Strollerderby : muppets

Muppets Maimed in Name of Fashion

SunnyChanel — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:30:00 GMT

It’s not easy being green. Just ask this model from the Jean-Charles de Castelbajac fashion show in Paris. In his runway collection the designer opted to forgo the fur of minks, chinchilla’s and bunnies and instead used the hides of Kermit, Fozzie and Animal. Will PETA get upset the Muppets were maimed in the name of fashion? Click through to see more photos of the puppet inspired pieces.

Via : Dilisted

Review: Unstable Fables Goldilocks and the Three Bears Show

JeanneSager — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 20:36:00 GMT

The girl who's always looking for "just right" and the family of bears that shows there's always three sides to every story gets a full-length feature in the latest installment of fairy tales with a twist.

Fresh to DVD, the Unstable Fables version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears puts the golden girl on the tube as a reality show host and fleshes out the story of the bears who usually come in at the tail end of the fairy tale.

Lisa Henson (you know, daughter of Muppet creator Jim) told Babble editor Gwynne back in October that the Unstable Fables would give some of the shortest stories of our childhoods new life, using them as jumping off points for entirely new family-oriented adventures.

That's exactly what they've done with Goldilocks, reimagining the little girl lost story as The Goldilocks and the Three Bears Show. Underneath the CGI animation, satirical fun poked at reality show programming and - of course - the kiddie jokes, the fable still has its morals. The bears start looking for "just right" only to find they had it all along, with a tight-knit family that the lonely TV host Goldilocks (voiced by a pre-pregancy Jamie Lynn Spears) would trade her eyeteeth and screen fame for.

Spears as the whining Goldilocks can be grating, but then again, she's supposed to be a starlet who always wants the best and the brightest (remember, papa bear's porridge was too hot, mama bear's too cold and baby bear's just right . . . ). Tom Arnold as papa Mac Bear is the typical slightly loser-ish, lumpish dolt with a big heart, while mom Brooke Shields is the consummate earth mother as Ruby Bear, the mom who takes the Paris Hilton-esque Goldilocks (complete with dog companion) under her paw and slips her some honey.

It's not exactly a fractured fairy tale - with the hilarity and ribald (read adult) take that genre has come to convey - but Goldliocks and the Three Bears Show is, after all, a kid's movie. Come at it expecting anything else, and you may be disappointed, but it's got the kid concept just right.

Image: Amazon

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Miss Piggy Wants a Bailout For Christmas

Brett Singer — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:30:00 GMT

I'm going to backtrack now on something I said earlier. I was bemoaning (OK, fine, I was whining) that Disney, who now own the Muppets, were going to ruin what I feel are great characters, thereby destroying the possibility that future generations will derive pleasure from Kermit and Company.

Are you sitting down?

I may have been wrong.

Various Muppets appeared on The Today Show this morning to promote their new holiday special, 'A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa' (airing on NBC tonight at 8pm EST; Newsday gives it an A). (No, I don't mean to imply that Tom Cruise, who also was on this morning, is a Muppet. Although that would explain a lot.) The best part, in my opinion, was Miss Piggy, who as far as I know is still being played by the great Frank Oz.

It's not even that what she said was so hysterically funny. But the way that the hosts just sit and chat with her as if she were something other than felt never gets old to me.

Anyway, here are two clips from Miss Piggy's recent appearance, plus one from earlier this year where the Muppets took over the show and Miss Piggy tied up 'Law & Order' star Christopher Meloni with crime scene tape. Good times, good times.

Miss Piggy Wants a Bailout

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Miss Piggy on Today Show

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Older: Muppets Take Over Today Show

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Muppets Take Over the Today Show and Miss Piggy Ties Up Christopher Meloni

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Hopefully these frequent Muppet appearances will get my kids interested in the characters once they outgrow Sesame Street. I grew up loving The Muppet Show, and enjoyed the same shows on DVD with my first son. (The second one doesn't seem interested yet.) With such a multitude of viewing choices out there, reminding us about the Muppets can't be a bad thing.

