Waldorf & Statler UK Mug!

Not to be left out, Statler and Waldorf get their own new mug as well. 

The front features "Waldorf & Statler" in black and white, only their tongues in color, with the phrase "It was Terrible!!!" underneath. 

The back of this mug seems very poorly conceived. It's blank, with just The Muppet Show logo touting "Tonights Special Guests Waldorf and Staler." 

• First, "Tonights" should be Tonight's", unless that's a UK thing. 
• Second, since when are Waldorf and Staler Muppet Show guests?

and finally

• Since when are they listed as "Waldorf and Staler", and not Statler and Waldorf?

Just as the other mugs in the line, the package matches nicely, but my review? - It's Terrible!!!


Available from the UK.

No More Monsters at Muppet Whatnot Workshop!

While in NY over the weekend, I made my usual pilgrimage to FAO's Muppet Whatnot Workshop. 

I was disappointed to find that there wasn't as much other Muppet merchandise for sale in the area as had been in the past, and that many of the Whatnot bodies...

and accessories were sold out!

I also noticed that many of monster options were also not available.. 

I asked an employee about it, and he replied that the monster options were being phased out and they would not be getting any more.

The red fur monster body and hair (as seen above) were apparently not very popular so they can still be bought for the time being. All the other monster accessories were either  gone, or, like the scary eyes also seen above, they had VERY limited quantities left.

The green and yellow "frown" face bodies are also no longer available.

While a new yellow body (that's the same as the blue and purple body) being 
offered in their place. 

So say goodbye to the whatnot monsters and hello to new yellow bodies!

Animal UK Mug!

Just like the Swedish Chef, Animal gets his own mug in the UK. 

The back says "Beware of the Beast!" with The Muppet Show logo. 

The package matches the mug, using the same colors, wording and artwork.

It's available now from the UK.

Jim Henson and Philosophy: Imagination and the Magic of Mayhem!

The second item our ToughPig pals found out about it is "Jim Henson and Philosophy: Imagination and the Magic of Mayhem."

The book is an academic anthology book similar to 2009's Kermit Culture and 2013's The Wider Worlds of Jim Henson.

The publishers description cites:

Jim Henson’s creations have inspired generations with characters that are among the world’s most recognizable cultural icons. From Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and their Muppet friends, to the legendary Sesame Street and the Children’s Television Workshop, Henson has immeasurably impacted the growth, development and substance of children’s educational entertainment. Combining live-action and puppeteering into fantastical narratives like The Dark Crystal andLabyrinth, and the whimsical Fraggle Rock and The Storyteller, Henson transforms imagination into reality, weaving powerful philosophical messages on identity, community, diversity, love, death, and friendship. Henson’s legacy endures because he never shied away from exploring deep questions, nor underestimated the ability of children (or adults) to grapple with profound philosophical questions. Anyone who grew up with his stories, or has fallen in love with his characters, will enjoy this book’s exploration of the entertaining, educational and profound world of Jim Henson.

The book of essays will be released in paperback July 15, 2015. It's now available to pre-order through Amazon.

London Music Works Perform Music From the Muppets!

Our friends at ToughPigs discovered two interesting upcoming products. 

First, is a cover album entitled London Music Works Perform Music From the Muppets.

The track list contains a nice mix of Muppet songs, though almost half are from the two most recent movies.

1. Theme (From "The Muppet Show")

2. Mahna Mahna (From "The Muppet Show")

3. Sax and Violence (From "The Muppet Show")

4. Bein' Green (From "The Muppet Show")

5. The Rainbow Connection (From "The Muppet Movie")

6. I'm Gonna Always Love You (From "The Muppets Take Manhattan")

7. One More Sleep 'til Christmas (From "The Muppet Christmas Carol")

8. Life's a Happy Song (From "The Muppets")

9. Me Party (From "The Muppets")

10. Man or Muppet (From "The Muppets")

11. We're Doing a Sequel (From "Muppets Most Wanted")

12. I'm Number One (From "Muppets Most Wanted")

13. The Big House (From "Muppets Most Wanted")

14. PöpcÃ,rn (PöpcÃ,rn)

15. Theme (From "The Muppet Show") [Instrumental]

I'm going to guess "PöpcÃ,rn (PöpcÃ,rn)" is some weird internet issue, and they meant "Pöpcørn."

