Disney Voice Actors Discussions- Jodi Benson

[UmbrellaFish]

Gosh, that's wonderful! I've been eagerly anticipating your news from the concert! I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself! Thanks very much for including the set list! Bummer that the theme was changed and Jodi was made only a guest. Who else performed?

By the way, lovely picture of you and Jodi!! You're so lucky!

[Poody]

Jodi was the only vocalist, the rest of the concert was simply the San Diego symphony playing various movie themes and scores. I hope they invite her back next year! Since both nights were nearly sold out!

[Sotiris]

I came across an old promo for upcoming Disney releases that was on TLM 1998 VHS hosted by Jodi Benson. I hadn't seen that before, so I thought I'd share.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbcqMuF12O0

[UmbrellaFish]

This was on the VHS of TLM I grew up with. The tape ends with a music video of Jodi singing POYW on a beach.

Thanks for the nostalgia hit!

[The Disneynerd]

I came across an old promo for upcoming Disney releases that was on TLM 1998 VHS hosted by Jodi Benson. I hadn't seen that before, so I thought I'd share.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbcqMuF12O0

Just watched it, Thank u for sharing Sotiris! and WOW I dont know how but the commercials back then were so captivating and really entertaining! Wish I grew up with such ones. And wow the cruiseline looked fun! The sound music thing at the end was a JUMPSACRE, so maybe im glad they got rid of it to save kids like me from trauma

This was on the VHS of TLM I grew up with. The tape ends with a music video of Jodi singing POYW on a beach.

That music video sounds great! And I hope u could cope with the build up sound at the end #trauma #villainoriginstory

[UmbrellaFish]

Oh no, that sound really was a little startling as a kid, and rewatching it just now haha!

[Farerb]

Are you referring to the THX logo?

Tiny Toon made fun of it on How I Spent My Summer Vacation:

https://youtu.be/hByt1KkiwgM

I still own that Little Mermaid VHS.

[The Disneynerd]

Oh no, that sound really was a little startling as a kid, and rewatching it just now haha!

phew! I´m relieved

Are you referring to the THX logo?

Tiny Toon made fun of it on How I Spent My Summer Vacation:

https://youtu.be/hByt1KkiwgM

I still own that Little Mermaid VHS.

YES! HAHAH thank u for the quick laugh Farerb! Thats exactly how I felt right now! #quirky
I wonder if both of your VHS tapes could be worth a huge pile right now, I read back then that some old Disney VHS tapes make about thousands to MILLIONS of dollars! I guess Farerb and UmbrellaFish we found 2 Millionairs

[UmbrellaFish]

Hahaha I don’t have any of my childhood VHS tapes except my original copy of Mary Poppins. I also had a habit as a kid of throwing away the covers to all my VHS tapes— the tapes were so bulky and heavy duty themselves that I guess I did not see the point of the extra packaging haha! I’ve actually looked into rebuying VHS tapes on eBay and they are super cheap, especially Disney ones you can sometimes buy for pennies!

[carolinakid]

I’m the opposite- I threw away all my VHS tapes as I switched to DVDs .... and kept all the covers! Just the actual paper artwork. I removed them from the plastic cover boxes which I also tossed. I think the first VHS I owned was Robin Hood.

[Vlad]

Ah, I have never seen that promo. Thanks for sharing, Sotiris. I did have the remastered VHS of The Little Mermaid, but I had the UK version, and it didn't have the Jodi Benson promo, but it did have the Part of your world music video, which I loved.

About Jodi Benson, during the pandemic, back in November 2020, she had a virtual panel at Galaxy Con, and you could pay for a private discussion (no more than 5mn) with her. She sang the whole Part of your world song for me, and I have the full recording, sent to me. I got teary eyed. She's such a nice person, and you could tell she loves Ariel, and especially performing the iconic song. She asked me what is my favorite moment in the movie. I told her it was the iconic rock scene, with the wind blowing in her hair, and the wave at the end. She was smiling the whole time. I also told her about Thumbelina (Soon is one of my favorite songs), 101 Dalmatians 2. That is one of my favorite memories.

About the VHS tapes, I still have my entire VHS collection from when I was a kid. I can't throw them or give them away, as they're priceless memories. Plus, I love the artwork. Some of them are in great condition, others are like papyrus. I'll hold on to them forever.

[Disney Duster]

That is a really special memory you have with Jodi, Vlad. I am so glad you got to do that. I also love "Soon".

[Vlad]

I just read Jodi's book, and I loved it. In fact, I finished it in one go, I couldn't put it down. The things people do when it's raining, haha. I loved the information she shared from the recording sessions in Mermaid, loved reading her thoughts when she saw the final movie. Most of all, I loved reading about her relationship with Howard Ashman, and how much she cared for him. When she went to the hospital to say goodbye to him really made me tear up a bit.

Also, I was really impressed at how open she is regarding her faith in God. She said that her faith helped her go through difficult moments, and helped her a lot, when she had trouble finding jobs.

[carolinakid]

I was just listening to the OBC of Crazy For You (1992). Jodi’s songs (Someone To Watch Over Me, Could You Use Me, Embraceable You, But Not For Me and I Got Rhythm) are absolutely sublime. Second only to Garland’s versions (1943) for me!

I encourage all Jodi fans to give it a listen!

[Disney Duster]

That is really cool about Jodi's book, Vlad. I have known she is super open about her religion, and actually, it conflicts with her accepting of gay people. I think she accepts them being gay, but she said it conflicts with her religion. It's so nice to hear she really cared for the gay Howard Ashman.

[PatchofBlue]

Her book is on my long-term reading list.

I've also heard her Crazy For You recording and find it quite nice. My underground Jodi obsession, though, was her performance in CHESS back in 1990, which would have put it right after "Mermaid." It tragically never received a cast recording that I know of, but various live-recordings are around the internet. As lovely as her bubbly Ariel persona is, it's nice to hear Jodi perform in a song where she truly brings the house down, like in her rendition of "Nobody's Side." (I also think it's fascinating to think about just how many former/future Disney Princesses played the role of Florence.)

And I obviously don't know the intricate details of her relationship between religion and LGBT matters, but I've never seen her as the type of Christian who weaponizes her faith against the queer community.

[Sotiris]

Jodi Benson Sings Original Song from ‘The Wingfeather Saga’ (Exclusive First Look)
https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/ ... irst-look/

[UmbrellaFish]

Jodi Benson shared on her Instagram story that’s she returned to the recording booth for “a new surprise project” that appears to be Ariel related.

It’s the 35th anniversary, so who knows what they could be cooking up!

[Thumper_93]

Maybe a show for the parks?

[Kyle]

Any chance its for this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQpEZrd ... -ZqPkpnfeI

I guess that was already recorded so probably not, although they did announce a collab with fortnite, so it could be that they are adding ariel to that.