So there you go! I may have been wrong about Disney and their treatment of the Muppet property. Happy holidays, everyone.

(NOTE: Thank you to the commenter below who points out that the embeds of these videos aren't working. Go to MSNBC.com to find them.)

Source: MSNBC

Image: NYTimes

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Want to Be a Muppeteer? Here's Your Chance

JeanneSager — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:06:00 GMT

Puppets have nothing on Muppets. OK, so Muppets are puppets. But where you can stick your hand up any old puppet butt, getting your hands on a Muppet means you've got the Jim Henson seal of approval. And now they're ready to come home with you!

The late Muppets creator reportedly created the word out of a combination of marionette and puppet, but they're marked by wide mouths and great big googly eyes. Brightly colored and often covered in fur, Muppets have popped up in Fraggle Rock, Sesame Street and the various Muppet tv shows and movies (naturally). Now Muppet bodies are waiting for eyes, hair and clothes so they can land in your kids' bed. Toy store extraordinaire FAO Schwarz has opened the Muppet WhatNot Workshop online, with an in-store debut slated for next week.

Choose from an orange, blue or green body (each with its own distinct head shape), 12 different noses in three varying shapes, your favorite set of eyeballs, pick of hair and then dud them up. It's like Build-a-Bear for us eighties kids, with a price tag of around $90.

So who will your Muppet belong to, you or the kids?

Image: MuppetNewsFlash

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Muppet Op-Art

Brett Singer — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:20:00 GMT

In a piece in the NY Times today called "Puppet Government", beloved balcony boys Statler and Waldorf trade quips about the Presidential debates. The jokes, written by Hugh Fink, Scott Ganz and Andrew Samson, were obviously written before McCain threatened not to show up, so I'll add one: "John McCain says he won't show up for the debate until Democrats and Republicans stop arguing." "Guess there won't be a debate!"

I wonder if this is part of Disney's Muppet Master Plan. I would say no because it's a political topic. But the jokes are non-partisan and The Mouse House doesn't exactly have a track record of allowing writers to do whatever they like with Disney-owned properties.

Source: NYTimes
Image: Muppet Wiki

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Disney trying to revive The Muppets

Brett Singer — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:30:00 GMT

I was going to title this post, "Disney doing everything they can to screw up the Muppets." But that was too long.

The New York Times reports on the fact that Disney is attempting to bring the Muppet "brand back from the dead," as "youth marketing expert" Samantha Skey puts it. ("Youth Marketing Expert" is code for "Spawn of Satan", but that's another topic.)

Eventually, odds are that the Disney Marketing Machine (another term that, loosely translated, means "Spawn of Satan") will succeed in cramming the classic characters down the gullets of children everywhere. This is the company that made Miley Ray Hannah Montana Stewart Cyrus Lipschitz (one of those names is fake – guess which!) one of the most successful stars of all time. They've even managed to convince kids that "High School Musical" is something other than awful. So the task of getting that audience to like something that is actually good shouldn't be too tough, right?

The thing is, despite our warm memories of all things Muppet, not every enterprise Kermit and Co. have been involved in has been a success, especially after Papa Henson passed away. "Muppets Tonight" (not mentioned in the Times article) was a flop, not because of bad marketing, but because the show wasn't very good. (I liked it a little bit, but mostly for nostalgia reasons.) And Disney has been trying to get the characters into the Disney machine for some time and so far it hasn't worked out.

Bottom line: since so many parents love them some Miss Piggy, once they see her, they'll want their kids to love her too. So if Disney can manage to put the Pig and her friends in places where both the parents and the kids can see them, they will probably succeed in getting a return on their investment. It doesn't take a marketing genius to figure that out.

