Traveling Matt Explores Fraggle Rock: Rock On Episode 2!

Apple TV+ unveiled the second episode of Fraggle Rock: Rock On this week and it features none other than Traveling Matt!

Check out a few clips: 

You can see the whole episode on Apple TV+.

All you'll need is an Apple device or a Apple account.

Watch The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance VFX Reel!

If you thought The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was impressive, check out the VFX reel to see how it was all achieved. 

Classic Jim Henson Series Come To Roku!

The Jim Henson Company has licensed a plethora of shows to streaming service Roku.

The series, which launched on the Jim Henson Family TV Roku Channel yesterday, include the Animal Show, The Emmy-winning Mother Goose Stories, the first season of The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, and the forgotten classics Brats of the Lost Nebula, and wait for it..................The Ghost of Faffner Hall!!

“Henson’s partnership with Roku is our first big step back into the AVOD market, providing hundreds of hours of our classic content to families,” commented Anna Moorefield, VP, Global Distribution at The Jim Henson Company. “Titles such as Animal Show and The Hoobs have not been available for many years, and now is the perfect time to share these evergreen gems with fans new and old alike.”

That's certainly true of Brats of the Lost Nebula and The Ghost of Faffner Hall.

The full list includes:

The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss: Season 1 (20 x 30’): An Emmy Award-winning puppet series featuring the fun, music, and adventures of favorite characters created by celebrated children’s author Dr. Seuss.

Mother Goose Stories (13 x 20’): A live-action puppet series, directed by Brian Henson, featuring Mother Goose sharing familiar nursery rhymes with her three impatient, fluffy goslings.

Animal Show: Season 1 (26 x 30’): Featuring music and merriment, hosts Stinky the Skunk and Jake the Polar Bear welcome guests of the Animal Kingdom to the furriest talk show ever.

Construction Site (26 x 30’): A special place beyond the fence where, through the antics of the machines, children discover important messages about the nature of learning, thinking and behaving.

The Hoobs: Season 1 (125 x 30’): The BAFTA Award-winning series that features a delightful mix of puppetry, animation and live-action, to inspire children to embrace the power of wonder and curiosity.

Mopatop’s Shop: Season 1 (65 x 8’): Imagination and fun are always in store at the wondrous Mopatop’s Shop that stocks anything you could ever want, from a rainbow, the hiccups, or a friend. Children are introduced to a variety of concepts such as shapes and musical sounds. (Available in the U.S. only.)

The Secret Life of Toys (13x 30’): Follows the adventures of a close-knit band of six toys that live in a world all children dream of visiting and where their first best friends come to life.

Telling Stories with Tomie dePaola (26 x 30’): Beloved children’s book author Tomie dePaola tells stories featuring his classic storybook characters together with his squirrel friend, Gabe.

Brats of the Lost Nebula (13 x 30’): Follows the adventures of five orphans from different planets who must band together to fight an evil invading force.

The Ghosts of Faffner Hall (13 x 30’): A music education series set at a grand music conservatory where the residents — human, animal and monster — enjoy making music of all types.

Hi Opie (39 x 8’): A live-action preschool series that follows the social, emotional, and intellectual escapades of 5-year-old puppet Opie. Produced by marblemedia in association with The Jim Henson Company, the series was developed with TVO and in partnership with City Saskatchewan (Rogers Broadcasting, Limited) and Knowledge Network.

Other titles included though HIP (Henson Independent Properties), include:

Elias: Rescue Team Adventure (26 x 22’): Elias is a brave, playful little rescue boat with enthusiasm for adventure. This CG-animated preschool series was created to inspire young children to have fun exploring their own world with confidence and courage. Produced by Norway’s Animando and Icelandic studio CAOZ Animation.

The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin (65 x 30’): One of TIME magazine’s top 100 properties of all time and newly remastered in HD, the iconic preschool series stars Teddy and his best friend as they search for ancient crystals with magical powers. Produced by DIC Animation and Atkinson Film-Arts.

This marks the first time Brats of the Lost Nebula and The Ghost of Faffner Hall have been  available since their original airings!

Muppet Stuff Turns 8!

Today Muppet Stuff celebrates it's 8th anniversary, and we have a few surprises in store. 

What's so great about 8?

You can do a lot with 8. Beethoven only had "8 Little Notes"...

