Debi Derryberry on Jimmy Neutron, Monster High & Making Music
Mad Props with Chris Schnabel
08/24/26
•42m
About
Comments
Featured In
Welcome to Mad Props. Host Chris Schnabel sits down with legendary voice actress and musician Debi Derryberry for a conversation about Jimmy Neutron, Monster High, voice acting, music, conventions, and a career that has spanned decades of animation and entertainment.
Known around the world as the voice of Jimmy Neutron, Debi takes Chris behind the scenes of landing one of Nickelodeon's most recognizable roles, from auditioning for the original project to seeing Jimmy Neutron grow into a movie, television series, and character that fans still love decades later.
But voice acting is only part of Debi's story.
She shares how her career began with a love of singing and playing guitar, moving to Nashville to pursue country music, working as a session singer, and eventually finding her way into voiceover. Debi continues to make music today through her country band Honey Pig and her children's music, including the Debi Derryberry Kids YouTube channel.
They discuss children's music and YouTube, performing songs in character, conventions, interacting with fans, collectibles, Funko Pops, the unusual vocal techniques voice actors need to master, and why the voice acting community has remained so close.
Whether you grew up with Jimmy Neutron, Monster High, Nickelodeon, animation, or simply want to know what life behind the microphone is really like, this episode offers a look inside the career of one of animation's most recognizable voices.
Join the Discord - https://discord.gg/dYhnmwQANb
Follow Debi Derryberry
Website: https://debiderryberry.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debiderryberry
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DebiDerryberryKIDS
Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C3JTRR3?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
Follow Mad Props
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madpropspod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@madpropspod
X: https://www.x.com/madpropspod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madpropspod
Follow Chris Schnabel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisschnabel
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.schnabel
YouTube: @Chris.Schnabel
Mad Props is a Schnabel Studios Production
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Welcome to Mad Props & Introducing Debi Derryberry
07:01 – Auditions, Home Studios & the Modern Voice Actor
11:48 – Debi's Music Career & Moving to Nashville
18:02 – Building Debi Derryberry Kids on YouTube
25:06 – Singing as a Voice Actor
26:19 – How Debi Found Voice Acting
32:53 – Conventions, Fans & Iconic Character Voices
38:06 – How Debi Became Jimmy Neutron
41:09 – Final Thoughts
Previous Episode
Welcome to Mad Props. Host Chris Schnabel sits down with writer Robert Saucedo at Comicpalooza in Houston to talk about Where Wolf, Curse of the Werewolf, horror-comedy, independent comics, monster movies, Texas storytelling, and the process of bringing a graphic novel to life.
Robert explains the wild premise behind Curse of the Werewolf: a reporter goes undercover at a furry convention to stop a werewolf from eating everyone.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Robert shares how his love of monsters, horror, comics and animation helped shape a series he describes as Rick and Morty meets Scooby-Doo. He and Chris dive into the lasting influence of Scooby-Doo, the possibility of bringing Where Wolf into animation, and how Robert went from a lifelong fan to writing and publishing his own nearly 300-page graphic novel.
They also get into the realities of independent comics, including finding the right artist, maintaining creative control, promoting your own work, selling at conventions, learning what actually gets people to stop at a booth, and using Comicpalooza to connect directly with readers.
The conversation eventually goes well beyond comics as Robert and Chris discuss Houston, Texas, monster movies, killer whales, hurricanes, tornadoes, concerts, music, film festivals, the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the random interests that can eventually become inspiration for a creative project.
Whether you're into horror comics, graphic novels, werewolves, Scooby-Doo, independent publishing, Comicpalooza, monster movies or the creative process behind making your own comic, this episode is a look at what happens when you take a weird idea seriously enough to turn it into something real.
Join the Discord - https://discord.gg/dYhnmwQANb
Follow Robert Saucedo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robsauce2500/
Follow Mad Props
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madpropspod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@madpropspod
X: https://www.x.com/madpropspod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madpropspod
Follow Chris Schnabel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisschnabel
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.schnabel
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Chris.Schnabel
Mad Props is a Schnabel Studios Production
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Welcome Robert Saucedo
01:51 – Where Wolf, Scooby-Doo & Comicpalooza
05:09 – Conventions, Artist Alley & Connecting With Fans
09:00 – How Robert Became a Comic Book Writer
11:40 – Creating & Selling an Independent Graphic Novel
15:52 – Comic Books, Horror & Creative Influences
19:19 – Expanding the Werewolf Universe
23:21 – Killer Whales, Texas & Unexpected Inspiration
27:50 – Music, Movies & Pop Culture
32:13 – Film Festivals, Recognition & What's Next
34:21 – Outro
Next Episode
Welcome to Mad Props. Host Chris Schnabel throws it back to June 22, 2022, when legendary comic book artist Scott Koblish joined the show to talk Deadpool, Marvel, comic book movies, his career as an artist, and a lifetime spent in the comic book industry.
Chris originally met Scott at Lilac City Comic Con in Spokane, Washington, where Scott drew Chris and Mary as Deadpool. A few weeks later, Scott joined Mad Props for what became Episode 40 of the podcast.
Scott dives into his years working on Deadpool and why the character gives artists and writers a level of creative freedom that characters like Superman and Spider-Man simply can't. He discusses the challenge of making comedy work in comics, his work on The Secret History of the War on Weed, and creating new characters without the restrictions that come with decades of established continuity.
The conversation expands into The Boys, Umbrella Academy, X-Men, Justice League, Marvel and DC as Scott and Chris discuss how superhero storytelling has evolved beyond traditional comic books. Scott shares his perspective on comic book movies, adaptations that improve upon their source material, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the incredible transformation of superhero entertainment from older television adaptations to the modern era.
Later, Scott reflects on the late George Pérez and the enormous influence Pérez had on him both personally and professionally. He shares memories of their relationship, Pérez's impact on generations of comic creators, and what it meant to spend time with one of his heroes near the end of Pérez's life.
Originally recorded June 22, 2022.
Join the Discord - https://discord.gg/dYhnmwQANb
Follow Scott Koblish
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottkoblish/?hl=en
Follow Mad Props
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madpropspod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@madpropspod
X: https://www.x.com/madpropspod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madpropspod
Follow Chris Schnabel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisschnabel
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.schnabel
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Chris.Schnabel
Mad Props is a Schnabel Studios Production
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Welcome & The Story Behind This Throwback
03:00 – Scott Koblish Joins Mad Props
04:53 – Traveling the World Through Comic Conventions
13:17 – Drawing Deadpool & Why the Character Is Unbreakable
15:28 – The Secret History of the War on Weed
17:09 – The Boys, X-Men & Breaking Superhero Rules
24:10 – Comic Book TV, Movies & Adaptations
28:23 – How Superhero Movies Changed Comic Book Culture
31:04 – Comics, Mythology & Why Superheroes Endure
38:47 – How Scott Koblish Became a Comic Book Artist
47:36 – Remembering the Legendary George Pérez
56:53 – Scott's Current Projects & What's Next
59:26 – Outro
If you like this episode you’ll love
Promoted