Here's the thing about The Muppets. At their best, they are fully realized characters, despite the fact that they are not actually alive. Charles Grodin told a story once that went something like this: when he was filming "The Great Muppet Caper", he turned to Miss Piggy (played by Frank Oz) between takes. He told "her" that he wanted to try the upcoming scene a different way. After a long pause, Oz/Piggy replied (in character, while not being filmed), "Well, I don't really see it that way, but if you want to I guess we can try it." Why tell that story? Because that's what made the Muppets great. Not the green felt, or even Miss Piggy karate chopping anyone who had eyes for her beloved Kermie. It's the characters and the people who played them. To think that you can just pluck Fozzie Bear and the rest into another situation and assume that everyone will have the same positive feelings about them as before is kind of silly.

On a slightly different tack, does it bother you that Disney is taking these characters we grew up with and turning them into shills for generic Disney product?

Source/image: NYTimes

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5 Hottest Muppets...Yes Muppets.

SunnyChanel — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:15:00 GMT

The average male thinks about sex every two minutes, so it really isn’t any wonder that some men out there would fetishize and find Muppets, yes Muppets sexy. Yeah, there’s a fetish for pert near everything, but Muppets? Really? The Web Site “DoubleViking.com – Men’s Entertainment” has such heady pieces of journalism as “Bonertown Hottie of the Day” and “The Twelve Best Parades to Pick Up Hot Chicks” (and no, I am not making this up…)

It turns out that these libido laden lotharios have a thing for sticking their hands up their objects of desire…puppets! As they say themselves “The Muppets: a taboo subject to be sure. What if it was socially acceptable to take a felt-covered female in loving embrace? These would be the top 5 choices.” I’m sure you have your own list, but here is their’s.

Mahna Mahna Girl – “Maybe it’s their singing or their perfectly choreographed moves.”

Red Fraggle – “Red Fraggle is the jailbait of the bunch..”

Janice – “Most likely under the influence of many psychotropic drugs and probably reeking of patchouli oil, she is still all about Free Love”

Camilla the Chicken – “Camilla the Chicken is an enigma wrapped in a riddle, shrouded by mysterious sex appeal.”

and of course, Miss Piggy - “She will loan out those pork tenderloins for anyone with the green-backs. With that in mind, it is conceivable that for the right amount of money, you too can have yourself a night in hog heaven.

For all the detials of their lust, check out their post here.

Upcoming Sesame Street Guests

Brett Singer — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:00:00 GMT

If you can't stand to watch one more episode of 'Sesame Street' that you've already seen 250 times, help is on the way!

PBS might be killing off Fred Rogers, but at least the new season of 'Street' started yesterday, with special guests Jack Black and Feist. The Feist video has already racked up 750,000 views on YouTube since being posted about a month ago. Here are some of the other celebrities who will do time with Elmo and the rest:

* Neil Patrick Harris (8.12): I'm guessing more 'Doogie Howser' than 'Harold and Kumar', but who knows.
UPDATE: Here's a video preview of Neil as - hang on - the Fairy Shoe Person. No. Really.

* Heidi Klum (8.14): According to New York Magazine, Klum's exchange with Elmo is "Sexually charged," with the E man telling Seal's wife, "Ms. Heidi is very pretty." As far as we know, Seal did not whup his little monster butt.

* Jenny McCarthy (8.15): I have a question, and don't take this the wrong way. But if Jenny hadn't become an ambassador for autism, would she be appearing on 'Sesame Street'? I'm not saying that this is part of some master plan, just wondering. I also wonder if this is the first time a former Playboy centerfold has visited the Street. (Vanessa Williams doesn't count since she didn't plan on being in Playboy. Jenny was Playmate of the Year.)

* Will Arnett (8.18): 'Arrested Development' fans rejoice! According to Mike, 'AD' even had a character named Franklin in honor of the dearly departed Roosevelt Franklin, making this an above average booking.

* Jason Taylor (8.20): After 'Dancing with the Stars', this guy is really going places.

* David Beckham (8.22): This guy, who is he again? Maybe this will be what he needs to really break through to the big time.

