Explore every episode of the podcast Disney Dialogues

Jeff Barnes ~ Disney Dialogues: Conversations with the Magic Makers#jeffbarnes #disneyauthor #drjeffreybarnes #thewisdomofwalt #ProfessorJeffreyBarnes #mrdisneylandEPISODE: 38Jeff Barnes is the best-selling author of The Wisdom of Walt: Leadership Lessons from the Happiest Place on Earth and Beyond the Wisdom of Walt: Life Lessons from the Most Magical Place on Earth. Known as Dr. Disneyland, he teaches the only accredited college course on the History of Disneyland. He is an international speaker, higher education administrator, university professor, and leadership/success coach. He has more than thirty-five years of professional speaking experience and nearly twenty years’ experience leading teams in higher education and teaching more than twenty different college courses. He attributes his passion for Disney parks to his love of history, story, and success. He believes the parks teach us some of life’s greatest lessons—as long as you know their history, you know what to look for, and you are willing to connect it all to your own story. Jeff lives in Riverside, California with his family. When he is not speaking, teaching, or writing, Jeff enjoys spending as much time as possible in “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

Gary Pilla~ Disney Dialogues: Conversations with the Magic Makers#garypilla #garypillaart #garypillaartist #disneyart #disneyartist #fanartistthatspecializesinDisneyEPISODE: 37EXECUTIVE LEVEL CREATIVE DIRECTORSMALL BRANDS, MONSTER BRANDS, MOMS & POPSBRANDING, CREATIVE DIRECTION, ART DIRECTION, COPY DIRECTIONOVER 80 AWARDS IN ALL MEDIUMS. DIGITAL, TRADITIONAL, EXPERIENTIAL.LIVED IN LA, SAN FRAN, GAINESVILLE, CLEVELAND, PORTLANDSTARTED 3 COMPANIES, 11 PATENTS PENDING, 1 ANIMATED CARTOONEXECUTED CREATIVE IN 21 COUNTRIES205 DISNEY VISITS AND COUNTING (PATHETIC, I KNOW)ALL PALE IN COMPARISON TO BUILDING A LIFE WITH MY WIFE AND FOUR AMAZING CHILDRENCreative Director. Writer. Artist. Occasional Sherpa. For years, I chased the glitter of awards—until I realized the real shine comes from ideas that move people, not judges.

Ken Bruce ~ Disney Dialogues: Conversations with the Magic Makers#kenbruce #disneyanimator #animator #disneyimagineering #waltdisneyimagineer #disneyinterview #disneyauthor #waltdisneytikiroom #disneytikiroom EPISODE 36Emmy Award-winner Ken Bruce has built a remarkable career in animation, contributing to the industry in a wide range of creative roles. His work includes serving as an animation timer on shows like Family Guy, a sequence director for The Fairly OddParents, and a storyboard artist on beloved films such as Shrek, Up, and Toy Story 3. He has also contributed his artistic talents to iconic series including The Ren & Stimpy Show and The Simpsons, earning two Emmy Awards along the way.Today, Ken brings his lifelong passion for Disneyland and its beloved attraction, The Enchanted Tiki Room, to center stage through his extraordinary book, Before the Birds Sang Words. This masterful work carefully untangles the history of the attraction, exploring the creative vision, innovation, and storytelling that led to its creation. Years in the making, the book reflects Ken’s dedication and love for the subject, standing as one of the most thorough and thoughtful examinations of a single Disney theme park attraction ever published.

Joe Lanzisero~ Disney Dialogues: Conversations with the Magic Makers#joelanzisero #disneyanimator #animator #disneyimagineering #waltdisneyimagineer #disneyinterview #disneycruiselines #disneyresturants #disneyauthor #disneyanimatorEPISODE 35Joe’s creative career can simply be described as magical. A spectacular journey with 37 years at Disney, Joe began as an animator and worked his way up to the top of Imagineering. He’s served as creative lead on over $9B in marquis projects to date but more importantly his work inspires and brings joy to generations of guests around the globe.Joe, a Disney Imagineer, responsible for over US$9 billion in built projects, including Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland, Toy Story Land, Mystic Point and Grizzly Gulch at Hong Kong Disneyland, and dozens of classic Disney rides, shows, and attractions in the parks and aboard Disney Cruise Ships, Joe Lanzisero is a true celebrity of our industry. Lanzisero studied at CalArts alongside Tim Burton, John Lasseter, Brad Bird and other luminaries of animation and film before becoming a Disney animator in the early 1980s. Today, he is a designer, illustrator, art director and creative director of the very highest caliber, garnering the respect of his peers and serving as an in-demand public speaker on the topics of user experience and experience design

Ryan Christenson (known by the pseudonym ARCY) is an graffiti artist and muralist. He has created numerous murals and live paintings throughout the USA,  England, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Australia, and other locales.

In 2012, Christenson quit his father's landscaping business to start an art and design company called RC Murals. In the summer of 2015, he went on a tour where he first used the pseudonym, "ARCY"(a play on his initials). He painted 30 walls in the United States, Europe, and Canada.

In 2016, he continued traveling, painting murals and performing live painting demonstrations in the process. He created a 30 by 130-foot mural in Chicago and 7 works featuring local wildlife in Porter County, Indiana. He also won the Mural Marathon in Reno, Nevada with his painting of a macaw.

