Lots of news this week about promotion for the release of Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones which finds its way on to shelves on September 24th. First and foremost, Brian Jay Jones and Dave Goelz will be appearing on NPR's The Diane Rehm Show on September 25th to discuss the book and Jim Henson. This is sure to be a fantastic appearance by both Brian and Dave, so don't miss it! We'll post audio from the appearance as soon as it is available online.On October 1st, Brian Jay Jones, Fran Brill, Dwight Bowers (curator of the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History), Karen Falk, Barbara Miller (Curator of the Collection and Exhibitions for Museum of the Moving Image), and Craig Shemin will all be appearing in person at New York's Museum of the Moving Image for a panel discussion about Jim Henson and Jim Henson: The Biography as well as a reception after. If you're in the New York area, you certainly won't want to miss this opportunity!
Then, on October 22nd, Brian Jay Jones will be on hand at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC from 6:45pm to 8:15pm to give a lecture about Jim Henson: The Biography. The book will also be available for signing at the event.Finally, on November 5th, Brian Jay Jones will be appearing for a book signing in Leland, Mississippi, Jim Henson's hometown and self-proclaimed "Birthplace of Kermit the Frog." The event will be held at The Leland Progress Office from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Don't miss out on these many opportunities to get a signed copy of Jim Henson: The Biography, the best piece of Muppet merchandise this year!
Here's your friendly reminder that Sesame Street's 44th Season begins this Monday, September 16th on your local PBS station! The season is packed with celebrity appearances, spoofs, songs, and fun. Plus, a very special episode dedicated to Jerry Nelson. Set your DVRs and get ready to sweep the clouds away for the 44th consecutive year! For more on what to expect this season, check out our preview article!
Last and least: a cover album of songs from Fraggle Rock was apparently released on July 25th. This completely flew under our radar and we had no idea it was even a thing until a few days ago. Unfortunately, we had to be exposed to it. I don't normally recommend avoiding Fraggle things completely, but in this case I'll make an exception. Dream a Dream and See, the cover album, is horrible. Do not buy it. I really don't even recommend listening to the track previews on iTunes... it's just that bad. I can't tell you how disappointed I am by this release. Fraggle Rock deserves infinitely better.The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com