Mike Chapman

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[[Image:mikechapman.jpg|thumb|Mike doing what he does best]]
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[[Image:Chapman_Mike_personal_photo.png|thumb|Teeg Dougland in the flesh! (In the sock cap!)]]
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'''Michael Chapman''' (born 1973), the older of [[The Brothers Chaps]], is the co-creator of [[Homestar Runner (Flash cartoon)|Homestarrunner.com]]. He is also husband to [[Missy Palmer]] (February 28, 2004), the voice of [[Marzipan]], and the possible father of the [[Very, Very Little Girl]].
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'''Michael "Mike" Raymond Chapman''' (born September 20, 1973) is the co-creator of [[Homestar Runner (body of work)|Homestar Runner]]. One half of creative duo [[the Brothers Chaps]], alongside younger brother [[Matt Chapman]], he serves as one of the principal creators of [[homestarrunner.com]].
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He provides intentionally poor imitations of [[Matt Chapman]]'s character voices in the [[Powered by The Cheat]] cartoons. He is also the voice of [[Mr. Bland]], [[Shark-Tooth Bubs]], and [[Teeg Dougland]] (and looks remarkably similar to Teeg) in [[Limozeen: "but they're in space!"]] He also voiced [[Strong Sad]]'s one line ("Douglas!") in the e-mail [[cheat talk]], as Matt was too worn-out to voice the character. He also voices [[Pom Pom]], or rather, his milk does.
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== Career ==
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===Education===
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Raised in [[Georgia]], Mike attended {{w|Dunwoody High School}} along with his brother. Mike studied Fine Art at the {{w|University of Georgia}}, earning a degree in photography in 1996. As of 2006, the physical degree was still rolled up in the cardboard tube it was mailed in.{{ref|1}} Mike enrolled at a {{w|Postgraduate education|postgrad}} Master's photography program at {{w|Louisiana State University}}. However, after a year of classes,{{ref|15}} he realized his esoteric approach to photography meant he "didn't have the desire or the skills to be a commercial photographer", and he dropped out of the program in 1999.{{ref|2}}
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==General Information==
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Mike's other artistic pursuits were largely unschooled; he only took one introductory computer class in school.{{ref|15}} A "self-taught graphic designer/animator/illustrator/writer/musician",{{ref|1}} Mike worked as a freelance designer after college.{{ref|3}}
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[[Image:Bearded mike.JPG|thumb|100px|Mike b/w beard]]
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Mike attended [http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/~dunwoody/ Dunwoody High School] for high school and the [[Wikipedia:University of Georgia|University of Georgia]] for college, studying photography and painting as part of his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (which is still in the package it was mailed to him in). He then later dropped out of the graduate studies program.
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More recently he was a panel member for the "Beyond Saturday Morning" discussion group at the 2004 Atlanta Film Festival.
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===Homestar Runner===
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[[File:TwitterPAXGameplay.jpg|thumb|"Scruffy old brother" Mike (right) alongside "flaming peasant" Matt, playing [[Trogdor!! The Board Game]] at [[PAX East - 8 Apr 2018|PAX East 2018]]]]
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His Top 5 favorite albums (in no particular order) are:
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In June 1996, Mike and his friend [[Craig Zobel]] co-wrote ''[[Original Book|The Homestar Runner Enters the Strongest Man in the World Contest]]'', originating the Homestar Runner world and characters. This was a short handmade picture book parodying children's stories. Mike, working with Zobel and/or his brother Matt, would occasionally revisit these characters: an unfinished sequel book ''[[Homestar Runner Goes For The Gold!]]'', an [[Super NES|animation in ''Mario Paint'']], or online short story ''[[Where My Hat Is At?]]''.
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*[[Wikipedia:Tom Waits|Tom Waits]] — [[Wikipedia:Rain Dogs|Rain Dogs]]
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*[[Wikipedia:The Modern Lovers|Modern Lovers]] — [[Wikipedia:The Modern Lovers (album)|Modern Lovers]]
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*[[Wikipedia:Beastie Boys|Beastie Boys]] — [[Wikipedia:Paul's Boutique|Paul's Boutique]]
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*[[Wikipedia:Mudhoney|Mudhoney]] — [[Wikipedia:Superfuzz Bigmuff|Superfuzz Bigmuff]]
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*[[Wikipedia:Built to Spill|Built to Spill]] — [[Wikipedia:Ultimate Alternative Wavers|Ultimate Alternative Wavers]]
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His favorite [[Strong Bad Email]] is [[best thing]].
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The idea to launch [[homestarrunner.com]] began in 1999. The Chapman brothers were living together in an apartment in Georgia and, when learning about the creative possibilities of [[Flash]], Mike and Matt chose Homestar Runner as the subject to use when teaching themselves the program.
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His favorite character is [[The Homestar Runner]]
