Muppet Musings

The Muppets Press Conferences

2011-12-04T02:43:00.027-05:00

Part One:
The Muppets press conference with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Walter, Jason Segel, and Amy Adams | November 5, 2011 | Download MP3 | Length: 30:08

Part Two:
The Muppets press conference with James Bobin (director), Nick Stoller (co-writer), David Hoberman (producer), Todd Lieberman (producer), and Bret McKenzie (music supervisor) | November 5, 2011 | Download MP3 | Length: 26:56

Announcing Fraggle Rock

2011-12-02T15:43:00.000-05:00

Watch Jim Henson and an early version of Gobo Fraggle at the December 2, 1981 press conference announcing Fraggle Rock.

"Life's a Happy Song"

2011-11-25T11:46:00.012-05:00

You know that new song from the new Muppet movie? The super catchy and fun one. This one:

It's called "Life's a Happy Song" and everyone is leaving the theaters singing the tune. The movie may be only a couple days old, but here a playlist of some wonderful videos of the song that's sweeping the nation.

Jim Henson: Conversations in the Arts and Humanities

2011-11-16T00:16:00.003-05:00

In 1986 John C. Tibbetts from the University of Kansas' "Conversations in the Arts and Humanities" interviewed Jim Henson about his then-new film Labyrinth.

Happy birthday, Freddie Mercury!

2011-09-06T09:33:00.001-04:00

As one of the definitive rock icons of our age, the late great Freddie Mercury’s extraordinary talents and influence are still felt in the entertainment world to this day, an unreal 20 years after his sad and untimely death. September 5, 2011 would have been Freddie's 65th birthday; and to mark the occasion Miss Piggy paid tribute to Freddie and supported the Mercury Phoenix Trust's Freddie for a Day campaign with a a very special birthday video message. Watch Miss Piggy's tribute to Freddy below along with the Muppets' grand tribute to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Being Elmo panel at the 2011 Traverse City Film Festival

2011-08-27T00:12:00.003-04:00

Kevin Clash and the filmmaking team behind "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey" appeared at the Traverse City Film Festival last month to showcase their award-winning documentary, and talk about the creation of the film. Beloved by children of all ages around the world, Elmo is an international icon; however few people know his creator, Kevin Clash. "Being Elmo" takes a look at the life and work of Kevin Clash. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, the documentary includes rare archival footage, interviews with Frank Oz, Rosie O’Donnell, Cheryl Henson, Joan Ganz Cooney and others, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Sesame Street and the Jim Henson Workshop.

In person for the live panel discussion on July 27, 2011 were Kevin Clash, Constance Marks (director), James J. Miller and Corinne LaPook (producers), Philip Shane (co-director), Justin Weinstein (writer/editor), and Elmo. You can watch the whole thing below. Enjoy!

OK Go and the Muppets' The Muppet Show Theme Song music video

2011-08-23T09:21:00.001-04:00

Teen lands his dream job working with the Muppets

2011-07-22T05:08:00.000-04:00

Here is a short article about Muppeteer David Rudman from Weekly World News. The article was published in September 1981. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

Elmo visits NASA's Kennedy Space Center

2011-07-15T17:27:00.000-04:00

The Muppets theatrical trailer

2011-06-18T16:25:00.001-04:00

Doodling with Jim Henson

2011-06-11T23:12:00.005-04:00

Here's a fun upcoming book for Jim Henson fans and budding doodlers...

Doodling with Jim Henson:
More than 50 fun & fanciful artistic exercises to inspire the doodler in you!

Scribbling and doodling have long been enjoyable pastimes. From rendering prehistoric cave drawings to sketching innovative creations while sitting in class, people of all ages since the dawn of time have gravitated toward doodling regardless of their artistic abilities. Doodling with Jim Henson invites doodle enthusiasts and Henson fans alike to view the practice of doodling as a method and framework for additional creative development. Using a comprehensive catalogue of Jim’s sketches and doodles throughout his career, you will learn the “finer points” of doodling as art and will be invited to doodle monsters, fish, birds, title treatments, signs, banners, borders, and backgrounds directly in the pages of this eclectic, colorful book. Fun exercises and drawing prompts engage and invite creative participation using no more than a pencil and a bit of imagination.
Features easy step-by-step instructions for learning the fine art of doodling through the eyes of celebrated artist and puppeteer Jim Henson.

Includes a brief history about Jim Henson and his influence in art, puppeteering, and television, as well as several of his simple yet profound life philosophies.

Contains a variety of doodle content, including Jim Henson's character designs, dingbats, borders, frames, backgrounds, and more!
Jim Henson, an extraordinary artist and visionary, invented unique worlds and characters that remain just as vivid, original and fresh today as when they were created. A television pioneer, an innovator in puppetry, technology and visual arts, and a performer who literally brought to life some of the most memorable characters ever, Jim Henson's impact on entertainment, education and culture continues to this day more than 20 years after his death.
Release: October 1, 2011
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Walter Foster
Pre-order: Amazon.com

Conversations with Bert

2011-05-22T12:48:00.003-04:00

Muppets Keep Henson in Toyland

2011-05-05T23:13:00.004-04:00

Here is an interesting article about Jim Henson and the Muppets from The Washington Post. It was originally published in February 1977. Click on the clippings below to enlarge. Enjoy!


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Learn To Be Miserable

2011-04-19T23:43:00.004-04:00

From How to Be a Grouch by Caroll Spinney

Elmo and Maria Read "Stretch"

2011-04-17T12:50:00.003-04:00

Here's a fun video of Elmo (Kevin Clash) and Maria (Sonia Manzano) from Sesame Street reading "Stretch" by Doreen Cronin at the White House Easter Egg Roll in April 2010. Enjoy.

Sesame Street Presents: The American Revolution

2011-04-14T21:24:00.000-04:00

The American Revolution, a miniseries starring all your friends from Sesame Street telling the story of how the United States of America was born... more or less.

The National Bird

Thomas Jefferson Needs a Quill

Surprising the British

Star Wars on The Muppet Show - May the Foam be with You

2011-04-12T21:40:00.000-04:00

Here is an extensive piece all about the fourth season episode of The Muppet Show featuring the stars of Star Wars. The eight-page article was published by the Star Wars Insider magazine (issue #55) in 2001. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy... and may the Force be with you!

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Special thanks to Justin Piatt for the scans.

Behind the Scenes of X•tink•shun

2011-04-09T22:52:00.007-04:00

Watch these videos for a great behind the scenes look at the Philadelphia Zoo's new X•tink•shun: A Wild Puppet X•perience. The unique exhibit stars a cast of puppets from the Jim Henson Company. Philadelphia's 6ABC News gave a special half-hour inside look into the world of these puppets, from their creation at the legendary Jim Henson Company in New York City, to their transformation into mighty messengers for conservation. Enjoy!

What's in Store? Dinosaurs! Henson's Son Hatches New ABC Series

2011-04-05T13:17:00.001-04:00

Here is a newpaper article about the Jim Henson Company's television series Dinosaurs. The syndicated article was published in various U.S. newpapers in April 1991. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

Managing the Jim Henson Company

2011-04-02T12:26:00.001-04:00

Watch as Lisa Henson talks to CNN Money about managing the Jim Henson Company, balancing work and family relationships, and continuing her father's legacy.

Archaia to produce The Storyteller graphic novels!

2011-04-01T15:56:00.008-04:00

This fall, Archaia Comics will release A Tale of Sand, a graphic novel based on a previously unproduced screenplay by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl. The upcoming graphic novel was the subject of the latest episode of the Henson.com Podcast (you can listen to it right here).

However, in an extra bonus segment of the podcast, Archaia Comic's Editor In Chief, Stephen Christy, revealed another exciting and upcoming release from Archaia and the Jim Henson Company – Jim Henson's The Storyteller.

For those of you who many not be familiar, The Storyteller was a nine-episode anthology television series produced by Jim Henson and his Creature Shop featuring beautiful retellings of classic folk tales, fables, and legends. Narrated by the storyteller (John Hurt) and his dog (Brian Henson), the series was imaginative, innovative and visually inspiring. Academy Award-winning writer/director Anthony Minghella wrote the teleplays for all of the marvelous stories. It is a must-see for any Henson fan (FYI - you can pick up the complete series on DVD, or download episodes via iTunes, or watch instantly on Netflix.)

Archaia Comics is planning to produce an anthology graphic novel based on the series with "some of the best comics talent working in the industry today." As with A Tale of Sand, Archaia will be going into the vaults for this project. According to Christy, there are three unused teleplays written by Anthony Minghella for the original series. For the first title, Archaia will be taking one of these unproduced scripts and bringing it to life in comic book format.

Archaia will be making a more formal announcement about The Storyteller graphic novels at WonderCon in San Diego this weekend. As a huge fan of The Storyteller, I cannot wait to get my hands on this book!

Behind the scenes of Bert & Ernie's Great Adventures

2011-03-30T12:23:00.002-04:00

Here's a a behind the scenes look at Bert & Ernie's Great Adventures, the clay-animated Sesame Street segment that joins Bert and Ernie on adventures to faraway dreamlands. Enjoy!

Sesame Street Principal Puppeteer Kevin Clash Makes Muppet Magic

2011-03-29T14:05:00.001-04:00

Here is a short article about Muppeteer Kevin Clash from Jet Magazine. The single-page article was published in March 1998. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

Muppet Men Live at 123 Sesame Street

2011-03-26T14:20:00.006-04:00

Here's a neat newspaper article from November 1981 about four of the principal Sesame Street Muppeteers - Caroll Spinney, Jerry Nelson, Brian Muehl, and Richard Hunt. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

The Philadelphia Zoo and the Jim Henson Company Present a Wild Puppet X-perience

2011-03-25T23:26:00.009-04:00

On Saturday, April 9 the Philadelphia Zoo, in partnership with the Jim Henson Company, will present the opening of the first and only exhibit of its kind: X•tink•shun: A Wild Puppet X•perience.

X•tink•shun tells the story of endangered species with specially created puppet characters from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. The exhibit tells the story of endangered or threatened species with live theatrical puppet presentations, performances and other interactive elements. The narrative will be spread across various "Eco-stages" throughout the Zoo, each showcasing different characters telling visitors about the struggles of their species, as well as the threats facing other habitats and animals.

Interactive components include the daily “March of the Wild Parade” where zoo guests will march through the concourse among high-flying animal puppets to the tune of a specially composed song written and performed by Grammy award-winning artist Dan Zanes. Plus, the X•Clamation Station allows guests to create their own words and expressions of support to help leave their mark at the zoo.

The overall message is to appreciate and understand threatened wildlife in all of its incredible vibrancy. Where better to stake this campaign than at America’s first zoo? So this summer plan a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo and experience X•tink•shun.

X•tink•shun: A Wild Puppet X•perience
Where: The Philadelphia Zoo
When: April 9, 2011 to October 31, 2011
Cost: Zoo admission is $18 for adults, $15 for children 2-11 and free for children under 2
More info: www.philadelphiazoo.org

Frank Oz is Muppeteer... Man Behind Miss Piggy's Success

2011-03-23T23:04:00.002-04:00

Here's a wonderful article about Frank Oz and his work performing Miss Piggy. The article was originally published in newspapers in September 1984. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

Who is Caroll Spinney?

2011-03-22T23:59:00.009-04:00

Caroll Spinney, a puppeteer since the age of eight, turned an eight-foot, two-inch tall bird and a crabby trash can dwelling grouch into world-renowned cultural icons. His beloved characters — Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch — have been seen on more than 4,200 episodes, as well as Sesame Street specials, films, and television appearances. His work has garnered him numerous Emmy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. Spinney’s book, The Wisdom of Big Bird chronicles his experiences portraying the famous characters.

Below are several great videos, including the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation's in-depth interview with Spinney for the Archive of American Television. Enjoy!

No Doozer Makes a Move Without Faz Fazakas

2011-03-20T21:33:00.000-04:00

Here's a great article about the Muppets' technical guru Faz Fazakas and his work on Fraggle Rock. The article was originally published in the Canadian television guide TV Times in May 1983. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

Jim Henson: Commercial success!

2011-03-18T12:29:00.002-04:00

Jim Henson's first television show, Sam and Friends, was extremely popular in the Washington, DC area and brought his work to the attention of a local coffee company. In 1957, Jim was hired to make a series of 10-second, funny commercials featuring his creations. He eventually produced more than 200 commercials for this client alone.

By the time the Hensons moved to New York in 1963, these commercials and others for regional markets had gained national attention, and a wide variety of companies hired Jim to produce their advertisements throughout the '60s. Working on ads for such diverse products as Linit Fabric Finish spray, Gleem toothpaste, and Royal Crown Cola, Jim and colleagues Frank Oz, Jerry Juhl, Don Sahlin and Jerry Nelson had the opportunity to develop various characters and situations that would evolve and reappear in different forms in later productions.

