You remember that show. The one with the dog in underwear running a tropical resort. It was loud, it was surreal, and it honestly felt like a fever dream you’d have after eating too much sugar before bed. But if you look past the neon colors and the slapstick chaos of Almost Naked Animals, there is a surprisingly dense layer of vocal talent holding the whole thing together. It wasn't just random yelling.
Most people don't realize that the cast of Almost Naked Animals features some of the most prolific voice actors in the Canadian and American animation industries. These aren't just names on a script; they are the same people who voiced your favorite childhood superheroes, villains, and weird sidekicks.
The Chaos Behind Howie and the Gang
Howie is the heart of the show. Or the hyperactive motor, depending on how you look at it. He's a long-haired yellow dog who somehow manages to run a hotel despite having the attention span of a fruit fly.
Robert Tinkler provided the voice for Howie. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Tinkler is a titan in the industry. He’s been in everything from Cyberchase (as Delete) to Bakugan Battle Brawlers. He brings this raspy, high-energy franticness to Howie that makes the character work. Without that specific vocal strain, Howie would just be annoying. Tinkler makes him lovable, or at least, tolerable in his messiness.
Then you have Octo. He’s the high-strung, over-cautious octopus who basically does all the actual work at the Banana Cabana. Howard Jerome took on this role. Jerome is a veteran. He’s been around since the days of The Busy World of Richard Scarry and Max & Ruby. His performance as Octo provides the much-needed "straight man" energy to balance out Howie’s insanity. It’s a classic comedic pairing: the chaos agent and the neurotic fixer.
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Bunny and the Antagonists
Bunny is... intense. She’s the yellow rabbit with a temper that could melt steel. Emilie-Claire Barlow is the voice behind the ears. This is a fascinating bit of casting because Barlow is actually an acclaimed jazz singer. She has this incredibly smooth, melodic singing voice, yet she spent years screaming as Bunny. She also voiced Courtney in Total Drama, which makes perfect sense once you hear the similarities in their "I am about to lose my mind" tones.
Poodle, the villainous sister of Howie, was played by Alyson Court. If you are a fan of 90s nostalgia, this hits hard. Court was the original voice of Jubilee in the X-Men animated series and Loonette the Clown on The Big Comfy Couch. Seeing her go from a beloved clown to a scheming, pink-furred hotel rival shows just how much range the cast of Almost Naked Animals actually had.
Why the Voice Acting Mattered for the Show's Success
Animation style is subjective. The "ugly-cute" look of Almost Naked Animals—created by Noah Z. Jones—wasn't for everyone. It was jagged. It was strange. But the voice acting grounded it in a weird reality.
The show ran for three seasons, from 2011 to 2013. That's a solid run for a show about animals in their skivvies. The reason it stuck around wasn't just the poop jokes; it was the timing. The cast had impeccable comedic timing.
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- Duck: Voiced by David Berni. Duck is the oblivious guy who thinks he’s much cooler than he is. Berni has a resume a mile long, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (the series).
- Pig: Voiced by Seán Cullen. Cullen is an absolute legend in Canadian comedy. His voice for Pig—the chef who is probably the most "stable" person there—is dry and perfect.
- Narwhal: Voiced by Bryn McAuley. You know her as Caillou (yes, really) and Laney Penn from Grojband.
Think about that for a second. The same person who voiced Caillou was a self-obsessed, show-tune-singing narwhal. That’s range.
The Production Side: 9 Story Media Group
The show was produced by 9 Story Media Group in Toronto. They are the same powerhouse behind Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and Wild Kratts. It's interesting to see how they pivoted from educational, soft-toned content to the high-octane madness of this show.
They clearly leaned into the "Canadian Voice Acting Mafia"—a tight-knit group of incredibly talented actors who seem to be in every cartoon produced north of the border. This group of professionals is why the show feels "tight" even when the plot is about a stunt-performing dog accidentally launching a hotel into space.
Misconceptions About the Cast
People often think these shows use "cheap" talent because the animation looks simple. That is a total myth.
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The reality? Doing high-energy voice work like this is physically exhausting. Robert Tinkler has spoken in interviews (though not specifically about this show's "secret meaning" or anything dramatic) about the vocal gymnastics required for animated characters. Screaming, grunting, and maintaining a specific "character voice" for four hours in a recording booth can blow out an actor's vocal cords.
The Impact and Where They Are Now
Most of the cast of Almost Naked Animals haven't slowed down.
Seán Cullen continues to dominate the stand-up and voice-acting scene. Robert Tinkler is still a staple in the Bakugan and Transformers worlds. Emilie-Claire Barlow is still winning Juno Awards for her jazz albums.
The show itself lives on in that weird corner of the internet where 2010s kids congregate. It’s a cult classic. It was a show that knew exactly what it was: a loud, gross-out comedy that didn't take itself seriously for a single second.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Creators
If you are looking back at this show or studying its production, here is how you can actually dive deeper:
- Check out the "Total Drama" Connection: Since several cast members (like Emilie-Claire Barlow) moved between these shows, watch them back-to-back. You’ll hear the same vocal inflections used for completely different character archetypes.
- Look into Noah Z. Jones: The creator also did Fish Hooks for Disney. Comparing the two shows gives you a great look at how a specific art style can be adapted for different networks (Cartoon Network vs. Disney).
- Voice Acting Research: If you're an aspiring voice actor, listen to Robert Tinkler's range as Howie. Notice how he manages to stay understandable even while "screaming" his lines. It’s a technical skill called "protected yelling."
- Support the Actors: Many of these performers are active on social media or at conventions. Following people like Seán Cullen or Alyson Court gives you a peek into the world of Canadian media production that rarely gets the spotlight it deserves.
The Banana Cabana might be closed for new guests, but the work these actors put in remains a weirdly impressive benchmark for 2010s animation. It was loud, it was strange, and honestly, the cast was way better than it needed to be.