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Parents spend a lot of time talking over kids. My son went through a vocabulary burst as I was writing 'The Bear.' I thought, 'What if I just stopped and listened?'

Usually I play people who just keep babbling on and on and on.

I learned from a longtime farmer that pigs enjoy soothing music.

Man is a great blunderer going about in the woods, and there is no other except the bear makes so much noise.

I am a gummy bear fanatic.

When I was a boy, my older brothers listened to Earth, Wind & Fire and Kool and the Gang. When I would try to get into their room, they would close the door and say, 'You can't hear that. It's not for a child!' Now, I can listen to it and enjoy it.

I also used these realistic sounds in a psychological way. With The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, I used animal sounds - as you say, the coyote sound - so the sound of the animal became the main theme of the movie.

I have held healthy respects of bears along with assorted crocodiles, snakes and lots of other animals. You know, bears are dangerous, you have to be super careful.

I listen to kids play a lot.

I love playing to people and seeing them react.