Comments on: Happy 53rd birthday, Muppets.

By: Libby

Libby — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:24:04 +0000

I think I’m the most terrified by the nonchalant manner in which the one muppet kills or allows the other muppet to be killed. And his complete and utter denial of culpability – these things just happen if you don’t drink Wilkin’s coffee.

By: Au$10

Au$10 — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:36:56 +0000

Sad Kermit is something I only recently came across:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sad+kermit&search_type=

Apparently, these videos were very popular a while back. Maybe a year or so ago? Somehow this particular bit of the interwebby world passed me over until now. Sad, funny, weird, etc. Enjoy…

By: Amy Z

Amy Z — Sun, 11 May 2008 00:22:40 +0000

Did anyone ever see “Jim Hensons: Neat Stuff”??? I watched that when i was little. It taught me that snakes dont have ears, and how to balance a spoon on my nose. Muppets are so informative.

By: ms chii

ms chii — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:59:43 +0000

i loooooooove the muppets! kermits totally rocks!

By: Chris D.

Chris D. — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:28:59 +0000

Wow, what perfect timing since I just finished re-watching “The Great Muppet Caper” (which I consider to be the “Citizen Kane” of Muppet films).

By: mrbasehart

mrbasehart — Sat, 10 May 2008 21:46:31 +0000

My favourite Muppets are Rowlf and Fozzie. Fozzie was the funniest and Rowlf had the heart of a poet.

By: Take5

Take5 — Sat, 10 May 2008 19:42:33 +0000

Don’t like WIlkins, eh? Well, the boss sure ain’t gonna like that… it’d sure be a SHAME for anything to happen to ya, see? Things just seem to HAPPEN to the cats that ain’t drinkin’ their WIlkins…

By: R.A. Roth

R.A. Roth — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:44:01 +0000

Oh, my God! I am not presently drinking Wilkins Coffee! My life is in peril! For the love of God, somebody get me a cup of Wilkins Coffee, before it’s too la

By: Casey

Casey — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:21:23 +0000

Great stuff! May the Muppets never die!

…and there is no eternal salvation for those who don’t drink Wilkin’s Coffee!

By: Yanni

Yanni — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:13:43 +0000

Man, that Wilkins coffee must be pretty bad if they have to kill people to get them to drink it.

By: Rob T Firefly

Rob T Firefly — Sat, 10 May 2008 10:43:44 +0000

Here’s another one.. Jim Henon’s “The Cube.” http://www.flaniganswake.com/TheCube/

By: Bill Corbett

Bill Corbett — Sat, 10 May 2008 03:58:51 +0000

Thanks for the link — I’d never seen that before. Interesting side of Jim Henson.

By: Slade Rockfist

Slade Rockfist — Sat, 10 May 2008 03:55:46 +0000

That’s so cool hearing & seeing such early versions of Rolf the Dog (that’s definitely an early version of him in the scat jazz guy…) and Kermit….

And just about died laughing when I saw:

“Want some Wilkins coffee?” “Nope, I don’t like coffee” (insert pistol) *BANG* ahahahaha…..

By: Amy Z

Amy Z — Sat, 10 May 2008 03:48:24 +0000

Anyone else in the mood for 18 gallons of wilkins coffee?

By: Tork_110

Tork_110 — Sat, 10 May 2008 03:25:44 +0000

“The question is ‘What is a Mahna Mahna?’”

The question is ‘Who cares?!’”

Waldorf and Statler were an inspiration for MST3k, I bet.

The University of Maryland has a statue of Jim Henson sitting on a bench talking to Kermit in front of the student center. I was able to attend the unveiling.

http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/culture/release.cfm?ArticleID=773

By: Ninjew

Ninjew — Sat, 10 May 2008 03:20:46 +0000

The two most influential people in my life were Mel Blanc, and Jim Henson. These two people helped me hone my craft of acting, and also taught me how to make people laugh by just using your voice.

Mel showed me how to do different voices and give them distinct personalities, and Jim taught me humour, and how to tell a joke.

I learned how to do the voices of just about every Muppet that Jim (and Frank Oz) could do (and I can still do a better Kermit and Ernie than that new guy does), and this actually made it possible to get through high school unscathed (and consequentially, unkissed).

I remember where I was when the news hit about his death. I was online with CompuServe (yeah, remember THOSE guys?) chatting away, and I heard it on the news. I was devastated. I sat stunned for what seemed like an eternity. The Walt Disney of the modern age – gone – right when he and The Muppets were making a big comeback. The future had seemed bright, and suddenly all went dark.

I had the privilege of auditioning for Henson Associates in their NYC offices fresh out of high school (where I had learned some puppeteering skills ironically), and while I didn’t meet Jim I did audition for his wife, Jane. A very pleasant woman, who when I displayed my rather feeble “high school learned” skills, didn’t do the standard “Thanks for coming in, we’ll let you know” speech, but instead took the time to advise me to really learn more about the craft, suggested local puppeteering troupes where I could get education and training to improve my weak areas. I wasn’t told how bad I was, but how I could make myself better.

And that was how Jim ran things. He never raised his voice to anyone, never said a bad thing about anyone. He always tried to find the good in people – and made it his job to surround himself with people that believed in that dream.

Jim, we need you now more than ever my friend.

And you are still missed…

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:01:40 +0000

Out of idle curiosity, since we are on the subject of all things Hensonian.

How many of you have seen Jim Henson’s Time Piece?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrAVgYTTMbQ

Very VERY good stuff.

By: mathey

mathey — Sat, 10 May 2008 01:53:28 +0000

Jim Henson and the Muppets were huge influences on me growing up, and while I never got into puppetry, I always admired their artistry and sense of humor. Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, the movies…all very much cultural touchstones for me and a whole generation of arrested adolescents. If you sing “mahna mahna” around people of a certain age, they’ll probably reply “doo doo doo doo” in kind.

Are you guys familiar with the puppet improv that Brian Henson and a bunch of other comedians/puppeteers perform? Its called Puppet Up!, and they have a bit of it on TBS.com and You Tube. Pretty adult and crazy stuff.

As you well know, Mike, Bill, and Kevin, puppets can get away with saying and doing things that humans might not!

By: The Schnorr

The Schnorr — Sat, 10 May 2008 01:05:38 +0000

Wow, I now realize that all my life’s tragedies have been caused by not drinking Wilkins Coffee.

Time to fix *that*!

By: Barry

Barry — Sat, 10 May 2008 00:58:30 +0000

Oh, also:

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/The_Muppets:_A_Celebration_of_30_Years