In recent weeks there have been a lot of celebrity breakups. Ben and Jen, Gavin and Gwen, Will and Jada. It’s remarkable, and kind of funny, and kind of sad that the one getting the most attention is the breakup of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. To be fair, they’ve been a couple off and on for nearly 40 years, so they’ve got some history. It was a trending topic on Twitter, on Facebook, it’s been fodder for late night comics and early morning news shows. Hell, even NPR did a short story on it. Here’s the statement from the frog’s Twitter account:

Now, this is far from the first time they’ve broken up. Muppet fans know that. I’m pretty sure even casual Muppet fans know that. It’s fortuitous timing to get something in the press the month before their new series starts, and with the amount of attention it’s received, it seems like it’s been a good strategy.

In addition to that, they’re on the cover of TV Guide this week:

And Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem dropped a new video, covering “Jungle Boogie.” 

We also found out the names of some of the guest stars who will be on the new series; on the original “Muppet Show,” it was one guest star per episode, who would interact with the characters in songs, skits, etc…this series is formatted more like a late night talk show (in front of the scenes) and behind the scenes we have more of the personal lives of the characters. So each episode may have several different guests. Topher Grace and Elizabeth Banks were both in the ten minute pilot presentation (which you should watch if you haven’t), and the first few episodes guest star Nathan Fillion, Reese Witherspoon, and the band Imagine Dragons.  

…in addition to all that official stuff, this week we also got an “Epic Rap Battle of History: Jim Henson vs Stan Lee”…which is funny, offensive (but surprisingly family friendly as these rap battles go)(mostly family friendly), and ends with an incisive commentary on who the real winner is. I liked it, even though some of my Muppet friends had their feelings hurt by it. Again, getting four million views on YouTube in the weeks leading up to a new Muppet series–I’m okay with that. 

Last, but not least–not for any true Muppet fan at least, the week before “The Muppets” premieres on ABC, there will be a special “In Their Own Words – Jim Henson” documentary airing on PBS. Here come the waterworks. 

…wow. That was more Muppet news than I expected. It helps that Disney is boosting the frog these days, it helps that social media’s around for this go-round with the Muppets. For fans like me, I just hope it’s good. Looking at things like “Jungle Boogie” and the ten minute pilot presentation — I’m getting my hopes up.

This week Variety reported that ABC has ordered a pilot presentation for a revamped version of “The Muppet Show.” Precious little is known about it, except the log line that says the Muppets are meeting at ABC to pitch a new Muppet Show…which won’t happen unless Miss Piggy signs on. It’s being co-written by Bill Prady (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Bob Kushell (“The Simpsons,”) which has me an uncomfortable combination of optimistic and skeptical.

The description of the Muppets putting on a show about putting on a show is all very meta, but that’s how the Muppets have always been. Was “The Muppet Show” their “real lives,” or were they playing characters? When Kermit’s nephew Robin asks him if “The Muppet Movie” tells the true story of how the Muppets all met, Kermit kind of shrugs and says “approximately.” So this new series could be seen as an extension of the storyline in the 2011 and 2014 films, which have the Muppets reviving their careers and going on a world tour. Jason Segel, who wrote and starred in 2011’s “The Muppets,” wanted that movie to end with the announcement that the Muppets were getting a new television series….but ABC/Disney wasn’t ready to commit to that. Will they now?

“The Muppet Show” ran from 1976-1981 in syndication, and there have been a total of eight theatrical films and many made-for-tv specials and dozens (hundreds, probably) of other television and talk show appearances. But the other times the Muppets have had a television series, 1989’s “Jim Henson Hour” and 1996’s “Muppets Tonight,” they’ve fallen flat. I have my own theories about why that is, but one of the biggest problems has been they didn’t have the same mix of characters they had with “The Muppet Show.” In both of the later series, Frank Oz had scaled back his involvement with the Muppets, so his characters (Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear) weren’t around. By the time “Muppets Tonight” came about, creator/performer Jim Henson and performer Richard Hunt had passed away, and while they re-cast Kermit the Frog, many other characters, like Rowlf the piano-playing dog, guitarist Janice, band leader Dr. Teeth, and go-fer Scooter became voiceless background scenery. Part of the richness of “The Muppet Show” had been lost. 