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==External links==
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{{sectionstub}}
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''Videos and interviews are available in the [[Links]] section.''
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====Characters====
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*[[IMDB:nm1053635|Mike Chapman's IMDb Page]]
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''From [[Sample of Style]]:''
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*[http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=bio&id=Z161906 SXSW Personal Profile with photograph]
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<blockquote>I'm Mike Chapman from HomestarRunner.com. People are [[all the time]] asking me "Mike, how do you do those stupid voices for your [[dumb animal characters]]?" and I say "I'm Mike! Matt does the voices!"</blockquote>
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<!-- *[http://www.flashforwardconference.com/speakers?name=mike_chapman Flashforward Conference Speaker Biography] No longer there -->
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Although Matt is the primary voice actor for the site's [[characters]], a few secondary figures are portrayed by Mike. [[Pom Pom]]'s "voice" is a sound clip of Mike blowing bubbles into milk.{{ref|8}} Mike voices the [[Powered by The Cheat]] iterations of characters, impersonating Matt's voice [[poor acting|intentionally poorly]]; he uses similar voices for characters like [[Shark-Tooth Bubs]] and [[Craig]]. Mike once substituted as Strong Sad's voice, in [[cheat talk]], when Matt was too hoarse to deliver the character's line.{{ref|4}}
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[[Image:teeg_dougland.png|thumb|[[Teeg Dougland]] resembles Mike, who provides his voice.]]
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Other characters voiced by Mike include:
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<!--We may have to cite these-->
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*The announcer in [[Where's the Cheat?]], and announcer #2 in [[Strong Bad Sings]].
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*[[Blue Laser Babies]]
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*[[The Knight]]
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*[[The Worm]]
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*[[Teeg Dougland]]
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*[[That Time of Year]] narrator
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*[[The Exact Same]]
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Mike portrays the following characters via photo or video appearances:
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*[[Videlectrix Guys|Videlectrix Programmer]] Number Two
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*[[Dolph Hauldhagen]]
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*Dave Olafstenston of [[Taranchula]]
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*[[Thy Dungeonman (character)|Thy Dungeonman]]
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[[Category: People|Chapman, Mike]]
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== Music ==
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[[Image:Bearded mike.JPG|thumb|107px|Mike [[b/w]] beard]]
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Mike is a songwriter and vocalist, and plays bass guitar, [[Casio|synthesizers]], and [[Paul Slocum|Synthcart]]. He has performed music as a member of [[sloshy]] both on the site and in live performances.
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Outside of Homestar Runner, Matt has released music as part of groups [[Poot-Slap|3-Dee]], Hi-Score, and {{w|Air-Sea Dolphin}}.
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===Favorite Music===
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In a 2003 interview,{{ref|5}} Mike provided his top 5 favorite albums (in no particular order):
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*{{w|Tom Waits}} — ''{{w|Rain Dogs}}''
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*{{w|The Modern Lovers|Modern Lovers}} — ''{{w|The Modern Lovers (album)|The Modern Lovers}}''
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*[[Beastie Boys]] — ''{{w|Paul's Boutique}}''
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*{{w|Mudhoney}} — ''{{w|Superfuzz Bigmuff}}''
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*{{w|Built to Spill}} — ''{{w|Ultimate Alternative Wavers}}''
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Mike has also [[Run Devil Run Interview|expressed interest in]] {{w|The Glands}}, {{w|The Flaming Lips}}, {{w|Will Oldham}}, and [[Outkast]].{{ref|6}}  He took the photographs for the cover of {{w|Thursday (band)|Thursday}} album ''{{w|Full Collapse}}''.{{ref|5}}
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== Personal Life ==
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[[File:MikeMattandDon.png|thumb|Brothers Mike, Matt, and Donnie (L-R)]]
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Mike is the second-youngest of [[Don and Harriet Chapman]]'s five children. Eldest brother [[Donnie Chapman|Donnie]] is occasionally cited as a creative influence on The Brothers Chaps, particularly in sharing his interests about older video games or music.
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Mike began dating [[Missy Palmer]], voice of [[Marzipan]] shortly before the site started in January of 2000.{{ref|7}} They were married February 28, 2004. Their daughter, referred to as the [[Very, Very Little Girl]], was born in 2006 and appeared in [[Summer Short Shorts#Easter Eggs|Homestar vs. Very, Very Little Girl]].