* LL Cool J (9.22): I hope this is old-school 'I can't live without my RADIO!' LL. I would also accept 'Elmo said knock you out!'

* Chandra Wilson (9.30): I had to look her up, but that's probably because I don't watch 'Grey's Anatomy'. Since much of the rest of the country does, I'm guessing she was a good choice.

Other future guests include new mama Jessica Alba (OH YEAH!), Molly Shannon (amusing), Patrick Warburton ('The Tick' is the greatest fake-superhero-live-action-sitcom in the history of the small screen), Feijoo Sisters (Cuban ballet dancers I'd never heard of), Jonah Hill (wearing a moustache – this seems like an odd choice but I guess he's a big deal now; I would've preferred Seth Rogen), Brian Williams (who's actually fairly amusing), Gilbert Gottfried (who's f**king hilarious but will likely not be his usually filthy self), Megan Mullally (should be fun), Randy Jackson (Gee, you think he'll say "dawg?" - yawn) and Sandra Oh (who I like, despite the fact that everyone seems to think she's ugly). New sketches too, such as "30 Rocks," "Pre-School Musical" and "Are You Smarter Than an Egg Layer."

Here's a little video to whet your appetite.

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James Blunt loves triangles

Brett Singer — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:00:00 GMT

This isn't new but I only recently saw it and it's been stuck in my head for days. Here's James Blunt doing a shaper-sized version of his hit song, "Beautiful" – except now he's singing about a triangle:

This shape was brilliant / This shape was pure.
I saw three angles / Of that I'm sure.
And I saw three pointy corners / And then I saw three straight sides.
The top was very narrow / And the base was oh so wide
(Telly says, "Wait that sounds like…")
A Triangle / My triangle
Oh triangle, it's true.
I saw your shape / In a crowded place
Now I don't know what to do.

Eventually they even manage to force a rhyme with "hypotenuse."

I'm not a fan of the original song, but this actually makes me respect James Blunt a bit, just for having a sense of humor. And, to paraphrase Telly, there's nothing like a Euclidean love story.

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Giveaway: Win "The Muppet Show: Season 3" DVD!

editors — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:00:00 GMT

There are a few different ways to watch The Muppet Show: The Complete Third Season. You can view it as a freakish collection of pop-culture oddities: Gilda Radner singing Gilbert and Sullivan with a seven-foot-tall carrot, Sly Stallone sparring with a talking punching bag. You can look at it as a record of great live performances by the likes of Pearl Bailey and Danny Kaye, or a tribute to forgotten stars like Leo Sayer and Elke Sommer. You can see it as an an absurd backstage soap opera, following Kermit's struggles to keep his show afloat while Fozzie enters group therapy and Piggy threatens her romantic rivals.

But I'd recommend watching it as a child would: Laugh when the Swedish Chef is outsmarted by his own dough. Smile at the unexpected beauty of the African masks singing backup to Harry Belafonte. Let yourself believe the puppets are alive. Season Three is the best Muppet Show collection yet, with fantastic bonus features perfect for family viewing (including a 1968 special called "Muppets on Puppets," which explains the art and process of puppeteering).

And we have three to give away!

Email babblecontest@gmail.com with your full name, mailing address, and the name of your favorite Muppet, and we'll pick three winners at random.

And if you don't win, you can still pick up the set for $32.99 at Amazon. Good luck! -- Gwynne Watkins

UPDATE: The contest is closed and we have 3 winners -- congratulations to Tracey from Ontario (favorite Muppet: Fozzie), Maribeth from Quentin PA (favorite Muppet: Rizzo) and Jeanette from Santa Monica (favorite Muppet: Rowlf)!

When Muppets Go Bad; Kermit Hurt Himself

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:58:00 GMT

I saw Sad Kemit for the first time yesterday on DaddyTypes and thought it would be a great, funny parody of a great, not-so-funny NIN song. Alas, the lyrics won out and Sad Kermit ... well, was just plain sad. This muppet video is not suitable for the squeamish, or children -- unless of course those children are heroin addicts in need of an intervention video that really speaks to 4 year olds.

