Jack Black is best known for his infectious comedic presence on the screen and on the stage as the lead singer of band Tenacious D.
But there's plenty more to this energetic, attention-getting funny-man than just slapstick routines and an over-the-top hyper-hip persona. He's also a dad, a quiet champion for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, and most recently, the voice behind an awkward panda named Po, the reluctant lead character in Paramount Pictures latest project, Kung Fu Panda, to be released in theatres June 6 of this year.
Black and a group of editors from other regional parenting mags recently stopped by to sift the sand, shoot the breeze and dish about his son, his not-so-secret wishes, and of course, his eyebrows.
So Jack, do you think Po’s character in the movie resonates with your own personality?
Jack Black: It does.
Are you like Po? This accidental hero that's a little big, kind of clumsy and totally enthusiastic?
Jack Black: Yes! He’s a big full grown panda, but he’s still very
childish. While he’s very positive and a happy panda he’s also, you know,
very insecure because he doesn’t actually possess any of the Kung Fu
skills that he dreams of having. And that daydreaming, you know, I share that with
him. A lot of times people will snap their fingers and
say hello, anybody home?
[Silence .... my sand castle loses a turret].
Um, Jack?
Jack Black: I was daydreaming, sorry.
So it is very Cosmic Shame (the lyrics in this Jack Black, Kyle Glass compilation urge listeners to "follow your heart/even when your heart cuts like a fart") like in your Tenacious D song?
Jack Black: Exactly. Nice reference.
Thanks, I try. So were you able to do some scenes with the other actors in the recording studio?
Jack Black: The only actor that I worked with in
live and in person was Dustin Hoffman (who plays Master Shifu), because I guess it was important
to the directors that we get together and get
some of that teacher-student magic relationship going. So we did all
our scenes together. And I was really glad to get to meet him and work
with him because he’s so legendary. He taught me some things about
acting. Yes he did.
Other than the animated films you’ve been in, what is your favorite animated film?
Jack Black: Well my favorite performance in an animated film is
probably Robin Williams in [Disney's] Aladdin. I thought he was so awesome as the Genie. That was like one of my favorite things he’s ever done for sure. And when I was a kid I really loved [Disney's] Fantasia and this other movie
called Allegro non troppo [a Bruno Bozzetto animated parody]. I was a big animation buff as a kid. I wanted to be an animator for a while.
So how the heck do you prepare for the role of a panda? 
Jack Black: I just didn’t think about the pandaness of it very much as much as just, you know, who this character was, his thoughts and feelings. I didn’t spend anytime with pandas …and I must confess, I didn’t eat any bamboo.
Part of your comedy lies in what you’ve referred
to as your eyebrow technique. Does this technique come into play when
you’re doing voice work, too?
Jack Black: There’s plenty of that eyebrow workout happening, yes. I burn
a lot of eyebrow calories. And they can use it or not because they’re filming me while I’m doing the recordings. And they can
use any movements I do as reference. I think there is some Kung Fu eyebrows happening there,
actually.
So do you find that it helps with your comedic routine?
Jack Black: My eyebrows? Of course. I should insure them with Llloyds of London. Powerful brows.
Changing gears a little bit, what was your secret desire as a kid?
Jack Black: You know, I wanted to be in the arts. I didn't have a secret about it. Everybody I knew wanted to be a painter, or
an actor, a musician or something but I just liked having attention, and I think
that’s why I ended up going into acting because it felt like that was
where the most attention was. So maybe that was my secret. I was desperate to be the center of attention.
Has being a dad changed the way you look at your career? Do
you find yourself drawn towards different types of roles?
Jack Black: I guess I definitely feel more comfortable doing movies
that are, you know, strictly for like a family-oriented audience. I don’t feel insecure about that at all
anymore. Like I might’ve before gone, oh no, that’s going to hurt my
indie cred in the rock world. I don’t really care about that now.
When you did School of
Rock it involved nothing but hanging around with kids all day. At the time, it was probably a pain. Now that you're a parent, do you think that it was a good experience?
Jack Black: Yes, it was good because I definitely got over my fears
of kids when I did that movie. Going into it I was like, oh no, what if
they don’t like me? What if they think I’m boring or uncool? And now I
realize that you don’t have to have all those insecurities. Just be
yourself. And kids are people too.
They were probably worried about the same things in terms of hanging out with you.
Jack Black: Yes. Maybe. So at the end of that movie I didn’t go oh, never
again, at all. On the contrary. I was like, that was the best cast I’ve
ever worked with and I’ll definitely work with kids again. And yes, it
was all positive.
On to fatherhood part two. Congratulations on said part two by the way.
Jack Black: Thank you. My personal family sequel.
What is the most surprising or unexpected thing Samuel’s taught you ... and I have to know, well, my other half wants to know, do you eat his leftovers?
Jack Black: I do eat his leftovers, now that you mention it. 
I eat my own son’s leftovers, too! Well, what his dad doesn't get dibs on first.
Jack Black: Well, yes, he doesn’t eat all of his broccoli. I’ll help
him out with that as well as the mac and cheese that there’s on his
plate uneaten, and well, you know, as for unexpectedness, I didn’t know how musical he was going to be.
Physically musical or is he a chatterbox?
Jack Black: He’s not playing instruments so much , but he’s good with a percussion obviously.
I hear that.
Jack Black: But he likes to sing and dance a lot. And I’ve
been doing a lot more dancing than I thought I would be as a dad.
It’s like a mini School of Rock…
Jack Black: Yes, it is a School of Rock. He’ll be dancing and then
he’ll come over and grab my hand and pull me up to dance with him. So,
yes, that. I’m going to say that.
What’s it like to juggle a little guy with a heavy film schedule and a pregnant wife?
Jack Black: It’s a challenge, you know. We’ve been blessed. We can
afford to get some help, you know, when it’s extra hard. But, I’m lucky
that I can have the family with me on location whenever we go out of
town. They come with me and I get to see Sammy every morning before I
go to work and before he goes to sleep usually.
Tell me about your involvement with the
United
Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. How did you come about choosing that
particular cause?
Jack Black: Someone close to my family is afflicted with
Mitochondrial disease [symptoms include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain,
gastrointestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth,
cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications,
seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental
delays and susceptibility to infection], so I got involved early on and continued to be
involved to gain awareness and you know, try to get
support for it and get a cure for it someday.
Come back soon! Jamie Oliver, Dan Zanes and A.J. Jacobs are grabbing their buckets and shovels as they join us in the months ahead.