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==Fun Facts==
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*Mike has listed several toons as his favorites:
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**[[Parsnips A-Plenty]]{{ref|8}}
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**[[Cheat Commandos...O's]] and [[Shopping For Danger]]{{ref|9}}
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**[[best thing]]{{ref|13}}
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**[[kids' book]]{{ref|14}}
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*His favorite character is [[The Homestar Runner]].{{ref|9}}{{ref|10}}
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**Mike has also expressed fondness for the [[Fat Bluebird]].{{ref|11}}
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*Mike was a panel member for the "Beyond Saturday Morning" discussion group at the 2004 {{w|Atlanta Film Festival}}.{{ref|12}}
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== See Also ==
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*[[Matt Chapman]]
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*[[The Brothers Chaps' Fansite Acknowledgments]]
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*[[HRWiki:Mike's 2007 birthday card|Mike's 2007 birthday card]]
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*[[:Category:Mike Chapman Filmography|Mike Chapman filmography]]
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===References===
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<table width="95%">
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<autocolumn cols="2" width="40%">
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# {{note|1}} [http://web.archive.org/web/20060209234853/http://www.flashforwardconference.com/speakers?name=mike_chapman Speaker biography] from [[Flashforward 2006 Seattle - 28 Feb 2006|Flashforward 2006]] (archive link)
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# {{note|2}} Chinsang, Wayne. [[Tastes Like Chicken Interview|"Homestar Runner's The Brothers Chaps", ''Tastes Like Chicken'']], June 2003
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# {{note|3}} Carriveau, Derrick. [[Legion Studios Interviews|"Legion Interviews Mike Chapman of homestarrunner.com", ''Legion Studios'']], 2002
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# {{note|4}} Carlson, Jay. [[Inkhole Interview|"The Inkhole Exclusive Interview with Homestar Runner Co-Creator Matt Chapman", ''The Inkhole'']], July 2004
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# {{note|5}} Luczejko, Justin. [[Wonkavision Magazine Interview|"Homestarrunner.com: Like the Nintendo Entertainment System Without the Thumb-Blisters", ''Wonkavision'' #21]], spring 2003
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# {{note|6}} Neutron, C. [[Run Devil Run Interview|"Interview with Mike and Matt Chapman, creators of Homestarrunner.com", ''Run Devil Run'']], 2003
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# {{note|7}} [[Penguin Brothers Interview - 26 May 2003|"Homestar Runner Interview", ''Penguin Brothers'']], May 2003
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#{{note|8}} Gumbrecht, Jamie. [[Atlanta Journal-Constitution Interview - 21 Jul 2003|"'Toon Bros.", ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'']], July 2003
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# {{note|9}} Goldstein, Ben. [[Giant Magazine Interview|"Mike Chapman: Homestarrunner Co–creator", ''Giant'' magazine]], April/May 2005
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# {{note|10}} {{dvdcom|20X6 vs. 1936}}, ''[[Everything Else, Volume 1]]''
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# {{note|11}} {{dvdcom|Strong Bad Sings}}, ''Everything Else, Volume 1''
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# {{note|12}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20040615055221/http://www.imagefv.org:80/aff2004/panels.htm Atlanta Film Festival 2004 panels] (archive link)
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# {{note|13}} {{dvdcom|best thing}}, [[strongbad_email.exe Disc Four|''strongbad_email.exe'' disc four]]
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# {{note|14}} Chapman, Mike and Matt. [[Flashforward 2006 Seattle - 28 Feb 2006|"How and Why Homestar Runner Cartoons Get Made"]], Flashforward 2006 Seattle, February 2006
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# {{note|15}} Coyle, Michael. [[ResExcellence Interview - 30 Jan 2003|"The Creators of Homestar Runner, The Brothers Chapman", ''ResExcellence'']], January 2003
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</autocolumn>
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</table>
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''Additional videos and interviews are available at [[Interviews and Public Appearances]] and [[Links#Articles|Articles]].''
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==External Links==
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*{{w|The Brothers Chaps}} Wikipedia article
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*[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1053635/ Mike Chapman] on IMDb
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*[http://web.archive.org/web/20090629081931/http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=bio&id=Z161906 Panelist biography] from [[SXSW Panel - 14 Mar 2005|SXSW 2005]] (archive link)
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[[Category:Chapman family members|Chapman, Mike]]

