Set in the adorable town of Clover Grove, which is filled with bright colors, uplifting music and even talking crayons, the show finds McBrayer inspiring kids to solve problems with heart, showcasing stories where acts of kindness are shown through “The Three C’s”—caring, connecting, and cascading—from one person to another. The series also features special guests and original songs from the Grammy Award-winning band, OK Go, and aims to teach young children that “kindness starts with a simple hello.” (It also comes along at the perfect time; the show premiered on Friday, Nov. 5, just about a week before the next World Kindness Day on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.) Animation lovers with a discerning ear will recognize McBrayer’s voice from his major film and TV projects. He voiced Fix-It Felix in the charming 2012 children’s movie Wreck-It Ralph and its 2018 sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and has also done voice work in Phineas and Ferb and played the title characterin Wander Over Yonder. However, he may be best known for his hilarious portrayal of Kenneth Parcell the page in 30 Rock, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Hello, Jack was created by McBrayer and children’s TV veteran and author, Angela C. Santomero (Blue’s Clues and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood), and aims to ignite kindness by exploring empathy, humor, playfulness, and imagination. “I really hope that our younger viewers can empathize with what that feels like for them when someone is kind to them and then truly be motivated to do the same in different and creative ways,” McBrayer exclusively tells Parade.com.“One thing I like stressing about this show is it doesn’t have to be this huge, grand gesture,” he continues. “Even the smallest little thing really can have a major impact on somebody’s day.” Keep reading to find out how McBrayer believes acts of kindness can change the world, what it’s like working with a kid-heavy cast and more!
Jack, how do you think an act of kindness can change the world?
Well,I think it really boils down to what it feels like for the recipient of an act of kindness, and hopefully this will inspire others to act in the same manner. We’ve all had someone do something kind for us, hopefully at many points in our lives. It was important for me to reach younger viewers because I like to think if we bake this into our kids in their formative years, it becomes second nature for them and just muscle memory for them. And so, as adults, they will treat each other kindly, listen, be patient with each other, and tolerate each other.
So, that scene of somebody asking a shy little girl to sit down on the bus when she was feeling so alone was a big deal.
It makes a big difference, it really does. I was really excited about that episode.
Who do you want to watch your new show?
Well, it’s definitely targeted towards a pre-school audience, and it is exciting to incorporate some humor and music that kids would enjoy watching. But I’ll be completely honest, I would love it if some siblings who are a little bit older joined in. We did develop it to have some co-viewership with parents. Even some nostalgic college kids could tune in. I really want this to be a fun and comforting place for people to enjoy these messages of kindness and compassion.
The children are adorable. What is it like working with them?
Aren’t they good? It was a blast! I cannot speak highly enough about these kids. We had some wonderfully talented and fun young actors on our show. Honestly, I have been bragging about them and I will scream it from the rooftops that they were so wonderful to work with but also just to get to know and play with. I’ll even go further; their parents were delightful. I’m sure you’ve heard horror stories about Hollywood stage parents, but this group was just phenomenal.
Please talk about the musical aspect of Hello, Jack.
We have a great band OK Go who joined us, and they created an original song for every episode on top of the theme song, as well as the closing song. They delivered the most fantastic pieces and it really did just elevate the whole show for me. It was a very necessary puzzle piece that I didn’t even realize we needed so badly.
You have clearly made a mark on children’s TV. Why are you attracted to animated TV and movies?
Well, those were my favorites growing up for sure. I loved, loved, loved Saturday morning cartoons, and all the animated movies that would come out. I was also an avid viewer of more iconic children’s programming like Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, Sesame Street, and The Electric Company. And so, between a mix of animation and the live-action, those were always some of my favorites and I never really grew out of that. I went on to do of course more grownup or different styles of performance, but these programs have always held a very special place in my heart. And when I decided that I really did want to do something these days, I thought about how the world was affecting me personally and I thought about how the world is affecting children right now. I decided I wanted to try a live-action children’s program to convey some of the messages that I grew up with and that I valued. And to also have fun with it, input my own personal spin on it.
What is it like for you if you’re flipping channels and you run across 30 Rock or Phineas and Ferb?
Well, it’s a bit weird, I’ve got to say. But it’s kind of fun, too because it reminds me of that point in my life, and the places I was, and the people I was working with. I would watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall because it feels like I’m watching a vacation home video. It really takes me back. I love watching 30 Rock because I also do remember that working on it was a blur. We’re producing these episodes so quickly that you really don’t get a chance to watch and enjoy them. So, just reflect on the fun times that we had all those years ago. Apple TV+
Is there one act of kindness that changed your life?
This one’s a little Hollywood, but Tina Fey wrote the role of Kenneth the page with me in mind when she was creating 30 Rock. That was a pretty huge act of kindness. But again, I’m also a huge fan of very small acts of kindness. I hold onto any handwritten word or homemade card that comes my way. I’m a big fan of that because it’s just a small little gesture.
How did you get to be Fix-it Felix, one of my son’s favorites from Wreck-It Ralph?
Ah, Fix-It Felix! Gosh, that was one of my favorites, too. Yeah, that was really just luck of the draw. The show 30 Rock introduced me to the kind of characters I play, and so from there, people were inspired to incorporate those kinds of characters into their scripts. When my friends Phil Johnston and Rich Moore were coming up with Wreck-It Ralph, they threw me in the mix and then it just became a reality and it was so fun.
When they meet you, do children ask you to do that voice or one of your others?
Oh, yes. That’s one of my favorites because kids love that movie. And it’s fun for me to just leave a happy birthday voicemail and say, “I can fix it!”
Phineas and Ferb is another favorite animated show that you were a part of.
Yes! Oh my gosh, Phineas and Ferb, that was such an honor. That was really one of my earliest voice acting jobs. I played a character named Irving who is Phineas and Ferb’s biggest fan. My 30 Rock co-star, Maulik Pancholy, plays Baljeet on Phineas and Ferb, so he was the one who vouched for me with the production team so I was more than happy to say yes. I know that so many people are such huge fans of that show that it was a very easy decision for me.
We definitely need uplifting messages during these tough times.
Jack McBrayer: I completely agree. This is what really inspired the reason I wanted to do Hello, Jack in the first place. Also, it was just very nice for me to be able to focus on something positive as we were filming and writing the episodes. It helped my brain and soul to focus on these very positive messages. Apple TV+
Do you think you have been changed by the pandemic?
Well, of course, it made me think of what I have, and what I’m able to do, and how I can help organizations and communities. It really gave me pause on taking my own personal inventory and saying on a bigger scale how can I help; how can I be of service? And quite honestly, this show had a large part to do with that. I felt I could create something that had a message that I feel is important and could be useful, then by golly that’s what I’m going to focus all my attention on. The pandemic taught me we’ve got to take care of each other. And I think that these messages, especially introduced at such a young age, will hopefully be instilled in them for a lifetime.
So, you encourage people to watch Hello, Jack, and then get smitten a little bit and go do something really nice for somebody?
Jack McBrayer: Yes, and it is easier than you think. Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show is currently streaming on Apple TV+. Next, 35 Streaming Kid Shows You Won’t Feel Guilty About Your Children Watching
