Celebrating National Pokemon Day! 👾
LISTEN HERE
Season 2: Episode 77 Description
Ten News Gets Extra: 🎮 Grab your pokeballs and join us to learn all about the history of Pokemon. 👾 Today head writer Ryan Willard is talking all things Pokemon with Sarah Natochenny, the voice of Ash Ketchum in the Pokemon animated series. ✔️ Fun Fact Check: How much did the most expensive Pokemon card sell for? And, test your Pokemon knowledge on today's Trivia on the Ten. ✅
Sources
Pokémon at 25: A history - from Pocket Monsters, to TCG and Pokémon GO - CBBC Newsround
10 Pokemon facts you probably didn’t know about (redbull.com)
Links
📧 Do you have something to tell us? Email us at: hello@thetennews.com
📝 Sign up for The Ten News-letter!
📸 Join us on Instagram
TRANSCRIPT:
Bethany Van Delft 0:03
Whoa, Ryan, did you see this?
Ryan Willard 0:06
Whoa, is that a pokeball?
Bethany Van Delft 0:08
Yeah, catch!
Ryan Willard 0:10
Wait, no, no.
Bethany Van Delft 0:14
Oh my gosh, I just caught a riozard if you are a Pokemon trainer, get ready. I'm Bethany Van Delft. It's Saturday, February 26th. And we're celebrating Pokemon Day here on the Ten News Gets Extra.
Sound Bit 0:30
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Bethany Van Delft 0:38
Pokemon is one of the most popular franchises in the world. But do you know how Pokemon got started? Grab your pokeballs and listen up. When he was a kid, Satoshi Tajiri love collecting bugs so much that he planned to become an entomologist. What does that mean? That's a person who studies bugs. But instead, he became a video game creator. In 1993, Satoshi created a side-scrolling game called Mario and Wario. And then Nintendo hired him to make a monster collecting game called Pocket Monsters in 1996. Pocket Monsters got turned into Pokemon. Get it? Pocket Monster, pocket monster, Pokemon! Players connected their Gameboy systems to trade pocket monsters, and that was the beginning of Pokemon. Since then, there have been TV shows trading cards, movies, apps, and a whole lot more games. 2016's PokemonGo has been downloaded over 1 billion times. Wow. From bug collecting to billions of fans. That's a really brief history of Pokemon. To celebrate Pokemon Day, we want to talk to someone who gets Pokemon on a whole different level. We needed the best trainer in sinna. Someone who has a best friend named Pikachu tennis head writer Ryan Willard is talking to Sarah Natochenny, the voice of Ash Ketchum in the Pokemon animated series. Let's have a listen.
Ryan Willard 2:27
Thank you for releasing me from that pokeball, Bethany. I appreciate that. I'm here with a living legend. Sarah Natochenny, who are you? Where are you from? And what do you do?
Sarah Natochenny 2:38
Hi, Ryan. I'm Sarah. Natochenny. I'm the voice of Ash Ketchum and like 30 other characters on Pokemon, the TV show and the movies for the last 16 years. And I am from New York City-born and raised. I'm an actor. I'm a film editor. Writing now, which is really cool. I do a lot of different kinds of stuff. But for the most part, I'm known as a voice actor.
Ryan Willard 3:04
I love it. And can you tell us more about the character of Ash Ketchum and one of our Ten'ers, Miss Maggie Rose wants to know, what is it like being an animated character?
Sarah Natochenny 3:13
Ash is a tenacious boy around 10 years old, who loves to win, he loves to win, but it is never at the expense of his friendships with other trainers or his friends, or at the expense of his Pokemon. He absolutely loves his Pokemon, and he has so much love and cares to give. And that's something I love all of those traits are badass. He's such a great kid and such a great example for young people. Ash is one of the most recognizable animated characters in the world. And that comes with personal responsibility, like to his integrity, that I helped create, you know? I gotta behave myself. I have to be a good example for the kids who watch the show who grew up with the show. At the same time, I still have to maintain my own sovereignty apart from him, right? Like I am my own person. So, that's something I'll be navigating for the rest of my life.
Ryan Willard 4:09
Okay, well, thank you. Well, I will tell you one of the kids wants to know. It's my friend Everett, from San Diego who asked who's your favorite Pokemon? And why?
Sarah Natochenny 4:18
Can I correct you on something or is that weird?
Ryan Willard 4:21
Please correct me.
Sarah Natochenny 4:22
Pokay-mon.
Ryan Willard 4:23
Pokay-mon, Pokay-mon.
Sarah Natochenny 4:26
A lot of people say Pokemon, it's not it.
Ryan Willard 4:29
So I'm gonna ask again. Who's your favorite Pokemon and why?
