We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tommy Cannon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tommy, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I was three years old, my mother entered me in a Donald Duck coloring contest that I ended up winning. I think it was at Valley West Mall, the one that got destroyed for the movie “Eight Legged Freaks”. Cartoons are nuts and I’ve always wanted to make them for both print and screen. I would get up at 5am on weekday mornings to catch the KPHO broadcasts of the Flintstones and/ or the Jetsons. Also, I didn’t know it at the time, but I had an identity crisis prior to Kindergarten. I wondered what kind of kid I would be. I was watching TV. I was watching a funny show. So, like a champ, I put a purple jester hat on my head and from that moment on, I knew that I was one of the funny guys. Drawing, puppets, and comedy are a part of my sweet and delicious blood. Now, I need to work on actually being funny.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started drawing in early childhood. I would make my own comic books by drawing, folding, and stapling each “copy” of the adventures of Peanut Butter Man. I also collaborated with my brother on our spoof of Mad Magazine. And, I would dabble in animation on a VHS camera and a Disney animation program on the Commodore. I did a terrible comic strip for the college newspaper. Now I make a webcomic called “Fred the Mustard Packet”, I was on the art crew for a comic called “My Big Break”. And, I’m always thinking up new jokes, stories, and characters for my cartoon work.

As far as comedy performance goes, I wanted to be a stand-up comedian when I was in 6th grade. I did my first show at the age of 15 and got exactly zero laughs. I got a couple more the second time that I went up, and on, and on. Back then, I was allowed into these spaces because my mom accompanied me to each of these gigs. Times were different way back then. In college, at the age of 19, I joined an improv group, That really opened my eyes. I got to do all kinds of shape shifting, scene creation, pantomime, etc. It’s so fascinating that I’m still doing improv 28 years later. I got into puppetry because a member of one of my impprov troupes worked at the Great Arizona Puppet Theater. She invited us to a puppet show. I watched it and I had to become involved. It was like real time Pixar animation. I started volunteering there and my love of the Muppets started to make sense. The rest is ancient history,

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is the moment of creation itself, setting my monkey mind loose and letting it do something cool.

It’s also great when I get a laugh. Laughter is my favorite sound.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goals are to grow my audience for my cartoons and live shows. I want to sell out the entire state of Arizona for an improv show.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @tommytshirtcannon
• Facebook: tommy.cannon.140
• Twitter: @tommycannon
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/c/tommycannon

Image Credits

I created those cartoons and I grant you permission to use them.