The Muppet Mindset

Micah Mann - When I was around three or four years old, my parents rented Muppet Classic Theater. I watched it and, I'm gonna be honest, at first I was scared of the Muppets. Must've been Miss Piggy's close up during the song in The Three Little Pigs. Anyway, despite my fear of them then, I've still learned to enjoy shows like Sesame Street and Bear In The Big Blue House, but I couldn't bear myself to sit through whole Muppet productions because of my fear of the Piggy Muppet Classic Theater close up.

It wasn't until about 2005, around when I was 10, and also after the Muppets were sold to Disney, I started to lighten up to The Muppets when I saw The Muppets' Wizard of Oz on ABC. (Yes, I still sort of have a soft spot for it today.) Then I finally brought myself to watching Muppet films on DVD. Starting with The Muppets Take Manhattan, I started enjoying ALL Muppet productions, and looked at them optimistically. I know many of the songs from "Rainbow Connection" to "Together Again." I even love some the Muppet movies and specials that many Muppet fans today consider to be "not-so" great, that I think are decent.

When the YouTube craze came along, I ended up seeing a lot of Muppet stuff. I saw a lot of the episodes of The Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight, I saw a lot of Muppet specials like A Muppet Family Christmas, and I even lightened myself up to Fraggle Rock, and in 2009, I saw the Muppets sing Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," and NOT only was it awesome, but I actually first heard that song when I was in summer school earlier that year, didn't know what it was, and when Bobo and Beaker did the Galileo part, I immediately remembered it.

About the same time as "Bohemian Rhapsody," a then-unknown to me Jason Segel announced he was writing a NEW Muppet movie to be released by Disney. On November 23rd, 2011, I saw The Muppets. And I really loved it! It looked like the Muppets had a bright future ahead of them, and they did. Then earlier this year, I went to see Muppets Most Wanted in theaters, twice, and I still think is even better than it's predecessor. And don't be surprised if "Something So Right" gets Bret McKenzie another Oscar nomination next year. I can't wait to get it on Blu-Ray this August! NOT just because it was a great Muppet film, but also Disney is marketing as an Extended Edition which I think The Muppets (2011) should've had.

So the Muppets really mean a lot to me. I matured on them growing up, saw the two most recent films in theaters, and I'm an all around Muppet Of A Mann, (Wocka Wocka Wocka!)

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Muppets Tonight Retro Reviews, Part 2
by Abigail Maughan

102 — GARTH BROOKS
PLOT: Garth Brooks adamantly refuses to sing a country song, much to the frustration of Clifford, Rizzo, and the visiting network executive.
GUEST STAR: Country singer Garth Brooks engages in all sorts of bizarre activities here, including dressing in pantaloons, singing “If I Were a Rich Man,” and dancing the mambo. Sadly, it’s not all at the same time. He interacts easily with his Muppet costars and provides a very nice closing number.
COMEDY: Immediately, we see that the humor has improved significantly from the last episode. No, there wasn’t an immediate change from one week to the next, this was actually the fifth episode produced, simply airing much earlier. I find the humor all around much sharper, from Clifford’s introduction to basic backstage dialogue.

MUSIC: Lots of it, all from the guest star. We get his rendition of “It’s Not Unusual,” surrounded by swooning Muppets, and his take on “If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof, accent and all. At the end, the Muppets join him for a pleasant take on his hit “We Shall Be Free.”

LOWLIGHTS:

The “Romeo and Juliet” skit with Garth Brooks and Miss Piggy is just okay. Piggy’s near-sightedness gag isn’t quite enough to carry the bit, but her indignant cry of “Whoever wrote this should be shot!” does make me laugh.

HIGHLIGHTS:

This episode features the first “Tales from the Vet” installment, my personal favorite of the recurring segments on the show. Dr. Phil van Neuter’s zealous derangement balanced with his odd domestic quirkiness makes him one of my favorite new characters on Muppets Tonight.
Now that the show has gotten its format established, this episode introduces lots of new Muppets Tonight aspects and skits that will become very familiar, such as the new Pigs in Space crew, the animal-hating game show “Swift Wits,” “The Tubmans of Porksmith,” new characters Seymour and Pepe (briefly), and Bill the Bubble Guy, the latter of whom seems to be this show’s less frenetic equivalent of Lew Zealand.
This exchange:

Clifford: Kerm, that’s great! If you weren’t a bug-eyed, spindly-legged froggy, I’d give you a big kiss on your knobby little head.
Kermit: And if you weren’t a purple, catfish-faced, multicolored moptop, I’d let you.
Rizzo: Aw, ain’t friendship a beautiful thing? *cries*

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

There’s lots of old Muppet character cameos in this episode, like Floyd Pepper, George the Janitor, and Rowlf the Dog, not to mention Murray the Minstrel and an Inkspot from Fraggle Rock dancing with Garth Brooks at the beginning.
According to Muppet Wiki, that’s Kirk Thatcher dressed as Garth Brooks dressed as a geisha. And that may be the most nonsensical sentence I’ve ever typed.
How is it that in this episode Andy and Randy briefly quote Shakespeare (“If you prick us, do we not bleed?” etc.), but in the previous episode, they couldn’t even remember their own names?

MY RANKING: 5 out of 5 head bubbles (Eww.) This would be an episode I’d use to introduce someone to the show. Funny jokes and an entertaining guest star, not to mention a very diverse skit selection and good character moments for Clifford, Gonzo, and many others. Now this is more like what we’ll see on Muppets Tonight. Not immediately, though, because here comes...

103— BILLY CRYSTAL
PLOT: Less of a plot than a running gag, Bobo the Bear repeatedly proves his ineptitude as the studio’s new security guard.
GUEST STAR: Actor and comedian Billy Crystal interacts well enough with the Muppets, the skits featuring him are amusing enough, and the writers seem to be writing to his strengths. However, the blending of his style of comedy with that of the Muppets feels somewhat forced.
COMEDY:Muppets Tonight sure likes using puns. It’s even acknowledged in the “City Schtickers” skit, which doesn't really go anywhere. There’s a more diverse blend of comedic styles in this episode than in the Michelle Pfeiffer episode, but about the same level of quality, which is... not exceptional.
MUSIC: We get two musical numbers here. The first is a fun rendition of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” sung by jungle creatures to an unamused lion. The second is a jazz number led by Billy Crystal that ends up being enjoyable, but I don’t consider it among the show’s best closing numbers. There’s also a brief performance of “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” between Kermit, Fozzie, and the guest star, which is a bright point of the Western sketch.

LOWLIGHTS:

I know that’s one of the things he’s famous for, but, to me, the scene with the guest star doing various impressions for the Muppets gets a little tedious.
The introduction of Johnny Fiama and Sal Minella on the show doesn’t really do them justice, and is really rather cringe-worthy, but I think the same can be said for Miss Piggy’s first appearance back on The Muppet Show. Just goes to show that great characters can emerge from mediocre intros.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Here is our first real look at the obtuse but well-intentioned Bobo the Bear, who supplies many of the biggest laughs in this episode, and eventually some of the best jokes in the entire series. My favorite gag from him here is his attempt to count all of the countries on a globe to prove a point.
While his "The Eagle's Nest" segment itself isn't fantastic, Sam the Eagle gets several good character moments there and in the backstage scene preceding it. "And they say purgatory doesn't exist!"
These lines:

Rizzo: Why should I have to tell him?
Clifford: Because I'm the man and you're the rat. I've got genetic seniority!

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

The announcer at the beginning doesn’t sound like the usual Jerry Nelson. Bill Barretta, maybe?
Note the rare appearance of Fozzie Bear on the show, and the even rarer appearance of Zoot.

MY RANKING: 2 out of 5 fake sneezes. It's got some good jokes here and there, but overall doesn't rank among the show's best episodes.

104—JOHN GOODMAN
PLOT: The imbecilic Andy and Randy Pig make themselves John Goodman’s aggravating slaves when he saves them from electrocuting themselves. Even though it is a pretty standard trope in television comedy, it is made entertaining here.
GUEST STAR: While actor John Goodman’s written motivations don't make a lot of sense (why would you voluntarily guest star on a variety show to relax?), the guest star seems to be a good fit for this show and plot, acting appropriately exasperated throughout.
COMEDY: And now we’re back to what I think is consistently funny comedy. Backstage conversations flow well, and the skits are a lot better. The “Rats Patrol” skit in particular has a good collection of jokes, my favorite being “Tell her I… I… couldn’t think of a steak joke.”
MUSIC: Our first number is the incredibly odd but not unpleasant performance of “She Blinded Me with Science,” performed by Dr. van Neuter in flashback form. The finale is “Feelin’ All Right,” which showcases a surprisingly decent voice from the guest star and plenty of Muppet sight gags.