In 2017, he created an installation in Sydney, Australia and a mural in Waterford, Ireland. He also painted a mural of famed Hartford, Connecticut residents (Mark Twain, Samuel Colt, and Katharine Hepburn) in that city.  He again toured around the country painting murals and engaging in live painting demonstrations in locations like Helena, Montana, various cities in Wyoming, and at the East Texas State Fair.

 His mural in Helena of a miner panning for gold was named one of the 50 best murals in the United States by Parade.  Also in 2017, Christenson began creating pieces for Disney's Fine Art collection and had a permanent display at the Walt Disney Hometown Museum. He had previously inserted hidden Mickey Mouse ears in all of his works because his children enjoyed finding them.

Credit Wikipedia

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date April 5, 2022.

Michael Provenza is a celebrated international artist known for his unique style of interpreting licensed Disney characters.

BONUS EPISODE

Michael Provenza has a totally original perception of nature and landscape. His oil paintings reveal a successful blend of the old with the new, merging a realistic and remarkable dimensional quality with a surreal and magical environment – in a truly distinctive style characterized as Surrealist Pointillism.

“Viewers of my work say they feel as if they can walk right into my paintings – they want to be there.”

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area, Provenza has lived, worked, studied, taught, and painted for more than 30 years. Inspired by his artist grandfather, Provenza began painting at age nine, pursued art academically holding a Fine Art college degree and continues to professionally create oil paintings as his life-long passion. Provenza has become a highly recognized and collectible artist both nationally and internationally.

“My paintings are an exploration or journey that I’d like to take in a world that comes from my imagination with pieces of reality sprinkled in.” All of Provenza’s work invites you in to experience Life’s Journey – with a twist.

credit disney Fine Art.com

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date March 29, 2022

Rick Farmiloe is an animator and sequence director who has worked for various studios, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Rich Animation Studios and DreamWorks.

Rick has been animating for over 30 years, and is best known for bringing life to Disney sidekicks Scuttle, LeFou, and Abu in the beloved Academy Award-winning films The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. 

​​Rick’s early career began in 1978 after attending the California Institute of the Arts, when he was hired at Filmation Studios. There, he contributed to numerous projects, including Fat Albert, Mighty Mouse, Tom and Jerry, Zorro, and Flash Gordon, to name a few.

Our guest's remarkable career in animation has included contributions to beloved creations such as The Rescuers Down Under, The Swan Princess, The Prince of Egypt, The Iron Giant, and The Road to El Dorado.

Rick’s work in animated shorts and commercials has featured iconic names and projects, including Snoopy, Timon and Pumbaa, How to Train Your Dragon, and The Princess and the Frog.

Our guest’s influence on the musical genre, through his creativity, has led him to collaborate with iconic names such as Brian Wilson and Paula Abdul, among others.

His directing career as an animator at DreamWorks included bringing the beloved Moses the camel to life in The Prince of Egypt (1998). He followed that achievement in 2001 by contributing storyboards to Shrek, which went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date October 16, 2025.

Brian Hull is a voice actor and impressionist. He is also known for his Disney Impressions on his Youtube channel and he is very satisfied of him voicing Count Dracula.

A master voice actor, gifted impressionist, and passionate Disney Parks enthusiast.

Brian first gained recognition through his viral impressions on YouTube, which eventually led to incredible collaborations with major studios and appearances in Disney projects.

His incredibly creative and masterfully done cover of ‘Let It Go,’ performed in the voices of various Disney characters, has now reached over 34 million views on YouTube.

Brian is best known in Disney productions for his signature roles, including creating the character of Young Sideburns in ‘Tangled: The Series’ and stepping in to replace Adam Sandler as the voice of Dracula in the ‘Hotel Transylvania’ movies.

You may have seen Brian outside of his YouTube channels as he’s performed at many cons and live shows around the world and the United States, including in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the UAE, and even at Disneyland’s D23.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date October 9, 2025.

Jason Ratner holds a degree from the prestigious Pratt Institute and is a proud alumnus of the Disney College Program. He has worked professionally with Disney and with Loungefly, bringing his creative talents to iconic brands.

• Jason Ratner is a passionate creative designer and Disney Artist featured at the EPCOT Festival of the Arts.

• Jason holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Communication Arts from the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York.

• Disney has been interwoven throughout Jason’s career and continues to inspire and influence his journey today through his independent artwork.

• In the early 2000s, he proudly served as a Disney College Program Campus Representative for four years, representing the Walt Disney World College Program and sharing the magic with future participants.

• Disney has been an integral part of Jason’s journey working with Disney Destinations, serving in roles such as Creative Support and Professional Intern, contributing to Walt Disney World Global Marketing Sales with Creative Services, and the Walt Disney Company’s Disney Parks Gallery Program.

• In addition to his Disney career, Jason also completed a Creative Assistant internship with Nickelodeon and later served as a Senior Graphic Artist for Loungefly, further expanding his creative portfolio.

• Jason has also had the opportunity to work on special projects for Disney Entertainment, creating art that includes a photo backdrop on Main Street for Disneyland’s Merriest Nites event, as well as exclusive artwork for Club 23.

