Super7 to Release More Classic Sesame ReAction Figures!

Hey you, yes you... Last week online retailers like Big Bad Toy Store and Entertainment Earth added listings for the next wave of Super7's Sesame Street ReAction figure line and looks like two underrepresented classic characters are going to be included. 

As you can see below everyone's favorite game show host, Guy Smiley (with Bread), and Lefty the Salesman, will be joining Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch.

It's your lucky day, because even though images haven't been released of the figures yet, if you'd like to get your hands on 'em, you can pre-order them at Big Bad Toy Store and Entertainment Earth. 

We'll keep you posted with images and full descriptions of the figures when they're released. 

Thanks to Kenny Durkin and Calel Villareal for the heads up. 

Muppets Mayhem & Sesame Street Win Emmys!

The 2nd Annual Children's & Family Emmy® Awards Emmy's were held last night and the Sesame Street and The Muppets Mayhem were the big winners. 

Sesame Street won for outstanding Writing for a Preschool Series, Outstanding Puppet Design and Styling and received an Honorable Mention for their Youtube short Sesame Street: Quest for Health Equity.

Sesame's directing team of Ken Diego, Shannon Flynn, Todd E. James, Jack Jameson, Benjamin Lehmann, Julie LoRusso, Noel MacNeal, Linda Mendoza, Alan Muraoka, Lily Olszewski, Scott Preston, Brittany Scott Smith, Matt Vogel won for best Directing for a Preschool Series.

Ryan Dillon won for Best Puppetry Performance as Elmo and Sesame Street won Best Preschool Series.

Veteran Sesame Street producer Carol-Lynn Parente and Apple TV's Tara Sorensen was inducted in the Academy's Sliver Circle.

The big news though is that The Muppets Mayhem took home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s or Family Viewing Series despite Disney canceling the series.

The trailer for the series also recently won a Clio award as well. 

You can the full ceremony's at the links below:

2nd Annual Children's & Family Ceremony

2nd Annual Children's & Family - Creative Arts

Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners!

Muppet Stuff - The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited at the Maryland Center for History and Culture!

Join Krazy Joe and I as we head to the Maryland Center for History and Culture in Baltimore for The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited's final stop (for now).

Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube Channel.

Coming Soon: Rowlf & Fozzie Loungefly Mini Backpacks!

Rowlf and Fozzie are joining Kermit, Miss Piggy, Animal, and The Electric Mayhem as mini backpacks.

Rowlf is already available in UK from Iflover.com but both Rowlf and Fozzie will be available soon in the US. 

Here's a closer look at the backpacks details.

Rowlf's backpack features Rowlf playing the piano surrounded by music notes, candelabras, and The Muppets logo. 

The back features an imge of Rowlf playing the piano.

and the zipper has a piano charm.

The inside of the Fozzie backpack has yet to be revealed, 

but the zipper has a rubber chicken charm.

While the back back features Fozzie saying "Wocka Wocka!"

Both are 10'' H x 9 1/2'' x 6 1/2''

We'll let you know when then can be ordered, but both should be available soon. 

Muppets Mayhem, Fraggles, Sesame Nominated for Kidscreen Awards!

Kidscreen announced their 2024 nominees and The Muppets Mayhem, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, and Sesame Street have been nominated for multiple awards.

And the Henson-related nominee's are...

PRESCHOOL PROGRAMMING

Best Live-Action Series:

Helpsters
Sesame Workshop

Sesame Street
Sesame Workshop, Max

Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie:

Elmo's Mindfulness Spectacular
Sesame Workshop

Best Holiday or Special Episode:

Sesame Street
"Grandparents' Day"
Sesame Workshop, Max

Best Podcast:

Good Night, World!
Headspace Studios, Sesame Workshop

The Sesame Street Podcast with Foley & Friends
Sesame Workshop, Audible


Best Inclusivity:

Alma's Way*
Fred Rogers Productions, Pipeline Studios, PBS KIDS

* (Not a Henson produced show, but created by Sesame Street's Sonia Manzano)

Sesame Street
Sesame Workshop, Max


KIDS PROGRAMMING:

Best New Series:

The Muppets Mayhem
Adam F. Goldberg Productions,
The Muppets Studio, ABC Signature, Disney+


Best Live-Action Series:

The Muppets Mayhem
Adam F. Goldberg Productions,
The Muppets Studio, ABC Signature, Disney+


Best Holiday or Special Episode:

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock
"Night of the Lights"
The Jim Henson Company, Apple TV+


PRESCHOOL DIGITAL

Best Website:

Alma's Way*
Fred Rogers Productions, Makefully Studios,
PBS KIDS

Best Web/App Series—Branded:

Tamir on the Street
Sesame Workshop


Best YouTube Channel:

Sesame Street
Sesame Workshop YouTube Channel

You can see all the nominees at Kidscreen.