Current revision as of 00:16, 3 June 2025

Teeg Dougland in the flesh! (In the sock cap!)

Michael "Mike" Raymond Chapman (born September 20, 1973) is the co-creator of Homestar Runner. One half of creative duo the Brothers Chaps, alongside younger brother Matt Chapman, he serves as one of the principal creators of homestarrunner.com.

Contents

[edit] Career

[edit] Education

Raised in Georgia, Mike attended Dunwoody High School along with his brother. Mike studied Fine Art at the University of Georgia, earning a degree in photography in 1996. As of 2006, the physical degree was still rolled up in the cardboard tube it was mailed in.[1] Mike enrolled at a postgrad Master's photography program at Louisiana State University. However, after a year of classes,[15] he realized his esoteric approach to photography meant he "didn't have the desire or the skills to be a commercial photographer", and he dropped out of the program in 1999.[2]

Mike's other artistic pursuits were largely unschooled; he only took one introductory computer class in school.[15] A "self-taught graphic designer/animator/illustrator/writer/musician",[1] Mike worked as a freelance designer after college.[3]

[edit] Homestar Runner

"Scruffy old brother" Mike (right) alongside "flaming peasant" Matt, playing Trogdor!! The Board Game at PAX East 2018

In June 1996, Mike and his friend Craig Zobel co-wrote The Homestar Runner Enters the Strongest Man in the World Contest, originating the Homestar Runner world and characters. This was a short handmade picture book parodying children's stories. Mike, working with Zobel and/or his brother Matt, would occasionally revisit these characters: an unfinished sequel book Homestar Runner Goes For The Gold!, an animation in Mario Paint, or online short story Where My Hat Is At?.

The idea to launch homestarrunner.com began in 1999. The Chapman brothers were living together in an apartment in Georgia and, when learning about the creative possibilities of Flash, Mike and Matt chose Homestar Runner as the subject to use when teaching themselves the program.

STUB'D! This section of the page is incomplete. You can help the Homestar Runner Wiki by expanding it.