• Our guest tonight had the prestigious honor of having his Epcot piece for the 2023 Festival of the Arts selected as the official festival poster for Epcot — a truly special recognition.

• You may have first seen him last year in Anaheim at D23, or maybe this year in Florida at Destination D23 — and we certainly hope that will be an on-going tradition.  But tonight, you get to see him right here on Disney Dialogues . Please join me in welcoming Jason Ratner to the show.

  
  

  For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

  
  

  Original YouTube air date September 30, 2025.

Martha Blanding is a Disney Legend with more than 50 years of dedicated service to The Walt Disney Company and is also an accomplished author. Tim O’Day is a highly respected Disney historian, recognized for his deep knowledge and preservation of Disney history.

Martha Blanding, an initial frontline cast member and later a member of Disneyland Park management, helped put the “happy” in “The Happiest Place on Earth”—and she did it for half a century.

If you took a tour of Disneyland in the early 1970s, you might have had Martha as your Tour Guide. In addition to embodying the park’s admired principle of hospitality and creating the particular brand of happiness that Walt Disney sought to establish for guests and cast members alike, Martha was the groundbreaking first-ever full-time Black Tour Guide at Disneyland. However, her impressive Disney career occurred by happenstance, and, as they say, the rest is history.

By 1975, Martha’s professionalism and work ethic led her to become the first-ever Black woman in management at Disneyland. She started as an associate buyer and oversaw various merchandise categories for nearly a decade. Soon after that, a promotion made Martha the first Black female merchandise buyer at Disneyland Resort and across all Disney Parks at the time. Through the years, her category lines included books, gifts, perfumes, film, cameras, and candy.

Tim O’Day, is acting Director of Marketing & Communications for the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California. He is also the principal of O’Day & Associates, a boutique pubic relations firm specializing in developing noteworthy creative content, special events and impressive media outreach campaigns for retainer clients specializing in the entertainment, travel/tourism, experiential retail, dining, consumer products and celebrity branding fields. His agency client roster includes various business segments of The Walt Disney Company, Knott’s Berry Farm, Orange County Visitors Association, CHOC Children’s Hospital and many others.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date September 16, 2025.

John Coulter is a former Disney cast member who performed as Prince Charming and Tarzan at Walt Disney World.

He is also an influential fashion model for ads and catalogs, and a successful Disney artist featured in shops and galleries worldwide.

John Coulter was born in Tucson, Arizona. He spent two years studying illustration on an art scholarship at the University of Arizona. He continued his studies at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Along with visual arts, John pursued other areas of interest including performing arts, which led him to “the happiest place on earth.” John played Prince Charming in the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade, among many other parades and shows throughout the park. One of the highlights

was playing Tarzan in the opening cast of Tarzan Rocks, an aerial stunt musical at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. His princely charm also took him to Tokyo Disneyland, where he performed many other roles. 

John has now come full circle from playing beloved characters to painting them! He is one of the select few official fine artists for the Disney Parks. His whimsical paintings can be found in various shops and galleries throughout Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

John has also had a modeling career that has lasted more than 25 years. Modeling gave him the opportunity to live and travel all over the world. His love of Broadway made New York one of his favorite places to live. The theater is where John found his love of costuming. He now designs costumes for events and shows all over the country. Among his most exciting work, is costuming the New Year's Eve show on the castle stage at Disneyland.

John’s fine arts background has also manifested into a successful hair and makeup career.

However, John is most recognizable in his underwear, gracing ads, catalogs and packaging for all of your favorite brands. He can still be seen in numerous television commercials and print ads, but his passion is design.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date August 21, 2025.

Author Steven M. Barrett paid his first visit to Disneyland, California as a child and to Walt Disney World in the late 1980s. He fell headlong under the spell of the Disney Parks and Cruise Ships and visits often to search for Hidden Mickeys. His three books (Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the Disney Cruise Ships) in the Hidden Mickeys series are arranged as scavenger hunts to maximize efficiency when hunting for the elusive Mouse.

The Disney Hidden Mickey game is ever-changing as new Hidden Images appear and others are lost at relatively constant rates, so he updates the three books every two years to keep them as current as possible. His Walt Disney World Hidden Mickeys book won a Readers Preference Editor's Choice Award.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

BONUS EPISODE

Original YouTube air date April 19, 2022.

Bill Burns is one of the most well-known and highly respected cosplay tribute artists, celebrated for bringing iconic characters to life with remarkable authenticity. His work spans the worlds of Marvel, Star Wars, DC Comics, and even tributes honoring Walt Disney himself.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date April 12, 2025.

Wonderful World of Animation specializes in rare, one-of-a-kind vintage Disney art such as pre-war Master Set-Ups and Concept Art by such legends as Mary Blair and Gustaf Tenggren in addition to Peanuts Comic Strips. 

