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I was hosted and sponsored with an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles to cover #ChristopherRobinBluRay #DisneysNutcrackerEvent. Thank you Disney for the opportunity! 

This is me on my 12th birthday in the late 90s. I was the biggest Winnie The Pooh fan and for my birthday I highly requested Pooh items and clothes! I got my wish. My whole room was Pooh from several plush animals of him and friends, clothes, and even my bedspread, pillows and sheets was themed for my favorite animated Disney bear.

I have been a fan for so long who knew that years later I would grow up to be a blogger, get flown to Los Angeles and have a friendsgiving with the voice of Pooh and Tigger, Jim Cummings!

I have been so fortunate to be on my 4th Disney press trip, but I have to say this day was uber magical for me. Look at me I am at 100 Acre Woods in Los Angeles! I got to spend the day with Pooh and Friends, enjoy a beautiful Friendsgiving lunch, take so many cute photo ops and meet Jim Cummings! Who adulted this day? Not me!

Jim Cummings is literally the voice of my generation. He is well known for being the voice of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, but here are some character he has also voiced over the decades;  Darkwing Duck, Scar (Lion King), Razoul and Farouk (Aladdin), Ray (Princess and The Frog), Tazmanian Devil, Cat (CatDog), and the resume goes on and on! 

The actual plushes of the Winnie The Pooh and Friends characters from the Christopher Robins Movie (out on Digtal, DVD & Blu-Ray November 6th)

I love that Winnie The Pooh and friends over the years always gets a new look. For the Christopher Robin movie, they have this cute plush look that fit perfectly in the live-action adaptation of the film. They are not the same looking friend I grew up on but they are so cute and precious!

Free Christopher Robin Printables

This whole event was to commemorate the release of the Christopher Robin movie being out on DVD, Digital and Blu-Ray so if you are a fan of the classic friends, this movie will be great for your collection. Check out below how we celebrated with a Friendsgiving lunch!

FRIENDSGIVING WITH POOH AND FRIENDS

What was magical about this particular day is that we visited the Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and they transformed it into 100 Acre Woods so we can have a special Friendsgiving lunch together while interviewing Jim Cummings. Check out the beautiful decor of the Friendsgiving Christopher Robins display!

Me + Tami (TalkingWithTami.com) enjoy this cute Friendsgiving Setup!

Thanksgiving came early and we spend it with my favorite Disney friends! The decor was so cute, set up in the beautiful botanicals of Los Angeles to recreate a whimsical and dreamy set-up like we were actual in 100 Acre Woods. This was a cute concept and we enjoy this as we awaited the arrival of Jim Cummings, please check out the interview with him below!

INTERVIEW WITH JIM CUMMINGS

Jim Cummings is literally the voice animated legend— mostly known for being the voice behind Winnie the Pooh since 1987 and his bouncy friend since 1989.  On playing the role of Pooh and Tigger for the last 30 years, there was a 20-year gap from the first film in 66-67’ until 1987, and his voice and the character got a revamp and rebranding and has been doing the voices ever since. For the upcoming film, fun fact is that Jim Cummings recorded all the voices Christopher Robin in just one day!

Speaking on when he discovered he could do voices and make it a career. 

I started off as a really annoying child. So, it was probably very early on… I was always that kid. When I was a kid I enjoyed being in plays, but, I would want to be the ogre or the hermit or the weirdo or the wizard instead of the little prince. So, I was probably unknowingly doing research for this now. Guys like me, we’re all just character actors really. We’re just doing characters, and that’s kind of what they sound like.

[Also] I was sitting there reading The Three Little Pigs story to Olivia (his daughter) and I’m going, [in character] “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” “Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.”

She said, “Yeah, Daddy, will you just read it? It’s really late.” You little weasel, I will. But these voices are gonna put you through college so you be grateful.

Speaking on his initial thoughts of the Christopher Robin film

“Ah, it was magic for me. You know, the new movie, I was so taken with it. It’s so charming. I loved it. I thought it was a great idea.  What if Christopher Robin grew up and turned into a person and got stuck working like the rest of us? Oh, my God. What was that? World War II? Oh, wow. Now what? You know, Christopher Robin? Really? It was just so magical. And, you know, Pooh and the gang went out there and kinda saved him. Kind of returned the favor after all those waterfalls that he saved us from. So, it’s great.”

His favorite quotes from Winnie the Pooh 

 I sometimes battle depression, and Winnie the Pooh’s quote, “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think,” is one of my go-to quotes for instant encouragement and motivation.

I got a kick out of, “People say nothing is impossible but I do nothing every day.” I get a kick out of that one. There’s so many. He’s sort of like a zen philosopher.

On revealing who is his favorite characters to do voices for over the years

“Probably Tigger. Darkwing Duck maybe, because I am the terror that flaps in the night. I like Hondo Ohnaka from Star Wars Clone Wars. Honestly, Ray from Princess and the Frog is one of my favorites of all-time.  I always joke I’m Winnie the Pooh and the anti-Pooh, ’cause I’m Tasmanian Devil, too. No relation to Pooh, not in the 100-acre wood. He would just eat it. ”

I personally asked him what has touched him the most since being the voice of Winnie the Pooh & Tigger over the years

Ahh, boy, I can’t tell some of these stories. I’ll cry. I’ve called a lot of kids who were sick. The moms will get you. I can get through it with the child but then she gets on the phone and he hasn’t talked, he hasn’t cried. He’s only cried for years and years and now he’s laughing. So there are a lot of those.

For some reason, kids with autism really respond not only to me but to voice actors. I don’t know. It’s just a thing, you know. And it’s a very, very, very beautiful thing. And it’s a little gift that I get to give.

Tami (TalkingWithTami) & I take a selfie with Jim Cummings ( 30+ years of voicing Pooh & Tigger)

Jim Cummings & I after his interview in 100 Acre Woods

What a fun humble guy. He is just as animated in person as he is with his voiced characters. He was a joy to interview and just made me relive my childhood essence!

I will admit I fangirled a lot when I met him. I had to get a personal hug because he is literally my entire existence. He has been doing the voice of my beloved Pooh & Tigger character since I was in diapers. It’s not just his voice that had me in awe of him, but I think all of us felt the nostalgia that he brought to life to timeless characters that children continue to love generation after generation. I know 12 year old Kiwi would be super proud and happy to know that her love for Winnie the Pooh never died out, and got a chance to meet the man behind the cuddly and cheerful bear and tiger that I still adore today!

My childhood dream came alive as I was honored to interview Jim Cummings in the LA set-up of our 100 Acre Wood Friendsgiving set-up. Just remember you are NEVER too old to visit 100 Acre Woods! Just like the Christopher Robin movie, you may grow up in age, but your heart should forever be filled with wonder!

Christopher Robin is Available on Blu-ray,  Digital and DVD on Nov.6th! 

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Are you a Winnie The Pooh lover at heart like me?