LOWLIGHTS:

The "Lunarmooners" skit, a spoof on the classic TV show “The Honeymooners.” Hardly any of it made me laugh, although I do appreciate the writers’ dedication to spoofing pop culture that spans decades.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Wait… Did Randy Pig just say something funny? I think the two pigs are tolerable this time around.

Clifford: You should thank Mr. Goodman for saving your little piggy skins!
Andy: Thank you, Mr. Goodman!
Randy: Yeah! Without our skins, we could never be naked!

Although they were both prominent characters on the show, Gonzo and Rizzo seldom get to interact like the buddies they were throughout the decade. In this episode, we get their one-time segment “Gonzo and Rizzo’s Incredible Discoveries,” which, if not comedy gold, is still made fun by their goofing around.
The bit with Johnny and Sal is a very good one. We get concise looks at their very funny personalities, and their scene is my favorite part of the episode.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

I haven’t mentioned yet how catchy and fun the show’s theme song is. Allow me do so now: the show’s theme song is rather catchy and fun.
Interesting how the two future performers of the main characters in Monsters, Inc. immediately follow each other as Muppets Tonight guest stars.
Also interesting how three out of four episodes in a row feature at least one talking cheese.
Check out the other human at the very end. It’s Jerry Nelson!

MY RANKING: 4 out of 5 trucks full of mouse traps (and one bear trap.) Even with the usually obnoxious Andy and Randy taking the spotlight, I find this episode very funny and full of lots of good skits.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Written by Dan V.

THE FIREYS

Performed by...

Kevin Clash, David Barclay, Toby Philpott (Firey 1)
Karen Prell, Ron Mueck, Ian Thom, Charles Augins (Firey 2)
Dave Goelz, Rob Mills, Sherry Amott, Danny John-Jules (Firey 3)
Steve Whitmire, Cheryl Henson, Kevin Bradshaw, Danny John-Jules (Firey 4)
Anthony Asbury, Alistair Fullarton, Rollie Krewson, Richard Bodkin (Firey 5)

First appearance...
Labyrinth (1986)

Most recent print appearance...
Return to Labyrinth graphic novel (2006)

Best known role...
Scarlet party animals

WHO ARE THE FIREYS?

The Fireys combine a carefree, no worries philosophy with wild-eyed, expressive designs. All these furry gargoyle-esque creatures care about is having fun--and their own specific definition of fun, at that. Fireys are creatures who live deep within the Labyrinth of Jareth the Goblin King. In the film Labyrinth, they were seen having "fun" with Sarah as she tried to get through the maze. Sarah gets stuck with the Fireys as they try to get her to "Chilly Down" with a rollicking song and dance routine.

For the Fireys, it’s about the bare necessities - life’s better with “no clothes to worry about”. It’s all fun and games until one of the Fireys pops his eyeballs out and uses them as dice. While other creatures prefer tame pursuits, the Fireys’ main form of entertainment is detaching their limbs and body parts and using them for their weird games. From dribbling each other’s heads to fusing together into weird animals, the Fireys take their play very seriously.

Eventually, the Fireys attempt to remove Sarah's head along with their own. Sarah escapes by detaching the heads of the Fireys and throwing them far away. Thankfully the Fireys aren't too upset, they just think Sarah is a buzzkill, yelling "Hey, you can't quit! The game's not over!" as Sarah escapes. These aren’t malicious creatures; they just want a friend to chilly down with the fire gang.

It’s a testament to the performers’ skills and Jim Henson’s vision that the Fireys sequence looks as impressive and immense as it does. One can only imagine the hours it took to choreograph such bizarre motion from so many puppets. This is truly one of the stand-out scenes throughout all of Labyrinth, and one of Jim Henson's finest feats.

WHY DOES LABYRINTH NEED THE FIREYS?

The manic energy of the Fireys leaves an indelible mark on the world of Labyrinth. The Fireys manage to be both threatening and charming at the same time; quite a feat for three minutes of screen time. Beyond that, they play to the strengths of Jim Henson, co-writer Terry Jones (of Monty Python), and David Bowie incredibly well. Fantastical puppets, an anarchic sense of humor, and a maddeningly catchy song? What more could you ask from Henson characters?

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Dan V. - The Muppets and alternative music are two of my greatest passions. What I admire most about both is how adventurous they are. Think about it; the Muppets can pull off surrealism and sadness equally well. Meanwhile, “alternative” can mean anything from synthesizers to sitars. All caution about being “too weird” is thrown to the wind. Their unique styles speak more to me (and millions of other fans) than more traditional art ever could. And it’s also way cooler. You can’t forget that.

With that in mind, it’s not surprising that the Muppets and alternative collide quite often. Below are five of my favorite examples.

Debbie Harry on The Muppet Show
The dance-punk queen herself hosted a classic season 5 episode! She’s absolutely electric during her performances of Blondie hits “Call Me” and “One Way or Another”. However, it’s when she croons “Rainbow Connection” with Kermit that this episode shines. Debbie trades in her typical smirk for a charmingly sincere smile.

In my favorite scene, she teaches the Frog Scouts how to pogo and attain their “punk merit badges”. The Frog Scouts are so eager to become “punk” that it’s oddly heartwarming. Their enthusiasm perfectly captures the thrill of discovering a new passion. When art connects with you (Muppets/Punk/etc.), it shapes your personality and views. I see a little of my own fandom in how excitedly they thrash on electric guitar. It’s the power of art encapsulated in just one scene! Besides, hearing Jerry Nelson shout “we think she’s real PUNK!” is pretty hilarious.

Debbie Harry as guest star was an inspired choice, but it wasn’t Jim Henson’s idea. It was actually his son Brian’s! As recounted in Brian Jay Jones’ “Jim Henson: The Biography”, Jim would ask his kids “Who excites you?” when looking for potential guest stars. 16-year-old Brian suggested the alt-rock pioneer and a classic episode was born!

Jareth the Goblin King (David Bowie) in Labyrinth
No list of Alt-Muppet moments could be complete without this iconic Labyrinth performance. Bowie’s had as many styles as the Muppet Wiki has articles, but his look here is amazing. That hair! Those high-waist pants! So beautifully 80s! Although Bowie’s songs here veer towards standard dance-pop, they’re still pretty fun. Not much else to say beyond that. As much as I love Bowie, Jareth has already been written about to death. Next!

“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads on Muppets Tonight

Here’s something a little more obscure! “Once in a Lifetime” is already one of my favorite songs, so a Muppet rendition was a match made in nerd heaven. I’m just surprised this crossover didn’t happen earlier. Talking Heads blended existential lyrics with irresistibly catchy melodies. In other words, it’s perfect Muppet music!

Kermit struts his stuff to this new-wave classic while wearing David Byrne’s iconic “big suit.” More Talking Heads homages abound; everything from the lighting to Kermit’s movements references the classic concert film “Stop Making Sense.” You know how cool tMuppets Tonight’s existence, that’s how cool it is.
his clip is? It completely justifies

“Keep Fishin” with Weezer and the Muppets
The early 2000s weren’t a great time for either Alt Rock (Linkin Park?) or the Muppets (The Muppets' Wizard of Oz?). The “Keep Fishin” video bucked the trend; it’s still hilarious today! It takes place during a typical Muppet Show episode, with all the hijinks that that entails. Miss Piggy totally steals the show when she kidnaps drummer Patrick Wilson. At least Weezer has Animal to fill in while Pat’s tied up (literally). The video plays like a classic episode but with a modern spirit; I would so watch a new Muppet Show that looked like this.

Anyway, it’s undeniably fun to watch the Muppets head-bang to this track. “Keep Fishin” is fun, upbeat, and loud; sounds like the Muppets to me! I also buy Kermit as a Weezer fan (both are as far from “hip” as you can get).

“Do It Anyway” Ben Folds Five with the Fraggles
This video serves as a perfect intro to either the band or the Fraggles in general. The song’s message of plucky perseverance would fit perfectly in a Fraggle Rock episode. It’s also upbeat enough to “dance your cares away” to. In the video, Gobo and the gang travel through a Fraggle hole and ambush a Ben Folds Five recording session. The band’s oddly eager to let them jam out; not exactly a typical response to breaking-and-entering. Like in the Weezer video, it’s so much fun to see these characters interact with the band.

Appearances by other famous Muppet fans (Chris Hardwick! Anna Kendrick! Rob Corddry!) make this a must-see. Hearing Dave Goelz reprise his role as Uncle Travelling Matt is just icing on the cake.

There are way more alt moments in Muppets history (R.E.M. on Sesame Street, Creature Shop work in music videos), but these are just my personal favorites. You can add more in the comments – unless you’re not as PUNK as Debbie Harry.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Max Peters - The Muppet have contributed to my life in their brilliant way for many years now, starting when I was just a little kid. Growing up as a Dutch kid in the Netherlands, I had the privilege to enjoy a very well developed version of Sesame Street, with great Dutch actors and new puppets, who complemented the redubbed American material of Grover, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Oscar and, my favorites, Bert and Ernie. This duo were not only my favorites, they are by far the most popular Muppets in the Netherlands, which is partly explained by the fact that the Dutch dub, provided by great Dutch actors Wim T. Schippers and Paul Haenen, was very well performed and immediately recognizable. Their performances were so well received, that Jim Henson himself allowed the two to make their own Bert and Ernie records, which is pretty unique, for they were the only foreign actors who could do this.