RIP Norman Leer (1922-2023)

Television writer and producer, Norman Leer, best known for creating or developing many popular 1970s sitcoms has died. 

All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, Diff’rent Strokes, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and The Facts of Life are just a few of the shows he created, co-created, or produced. 

For his contribution to the medium, Leer was one of the initial inductees the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame,

In 1980, he founded the advocacy group People for the American Way and in 1982, the group along with Leer produced the TV special I Love Liberty, which featured appearances by Big Bird and the Muppets.

Following an introduction by Big Bird, the Muppets rehearse a scene reenacting the Second Continental Congress.

Norman Leer also provided the funding for the feature films This Is Spinal Tap (1981), Stand by Me (1986), and The Princess Bride (1987), and Fried Green Tomatoes (1991).

You can read more about Leer's life at Variety. 

Norman Leer was 101. 

Emmet Otter Album Prints by Dave Perillo!

Plastic Meatball has a set of limited edition Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas prints by artist Dave Perillo.

Officially licensed by the Jim Henson Company, each 12" print is made to look like album cover for Emmet Otter's Jug-Band or the Riverbottom Nightmare' Band.

Each print is limited to 125 each (variants limited to 78) and will be available at today 12PM PST at plasticmeatball.com.

Gonzo to Present at The Game Awards!

The Muppets have a long history of presenting at The Game Awards and his year Gonzo the Great will be presenting an award.

Host and creator of The Game Awards, Geoff Keighley, made the announcement that Gonzo will be the latest Muppet to participate at the yearly event. 

It was not disclosed which of the 31 awards Gonzo will present.

The Game Awards will live stream on Thursday, December 7 at 7:30 PM ET.

Muppet Stuff - World's LARGEST Sesame Street Store Haul!

Join me as I show off my haul from the world's LARGEST Sesame Street Store!

Be sure to check out Part 1 where I wade through the opening day crowds at the world's largest Sesame Street Store and Part 2 as I go into the park and check out The Count's Halloween Spooktackular.

And you can find even more videos on our Youtube channel!

Muppet Studios: The Lost Legacy!

For thirty years Muppet fans have wondered what the proposed "Muppet Studios" land at Disney's Hollywood Studios would have look like.

Over the years we've heard the plans and seen glimpses of art work, but for the first time we now know how it would have all come together. 

For his YouTube channel Sizzle Map, Forrest Mallard interviewed Imagineer Marcelo Vignali, who not only designed the rides, restaurants, and gift shop, he also provided never before seen artwork.

Explore the forgotten magic of Muppet Studios Land at Walt Disney World with the documentary, "Muppet Studios: The Lost Legacy." This compelling film delves into the abandoned dreams and whimsical visions that once brought the Muppets to life in a dedicated land. Featuring exclusive interviews with Marcelo Vignali, one of the visionary Imagineers responsible for designing the lost rides, attractions, and restaurants. 

This documentary offers a rare glimpse into the creative process that shaped this unrealized gem. Vignali shares captivating anecdotes about his time working on the Muppet Studios project, providing insights into the challenges, triumphs, and tragedies he faced with his team. Viewers are treated to never-before-seen artwork, unveiling the intricate details of the Great Muppet Movie Ride, and other planned attractions that never came to fruition. 

Marcelo Vignali ends the documentary on a positive note, explaining how the spirit of Muppet Studios lives on in other Disney themed lands and attractions around the world. "Muppet Studios: The Lost Legacy" is a nostalgic journey through the unexplored corners of Disney history, reminding us of the vibrant Muppet dreams that once danced within Disney/MGM Studios.

Explore more from Imagineer Marcelo Vignali at https://favillistudio.com/

More video from Sizzle Map can be found on their Youtube Channel. 

Amazon & Henson Develop Series Based on Froud’s "Faeries"!

According to Variety, "Amazon MGM Studios and The Jim Henson Company are teaming up to develop a series based on the work of Brian and Wendy Froud."

With the working title of “Faerie,” the series is described as a “modern Henson family adventure set in the magical world of Brian & Wendy Froud’s Faeries.”

The official series description states: “When the Faeries kidnap an unsuspecting father, his family must venture into the Faerie realm to rescue him. Through their journey, they will discover their inner strength and unique potential, challenging the expectations that the human world has put upon them. At its core, Faerie is a story of perseverance and the strength of a family’s love, filled with magic, adventure, and self-discovery at every age.”

It's family affair as Brian, Wendy, and their son, Toby will executive produce the project along with the Henson Company.

The Frouds have a long history with Henson. The couple met while working as designers on  The Dark Crystal and went onto work on Labyrinth and the Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

Wendy also worked on The Muppet Show, The Muppet Movie, and fabricated the Yoda puppet for The Empire Strikes Back. 

Brian’s other credits include the Henson series The Storyteller. 

Outside of their screen work, Wendy’s other projects include illustrating the three books “A Midsummer Night’s Faerytale,” “The Winter Child,” and “The Faeries of Spring Cottage” by Terri Windling. 

