Our Meet the Team series spotlights members of the Smart Pop family through a Q&A designed to reveal the depths of our nerdy, pop culture–loving souls. Today, we’re joined by cover designer Brigid Pearson.

What do you do at Smart Pop? 

I make the book covers. One of the best things about Smart Pop is the variety of subject matter. Everything from a Walter Mercado book (glitter!!) to Star Trek (space!! The final frontier!!) to TV series cookbooks. Also, I get to use ALL the fonts.

What are your fandoms? 

Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, The Magicians, Batman, Seinfeld, 30 Rock, The Addams Family, Wes Anderson. I also collect tarot cards. Does that count?

What show/movie/book that was seen as a critical or popular disappointment will you always champion? 

Speaking of Batman—I don’t have a show, movie or book that I champion, but I do have a species: BATS. Bats have gotten a bad reputation, starting with Dracula, and ending with the current pandemic. Yes, they probably did harbor the virus, but people shouldn’t be eating them. (Or those adorable pangolins.) Bats eat mosquitos (which will probably vector the next pandemic). Some bats are pollinators. Bats will not fly into your hair. Bats are our friends. SAVE THE BATS.

What is your current binge? 

Everything Studio Ghibli. So much great storytelling. And magic! The narratives are universal yet dreamy. I want to live in the German Japan Ghibli world.

What was your favorite childhood toy? 

Pen and paper. Especially paper. Still my favorite toy. They are so versatile and useful.

You’ve just been exposed to an origin story-amount of radioactivity, chemicals, and/or animal bites. What’s your superpower? 

I can fix the washing machine. And btw, it was not the bat that bit me.

Where is your favorite vacation spot? 

Earth. But once Mars opens up I might try it out.

What is your favorite comfort food? 

Avocados. I invented avocado toast when I was four years old. Second favorite: cake.

What is your most memorable celebrity experience? 

I’ve lived my whole life in LA and NYC, so I’ve had plenty of celebrity sightings (though I would never approach a celebrity—that’s just not cool).

During college when I worked at a department store, I was hanging some clothing and I heard a voice behind me asking where a particular, rather common jacket might be found. I looked up and there was Han Solo/Indiana Jones. I was literally speechless. My coworker had no idea who he was, and she rushed over, probably because she thought I was having a seizure. She pointed him in the right direction and he wandered off. I still have no idea why he was shopping by himself for unattractive outerwear.

Jeff Bridges was standing outside the Guggenheim. My friend was dumbstruck and could only say “Brigid. Bridges. Brigid. Bridges.” Meanwhile a dog came up and ate the hot dog she was holding.

I went with five friends to see a movie, and we were chatting beforehand about Fishing With John. We all agreed the best episode was the one where John Lurie goes ice fishing with Willem Dafoe, and then they die. Just then, as if by magic, William Dafoe sat down in the row in front of us. It was like an absurdist conjuring.

At Nobu in NYC, Susan Sontag and Annie Leibovitz sat down next to me so close they were practically in my lap. My dining companion had no idea who they were, even though I kicked him so hard under the table he had bruises.

I’ve seen lots of people in their cars in LA: Arnold Schwarzenegger in his Humvee, Marcus Allen and O.J. Simpson in their matching Lamborghinis, Dustin Hoffman in a Jaguar on Sunset Blvd. Nicki Sixx pumping his own gas (also a Lamborghini), Dudley Moore driving down my street in his Lexus (license plate: DUDLEX).

I was taken out for dinner for my birthday and Robbie Robertson walked in. This wasn’t a big deal, except that it happened two years in a row. Different birthday. Same celebrity.

For a while I used to see Nicolas Cage everywhere. He was at the movies. He was at Cantor’s Deli. He was at a weird psychedelic bar in New Orleans. He might have been stalking me.

When I was a kid in Pasadena, California, all the boys in my neighborhood were friends with Eddie Van Halen. He used to jam in the neighbor’s backyard until my mother told him to cut it out.

Demi Guynes and I were dating the Moore brothers, who were in a band. We would see each other at their shows. She ended up marrying the guy she’d been dating and she changed her name to Demi Moore.

What is your favorite way to share fandom with others? 

Social media mostly. I’m too geeky to share in person.

Thanks for joining us, Brigid! If you enjoyed getting to know her, check out her website and Instagrams: @brigidpearsondesign, @brigpears, @myfavoritetarot.