I got addicted to these magnificent records (it's a shame that English-speaking audiences can't understand it), and I still listen to them today every now and then. They kept the spirit of the original characters alive and added their own great material (sketches and songs) and characteristics that made the records a joy to listen to. One of their songs even provided my life motto, "Make something out of it!", a song about positivism and making the best out of things.

So, my love for Jim Henson's creations started when I was very young with Sesame Street, but my first encountering of the actual Muppets themselves was when I watched a Dutch best-of DVD of The Muppet Show, that included a couple of great episodes plus the documentary Henson's Place. To quote Walter, "I found them," and I think I immediately got hooked by the fun, the musicality, the colorful characters and the energy of the show, and I only wanted more. Luckily, for a short period a Flemish television channel broadcasted a couple of Muppet Show episodes, and that is how I got a pretty good impression of what the Muppets were capable of. This, of course, made me want more, and I gradually bought all the Muppet movies (even the pretty mediocre ones which I still enjoyed), the first three seasons of The Muppet Show and a couple of television specials, like Rocky Mountain Holiday.

I watched The Muppets at the cinema, and the goosebumpingly good experience of seeing all the characters sing "Rainbow Connection" cannot easily be equaled. Every Christmas, I make sure to watch not just The Muppet Christmas Carol, but also Muppet Family Christmas and, when I have the time, even It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and Letters To Santa. By now, I can safely say I have seen the majority of Muppet material that is out there, with the exception of The Muppet Show season 4 and 5 episodes (let's say it once more; FINALLY RELEASE IT DISNEY!). And, of course, I have watched all the stuff multiple times, never getting tired of it.

For me, the Muppets symbolize a beautiful sense of childlike playfulness, augmented by a great sense of creativity, musicality, comedy and a lot of heart. They are always able to cheer me up when I feel down. The way in which the Muppet performers, builders, and writers approach entertainment is just incredible, allowing themselves to be extremely creative, original and funny, and all of this without having to be insulting, vulgar or rude. And that is what I enjoy so much, the approach is so innocent, and yet, at times they can provide very clever satire or absurdities. Furthermore, every celebrity that works with the Muppets performs better and funnier, whether it is Harry Belafonte on The Muppet Show or Robert de Niro on Sesame Street. And don't forget that other comedic giants, like the great John Cleese, admire the Muppets just as much as the fans do.

Moreover, the musical component of every Muppet production is what draws me in every time. They have produced countless memorable original songs and many brilliant covers of existing songs as well. And, being a musical person, I always appreciate the perfect singing harmonies that are provided, even though the voices sound funny or can't even pronounce normal words. Take for example the recent "Ode To Joy" by Beaker. Of course it's Beaker and he can only make his 'mee' sound, but at the same time, the harmony is perfect, just as a normal choir would perform it. That is what I enjoy so much about the Muppets, it's the combination of zaniness and high quality of performances. They can be totally silly, but also provide serious depth to characters.

Choosing a favorite character is hard, since there are so many, and I enjoy the main characters like Fozzie and Gonzo usually just as much as the zany, one-joke or even one-performance, small characters, like Lew Zealand or Angus McGonagle. However, I suppose I have three favorites, Bert and Ernie, mainly because they remind me of my youth, and because I regard them as the definitive duo, the greatest duo of all time. They perfectly complement each other, from their contrasting characters to the horizontal and vertical designs of the puppets. My third favorite has to be Kermit, since he represents the genius behind this all, my continuing source of inspiration, not just for performance but also for lifestyle: Jim Henson.

The Muppets are my favorite source of entertainment in this world, and they will probably continue to entertain me for many years to come! It's a wonderful bunch and I love them.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Written by Abigail Maughan.

105—CINDY CRAWFORD

PLOT: Bobo the Bear falls in love with Cindy Crawford, and enlists Rizzo’s help to woo her. There’s also an amusing subplot involving Sal Minella being hit by Cupid. I like that this episode shows a more complex side of Bobo than the dimwitted snarker he usually is. It’s nice to see him be both ambitious and insecure.
GUEST STAR: I’m sure supermodel Cindy Crawford is great at supermodeling, but that’s kind of hard to showcase as a Muppets guest star. Therefore, we see her trying to act and sing, which works for what’s needed in this episode.
COMEDY: This is Bobo the Bear’s most prominent episode, so he obviously gets several funny lines. There are lots of good skits too, like a Kermit-themed “Mickey Mouse Club” parody and Johnny Fiama’s failed attempt at a commercial. This episode also contains the infamous “nice balloons” scene, which, if not the most sophisticated punchline in the world, is still worth a chuckle.
MUSIC: Bobo’s “60s Retro Montage Fantasy” with Mickey Dolenz is a fun scene for the character. There’s also a song about cheese by some Irish rats, Rizzo’s brief rendition of “I’m Too Sexy for My Shirt,” and a section of “I Remember It Well” by Kermit and the guest star, which is a segue to a tango number between Bobo and Cindy. All are entertaining in their own ways.

LOWLIGHTS:

Ugh, this “Bay of Pigswatch” is bad even by “Bay of Pigswatch” standards. First there are the jokes with the eggs, then the mandatory male pigs gaping at Spamela’s breastikaboobical region, then the completely random mine washing up on the beach. None of it seems to fit together at all.
That bizarre computerized spinning thing done with the guest star near the end of the closing number just looks weird and unnatural.

HIGHLIGHTS:

The Irish Rodents opening is a whole lot of fun. The show sure loves cheese puppets.
“Stu!”
I like all of the Rizzo moments in this one. He’s one of my favorite Muppets, and it’s satisfying to see him be a leader instead of a sidekick every once in a while.
This joke:

Cindy Crawford: Excuse me, I’m looking for the Muppet Studios.
Bobo: Yeah, lady, you and the IRS.

This is a very good episode for Bill Barretta and his characters. He has an abundant amount of scenes with Bobo (obviously) and Johnny, as well as Clueless Morgan, David Hogsellhoff, and “Swift Wits” host AND Snookie Blyer and Big Mean Carl. Heck, this whole TV show is a great showcase of Bill Barretta’s immense talent.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

Okay, how does Cindy know bear mating calls?
I’m just nitpicking now, but why is there only one female Frogketeer besides the guest star in the “Kermit the Frog Club” skit?

MY RANKING: 4 out of 5 heart-shaped butterflies. I like this episode a lot, if for no other reason than Bobo taking the spotlight. I’m glad that he wasn’t one of the many characters that vanished after the show ended.

106—TONY BENNETT

PLOT: Johnny Fiama embarrasses himself in front of his idol Tony Bennett, and Sal wants to repair his confidence. These two are getting more prominent with every single episode. Of the episodes that revolve around the pair, I think this is the best.
GUEST STAR: Singer Tony Bennett is utilized nicely in the plot and in musical numbers, and seems to be enjoying himself. If not, I guess he’s just a darn good actor.
COMEDY: We obviously get lots of Johnny and Sal goofiness here, and a handful of funny skits, including the hilarious “NYPD Green” and a “Great Moments in Elvis History.” This episode also begins the ingenious trend of playing bloopers through the end credits. If there’s anything on the planet funnier than Muppet bloopers, I’d like to know what.
MUSIC: The guest star sings three full numbers on the show, and they are all really nice. The show opens with his and Kermit’s duet of “Firefly,” and closes with his and Johnny’s duet of “Shaking the Blues Away,” both of which are just plain fun. In between those, his song “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is uniquely used as background music for a faux sadness montage.
LOWLIGHTS:

In this episode is one of the recurring UK spots “The Tubmans of Porksmith.” The punchline of every segment seems to be “Get it? Because Howard likes food!” It typically doesn’t garner more than a “meh” from me, even if Bill Barretta and Kevin Clash do perform their respective characters very entertainingly.
The drama between Johnny and Sal seems somewhat forced, especially on Sal’s part, but everything up to and after that point is enjoyable.

HIGHLIGHTS:

The opening number is among my favorites. The harmonies between Kermit and the guest star are lovely, and even the background antics from the three stupid pig characters don’t ruin it.
This:

Johnny: Tonight was the single most embarrassing moment of my life!
Sal: What about that time that you ralphed all over the Japanese prime minister?
Johnny: That wasn’t me, that was George Bush! Why do you always confuse us?
Sal: Sorry, Mr. President—I mean, Johnny.

We have an entertaining Gonzo stunt here in the form of “Gonzo the Great and his Misguided Missiles of Death.” I love that Muppets Tonight kept doing things like this regularly.

