John Ratzenberger, Renaissance Man, talks with BigButtRadio. com
The actor, activist, philanthropist and "dancer" with the stars gets philosophical on popular internet radio program.
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) May 4, 2007
What drives a man like John Ratzenberger? Most widely recognized to American audiences as the know-it-all postal worker, Cliff Claven from TV's Cheers and currently host of Made in America on the Travel Channel, Ratzenberger keeps busy with a number of other endeavors.
"I guess I'm driven by an old school work ethic, which sadly, is lacking in today's generation," he recently told BigButtRadio. com host, Andy Savage. "I, with a lot of other talented people, am working to get the message out to the youth of today, that skilled labor is a very respectful goal. But, kids today think that they all will be professional athletes or celebrities. That mentality is keeping smart, gifted people from pursuing careers in the trades."
Patrick the Trainer, fitness expert to the show wanted to know if Ratzenberger was conscious of maintaining his good health and its impact on his audience.
"Yeah, it's important that I take care of myself, so that I can maintain the energy to do all the things that I'm passionate about", replied Ratzenberger. And is he passionate about dancing? "Ha", he laughed. "Not really. I did this as test for myself to measure what I'm capable of. Believe me, it may look easy, but there is a lot of hard work behind the show that people don't see. But for a sixty year old guy, I think I've done pretty well."
His run on the hit show may have come to an end, but the exposure gave him the opportunity to promote his philanthropy. "I'm very active in raising money for diabetes research, protecting the environment and of course, the work of www. nutsandboltsfoundation. org, a group that mentors youth in developing manual skills." One point he was clear to emphasize on the internet radio show, "Get out and do something for your community. Change is only going to happen if you act. So, start today. And be an example by taking care of your health, so that you can help others for a long time to come."
With a career that has lasted over thirty years on television, the stage, film and as a voiceover artist, he must be doing something right.
"I agree with the message that you're giving on www. bigbuttradio. com, start with baby steps and just keep going. You would be surprised at just how much you can accomplish."
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