from 2008
JOHN TARTAGLIA
talks about creating and starring in "Johnny and the Sprites"

by Scott Wolf

I wanted to interview John Tartaglia because I'm a big fan of the fantastic show that he created and stars in on the Disney Channel, "Johnny and the Sprites," but he's such a mega-talent and has done so much! Performing in Disney's Beauty and Beast on Broadway and having his own Emmy nominated Disney series were not taken for granted by this huge Disney fan. Therefore, it was appropriate that we did the interview at one of his favorite places and mine, the Disneyland Resort. It's fantastic to have John in the Mouse Clubhouse and to share his story with you.

SW: How did you come up with the great message of tolerance for the show?

JT: It was a very overwhelming time because it was awesome to have your own television show be in production, but also to really be given a platform to say, "What do you want to say to children across the world?" I felt very strongly that there are a lot shows that have been doing the job of letters and numbers for a long time and there are also a lot of shows that have been doing the job of cognitive skills that are important, and I felt that will be or are being handled by school or parents. The one thing that I felt that we need that we don't have anymore and that I see declining not only in the world but in schools and kids in general is tolerance and thoughtfulness and awareness. I think the reason that every conflict that's ever happened in this world that's ever happened is because of lack of awareness or tolerance. Every war's been fought based on that, everything.

Jim Henson, being a huge hero of mine, really believed that you could stop war with children. Yes, the generations that are fighting now, there's no hope. There really isn't, it so deep rooted and seeded in them there's just no way to stop that. I understand that. But, you're not born hating. You're born pure in that way and we're taught that and we're shown that. So if you were to take children and teach them early on about getting along with each other and differences, how could you make a difference and what would it affect? I know for me, having grown up on Jim Henson's shows and lots of Disney shows where that has been what it's about, it has changed my way of viewing things. I never had a time when I thought being a different color was wrong, and that's because that's what I was around.

There was a very distinct moment in my personal life that affected that, I was with my little sister. She was about six or seven which is right around the age when they discover differences. I remember we were playing one day with (the board game) Chutes & Ladders. They have all these different kids (for game pieces). There's a little white girl, a little black girl. I had a little black guy and I said, "Why don't you be the little black girl?" and she said, "I don't want to be like her." I said, "What do you mean?!" It literally gave me shivers when she said that, and we also happened to be watching "Sesame Street" at the time, it was on. She said, "I don't want to play with her because she's black." I thought, "Wow...." and I said, "Mary, why do you feel that way?" She said, "I don't know." Then while we were watching "Sesame Street" there was one of those live action movie segments on and it was little kids bouncing on a trampoline and one of the girls was white, one was black, one was... and I said, "Why do you think that's different? Why is that wrong?" "I don't know. She's black." At that age, she doesn't know what that means.

I went through this whole kind of thing with her and patiently said, "Mary, just because somebody is different colored, she's just as human as you are, she's just as good as you.” She likes to play games so I said, "Well, that little girl likes to play games, too." It was so interesting to watch her formulate this and it occurred to me that I'm sure she heard one comment that someone made one day, whether it be a parent that had said something, whether it be a friend in school, whatever it was, someone had something that made her change her mind about that. And it really affected me and made me think, wow, if that's happening here, imagine what's happening other places in the world where people aren't around people of other colors, other religions, any anything.

There are some countries where everyone is the same religion, and growing up in America I can't imagine that, I'm around people of all different types. So I thought what if we did a show that really made people aware of that and to me the most powerful way of doing that is not to be preachy and hit kids over the head with it, but doing it subtlely, so showing Johnny and the sprites together, showing a human and these other characters and every now and then having a conflict that comes about because we're different. But, not saying, "Ginger, you're different because you can fly and I can't." but saying, "Wow, I wish I could fly, too."

So that's where the inspiration came from for "Sprites," I said there are so many shows about letters and numbers, and find the pink box, and what are the clues to get to this or that, what if we do a show that's really about getting along. And that encompasses everything from lying to stealing to being best friends, to what is different about you, what is the same... it really is a huge umbrella of opportunities. So that was where it all started. I just felt very strongly that I knew that I eventually wanted to be able to walk away from the show saying, "You know what? That was what I wanted to say."

SW: I think it's the most important message, too, and tolerance just within our own communities. I was teased in school and it was horrible.

JT: I was teased, too. I think most people who end up in my profession were teased.

SW: I think you even grow up stronger or it just bottles up inside and has a very negative effect. That's one reason I love that my two boys watch "Johnny and the Sprites." It's one of the most important messages in any kids show.

More from John:
The creation of Johnny and the Sprites
His roles on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast and Shrek

See other interviews