In the last two Muppet movies (both excellent, by the way), every major and minor Muppet has a voice. They even revived long-dormant characters like the ghoulish Uncle Deadly, and created a new character Walter, who I thought I’d hate, but quickly became a new favorite. The “new” generation of performers has been working with the Muppets for more than a decade, many alongside Frank Oz and other puppeteers whose characters they’ve inherited. They include incredibly strong performers who are just getting to the peak of their careers. I want to see what they can do. Along with classic characters, it’s an opportunity to see new ones; I’ve been campaigning since the 1990s to get an adult version of Muppet Babies’ Skeeter (Scooter’s adventurous twin sister) into the Muppets. In any case, everyone’s back. We could have an episode where Rowlf has more to say than one joke, or where the Electric Mayhem gets to bring the house down. With this diversity of characters back, one of the biggest problems with “The Jim Henson Hour” and “Muppets Tonight” will have been overcome. 

Now they just need to make it good. There’s a lot of potential. The short sketches that work best with the Muppets (the Swedish Chef, Muppet Labs, Pigs in Space), the songs, whether original or covers, the incredibly random acts like Gonzo’s stunts or Lew Zealand’s boomerang fish — they’re all still funny. Even better, they’re incredibly shareable via social media. If they get it right, they could get it very right.  

It remains to be seen if the format will be “The Muppet Show,” with a single guest star each week, or a somehow updated version, ala “Muppets Tonight.” Finding the right format and the right tone may be the most difficult challenge. Hopefully they’ll continue to draw the guest stars, and hopefully they’ll find a way to match the insane diversity of guest stars that “The Muppet Show” had. A series that had Julie Andrews one week, Mark Hamill, C-3PO and R2-D2 the next, Alice Cooper, Beverly Sills…it was an amazing run that paid tribute to every kind of pop culture. 

Where ABC knows the Muppets, and Disney owns the Muppets, the pilot presentation is both more than and less than a traditional pilot. All of the doors are open, it sounds like the Muppets will just need to play the music, light the lights, and put on a show. I hope it’s a good one. 

Sometimes when you don’t actually get nominated for Academy Awards, I guess you take things into your own hands. Your own hairy/furry/felty/fleecy hands. Sometimes with rods in them. So our friends at the Muppet fan site Tough Pigs have decided to do just that. Where 2014’s “Muppets Most Wanted” and “I Am Big Bird” didn’t get any Oscar love (not even Oscar the Grouch for “I Am Big Bird,” which is just sad), the gang at Tough Pigs are making their own awards show. 

Named after Big Bird’s used-to-be-imaginary friend, who’s amazing and loveable and a little creepy, but the eyelashes win me over, and if I ever found one, I would fit him with a saddle and ride him like Battle Cat, the Snuffys (Snuffleupaguses for not-short) are awards that you can vote for. 

They have all the “normal” categories you would expect from a Muppety awards show, like “Best Performance By a Muppet,” and “Best Feature Performance by a Human.” So you can vote for Kermit the Frog or Constantine or Fozzie Bear or Miss Piggy or Walter or Tina Fey or Ty Burrell or Ricky Gervais or Ross Lynch.  But they also have categories like “Best Performances by Muppet Actor/Actress in non-Muppet Movie,” and “Best Performance by an Anthropomorphic Animal in a Non-Muppet Movie.” 

Basically, just go over there and vote. It’s fun, and funny, and if you haven’t seen “Muppets Most Wanted,” you really the hell need to. It’s one of the funniest Muppet movies ever, and even though it underperformed at the box office, I don’t give a hoot. It made me laugh. And at least one of those songs should have been nominated. For reals. 