We love that we get to sell the most fun art in the world! - Our clients love that we’re constantly on the hunt for that special piece!
Since 1993, Wonderful World of Animation has been recognized as one of the world's leading animation art galleries and prides itself on being a "go to" destination for collectors.
Our adventures began when avid collector Debbie Weiss said “That’s All Folks!” to a successful career on Wall Street to start the gallery and share her passion for animation. By offering the highest quality art at a fair price coupled with outstanding customer service, Weiss employs integrity and excellence as guiding principles towards our primary goal; to build lasting relationships with clients.
Weiss’ own enviable collection is one of the largest in the world and her expertise led Animation magazine to honor her as one of the “12 most influential people in the industry.” Recognized both in the USA and abroad, Weiss has offered insight to animation art collecting through a variety of domestic and international media. She has appeared on CNN, Forbes, and the BBC (TV and radio) and authored countless articles for periodicals including Collectors Showcase, Collectables, Animated Life, and Memorabilia.
Sharing knowledge with customers and offering guidance is extremely important to Weiss for she has always championed the belief of an informed sale. It is this honest and upfront attitude, as well as a genuine love of animation art, that has kept her at the top of the industry.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date July 22, 2025.

Theron Skees is a former innovator with Walt Disney Imagineering and a master storyteller. His creative legacy spans theme parks, destinations, resorts, and cruise ships, bringing immersive narratives to life around the world.

Theron is a highly adaptive, senior creative executive with 30 years experience assembling and leading multi-disciplined, cross-functional teams in the Themed Entertainment Industry. 

A veteran of Walt Disney Imagineering, he has led diverse concept, design and construction projects from hundreds of millions to multiple billions of dollars in a wide variety of experience types all over the world. Theron has spent his career injecting brand story, narrative and experience into theme parks, attractions, destination resort developments and cruise ships...

Today, he applies that broad expertise of storytelling, experience design and dynamic leadership across myriad applications. Shepherding individuals, companies and governments to transition from the traditional "customer" paradigm to re-imagining their brand DNA and attracting "audiences". Theron is focused on building true differentiation by creating experiences for every brand touchpoint that form emotional connections that last.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date July 1, 2025.

Jason W. Christman is a minimalist and vintage-style artist who has built a successful career as a freelance creative director. His work includes licensed art collaborations with Lucasfilm on Star Wars projects.

Jason William Christman has a minimalist and vintage style that is inspired by any number of searingly sci-fi, unapologetically geeky pop-culture touchstones, from Star Wars to Saul Bass.  Born in 1971 he was raised in Oregon and in the late 80′s moved to Southern California and became a photography major and darkroom guru who realized the potential of the digital world when Photoshop came to be.  In the 90′s he was mentored by LightWorks Productions photographer and owner Richard Mclean.  In 1998 Jason set off to become a successful freelancing Creative Director getting gigs with some of the west coast’s best advertising agencies, publications and companies.  At the same time he opened a gallery in the Pomona Arts Colony where he could share some of his favorite art, music and movies with everyone he could.
By 2005 he moved back to Oregon to raise a family with his wife Jenny, and children Kaileigh and Kaiden.  Currently he is co-founder and creative director of Blue Couch Media based out of Portland Oregon.
His first licensed Lucasfilm Star Wars print was released in 2012 and he has since done over a dozen licensed prints, plus exclusive prints for Star Wars Celebration 2015 in Anaheim.  His latest work has been accepted into the 2016 Star Wars Celebration in London and is expanding his licensed designs to other sci-fi and pop-cultured icons like Firefly, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Who and more..

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date June 18, 2025

Bob Weis is the former President of Walt Disney Imagineering, as well as a respected author and speaker.

He is an accomplished entertainment development executive with decades of experience bringing immersive stories and destinations to life.

Bob was named president of Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) in January 2016, after being responsible for all creative and design aspects of the Shanghai Disney Resort project. Starting at Walt Disney Imagineering in 1980, he had major creative roles with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Tokyo DisneySea.

After leaving Disney in 1994 to found his own design business, he returned to WDI as executive vice president in 2007 to oversee development of Cars Land and other new attractions at Disney California Adventure.

Bob Weis is a dreamer who believes if you can imagine it, you can do it. In his non-fiction writing, he focuses on the intersection between storytelling, design, creative collaboration, and team resiliency. In his fiction writing, he builds imaginative worlds and orchestrates unexpected character-driven adventures through them.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date June 17, 2025.

Stephanie is a Rhode Island School of Design graduate known for specializing in illustration and character design. Her work includes collaborations with Random House and Little Golden Books, among others.

Steph is a California-based artist specializing in illustration and character design for animation.

Her childhood spent in the woods of New England sparked her love for animals and the natural world, and still inspires her artwork. When she’s not drawing, Steph volunteers at her local wildlife hospital or spends quality time with her beloved cats, rats & mice. Steph has worked with Random House, Little Golden Books, Henry Holt/Macmillan, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Candlewick Press and many more publishing houses. She is always on the lookout for new challenges!

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date June 3, 2025.

Martin Hsu is a contemporary artist whose work reflects traditional Asian aesthetics. His art has been exhibited in Disney galleries in California and Florida through Disney.

Martin Hsu is a contemporary artist renowned for his iconic and imaginative works that blend traditional Asian aesthetics with modern narratives. Based in San Francisco, Hsu first discovered his love for art in his grandparents’ home while growing up in Taiwan. His immigrant identity and cultural heritage remain central to his artistic practice and continue to serve as his greatest inspiration.

