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(S5, E4) Associated with Iconic Characters with Johnny Gioeli & Jon St. John
In this episode, we take a deep dive into what it means when your career — and your life — become forever tied to an iconic video game character.
We’re joined by two legends from opposite sides of game culture. Jon St. John, one of gaming’s first true rock-star voice actors, is best known as the unmistakable voice of Duke Nukem, a role he’s defined since the 1990s. Sonic fans will also recognize him as Big the Cat and E-123 Omega.
On the musical front, vocalist Johnny Gioeli brings a legacy just as iconic. As the lead singer of Crush 40 and longtime collaborator with Sega composer Jun Senoue, Johnny’s voice powers some of the most beloved Sonic the Hedgehog themes — from Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 to Sonic Heroes, Shadow the Hedgehog, and more.
Together, we explore what it means to be permanently linked to a character: how Jon brings a hard-edged action hero to life in the booth, how Johnny channels Sonic’s energy onstage and in the studio, and the similarities and differences in performing for a character with voice acting versus music. We also look at how fan expectations shape their work and what it feels like when a single performance becomes defining for an entire generation.
Join us as we go behind the voices, behind the music, and into the reality of living in the shadow of iconic characters with Jon St. John and Johnny Gioeli.
Original Panel Date: April 14, 2018
Filming Location: Baird Center | 400 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI
TICKETS: https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/attend/
WHEN: April 24-26, 2026
WHERE: Baird Center, 400 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
© Jason C. Gares, Dan Loosen, 249 Studios & the Midwest Gaming Classic. All Rights Reserved.
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By Midwest Gaming ClassicIn this episode, we take a deep dive into what it means when your career — and your life — become forever tied to an iconic video game character.
We’re joined by two legends from opposite sides of game culture. Jon St. John, one of gaming’s first true rock-star voice actors, is best known as the unmistakable voice of Duke Nukem, a role he’s defined since the 1990s. Sonic fans will also recognize him as Big the Cat and E-123 Omega.
On the musical front, vocalist Johnny Gioeli brings a legacy just as iconic. As the lead singer of Crush 40 and longtime collaborator with Sega composer Jun Senoue, Johnny’s voice powers some of the most beloved Sonic the Hedgehog themes — from Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 to Sonic Heroes, Shadow the Hedgehog, and more.
Together, we explore what it means to be permanently linked to a character: how Jon brings a hard-edged action hero to life in the booth, how Johnny channels Sonic’s energy onstage and in the studio, and the similarities and differences in performing for a character with voice acting versus music. We also look at how fan expectations shape their work and what it feels like when a single performance becomes defining for an entire generation.
Join us as we go behind the voices, behind the music, and into the reality of living in the shadow of iconic characters with Jon St. John and Johnny Gioeli.
Original Panel Date: April 14, 2018
Filming Location: Baird Center | 400 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI
TICKETS: https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/attend/
WHEN: April 24-26, 2026
WHERE: Baird Center, 400 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
© Jason C. Gares, Dan Loosen, 249 Studios & the Midwest Gaming Classic. All Rights Reserved.