John Henson, son of Muppet creator Jim Henson and Jane Henson, died at his home in Saugerties, New York on Valentine’s Day.

According to his sister Cheryl, he died of a “massive heart attack” after building an igloo in the snow.

The Jim Henson Company facebook issued the following statement:

It is with great sadness that we confirm that John Henson, son of Jim and Jane Henson and brother to Lisa, Cheryl, Brian and Heather, died at age 48 of a sudden massive heart attack on Friday, February 14, while at home with his daughter. John served as a shareholder and board member of The Jim Henson Company. He leaves two daughters, Katrina (15) and Sydney (10) and his wife Gyongyi. A private service is being planned.

and, a comment from his family: “John had the deepest soul of any man alive; sensitive, artistic, and extremely compassionate, there was no limit to his love.”

John Henson was born on April 25, 1965. He performed the Muppet character Sweetums in “Muppet Treasure Island,” “Muppet*Vision 3D,” “Muppets from Space,” and “The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz.” He began gradually taking over the character physically and then later the voice as the previous performer Richard Hunt became ill and then later died. John also made appearances as the original Coca Cola polar bear suit, which was created by the Henson creature shop. 

Brian’s father, the beloved Jim Henson, passed away all too soon in 1990, and his mother Jane Henson died last year. It saddens me to know that yet another member of the Henson family has passed. 

He will be mourned by Muppet fans everywhere.

Image: Muppet Wiki

Last week saw the release of a Muppet Blu-ray Two Pack featuring The Great Muppet Caper and Muppet Treasure Island. It’s an essential bit of Blu-ray for any self-respecting fan of the Muppets and this set looks great on the HD television sets.

Disney was kind enough to provide us some clips for your viewing pleasure to help convince you of your need to acquire this preposterously affordable set.

In fact, you can snag it on Amazon for less than $20.

The second full trailer for next years Muppets film “Muppets Most Wanted.” This new muppets film stars Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and Ty Burrell. Also probably a million cameos from various celebs.

Many people have phobias. Some, like fear of heights, enclosed spaces and even clowns can be considered mostly normal, but others are considered more rare. For instance, have you ever known anyone to have a fear of Muppets?

Automatonophobia  is a phobia of puppets, but for Lindsay Broom of Wales, a 37 year old mother to a three year old daughter and a newborn, she is specifically scared of the creations of the late Jim Henson, who would have celebrated his birthday last month.

According to MailOnline, “In Mrs Broom’s case, the phobia is limited strictly to characters from three popular television shows. She said: ‘I’m fine with most puppets. It’s only The Muppets, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock I can’t stand.”

Visiting Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts would be the stuff of nightmares for her.  “’When I see them, I automatically imagine the puppets’ facial features twisting and distorting, and I have to get away from them,” she says in the article.

And while I completely understand having phobias, it breaks my heart that there are people in this world who can’t fully enjoy the wonder and joy that is The Muppets. Imagine life without The Swedish Chef or Miss Piggy or Grover. And can you imagine her terror if she read “The Monster at the End of this Book?”

Mrs. Broom traces her fear to a childhood incident that coincided with “The Muppet Show” playing on the television. But how that relates to the extension of being afraid of Fraggles and the residents of Sesame Street is anyone’s guess. The style similarity? Specific voices? There is no mention in the article of a fear of Yoda, so one might infer that she doesn’t associate Frank Oz with her terror. He is, after all, the voice of Miss Piggy, Grover, Cookie Monster, and others.

And though there is no cure, treatment is an option, but “I haven’t sought medical advice – the phobia is so specialised that I can’t imagine anyone will be able to help me,” Mrs. Broom says. And it is very specific. Most puppets don’t bother her at all. Her fear exists only for Muppets and Fraggles.

I hope, for her children’s sakes, that she is able to seek treatment, so that they can grow up with the same joy at watching The Muppets that I did.  I honestly can’t imagine life without all those colorful zany characters.