You could be a "King of 8":

But for us, it's chance to show how far we've come. 

Over the last 8 years we've posted over 1,840 articles, which we've shared with our 5k+ Twitter followers, and over 3,000 of our closest Facebook friends. 

We've been proud to join Krazy Joe's podcast MegaPodtastic, thrift for Muppet treasures along with CinemaSickness, and watch our friend and frequent contributor 
Adorkable Rachel become a professional puppeteer.  

Coming up, we're going to spotlight more fans, their collections, and even their reading skills in a new series we're calling "The Muppet Stuff Book Club."

But that's all, just this week we filmed an upcoming episode of Collector's Call!

We showcased a few of the prized possessions inside the Muppet Stuff Museum and taught the expert a few things about Jim Henson and The Muppets all while social distancing ourselves!

While the episode doesn't have specific an airdate yet, we'll keep you posted as to when you'll be able to watch it. 

Most of all though thank you for reading, watching, and sharing everything over the last 8 years.

Here's to 8 years of Muppet Stuff and to the many more to come!

The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo Coming Soon to HBOMax!

The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo is coming to HBOMax next month. 

It's everyone's favorite 3-1/2-year-old-red monster, Elmo! The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo is the brand-new talk show transforming late night. Elmo, his sidekick Cookie Monster, and other favorite Sesame Street friends invite the whole family to tune-in together as they interview celebrities and musical guests, explore the latest in pop culture, and play trendy games, all with humor and heart.

Check out the official trailer below:

The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo begins streaming May 27th on HBOMax

Sesame Street Teams Up With CNN to Teach the ABC’s of COVID-19!

Sesame Street has partnered with CNN to teach kids and parents the ABC’s of COVID-19. 

According to CNN, The ABC's of Covid 19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents "will tackle issues including education, anxiety, screen time and playdates."

Big Bird will moderate the 90-minute town hall style event with CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and national correspondent Erica Hill.

A panel of experts will be joined by Sesame Street's own Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Rosita and Grover, who will be answering questions submitted by families.

Kids and parents can submit questions to CNN's website.

The ABC's of Covid 19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents will air this Saturday, April 25th at 9 am EST on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español.

It will also be streamed live on CNN.com's homepage and across CNN's apps, without requiring a cable log-in. 

You can also watch on CNNgo, and subscribers to cable/satellite systems can watch it on-demand.

Fraggle Rock: Rock On Coming to Apple TV+!

The Fraggles are rocking back to TV! Apple TV+ that is.

Apple TV+ announced today that they're bringing Fraggle Rock back  with a series of mini-episodes.

According to the show’s description:

"While the Fraggles might be in different parts of the Fraggle Rock caves, they can still find ways to have fun together, with music, silliness, special guests, and of course the help of devices created by the industrious Doozers — lovingly called the Doozertubes.”

Rock On! is filmed entirely on iPhone 11 devices from the homes of the production team and individuals from all over the U.S.

Behind the show are executive-producers Halle Stanford and John Tartaglia who also takes over performing Gobo from the late Jerry Nelson. Other recasts include Donna Kimball as Mokey and Frankie Cordero as Wembly. However, Karen Prell is back as Red Fraggle and Dave Goelz returns as Boober and Uncle Traveling Matt.

You can watch the trailer below:

The first mini-episode (“Shine On”) is now available to stream for free.

Rare Muppet Clips Volume 4!

We're back with another batch of rare Muppet performances. 

Again, we do not own these clips, nor do we make any guarantees to how long they'll be available, so watch them while you can!

Henson Family Christmas 1960:

''Money'' from The Mike Douglas Show. Originally broadcast July 21, 1966.

Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog on Can We Talk? with Joan Rivers:

"The Flower-Eating Monster" from The Julie Andrews Hour: 

If you like these be sure to check out  parts 1,2,and 3. 


If you find a rare Muppet clip and would like us to share it, please send us a link!

ONLINE EVENT! Dave Goelz and Frank Oz Talk Filming The Muppets in NYC!

The Museum of The Moving Image is hosting online event Saturday night with Dave Goelz and Frank Oz as they discuss shooting The Muppets Take Manhattan in and around NYC.

