Benji Baker

Bio

CEO, founder, and one half of the staff of Baker’s Entertainment--but that’s no reason to be a stick in the mud! Benji acts as a boss, principal, and surrogate uncle to all of his employees. His peers in the industry call his methods unorthodox, but that’s the way he likes it, and that’s the way that works for him! Usually. Benji finds a way. He’s honest about his main goal: To make money. However, he has a tendency to spoil his workers during times of abundance, which gets in the way of that. Dealing with tight funds is his specialty, so even when overspending comes back to haunt his wallet, he’s always able to pull the company out of a rough situation. All it takes is finding the right corners to cut.

Voice Claim (or lack thereof)

I feel like he would have a voice similar to Mr. Krabs... Clancy Brown (specifically the first voice on this reel, maybe + a New York accent?)

Personality

Some might describe Benji as aggressively friendly, but with the amount of connections he has, maybe it’s everyone else who’s not aggressive enough. He’s perfectly aware that others see him as incapable and jokes about his imperfections. Despite this, he has a wealth of self-confidence that powers him through anything, turning all his flaws into strengths. If he couldn’t make the best of a bad situation, he would’ve given up long ago. He holds his employees near and dear to his heart, and wants them to have a better life than he did. All this being said, taking Benji for a foolish, jolly old man would be underestimating him. He hasn’t gotten as far as he has in his line of work by always playing the nice guy.

Backstory

Growing up in New York, Benji didn't really have too much. That is, until he and a couple of his friends decided to audition for the theater and made it. They only got the parts of background dancers and extras, but it was enough for them to make ends meet. However, Benji that venture didn't pan out, so he and his future husband got out of the Big Apple, and through a series of circumstances, ended up a little country in the Pacific called Jiyukoku State, where they were able to get married. They met a young couple along the way, and when their first son grew up, the Bakers managed his singing career. He ended up becoming more successful than any of them ever dreamed of, but quit shortly after. Seeing a gap in the production of music for the younger crowd, Benji decided to capitalize on that. So, he and his husband, with the help of their former managee, set up a company for up-and-coming male talents: Bakers Entertainment. 

Relationships

Higgy - "Higgy, my boy! Can't say enough good things about him. Such a diligent fellow, he is!" Benji is thankful that he has someone as hard-working as Higgy working under him. He finds his personality intriguing too; he can tell that Higgy wants fame more than anyone else there and is willing to put in the effort to get it. He almost pities that Higgy doesn't stand out more, but that's how showbusiness works sometimes. But Benji has faith that people will see Higgy for what he is.

Nicky - "He's like a nephew to me. Well, they all are, but he's more nephewy, y'know what I'm sayin?" Since Nicky is Kenji's younger brother, Benji knew him a lot longer than the others, and considers him like family. After hearing Kenji mention in an unrelated conversation how he was worried Nicky would get hurt by others, he banned Nicky from having any romantic relationships until further notice. He told Nicky it was because he was the company heartthrob and him not being in a relationship would make him more marketable. If Benji knew Kenji, he knew that Nicky would prove to have exceptional vocal talent, and he was correct! Benji and Nicky enjoy talking to each other.

Maxy - "Ahhh, I like this one, he's a riot. Got a fire in him, that one! That kinda spark is what you need in the industry!" - When Benji saw Maxy, he heard potential through his shouty singing, but also saw an explosive personality. This was good; it made him relateable. If Benji remembered anything about growing up, it was that sometimes, you gotta stir up a ruckus. Upon meeting his mom, he could see that Maxy was a good kid, still, even if he caused some trouble here and there; he wouldn't be much of a hassle to manage. And so far, he hasn't been! Benji is proud of Maxy's accomplishments (as well as the money that comes with it). Even if he's a bit mischievous, Benji believes Maxy has a good head on his shoulders.

Toni - "Takara! I don't know why I called him that, but it stuck. Sweet kid." To be honest, Benji only included Toni in Teacher's Nightmare out of pity. He didn't have the same spirit as Maxy and Yoshi, and Benji was worried Toni might not fit well with them. Of course, Benji did have some problems with Toni at first, since he had some stage fright, but he got over that surprisingly quickly. Benji, since then, Benji hasn't regretted recruiting him. He's also a really nice and caring kid, which Benji appreciates. He can see that Toni tries his best in everything he does, even when he fails.

Kenji - "For the love of Pete, please take a day off!" Benji practically watched Kenji grow up, and during his singing career, he and his husband regarded him as the son they never had. When Kenji resigned since he had a lot of talent, Benji was disappointed, but he respected his wishes and let him go. Needless to say, he was delightfully surprised when Kenji offered to help manage their new company. Benji couldn't name a more dependable worker if he wanted to, but it worries him how hard Kenji pushes himself for the company.

Tsuki - "I've only met her a couple times, but she reminds me of a younger me!" Benji is surprised that such a young idol could be so business savvy. Even the brightest boys at his company don't know a thing about networking or marketing. He wonders if she deserves more credit for her own success. If she continues on that path when she's older, Benji might consider giving the company over to her.