(via MailOnline)

Today in 1936, a creative genius named Jim Henson was born. And though the world lost him while he was still far too young, the characters and worlds he created live on in our hearts to this very day: “Sesame Street,” “The Muppet Show,” “Fraggle Rock,” “The Dark Crystal,” “Labyrinth” . . . the list goes on.

I had the rare pleasure of speaking briefly to his daughter Heather Henson this past weekend at the 35^th anniversary of the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. I tried to tell her, in my rambling incoherent way, how much the Muppets have always meant to me. But how do you convey that in a few moments of interaction? The chills you get when Kermit starts singing “The Rainbow Connection?” The raucous laughter when the Swedish Chef makes chocolate “moose?” Animal’s “Beat drums! Beat drums!?” And please don’t get me started on Kermit and Miss Piggy getting married in “The Muppets Take Manhattan.” Because they shared a love so big, the minister announced them frog and pig.

For those who are fortunate enough to live in or near Atlanta and can visit the Puppetry Arts Center, the current Henson exhibit features Big Bird, resplendent in his yellow feathers and towering above us all; the feisty Sir Didymus and others from“Labyrinth;” and Doozers and Fraggles from “Fraggle Rock.” Last but certainly not least is the beloved blue Cookie Monster, so wonderfully voiced by Frank Oz for many years.

In honor of the anniversary of its opening, the Center screened “The Muppet Movie,” and Heather Henson hosted the event. Clad in a brightly colored dress with tulle underneath and sparkly blue shoes, she encouraged the audience to participate in the film by shouting out the names of cameos (Bob Hope, Dom Deluise, etc.) singing along, and we all received a prop bag with a variety of noisemakers, bubbles, and even a tiara. Included in the bags were fans with butterflies to wave as Kermit sang “The Rainbow Connection,” and I was reminded of the crafted butterflies held by mourners at Jim Henson’s memorial service in New York. But this was a happy occasion, to celebrate the world of puppetry, and Jim and his wife and daughter Heather were at the Center when it first opened its doors in 1978. 

As I sit here in my room, I see a Cookie Monster on my bookcase, an Animal Pez dispenser and Swedish Chef ornament on my shelves, and Cotterpin Doozer in the window. And I was fortunate enough to meet Karen Prell (Red Fraggle) and Kathryn Mullen (Mokey Fraggle) at the most recent Dragon Con and get their autographs. My love for all things Henson does not ebb.

And though the world of the Muppets has evolved since Jim’s passing, the legacy lives on. These zany characters still dance and sing and warm our hearts, and their stories are not finished. Muppets 3*D is still an attraction at the Disney theme parks, and we have a new Muppet movie to look forward to.

But before theme park attractions and Hollywood releases, there was just a man.  A man who was more than just the voice of a frog. He was also the heart, and he simply wanted to bring joy to others through puppets.

And boy, did he.

(front page photo from Jim Henson: The Biography)  

Boy I love it when fandoms collide. A few weeks back, PBS shared their amazing pics of the day that Tom Hiddleston took a photo op with Cookie Monster, and the internet exploded. Today they shared the entire video, and the world may never be the same.

I will never stop singing praise for PBS as long as I live. They played an immense roll in shaping me into the nerd I am today (thank you PBS and Fifth Doctor), and are probably solely responsible for my lifelong love of learning. Few things make me happier than a mega-celebrity endorsing one of the last remaining outlets for educational programming. 

If I ever get a chance to ask a Muppeteer one question, it will be “how much practice does it take to get Cookie Monster’s cookie spray just right?” It’s brilliant, and if you ever tell me you’ve never been tempted to eat cookies that way I’ll call you a fibber. Also, I think it’s worth noting that no fewer than six people sent me this video, which might possibly signify I have a problem. Does this mean I can sneak a small portrait of Hiddles into my Muppet sleeve?

Muppets Most Wanted Teaser Trailer on Disney Video

This movie is high on my list of most anticipated. Doubly so with Ricky Gervais’s involvement.

The voices still bug me a bit, but that’s okay, I’m over it now.