Sarah Natochenny 4:33
My favorite Pokemon is Pikachu. Because she was my favorite and I know that's a really common answer. And it's because it's the most recognizable, sure, but I've had a lot of time to think about this and I even named my cat after Pikachu. I literally say, Pikachu, like that's how I talk to my cat. I think I love Pikachu, probably because Ash's Pikachu you get so much character development. He's got so much screentime so like we get To see him and all these different situations and how much he loves and how much he loves food and how much he loves Buneary and he's obviously adorable, but Pikachu just has a special place in my heart, man, I can't.
Ryan Willard 5:11
How did you get the role of Ash Ketchum? How did you get this mantle passed on to you? And what's the best part about playing Ash?
Sarah Natochenny 5:18
The best part of playing Ash is the fans at this point. It's going to conventions and meeting people and getting to know people from all different parts of the world. You know, how did I get the job? I was a regular actor. I went to acting school I went to improv, classes at UCB. I went to Lee Strasberg for acting, and I got an agent and a manager. And that was like, all pounding the pavement that there was no like, nobody handed me anything at that point. And I got this audition for Pokemon. And I was 18 years old. And I happen to book it. Like it was a lot of luck meets preparation. So there were like, years of preparation and that one lucky, and I was just in the right place at the right time.
Ryan Willard 6:01
Well, now you are the leader of a show that has its own day. How do you celebrate Pokemon day personally?
Sarah Natochenny 6:09
It depends on the year, but every year. I practice gratitude. I zoom out of my life and I'm like, I can't believe this is what it is, every Pokemon Day, I'm like, this is a celebration of my life. Not to be selfish about it. But it's so incredible that something that I was a fan of as a kid is something that I now has this responsibility for, you know, and my life would not be what it is without it.
Ryan Willard 6:38
So, I heard a rumor. You're very passionate about cats. I know you have your own cat named Pikachu. Can you tell us why you're passionate about cats and how you explore that passion?
Sarah Natochenny 6:49
Sure, actually, part of the reason was a Pokemon episode. I've always loved cats. Let's not get let's stay real. But a Pokemon episode where Pokemon passes away. That episode was being recorded right around the time that my 17-year-old cat passed away. And my director's cat passed away. And we were just like, really emotional. And I wanted to understand that cats all have different personalities. That was my hypothesis. And that is something that I wanted to explore that I could find another cat that has a wonderful personality as my cat did. My cat was amazing. So I started fostering kittens. And I realized that very few people know what fostering even means. Fostering is basically it's not adoption. It's the part between rescue and adoption. So somebody goes out and rescues kittens off the street cats off the street, and dogs, and then somebody else needs to give them a home because that rescuer rescues cats all the time. Can't keep all the cats in their house, right? So somebody like me comes in and is like, Okay, I'll keep these cats and kittens for as long as they need a home until they find an adopter or until they're old enough to get spayed and neutered and adopted out. And I did it and I fell in love with it. And then my mom was coming over and she's like, this is insanely cute. Oh my goodness. Then she started doing it. So over a course of maybe two years when we had the time and space we foster like over 100 cats and kittens. Man, it was amazing.
Ryan Willard 8:20
If I were a 10 year old, and I was very passionate about cats and animals, how would you recommend I get into helping them in the same way that you have?
Sarah Natochenny 8:28
Talk to your parents and talk to your guardians. And go to, I have to update the website but voicesforfosters.com has a list of places to foster with. You can just also Google it. Google your town and cat Foster and cat adoption and I'm sure you'll come up with a short to a long list of places that offer these services and sign up and let them know what your capabilities are. If you're able to do it. It's very adaptable and it's very flexible, it's rewarding and it makes you stronger. So I support fostering.
Ryan Willard 9:04
Alright, so we're about to do serious and not-so-serious questions. You're going to answer them as fast as you can, rapid-fire. If you hesitate or if you get any questions wrong. I will be sending you four pounds of glitter in your next birthday card. Do you understand?
Sarah Natochenny 9:17
I understand? Yes.
Ryan Willard 9:19
And here we go. Question number one. Which starter would you want to pick? Squirtle, Charmander or Bulbasaur.
Sarah Natochenny 9:27
Charmander.
Ryan Willard 9:28
Would you rather swim in a pool filled with sour milk or the tears of Pokemon fans?
Sarah Natochenny 9:33
The tears of Pokemon fans. They could be happy tears.
Ryan Willard 9:38
Snickerdoodles or double chocolate chip cookies?
Sarah Natochenny 9:40
Double chocolate chip cookies.
Ryan Willard 9:42
What are a movie and a TV show you'd recommend to a 10-year-old?
Sarah Natochenny 9:46
My favorite kid-friendly movies are Matilda which is based on a book by Ronald Dahl. Both read it and watch it so, so good. Danny DeVito is amazing. And Andre, which is a movie about a seal starring Tina Majerino I will never forget I've seen it like 1000 times.