The first full-body character, Delbert the LaChoy Dragon, was built for a commercial and led the way to the creation of other full-body characters such as Big Bird, and Sweetums. Other pieces featureda hairy monster with a voracious appetite, setting the stage for the creation of what was no doubt a close relation—Cookie Monster.

Below are a few of Jim's early commercials. Watch and enjoy!

Kermit and the Muppets Turn 30

2011-03-18T00:42:00.002-04:00

Here is a great newpaper article about the Muppets' 30th anniversary - including a brief interview with Jim Henson. This Associated Press article was published in various newpapers in January 1986. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

Follow That Bird Board Game

2011-03-17T12:40:00.001-04:00

Did you know that the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack album for "Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird" featured a “Follow That Bird” board game? The 1985 LP record cover opened to reveal an exclusive game board – with design and gameplay similar to that of Candy Land. Sadly the game was not included in any of the subsequent re-releases of the album; nevertheless, now you can play the game at home with a copy of the board posted here. Enjoy.

(click to enlarge)
Special thanks to Brad Delaney for the scan.

Don't Expect a Muppets Movie: 'Dark Crystal' a Hard Read

2011-03-17T09:47:00.001-04:00

Here is an interesting newspaper article about Jim Henson's 1982 fantasy film The Dark Crystal. The syndicated article was published in various U.S. newspapers in December 1982. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

Jim Henson's Red Book: An essential website for Henson fans

2011-03-16T14:40:00.000-04:00

If you're a fan of Jim Henson (and chances are, if you're reading this blog, you are) then you need to make sure you check out Jim Henson's Red Book. This wonderful blog was launched by the Jim Henson Company in September 2010 and shares daily posts from Jim Henson’s personal journals.

From Henson.com:

In June 1965, 28-year-old Jim Henson started a written log of his activities in what became known as “The Red Book.” He noted down what had happened up until that point (deemed “Ancient History”) and then recorded anything that he felt was worth recording until the end of 1988.

This online version of Jim's Red Book brings the entries from Jim’s Red Book directly to the fans. The brief entries give a day-by-day account of the life and work of Jim Henson. Many of the entries on the site are curated with additional information, insights, pictures, and videos clips from the Jim Henson Company Archives. This is truly an amazing resource! Be sure to check it out – and check back often! You can follow Jim Henson’s Red Book on Twitter (@jimsredbook) and Facebook; or visit the site itself at henson.com/jimsredbook.

Also check out the December 6, 2010 episode of the Henson.com Podcast for an in-depth look at the site – including interviews with Vice President of New Media Allyson Smith and Director of Archives for The Jim Henson Company and curator of Jim's Red Book, Karen Falk (download full .MP3 here).

Street Smart: How Big Bird & Co. Do It

2011-03-16T11:30:00.000-04:00

Here is a great article about Sesame Street from New York Magazine. Published in November 1987, the six-page article talks about the landmark children's television series as it enters its 19th season. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy!

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Kermit and Miss Piggy tell the funniest joke I ever heard

2011-03-15T17:53:00.000-04:00

Watch as Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy attempt to tell a joke in this great video from 1984. Perhaps they should leave comedy to the bears.

As Scrooge, Michael Caine Counts His Blessings Alongside Kermit & Miss Piggy

2011-03-15T11:32:00.000-04:00

Here is a nice piece about The Muppet Christmas Carol. The three-page article was published in the January 1993 issue of Starlog Magazine. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy!

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National Wildlife Federation PSAs

2011-03-14T17:01:00.000-04:00

Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear and even Miss Piggy lend a hand to help the earth in these classic National Wildlife Federation public service announcements from the 1980s.

Jim Henson and the People Behind the Muppet Mania

2011-03-13T19:20:00.000-04:00

Here is a fascinating article about the Muppets from School Library Journal. Published in September 1984, the five-page article features exclusive interviews with Jim Henson and Jon Stone. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy!

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Frank Oz talks about "The Muppets Take Manhattan"

2011-03-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

Check out this 1984 interview with director Frank Oz about the making "The Muppets Take Manhattan."

Jim Henson: Master of Muppets

2011-03-11T14:11:00.000-05:00

Here is an interesting article from Starlog magazine (issue #85). Published in August 1984, the four-page article features an exclusive interview with Jim Henson wherein he talks about the Muppets and their latest project, The Muppets Take Manhattan. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy!

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Jim Henson on the Future of Video and Cable

2011-03-09T20:26:00.000-05:00

Check out this great interview from 1982. Jim Henson, who was out promoting "The Dark Crystal," discusses the future of video and cable, his influences, his experiences on the set of "The Dark Crystal," some of his upcoming projects (including "Fraggle Rock"), and balancing his time between the Muppets and other projects. Great stuff!

Frank Oz: The Man Beneath Yoda, Behind Miss Piggy & Slightly to the Left of Fozzie Bear

2011-03-01T18:37:00.000-05:00

Here is an great article from Starlog magazine (issue #84). Published in July 1984, the three-page article features an exclusive interview with Frank Oz about the Muppets' latest project, The Muppets Take Manhattan. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy!

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TZ Screen Preview: The Dark Crystal

2011-02-26T19:56:00.000-05:00

Here's an fun article from Twilight Zone Magazine about The Dark Crystal. The four-page article was published in May 1982. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy!

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Muppeteer sketches

2011-02-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

The following illustrations, created by puppet designer Caroly Wilcox, were part of a memo sent in January 1983 to performers and artists for Fraggle Rock who were new to the Muppet style of puppeteering. The memo explains some of the differences between working with regular actors and with Muppets, including the extra consideration for camera cut off, Muppeteer comfort, rigging of puppets, and monitor requirements.

Figure 1: Typical Muppeteer Muppeteering

- mouth line
- arm wire or rod
- 6' playboard ground row height— Bottom cut off (usual)
- Beard (much preferred)
- Headset— with mike positioned in front of mouth
- Head—often in the way. Watch out for furry animals 1" up above camera cutoff
- Head set cable
- Small monitor
- Sandbags or braces
- Helps to have people to dress the mike cables as needed if performers are moving around
- Monitors need repositioning in each new scene location.
- All puppeteers should have vision of a monitor

Figure 2: "Ideal Muppeteer (We Don't Quite Have Them Yet)"

Brian Henson Brings Dog to Life in 'Luck Child'

2011-02-16T01:41:00.000-05:00

Here's a great article about Brian Henson and his role performing the dog on Jim Henson's The Storyteller. The article was originally published in the Washington Post on April 10, 1988. Click on the page below to enlarge. Enjoy!

Muppets on the Move

2011-02-11T20:19:00.000-05:00

Here is another classic article from The Saturday Evening Post. The six-page article was published in December 1980. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy!

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Muppets on His Hands

2011-02-02T20:31:00.000-05:00

Here is a great article from The Saturday Evening Post including an interview with Jim Henson about The Muppet Show and The Muppet Movie. The four-page article was published in November 1979. Click on the pages below to enlarge. Enjoy!

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Bert and Ernie's adventures in clay

2010-04-14T08:37:00.000-04:00

Bert and Ernie journey from Sesame Street in the clay-animated series Bert and Ernie’s Great Adventures. Last week Warner Home Video and Sesame Workshop released the series' first-ever DVD collection – aptly titled Bert and Ernie’s Great Adventures. The set features 13 episodes of the animated series. In these bite-sized five-minute episodes, Bert and Ernie travel to faraway lands where fantastical adventures and important lessons in friendship await them. The series was first seen by American audiences on Sesame Street (first appearing on the show in the 39th season); while internationally the shorts have aired as a stand-alone (first debuting in September 2008).

No longer confined to their apartment set and finally gaining bodies that exist below the waist, Bert and Ernie take viewers on fantastic journeys to the Wild West, the Arctic Circle, outer space and the high seas. They even travel through time and hang out with cavemen! It’s all in the name of good fun and a good education, as there is a lesson to be learned in each adventure. Segments on this DVD include: "Pirates," "Deep Sea," "Tiny Town," "Planet Bert," "Cavemen," "Mountain Climbers," "Penguins," "Ernlock Holmes," "Rainforest," "Bakers," "Wizards," "Three Wishes," and "Kung Fu."

Personally, I’m a huge fan of this series. The episodes are just long enough to tell a complete story and just short enough to get it over with before you get tired of watching it. The real beauty is unlike some pre-school series, this is one that you won’t get sick of watching (and re-watching)! This show is legitimately entertaining. The characters are true to their live-action counterparts; and the comedic chemistry of the animated characters (voiced by Muppeteers Steve Whitmire and Eric Jacobson) is just as rich and satisfying as the duo’s classic Muppet material (performed by Muppeteers Jim Henson and Frank Oz).

In a nutshell: this series is lots of fun! At this point, you might wondering about the educational value – I mean it is Sesame Street after all. Bert and Ernie’s Great Adventures shies away from preaching the ABC’s, showcasing how to count, and hitting you over the head with other rudimentary skills; instead the stories focus on problem-solving abilities and social skills. A great majority of the episodes deal with the life lessons that Bert and Ernie teach each other as well as showcasing values such as respect, loyalty, helping, understanding, and tolerance.

At nearly an hour in length and retailing for $12.99 (or less), Bert and Ernie’s Great Adventures is money well spent. Educational, fun, entertaining, funny, and (most importantly for parents) not annoying. You can’t go wrong with Sesame Street’s dynamic duo - even when they’re made of clay instead of foam and felt.

Battle of the Muppet Bands

2010-03-29T21:52:00.001-04:00

And now we take a look at an age old question: which group of musical puppets is best. From classic rock to jug-band music...the Muppets have covered multiple genres while entertaining multiple generations with their tunes. Who is your favorite Muppet band? Vote today in our battle of the bands!

Cantus and the Minstrels from Fraggle Rock	The Country Trio from The Muppet Show
Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem from The Muppet Show	The Frogtown Hollow Jubilee Jug Band from Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
The Gogolala Jubilee Jugband from The Muppet Show	Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats from Sesame Street
Little Jerry and the Monotones from Sesame Street	Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers from The Muppet Show
Riverbottom Nightmare Band from Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas	Solid Foam from The Jim Henson Hour

poll by twiigs.com

Have you seen this, have you heard about this?

2010-03-09T18:13:00.000-05:00

So apparently the Jim Henson Company produced a late night talk show way back in 2006. That's right, a puppet talk show from the Jim Henson Company! But you probably never heard of it because it never made it to air.

"Late Night Buffet with Augie and Del" was a proposed talk show for TBS. The Henson Company filmed two pilot for the show, which mixed newly created puppets from the Jim Henson's Creature Shop interacting with live celebrity guests in a talk-show format. Augustus "Augie" Pfiffle (Brian Henson) and Delbert "Del" Kastle (Bill Barretta) served as hosts for the show, much of which was improvised between the puppets and the guests who appeared. Guests featured in the test pilots included Kathy Najimy, Hal Sparks, Fred Willard, and Kaitlin Olson!

I saw a brief promotional piece with the two puppets at a Henson Company presentation at ComicCon International back in July '06. It was pretty funny!

Sadly the show was not picked-up and TBS decided to fill their late night line-up with George Lopez. It's a shame - because I would have loved to see this show. Heck, I still would love to see the two pilot episodes.

I wish the Henson Company would release this gem from their vault -- Henson has an awesome YouTube channel, and I think it would be a perfect outlet for sharing some funny excerpts from this shelved production (hint, hint). The Henson Company has a Twitter account (@HensonCompany). If you write to them and tell them that you want to see clips from "Late Night Buffet," their VP of New Media will see it. Maybe if they get enough messages, they’ll consider sharing bits from this piece of Henson history.

Stuffed & Unstrung

2010-03-02T23:21:00.000-05:00

Homemade Muppet Music

2010-02-25T13:39:00.000-05:00

Below are five videos showcasing some excellent homemade covers of beloved Muppet songs. Enjoy these great fan tributes to the work of the Muppets and Jim Henson.

"Fraggle Rock Theme" from Fraggle Rock

"Barbeque" from Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas

"Dance Magic Dance" from Labyrinth

"Shiver my Timbers" from Muppet Treasure Island

"Being Green" from Sesame Street and The Muppet Show

Fraggle Rock Comics Are Coming

2010-02-23T21:01:00.000-05:00

Archaia Studios Press and the Jim Henson Company are going to be releasing a series of comic books based on the world of Fraggle Rock. The first issue will be out in April. The series will be an anthology series, with a collection of long and short stories in each issue.