​

Deeply influenced by classical Asian art—particularly 18th-century works by masters such as Itō Jakuchū and traditional Flower and Bird paintings—Hsu brings a reverent yet contemporary approach to his work. His distinctive style harmonizes delicate brushwork with dynamic color palettes, achieved through softly layered pigments that create a luminous, dreamlike quality.

​

Drawing inspiration from mythology, history, and the natural world, Hsu’s paintings feature peony blossoms as symbols of abundance alongside awe-inspiring muses, mythical creatures, and animal teachers. Together, they inhabit a surreal world that bridges the realms of tradition and imagination.

Hsu’s work has been exhibited at institutions including the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, and Disney galleries in California and Florida, as well as in corporate collections at Sanrio, Salesforce, and Google. Through his vision of New Traditional Asian Art, Hsu invites viewers into a fantastical universe that transcends time and space to evoke joy, wonder, and tranquility.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date May 20, 2025.

Scott Burroughs has worked as a video game animator for Sega and as a featured animator for Walt Disney. He is now regarded as one of the most revered artists in the mid-century modern commercial style.

Scott “Scooter” Burroughs is a painter, illustrator and designer working in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He graduated with his BA from Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California in 1994. Upon graduation he worked as a video game animator and conceptual artist for Sega before being hired by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Scooter worked 10 years for Disney as an animator on movies and mentor for new artists. His credits include: Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Tarzan, Fantasia 2000, The Emperor’s New Groove, Lilo And Stitch, Brother Bear and several shorts. When the Florida animation studio closed its doors, over 20 years ago, he moved back to Colorado and began a career in illustration, fine art painting and design. He continues to work with Disney as an artist to this day. 

Scooter has always loved the mid-century modern commercial style from the 40’s through the 70’s and his distinct artistic style has been formed by a love and passion for the images from that era. Scooter's fun and playful paintings and illustrations celebrate the style of the past and give life to a modern-day retro style of all the things he loves most.

Scooter and his wife Chrysti partner with an amazing organization called Acres of Love, where their mission is to rescue and care for AIDS Orphans and those with special needs in South Africa. “I get so much joy and excitement in my heart about changing the world through creativity, hope and love. Whenever you add my art or merchandise to your collection a portion of what you spend goes to Acres of Love, and I love that I get to partner with my AMAZING collectors in bringing hope, love and a family to these young children! It’s my hope that people’s hearts fill with joy knowing not only are they adding to their collection, but they’re literally changing the world!”

 Scooter is married to his high school sweetheart Chrysti and has two amazing sons, Maximus and Titus, and two lovable, crazy cats, Butter and Sushi.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date May 13, 2025.

Mark Daniel has turned his 25 plus years of experience as an actor, Television Warm up Host, stand up comedian and improv actor into a professional career as a Comedic Host, Emcee, and Live Personality. Specializing in but not limited to hosting and moderating Live Events, Shows, Keynotes, and Conventions 

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date May 10, 2022.

James is a writer, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and author of  How Does Disney Do That? and Where Are We Going So Fast?  

His background also includes being a blogger for the Chicago Tribune Media Group,  and columnist for the Chicago Tribune and Pioneer Press, along with being an adjunct professor and Communications Advisory Board Member for the School of Communications at Loyola University Chicago, and a Guest Speaker for DePaul University Chicago. 

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date May 6, 2025.

Beau Hufford is an author and illustrator of three books with a diverse creative career. He spent over 20 years teaching caricature and drawing, while also finding success as a professional photographer.

With a degree in Photography and Design, Beau tackles his work with a precise hand, an attention to detail and an exhausting excitement for color and composition.

He has designed countless brands and intellectual properties including Devilicious, Culture Coffee, Kawaii Hawaii and Jankytown. and the comic book “In Space”.

He is an award winning cartoonist and writer as well as a seasoned photojournalistic photographer. He is the author and illustrator of three art and entertainment books and has curated many art conventions and live art gallery shows across the country.

He has also spent over 20 years as a teacher and caricature artist drawing live in front of crowds of onlookers.His work blends his sense of humor, obsession for design and cartoonish sensibilities with street art and photography to place him comfortably into the low-brow art movement.

Beau has an exhausting excitement tor color and composition. He is an award-winning cartoonist and writer as well as a seasoned photo-journalistic photographer. He is the author and illustrator of three art and entertainment books and has curated many art conventions and gallery shows.

His work has been featured in apparel, products and home goods.As an illustrator, his work blends his sense of humor, obsession for design and cartoonish sensibilities with street art, design and photography to place him comfortably into the commercial art movement.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date April 22, 2025.

Rob Surette has performed over 4,000 speed painting shows worldwide and holds six world records for his artistry. His work has been acknowledged by Barack Obama and published in Time magazine.

Rob Surette has been drawing since the age of three and is a graduate of Saint Anselm College, launching a career that has taken him to national television appearances on the Today Show, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. He has performed over 4,000 speed-painting shows worldwide, set six world records with his artistry, appeared in Super Bowl commercials, been published in Time magazine, and received recognition from Barack Obama.Rob is an official top-tier master fine artist for Disney, Lucasfilm, DC, DreamWorks, and The Muppets, with his work showcased in museums and fine art galleries around the globe. He has also created custom masterpieces for icons such as Beyoncé, Julie Andrews, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, further cementing his legacy as one of the world’s most celebrated live artists.

