John Ratzenberger: A Bug's Life

Verstile Actor Just Isn't Cliff Clavin Anymore

May 19, 2009 Bill Kallay

With A Bug's Life on Blu-ray disc, actor John Ratzenberger discusses his role as P.T. Flea, and his involvement with Nuts, Bolts & Thingmajigs

The 1998 Pixar hit, A Bug's Life, is now available on Blu-ray disc. Home viewers can re-experience this wonderful film in high definition picture & sound.

One of the funniest characters in the film is P.T. Flea. Actor John Ratzenberger, perhaps best known for his role of Cliff Clavin on Cheers, provided the voice. His distinctive voice has brought smiles to faces for decades. From Toy Story in 1995, Ratzenberger has done a cameo in every Pixar feature film.

Suite 101's Bill Kallay talked with Ratzenberger.

Ratzenberger and Pixar

Bill Kallay, Suite 101: You’ve done voice work in every Pixar feature film. What brings you back to Pixar?

John Ratzenberger: When they call, I show up. Because I’d already done Toy Story with them, how am I going to turn down another chance to work with these guys?

Suite 101: Pixar’s a class act.

Ratzenberger: Everybody up there (at Pixar) brings a real childlike enthusiasm. They still approach their work like kids in a sandbox.

Suite 101: That must be a lot of fun for you to just go into an environment like that where you know the work’s going to be good.

Ratzenberger: That’s what creativity is all about, I think. If you’re having fun with it, it’s bound to come out good.

Ladies & Gentlemen, P.T. Flea!

Suite 101: Tell us about P.T. Flea. What kind of energy did you bring to him?

Ratzenberger: We’ve all met or known people that have anger issues, I guess. (laughter) Their anger controls them. Most of the time if there’s a problem, rational people say, “Okay, take a breath. How can we get through this rationally?” But P.T. Flea is the type who just goes berserk at the drop of a hat! I always think that’s funny. This little flea here is nuts. It was so much fun playing him for that reason. On the speedometer of his emotions, he’s got zero; he’s got 100. There’s nothing in-between.

Suite 101: Who do you try to base your characters on?

Ratzenberger: What I try to do is somebody I’ve known, whether it’s the recent past or in the past, and try to channel that. It could’ve been a school teacher, or a friend’s uncle. The Cliff character that I created for “Cheers,” that was on a specific person. Usually because it’s easier for me that way.

Suite 101: What are some of the traits that you were attracted to in P.T. Flea?

Ratzenberger: I like his bravado. I would imagine in the world of A Bug’s Life, that there were other traveling circuses that were really good. Well, he’s in charge of one that isn’t really any good at all. His delusion is thinking that he’s going to discover or create one of the biggest acts in the world. It’s like entering an old used car into the LeMans race thinking you’re going to win. We all know people like him.

Suite 101: Have you seen the Blu-ray of A Bug’s Life?

Ratzenberger: Yes I have. There’s a big difference. The translucence of the leaves, for instance, it looks like sun coming through leaves. But you really see the artistry. You appreciate the artistry. You see the film as the original animators see it.

Nuts, Bolts & Thingmajigs

Suite 101: Shifting gears, you’re involved with Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs.

Ratzenberger: That’s a foundation started about three-four years ago. It comes off my traveling around the country with a show that I did for Travel Channel called John Razenberger’s Made in America. I discovered that literally we’re running out of people who know how to build things and make things.

We give scholarships to camps nationwide to teach kids how to tinker again. When’s the last time you saw kids out in the backyard building a tree house?

In every single industry, there’s no exception to this rule, started with one person inventing one thing. There’s no exception to that rule.

The other rule is that every single one of those inventors started off as children tinkering. And there is no exception to that rule, either. People don’t start getting fascinated with that stuff when they’re in college. It all starts when they’re kids. So that’s the basis of the foundation.

Suite 101: And you’re one of the founders?

Ratzenberger: Yes. I came up with the name because I always thought that everything we are in the Western civilization, as a culture, depends on someone’s ability to put a nut and a bolt together. Everything. Even a loaf of bread. Someone’s got to make the machines that wraps the bread and puts on a twist tie, etc.

The copyright of the article John Ratzenberger: A Bug's Life in Animated Films is owned by Bill Kallay. Permission to republish John Ratzenberger: A Bug's Life in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

John Ratzenberger