Episode Summary

NERDS!! We’re going green with the legendary Diane Pershing, the iconic voice of Poison Ivy from Batman: The Animated Series! From her days on Broadway to voicing Gotham’s deadliest botanist, Diane shares her journey through music, theater, writing nineteen romance novels, and finding her true voice in animation.

We talk about Ivy’s intelligence, sensuality, and moral code, plus how Andrea Romano brought out magic in the cast. Diane also dishes on The Love Boat, writing for TV, becoming a film critic, and why chasing your craft beats chasing fame. It’s witty, heartfelt, and pure nerd joy. 🌿💋

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🕒 Timestamps & Topics

[00:00 ] Welcome + Diane’s intro

[02:00 ] Growing up geeky & Broadway dreams

[05:00 ] Musicals, music, and mastering voice

[10:00 ] Becoming Poison Ivy — “Tinker Bell on hormones!”

[13:00 ] Finding Ivy’s sensual intelligence

[14:00 ] Writing for The Love Boat

[15:00 ] 19 romance novels & the heartbreak behind them

[17:00 ] From novelist to film critic

[20:00 ] Quality vs. cash-grab sequels

[21:00 ] Embracing success & beating imposter syndrome

[23:00 ] Inside Batman: TAS magic

[25:00 ] Ivy & Harley’s friendship goals

[27:00 ] “Get me a Diane Pershing type!”

[30:00 ] VO advice: “Perfect your craft, not your fame”

[32:00 ] Acting > Voice: “Small V, Big A”

[36:00 ] Life, travel & loving the fans 🌍

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🌸 Key Takeaways

• Voice acting starts with passion — Diane turned music and theater into a legendary VO career.

• Poison Ivy’s voice = beauty + brains — “Tinker Bell on hormones” but with a PhD.

• 19 romance novels later — heartbreak makes great art.

• Perfect your craft, not your fame. Quality lasts longer than hype.

• Batman: TAS was pure magic — real actors, real emotion, timeless writing.

• Embrace your journey. Diane’s learned to love her legacy (and her fanbase!).

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🎧 Apple Podcast Tags

Diane Pershing, Poison Ivy, Batman The Animated Series, Voice Acting, DC Comics, Harley Quinn, Andrea Romano, Comic Con, Gotham City, Batman TAS, DC Villains, Pop Culture Podcast, Animation Podcast, Comic Conversations, Distance Nerding,