MY RANKING: 3 out of 5 cans of Rig-a Tony Bennett. Even though two fairly new characters carry the episode’s plot, it is still humorous and balanced by other solid Muppet skits. I’d call this episode a bit higher than average, which is not bad.

107—SANDRA BULLOCK

PLOT: The Muppets and their guest star scramble to keep up the show’s ratings when a mad bomber threatens to attack if they don’t. I’m just going to say it now: this is my favorite episode of Muppets Tonight.
GUEST STAR: Actress Sandra Bullock integrates very well in this episode, playing an important part in the plot, but not completely dominating her Muppet costars. She and her scenes are all very funny, with the exception of the very end.
COMEDY: This episode contains three of Muppets Tonight’s most memorable comedic bits, “Seinfeld Babies,” the “Elephino” joke, and “The Psychiatrist’s Office,” all famous for good reason. This one, I think, is the show’s best collection of humor in a single episode.
MUSIC: There are no full musical numbers, and yet, I don’t really mind. There’s so much of everything else, that there’s no room for one. It wouldn’t fit the frantic tone of the episode. There are lots of song snippets, though, including a “Mahna Mahna” reprise. We also get the first edition of Pepe and Seymour’s theme song, if that counts.
LOWLIGHTS:

“Keep the ratings above fifty”? As in, fifty total viewers in the entire country? I realize that this is a reference to “Speed”, the Sandra Bullock movie that inspired the episode’s plot, but are they really going to be that self-deprecating and say they only have approximately fifty viewers at any given time? Also, how is this being measured?
I love this episode right up until the ending. Just what is Sandra doing? Why does she think it’s appealing? How did she get her equipment so fast? Why does she keep going after the show is long over and everyone leaves? Is she just crazy?

HIGHLIGHTS:

The two mad bomber exposition scenes with Bobo are very funny and tightly written, and of course very well executed by Bill Barretta and Jerry Nelson.
This fourth-wall violation:

Clifford: Hey, how’d you know that?
Sandra Bullock: Because it’s the plot to one of the movies I did—“Speed!” Didn’t anybody see it?
Muppets: No.
Rizzo: But obviously the writers did.

I’ve expressed my ambivalence towards “The Tubmans of Porksmith” before, but even I have to appreciate the absurdity of this one’s first line: “You ate the whole buffalo?!”
These lines:

Bobo: You mean to tell me you’re gonna trace the call by pulling every wire out of every wall in this five-story building?
Andy and Randy: Yeah.
Bobo: Works for me.

I love the pure silliness of all the acts right after each other once the second half rolls around, such as the Anvil Chorus, the Mosh Pit-atoes, and of course Pepe and Seymour’s stand-up act. It’s all so uniquely Muppety. It’s wonderful.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

If this weren’t a Muppet project, I’d be asking questions about the characters’ sanity. Such as, if they fear for their lives, why don’t they just leave the studio? But because this is a Muppet project, the obvious answer is because it’s much more entertaining this way.
Where is Kermit during this whole bomb ordeal?

MY RANKING: 5 out of 5 Polka Dots. Despite the strange ending, this is my favorite episode. It’s chaotic, but not a viewing mess. Everything just happens to click—the unique backstage plot, the odd parade of Muppet skits, the use of the guest star, and just basic comedy. I’d call it practically perfect.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Written by Ryan Dosier.

BILL THE BUBBLE GUY

Performed by...
Dave Goelz

First appearance...
Muppets Tonight Episode 102: Garth Brooks (1996)

Most recent appearance...
Muppets Tonight Episode 212: Johnny Fiama Leaves Home (1997)

Best known role...
Performer whose head spurts out bubbles

WHO IS BILL THE BUBBLE GUY?

Bill the Bubble Guy is one of the many new original characters who debuted in Muppets Tonight's first season. Bill's schtick is simple: he can blow bubbles out of his head. There's no rhyme or reason as to why exactly Bill has this talent, but there you go. Bill first appeared as a needy performer in the second episode of Muppets Tonight, trying to convince Clifford to let him be on the show. Clifford refused, but when guest star Garth Brooks refused to perform one of his own songs, the Head of the Network threatened to cancel the show and give Bill the timeslot. Unfortunately for Bill, Garth Brooks finally sang one of his own songs and Bill was left without his own sitcom. (The Big Bubble Theory?)

As Muppets Tonight continued, Bill's simple (and seemingly only) talent was used as a running gag numerous times. One notable example was in Episode 201, guest starring the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, where Big Mean Carl introduced his new act: Carl the Big Mean Bubble Guy. Bill protests, and ends up getting eaten by Carl, who then belches out bubbles. (Ta-da!!)

In Episode 107, guest starring Sandra Bullock, Bill and his entire bubble family appeared in the sketch "While You Were Slapping," spoofing the film While You Were Sleeping. In the sketch, Bill is in a coma while his fiancee, Sandra Bullock, and his family slap each other around (I don't get it either). Bill later appeared in the sketch "Muppet Heights" with Heather Locklear in Episode 203, under the name William B. Guy.

Bill was one of the many Miss Piggy impersonators in Episode 109 guest starring Whoopi Goldberg. He would've gotten the part... if it weren't for the bubbles that come out of his head. In Episode 205, when Ernst Stavros Grouper buys the studio, he changed the names and identities of many of the Muppets. Bill remained Bill the Bubble Guy, only because he lied to Grouper and said his name was Bob and raisins came out of his head. Grouper changed it to Bill the Bubble Guy immediately--lucky for Bill.

Bill the Bubble Guy's most consistent role on Muppets Tonight was as one of the housemates on the recurring sketch "The Real World Muppets." Joined in the house by Clifford, Rizzo, Bobo, and Darci, Bill was one of the more calm housemates, never causing much drama. He definitely caused a lot of bubbles, however.

WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED BILL THE BUBBLE GUY?
Because bubbles come out of his head! Bill the Bubble Guy joins the long-lived pantheon of Muppets with one silly defining trait, such as Crazy Harry and Lew Zealand. Although Bill was nowhere near as successful as those characters, he's still a goofy, enjoyable presence throughout the run of Muppets Tonight. Though it's unlikely we'll see Bill on screen again, we'll always think of him anytime bubbles come out of someone's head.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Michael Wermuth - So you want to be a salesman? Well, here’s how a salesman must act. Oh, but there are at least three types of salesmen (and only three represented in this article)… Which type would you want to be the most?

Type 1: The Door-To-Door Salesman

As a door-to-door salesman, you get to go to people’s houses and sell things. Be sure to wear a good suit, even if you otherwise don’t wear clothes. The first thing you should do is knock on the door and provide your client with a fairly polite greeting. Some people don’t like having salesmen at their house and will try to quickly slam the door on you, but one way to keep the door open is to push your body to the door as soon as possible, preventing it from being slammed. You could also block the door with a body part. Most people use their foot, but some use their nose. I must warn you about this method, though: It hurts!

But suppose your customer doesn’t have the thing that your item is for? What if you’re selling earmuffs and your customer doesn’t have ears, or you’re selling nose warmers but he has no nose? Then just give your customer a set of ears or a nose! But then what if he DOES have what goes with what you’re selling, but no way to keep it up – let’s say you’re selling sunglasses and your customer has eyes but can’t wear them because he doesn’t have the ears or nose to hold the sunglasses on his face? Sell him sunglasses with ears and nose attached!

Type 2: The Street Salesman

To be a street salesman, you get to be out on the street. You must dress in a trench coat and fedora, and talk in a soft, whispery voice. If your potential customer repeats what you say, just “SHH!” him. And you should always be prepared to give a reason for your customer to buy what you’re selling. If you’re selling an empty box, tell him why he needs an empty box. Explain that it’s better than a box of yucky worms. Explain that an empty box will be useful in catching jellybeans if it rains them. If you want to sell a letter of the alphabet, tell him to look at that letter if he’s wondering what letter a word starts with – for example, if you’re selling a U, tell him to look at the U if your customer is up all night wondering what letter the word “up” starts with. And try to be flexible: If your letter is made from a rope attached to poles, it’ll be easy to change your letter if your customer wants a different one. A U-shaped rope can easily be changed into a V or a W. And if you’re selling invisible ice cream cones, sell different flavors, and try to make it clear if you don’t accept invisible money.

Type 3: The Pitch Man

The pitch man makes sales pitches, particularly for successful variety shows. To make a proper sales pitch, you must start out mild mannered and talk at a normal pace, but soon get carried away and talk at a faster speed. This is in contrast to the street salesman, where you must talk loudly and be more excited. Mention all the benefits of what’s being sold here, and wildly exaggerate whatever results you think will happen.