According to Tim Beedle, managing editor for the series:

We’re trying to remain as true to the series as possible. I think the biggest change is that we’re telling these stories in the comic book medium rather than TV. We did make a conscious decision not to write the series as a sequel to the show. Those of you who know how the show ends know that setting these stories after the final episode would require either changing some key components of the series or else coming up with some contrived way of reversing what happened at the end of the show. We didn’t want to do that, so rather our stories are set within the period of the show. We’re also not worrying too much about continuity. We’re not ignoring it, but in the interest of making sure this book’s accessible to young readers who have never seen the show, we felt it best if we focus on telling self-contained stories that don’t depend on knowing particular episodes of the show.
That said, there will definitely be things in the series for fans. We’re focusing on the “Fraggle Five,” but we’ll also be telling stories that focus on Doozers and Gorgs, as well as supporting characters like Convincing John, the World's Oldest Fraggle, Traveling Matt and Cotterpin Doozer. We’re also throwing in occasional references and Easter Eggs that fans will pick up on. We’re all old fans ourselves, so we definitely want to make sure we please our fellow fans. But we also want to help grow the property and bring new fans into the fold. I think the series succeeds on both fronts.

Each issue will feature a variety of writers and artists. Here's some cover art for you to enjoy:

An Interview with Miss Piggy

2010-02-14T11:40:00.000-05:00

In February 1998 Biography Magazine looked to Incomparable Miss Piggy for her views on love, men, and Valentine's Day. As she modestly notes, "There is no one on the planet to compare with moi." An acclaimed authority on affairs of the heart, Miss Piggy had just recently published Miss Piggy's Rules, a compilation of "swine-tested secrets for catching Mr. Right, keeping him, and throwing him back when you've had enough."

Miss Piggy joined the cast of the Muppets in 1976 as a member of the chorus line on the very first episode of The Muppet Show. By the second episode, she was the star, and the Muppets resident chanteuse, femme fatale, and frog amour. Her long career has included theatrical films, TV movies, television specials, videos, records, her own fragrance (Moi!), as well as best-selling books and the occasional outrageous scandal. As of this writing, she is still waiting for the Academy to come to its senses and honor her.

Although Miss Piggy already found her own web-footed mate of choice, she was generous enough to sit down with Janet Cawley and share her tips on how to meet a man, how far a girl should go on the first date, how to tell the difference between love and lust, and how to choose the perfect Valentine's Day gift.

Miss Piggy, as an expert on love and romance, what do you think are the most important qualities in someone of the opposite sex--or species?
I think compassion, kindness, a sense of humor--and someone who also likes to go to jewelry stores and is green.

Well, what's the best way to meet someone?
Dress like moi, smell like moi, look like moi. Just be moi.

Do you think personal ads or blind dates are a good idea?
Moi has no use for personal ads. One thing moi has learned from my many years of mail-order shopping is nothing ever looks as good in your home as it looks in the catalogue. And, as far as blind dates are concerned, moi does not discriminate.

What's a good opening line once you meet someone?
I usually start with, "Hello, my name is Miss Piggy. May I see your latest bank statement, please?"

How can you tell the difference between love and lust?
Lust is spelled differently.

How far should a girl go on the first date?
Tucson. You shouldn't go farther than Tucson. However, if you live in Texas, you can probably go a bit farther. But if you're on the East Coast, I wouldn't go past Tucson. The gas money would kill you.

Suppose he invites you home to his lily pad--should you go?
You're talking about my frog.

Well, there might be other frogs out there.
(Laughs) Too amusing. There are no other frogs out there.

I'm sorry. Well suppose he invites you home to his apartment-should you go?
I certainly would not go on the first date. Moi, first and foremost, am a lady. And I believe that possibly, possibly he has something else in mind--know what I mean? You think we're just going to pop a beer and look at the Yankees?

Well, if you go out someplace on the first date, who should pay, the man or the woman?
The man.

Always?
Of course! What do you think, I'm out of my mind?...I believe men and women are not equal, by the way.

So who's superior?
I think we females are much more superior. However, when it comes to paying, I think the men are superior. I think they do that excellently. You gotta give them something.

How did you and Kermit meet?
Kermit was the dashing young frog in charge of The Muppet Show, and moi was the very young ingenue in the chorus. One day at the water cooler, we found ourselves face-to face.... He looked into my eyes and softly said, "Miss, you're standing on my flipper." And the rest is history.

Tell me, had you kissed a lot of princes before you found your frog?
You want to show me some princes in the United States? We're not Monaco.... There were people before Kermit, B.K., as I call it. But if I give you the names of the men who have enjoyed my company, I believe it takes the mystery out of a woman. And also Kermit gets very jealous. Oh, you should see him! He turns flesh-colored!

Now tell me--are you and Kermit actually married?
Of course we're married. Yeah. Don't ask Kermit, by the way.

Now, here are some problems that often come up in romantic relationships. What's the best way to handle them? Let's begin with commitment.
I think we have to look at the word "commitment." "Commitment" can be used in marriage, in a relationship, and also in an insane asylum. I think there's a reason why "commitment" is the word used in an insane asylum, because some relationships are truly insane.

Well, here's another problem. Suppose there's a big difference in your ages. Should you date a guy younger than you?
No one, no one is younger than moi.

Suppose the guy is broke. Is it worth pursuing him?
No. Unless he is el hunko.

How do you feel about prenuptial agreements?
Well, personally, I believe in love. I do not believe it is good to start a marriage saying moi needs x amount of money if we break up.

Does this mean you wouldn't sign one?
No way--I'd sign it in a second.

Well, now that Valentine's Day is here, what do you think is the best kind of Valentine's gift? Chocolate, or something that has a more financial ring to it? Or a real ring to it?
I think the most important gift I could give to someone is my time and my caring.

Miss Piggy, that sounds terribly selfless.
Did I say that? But if we were talking about a gift for moi, no, definitely, we're talking jewelry.

What do you plan to give Kermit for Valentine's Day?
Each year, moi gives Kermit the same Valentine's Day girl: moi!!! It's something I know he likes, he can't return it...and I know it's not something he would pick out for himself.

How do you know when a relationship is over?
For instance, if you're having a wonderful time at a movie with your husband and all of a sudden, you go out the door and you see a blond woman coming straight for him saying, "I have the plane tickets to Rio." There you get a hint that something's wrong.

So what do you do? Break his arm or what?
No, no. I break her arm first. Then I break his legs.

Do you have any one rule of romance you would offer to our readers?
I would say, express your feelings at all times. Unless you're trying to hide something.

Okay, thanks, Miss Piggy. You've been fabulous.
Yes, I have been.

Ask Jim Lewis

2008-03-02T12:43:00.000-05:00

Jim Lewis has been a Muppet writer for more than 20 years – writing for Muppet Magazine, authoring Kermit's 2006 book "Before You Leap" and working on such productions as "Muppets Tonight!", "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie", "Kermit's Swamp Years" and many, many others. We conducted an interview with Jim in January 2007 covering many aspects, and elements of his role as a Muppet writer (you can read the full interview here). After the initial interview we continued to keep in touch with Jim, collecting questions from fans in the Muppet Central forums and personally sending them to Jim. And for the past year, Jim Lewis has graciously answered dozens of questions asked by fans just like you. Below is a collection of some of our favorite questions and answers from the past year.

Of all your writing projects, which are you the most proud and why?
My personal favorite among my own projects is "Muppet Classic Theater" which I co-wrote with Bill Prady. It was done relatively soon after Jim’s passing, and it was in many ways a re-gathering of the clan. It was fun. Plus it’s just silly, with no great message. I'm fond of it and hope it sees the light of DVD someday.

Do you happen to know what special effects were used to make bubbles come out of Bill the Bubble Guy's head?
I do know, but if I told you I’d have to kill you... Seriously, that was a brilliant effect (one of millions) created by the Muppet Workshop and, if my memory serves me right, the legendary Fred Buchholtz. With Dave Goelz as Bill, it's another unsung classic.

I have a question about "Before You Leap." Was it a concious decision on your part to give Fozzie a huge portion of the book, or was it an executive decision?
As you probably read in my interview, Fozzie is my hero. Needy, trusting, sweet, with an obsessive-compulsive joke-reflex; what’s not to love…or emulate? So, his major part in the book comes from my heart, not executive mandate. The fact is, they let me loose on the book, so what you see is all my fault. (As told to me by Kermit, of course.)

You've written extensively for The Muppets in both printed material to be read and scripted material to be performed. How would you describe the differences - is one form harder than the other, do you prefer one over the other, what was it like making a transition when you first started, etc.
Great question. I started out in print. Even before I wrote a word for the Muppets, I was most comfortable writing print. In school, I was lousy at science and math, but I loved to write. And so I became a journalist, because that’s the only way I could make money writing. But after awhile, and through the grace of God and Jim Henson, I got to write for the Muppets. At first, in print, at “Muppet Magazine” and then for videos and eventually TV and other projects. But, I’ve always found the print writing easier, not only because it’s the form I began with, but because I find the writer has more control than he does with a script. At the same time, script writing is a joy because you see and hear what you’ve put down on paper turned into magic by the best performers in the world. (And it pays better, too).

You said that you co-wrote "Muppet Classic Theater" with Bill Prady. Did you write all of the story segments together, or did you write some independently while Bill wrote the others by himself, or was it a little bit of both?
It's been a few years, but my recollection is that I wrote "Three Little Pigs," "Elvises & The Shoemaker" "Rumpelstitskin" and "Emperor's New Clothes" and that Bill wrote the "Midas" and "Boy Who Cried Wolf". Eventually, they all went through one typewriter (hey, I said it was a long time ago), but in this particular case, I don't think Bill and I sat in room together and wrote.

I know that nearly 30 minutes worth of footage was cut from "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie", but were there any major scenes, subplots, or running gags that were written in the script but not filmed?
Now here's a question I should know the answer to, but don't. I wrote the first draft of the script, but not subsequent drafts. A good deal of what I wrote is there in the movie, but so much was changed that I really don't know what, if any, major scenes, subplots, or running gags were filmed or not filmed. In any case, the director, Kirk Thatcher, did a fantastic job and I symbolically kiss the hem of his garment, in a purely platonic way, of course.

Can you describe the infamous cut Snoop Dogg scene from "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie"?
Here's how I remember it. We come upon Kermit and Snoop backstage talking in that patented Snoop patois (e.g. "Off the hizzle f'shizzle...etc."). Surprisingly, Kermit is fluent in this lingo and has his own Frog Pound. We then see the Electric Mayhem band sitting nearby. Floyd Pepper asks a typically insightful question, something along the lines of: "Didja ever think that maybe the whole world is a molecule on the big toe of some giant in the cosmos?" To which Snoop gives a long (and to me) totally confusing answer just brimming with "hizzles" and "f'shizzles". Floyd, Animal, and the rest of the band nod sagely and then Zoot says a line that was ad-libbed on the spot: "Man, that's the first thing around here I've understood in 30 years."

I read on The Muppet Newsflash that you had a big hand in writing the sketches for the Muppets' new DxD channel. Can you tell us anything about this incredibly exciting project?
It's been as much fun to work on as it has been (I hope) to view. The goal is to provide maximum entertainment, to give new and old friends a taste of what the Muppets are all about. I personally think this is a fantastic venue for the Muppets. It's a self-contained environment. Like a sketch on a variety show (for those old enough to remember variety shows), it serves no purpose but to entertain! Here the Muppets can truly be themselves. They just do what they do when they think you're not looking. That's been a boon to my co-writer, Kirk Thatcher, and I, but also to the performers who worked on this first round of spots. They could play and explore the characters' personas without having to carry a story or make a certain statement. So far, so good. Everyone hopes we can do more...lots more.

What advice would you give for people interested in a career in writing for television?
Write. Try writing a spec (i.e. speculative) script of a show you like. If you want to write comedy, this is difficult since there are so few comedies on the air right now. If you're truly inspired, write something original. Come up with the story and characters, write an outline, work on it until it is as tight as you can make it, then write it up as a script...and throw it over some transoms to anyone (e.g. agents, friends of friends of friends). The other way is to write something and make it with friends. Put it up on Youtube. It's there for everyone to see. It's a calling card that people can watch, not have to sit down and read. They don't have to imagine what it will look like because they can see it. Of course, my own entry into this world has nothing to do with any of the above: I got into writing for TV and the Muppets by working at Muppet Magazine—a strange route to a strange career.

Whatever happened to Skeeter? Any thoughts on her?
Ahh, Skeeter. I wasn't there for the creation of the "Muppet Babies" animated series, but I suspect she was added to the show so there'd be another (dare I say, more balanced than Baby Piggy) female character on a show aimed at kids. We threw around various bizarre scenarios about what happened to Skeeter after "Muppet Babies," but none of these were ever confirmed. Frankly, I suggest contacting the Federal Witness Protection Program for more info. Let us know what you find out.

How has writing for the Muppets changed since Disney bought the brand?
The process of writing for the Muppets has always been collaborative, with everyone involved devotedly engaged in trying to make the next thing the best thing—to make it funnier, stranger, more appealing and to give you, the viewing public, more chewing satisfaction. Since Disney, that cast of "everyone involved" has changed somewhat, though not completely by any means. But the process remains the same.