Kids Still Go For Muppets

Kelly Mills — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:19:00 GMT

This weekend I took my kid to a showing of The Dark Crystal. I have vague memories of the film from my own childhood, mostly I remember that it scared the bejeezus out of me. Watching it again, about twenty-five years later, I can see why I was freaked (non-stop tension) and also noticed that my child is much more jaded than I was. When the big creepy tarantula monsters show up, she said, "They look like big lobsters. Pshaw, those don't scare me. Their butts are too big."

Anyhow, while it was fun to share a little nostalgia with the spawn, I was interested to read in this interview that there's probably a sequel coming out, headed by the Henson kids. (The story also mentions Labyrinth, which I think I enjoyed much more in my youth. And David Bowie= hottest goblin king EVER.)

It'll be a trip to see how much of the new movie is old-school muppet and how much is done with computers. And if there are any puppeteers in the house, I have a question. How come they can make the puppet faces move so realistically, with blinking and breathing, but whenever a creature has to walk, they either glide like a hovercraft or bob in a completely unconvincing way? I'm guessing natural walking must be the holy grail of puppeteering. But you tell me.

Strollerderby Playdate: People Are Mean

Kelly Mills — Fri, 04 May 2007 11:03:00 GMT

When I dropped my daughter off at school yesterday, she was crying because she couldn't sit in the front seat of the car (I'll spare you the details of that saga.) As the kids were lining up to file inside the classroom, one of her little classmates turned to her and said, "Crybaby." I wondered what would happen if I ever-so-gently nudged that kid in the eyeball with my car key, and then I took a deep breath and reminded myself that there's plenty of jerks in the world and it's good for both my daughter and I to learn to deal with them without scratching corneas. Then I went off to blogland to find out how other folks deal with it.

The Cheeky Lotus took a bullet to save her kid's feelings and made me well up in the process. Big hugs, sister!

Meanwhile, the Sarcastic Journalist discovered that some people have no sense of humor. But she can sell sex toys at my house any day.

Suburban Turmoil had to take a polygraph just to facilitate a sleepover. FYI, we offer all our houseguests guns and crack while they watch our sex tapes.

Not So Pregnant has made up a handy checklist for potential single mom suitors. Sounds like some of them are jerks.

Now, If all that has made you lose your faith in humanity forever, get into your feelings with Beaker at the Poop. It's safe to love again.

YouTube Goodness: Kermit's Downward Spiral

JasonAvant — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:36:00 GMT

I'll admit it - the idea of combining the post-metal/industrial sound of Trent Reznor's band with the chipper vocal stylings of everyone's favorite frog seems like a ridiculous idea. But we who grew up with Kermit forgot that it' s really not that easy being green (and we finally have an explanation for Kermit's impossibly skinny arms and legs; apparently you can see needle tracks in the hi-res Quicktime version).

Miss Piggy, you ought to be ASHAMED. Look at what your wicked ways have wrought.

Missing Sesame Street Character Found: Roosevelt Franklin

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 23:35:00 GMT

Remember Roosevelt Franklin? The muppet with really bizarre hair from the early days of Sesame Street? I barely do, but Tony from Way Out Junk does. In fact, Tony has located an entire Roosevelt Franklin album. (Remember albums?) He even has links where you can download songs like "The Skin I'm In" and "The Safety Boy Blues".

The theory is that Roosevelt stopped showing up on the show so much because he was voiced by the first Gordon, Matt Robinson. Robinson seemed to have also written most of the music for Roosevelt Franklin, so it seems like when he left the Franklin character kind of stopped getting used after 1972.

If I am not mistaken, Sesame Street is currently on it's third Gordon. For the record, I liked all three of them. But that is neither here not there. If you want to check out some old school music from The Street (as it is called around my house) go to Way Out Junk and check it out.