Disclaimer: The Muppet Mindset shall not be held responsible for body injuries from stopping customers from slamming their doors, and do not encourage scamming customers, selling illegally-acquired letters, numbers, or other products. The Muppet Mindset is also not responsible for customers not buying your products. Sell at your own risk.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

JULY 18, 2014

Since we didn't do a News Update last week, we missed out on sharing the video of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy on PBS's A Capitol Fourth, which aired live on 4th of July. The performance, which saw Kermit and Piggy singing "This Land is Your Land" and Kermit performing "Rainbow Connection," was positively delightful. Steve Whitmire's enthusiasm with Kermit during both songs is infectious and wonderful. Also Tom Bergeron, Fozzie, and Animal are there, and great as ever. (Special thanks to our friend Chris Stulz for making and sharing the video.)

Archaia Comics are heading back down to Fraggle Rock with a new series of Fraggle stories. The series will be written by Kate Leth and illustrated by Jake Myler. The book is titled Fraggle Rock: Journey to the Everspring and according to Nerdist it will feature the beloved Fraggles we know as well as some new characters. Journey to the Everspring is divided into four parts, with the first issue released on October 8th. Here's hoping Archaia can capture the excellence of their first Fraggle Rock series once again!

The San Diego Comic Con is coming up next weekend, and Sesame Street is heading out for a panel! The panel is on Sunday, July 27 at 10:15am in Room 6A. The impeccable, huge Muppet fan Chris Hardwick (Nerdist) will be moderating the panel, which includes Muppet performers Eric Jacobson, Joey Mazzarino (also head writer and director), and David Rudman, as well as executive producer Carol-Lynn Parente. During the panel, they'll debut a new Season 45 episode called "Numeric Con," a parody of Comic Con itself. They'll also be premiering a new segment of the fantastic "Cookie's Crumpy Pictures" series called "Star S'mores." Color me happy (and fuzzy, and blue).

The Jim Henson Company is also going to Comic Con with a panel of their own, titled "The Jim Henson Company: Upcoming Comics with Archaia," so there will clearly be a lot of discussion of Fraggle Rock, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow comic books. The panel will be held July 25th at 6:00pm in Room 32AB. Panelists for the Henson Company include Jeff Stokely (illustrator for The Storyteller: Witches), Jake Myler (illustrator for Fraggle Rock), Ian Herring (colorist for Tale of Sand), and Shane-Michael Vidaurri (writer and illustrator for The Storyteller: Witches). Special thanks to ToughPigs for this info!

Once again, the rumor that the Muppets are heading to Broadway with a brand new original musical has resurfaced. This time, The New York Post is reporting on it. Nothing new comes to light in this article, and really it adds nothing more to the table that we haven't known for awhile now, but it's nice to see it still being talked about.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Today's article, written by our friend Mitchell Stein, was pulled from our sister site The Mickey Mindset in a cross-promotional effort. Check out the site for a dose of Disney to go with your Muppet meal!

Mitchell Stein - Being a major Muppet fan, The Muppet Movie is my favorite above all the other ones. The movie is funny, heartfelt and inspiring and gives us a nice backstory (sort of) to how the Muppets approximately got started.

Our story begins from the first strum of Kermit’s banjo to the music of "Rainbow Connection," a truly beautiful song. For me, the song is truly about finding yourself and living your dream and really sets the tone for the rest of the movie. When a Hollywood agent named Bernie (Dom Deluise) meets Kermit in the swamp, he convinces him to audition in Hollywood and possibly make millions of people happy. Kermit declines the fame and fortune, but upon hearing he could have the chance to make millions of people happy, he decides to go and audition. This is one of the reasons why I love Kermit. The only thing he cares about is everyone else and how they would feel. He cares about making the audience happy when not even thinking about his own fortune, unlike a certain pig out there.

Along the way Kermit meets up with Fozzie Bear, Gonzo and Camilla, Miss Piggy, Rowlf the Dog, and the Electric Mayhem who decide to join him on his adventure to become rich and famous. Kermit catches the attention of Doc Hopper (brilliantly played by Charles Durning) who wants to use Kermit as his mascot to sell his Frog Legs. He’s so convinced about Kermit and so overshadowed by his own ambitions that he even goes as far as kidnapping him, hiring an evil scientist and a frog killer to convince Kermit to star in his commercials.

The music in the movie is always completely catchy, upbeat, mellow and profitable (I’ve had "Can You Picture" That stuck in my head all day). The "Rainbow Connection" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song, but lost to “It Goes Like it Goes” from Norma Rae, it’s a true shame, as "Rainbow Connection" was a much deeper and meaningful song than the others. "I’m Going to Go Back There Someday" is easily one of the saddest songs in filmmaking history, which is sung by Gonzo when all hope is lost, and it seems that the Muppets will never be able to accomplish their dreams. "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along" is catchy and fun as is "Movin’ Right Along," which is probably one of my favorite Muppet songs ever.

With this being the first Muppet film I have to say they really started things off with a bang! The puppetry is eye-popping and way ahead of its time. Fozzie and Kermit dancing on-stage creates is incredibly eye-popping and sets the stage for an entire film where you will completely forget the characters are even puppets, and this was way before the days of CG animation.

In "Rainbow Connection," Kermit sits on a log in the swamp playing his banjo. Many people think this film is fake and filmed on a soundstage but in fact was actually filmed on location. Jim Henson would bend down into a small tank filled with oxygen with two spots to control Kermit and his banjo. It was extremely uncomfortable, but the finished project was totally worth it.

The cast of cameos lineup is truly terrific and has a great and hilarious lineup of celebrities including many popular names of the decade such as Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Milton Berle, Steve Martin, Cloris Leachman, Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahn, Orson Welles, Bob Hope, Big Bird(!) and so many more. I truly love every cameo in this movie as each one is more memorable than the other. Some remain on-screen for as little as ten seconds, but their lines are quick and memorable and will always have a spot in Muppet history.

I truly love this movie. It’s the beginning of Muppets on the big-screen and began many more Muppet films to come. It’s the seed that grew into an entire big screen franchise and played predecessor seven other great Muppet films. It’s a lot of fun, has a lot of heart, depth and great story. I love this film and it still remains of my absolute favorites.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Written by Mike Baldasare and Ryan Dosier.

HUMPHREY & INGRID

Performed by...
David Rudman (Humphrey)
Joey Mazzarino (Ingrid)

First appearance...
Humphrey - Sesame Street Season 22 (1990)
Ingrid - Sesame Street Season 25 (1994)

Most recent appearance...
Humphrey - Sesame Street Season 35: Episode 4059 (2004)
Ingrid - Sesame Street Season 32: Episode 3955 (2001)

Best known role(s)...
Doting, dopey parents of Baby Natasha; husband and wife

WHO ARE HUMPHREY & INGRID?

Humphrey and Ingrid are slow-witted but parents of Baby Natasha, they are also a happily married couple. The duo were named after Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, stars of Casablanca. Humphrey and Ingrid worked at the Furry Arms Hotel during the "Around the Corner" seasons. Humphrey was proceeded on the show by Baby Natasha by a few seasons. It wasn't until Season 22, when Humphrey was introduced as Natasha's father. In his earliest known appearance on Sesame Street, Humphrey asked Maria to babysit Natasha while he has to go to the store.

Humphrey, Ingrid, and Baby Natasha appeared in many segments together, mostly prominent in the 1990s. Humphrey and Ingrid performed a number of songs together on Sesame Street, including "Natasha's Lullaby," which Humphrey sang to Natasha before bed and "Oh, Look What Our Baby Can Do," which Humphrey and Ingrid both sang, showcasing Natasha's many talents. A number of street stories, especially during the "Around the Corner" years, focused on Humphrey and Ingird taking care of Natasha, showing off her talents, or helping her learn new things.

When "Around the Corner" came to an end during Season 30 (1998-1999), Humphrey and Ingrid continued taking care of Natasha, but in much less frequent appearances. When Sesame Street changed its format during Season 33 (2002), they both rarely appeared in street stories while Natasha returned to being a solo character again. After 2001, Ingrid was not seen in any prominent capacity again. Humphrey most recently appeared on the show in Season 35: Episode 4059 (2004), where he reports the results of a porridge survey for Monster News.

WHY DOES SESAME STREET NEED HUMPHREY & INGRID?
Like most fan-favorite Muppet characters of Sesame Street, Humphrey, Ingrid, and Baby Natasha have been phased out of the show. It would be nice to see this loving and colorful monster family continue to make appearances in future episodes. The trio represents a loving, if silly, family relationship, which is important for kids to see.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

JULY 25, 2014

The Muppets, specifically Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, Statler, Waldorf, Rizzo, and Sweetums, will be attending the Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball game at MCU Park in Coney Island on Monday, August 4th. These will be the actual, real Muppets in attendance, so it's sure to be really exciting. If you're in the New York City area, be sure to attend and see Muppets live and in person! Visit PurchaseTickets.com to order tickets and get more info.