An Interview with Tim Beedle

2007-10-10T14:49:00.000-04:00

In 2005, The Jim Henson Company announced that they were teaming up with TOKYOPOP, the leading publisher of manga in the United States, to produce all-new original graphic novels based on two of Henson's beloved fantasy films - The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. The first installment of the highly-anticipated "Return to Labyrinth" manga, a sequel to the 1986 film, was released in last year, and the second volume hit stores earlier this month. The manga, written by Jake T. Forbes with art by Chris Lie, follows the adventures of Toby, who is now a teenager, as he re-enters the labyrinth to assume his place as an heir to the Goblin King. The second Henson series, "Legends of the Dark Crystal" is a prequel to the classic Henson fantasy film. The story, written by Barbara Randall Kesel and illustrated by Heidi Arnhold and Max Kim, focuses on the plight and struggles of the Gelflings against the evil forces of the ruling Skeksis. The first volume, entitled "The Garthim Wars", will be released on November 13th.

We had a chance to ask Tim Beedle, the editor of both Henson-based manga series, about his work on the publications. Tim has been leading the team on "Legends of the Dark Crystal" since the beginning and he recently came to helm the "Return to Labyrinth" series as well. Tim was able to shares some great behind-the-scenes insights, and gives a bit of a "sneak peak" of what fans can expect to see in these highly-anticipated graphic novels.

Were you always a fan of The Dark Crystal?
Heh heh... Well, if you want the real answer, the first time I saw a trailer for The Dark Crystal, I was six years old and it scared the heck out of me. The Skeksis, Garthim and even the Mystics really frightened me. I hadn’t seen anything like them before, and to a six-year-old, they just seemed so real. So, honestly, I wouldn't say that I was always a fan of The Dark Crystal, but I was certainly a fan after my parents convinced me to see it. After that, it became my favorite movie as a child, and remains one of my favorite films to this day. As a boy, I seemed to really like movies that scared me at first. I think overcoming those fears and watching the film all the way through gave me a sense of accomplishment. And The Dark Crystal was such a great story! I credit it for turning me on to the fantasy genre as a whole.

What about Labyrinth?
I have to admit that I wasn’t at first. I’ve gained a real appreciation of it since, though. Now, I think I enjoy both Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal equally depending on my mood. However, growing up, I was definitely more of a Dark Crystal fan.

So how did these mangas come about?
"Return to Labyrinth" and "Legends of The Dark Crystal" are largely due to the efforts of three individuals. Jake T. Forbes, who was an editor here at TOKYOPOP for over five years and a huge Jim Henson fan, was asked by our Publisher if there were any untapped properties out there that he thought could make good original graphic novels, and the two he immediately jumped on were Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. Much to our surprise, when we actually contacted The Jim Henson Company about it, we found out that they had been thinking the same thing! Michael Polis, who at the time was their Senior VP of Marketing and Home Entertainment, is a lifelong comic book fan and was really interested in spinning both properties off into comics. Shortly after that, we hired Rob Valois as an editor. Rob had worked for The Jim Henson Company previously and was still very friendly with all his former coworkers there. With him at the helm, a deal was worked out between the two companies and we were off and running!

While those three original members of the team have moved on, Jake is writing "Return to Labyrinth", so he’s still heavily involved with that project, at least!

So what is your role in creating and producing "Return to Labyrinth" and "Legends of The Dark Crystal"?
I'm the editor of the two books, so my role is largely one of coordination and making sure everyone does as good a job as I know they’re capable of doing. In the case of "Legends of The Dark Crystal", I suppose you could say that I had an active hand in deciding which direction the story should go in, and I chose writers and artists that I knew could help visualize that. I screened story proposals and I looked at an unbelievable amount of artists. I found a handful of each that I liked and submitted them to The Jim Henson Company, who have the final say on which story, writer and artist we decide to go with on these projects. With "Return to Labyrinth", the creative team was already in place when I came onboard, so I've just been trying to make sure our artist and writer stay true to the story they pitched to the previous editor and to The Jim Henson Company.

What is the creative process like working on a project like this – where you have to coordinate between a writer, illustrators, and a licensor?
Well, The Jim Henson Company approves everything we do, and rightly so. Therefore, every new bit of script or new piece of art that’s submitted is screened by them. However, most of the ideas are generated by the two creative teams. They run them by me, and if I like them, then they're sent to The Jim Henson Company. The same goes for the art. When either Chris Lie or Heidi Arnhold have completed a new set of thumbnails, pencils, inks or tones, I look them over first, and then I forward them on to The Jim Henson Company. That’s not to say that we haven't been given ideas by The Jim Henson Company. In fact, one of my favorite scenes in "Legends of The Dark Crystal" came from Michael Polis' wish to see music somehow incorporated into our Dark Crystal manga.

So what makes these properties so ripe for the manga format?
I think to tell a good Labyrinth or Dark Crystal story, you need the benefit of length. This is entirely due to the depth and breadth of Jim Henson and Brian Froud's vision. Both worlds obviously are large and have lots of corners to explore, and I just don’t think you could do that in a shorter comic. Also, Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal both have a strong female fan base, just like manga does. You typically don’t see that with traditional American comic book readers.

As for why it should be done as a graphic novel rather than a text novel, I would suggest that when dealing with film you're dealing with a visual medium, and the best way to continue or expand on the stories in the films is with another visual medium. These worlds were brought to life by a variety of brilliant visual artists. Telling a Labyrinth or Dark Crystal story without a visual artist involved just wouldn't be the same in my mind.

The first volume of "Return to Labyrinth" was released last year. For the unfamiliar, could you tell us a little bit about the book?
It takes place around 13 years after the events in the film and focuses on Toby Williams. He’s now a teenager and is dealing with all of the typical teenage problems. He’s also facing a few not-so-typical problems, like how whatever he wishes for seems to be given to him in mysterious, and often malevolent, ways. He tries to live his life as "normally" as possible—doing his homework, auditioning for the school play. However, one night, right after completing a very important school report, the paper is stolen. When Toby realizes that he didn’t back the copy up, he decides to follow the thief, who leads him directly into the Goblin Kingdom. There he discovers that the Goblin King has big plans for him.

How was the response to volume 1? Did you get any feedback that caused you to change or readjust things for the future installments?
We haven’t changed anything, but we’ve added in a few things in for the fans, which we were able to do precisely because they were so supportive of the series. We had initially plotted this first arc to be three volumes, but since the sales for volume 1 were so good, I was able to get a fourth volume approved, and therefore, we’ve expanded on a subplot featuring Jareth and Sarah—which is fitting, since the thing that most of the fans have been clamoring for is more Sarah and Jareth.

What can fans expect to see in volume 2?
More Jareth, definitely. Our first chapter is a flashback focusing entirely on him that takes place shortly after the events of the film. We start to get an idea of how big the Goblin Kingdom is. We find that there's an entire museum devoted to Toby, and that there's an entire ministry devoted to prophecies. We also learn a lot more about Mizumi, the Queen of the Moraine Kingdom, who was introduced in the first volume. Apparently, she has quite a history with Jareth.

I really do feel that the second volume is even better than the first. Our first volume was really just the setup for what was to come. However, things really start getting interesting in the second!

So there are two more volumes planned to follow, can you give us any hints about what the future of "Return to Labyrinth" will hold?
I don’t want to give away too much, but I can say that the second half of our series has plenty of action. We realize that we have the ability to do things in our manga that they just wouldn't have been capable of doing believably in a live action film back in 1986, so we're making good use of that. Our story is also going to explode out into the "real" world in a way that the film didn't, but that’s about all I can say about that.

Switching over to "Legends of The Dark Crystal", that story takes place hundreds of years before the events of the original film. How did the idea of a prequel come about?
I knew from the very start that if we were going to do a manga based on The Dark Crystal, that it had to be a prequel. Unlike Labyrinth, The Jim Henson Company has a live action sequel planned for The Dark Crystal, so we certainly didn't want to step on their toes. Plus, telling a prequel story meant that we could include some of our favorite Skeksis and Mystics from the film, like the Chamberlain and the Emperor.

The first volume, which is titled "The Garthim Wars," is planned for release in November. What can you tell us about that story?
It’s set about 200 years before the events of The Dark Crystal. Gelflings are hunted by the Skeksis, but their race hasn't been completely wiped out yet. Still, it's a pretty dark period of time.

The story focuses on two Gelflings: Lahr, a shepherd, and Neffi, a weaver. After both their villages are attacked and destroyed by the Garthim, they join together and eventually rally another nearby village into taking a stand against the monsters. It sounds like a simple enough act, but in this world, it's really not. Gelflings are extremely peaceful creatures. Confrontation is against their very nature and the thought of taking life greatly disturbs them. They possess no weapons. Their trades and crafts are all focused on building things that create, not destroy. Seeing them come to terms with the necessity of war and the brutality of it is a large part of what drives the story in our first volume.

What kinds of creatures and characters will we meet in "Legends of The Dark Crystal"?
A lot more Gelflings than you were introduced to in the film. We have an entire village worth of them, and Barbara Kesel, our writer, has done a great job of populating that village with many colorful, yet completely believable, characters. You’ll also be meeting some Mystics and Skeksis that weren't in the film. We have a scene featuring a Skeksis General, who was a character that was created by The Jim Henson Company, but designed by Heidi Arnhold, our artist. As far as creatures go, Lahr's "flock" is made up of "mounders," which are seaweed-fleeced "sheep" the size of elephants. Also, later in the series, we're introduced to a nasty new creature called an "arduff." They’re used more or less as attack dogs by one of our Skeksis, but are far more deadly than any dog I've ever seen.

Now the fans are always craving more information - can you tell us anything about what we can expect in regards to future volumes?
Since the first volume isn't out yet, I can’t really tell you what to expect in future volumes without giving away the end of the first one. However, I will say that this story starts fairly small and gets bigger as it goes along. I’ll also say that we use the Skeksis and Mystics sparingly in this first volume, but that changes with the second. Our first volume focuses largely on Gelflings, but if you're really itching for more Skeksis and Mystics, they're coming. Just stick with us.

So much of the appeal of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth cames from the visually rich and unique flair Brian Froud brought to each film. Was it a challenge to preserve the spirit of these worlds when translating the visual style into a manga?
It's always a challenge when dealing with a universe envisioned and designed by someone else, in his or her unique style. Fortunately, both of our artists are huge Brian Froud fans. We use Goblins of Labyrinth and particularly The World of The Dark Crystal as two of our most valued references. It was important to me to preserve the authenticity of the worlds in these books. However, we’ve never tried to mimic Brian Froud's style. I think that would be a mistake. Rather, I've asked our artists to interpret his work in their own style.

Part of the fun of these projects has been reinterpreting the worlds of Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal in different visual styles. We have guest art galleries in the two upcoming volumes that do just that, and it's also the main reason why we decided to use different artists for the covers than we used for the interiors on these books. We've taken some heat for that, as some people feel the cover isn't indicative of the art inside the book, but I still think it was the right decision. After all, Kouyu Shurei (the cover artist for "Return to Labyrinth") and Jae-Hwan Kim (the cover artist for "Legends of The Dark Crystal") are both working manga artists, and they have too much on their plates right now to illustrate the full series for us. However, they can do covers. And as a Labyrinth and Dark Crystal fan, are you really going to tell me that you’d rather not have those two amazing pieces of Labyrinth and Dark Crystal art out there?

One of my favorite little touches included in the first volume of "Return to Labyrinth" was a cameo appearance by Fraggle Rock's Traveling Matt. Where did that idea come from?
From Jake Forbes, our writer. He’s a big Fraggle Rock fan.

Now I noticed there were a bunch of other little references to past Henson projects in there too. Are there any little hidden references or other things in any of these mangas that readers might miss or overlook that you'd like to point out or highlight?
But half the fun is discovering those things on your own! Yes, we have a few little "Easter eggs" in "Return to Labyrinth" volume 2 for the perceptive readers out there. I won't point them all out, but you may want to pay close attention to the details in the Ministry of Prophecies.

We can have a lot of fun with that sort of stuff in "Return to Labyrinth", but you won't be finding it in "Legends of The Dark Crystal". The Goblin Kingdom is a bit nutty and surreal, so I think you can get away with it, but that's not so for the world of Thra.

Are there any plans to partner with Henson to adapt any other properties?
I hope so. Working with The Jim Henson Company on these two projects has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my professional life. I know that we'd love to do more with them. Unfortunately, though, I can't really say anything more than that.

Is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans out there?
Just that I hope they all enjoy what we've done. Everyone involved with both of these projects are huge fans of Jim Henson and his work, and I hope that respect shows in both "Return to Labyrinth" and "Legends of The Dark Crystal". That said, the purpose of this is to tell some fun stories that we hope readers of all ages will enjoy. I don't think one needs to be at the sacrifice of the other. In fact, I think they complement each other. I can't think of a better tribute to Jim Henson than keeping the worlds he created alive. And I can't think of a better way to do that than telling some entertaining stories within them.

