I'm Dan Mintz, the voice of Tina on Bob's Burgers. AMA

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.

I usually just use John Mulaney's bathroom.

Have you ever used your Tina voice during sex?

Yes because it's my own voice

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.

100 friend fictions about 1 butt

erotic friend fiction

thanks fixed it

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?"

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

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.

haha no not me. Thanks for saying great set though

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!

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

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.

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.

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?

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

Has your appreciation for butts increased since voicing Tina?

It's stayed about the same

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

When Tina had her first kiss.

hi dan!

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

thanks!

that it's not easy being a teenage girl

What will Tina's voice be like after puberty?

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

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?

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.

How do you relate most to Tina?

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

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

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.

What's your favorite quote from Tina?

Girls have uteruses, boys have duderuses

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

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

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

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

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.

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!

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

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

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

Whats your favorite burger of the day?

Mission A-Corn-Plished Burger

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

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.

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?

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

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

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

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

Use only the very back of your tongue

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

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

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?

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

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.

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

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?

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

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?

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.

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

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!

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?

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

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

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

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Hi Dan,

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

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.

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

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.

What happened to the Dan Mintz Podcast Starring Dan Levy?

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

Still working on the second one

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

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.

What's your favorite Bob's Burgers episode?

You rule, by the way.

Thanks so much! I would say Topsy

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?

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.

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!!

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

Did you have any hesitation about voicing a teenage girl?

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.

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...

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.

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

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

Hey, Dan,

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

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

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

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

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?

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.

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?

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.

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

That would be weird.

Honestly, how funny is Eugene Mirman in real life?

Love the show!

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

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! :)

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

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

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

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

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.

Hi Dan, family question here.

What do you think of Uncle Bruce?

Love him! He is the funniest!

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

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.

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

sure, PM me

Do you have any pets?

yes a labradoodle

Hi Dan,

What is your perfect weekend?

doing nothing

Why not a vinyl release for The Stranger?

I don't know

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

Everyone is amazing at it, but probably Jon Benjamin

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

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.