Brian first published the  book “Faeries” in 1978 with Alan Lee and his concept art was featured in the companion book “The World of the Dark Crystal.”

His artwork serves as the basis for the “Faerielands” book series.

Muppet Stuff - The Count's Halloween Spooktackular at Sesame Place!

Join me as I check out The Count's Halloween Spooktackular at Sesame Place! 

Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube channel, including part 1 as I visit the World's Largest Sesame Street Store located just outside the park!

Sesame Street Returns for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Sesame Street is set to return for their 46th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow. 

According to Alan Muraoka - Alan on "Sesame Street",

"The Sesame Street float will perform at Macy's sometime between 11:00-11:15am."

Hi friends! The Sesame Street float will perform at Macy's sometime between 11:00-11:15am on NBC. This will be Sesame Street's 47th year in the parade and my 21st appearance. So thrilled to be a part of this annual tradition. See you Thursday!

 

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade begins at 8:30 am on NBC.
Set your DVR's!

MAJOR BUMER - The Muppets Mayhem Cancelled!

Like, what a bummer man. According to industry sources at TVLine and Deadline, Disney+ has cancelled The Muppets Mayhem after one season. 

Disney+ doesn't release viewership information, so we don't know how many viewers checked out the show. 

The show premiered in May and was followed shortly by the writers and actor's strikes.

It's a shame that we won't see more of this story or see the band's tour to promote their first album.

 

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas Opens in Chicago!

Back in May we got word that the theater production of Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas would be coming to Chicago and this week the show opened!

The live theatrical adaptation opened yesterday in Chicago's Studebaker Theater and plays through December 31, 2023.

Based on the beloved television special, the family-friendly musical features music and lyrics by Paul Williams, with a book by lead producer Timothy Allen McDonald, and direction and choreography by Christopher Gattelli.

The production mixes human performers as the main cast surrounded by puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and is produced by iTheatrics in association with The Jim Henson Company. 

It's the same musical that premiered at Goodspeed Opera House in 2008 and played Off-Broadway at the New Victory Theater in December of 2021.

Tickets are on sale at the Studebaker Theatre box office, online and 312-753-3210.

Muppet Stuff - The Worlds LARGEST Sesame Street Store!

Join me as a wade through the opening day crowds at the world's largest Sesame Street store at Sesame Place, Philadelphia.

Part 2: I check out The Count's Halloween Spooktackular!

Part 3:  I show off my haul from the store! 

Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube Channel.

Kermit Items at Five Below!

Discount retailer Five Below started putting out their holiday items and a few them feature Kermit. 

The Muppets® Kermit The Frog™ Christmas Beanie Hat

Keep your noggin nice & toasty in this Kermit the frog pom beanie. rep your fave Muppet in the cutest Christmas hat

The Muppets® Kermit The Frog™ Holiday Slippers

Keep your feet nice & toasty in these Kermit slippers! Slide into holiday comfort & rep your fave Muppets character.

Ladies shoe sizes: 6-11

The Muppets Mens Kermit Christmas Crew Socks 2-Pack

Complete your holiday ‘fit in The Muppets crew socks. Have a green Christmas with Kermit on your feet!

          Includes 2 pairs of socks

And while not specially Christmas related, they also have this Kermit The Frog™ 'Country Roots' Rainbow Connection Graphic Tee

Find your rainbow connection in this Kermit the frog graphic tee. show off your country roots & rep some iconic style!

          adult unisex sizes: s-xl

I'm not sure why it says "County Roots" but it's a nice image of Kermit with his banjo. 

Each item is $5 and can be bought online at Five Below, and as your local store gets them in stock. 

Adam Savage Inside the Henson Archives and Learns Some Puppet Magic!

Adam Savage posted more videos visiting the Jim Henson company. This time he's going inside the archives and learning more about the techniques used during Puppet Up. 

Adam Savage Visits Jim Henson’s Archives!

In New York, the Jim Henson Legacy shares space with the Creature Shop. Adam Savage talks to archives director and Legacy vice-president Karen Falk about how the two inspire each other (including with the building of puppets for Puppet Up) and sees some very early sketches by Muppets creator Jim Henson, who imbued so much personality and function with just a few lines.

 

 Adam Savage Learns Some PUPPET MAGIC!

One of the Puppet Up! sketches that blew our minds was "The Usher," in which actor and puppeteer Michael Oosterom and his colleague Bishop Rhone use video looping and precise choreography to turn one singing, dancing usher into FIVE. Could YOU ever do this

 

 Adam Savage vs. Jim Henson Puppeteers

When Brian Henson invited Tested to film behind the scenes of Puppet Up, his puppet improv show, we jumped at the chance. What wasn't wholly expected was Brian calling Adam up on stage to try out his own puppet skills in the audience segment. It went ... um,

You can see more Adam Savage’s Tested on his Youtube channel.