Thanks to Tim for taking the time to answer our questions and share a bit of insight on these extraordinary mangas. We'd also like to acknowledge the talented writers, artists and other creative minds that have made these wonderful extensions of Henson's fantastic worlds a reality for fans to enjoy and explore.

An Interview with Victor Yerrid

2007-08-09T08:49:00.000-04:00

Victor Yerrid is an actor and puppeteer; and is currently one of the Jim Henson Company's principal performers. He has worked with Henson on many projects - including "Sesame Street", "Bear in the Big Blue House", "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars", "The Skrumps" and "Puppet Up! - Uncensored". Victor is also known in the Muppet world for his work on the online web-series "Statler and Waldorf from the Balcony" where he performed Waldorf along with a large assortment of other supporting characters. Victor has also puppeteered on other non-Henson projects including "Greg The Bunny", "Crank Yankers", "Team America", "Book Of Pooh" and "Between The Lions". Additionally he has lent his voice to such projects as "Robot Chicken", "Drawn Together", and "Celebrity Deathmatch". For more information on Victor, check out his website at VictorYerrid.com. We asked Victor if he would answer a few questions for the fans and share some insight on his work -- he was more than willing, and graciously took some time out to answer our questions.

When did you first get interested in puppeteering?
I was actually a classical music major in college. At some point during my last couple of years in school I got really into "Sesame Street" and, in particular, children’s songs. I started buying tons of recordings (Disney movies, "Sesame Street", "The Muppet Show") and started writing songs myself. Then I moved up to New York City and got an internship with "Sesame Street" in the hopes of writing songs for them. On my first day there I got a tour of the set - wow! It was the first time I had ever seen how TV puppeteering worked. I was hooked.

So were you always a fan of the Muppets?
I definitely remember watching "The Muppet Movie" when I was a kid and absolutely loving it. It’s still just about my favorite Muppet production. I really got into the Muppets though when I was just out of college. I started watching all of the movies and behind-the-scenes stuff from "The Jim Henson Hour". In truth I love just about everything they’ve done, but I guess "The Muppet Movie" and "The StoryTeller" series are probably my favorites. It’s hard to say though. There are so many great things in all of their productions – "Dinosaurs", "Fraggle Rock", "The Great Muppet Caper" – how can you choose??!!

Did you do a lot of performing as a kid?
Yup, mostly as a musician. My mom is a piano teacher so I started playing piano and doing recitals when I was around 3 or 4 years old. I eventually switched to percussion and studied that all through college. I also took some acting classes and did a few plays as a kid, but that mostly came when I got older.

Was your family always supportive of your interest in puppets?
Absolutely, and I consider myself extremely lucky because of it. So many parents try steering their kids into a specific career path. I’m sure the intentions are usually good, but it just seems to add unnecessary pressure. From the time I was a little kid, my parents made it very clear to me that they would be happy with whatever I wanted to do when I grew up as long as I was happy. When I was playing percussion they bought me a very expensive drum set, one piece per year. They didn’t have lots of money so it was a pretty big deal. When my Dad finally gave me the last piece he told me that he wanted me to take really good care of the instruments, but if I ever decided to quite playing music and do something else, that was fine with him too. How’s that for supportive!

You worked for a time at the Muppet Workshop as the assistant to the Workshop Director. How did you come to work for the workshop and what were your duties?
Ed Christie – wonderful, wonderful man. He was the head of the Muppet Workshop back then and I first met him through my internship at "Sesame Street". When that ended, I kept in touch with Ed and periodically checked in with him to see if there were any jobs available. Eventually he called me in for an interview. I’m not a puppet builder so my job there basically entailed administrative stuff – faxing, filing, computer work, etc. Good times. I also got to create a database for all of the Jim Henson Company characters that they still use today.

So how did you first get involved with performing characters for the Jim Henson Company and the Muppets?
Again, Ed Christie – wonderful, wonderful man. I had done a couple of performer workshops by then, but hadn’t been hired for any jobs yet. One day, they were looking for someone to do a live Sweetums appearance. John Henson wasn’t available so they called Ed who had performed Sweetums on a number of occasions. I had experience doing walkaround characters so Ed, with extreme generosity, recommended me. He did that even though it would take me away from the office and away from helping him with his work. Few bosses are that cool. Anyway, John Henson trained me for the gig and that was my first job as a Muppet performer.

One of your early Henson performance gigs was on "Bear in the Big Blue House". What characters did you perform?
I was basically a utility puppeteer on that show. I mostly did the doubling for Treelo and Pop, but every once in a while I got to voice a character too. I did Whiner Tutter in the Tutter Family Reunion episode. Who could possibly forget that breakout character?

What was the atmosphere of the set of "Bear" like?
Super fun and super fast! I worked mainly on the third season of "Bear" so by the time I got there it was a well-oiled machine. Thankfully, I had lots of help from all of the cast members and especially Jim Krupa. Jim taught me the basics of character framing and how to work with a multi-camera setup. Noel MacNeal also taught me a lot, but that was more stuff like how to sleep inside your bear suit without anyone knowing, and the difference between Johnny Walker and Jack Daniels.

Outside of Henson, you've done work on other puppet shows. One notable project you worked on was "Greg the Bunny". How did your involvement in that show come about?
"Greg the Bunny" was a terrific show to work on and one that was definitely retired before its time. I had just moved to Los Angeles when they were casting for it and it was the first thing I auditioned for out here. That’s pretty much it. They sent out scripts, I came in and read for it, and they decided to hire me. If only it worked that way every time.

What was your favorite character you did for "Greg the Bunny"? And how were you involved in developing or shaping the character?
The main character I performed on the show was Tardy Turtle. He only had one line in the Sock Like Me episode, but they ended up making him a recurring character. For me, the important thing with Tardy was keeping him sweet and funny without making him the object of ridicule. It was never clearly stated whether or not Tardy was mentally challenged, and I definitely didn’t want to offend anyone. I think what made it work was that the other characters on the show treated him with respect and no one was ever mean to him. That and the fact that he was a turtle. I mean they’re supposed to be slow, right?

In 2002 Comedy Central started producing "Crank Yankers". What was that project like?
"Crank Yankers" is BY FAR the hardest project I’ve ever worked on. We would typically shoot ten to twelve hour days, then I’d go home and spend another two to three hours memorizing the next day’s calls. Getting a puppet to convincingly lip-sync to a pre-recorded vocal track can be very challenging, especially when it’s an adult talking. All of the pauses, stammers, throat clearing, etc. that happen in normal human speech are difficult to memorize then re-perform while doing all sorts of blocking and prop work. On the first season we did okay with it, but you can fake your way through a lot (which we did). For the second season, Paul McGinnis joined the cast full time and really raised the bar. He was truly dedicated to getting each little nuance in the vocal track and would come in unbelievably well prepared. Of course, we couldn’t let Paul show us up so the rest of us started doing the same thing. I think I’ve lost countless brain cells and possibly years off of my life memorizing those calls. Thanks, Paul!

How is performing for more adult audiences with such programs as "Greg the Bunny" and "Crank Yankers" different from working with the more family-friendly Muppet characters?
I got into puppetry in the hopes of doing the kind of meaningful, educational material I had seen on "Sesame Street". While I lived in New York, that’s primarily what I did. "Greg the Bunny" was a departure from that, but a welcome one. It’s a fun change of pace to work on material that is geared towards adults and there’s definitely value in simply making people laugh even if they aren’t learning their ABC’s.

What were some of your favorite aspects of, or specific moments from, the 34-episode run of "From the Balcony"?
Honestly, the best part about it was working with Drew Massey. He and I have partnered up on lots of projects in the last several years and I think we’ve developed a good chemistry as performers. For "From the Balcony", we did about ninety-five percent of the puppeteering so we worked on just about every scene together. We were also involved in the creative meetings and got to pitch characters and segment ideas. He’s a terrific guy to work with.

There were a lot of new Muppets introduced in "From the Balcony". What original characters stand out as some of your favorite?
I loved doing The Blimp. It was so cool to perform that huge-headed character from the "Muppet Meeting Films" and to try and find a voice to match his look. I also loved doing the rats Stan & Louie and Oliver & Larry from Film Crew Theatre.

Are there any interesting secrets, odd bits of trivia, or cool Muppet information from behind the scenes that you could share with the fans?
Drew Massey has seven fingers on his left hand and can not digest cheese. Also, Muppet penguins have recently formed their own aquatic bird union and are possibly going to strike in the coming months. I’m not sure what their issues are.

Aside from puppeteering, you've also done a bunch of voice-over work. What are some differences between doing voices and puppeteering?
Voice-over work can be really freeing because you aren’t responsible for the physical manipulation of the characters. It allows you to concentrate solely on your vocal performance and you can really just let loose and have fun. What’s hard is that you have to build the entire performance with your voice. A puppet can say so much with a slight tilt of the head or a subtle gesture. With voice-over, you have no idea how your performance will be animated so you can’t rely on any of that work to be done for you.

Since 2005, you've been a part of The Jim Henson Company's "Puppet Up!" improv troupe. Is this the first time you had done improv?
I actually studied and performed improv as an actor in New York City. I also took classes with the Groundlings when I first moved to Los Angeles. The big difference with "Puppet Up!" is that we are doing the improv while using puppets and playing to a camera.

What is the hardest thing about doing a show like "Puppet Up!"?
The hardest part is just being able to stay relaxed and do really good improv. The majority of the group has been doing professional puppet work for several years so the puppet and camera part is second nature to us. Trying to create a memorable scene with strong characters and relationships in a three minute bit based on an audience suggestion, that’s the tough part.

Do you have a favorite "Puppet Up!" character or bit that you have been a part of?
In our recent performances in Australia, I did an improvised rap each night based on a made up title of a fairytale we got from the audience. That was tough to do (and scary), but really exciting too. I also do a character called Duckboy that I like, but my wife doesn’t think he’s particularly funny. She’s usually right.

As a puppeteer, have you had to adapt or adjust to performing the characters on stage in full view of the audience?
Not really. Unlike "Avenue Q", our performance as humans isn’t really meant to be played to the audience. It’s more like they are getting a sneak peak behind the scenes while the show is happening. I do the same exact thing I would do if we were shooting a film or TV show where I wasn’t seen. I just spend more time combing my hair before we go on stage.

Who are some of your comic inspirations or heroes?
Certainly in the world of puppetry Frank Oz has influenced all of us. I think he figured out early on that one of the secrets to comedy is creating characters with depth. He did that wonderfully for the Muppets. Richard Hunt was brilliant. I think Forgetful Jones is one of my all time favorite characters. Beyond puppets I draw inspiration from lots of things. I love the Christopher Guest/Eugene Levy films. Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn – all of those guys are great.

You are involved in the upcoming Henson project "The Skrumps". What kind of advantages do you have to when performing a digital character, such as Wishbone, that you may not have with traditional puppet?
One advantage is that we can do separate layers of performance. For example, if we had a great take of a scene, but the eye blinks were a little off we can go back and re-perform just the blinks while keeping everything else. We don’t do a whole lot of that because the performances are generally stronger if you keep the whole thing, but sometimes it can be very useful. Another advantage is that we have the benefit of working with extremely talented motion capture performers. They perform the body of the characters and they will often have great movements or ideas for a scene that I wouldn’t have come up with on my own. It really makes the performances a team effort. We also don’t have to raise our arms above our heads when we perform which helps me to preserve my already deteriorating spinal cord.

So what are some disadvantages of using digital characters that you don't have with traditional puppets?
My favorite use of puppets is having them out in the real world. I like seeing the three dimensional puppet being performed in real space with real humans and locations. I’m sure we could put the characters out in the real world, but I think digital puppets look the best when they remain in a digital world. It’s not so much a disadvantage, just more of a personal preference.

There seems to be a lot of exciting things in the works at Henson. Are there any upcoming projects that you're involved in that we should be watching out for?
I believe they just screened a new project called "Sam Plenty" at Comic-Con in San Diego. It’s a throwback to the old Gene Autry Show and was created by super-genius Paul Rugg. Definitely keep an eye out for that. We are also going to be doing monthly performances of "Puppet Up!" at the Avalon Hollywood starting in August.

What type of message would you want to send to aspiring performers who want to break into the business?
Determination is everything! There are lots of performers out there with varying degrees of success and talent, both of which are completely subjective anyway. For me, working really hard at what you want to do seems to be the only way to achieve your goals. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s actually true. People drop out of this business every day and the ones who are left standing at the end of the day are the ones who have careers in entertainment. Also, study acting! One of the biggest mistakes I see aspiring puppeteers make is that they watch a lot of puppet shows (which is great), but don’t ever take an acting class. Being a good actor is essential to being a good puppeteer. Without the acting, the rest is just smoke and mirrors.

