COVER STORY
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
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Burgers’ is what we love. ‘Archer’ comes in second.” Before becoming a voice-over star of the small screen, Benjamin was a comedian with years of comedy troupe experience behind him. He said he realized he had a knack for comedy when he started performing in Cambridge with his friend Sam Seder, another former Worcesterite. Their success led them to become members of David Cross’ Cross Comedy, a popular comedy troupe in Boston. “By coincidence, we went to college together,” Benjamin recalled. “Unbeknownst to us, we were of the same comedy minds and we ended up in Cambridge after college after a couple of years. Sam was pursuing stand-up and we just started performing together. And we were, kind of, successful, H. Jon Benjamin is the voice of Bob Belcher on the Emmy Award-winning “Bob’s Burg- like fairly quickly. And I don’t mean very successful financially. We ers” airing Sundays on FOX. made people laugh.” TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX Benjamin has had a working H. Jon Benjamin plays Edward Larkin in “The Trouble With Edward” episode of relationship with “Bob’s Burgers” “Star Trek: Short Treks.” creator Loren Bouchard since the CBS INTERACTIVE largely improvised Squigglevisionanimated “Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist” in the late ‘90s. Benjamin credits Bouchard for putting him on this wacky career path as a voice-over artist. “He (Bouchard) was the first person I auditioned for, him, the guy who ran the company that made ‘Dr. Katz,’ and, of course, Jonathan Katz,” Benjamin said. “But, at the time, he (Bouchard) was an audio editor, and I think he just liked the way I did my audition. I would credit him for certainly the career I have. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be doing comedy right now.” The last time we saw Bob Belcher, the patriarch and chief restaurateur on “Bob’s Burgers,” he agreed to deliver his arch-rival Jimmy Pesto his hernia medication and proceeded to play with his belongings while he was sleeping. The synopsis of the season premiere episode of “Bob’s Burgers” says Bob Belcher goes on an epic quest to find a misplaced lock box key, while the second episode of should go for it. And that’s what They were quietly and reluctantly when you’re in your 20s, my parthe new season is about a pinhe did.” supportive.” ents had some panic, like ‘You’re worm epidemic that breaks out Not only are Jon’s parents big “I was definitely supportive,” doing what?’” Benjamin recalled. at the kids’ school. That should supporters of his career, they are Jon’s mother said. “I never had “Comedy isn’t the easiest career get your mind off the coronavirus easily his biggest fans. qualms about his career choice at to get started in. On the whole it “We’re big fans of ‘Bob’s Burgers,’” pandemic. takes a long time to start going and all.” So what else can we expect from Mrs. Benjamin said. “You notice my silence,” Jon’s that certainly happened with me. I Bob Belcher and “Bob’s Burger” this After joking that they need pafather added. “We were in support didn’t really have a job until I was season? rental guidance to watch “Archer,” of whatever Jon wanted to do. At in my late 20s in comedy. So they “‘Bob’s Burgers’ has gotten very Mr. Benjamin said, “We missed (my parents) got a little concerned. that point, in my thinking, it was good at infusing music into the most of the ‘ A rcher’ stuff but ‘Bob’s unconventional, but, however, he But, they didn’t get in the way of it.
S E P T E M B E R 24 - 30, 2020
“I’m not sure if he was happy to have us as parents,” his father interjected. Looking back at his childhood, Benjamin said Worcester had its share of problems back then and, it turns out, so did he. “I grew up Jewish in mainly a Catholic neighborhood. I think, certainly, it informed me to think quick on my feet and also move quick on my feet,” Benjamin recalled. “I was actually a small kid. So I was fair game but I was bit of a wise ass, and being in a minority religious group in a majority Catholic neighborhood, there was a lot of activity around that, but it’s not like anything horrible happened. It was, sort of normal kids beating up other kids’ stuff.” His parents were a little bit baffled by their son’s recollection about being beaten up by kids in the neighborhood. “It’s interesting. I think it’s a story that was really something that Howard experienced,” Jon’s mother said. “I think there might have been some carry-over of his experiences.” “The difference is, I beat up all the Catholic kids,” Jon’s father snapped. “He (Jon) didn’t tell us too much about that.” Although not quite a hamburger joint, Benjamin’s first date was at the former Arby’s at the corner of Park Avenue and Mill Street, in Webster Square. “I was, like, in sixth grade. I borrowed $3 from my parents. I rode my bike,” Benjamin said. “And she took the roast beef sandwich and ran.” Forty years later, Benjamin is Arby’s on-camera “Head of Sandwiches” for a series of quick service brand TV ads. If only his sixth-grade crush could see him now. One thing Jon’s parents both agree on is that their son always had the gift of laughter. “Jon always had a great affinity for knowing how to connect with whatever younger generation was around,” his mother recalled. “He was always funny but he got funnier when he got older.” When asked what does his parents think of his success in two prime-time cartoons, Benjamin quipped, “I don’t know if they know about it. I have yet to break the news,” before answering the question truthfully. “Early on, pursuing comedy