This week, Crave Online posted a preview of an upcoming bonus feature on the Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray release featuring Rizzo the Rat. The feature, dubbed on the Blu-ray as "Rizzo's Biggest Fan," features Rizzo writing a strongly worded letter to the makers of The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted regarding the lack of... Rizzo. Check out the preview video below! Remember, the Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray is out August 12th!

Lipton Tea has released another new TV spot starring Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Rowlf, and Animal having a picnic at Miss Piggy's house. They sing a really catchy song and drink a lot of tea. This spot was directed by our friend Bill Barretta! Check it out below...

Parade Magazine has a preview of yet another Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray bonus feature: The Longer, Longest Blooper Reel in Muppet History. In the preview of the bloopers, we see Ricky Gervais laughing hysterically over and over again. It's delightful.

The delightful YouTube series Saturday Morning Slow Jams, which sings R&B slow-jam covers of popular cartoon theme songs, has covered the Muppet Babies theme song in their latest video. It's just as awesome as you might think, so watch and listen in the video below!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

San Diego Comic Con was held over the weekend, and as we noted in our News Updates, Sesame Street and The Jim Henson Company both held panels at the world's biggest fan convention. Updates on the Henson panel are still coming in, but the Sesame Street panels were a major success.

Our friends at Nerdist.com have a great recap of the main Sesame Street panel, which featured Eric Jacobson and Grover, Joey Mazzarino and Murray, David Rudman and Cookie Monster, and Carol-Lynn Parente (and hosted by Nerdist's own Chris Hardwick).

The first panel held for Sesame Street was a conversation with the Muppet performers and Muppets, hosted by the amazing Zachary Levi. Lucky for us non-Comic Con attendees, NerdHQ filmed the entire panel for us. It's half an hour long, and 100% delightful. I highly, highly recommend watching it. Joey Mazzarino and Murray steals the show.

Earlier that day, Sesame Street took to Vine to show off Bert's new cosplay costume. Is he Bertman? Batbert? The world may never know.

Then, Murray presented a special edition of "Word on the Street."

And finally, Cookie Monster found his favorite Comic Con costume.

Sesame Street also shared a lot on Instragram from the photo shoot available with Grover, Murray, and Cookie Monster later in the day. Check out some of the great photos below!

Chris Hardwick with his furry friends.

The Nerdist panel.

Zachary Levi with the gang.

Bertman scales the building.

Chris Hardwick with Grover.

Our friend Gina Selim with Bert!

We'll be back with more Comic Con coverage as it comes down the pipeline!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Abigail Maughan - Thanks for voting in the poll last week, everyone who voted in the poll last week! The episodes with Sandra Bullock and Cindy Crawford seem to be the overwhelming favorites, with Whoopi Goldberg and Garth Brooks close behind. You can see the results here. Now, on to Season 2!

201-- THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS PRINCE
PLOT: One of few where the guest star doesn’t have anything to do with it, Johnny becomes disgruntled when Sal wants to pursue osteopathy.
GUEST STAR: Acting doesn’t appear to be pop singer Prince’s strong suit, as he mostly sounds bored when talking to bears, rats, and ventriloquist dummies, but many good jokes come from the Muppets trying to say his name or referring to his past works.
COMEDY: Notably, we get the “Hee-Haw” parody “Muppet Hoo-Haw” and a “Tales from the Vet.” Osteopathy subplot aside, I don’t feel like the comedy is as sharp as it has been in the past, particularly in backstage guest star banter.
MUSIC: Two full numbers courtesy of Prince. One is the strange, elaborate, but not unpleasant “Starfish and Coffee” music video. The other is the dull closing number “She Sent Her Angels,” which is one of the few slow song on the entire show, and I believe the only one without Muppet characters singing along.

LOWLIGHTS:

This one’s “Tales from the Vet” has amusing moments, but the drunken shouting and rambling of Dr. Phil gets rather tedious, as it would in real life.
I have nothing against non-energetic songs on Muppet shows, but the finale bores me. This guy’s music is a genre I wouldn’t normally listen to, and unlike in “Starfish and Coffee,” there aren’t any Muppet personalities to enhance it; just some uninteresting angel puppets. It isn’t too long, though, and the episode does end on a more lively note.

HIGHLIGHTS:

This is my favorite of Bobo the Bear’s openings. “Pretty mouthy for a guy with no name.”

Prince: I’m the Artist formerly known as Prince.
Bobo: And I’m the Bear currently known as Not Amused.

The “boniologist” plot has some clever dialogue and results in various hilariously contorted Muppets. I approve.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

In this season, Statler and Waldorf no longer dispense snarkiness from a nursing home. Much less depressingly, they appear in a different exotic location every episode, which I think is a clever and much better idea.
Seymour says “swordfish, eggs, and coffee” is on the menu, but the song the guest star sings is called “Starfish and Coffee.” Am I just mishearing Seymour’s line?

MY RANKING: 2.5/5 Pop-Up Acupuncture books. I don’t think it’s among the best of what the show has to offer, but it is pretty darn memorable, what with the funky music and distorted Muppets.

202—RICK MORANIS
PLOT: In their only feature episode, Pepe and Seymour’s cooking show, “Hey, What Smells (So Good? It’s Time to Cook with Seymour and Pepe),” gets in the way of Rick Moranis’s big closing number.
GUEST STAR: Actor Rick Moranis, as it turns out, is a wonderful straight man to Seymour and Pepe and is apparently in league with devils. Who knew?
COMEDY: This episode contains not one, not two, but three well-done parody skits: the incredibly goofy “Muppet Odd Squad,” “Co-Dependence Day,” and “Lash Holstein: Space Cowdet,” which is hilarious in its intentional hamminess from the writers and Muppet performers. Everything else, including my favorite of the “Tubmans of Porksmith” sketches and a running gag using the song “Whip It,” is not half bad either.
MUSIC: Rick Moranis casually sings his “Salute to Late Fifties Crooners, Obscure British Bands, and Bill Withers” to the backdrop of Seymour, Pepe, Bunsen, and Beaker fighting a losing battle against a gigantic monster made of dough. Don’t you just love the Muppets?

LOWLIGHTS:

If I had to choose a lowlight, which is hard for this episode, it’d be Andy and Randy in the “Muppet Odd Squad” skit. Literal interpretations of simple instructions, their primary comedic defense, pale in comparison to the much sharper comedy of the rest of the episode.
Even though I don’t mind the “Muppet Odd Squad” skit in particular, I think it is fair to call it the weakest of the bunch.

HIGHLIGHTS:

From beginning to end, I love that scene with Pepe, Seymour, and the guest star in the commissary. Seymour’s ruining of the musical number, the final installation of the “Whip It” running gag, and the conversation itself keep me laughing.

Rick Moranis: Let me tell you a little story… (music starts)
Pepe: You have to?
Rick: I’m afraid so. (starts to sing “High Hopes”)

I love Seymour, Pepe, and their naïve ambitiousness. I do think they were used perfectly on the show, especially here in season two, with various funny spotlights throughout and one feature episode. They were never overused and always funnily written. I think their move from the elevator to the commissary was a good one, because it’s much easier to interact with guest stars there.
It’s nice to see so much of Jerry Nelson here. His performances of the “Lash Holstein” villain Moo-ing the Merciless, the President, and one of Rick’s devil agents are perfect.
The special puppetry tricks in this one are impressive, namely Beaker’s shrunken head, the ants, and of course the Bread Monster.

MY RANKING: 5 out of 5 smashed ants. This episode is continually funny and weird in a good, unique way, and the unfunny is quickly overshadowed.

203—HEATHER LOCKLEAR
PLOT: Heather Locklear undergoes extreme personality shifts after eating Bunsen Honeydew’s Mood Meals.
GUEST STAR: Actress Heather Locklear is pretty believable and just a little bit scary as she gets to act annoyed, ditzy, affectionate, and murderous all in the same episode.
COMEDY: Much of it comes from the scenes with Heather in a mood extreme, saying things like “Don’t you love the way babies’ heads smell?” in one segments, and beating up bunny rabbits in the next. We also get a “Tales from the Vet,” the final “Fairyland PD,” and something called “21 Muppet Heights,” all of which are tightly-written and clever.

MUSIC: We get “The Coffee Song,” and a finale that sees more Muppet abuse from the guest star behind Kermit’s attempt to sing “Strolling through the Park One Day.”
LOWLIGHTS:

In the closing number, I think it would have been funnier if Heather had done something to demonstrate the “nice” mood shifts before swinging into the evil ones instead of just sort of waltzing around doing nothing in particular.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Rizzo: (as Evil Heather pummels rabbits onstage with her umbrella) We’re gonna hear from people…
The opening number of “The Coffee Song” is fun and crazy, and a fantastic performance by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph. I like how much she’s used in the second season.
I appreciate, and rather enjoy, the silliness of the “Jungle Bee-Woman” skit.

Heather: Your script is based on a Jane Austen pizza?
Andy and Randy: It is?!