[edit] Characters

From Sample of Style:

I'm Mike Chapman from HomestarRunner.com. People are all the time asking me "Mike, how do you do those stupid voices for your dumb animal characters?" and I say "I'm Mike! Matt does the voices!"

Although Matt is the primary voice actor for the site's characters, a few secondary figures are portrayed by Mike. Pom Pom's "voice" is a sound clip of Mike blowing bubbles into milk.[8] Mike voices the Powered by The Cheat iterations of characters, impersonating Matt's voice intentionally poorly; he uses similar voices for characters like Shark-Tooth Bubs and Craig. Mike once substituted as Strong Sad's voice, in cheat talk, when Matt was too hoarse to deliver the character's line.[4]

Teeg Dougland resembles Mike, who provides his voice.

Other characters voiced by Mike include:

Mike portrays the following characters via photo or video appearances:

[edit] Music

Mike b/w beard

Mike is a songwriter and vocalist, and plays bass guitar, synthesizers, and Synthcart. He has performed music as a member of sloshy both on the site and in live performances.

Outside of Homestar Runner, Matt has released music as part of groups 3-Dee, Hi-Score, and Air-Sea Dolphin.

[edit] Favorite Music

In a 2003 interview,[5] Mike provided his top 5 favorite albums (in no particular order):

Mike has also expressed interest in The Glands, The Flaming Lips, Will Oldham, and Outkast.[6] He took the photographs for the cover of Thursday album Full Collapse.[5]

[edit] Personal Life

Brothers Mike, Matt, and Donnie (L-R)

Mike is the second-youngest of Don and Harriet Chapman's five children. Eldest brother Donnie is occasionally cited as a creative influence on The Brothers Chaps, particularly in sharing his interests about older video games or music.

Mike began dating Missy Palmer, voice of Marzipan shortly before the site started in January of 2000.[7] They were married February 28, 2004. Their daughter, referred to as the Very, Very Little Girl, was born in 2006 and appeared in Homestar vs. Very, Very Little Girl.

[edit] Fun Facts

[edit] See Also

[edit] References

  1. ^  Speaker biography from Flashforward 2006 (archive link)
  2. ^  Chinsang, Wayne. "Homestar Runner's The Brothers Chaps", Tastes Like Chicken, June 2003
  3. ^  Carriveau, Derrick. "Legion Interviews Mike Chapman of homestarrunner.com", Legion Studios, 2002
  4. ^  Carlson, Jay. "The Inkhole Exclusive Interview with Homestar Runner Co-Creator Matt Chapman", The Inkhole, July 2004
  5. ^  Luczejko, Justin. "Homestarrunner.com: Like the Nintendo Entertainment System Without the Thumb-Blisters", Wonkavision #21, spring 2003
  6. ^  Neutron, C. "Interview with Mike and Matt Chapman, creators of Homestarrunner.com", Run Devil Run, 2003
  7. ^  "Homestar Runner Interview", Penguin Brothers, May 2003
  8. ^  Gumbrecht, Jamie. "'Toon Bros.", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 2003
  1. ^  Goldstein, Ben. "Mike Chapman: Homestarrunner Co–creator", Giant magazine, April/May 2005
  2. ^  20X6 vs. 1936 (DVD commentary), Everything Else, Volume 1
  3. ^  Strong Bad Sings (DVD commentary), Everything Else, Volume 1
  4. ^  Atlanta Film Festival 2004 panels (archive link)
  5. ^  best thing (DVD commentary), strongbad_email.exe disc four
  6. ^  Chapman, Mike and Matt. "How and Why Homestar Runner Cartoons Get Made", Flashforward 2006 Seattle, February 2006
  7. ^  Coyle, Michael. "The Creators of Homestar Runner, The Brothers Chapman", ResExcellence, January 2003

Additional videos and interviews are available at Interviews and Public Appearances and Articles.

[edit] External Links

Retrieved from "http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Mike_Chapman"