Dan Milano: Co-Creator of Greg the Bunny

Video Interview Coming Soon!

My Name is:
Dan Milano

What I Do:
Keep on keepin on.

Writer-Producer-Puppeteer

My Title:
Baron Von Awesomeface

What No One Knows About Me:
I cried at the end of Steel Magnolias and Driving Miss Daisy.

Things I Do a Lot:
Frolic with puppies, snuggle under the covers with my girl for Twilight Zone marathons, collect board games, collect Super 8 and 16mm reels of my favorite movies, collect star wars toys, make dioramas, procrastinate about work, lunch with my buddies (our writers support group), lurk on Ebay and level up in Final Fantasy.

My Favorite Fictional Location and Why:
The Ghostbusters Firehouse in Manhattan.   Because they're the real heroes.


NPR Shows Radio or Podcasts I listen to:
The Ricky Gervais Show
Fresh Air
This American Life
Cinemagic on XM Radio
Star Wars Action News Podcast
Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica Official Podcasts

Movies and TV I Like and Why:
The works of James L. Brooks, Albert Brooks, Garry Shandling, Ricky Gervais, Larry David, Mike Nichols, Eugene Levy and Woody Allen.  Because they find humor in vulnerability and the neurosis that defines humanity.   Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and other such movies, for transporting me to worlds as gritty yet magical as our own.   Doctor Who and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for making me laugh one moment, and cry the next.   These are shows that disguise themselves as silly, but are at their core, grounded and emotional.    The work of Judd Apatow, I love his style.   The monologues of Bill Cosby, for telling me stories I'll never forget.   And the works of Jim Henson, for making me believe in rainbows.

Movies and TV They Could Have Done a Better Job With and Why:
The Star Wars Prequels - too much time distracted with effects and not enough with story and character development.   Lucas is still a genius.   But without the help of the GOOD KKK - Kasdan, Kirshner and Kurtz - the real magic of Star Wars felt sadly far, far away.

My Top Video Games:
Wing Commander 2 and 3
Wolfenstein 3-D, Doom and Hexen
Alone in the Dark
Final Fantasy VII
Deus Ex
Munch's Odyssey
Halo
Knights of the Old Republic
Elder Scrolls: Oblivion

Personal Heroes:
Jim Henson, George Lucas, John Belushi, James L. Brooks, Judd Apatow, Ricky Gervais, my buddha of a mother (in philosophy, not shape) and anyone who knows how to let life happen to them.

If I Could Be Somewhere Else, it Would Be:
Living in the midwest with my girl, on a sprawling patch of land, populated by our dogs, cats and horses.   I'd open a little shop and we'd sell jewelry and collectibles.  That, or Disneyland's Haunted Mansion after closing.

If I Could Rescue Any Animal, It Would Be:
Every damn dog and cat in the kennel.   And maybe a velociraptor.

Strangest Dream I've Ever Had:
I had a twin with a tattoo where the sun don't shine.

My Super-Secret Invention:
A robot named Tobor who I program to eat in fancy restaurants.

I Read Books By:
In bed, until my neck hurts.   On Ipod, while walkin' my doggies.   Oh, you mean authors.  Douglas Adams, Steven King, various Dark Horse Comics, Star Wars novels, Freshmen comics from Top Cow, and stuff like that there.

My Amazing Quote:
"Ain't nobody gonna put a hand up my ass unless you're Taiwanese and I've paid you to do it." ---in an on-air interview, as my altar ego, Warren (the Ape) Demontague

Why I Do What I Do:
Because I seriously flunked every subject that wasn't creative writing.

Rule to Live By:
My two favorites:

Do unto others as you would have done to you.
and
Don't kill the messenger.

Why I like Italian Food:
I like Indian food because it can be decadent while remaining largely healthful.   And italian fooda and salads cuz they remind me of Grandma.

If a Book Were Written About Me, it Would Be Called:
"This Never Happens"   Because Agents, mentors and teachers have told me that numerous times throughout my life and career.   

If I Could go back in time I would tell myself:
Don't be so shy - girls like you, stupid!!!!!!!!!

An Interesting/Amusing Fact About My Family:
We would hug each other, singularly or in groups, at least 3 times a day.

When I was a kid I always wanted to be:
Someone who worked for Jim Henson.

My Family and Friends Thought I'd be:
A cast member on SNL

Parting Thoughts:
The single most dangerous invention of the century - internet shopping and the concept of preorders.   It will be the ruination of me, you watch.

An Interview with Greg

Below: An interview with Greg the Bunny at Comic-Con 2006, from www.probotproductions.com

PNN Goes to Hollywood

This week, PNN traveled to Hollywood to interview Dan Milano, one of the writers for Robot Chicken and creator of the Fox Television show, Greg the Bunny. An avid puppet enthusiest since childhood, Dan is one of the leading forces in keeping puppetry alive in American Media, believing puppetry to be, not only an art form, but also an extension of the human experience.

Posted here are some "previews of things to come," as PNN has an exclusive mini-documentary that will air soon.

For questions, comments or memories of Dan or Greg the Bunny, (either via Junktape, IFC or Fox) please email: jennifer @ pnn.com