Rob Surette has been drawing since the age of three and is a graduate of Saint Anselm College, launching a career that has taken him to national television appearances on the Today Show, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. He has performed over 4,000 speed-painting shows worldwide, set six world records with his artistry, appeared in Super Bowl commercials, been published in Time magazine, and received recognition from Barack Obama.Rob is an official top-tier master fine artist for Disney, Lucasfilm, DC, DreamWorks, and The Muppets, with his work showcased in museums and fine art galleries around the globe. He has also created custom masterpieces for icons such as Beyoncé, Julie Andrews, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, further cementing his legacy as one of the world’s most celebrated live artists.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date April 8, 2025.

Noah Elias has been voted as one of the top 25 artists in the world and was recognized by Microsoft as one of the 10 most influential companies with under 10 employees. He has also partnered with Disney, bringing his bold and innovative creative art to the Disney portfolio.

From selling art door to door on his bike at 16 years old, Noah Elias built a successful creative career over 30+ years, working with the likes of Disney, Costco, Lexus, MTV, Universal Pictures, Lucasfilm, Microsoft, and more. He was voted one of the Top 25 Artists in the World by Art Business News magazine, and his business was named by Microsoft as one of the 10 most influential companies under 10 employees. Noah is the founder and CEO of Great Flood Publishing, Inc., and his agency, Noah Studios, has executed major projects for impactful organizations around the world. As well as teaching aspiring artists how to make a living from pursuing their passion, Noah continues to partner with Disney and does regular on-site events at DisneyLand.

In addition to being a world-class artist, Noah is an author, coach, and thought leader who consults with other artists, personalities, organizations, and businesses around the world. Dedicated to using their family business as a mission for good, Noah and his wife, Chantel, and their children, Griffin and Noah, have partnered together to support Acres of Love, which cares for special needs AIDS orphans in South Africa.

Mark Page was an art director for Walt Disney Imagineering and a highly accomplished visual development artist. He has also worked as a background designer for Netflix, bringing rich world-building and storytelling to the screen.

Mark Page has loved to draw since the young age of five years old. Comic book heroes and cartoon characters were his

favorite subjects to copy. Mark continued to hone his drawing

and creative abilities, along with a strong since of storytelling, throughout his adolescent years. 

After graduating from high school, Mark earned scholarships and grants that ultimately helped him attend and graduate from the prestigious

ArtCenter college of Design in Pasadena California.

Mark has gone on to work in the entertainment industry on projects in animation, product design, hospitality design, and for the most part of his career, acting as a designer and Art Director of theme park attractions for Walt Disney Imagineering. 

He also worked at Netflix animation as a visual development artist and background designer.  

Next Mark worked at ForeVR Games designing worlds in Virtual Reality.

As a creative designer, art director, illustrator, and storyteller Mark now has taken the opportunity to start his own design firm, Mark Page Design Inc.

His clients include the Disney Company, Airbnb, Bloomberg, Advent, Sea World,Spin Master, The Thinkwell Group, and many more.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date March 20, 2025.

Kenny Yamada is a freelance Disney artist whose work has been featured at the Disney Gallery and showcased in Disney parks. He is also a YouTube content creator who shares his creativity and passion for Disney art with a wide audience.

Fenway Fan is an internationally recognized artist whose work has earned honors from Disney. His artwork has been prominently displayed in Tokyo, Boston, and at Disney locations around the world.

Fenway Fan is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores light, consciousness, and inner architecture through painting, stained glass, and live transmission performance.

Her signature Refraction series translates subtle energetic states into abstract visual form, creating portals that invite viewers into presence, attunement, and recognition. Fan’s work spans physical and digital mediums, with recent expansion into immersive experiences and XR-based light installations.

Her art has been exhibited internationally at venues such as Tokyo Tower Art Fair, Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Disney Parks, and Boston City Hall. Disney honored her as “The Grandest Vision” Artist in a global documentary celebrating creators whose work embodies imagination, emotional resonance, and visionary storytelling.

A former Cast Member, Bonnie launched Mouse Marketplace in 2020 and published his first book in September 2025.

Bonnie Cribbs is a happy-go-lucky encourager who loves bringing Joy to others. After 24 years in the magazine industry and decades of volunteer work in ministry in Nashville, he moved to Celebration, Florida, to live near Walt Disney World. A former Cast Member, he launched Mouse Marketplace in 2020, now home to 100,000+ Disney fans. Most days, you’ll find him walking the parks, sharing magic, and cheering people on.

The Most Happiest Joy on Earth is a 30 Day Devotional written by a Former Cast Member and frequent park-goer (yes, I even walk the parks just to get my steps in!).
Each day’s reading combines Disney-inspired stories—rides, shows, and those magical Main Street moments—with scripture and reflection. You’ll discover encouragement to:
✨ Find joy in everyday moments
✨ Trust God with childlike faith
✨ See life with fresh “first-time visitor” eyes
✨ Deepen your walk with practical journal prompt

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date March 4, 2025.

