(previously in this series: 5 Questions with Alan Muraoka from Sesame Street)

Welcome to another installment of 5 Questions with a 5-Year-Old. This time, Zoey had the opportunity to sit with Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche–the voices behind Pinky and The Brain–at this year’s Awesome Con in Washington, DC!

Of course, they’re also the voices of hundreds of other characters, and their filmographies read like an exhaustive list of animation from the 80s through today (including Transformers, GI Joe, Inspector Gadget, The Simpsons, Futurama, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ben 10, The Tick, and on and on and on…).

Zoey, however, knows them best from Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and Rescue Bots (where Maurice LaMarche is the voice of Chief Burns).

It’s safe to say that these shows (and those voices) are an indelible part of part of my youth. It’s probably a bit hyperbolic to say they’re part of “who I am.” And I’m old enough that they’re not really part of my “childhood” (I was in middle and high school when Animaniacs and Pinky & The Brain were on the air). But they certainly are formative to my sense of humor, and it’s incredible to me that they’re now becoming part of my kids’ childhoods.

In a time when so much of pop culture disappears completely almost as soon as it appears, these shows–and these characters–have endured. How many other animated shows from the 90s are still popular today? How many still hold up? If the crowds that mob these guys at conventions are any indication, the fandom for these particular characters is absolutely alive and well. People still love Pinky, Brain, Yakko, and all the rest. And for good reason!

At last weekend’s Awesome Con in Washington, DC, Zoey had the extraordinary opportunity to sit and chat with Rob and Maurice. Both were incredibly kind and gracious, and it was an amazing experience.

Once again, Zoey came up with all her own questions. I just provided a little prompting when necessary.

Watch as Zoey holds her own against Rob/Yakko/Pinky and almost stumps him with her first question! (Make sure you turn on subtitles if you can’t make out Zoey’s questions.)

Now watch as Zoey receives some genuine, no-kidding, heartfelt words of wisdom from Maurice/Brain/Chief Burns.

Thank you Rob and Maurice for taking the time and making a little girl’s day truly memorable! A big thanks also to Ben, Tim, Paul, Emily, and everyone else at Awesome Con for helping to make it happen! Y’all are awesome!