Ryan Willard 10:02
Which is your favorite Pokemon game? Is it the card game? Pokemon Go? Case? Sword shield, etc. Is there another one? What's your favorite Pokemon game?
Sarah Natochenny 10:12
Pokemon Go.
Ryan Willard 10:14
Pokemon Go. Okay, would you rather shave your eyebrows off one time? Or shave your cat Pikachu once a month for three years?
Sarah Natochenny 10:24
I'd shave Pikachu.
Ryan Willard 10:25
You would do that? You would do that to Pikachu?
Sarah Natochenny 10:28
You didn't say how much of him I'd have to shave.
Ryan Willard 10:31
No, completely off, just like your eyebrows.
Sarah Natochenny 10:34
Oh, that's different. Come on, man. No, that's wrong. You can't choose. He's so like floopy. He looks so funny. Fine, I’ll shave off my eyebrows once. I hate you.
Ryan Willard 10:51
Which of the Pokemon cast members is the most fun to work with? You can only choose one.
Sarah Natochenny 10:55
Barrett Ledi. He plays Molane. He's like one of my best friends.
Ryan Willard 11:01
What's the coolest place in the world you've been?
Sarah Natochenny 11:03
Venice, Italy.
Ryan Willard 11:05
Which Pokemon would you take into battle?
Sarah Natochenny 11:08
Pikachu, he's my boy.
Ryan Willard 11:11
Which Pokemon would you want to have as a roommate?
Sarah Natochenny 11:16
Snorlax.
Ryan Willard 11:18
And, what is the coolest place you've been this year?
Sarah Natochenny 11:21
I'd have to say probably Corinth, Mississippi. A little town in Mississippi.
Ryan Willard 11:27
Okay, next question. Does Pikachu fart lightning?
Sarah Natochenny 11:31
Does Pikachu fart lightning? You know, I'm afraid of answering that question because it might not be canon. But in my honest, personal opinion. Yes.
Ryan Willard 11:40
Okay. Do you have any hidden talents?
Sarah Natochenny 11:43
I play the piano. I can whistle two notes at the same time.
Ryan Willard 11:47
Last question. How on earth do we catch them all?
Sarah Natochenny 11:52
Oh, good luck. Perseverance, tenacity. A strong sense of self. Okay. Never Never give up, man. You can't ever give up until you get there.
Ryan Willard 12:03
All right. Well, is there anything else you want to say to our Ten'ers and our audience before we go?
Sarah Natochenny 12:08
Oh, my goodness. Well, thank you so much for listening. I hope you enjoyed it. And make sure you read a lot of books, please, like I did when I was a child. I read 111 books in the second grade. And I wrote book reports on every single one. And I did that because I was inspired by Belle in Beauty and the Beast. So if I can pass anything along as my legacy, it is read books, read the books, read all the books.
Ryan Willard 12:34
Excellent advice from the living legend that we call Sarah Natochenny. She's the voice of Ash Ketchum. Thank you so much for being on the Ten News and coming with us today.
Bethany Van Delft 12:43
How cool is it that? The voice of Ash Ketchum named her cat Pikachu and is passionate about fostering and finding homes for cats? Sarah, thank you so much for joining us, and feel free to trap Ryan back in that Pokeball. I won't tell. Guess what time it is? Time to share your Pokemon knowledge.
Sound Bit 13:07
What, what, what's the big idea?
Bethany Van Delft 13:10
Trivia on the Ten. Which Pokemon was the very first Pokemon? Is it a) Pikachu? b) Wailord? or c) Rhidon? Did you guess it? The answer is c) Rhidon. Rhidon on is a ground rock-type Pokemon who appears pretty late in the pokedecks. But according to Pokemon designer Ken Sugimori Rhidon was the first. His name is a mix of dinosaurs in rhinoceros. Just like most Pokemon names, which are puns. Do you have a favorite Pokemon? We want to hear from you. Head to thetennews.com/contact to let us know your favorite Pokemon. Well, we hope you have an awesome Pokemon Day. But before we go, I want to give a big shout-out to our Ten'ers, Ben, and Alex for helping us out with our Year of the Tiger episode. You guys rock. Also, here's a quick note for the grownups. Thanks for listening to the Ten News. Look out for new episodes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and extras on Saturdays. The Ten News is a coproduction of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts and is distributed by iHeartRadio. The Ten News creative team is trading Pokemon cards and includes Tracey Crooks, Pete Musto, Ryan Willard, Adam Barnard, and Tessa Flannery. Our production director is Jeremiah Tittle and our executive producers are Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan. I am Bethany Van Delf and thanks for listening to the Ten News. Alright, I gotta go catch a Pokemon, so I will see you on Tuesday!
