Paul McCartney, John Wayne and Robin Williams will be among those at this year’s Mouse-Con being held at the Kern County Fairgrounds on Jan. 18. Well, actually, those celebrities won’t be at the event, but you might hear their voices because Jim Meskimen is one of the celebrity guests. Along with his work in TV (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) and film (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”), Meskimen is a master mimic. He has turned his ability to sound like celebrities from Jack Nicholson to Arnold Schwarzenegger into a touring show performing a one-man act, titled "Jimpressions." Meskimen has also been the voice of the Genie in numerous “Aladdin” projects for Disney. Meskimen joins other celebrity guests including John O’Hurley, Katie Von Till, Jim Cummings, Sam Kwasman, Kaitlyn Robrock and Addas at MOUSE-CON scheduled to run 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Jan. 18 in Building No. 1 at the Kern County Fairgrounds. It features vendors, exhibits and special guests connected to Bakersfield’s only Disney fan convention. Admission is $12 but those 12 and under enter free. Although Meskimen has made very few appearances at conventions, he loves the idea of getting to meet and talk with fans. One of his favorite jobs over the years was doing man-on-the-street interviews for commercial campaigns. “I love spending the day meeting strangers,” Meskimen says. “I have sat and talked with people for a long time, and it is great. You learn about life and people. “We all share in common admiration for these characters and different series and comic books and stuff. And it is a great way to get to know people. Meskimen’s main connection to Disney is providing the voice for the Genie from “Aladdin” based on the original work by Robin Williams in the 1992 animated film. It was Williams who gave the final OK for Meskimen to take over speaking for the Genie. Williams had originally wanted anyone else voicing the Genie to provide their own version of how he would speak. He later reversed that, and auditions were held. The fact Meskimen was already doing an impersonation of Williams gave him the edge in landing the voice role. “Robin apparently had to approve my audition and so that has always been a little bit of a point of pride,” Meskimen says. “And now I have held that post for 15 years.” Meskimen’s acting career has covered a wide range of roles but being part of an animated production – especially one for Disney – means his work will last long after he is gone. Disney continuously pulls past projects out of storage – whether it be film or TV – to introduce to a new generation. Those who want to talk about animation with Meskimen will discover he knows that world both as an actor and animator. In the 1980s, Meskimen worked at the production company of Rankin/Bass as a character designer for “ThunderCats.” Since then, his work in animation has included “The Angry Beavers,” “Pinky and the Brain,” “Superman: The Animated Series,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein” and “Dexter’s Laboratory.” He has also appeared on camera including playing the father of Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen's characters in “Our Lips Are Sealed” along with roles on “The Parkers,” “Community,” “Vegas” and “Hot in Cleveland.” He also was a contestant on season eight of “America's Got Talent.” As for his impersonations, Meskimen points out that there was a time when actors were known for their distinct voices. That is why it is easier to mimic Jack Nicholson, Johnny Carson, Christopher Walken or Patrick Stewart than it is to speak like Chris Evans or Chris Pine. He has worked on impersonations of current actors such as Ryan Reynolds, but Meskimen has decided that it is easier for younger performers to match those voices than it is for him. “I specialize in people who are 80 and older or deceased. That’s my crew,” Meskimen says with a laugh. Organizers of Bakersfield's MOUSE-CON are giving those attending the chance to be superheroes. Donations will be collected to help those affected by the wildfires in Southern California. Steve Wyatt, show manager, says, “We want to take the opportunity to use this show to collect donations that we will take down to the evacuation site at the Pasadena Convention Center on Jan 20. Everything will go directly to those who have been evacuated that needs it most through the Salvation Army. “Please remember how many people have lost everything in the blink of an eye, even a simple toothbrush can make a difference.” Among the items needed are clothes, blankets, water, non-perishable food, toiletries and gift cards. Donations will be collected at the local event, or you can get more information by calling (916) 719-4477 or going to info@bakersfieldcomiccon/.com.