DanMintz78 karma

Dina. But actually it's Teddy and there's any that I don't like

Indigochris25 karma

Hey, Dan,

What influenced you to go into comedy? What did you study at Harvard?

DanMintz63 karma

I always wanted to do comedy because nothing felt better than making someone laugh. Usually, though, if I made someone laugh it was by accident, and it took me a while to learn how to do it on purpose.

I studied Philosophy

page_mathews23 karma

Hi Dan, random questions, boxers or briefs? Beach or mountains? Coffee or tea? Socks or barefoot? Mani or pedi? Why/why not? :))

DanMintz48 karma

boxer briefs, mountains because fewer people, coffee, socks because my feet get cold and tie between mani and pedi

NorbitGorbit17 karma

The stranger is on spotify; if we streamed it or mailed you a postcard with a quarter taped to it, which would be more money in your pocket? Also, are there special foods or drinks they offer you at the recording studios to get your voices limber?

DanMintz65 karma

Probably the best solution is to send me a postcard with a hundred dollar bill taped to it.

Whenever I start losing my voice I just drink plain hot water.

bhsurfer16 karma

Hey Dan, new album is great. You're one of the best comedians out there. Why has it taken so long for you to come out with an album?

DanMintz49 karma

That's so nice of you to say, thank you! It just me a really long time to write 45 minutes of jokes that I liked. It's a lot of time when your jokes are short. I know it still sounds crazy it would take me 15 years, but I would just get distracted by other projects and not even realize that I was going like two years without writing any standup. Since you can do the same jokes over and over it's easy to coast off of old stuff.

Red_Mischa16 karma

Tina's lines tend to be incredibly quotable. Do you ever use them in conversation, or would that be weird?

DanMintz46 karma

That would be weird.

Seshiro8615 karma

Honestly, how funny is Eugene Mirman in real life?

Love the show!

DanMintz31 karma

Just as funny in real life as he is onstage, he is so fun to be around

GabLabby14 karma

Hi, Dan! Love your work! Both for your stand-up comedy and of course, the lovely Tina Belcher! First of all, how did you feel about Tina winning "Best TV Character?" Secondly, what are some Tina highlights for the upcoming season? You don't know how happy I'm feeling right now having the opportunity to ask one of my favorite comedians my questions! You really do make me smile! :)

DanMintz29 karma

Thanks! I can't take too much credit since I didn't create or write the character or anything. But still very excited about it. We record episodes so far ahead of time I have no memory of what's going to happen in the upcoming season

maggie666613 karma

Hey Dan, can you tell us something we don't know about you, and something we'd be surprised to find out? :)

DanMintz79 karma

I don't know what you don't know about me. Tell me everything you know about me and I'll tell you if something's missing

Ctschiering11 karma

Love this damn show. How did you get your start in comedy and what was the hardest obstacle you had to overcome???

DanMintz11 karma

Thanks! The hardest obstacle was doing it the first time. That took about a year from when I decided to do it the first time. After that everything was much easier.

Martelol10 karma

Hi Dan, family question here.

What do you think of Uncle Bruce?

DanMintz18 karma

Love him! He is the funniest!

Archae0pteryx5 karma

I love your joke about using every part of a polar bear. How did you come up with that?

DanMintz13 karma

Thanks! I was just thinking of the cliche about using every part of the animal and it seemed like a perfect setup for a joke because most people would be really familiar with it but would not have thought about it for a long time. So I just tried to think about it from different angles and it seemed like it would be funny if you said you used all the parts but you were really just using the whole body for one thing. And making it a sexual thing seemed like the best way to get a laugh.

realtyrionlannister4 karma

can you call my phone and leave me voice mail? just give me bunch tinaism's?

DanMintz5 karma

sure, PM me

tobascodagama4 karma

Do you have any pets?

DanMintz10 karma

yes a labradoodle

sefffy3 karma

Hi Dan,

What is your perfect weekend?

DanMintz22 karma

doing nothing

PEDALphiliac3 karma

Why not a vinyl release for The Stranger?

DanMintz13 karma

I don't know

chrsty1 karma

Hi Dan! Who's improv or humor makes you laugh the most during recording sessions for Bob's Burgers?

DanMintz2 karma

Everyone is amazing at it, but probably Jon Benjamin

coam1 karma

Hi Dan! Huge fan of your stand-up/comedic style and of Tina Belcher! I don't wanna bombard you with questions but I have two:

1) I loved The Equestranauts episode of Bob's Burgers that you wrote; what other situations/shenanigans would you hope to see Tina in?

2) I read that you're a writer for John Mulaney's new sitcom (congrats!). I saw the pilot and it contained the same Xanax bit from his stand up. How difficult is it to set up jokes for a Multicam versus a stand-up set? Does it feel more natural writing stand-up jokes?

Thanks for doing this AMA!

Edit: format

DanMintz2 karma

Thanks so much! I really want Tina will be like when she grows up, but I don't think that will happen in the show. It's much easier writing jokes for a script than standup because you can build off everything else happening in the scene. For a standup joke, you have to make something out of nothing.