BONUS EPISODE - Dave Perillo is a freelance illustrator and designer based in the Philadelphia area. His signature retro art style is rooted in his love of mid-century modern aesthetics and classic Americana design.

Dave is a freelance Illustrator and designer based out of the Philly burbs.  In 1st grade, I revealed in my autobiography Me Book that I wanted to be the cartoon character Ziggy.  I also wanted to be an artist.  With the help of an Ed Emberly drawing book, hours of cartoons and a “healthy” diet of sugary cereals, I doodled my way through school on to college to study graphic design. Taking classes like typography and color theory helped make me a better illustrator. My retro art style developed from my love of the mid-century modern aesthetic. I'm inspired by Walt Disney, Mary Blair, Charles Schultz, Jim Flora, Ray Harryhausen, Roy Lichtenstein, Jim Henson, Hanna Barbera,  1950’s Sci-Fi Movies, The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock and character advertising icons.  As a kid I always drew what I liked.  I still get to do that today.  I feel very fortunate to have a career I love.  And...if things don't work out in the art world - I could still be Ziggy!    

Clients include:

Disney • Pixar • Target • Warner Bros • 20th Century Fox • Universal • CBS • Dreamworks • Lionsgate • Laika • Marvel Studios • DC Comics • Nickelodeon • Cartoon Network • Lucasfilm • Mattel • Hasbro • USAopoly • Galison/Mudpuppy • Simon & Schuster • Penguin Random House • Bento Box Entertainment • Wawa Inc. • Purina • Peanuts • The Beatles • Metallica

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date April 26, 2022

Shane Grammer is an urban-inspired artist and sculptor whose bold, expressive style has gained international recognition. His work has been featured worldwide and prominently displayed in Disney park galleries around the globe.

 Shane excels in directing, managing, and leading teams across conceptual design, fabrication, and the installation of global projects. His artistic footprint spans cities worldwide, gracing places like Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Cambodia, South Korea, and Dubai, with his paintings prominently displayed in Disney Park Galleries across the globe.

Shane's achievements include noteworthy coverage in the LA Times for his work in Paradise, acknowledgment as one of the Best Pictures of 2019 by the Associated Press, and features in prestigious publications like the New York Times and Washington Post. His engaging presence extends to appearances on NBC's Sunday Morning Show with Willie Geist and National Geographic.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date 2-11-2025

Dave Avanzino is a fine artist and scenic designer living in the Southern California area.  For more than a two decades, Dave has created numerous one-of-a-kind, limited and open edition pieces for Disneyland®, Walt Disney World® and the Disney Cruise Line.  He typically works in a 3-D style and creates mixed-media paper sculptures in shadowbox frames.  Recently Dave has been converting some of his artwork into 2-D formats that can be reproduced as Canvas Giclées and Matted Deluxe Prints while working to keep some of the character and depth of his dimensional works.  

His unique, dimensional style presents familiar characters, words and phrases in a fresh new way.  Dave uses a variety of materials including paper, wood, metal, wire, etc., to create his artwork.  He enjoys combining different textures, colors and materials and depth in order to make his designs literally pop off the page.  One of the elements Dave enjoys including in his artwork, in addition to the characters, is words.  The great library of classic Disney films and attractions has given him an endless source of rich, wonderful words and phrases he can create his artwork around.  Whether it's a quote by the Evil Queen from Snow White or the name of a Disney® theme park, Dave can come up with a way to represent it in his distinctive dimensional style.  

​

Over the past few years Dave has been designing a series of unique Tiki-themed signs and artwork. The first ones were whimsical Tiki Bar Signs featuring unique names and signature drinks. These were produced as limited edition handmade paper sculptures and reproduced as wrapped canvases, wood signs and matted prints. In addition he has designed and created a series of one-of-a-kind paper sculpture Tikis. Dave has also recently introduced a line of artwork he calls "Tiki Bots" which are a mashup of Tiki Culture and Mid-Century Robots. 

Chris Crump started his career in 1973, working with his father, Rolly, as an apprentice carpenter for Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus World. In the late 1980s, Chris started his career at Walt Disney Imagineering, where he worked as a Production Designer and Executive until his retirement in 2016.During his time as an Imagineer, Chris worked on The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure, and he was also part of the team which received the 2002 Thea Award for Best New Theme Park (Tokyo DisneySea) from the Themed Entertainment Association.

Terri Hardin is a world-renowned master sculptor, exceptional concept artist, and elite American puppeteer. As a Disney Imagineer, she’s widely celebrated for her contributions to both the Jim Henson Company and the Walt Disney Company.

** Our guest worked for The Jim Henson Company for over 30 years, performing in Dinosaurs, The Flintstones, The Indian in the Cupboard and The Country Bears.**Our accomplished guest was hired by Disney Studios where she helped design the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and The Dragon's Lair attractions at Disneyland Paris.**She has personal connections and is part of respected social circles with names Disney Legends John Hench, Xtencio, Bob Gurr, Rolly Crump, Harriet Burns, Alice and Marc Davis, and Roy Disney Jr just to name a few. **Additionally her direct reports while working as an Imagineer were Disney Legends Marty Sklar and Tony Baxter.**At Walt Disney Imagineering her imprint can been seen on 12 key attractions including Star Tours, Splash Mountain, Muppet*Vision 3D, Big Thunder Mountain, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Journey Into Imagination to name a few.** Our guest is credited with 41 Filmography acknowledgements including titles like The Muppet Movie, Men in Black, King Kong and Bruno.**Her talents in the blockbuster Ghostbusters were impactful as played both of the demon dogs at the "Temple of Zuul" and served as a puppeteer for both the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and the ghost librarian seen at the opening of the film.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date April 16, 2024.