It’s interesting how frequently Bunsen and Beaker were used in the second season. Over a third of the episodes involve them in the plot. Using them is a good way to incorporate elements that are completely outlandish and only make sense because of them, such as the mood-altering food.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

The multi-talented Brian Henson sure is one skilled performer, and this episode, featuring Sal, Dr. van Neuter, and Nigel is one of many that show it.
“Green boy” is not a very good insult to a frog, especially one who finds it easy being green.
It’s funny, but in context of the Muppet universe, why would Clifford, Nigel, Kermit, or whoever was in charge of acts possibly allow the “Hardy Pig Boys” sketch to exist?

MY RANKING: 4 out of 5 trout to the face. An even mix of verbal and physical comedy makes it hard to find something to dislike about this episode.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Written by Michael Wermuth.

PROFESSOR HASTINGS

Performed by...
Frank Oz

First appearance...
Sesame Street Season 1 (1969)

Most recent appearance...
Sesame Street Season 2 (1971)

Best known role...
Boring, old professor

WHO IS PROFESSOR HASTINGS?

Professor Hastings is an old professor who gave lectures that were so boring that even he fell asleep while he was giving them. For example, if his lecture was on feelings, groups of happy, sad, and angry Muppets would walk by while he was sleeping (and they would somehow wake him up, allowing him to move on). Many of his lectures were introduced by Kermit the Frog, who sometimes had to help with the lectures, such as showing parts of the body. A running gag would be for Professor Hastings to ask, “are you aware that you are a frog?” Some topics Professor Hastings discussed included the letters Y and U, the number 2, and how two trucks are different and the same.

One of Professor Hastings’ first appearances was in a performance of “Spinning Wheel”, in which he honks a horn. In this early appearance, he looks a little different from how he would later look. He had reddish-brown hair, giving him more resemblance to Mr. Johnson. Later on, his hair would be white. Perhaps he’s one of the few Muppets to actually age.

Professor Hastings once appeared as a contestant on Guy Smiley’s game show “What’s My Part?”, in which he kept falling asleep and mistakenly thinking he was supposed to give a lecture. In fact, he ended up winning by accident – the mystery guest was a foot, and his foot happened to fall asleep.

Unfortunately, Professor Hastings was taken off the show for being too dull. Although he was dropped pretty early, he was more popular in European countries, where his material continues to be shown, and has appeared in quite a bit of European merchandise (sometimes mistaken for Mr. Johnson, though).

WHY DOES SESAME STREET NEED PROFESSOR HASTINGS?
Well, Sesame Street is an educational show, and a good educational show needs somebody to give lectures and… educate and… Teach such subjects as… Zzzzzzzzzz…

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Earlier this week, Sesame Street released a number of videos promoting it's legendary and groundbreaking 45th Season. You can watch every one of the new videos below!

The Sizzle Reel for Season 45 features a minute jam-packed with celebrities, Muppets, and Cookie Monster parodies.

"Numeric Con" is one of the upcoming Street Stories for Season 45, a parody of Comic Con and other fan conventions. This episode was actually shown in its entirety at Comic Con last weekend. And if you look closely, you'll see ToughPigs.com's Joe Hennes at the very end of the clip!

In one of the full clips released, we see First Lady Michelle Obama return to Sesame Street, this time hanging out with furry, lovable Grover in this wonderful video.

The most surprising and impressive video released is "How Bert Rolls," which features Bert riding a bike and singing a fantastic song. The puppetry implemented in this video is majorly impressive.

Another full clip sees actor Taye Diggs helping Elmo imagine going for a drive. They sing the classic Sesame tune "Let's Go Driving."

A short preview of one of the new "Elmo: The Musical"segments, this one spotlighting Tomatoes!

A beautiful, wonderful, instant-classic song called "Color of Me."

So there you have it! We'll be on the lookout for more Sesame Street Season 45 updates as they come! The new season premieres on PBS on September 15th!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

AUGUST 1, 2014

Disney has been fast and loose in releasing previews of the Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray Bonus Features. Last week, we got previews of Ricky Gervais' bloopers and Rizzo's letter to the filmmakers. This week, we get to see the entirety of the Statler and Waldorf Cut of the film. Check it out below!

Even more bonus features were shown off this week, with a preview of Tina Fey in the Muppets Most Wanted Blooper Reel. Watch the hilarity below!

According to sources, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is being released on Blu-ray on October 7th. The release is already available for pre-order on Amazon, but no details about bonus features, other than general "deleted scenes" and "bloopers." Presumably, these features will be exactly the same as the DVD release of the TV movie from a few years ago. It should also be noted that this release comes from NBC-Universal, not Disney, since NBC-U owns the rights to the TV movie.

This week, an enterprising Muppet fan, whose daughter is too young to go to San Diego Comic Con decided to bring Comic Con to her, by creating and performing his own panel featuring Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear. The picture is below, but be warned, you may explode from cuteness. (Thanks to our friends at ToughPigs.com for finding this amazing picture!)

Disney Videos Online has released a special Disney Channel segment featuring Kermit and Constantine. The segment, "10 in 60" challenges the two frogs to answer ten questions in 60 seconds or less. Check out the video below!

Disney has also released two previews of an upcoming new web series starring the Muppets. "Disney Drive-On with The Muppets" stars Walter and Pepe as they work on the Disney Studios lot. Apparently, six episodes of the series will be released very soon. According to our friend Peter Linz, these segments were filmed nearly two years ago, so it's fantastic that they've finally been released. Check out the two clips below and keep your eyes on The Muppet Mindset for the full episodes as they come!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Michael Wermuth - Well, it’s been awhile since my last “5 good and bad things about…” article, so here’s one about the MuppeTelevision segments of The Jim Henson Hour. I really like The Jim Henson Hour, and feel like the MuppeTelevision segments are the best parts, but there’s still some things that I don’t like much, so I’ll list five good things and then five bad things.

5 Good Things:

1. The new characters
For the most part, the various new characters on this show are great. Digit and Leon are the best of the new characters, and I most strongly wish they would have returned for later productions. Vicki, Waldo, and Lindbergh are also great characters, though I can live without them returning (technically I can also live without Digit and Leon returning). Zhondra, Ubu, and Chip all have great designs and it’s a shame that they were limited to just two episodes (though at least Zhondra and Chip did continue to make background appearances after the show ended). Flash and Beard have great designs as well and it’s a shame the show didn’t last long enough for their personalities to be developed much. And of course, there’s Bean Bunny (who technically debuted in Tale of the Bunny Picnic) and Clifford, the two who would continue to be main characters after the show ended. While they are great characters, I do like them less than most of the characters mentioned above. Many of the characters have really cool designs, but a lot of them also seem like they’d look out of place at the Muppet theater setting.

2. The “Fitness” episode
One of the best MuppeTelevision episodes, and the only one I’m singling out as one of five good things. This one has the best balance of new and old characters, with a heavy use of characters from The Muppet Show (it helps that this is one of only two episodes Richard Hunt performed in). Smokey Robinson’s two numbers are great, it’s interesting to see Link Hogthrob have his own control room plot, and there’s just so much to like about this one. I feel the shows ratings might have been better if this was the first episode.

3. The Muppet Central set
The computer animated set for Muppet Central was awesome. I just like seeing all those monitors, with video footage of the Muppets (most of which were shot just to be used on monitors in the background). Yeah, some fans may say that the set was a distraction, or that these scenes were limited due to a non-physical set, but I like it.

4. The Closing numbers
Almost all of the closing numbers are among the shows best numbers. From “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” to “Sweet Vacation” to “Jump (For My Love)”, the closing numbers are exciting ways to end each episode. Many of these numbers feature the majority of the main cast and often cut away to characters and sets from earlier in the episodes, something that had kind of become a tradition in Muppet productions since The Muppets Go to the Movies.

5. Fozzie’s few appearances
Fozzie only made two appearances in MuppeTelevision (and one in the second half-hour special Miss Piggy’s Hollywood), but they are both among the shows highlights. Fozzie was hilarious taking over for Willard Scott on Today and starring in a ghost story.

5 Bad Things:

1. The first two episodes are weak

I feel like the first two broadcast episodes–“Outer Space” and “Oceans”–were poor choices for episodes to start with. “Outer Space” is still a good episode (“Oceans” is my least-favorite of the series), but the first two episodes mainly focus on Kermit, Digit, and to a lesser extent Lindbergh and Waldo, with the rest of the cast limited to one-scene appearances (in addition to coming back for the first closing number). In fact, the first episode barely even has any sketches starring any of the intended main characters (Bean Bunny starred in one, and the whole cast did the closing number, if that counts). The other episodes showcase more of the main cast better. Interestingly, the first two broadcast episodes are among the last ones in production order.