A charming ode to the backstage musical, The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) - Oz’s directorial debut - features quintessential New York locations and characters: Central Park, cheerfully rat-infested diners, Mayor Ed Koch, Madison Avenue, Port Authority, Broadway theaters, Liza Minnelli... and, of course, the Muppets! The story follows Kermit and friends as they attempt to “make it” on the great white way, culminating in a Kermit and Miss Piggy wedding…was it for real or just part of the show? 

Gonzo puppeteer Dave Goelz and Frank Oz discuss the challenges and charms of bringing the Muppets to the streets of New York City.

The online event will be held this Saturday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. EST. 
Please RSVP here. Instructions for joining the live event will be sent by email.

While this event is free, we hope you will consider supporting the Museum with a donation. MoMI's entire staff is doing its best to continue fulfilling its mission without a building. This comes with both opportunities to experiment but also with profound challenges to our operations. Your support is critical in ensuring the vitality of our work, which you have come to value. Suggested donation: $10. Donate here.

But that's not all, Dave Goelz will also be a part on an online Q&A brought to you by The Walt Disney Family Museum the night before.

In keeping with our mission, The Walt Disney Family Museum is finding new and unique ways to connect to our audience virtually. We are thrilled to announce our new Happily Ever After Hours virtual series with Disney luminaries, including animators, artists, directors, and Imagineers, who will discuss their careers and connections to Walt’s story. Hosted via Zoom webinar, audience members will have the opportunity to submit questions to our special guests in advance and watch them answered live. Grab a refreshment and hear from some of your favorite Disney personalities from the comfort of your home.

The Walt Disney Family Museum is excited to invite you to join Muppeteer Dave Goelz for the second installment of the museum’s newest virtual series, Happily Ever After Hours. From the comfort of your home, join Goelz for stories about his work on hundreds of Jim Henson productions and what it was like to be the hand (and voice) behind some of our most beloved Henson characters, including Boober Fraggle, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Waldorf, and, most famously, The Great Gonzo.

The museum is accepting questions now and will be sharing the live chat with Dave Friday, April 17th at 8:30PM EST. 

To join, RSVP on the Walt Disney Family Museum website, and then they’ll send you a link to the Zoom webinar. The conversation will be free, but all participants are encouraged to donate to the museum.

Update: The Walt Disney Family Museum Dave Goelz event is SOLD OUT!

Elmo’s Playdate Special!

Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and our other Sesame Street friends are stuck at home just like you.

With that in mind Sesame Workshop decided to put together Elmo’s Playdate, a virtual playdate special with celebrity guests Anne Hathaway, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Tracee Ellis Ross.

The nonprofit organization announced a simulcast special to help kids and families around the world feel connected in this time of uncertainty.

"We hope Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate will entertain and inspire families at a moment when so many are feeling isolated and overwhelmed by current events," said Steve Youngwood, Sesame Workshop’s President, Media & Education and Chief Operating Officer. "With help from our distribution partners around the world, this special will encourage parents and kids to gather and relax as a family, in a way that only the Sesame Street Muppets can."

The half-hour special follows Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and a few famous friends as they find new ways to play and learn together. Celebrating everyone from the EMTs, doctors, and other everyday heroes who are helping families through the health crisis as well as things like the simple pleasures of baking cookies at home, the playdate takes the form of a cozy video conference that will feel very familiar to today’s viewers. Celebrities and Sesame Street friends will sing songs, play games, and take silly dance breaks. Tracee Ellis Ross plays a game of “Elmo Says,” Lin-Manuel Miranda pops in for a few rounds of “Old McDonald Had a Farm,” Anne Hathaway and Elmo get moving with “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” and more. Kids will love getting a visit from their Sesame Street friends, and caregivers will appreciate how the special models playful learning opportunities they can use at home.

Sesame Workshop is committed to supporting families through this unprecedented time of uncertainty with the new Caring for Each Other initiative. As the situation evolves, SesameStreet.org/caring will be updated to meet the changing needs of caregivers and young children. The Caring for Each Other resources are designed to help parents: provide comfort and manage anxiety; create routines; foster playful learning at home; and keep kids physically and mentally healthy. Families can find Sesame Street on HBO, PBS stations, and the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel.

"PBS KIDS is proud to offer Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate to every family across America on air and streaming platforms," said Lesli Rotenberg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. "With member stations in every community, PBS is committed to using the power of media to support families – especially those who don’t have access to broadband, cable or satellite – every day, and particularly during this challenging time."

Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate will premiere April 14th at 7pm ET / 6pm CT, on WarnerMedia networks—HBO, HBO Latino, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and truTV—and PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and streaming platforms. PBS stations will re-air the special throughout the month.

Beginning on April 15, the special will also air in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Singapore and Canada as well. 

Hoppy Easter!

Hoppy Easter!

Check out Bean Bunny singing "La Bamba" on The Jim Henson Hour:

RIP Bill Withers, Adam Schlesinger, and John Prine

Bill Withers, Adam Schlesinger, and John Prine, three renowned musicians, passed away recently. Though none of them appeared with the Muppets, their songs were featured in a variety of productions over the years.

Bill Withers recorded several major hits, including "Ain't No Sunshine", "Grandma's Hands", "Use Me", "Lean on Me", "Lovely Day", and "Just the Two of Us."

Sesame Street used "Just the Two of Us" as the title was a double-record re-packaging of "C is for Cookie" and "Grover Sings the Blues."

German recording artist Mary Roos performed "Lean on Me" on The Muppet Show. Though it only appeared as a specially filmed insert during the German version of Twiggy's episode.

Rick Moranis tried to perform an earnest "Salute to Late Fifties Crooners, Obscure British Bands, and Bill Withers" on Muppets Tonight including Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean on Me" but was accompanied by Seymore and Pepe's cooking show instead:

John Prine was an American country folk singer-songwriter.known for humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, as well as songs with social commentary. Earlier this year he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Miss Piggy and Kermit sang his "In Spite of Ourselves" on the short lived ABC series The Muppets.

Singer-songwriter, record producer, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist and drummer Adam Schlesinger won three Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, the ASCAP Pop Music Award, and was nominated for Academy, Tony, and Golden Globe Awards. He was a founding member of the bands Fountains of Wayne, Ivy, and Tinted Windows and co-wrote and produced the original songs for the TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and wrote the title song from the movie That Thing You Do! In addition to all that, Schlesinger also wrote songs for Sesame Street.

Schlesinger wrote the music for “There’s an App for That,” Ernie's "I Wonder," "The Count sings of 8," and the theme song for "Elmo: The Musical."

He also wrote “Dream House,” which the Muppets performed on the Disney Channel series Good Luck, Charlie:

Withers died from heart complications at 81. Prine who was 73 and Schlesinger 52, died of COVID-19 complications. 

First Look: Hallmark's 2020 Muppet and Sesame Street Ornaments!

Christmas may seem far away, but we have a your first look at Hallmark's 2020 Muppet and Sesame Street ornaments!

For their 2020 Sesame collection Hallmark has Elmo with Christmas garland:

UPDATE: "Deck the Halls With Elmo" will be available July 11, 2020 for $15.99.

It great to see Hallmark showing some love to a new fan favorite segment with Cookie Monster and Gonger in their Monster Foodie Truck:

UPDATE: Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck will have an audio track with different sayings. 
Unfortunately, they only feature Cookie Monster. So while Gonger is on the ornement he is not heard. 

You can hear the track here.

"Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck" will be available October 3, 2020 for $19.99.

On the Muppet side, after two years of focusing on Kermit's movie moments, they're returning to The Muppet Show .... with another Kermit. This time popping out of the famous Muppet Show sign as he did to get every episode of the show started. 

UPDATE: 

Ladies and gentlemen, it's Christmas time—and it's "The Muppet Show" on your tree! Fans of the beloved Jim Henson characters will love to make this Christmas ornament a very special guest star in their holiday decorating. Capturing the iconic TV show's opening scene, Kermit the Frog shares a smile and a wave from his perch in the "O" of the ornate title card, while a version of "The Muppet Show Theme" song plays when you press the button (battery-operated).

The Muppet Show theme song used is the same first season version used on the original Muppet soundtrack album.

You can hear the track here.

"The Muppet Show Musical Ornament" will be available July 11, 2020 for $19.99.

Thanks to John Papovitch for the heads up. 

Muppet Pranks and Bloopers!

While it may not seem like the most festive of April 1stsssssss, we've compiled a collection of Muppet pranks and bloopers for everyone to enjoy.

Happy April Fools Day!