Is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans out there?
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so grateful to be able to earn my living the way that I do. The support of puppetry fans is what makes that possible. In particular, Muppet fans rock! Jim Henson made so much magic in his lifetime. We’re all so lucky to be a part of that. Also, watch out for Noel MacNeal. That guy is trouble!

We would like to extend a giant "thank you" to Victor for taking the time to answer our questions and share a bit of insight on his career and work. It is always a treat to hear from the people behind the puppets. And don't forget to check out VictorYerrid.com for all your Victor Yerrid needs.

An Interview with Alan Muraoka

2007-06-03T17:48:00.000-04:00

Alan Muraoka joined the cast of Sesame Street in 1998. Alan he took on the role of Alan, the new owner and manager of Hooper's Store. Appearing as a central human character on Sesame Street for over eight seasons, Alan has become a beloved and respected resident of the world's most famous street by viewers of all ages. From a very young age Alan has been a performer. Aside from acting on Sesame Street, Muraoka has appeared in several Broadway productions - including "Miss Saigon", "Pacific Overtures", "The King and I", "My Favorite Year", "Shogun and Mail" and "Anything Goes" (to name just a few). As a director, his 1998 production of "Falsettoland" for the National Asian American Theater Company received high praise from The New York Times, and enjoyed a sold-out run at the Vineyard Theatre – some other directing credits of Muraoka include, "John Tartaglia's Ad-Liberty", "Empty-Handed", "Karaoke Stories", "Screaming Like a Fool", and "A Tribute to Julie and Carol" at Carnegie Hall. A UCLA graduate, Muraoka received a musical theater performance scholarship underwritten by Carol Burnett. He is active with many Asian-American organizations and was even honored with the Inspiration Award from APEX, a mentoring organization in New York City. Alan's warm and open character has helped make Hooper's Store the heart of the Sesame Street community once again. We contacted Alan about sharing some of his experiences and insights with us and he was more than willing to take some time to offer his views and feelings on his career as Alan the genial proprietor of Mr. Hooper's Store.

When did you first get interested in acting and performing?
As far back as I can remember I was always interested in performing. When I was in elementary school, I was always cast in the school plays. I played Abraham Lincoln's teacher in a 4th grade play, and the director pulled me aside to tell me that she was torn because as the teacher I wasn't going to be able to be in the big square dance number, and she knew that I loved to square dance. So I was a character actor at age 8.

Was there a history of performing in your family?
My father sang at church, and I got the performing bug from him for sure. His signature song was "Danny Boy," which he sang at every family function that I can remember growing up. So I think he likes to take credit for my interest in performing.

One of your first school play was "The Candy Man". What role did you have and what was that production experience like?
"The Candy Man" wasn't actually a school play. It was a number that we performed at this movie theatre in downtown LA. I don't know if many people remember this, but there was a time when they played double features at movie theatres, and there was a 15 minute intermission for people to go to the concession stand and stretch. Well, we were the "entertainment" during the intermission. I played the role of the Candy Man, and I had 12 girls as my dancing back up. And they would play the Sammy Davis Jr. version of the song while the girls danced, and I walked up and down the aisles throwing candy at the audience. And we were all between the ages of 12-16. It was a truly bizarre, and I feel like it was my version of doing the vaudeville circuit.

While in college you received the "Carol Burnett Theater Award", and actually got to meet Mrs. Burnett. What was it like to receive such an honor?
Winning the Carol Burnett Award was definitely the highlight of my college days at UCLA. We had to audition with a 5-7 minute musical theatre scene, and they picked 8 finalists who performed their scenes for a packed crowd and panel of celebrity judges. I was in the finals for 3 years before I won. I was like the Susan Lucci of the UCLA Theatre Department. Carol Burnett was only there to present the awards for one of the years, but it was amazing meeting her. She took a picture with my entire family, and she kissed my grandfather on the cheek, and he vowed he would never wash that cheek again. A few years ago I directed a show called "A Salute to Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall," which was an homage to the famed 1962 concert which brought Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett together for the first time. I called her to invite her to come see the show, and she actually did come! She was warm and gracious, and she left messages on my answering machine telling me how much she loved the evening. I saved the tapes for posterity.

You've been in several Broadway and off-Broadway productions. Which shows would you say were your favorite or most memorable?
I loved all of the 6 Broadway shows that I did, because it was what I trained my whole life to do. As far as the best role, I would have to say the Engineer in "Miss Saigon," just for the sheer size of the part. But people don't realize how physically and emotionally draining it is to do a Broadway show. Especially a musical. You only get one day off a week, and even when you are not at the theatre, you are maintaining your body and your voice and your health to be able to get through the show. It's a big sacrifice, but totally worth it. I think my best experience was the last Broadway show that I did, which was a revival of a Stephen Sondheim musical called, "Pacific Overtures." It was an amazing cast, and working on a Sondheim musical was a dream come true. He is a god in the musical theatre world, and I got to see him frequently, and he even played poker with us one day between shows.

Before joining the cast of the show where you a fan of Sesame Street? If so, which Sesame productions and/or characters did you really enjoy?
I grew up watching the show, and always loved the level of humor and smart satire that is the hallmark of Sesame Street. I remember Big Bird, Bob, Oscar, Cookie Monster from my early days of watching the show, and it amazes me that I am actually working with the same actors who originated most of these roles. One of my favorite inserts is when they picked the number of the day, and then the baker would sing "2 chocolate cream pies!!" or whatever, and then fall down the stairs. I am a sucker for slapstick.

Aside from Sesame Street, were your (or should I say, are you) a fan of any other Jim Henson creations or productions?
Of course! Jim Henson always had a wonderful humor that spoke to me. So I was a huge huge fan of the Muppet show and the feature films that followed. What is great about all of his creations is that like "Sesame Street," there are two levels of entertainment going on. There is the silly fun and cute characters which children enjoy, and there is a level of sophistication in the writing and humor that adults can respond to. So it is layered and more complex than one would think.

How did you come to get the role as the new owner Hooper's Store? What was the casting process like?
I got a call from my agent about the audition, and I went in with about a hundred or so other actors, both women and men. At that point they didn’t know what they wanted, so they saw a variety of people. Most of the prior owners of Hooper’s Store were older and more grandfather-ish, and I was hoping that they were looking to go in a new direction. I had a total of four auditions for the show, and each time there were fewer and fewer people. At my third callback, they had decided that they needed an Asian American representation on the show, so there were ten of us. And at my final callback for the producers, I got to improv with Telly Monster who is one of the Muppet characters on the show. It was very nerve-wracking, but at the same time, I knew that I was a good fit for the show. I had done a lot of children’s theatre in the past, and I love kids. So it seemed like a natural fit. They thought so too, and I got the part.

Sesame Street is such a cultural icon. What was it like to actually walk out onto the set of the world's most famous street?
Not to be cliché, but it really was a dream come true. Walking on to a set that was a part of my childhood was simply astonishing, and to realize that I was now a part of the legacy was really daunting. It's something I covet and take very seriously.

Your character quickly became a friend and mentor to many of the Muppet residences of Sesame Street. Which characters do you enjoy sharing a scene with the most?
On my debut episode, Big Bird is the one who comes in and introduces me. It's a whole show where I meet everyone on the street and it culminates in a song that we all sing called, "Welcome to the Party." And of course I was nervous, because it was my first day on set. And Carroll Spinney, the actor who plays Big Bird, was so kind and welcoming to me, that I never forgot that. Actually, all of the puppeteers were so kind to me, and that made such a huge difference. So Big Bird holds a very special place in my heart. But I love all of the characters for different reasons. Elmo for his sweetness, Telly for his manic humor, Baby Bear for his lisp. They're all wonderful.

You play the shopkeeper of one of America's most famous stores -Hooper's Store. Did you have any prior experience working in retail?
I managed a yogurt shop when I was in high school, which was located within a Sears store in the San Fernando Valley, where I grew up. And I got my best friend hired as well. And when the owner wasn't there, we would rename the yogurt flavors. So instead of mango, we would put up a sign that said, "boofer." So of course people would ask, "What's boofer?" And we would give them a sample, and say, "It's sort of like mango." And then they would say, "I'd like a large boofer cone please." I couldn't believe that we never got caught. I would have be so fired!

Is there a lot of camaraderie among the Muppeteers and the cast? How was the cast and crew in welcoming you into the long were established Sesame family?
I was very nervous coming onto a long running show, especially because I replaced an actor that had been there for years. So I think there was definitely a warming up period that I had with the other actors. But we all get along very well, and we're very supportive of each other. And the Muppeteers were just great from day one, because they could see that I respected and appreciated their talents and their wackiness.

What is it like to perform with Muppets and the Muppeteers?
I compare it to a roller coaster. You have to strap yourself in and be ready, because you never know what's going to happen. They often improv lines, so you have to be ready to react and respond if that happens. And I come from an improv background, so I'm usually ready.

Is it harder to act when you have to converse with a little red monster or a giant yellow bird rather than another human?
It is actually easier than I thought it was going to be. At first, I was just so mesmerized at the artistry of the Muppeteers, and all I wanted to do was to watch them work. But the Muppets expressions are so life-like, and the actors so good, that it is easy to believe that you are actually talking to a 8-foot yellow bird.

What has been your favorite segment or storyline from your years on Sesame Street?
We had shows which were written in response to the events of 9/11 which I was very proud to be a part of. The one that I am most proud of is the show in which I have a small fire at Hooper's Store, and firefighters come to put it out. And Elmo is frightened because of the fire, and of these firemen and women in strange uniforms with their scary looking equipment. So he learns throughout the episode the heroism and bravery of firefighters, and how important they are to our community. We used actual New York City Firefighters for the episode, and it was an honor to talk with them and hear their stories. That is the episode I am most proud of.

Sesame Street is known for its use of music. What songs or musical numbers have you enjoyed participating in?
Coming from a Broadway musical theatre background, I love any musical number that I get to be a part of. But 2 of my favorites were singing "Being Green" for a Sesame Street concert with the Boston Pops, and "Sing," with the entire cast and Rosemary Clooney.

You've had the chance to meet and work with many celebrities while on Sesame Street. Do you get "star stuck"? Any celebrity experiences stand out in your mind?
Of course I get star struck!! I'm an idiot around them. And for some reason I've been paired with many celebrities. The list includes Natalie Portman, Seth Green, and Tina Fey, to name a few. And what is amazing to me is how excited many of the celebrities are when they walk onto the set. Many times they come with their own children, but it's the parents who are more excited than their kids. It speaks to the power and longevity of the show, and how much of a cultural icon it is.

Aside from occupation, how do you differ from the character you portray on Sesame Street?
I think "Alan" is very much like me, but a much much nicer and patient version of me.

When Sesame Street first came on the air, there was nothing else like it. Now there are multiple channels with nothing but 24-hours of children's programming a day. Why do you think Sesame Street is still so successful?
Again, I think it is the quality of the writing that sets us apart from the rest, and that we never try to talk down to kids at all. But it is a struggle with so many options out there now to keep our ratings up. But I also think we offer a quality product that many parents know they can rely on, and I think that is important.

Are there any un-tackled topics or storylines that you would like to see worked into the show in the future?
We've tackled so many mature issues for a children's show, and I think current events will show us what we need to focus on next.

When you go out in public do you find a lot of kids (or even adults) come up to after recognizing you from you role on Sesame Street?
It happens periodically, and it is usually parents who come up to me to say how much they love the show. And it always sort of surprises me when it happens. I never got into show business for the notoriety, so it's very humbling when it does happen. But of course I love it.

Fans are always craving more information on the future episodes of Sesame Street. Can you tell us anything about what we can expect to see in the upcoming season?
Get ready for more Abby Caddaby episodes and a brand new human character.

Is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans out there?
Thank you so much for watching the show! And if you'd like more info on me, please visit my website at www.AlanMuraoka.net

Thank you Alan for taking the time to answer our questions; and we hope to see you keeping Hooper’s store open and active for all the young (and young at heart) to enjoy for years to come.

An Interview with Julianne Buescher

2007-03-07T20:46:00.000-05:00

Julianne Buescher performed her first Henson character on the television series Dinosaurs. Since then, she's become a Henson regular, performing hundreds of characters in such shows as "Sesame Street", "Muppets Tonight", "Muppet Classic Theater", "Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree", "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz", and in several Creature Shop projects including "The Country Bears" and "George of the Jungle". Julianne is one of the few digital puppeteers within the company ranks, and has worked on several upcoming projects using the ground breaking real-time animation system for The Jim Henson Company's "Frances" and "The Skrumps" television series.

In 2005, Julianne became a founding member of The Jim Henson Company's Puppet Up! Puppet Improv troupe, in which she performs countless characters - including the charming Piddles the Pug. Julianne is much more than just puppeteer. With a wide range of independent movies and a large list of voiceover work, including voice matching some of Hollywood’s biggest female stars. Julianne does it all, and we asked her if she would share a glimpse into her work with the fans. She was very glad to take time out to answer our questions, so without any further delay let’s begin.

When did you first get interested in acting and performing?
There was always a performance or production of some sort happening at home, and I was in my first play at age 3. So it’s sort of an integral function...like eating! I just have to! But it was all very much for the love of it...especially the singing, which most of my family does. I’m the first since my great grandfather (an opera singer in Europe) to decide to make acting a career.

When you decided to go to college, did you know right off that you were going to study acting?
There was a lot of pressure in private school to focus on academics, and I was being steered toward specific universities with my GPA and high IQ, but I wanted nothing to do with that world. I loved to draw and dance and discovered that artistic children were considered purposefully non-conformist! Which made me all the more rebellious. I turned down honors courses in favor of art, creative writing, and drama to the horror of my guidance councilor (among others). Then when the drama club took a trip to New York City, I saw my first Broadway musical. That was it. I was officially hooked. Following my own path was tough, but it has always been worth it!

Where you always a Muppet fan? If so, which productions and/or characters really reached out and grabbed you?
I was always a fan of fantasy and ingenuity…and humor that didn’t talk down to kids. Being misunderstood in school and knowing I had to follow my dream was alienating and difficult...but seeing "The Muppet Movie" completely validated everything I was experiencing. I knew I’d find a pack of creative misfits someday to call "family", but I had no clue it would actually turn out to be the Muppets!

In 1989, you graduated DePaul University with a B.F.A in acting, were you wondering what you were going to do next?
Luckily, a few months before graduation, I’d booked my first TV movie and a national Equity tour, which ended in Los Angeles...so I just decided to stay. What I love about this career is that I never know what’s next!

At what point did you get interested in puppets? How did you go from acting to puppetry?
I’d been in LA for a few weeks and saw some folks in Kermit jackets at a cafe. I said hello to them and thanked them for the amazing work they do, and they invited me over to meet Jim and hang out. At home, I did the "I’m not worthy" thing for a month or so...until the day I heard that Jim had passed away. That’s when I decided to go for every opportunity immediately...no matter how scary it seemed. Then I saw an ad in the paper that Brian placed, looking for improv actors willing to be trained as puppeteers for a new TV series called "Dinosaurs". I walked right in there having never worked a puppet before, and had so much fun! Brian believed in me and gave me a chance, and I’ve been a Henson performer ever since.

In 1991, "Dinosaurs" aired on ABC. When and how did you become a part of that show?
After the audition with Brian, I booked the TV series "Riders in the Sky" first (same team that did "Pee-Wee’s Playhouse") but it only ran one season. I was then asked to join the Dinosaur cast as "Monica" and remained for the rest of the run.

You help bring to life was Monica DeVertabre, an independent woman dinosaur, which brought up some woman issues such as working out of the home. Aside from just mastering the technical controls to bring the character to life, what type of character traits or qualities did try to work into your performance?
I was totally type-cast, so that was a breeze! The tough part was having to learn the HDPS system (the puppeteer controls for the animatronic face). I recall just having to master it as we shot! Monica was also much more difficult of a character to bring to life as there was not a single suit performer to gel with. There were 4 performers on separate pulleys that operated the neck, and a fifth on a fulcrum (usually Kevin Clash) who kept the team together. Monica was considered a "film" creature because of her level of difficulty and expense. That was my first Henson puppet. Baptism of fire!

How much did Suzie Plakson's vocal performance for Monica drive your performance or work?
We had never heard the other voices or even met any of the voice actors. I don’t know why they didn’t visit us on set. Our (the puppeteers) voices were recorded on the shoot, and it was the puppeteers/suit performers who worked with the directors to create the characters and performances. The voice actors later dubbed over the puppeteers in ADR. I think that created a slightly disjointed performance overall in the end. It is always better to use the voice of your puppeteer so that the emotional life matches the precise movement. It’s tough enough to mind-meld with your suit performer! The voice actors were great, don’t get me wrong! But you know how weird it can be to see a dubbed foreign language film, something is just a little off, and it effects how you absorb the story.

Dinosaurs was a project Jim Henson had developed but never got to see come to fruition due to his death. Do you think that the cast and crew worked even harder to make it the best that Jim would have wanted?
I know that we felt the project was a once in a lifetime experience. There would never be anything like it again...and not just because of the enormous cost of each episode! Everyone worked very hard and we had so much fun everyday...but every once in a while, there was a sense from the team of "Oh, I wish he were here...if he could see this." It really hit home when Kermit puppets were shipped to the set to be fitted for Steve Whitmire. That was intense. And shooting the last episode was horribly heart-breaking.

In 1991, you started doing additional Muppets on "Sesame Street", what was the atmosphere like in the studio?
The atmosphere seemed still sort of glum after losing Jim. But Kevin Clash was such a great mentor, he brought me to the Street and helped me so much! He let me work so many different characters, and sing so many styles. I had a great time! And I love Jerry Nelson for his kindness and incredible talent! Marty Robinson thought it was pretty funny that I was scared of Snuffy...he's huge! The thing that was truly frightening was seeing this lifeless elephant sized body hanging from the stage rafters (the only viable storage space). But it was also quite an emotional surreal experience to meet these characters that I’d grown up with, that taught me to read! I was 5 years old again giggling at Grover as he pulled my hair. Unreal!

Do you have a favorite scene, or song, that you worked on at Sesame Street?
I loved Sherry Netherland...her scenes were a little bit of "The Muppet Show" dropped onto the Street. The scene with Benny and Stinky where she was allergic to stinkweed and sneezing constantly was a fun challenge...trying to come up with 30 different sneeze sounds! I also liked my little girl grouch named Blecka who loved sardine and ice cream shakes, and a chef who sang "Most Important Meal". But my favorite was a scene with Marty doing the Yip Yip aliens. That was quite an honor!

Did you meet any celebrities while on Sesame Street?
Mike Myers was the nicest...he had his own freaky moment when Big Bird and Telly started singing "Wayne’s World". He said it was so bizarre to see these icons that he grew up with wearing Wayne costumes and doing air guitar! He also had a lot of great advice about improv and character acting (we’re both Second City alums). It is amazing to watch these people drop all of their walls and talk to a puppet.

In 1994, you performed on "Muppet Classic Theater". What was it like working with the classic Muppet characters for the first time?
That was a crazy good time! It’s always extra magical when the guys get together again with the classic puppets! It’s the time for all the new "dollie-wagglers" to listen, watch, and learn. They love the work so much...everyone was goofing off. I can’t believe they got anything on tape...it was great! And having the actual Muppets talk to you directly never gets old! Getting a hug from Fozzie is monumental!

In "Muppet Classic Theater", your performed along side some of the great Muppeteers, including Frank Oz? How did Frank, and the other Muppeteers, respond to your work?
They’re just having so much fun, you gotta dive in and play along! The best feeling in the world is to hear them laugh at one of your bits...but even better is when one of them tussles your hair and says "Good job!" And believe me, as a female puppeteer at that time, that was doubly special!

You worked on "Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree" around that time. What characters did you perform in this special?
I was Beverly Mouse (and also had a cameo as a Ballroom Dancer!). The highlight of that was working with Leslie Nealson! He’s the funniest, nicest man packed with stories and advice…I learned so much about the film business in that short time!

You've also performed with the Muppets in several home video titles, commercials, guest spots and at some special events. Are there any performances or on-set moments with the Muppets that stand out in your mind?
"New Baby In My House" meant a lot to me because I got to sing with Jerry Nelson. And also because Kevin Clash cast me even though I was still relatively new to hand puppets (I learned HDPS first). Of course the best times on any project are the out-takes!

Many of the animatronic characters, such as those in "The Country Bears", are brought to life though the team effort of multiple performers, including a suit performer and another performer (or two) helming the facial controls. Does this type of collaborative performing make performing more difficult? What types of challenges are there in getting a single performance out of a group of people?
The challenge is always that each performer is an artist/actor in their own right, and has a specific take on the characters inner life and how to express it. The silent compromise between suit performer and face puppeteer is very much like dance in that we agree to move together without anyone leading. The balance is typically struggle-free. I can’t explain how we’re able to clue into each other so precisely. And when the director speaks to us, we’re addressed by the character name ("Tennessee, you’re happier on this line") and all the performers involved respond as one. We’ve all worked together for many years and have become familiar with each other, so the "melding" has become inherent.

Aside from puppeteering, you've also done a large host of voice over work for animation and video games. What are some of the differences in doing voices and puppeteering?
I can perform for hours without having to rest my arm! Actually, they are identical in terms of looking at the physical character (a drawing or a puppet) to determine where the voice choice will lead, and also in the way that physical movements are vocalized. The difference is in animation you have to wait to see how someone draws your performance but of course with puppets your full performance is immediate.

You are also one of few digital puppeteers within the Henson ranks. What kind of advantages do you have to when bringing digital characters to life that you may not have with traditional puppets or animatronics?
The fun is that I’m immediately performing AND voicing an animated character...best of both worlds! And it's the greatest toy on the planet! I’d say the main advantage to being able to operate a digital puppet is purely one of technological edge. It isn’t a "better" form of puppetry, just one geared and ready for what will be in demand in an increasingly digital world. HDPS is my first love and now that the characters are digital rather than animatronic, my programming of the emotions and precise facial muscle movement is even more detailed and expressive. I also enjoy the fun add-ons like wings, antenna, tail and ear movement!

What obstacles or challenges does performing a digital character present that you may not have when working with a physical animatronic rig or puppet?
The challenges exist in the fact that the team is creating the technology and problem solving as we go. The same was true with the animatronics...and the same excitement of knowing you’re doing ground-breaking work is still what drives the company. That’s the good kind of challenge that makes it "play" instead of "work"!

Aside from performing characters for Henson you've also designed and built several puppets for various projects. What are some of your favorite personal creations?
My favorite puppet designs/builds are the ones I created, built, and are used by Puppet Up! There’s a long list of them but "Pretty Girl" is extra special!

Since 2005, you've been a part of The Jim Henson Company's Puppet Up! improv troupe. What are some of the difficulties that puppetry brings to doing improv?
Improv is an incredibly difficult form of comedy on it’s own. Being able to do song improv with an improvising pianist is extra crazy. Then add your random puppet, 7 other puppeteers, a camera and monitor set up for the audience to see,not knowing which game is next or which puppet to pick... and oh yeah, all while wearing heels! (wait, the heels are just me.)

As puppeteers, how have the Puppet Up! performers adapted or adjusted to performing in full view of the audience?
It was the perfect blend for me...everything that I love to do is rolled up in one show! It’s more of an adjustment for the audience...having to decide whether to watch the screen, or us operating the puppets! Our only real major adjustment was making sure we didn’t fall off the stage while staring at the monitors!

Who are some of your comic inspirations to do inprov?
Carol Burnett, Steve Martin and Mike Myers. I also went to college with Brad Sherwood and ended up studying with him at Second City, with Ryan Stiles.

How has Puppet Up! and its performers grown, evolved or changed since its inception?
The magic of any troupe is how well they know each other and can immediately play off of each other in any given performance situation. It was obvious on the Muppet Show that the group was solid and loved each other and what they were doing. This most recent Henson gang is now in that place, and the bond will definitely feed any upcoming project. That was the original goal.

Of the many characters you've performed, in the many projects you've been a part of, which ones are your favorites?
The one I always think of first is Tennessee...that bear had a beautifully built head (by John Criswell) and his emotional range was a challenge. It was also incredible to watch him sing his ballad (which was cut short in the film), and his "rocker snarl" was sweet! I do tend to bond with my puppet characters, which is one thing I miss in the digital puppetry (not having the tangible character for audience members to engage with).

There sounds to be a lot of exciting things in the works at Henson. Are there any upcoming projects that you're involved in, excited for and would want to give a little plug for?
There is so much going on, it’s really exciting and a great time for the company! I am so thrilled and feel so lucky to be a part of this rebirth...it’s going to be an incredible next few years!

What type of message would you want to send to aspiring performers who want to start acting/puppeteering?
Follow your heart no matter what! Jump on every little opportunity, bound through every open door, and fear nothing!

Is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans out there?
A message from Piddles: "Ummm...hello! I would like to say...thank you very much for the fuzzy bunny slippers and very kind words. I am very glad that you like the show and I would like to say to Jimmy... yes, Jimmy, my diaper is clean at the top of each show. But not for long. Okay. Bye!"

We'd like to extend a giant "thank you" to Julianne for taking the time to answer our questions and share a bit of insight on her work. And we'd also like to thank Piddles for the warm wishes to all the fans out there.