John DeCuir Jr. is an accomplished art director who worked on major motion pictures and served as a project design designer for Walt Disney and collaborated on creative projects connected to Jim Henson.

John DeCuir, Jr. has designed feature films, films for television and themed exhibitions in Italy, Spain, France, England, Ireland, Japan, Canada, and throughout the United States. He has been credited as Art Director on Ghostbusters and Production Designer on Top Gun Sister Act II, Turner & Hooch, Fright Night and many others. He was a student apprentice on, Cleopatra, Agony & the Ecstacy and Taming of the Shrew. In his years working at Disney, he was credited as Project Designer, on the master plan for Walt Disney's EPCOT & World Showcase He was project designer for Spaceship Earth & the original Communicore. John also assisted Disney in other theme park film attractions such as Jim Henson's 3_D Muppet Movie, Alien Encounter, and EPCOT's Energy pavilion. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree (cum laude) from the University of Southern California and completed two years of graduate work at USC's Institute of Building Research & Technology. He has lectured and taught at UCLA, USC, The American Film Institute, Columbia College Chicago and Asbury University. In addition, he also conducts an online class, Design For Film, Television & Theater and is working on two books, The Architecture of Illusion and Travels with Dad.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date 3-26-24

The Dapper Danielle is a beloved Disney content creator and published author and artist known for her stylish DisneyBounding looks and creative fashion storytelling.

- Macro-level influencer on TikTok and micro-niche influencer on Instagram that weaves together historical facts and modern-day entertainment.- Since 2020, Danielle's TikTok presence has grown to 391,80000 followers and 12.7 million likes with an average engagement of 16%.- #thedapperdanielle hashtag has been viewed over 56 Million times on TikTok.- Danielle's expansion to Instagram has gained 46,000 followers since the fall of 2022 with follower growth increasing by an average of 33% per month.- On Instagram, over 79,000 accounts engage with Danielle's Reels and static content in 90 days with over 900,000 accounts reached.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date March 6, 2024

Joel Payne has worked closely with Disney, Disney Imagineers, and Digital Backlot, building a strong foundation within the creative Disney landscape. He has made his mark in the world of artistry through his contributions to Disney Fine Art.

A native Californian, Joel Christopher Payne's story starts with a life changing moment at the age four that would change the course of his life forever. Joel tells us, “My earliest memory that inspired my career came when I was riding on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and I looked up to my mom and said, Look Mom! Look how real the robots are!! At which point my mother without hesitation replied , -son, those are the waiters at the Blue Bayou... You'd think I was destroyed... but it was in that moment that I realized just how amazing Walt Disney really was. I couldn't tell difference between the fantasy and the real thing and I knew that I wanted to learn how to harness this kind of unique magic!” Disneyland and Disney feature animation would ignited a lifelong passion in Joel that would lead him to inspire others through his own style of breakthrough art.In 1996, Joel finally got his chance to work with Disney on “Disney's Virtual Jungle Cruise” ride still in operation in Florida's Disneyquest. Responsible for creating the rides river rafting track and 3D backgrounds, Payne learned from Disney Imagineers about the power of storytelling, color and lighting techniques that he still uses in his paintings today.From 1996 to present day, Joel would go on to build 3D worlds for Steven Spielberg's “Sky Pirates”, Art Directing Disney's Atlantis the video game, Mortal Kombat:Shaolin Monks, Max Steel and Star Ship Troopers:Roughnecks, Silent Hill:Homecoming and Baldur's Gate:Dark Alliance. He would also score film music for world renown Stan Winston.In 2008 Joel would head up Universal Studios very first virtual version of their world famous Backlot facades creating digital doubles of the famous "Back to the future courtyard" and in 2009 Joel's company Digital Backlot would design 75 original 3D characters for the project Growums. Featured on the show “The View” Joel not only animated the growums characters, but like Walt, voiced several of the lead characters to the tune of more than 100 cartoons.

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date 2-27-24

Gary K. Wolf is best known as the author of Who Censored Roger Rabbit? (1981), which was adapted into the hit Disney feature-length film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).

Gary's works include:Killerbowl (September 26, 1975) A Generation Removed (May 27, 1977) The Resurrectionist (July 20, 1979)Who Censored Roger Rabbit? (June 6, 1981) Who P-P-P-Plugged Roger Rabbit? Amityville House of Pancakes Vol 3 Space Vulture (March 4, 2008) Penumbra eMag Vol 1 Issue 10 (July 2012) The Late Great Show! (October 5, 2012)Typical Day (December 7, 2012) Who Wacked Roger Rabbit? (November 29, 2013)Jessica Rabbit: XERIOUS Business (May 4, 2022)

For more exclusive interviews join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMcDevittShow/featured

Original YouTube air date 2-6-24