2. Hardly any of Jerry Nelson’s characters were there
While it’s understandable that Frank Oz and Richard Hunt’s characters had limited screen time on this show due to Frank Oz’s directing career and Richard Hunt working on Ghost of Faffner Hall, it’s a wonder that hardly any of Jerry Nelson’s classic characters were there (I think Lew Zealand and Camilla were the only ones to show up outside of being on video monitors). And Jerry Nelson only had one new recurring character, Beard, who wasn’t really used that much. Pretty much all of Jerry Nelson’s other roles were as one-shot characters, so it’s not like he couldn’t have performed Floyd, Robin, and other classic characters.

3. Nothing goes wrong (is that a bad thing?)
On The Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight (and other productions where the Muppets put on a show), something often goes wrong in sketches and production numbers. But on this show, all the acts go as planned (as far as the viewer knows). I guess the closest to something going wrong is when Fozzie accidentally locks Willard Scott in a vault and takes over as the Today show weather man. Now, this “bad thing” isn’t really that bad, but it is a little odd that Kermit has suddenly found so many acts that don’t go wrong on-camera.

4. Segments with humans who are not guest stars
Unlike The Muppet Show, nearly every episode features sketches with live actors who are not the guest star And many of these segments are not very good. While there are a handful of segments with humans that are great (like the storytime segment from “Power”, the ghost story with Fozzie in “Videotape”, and the Gorilla Television segments), most segments that prominently feature humans not played by guest stars (including the Bootsy and Brad segments, the farmer segment from “Fitness”, and the segment from “Food” where a stock boy explains where food comes from) are very weak and in some cases too weird. Would they have been better if they just used guest stars or Muppet characters in their places? The world may never know.

5. The guest stars don’t appear in the studio

The guest stars never appear in the control room with the Muppets. Any “backstage” interaction between the Muppets and guest stars required the guests to appear on monitors when they interacted. In most cases it’s rather awkward (there are exceptions, like with Smokey Robinson and Buster Poindexter). I don’t really understand why the guests couldn’t have been inside the control rooms... Other shows had the guest stars on raised platforms. Couldn’t they have just used a high platform with the blue screen sets?

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Written by Abigail Maughan.

204—PIERCE BROSNAN
PLOT: Everyone is puzzled by Pierce Brosnan’s ineptitude compared to that of his character James Bond, including Peirce himself. Meanwhile, a hostile gang of lobsters seeks to take over the world, starting with KMUP.
GUEST STAR: As we all know, Muppet guest stars get an equal balance of showing off their own skills and engaging in crazy Muppet shenanigans. Pierce Brosnan seems happy to poke fun at himself and his most famous movie role.
COMEDY: This episode is full of spoofs of James Bond movie motifs, from the 007 gun-barrel camera to a self-proclaimed “cheap knock-off of a James Bond song.” That and the Rock Lobsters are all so clever that all of the non-related skits really pale in comparison.
MUSIC: Besides the aforementioned parody song, Piggy sings “Whatever Porky Wants” during the “Spy in the Casino” sketch. Perhaps most memorable is the cover of “Rock Lobster” by the antagonistic lobster rebels. The musical running gag of rats singing “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” whenever the opportunity presents itself is little forced, but funny, nonetheless.

LOWLIGHTS:

The entire middle section, consisting of “Bay of Pigswatch,” “Swift Wits,” “At the Bar,” and the juggling scene, falls flat when bookended by the spy spoofs.
The recurring UK spot of the animal-hating game show “Swift Wits” is fine for what it is, and that is filler material. It doesn’t stand up to the typically genius writing of the rest of the show. I do appreciate how the writers kept finding creative new ways for the contestants to fail.
There’s a scene with the guest star chucking juggling sticks at Andy and Randy, which predictably goes nowhere for way too long.

HIGHLIGHTS:

This exchange:

Bunsen: We call this our Deadly Alarm Clock.
Pierce Brosnan: I see. And how does that work?
Bunsen: Well, we put it in a great big slingshot and fire it point-blank at somebody’s head. It really hurts.

The Muppets turn the ridiculous concept of the Rock Lobsters’ song, takeover, and defeat into a highly entertaining plot twist.
The “Spy in the Casino” sketch, featuring Pierce Brosnan fumbling through a Muppetized James Bond movie scene, is all kinds of funny.

MY RANKING: 4.5 out of 5 Dancing Grandmas. Themed shows are always fun, and this one is so absurdly clever, I’d give it a full 5/5 rating if not for the incredibly weak middle. At that, though, it’s one of my personal favorite episodes.

205—DON RICKLES AND COOLIO
PLOT: The Muppets and Coolio struggle to survive and prove their worth when an oppressive new owner buys their station.
GUEST STARS: From completely opposite ends of the entertainment spectrum come rapper Coolio, who gets to bring what he’s famous for to the Muppets, and comedian Don Rickles, who out-grumps even Statler and Waldorf.
COMEDY: This episode has abundant pop-culture references, from “Star Search” to “Family Matters.” Some work, like the former, and some don’t, like the latter. Other cultural references include the first installment of “The Real World Muppets” sketches and an action movie parody starring Jean-Dodd van Clamme.
MUSIC: The high-energy finale of “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” is a great big Muppet party hosted by Coolio. Elsewhere, Don Rickles sings a few lines of “Bein’ Green” in full Kermit costume.

LOWLIGHTS:

Coolio: “Man, this Urkel-o thing is stupid.” Agreed.
“Enter the Chowder: Manhattan Style,” stars Jean Dodd van Clamme and lots of seafood puns. A few are funny, but most have no “sole.” Wocka wocka.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Ernst Stavros Grouper makes a good one-time antagonist. He is appropriately intimidating, with a great design. His hilarious voice and mannerisms are courtesy of Bill Barretta.

Grouper: Now that I’m in charge, there will be lots of changes, Virgil.
Kermit: Uh, my name’s Kermit.
Grouper: That is one of the changes.

Near the beginning, Kermit and Clifford introduce a clip called “The Two Homies of Verona.” Any sketch that includes lines like “Yo-eth!” and “Yea, verily whack!” is funny in my book.
It’s nice to see Kermit as a prominent character here, which is rare for the show.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

Not one, not two, but three different cameos by Bill Barretta are here.
The word “hip” is continually used in this episode, as a measure of whether the Muppets are or not. The Merriam-Webster definition of the word is “having or showing awareness of or involvement in the newest developments or styles.” If that’s the sense that the series was trying to accomplish, I think it’s fair to say that it succeeded. For better or worse, though, is up to individual fans to decide.

MY RANKING: 5 out of 5 Homies of Verona. The dual guest stars work, and the writers keep it unique and consistently funny almost the entire way through.

206—PAULA ABDUL
PLOT: In the first of two Clifford-centric episodes in a row, Clifford attempts to get Paula Abdul to kiss him while Bunsen and Beaker’s Abraham Lincoln robot terrorizes KMUP.
GUEST STAR: Paula Abdul fits in with the various Muppet personalities quite well, flirting with some, acting as a sounding board to others, and gets two numbers to showcase her talent.
COMEDY: Physical comedy makes up a majority of that in this episode, with characters getting pummeled by cannonballs and the robotic president. This episode seems like it has just as many mediocre recurring sketches as the Pierce Brosnan episode above, such as a repetitive and uninspired “Pigs in Space,” but they are more spread out, which I personally prefer.
MUSIC: From the guest star, we get the song and dance number “Opposites Attract,” as well as a touching yet humorous finale of “Lean On Me,” sung to the dejected Abe Lincoln robot. I’m a sucker for a good parody, and the post-finale closing of the Nine Inch Snails delivers.
LOWLIGHTS:

Sam the Eagle gets a number of scenes throughout the series attempting to spread culture and morality, as seen here. The problem is, he is almost always accompanied by Andy and Randy Pig, who suck the joy out of nearly every scene they’re in. I suppose they do well demonstrate what a lost cause Sam’s mission is, but that doesn’t mean it’s entertaining.
Maybe I’m allergic to fish humor, but I didn’t care for “Whale Theater.” At least it was short.

HIGHLIGHTS:

This exchange:

Nigel: Okay, we’re going next to the Nine Inch Snails.
Whatnot assistant: They’re still not here yet, sir.
Nigel: WHAT? Where are they? What are they doing, CRAWLING?
Whatnot: In a word, yes.

“The Refined Young Cannonballs” has the same flavor as a number Gonzo would do on The Muppet Show. A crazy, Muppety, perfect opening.
The “Opposites Attract” number, featuring Paula Abdul, a neat full-bodied Clifford, and several old monsters like the Clodhoppers and the Extremes, is rather impressive. Paula Abdul isn’t the only talented dancer here; take a moment to appreciate the puppetry that went into creating this amazing number.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

There’s quite a bit of finality in this episode, with the last installments of “At the Bar,” “Great Moments in Elvis History,” “Swift Wits,” and “Pigs in Space.”

MY RANKING: 4 out of 5 Refined Young Cannonballs. This episode is very funny, kooky, and all around pleasant. Above average for sure.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

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