An Interview with Jim Lewis

2007-01-07T20:45:00.000-05:00

Jim Lewis has been a Muppet writer for more than 20 years and has been responsible for putting words in the mouths of the Muppets. Lewis wrote many Muppet projects including "Wow, You're a Cartoonist!", "Hey, You're as Funny as Fozzie Bear!", "Miss Piggy's Hollywood", "Kermit's Swamp Years", "The Muppet Show Live", "It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" along with being a writer on "The Animal Show", "Muppets Tonight" and "Telling Stories with Tomie DePaola". Lewis has served as one of the Muppets' primary in-house writers, contributing countless line to Muppet interviews, promotional material and appearances. In this capacity, Jim Lewis has contributed a great deal to maintaining the tone and consistency of the Muppet characters in the years since Jim Henson's death. Lewis also wrote the 2006 book "Before You Leap" from the point of view of "author" Kermit the Frog. We asked Jim Lewis for a chance to discuss his career, not just as a writer, but as a key player in the Muppet world for more than 20 years.

When did you start your career as a writer?
I always wrote. In school, it was the one thing I could do pretty well. That and tell bad jokes. (I was overweight and jokes were my defense. Am I starting to sound a bit like Fozzie?) I knew that someday I wanted to be funny for money, but it took awhile to figure out how, where, and for whom.

Where you always a Muppet fan?
John Derevlany, Jim Lewis and Kirk ThatcherI was born the same year as Kermit, and so we kind of grew up together. I discovered the Muppets on "Ed Sullivan" and loved Rowlf’s regular appearances on "The Jimmy Dean Show", but I was too old to get hooked on Sesame Street when it first came out. Like everyone else in the world, "The Muppet Show" knocked me head over kiester. It was new, fresh, and yet old school, with jokes like I told and characters you believed were real. So yes, I was a fan.

Did you ever think you would be a writer for the Muppets?
Never. I didn’t know how to get from what I was doing—writing for newspapers and magazines—to doing that. Then, one day, I saw in issue of Muppet Magazine on the newsstand. Through friends, I found out that they were looking for a new editor. I got the job and started writing for the characters there, in print. (The conceit of the magazine was that it was written totally by the Muppets in their own voice.) There in the mid-80s, when they’d done the first three Muppet movies and weren’t doing a regular show, I was one of the few writing in the voice of these characters. Oh, and there’s the fact that Fozzie is my doppelganger, but let’s not get into that.

What newspaper did you write for, and for how long?
I wrote for a small, now out-of-business, newspaper in New Jersey. I wrote about everything—city counsel, police blotter, sewer pipe, zoning laws, high school band, etc. It was a great training for writing under pressure. I did that for a few years, then took a job in Washington D.C. writing about environmental issues. So, I did do legitimate work for a few years before turning to a life of Muppets.

Did you ever have a front-page article with a really gripping heading?
My favorite was a story about a local waterway that was having environmental problems. The title, which I came up with was..."What’s It All About: Algae". Wocka! Wocka! Honest. My other favorite was a caption for four pictures of four golfing foursomes. The title..."Four For Fore". Rimshot! Thankew! Obviously, I was driven out of the news business for good reason.

How did you get started writing for TV? I believe one of your first writing credits was "Wow, You're a Cartoonist!" in 1988, is that Correct?
While working as editor of Muppet Magazine, I had a chance to write a few scripts for the just-starting-up Nickelodeon Network. Then, when the Henson company started doing original home video productions, they needed someone who could write in the voice of the classic Muppet Show characters. It’s a small niche, but it’s mine.

How is it different writing a TV script from writing a newspaper article?
Writing for TV: More notes. More editors. A lot more visual, of course. And while I’m encouraged to make stuff up with the Muppets, my editors at newspapers generally frowned upon creative fibbing.

Was "Wow! You're a Cartoonist!" your first Muppet writing project?
Actually, it was the second. The first was "Hey, You’re As Funny as Fozzie Bear!" wherein you spent 20 minutes learning to do a comedy and magic act with Fozzie, and the last 10 minutes performing this act (by standing next to the TV and delivering punchlines) with Fozzie. Ahead of its time? Or merely weird. Who knows for sure.

How involved where you in the production of "Wow! You're a Cartoonist!"?
I wrote the script. I worked with the performers, who included Jim Henson and Caroll Spinney and I learned the difference between writing for print and writing for production. I’m still learning, by the way.

How did you come to meet Jim Henson?
When he wasn’t in London or on location, he would be in the New York office, and be very accessible. His approach was exactly like Kermit—surround yourself with crazies, give them guidance and hope (and work and push and strive) for the best. The company was small enough, that he knew everyone around the office. Rumors that I changed my name to "Jim" so he’d remember it are exaggerated.

Was your writing what Jim was looking for?
I guess so. A couple of people I worked with - the great Muppet writer Bill Prady and my mentor, Michael Frith — knew what I’d done and trusted me. They gave me a chance and Jim seemed to like the result.

What was working for Jim Henson like?
Like working for Kermit, or so I imagine. He was exactly what you might imagine: creative, kind, confident, encouraging. My favorite moment was during the shooting of "Hey You’re As Funny as Fozzie Bear" when Jim and Frank Oz called me over and asked if I thought it was okay to cut a couple of lines. They ASKED ME. I was floored. That was class beyond compare. (Naturally I told them "no"...Kidding.)

When you wrote "Wow! You're a Cartoonist!", did you meet Jerry Juhl, and did he help you with the writing?
I didn’t meet Jerry on that project, but later on after I’d been in the Muppet universe for awhile he became aware of me. And even dropped me a line saying it was nice to have someone else who could write bad Fozzie jokes. Gags Beasley, eat your heart out!

In 1989, "The Jim Henson Hour" debuted. Did you help in the writing for that show?
No, I was still very new then, and while they needed TV writers, they also needed writers on consumer products and the myriad of other things the Muppets were involved in. So I did hang tags and toys and greeting cards and waited for my chance... which was co-writing "Miss Piggy’s Hollywood" with the aforementioned Bill Prady.

Did you think that after "Wow! You're a Cartoonist!", that you would write for the Muppets again?
After I’d written a few home videos as a freelancer, they seemed to realize I might be worth having around, and so I joined the staff as a writer-at-large.

On May 16, 1990, Jim Henson passed away. Did you attend any of his funeral services?
Yes. I did. The memorial service at St. John The Divine was both a wonderful celebration and a heartbreaking good-bye. I still feel blessed to have been there.

At that point, did you really think the Muppets would go on?
I think so. Like I said, Jim’s way was to give us all a chance to do what we could as best we could. Now, we had to do it without him. Almost impossible, sure. But there were so many great individuals who knew what to do and knew we had to carry on. So we did.

In 1992, you wrote the story for the cartoon "Frosty Returns". How did that come about? Did you come up with the idea of "Frosty Returns" or did CBS ask you to write it?
A freelancers life is a strange one. That’s something that came to me just after I’d joined the Henson company. They liked my story. I wrote a script. Then it went away and a couple of years later it came out vaguely like what I’d had in mind. Vaguely.

From 1992 to 1996 it seems that you did not have any TV or movie writing credits; did you go back to writing newspaper articles?
I was busy. Honest. I worked on theme park and consumer product and home video and whatever else, but not the high profile stuff. (I did do a UK produced show called "The Animal Show with Stinky & Jake" with Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire. I loved doing that.) I like all kinds of writing, so it didn’t matter that the credits were different. Then, we spent a few years developing "Muppets Tonight".

In 1996, "Muppets Tonight" premiered when you joined the writing team.
I was fortunate to be involved with that show from the beginning, and to work with people who’d made their mark doing one of my all-time favorite shows "SCTV".

How many episodes did you help write?
There were 22 episodes. And I was there for all of them.

You also became a co-producer for the show, how did that happen?
Someone obviously slipped up. Or maybe it was the 20 bucks I gave the guy who typed up the credits at the end of the show. Seriously, those titles are one of the mysteries of writing for television, but since I had involvement from the beginning I felt it was earned.

Did you have more creative control being a co-producer?
Creative control? Never heard of it. I remained a small fish in the big pond.

There were a lot of new Muppets on "Muppets Tonight". Do you think that in the long run there should have been more of the classic Muppets in the show?
It was a great place to work with and develop new characters. I’m glad we did. Should there have been more classic characters, such as Kermit and Piggy? Yes, probably, but you can’t always get what you want to. I wish we’d had more opportunity to develop the show; as it is, I think our learning curve over the 22 episodes was pretty good.

The special guests stars on the "The Muppet Show" where asked if there was anything they wanted to do on the show, and asked if there were any certain Muppets they wanted to work with. Did that happen on "Muppets Tonight"?
Yes, we built shows around the guest star, with other madness going on, of course. The shows were more plot-dependent that most "Muppet Show" episodes (e.g. Animal gets a hobby), which I think was a good thing, but getting the balance of story and silliness down is not easy.

Jerry Juhl did not write anything for "Muppets Tonight". Did he have any creative say in what was written for the show?
Jerry wasn’t involved directly, and didn’t have a creative say, so to speak. But he helped to invent the wheel we were spinning, so inevitably his influence was felt.

1n 1999 "Muppets From Space" was released. Did you work on this project?
No. Although I am very proud of the material I provided on the DVD release of this movie. There’s an alternate track featuring comments from Rizzo, Gonzo, Kermit and the director. I helped write that...except for the director.

2002 was a very busy year for you wasn’t it? You had not one, but two, Muppet projects going on. Was it sometimes confusing with keeping the scripts separate?
Not really. Projects sometimes get released close together but are developed and written at different times. I’d never been so responsible for projects as I was for those, so it was a real challenge and a major learning experience.

Who came up with the idea of doing a story about Kermit’s early years?
Me. I’m a big fan of Jean Shepherd, the radio raconteur from the 1960s who’s best known as the writer/creator of "A Christmas Story" ("You’ll shoot your eye out!"). That kid’s-eye-view of life was something I admired and wanted to emulate. What was Kermit’s life like before that Dom DeLuise moment at the top of "The Muppet Movie"? I wanted to know.

Did you interact with the Muppeteers?
Always. When you write for the Muppet characters you are working with the people who created those characters and who are, to a great extent, their alter egos. The performers are the ones on the line and what I do as a writer is to give them the best place to start and see where they take it.

There was a lot of hidden Muppet references for us die hard fans. Was it hard to find places to put them in the movie?
Not really. I wish we’d been able to do more...

Steve Whitmire has really taken Kermit to a new level. Did you help him do that with a different kind of writing for Kermit to fit Steve’s style?
Steve is fantastic. I didn’t help him. I just wrote the character as best I could and with his help shaped things that worked well for him. It’s a treat to work with him, but I don’t feel like I’m writing for a different character.

You also produced "Kermit Swamp Years". What, if any, challenges did you have in the making of this movie?
It was a new direction for the characters, exploring a different world for our signature character. That was rife with possible pitfalls. But all of the people involved, from the performers, producers, our director David Gumpel, to the puppet builders who created a younger Kermit, were old hands with the Muppets, so we did our best to try to get it right.

There was a lot of young and new Muppet talent working on "Swamp Years". Did this help recasting some of the "classic Muppets"?
Really the only "classic" character—besides a cameo appearance by Statler and Waldorf and me in the movie theater—is Kermit. And Steve shaped this younger Kermit with help from us, but mostly by dint of his talent.

You also helped write "A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie". Which brought the Muppets back to the Muppet Theater. Where did the idea for that come from?
What would the Muppets have been like if Kermit were never born? That’s a "What if" that felt ripe for exploring.

In "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie", it was the first time in a long time that some of Frank Oz’s characters had really big roles. How important has Eric Jacobson been in the writing for those Muppets?
Having Eric do these characters is a great opportunity for those characters to appear and grow. Frank - excuse me, Mr. Oz - is quite busy as you know. And Eric is a wonderful performer.

Kirk Thatcher once said that the Kermit and Piggy relationship was not to be taken serious, as it is "just a frog and a pig". In "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" you go deeper into their relationship. Was there any discussion on set about that?
Huh, Kirk said that? Where is he!? Let me at him! I’m not sure what that means, but I’m sure he had a punchline for it. I wasn’t on set much for that shoot, so I’m not sure what discussion took place. I have my views, which are that theirs is one of the great love affairs of all time, but then again I’m contractually obligated to say this.

The scene where Scooter is dancing in the cage has caused quite a bit of buzz on the fan web sites about it being "too much". When writing and filming that scene, did anyone think it was too much?
I can’t say. I wasn’t on set. I didn’t have much to do with that scene. Nuff said.

In all your years as a writer, what is the most important message you could give to young people who want to become writers?
Write faster and funnier... Seriously, it’s just a matter of keeping at it. Find things you like and see how they’re done. Then try your own hand at it, and as you write and write and write, you’ll develop a style of your own. You have to give it everything and hope for the best...and while life doesn’t always work out the way you expected, it often turns out better than you could have imagined. I believe that and so does the bear. And if it works for Fozzie, that’s good enough for me.

Thank you Jim, for taking time out of your busy day to answer these questions for us fans. We love our Muppets, but we also love to know what the people behind the scenes are doing and what they think.