Disney XD: Phineas and Ferb – The Kidz talk to Swampy
Why are you called Swampy? Hag and Con age 8 and 6
(Laughs) Well the story I usually tell is that I lost a bet in college, but the truth is it was a nickname I got her in England when I was living down in Exeter, back in 1979/1980. And it was because my last name is Marsh. So people started calling me either ‘Boggy Marsh’ or ‘Swampy Marsh’.
And I think one night I got a little too upset at the prospect of being called ‘Boggy Marsh’ – I just thought that was ridiculous. From what I’d heard ‘Bog’ was slang for a toilet…..I raised a bit of a fuss, probably too much of a fuss. So after that everybody just started calling me ‘Swampy’.
And..err..It came back to me when I got back to America and everybody started calling me ‘Swampy’ there and it just sort of stuck.
Why are they called Phineas and Ferb? Michael age 8
Well Phineas, as my partner said as he drew the first little triangle headed guy on a table cloth…this is back in 1993….he drew this little triangle head on a table cloth with crayons. And he said to him that just looked like a Phineas. And it made me think of Phileas T Fogg, from ‘Around the world in 80 days’. Which was the same kind of person that has that get out there and do that impossible kind of attitude. And that’s why Phineas became Phineas.
Ferb was actually named after a friend of ours – whose name is Ferb. And he makes sets…or used to make sets for movies and television. He used to work on Star Trek and did a lot of the Star Trek films. And his name was Ferb. And we had for year characters on the shows that we worked on……Dan and I, we characters named Ferb in the background….we had Feb written on things in the background. And so when we created our own show, it just seemed logical that we’d put another character in it named Ferb as an homage to him.
He’s a man that owns the real Ferb and a man that owns more tools than any man I know. And if you ever go by his house at Christmas time……..he has the most elaborate Christmas lights I’ve ever seen ever anywhere. (Laughs)
Who would you rather be and why – Phineas or Ferb? Millie age 8
Hmmmm……boy that’s a tough one. I’d like to think I’d like to be more like Ferb, who does all that building and everything. While quietly, silently sitting in the background. Although I tend to talk too much so I think the truth is I’m more like Phineas. Buuuuttttt… if I think I’d like to be more Ferbish.
If you could choose a super power what would it be? Sophie age 6
Well I have a super power. My Super power is that I’m immune to ice-cream headaches…..I don’t get brain freeze. Although I have not figured out a way to use that Super power to fight crime or defeat villains in anyway – that is my Super Power. Other than that…. I don’t know. I’d have to go with flying. I just think that would be so cool to do.
Why did you make Perry? Con age 6
Well we (laughs)…Dan and I, when we started working together we really liked doing action sequences and chase scenes. And so when we were creating the cartoon we realised we’re gonna need to figure out a reason or excuse to do all these action sequences and chase scenes we like to do so much. And so we just sort of…we were playing around and being silly and though if they had a pet that was a ‘Secret Agent’ – he’d go off and have these ‘James Bond’ style Spy adventures. And I don’t remember why we ended up with a Platypus other than we’d never seen anybody use one in a cartoon. The word just sounds funny. And then when you look up the description of them…they’ve got Beaver tails and duck bills and Poisonous barbs – they’re just sort of funny and we couldn’t think of a funnier animal to lead a double life as a ‘Secret Agent’.
What is your favourite Phineas and Ferb moment? Millie age 8
Hmmmm…For me it’s still the time when Phineas and Ferb got the band ‘Love Handle’ back together for their parent’s anniversary. It was the first time we had this really sweet moment between Phineas and Candice, when they both worked together to do something really nice for their folks. And it’s one of the first times that while we were making this show I remember watching it and I got a little teary. It chocked me up a little bit and I thought it was really sweet….and I think that’s still one of my favourite moments.
If Phineas and Ferb could time travel where would they go? Michael age 8
Wow…..knowing Phineas and Ferb they’d probably end up somewhere in the future. But I’ve always wanted to take them back to the time of like ‘Isambard Kingdom Brunel’…..when all of that great…em…when all of that great innovation was going on…that whole Industrial revolution. All these new amazing machines and giant ships in the sea. The things they were doing with trains and bridges and stuff, that always seemed like such an exciting time when people were doing things that felt like they were impossible back then. So I’d like to think it would be then.
The incredible Phineas and Ferb is on Disney XD throughout the week and not to be MISSED!!!
