How is Tom different than the other roles you've played?

SB: He's pretty controlled. He rarely loses it. A lot of characters I've done through the years express emotion over a pretty broad spectrum. Tom has that slow burn of the young, angry generation (place the letter of your choice here) mentality.

How has the role of Tom affected your career?

SB: It sure looks good on the resumé! It's kind of hard to gauge, really. I do seem to be working a lot more these days. I don't pay a lot of attention to publicity. Maybe I should. I truly love what I do. Even the auditions. So if Tom gets me more gigs, it's just a bonus.

Does the fact that you don't have to match lip flaps make the process breeze by or do you still spend hours in the studio adjusting the subtleties of Tom?

SB: I've been matching lip flaps for so long, that for me, 99% of the battle is all about the acting -- as it should be. You nailed it with the word "subtleties." With any character, the more subtle they are, the more difficult it is to get a meaningful, believable performance. Tom is the epitome of subtle for me. We do take our time, but not to the point of agonizing over every breath. Like I said before, I trust the directors and when they say it's right, I believe them.

Could you describe the difference between you doing creature voices, for which you are renowned, and you doing human voices?

SB: Depends on the character. I know a lot of humans that sound like creatures (and vice versa)! "Digimon" is a great leveler of the two worlds. The characters I've played on that show allow me to explore the best aspects of both. Creature type voices usually allow a lot more room for vocal calisthenics. I get to stretch the boundaries in every sense. There are creature specialists like Frank Welker that can not only give you a specific breed of dog, but his native dialect and hair color too. I'm not quite that precise, but I do a pretty wide range of critters. Unfortunately a lot of the growling, hissing, barking, roaring, etc. can be rough on the throat. I carry a lot of Asian herbal throat remedies at all times. I even gave them to some of my v/o comrades as holiday gifts last year! Human voices, especially the yelling ones, can be rough on the pipes too, but usually for me, the challenge is the acting. Creating a voice that's believable can be harder than you might think. To find the combination of the right voice for a character, maintain that -- and turn in a good acting performance (and in dubbing, match the lips at the same time), is nothing short of a juggling act. Unless I'm doing a very specific type of creature, I'd say that in most cases, being a human is much more difficult. But then I suppose that's how I've always felt about life in general!

What are your plans in the field of camera work?

SB: Personally I don't touch the stuff. Did two films to get my union card. That was enough. The audition process for me is very uncomfortable in the on-camera world. So much of the casting judgment comes from appearance, that the craft of acting seems to often take a back seat. If I'm judged, good or bad, I'd rather it be on what I can do, not what I look like. I also like the anonymity factor in the voice world. Very few people could have recognized Mel Blanc on the street, but the guy possessed one of the most beloved throats the world has ever known. I'm very happy to go to work in my shorts and never have to wear makeup, thank you very much.

Blum's other anime work includes roles in "Orguss," "Streetfighter II," "Macross Plus" and many others.