The strange thing, is that is itself a cover of Gershon Kingsley' 1969 song "Popcorn." which makes it an instrumental cover of an instrumental cover!

London Music Works posted a sample of the album:

The musicians are so good, it's almost imperceivable to tell the difference between the originals That does the musicians a disservice. Without any stylistic music changes, what we're left with is their amateur Muppet impersonations over the tracks, which does the listener a disservice. So no one really wins here.


The album will be available February 17 and it look like it will currently only be sold in the UK.

Hallmark Collection 2015: Part 2 - CUBEEZ

The other "set" in the new Hallmark line are small metal boxes called CUBEEZ. 

Each box has a great illustration on it, 

that when pulled up, revels the container inside.

Because he each CUBEEZ is flat on all sides, they can be stacked in any arrangement. 

The Animal, Gonzo, Kermit, and Piggy CUBEEZ  are now available in stores and online and at least two more Muppets will be joining the line later in the year.

Disney STARS Magazine: The Muppets

Over in the UK, Disney has an anthology magazine that features a different set of Disney stars each issue. 

The apply titled magazine is called "Disney Stars" and the November issue featured The Muppets!

The issue was filled with Puzzles and games and attached to the cover was a Make your own Whatnot kit!

Swedish Chef Coaster!

The Swedish Chef, known for making a mess of his kitchen, got his own coaster in the UK. Hopefully this will alleviate some of the cup rings on his kitchen counter!

Ships free within the UK, hopefully the postman won't encounter any Lobster banditos along the way! 

Hallmark Collection 2015: Part 1 - Itty-Bittys

As you may know, the new Hallmark items we previewed back in the summer are now starting to show up at Hallmark stores. 

Some locations even have full stocked Muppet displays!

Now that the first wave of items has been released, we'll take a closer look at what the new Hallmark collection has to offer!

We already showed off the surprise LED candle and now we'll look at the very first items to be released: Muppet Itty-Bittys. All are available in stores and online at the links below. 


My favorite of the bunch is Kermit, I think he fits well in the itty bitty style. 

Animal is also great, though many I saw had one of his eyes covered/blended into his eyebrow. He's also top heavy so it hard to keep him upright on his own.

Miss Piggy is cute, although a bit simplistic for such a diva. 

I'm not sure why Hallmark's designers decided to make Fozzie's eyes touch his nose like he's crossed eyed, but it works!

Fozzie it typically one of the hardest Muppets to accurately portray in plush form, and I think he fits in well with the rest of the itty bittys!

These are all great for both collectors and little kids (small plush- no moving parts) and I hope more characters are added to line. I for one would love to see Gonzo in itty bitty form! 

Swedish Chef UK Mug!

The UK has a new line of Muppet mugs each featuring a popular character.

First up, The Swedish Chef mug!

The main image features the chef surround by chickens, 

while the back features the classic Muppet Show logo surround by flying food.

The box art compliments the mug nicely as well. 

Available in the UK through Amazon. 

Sesame Plaid PJ's!

With the weather reaching record cold temperatures,a good way to stay warm would be inside these adult-size Cookie Monster and Oscar footed plaid pajamas.

These were spotted at Walmart.

Wikkeez Kermit!

You may have already heard of Vinylmation, but last year Disney introduced new blind bag toy called Wikkeez. 

The first series consists of 53 characters including Kermit!

Who even gets a prominent place on the packaging!

According to the Muppet Wiki:

The series was first distributed in Israel under the name Disney Gogo's Crazy Bones; they were given away as promos for Strauss Brand, Dany Chocolate Pudding and Yogurt. Following this test run, the figurines were renamed Disney Wikkeez and subsequently sold in the UK and Germany. In the latter country, marketability was tested with blind bags of 30 select characters given out as promos at Rewe grocery stores during the 2014 Christmas season. The Rewe chain also offered collector's bags, collector's boxes and board games for the toys.

Each figurine is smaller then a vinylmation 1"- 1.4" and has no articulation. 

Fraggle Rock: "Journey to the Everspring" Issue 4!

The fourth and final issue Fraggle Rock: "Journey to the Everspring" hits comic stands tomorrow!

Check out a preview of the first few pages: