Muppet Stuff- Zolocon 2024!

Join me, Dave, Shawn, and John as we try to catch all the Muppet, movies, and all the retro pop culture goodness at Zolocon!

More info about Zolocon and The Fuge.

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

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Season 2 Interviews!

Mokey and Red Fraggle, as well as producers Matt Fusfeld, Halle Stanford John Tartaglia sat down to promote Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Season 2.

Check them out below. 

 

 

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock season 2 premieres today on AppleTV+.

Coming Soon To a Cave Near You "Fraggle Rock Live"!

A brand new production of Fraggle Rock might be coming to a town (or cave) near you next year as The Jim Henson Company has partnered with The Brad Simon Organization for the First-Ever Fraggle Rock Live Touring Show.

Check out the full press release below:

Fraggle Rock LIVE will feature beloved Fraggles, Doozers, and Gorgs in an all-new Fraggle Rock adventure in development for 2025

A new first-ever Fraggle Rock stage show is in development from The Jim Henson Company, with The Brad Simon Organization on board as the exclusive booking agent. Starring the characters of the beloved original Jim Henson series currently seen in the hit Emmy Award-winning Apple TV+ reboot, Fraggle Rock LIVE will feature the iconic Fraggles alongside all the favorite characters from the show, as well as new characters in a brand-new exciting, interactive, live musical adventure perfect for all ages!

When Gobo Fraggle discovers a legend about a long lost Fraggle treasure called the Great Song Stone, his pals Mokey, Boober, Wembley, and Red join him on an adventure to find it, and end up celebrating the greatest treasure of all - something much more special than they could have ever imagined!

Featuring gorgeous new walk-around versions of the Fraggles, puppet-sized and mechanized Doozers, appearances from the giant Gorgs, and exclusive new magical puppet creatures all from the acclaimed Jim Henson's Creature Shop, this all-new musical stage adventure will welcome audiences into the incredible world of the iconic and beloved Fraggle Rock! Written and directed by John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Shrek the Musical, Stephen Schwartz's The Secret Silk), the show will include favorite songs, fantastic in-theater immersive special effects, and exciting physical staging, as well as magical heartwarming moments, hilarious and endearing new characters, and much more to make this unforgettable theater experience perfect for families with young first-time theater goers, and for Fraggle Rock fans who are young at heart.

"There is so much momentum behind creating the first-ever Fraggle Rock live show for families and fans! We are simply blown away by the response we have seen from the many theaters who are excited to welcome the Fraggles to their communities. I can't wait for fans to get the chance to see the Fraggles come to their hometowns!" said John Tartaglia, Creative Supervisor of Fraggle Rock for The Jim Henson Company.

The Brad Simon Organization is the exclusive booking agency for Fraggle Rock LIVE. Visit www.fragglerocklive.com for additional information. 

First Look: Hallmark's 2024 Muppet Ornament!

Images from Hallmark's 2024 Dream Book have started to make their way online and they've revealed this year's Hallmark Muppet ornament is ... "First Mate Piggy and The Swinetrek"!

The ornament features Miss Piggy in the Pigs in Space costume she wore in the 2016 YouTube short, “The Gravity of the Situation," tethered to a small model of the Swinetrek.  

You can watch the short below.

  

This marks the first Pigs in Space ornament and will sure to be a crowd pleaser when Hallmark releases it in July. 

Okkto X Retro 51"Down in Fraggle Rock" Rollerball Pens!

Okkto and Retro 51 have teamed up with the Jim Henson Company for a collection of high end Fraggle Rock Rollerball pens.

There are two styles, one a numbered, but open edition, and a very limited edition collector's set. 

"Down in Fraggle Rock" Rollerball Pen

Okkto is thrilled to bring you an exclusive, officially licensed pen celebrating Jim Henson's beloved classic, Fraggle Rock!

 

This playful rollerball pen captures the charm of the original series, and features Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red hanging out "Down in Fraggle Rock" on the acid-etched barrel! Complete with some busy Doozers, a radish finial design, and colorful yellow accents.

 

Each pen is numbered on the top ring. Packaged in a full-color printed tube.

"Down in Fraggle Rock" Rollerball Pen – Collector’s Set

Okkto is thrilled to bring you an exclusive, officially licensed pen set celebrating Jim Henson's beloved classic, Fraggle Rock! Limited to 183 pieces – an homage to the original air date in January of 1983 – this impressive collector’s set features a stonewashed brass version of the pen, an exclusive two inch collectible coin, and a special gold radish finial variant.

 

Each set includes:

“Down in Fraggle Rock” Pen: This limited edition stonewashed brass version of the pen features Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red on the acid-etched "rock" barrel, along with some busy Doozers. Includes an alternative gold radish finial design, as well as exclusive stonewashed brass accents.

 

Collectible Coin: Exclusive two inch collectible coin featuring a charming tableau with all your favorite characters down in Fraggle Rock. Rendered in hard enamel with 21 colors, UV printed details, and dual black nickel / antique gold plating on the front. A 3D metal depiction of the show's iconic logo adorns the back of the coin, and of course... a radish.

Packaged in a premium gift box with stamped gold foil art and a magnetic closure. 

Okkto posted videos of the different pen packaging on their Instagram account:

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Retro 1951 Fine Pens (@retro1951)

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Retro 1951 Fine Pens (@retro1951)

The Collector's Set is limited to 183 pieces and, as of the writing, they only have about 10 left.
You can find these Fraggle Rock Pens and more at Okkto's website.  

Watch Willie Nelson & Kermit Duet on "Rainbow Connection"!

Last weekend Willie Nelson surprised his fans by bring a very special guest on stage, none other then Kermit the frog to perform a duet of "Rainbow Connection." 

Nelson has a history with the the song.

Purportedly, Nelson’s daughter Amy was in kindergarten when she first heard “Rainbow Connection” in The Muppet Movie, and then spent the next two decades trying to convince her dad to record it.

It finally happened in 2001 with Amy producing at the studio on the Luck Ranch property, but the performance last weekend was the first time he sung it with Kermit. 

Willie appeared on the 2015 ABC series The Muppets, were he performed his classic "On The Road Again"  with Electric Mayhem. I hope this means even more collaborations with the country music legend and The Muppets. 

"Muppets Most Wanted" 10 Years Later!

Hard to believe, but The Muppets latest theatrical feature film, Muppets Most Wanted, premiered 10 years ago today.

Below is our review from a decade ago and our thoughts 10 years later. 

 

Having seen it twice, the first a week before officially opening, and the second on a Thursday preview night, with two VERY different audiences.

The first was obvious filled with Muppet fans, and families familiar with the Muppets, the second, was a small group of your average movie goers who seem to have a passing interest with the Muppets, but not a LOVE for them. Both groups seem to enjoy the film and a heard different people laughing a different parts, which is why Muppets Most Wanted works so well, it's got something for everyone.

At first I wasn't a fan of the songs as a whole. I loved "We're Doing a Sequel" from the moment Disney released a preview and the "Interrogation Song" and "I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu)" were standout in the film, but the others were just OK. Then I listened to the soundtrack a few times before seeing the film again and they all just come alive so much more with repeat viewings.

The movie is very funny too and I had a huge smile on my face throughout it , however, I have a few issues with the film that I think may be contributing to it's current hiccup at the box office. First off, it 's definitely a musical, and more "Broadway" then the last film, the jokes seem to more in the beginning of the movie, there's too much time spent with the gulag prisoners, Jermaine Clement, Ray Liota and Danny Trejo, and Hornswoggle may as well have gotten above then title billing they're featured so much, but my second biggest problem is the ending.

Spoiler Alert: The finale is set in the gulag while the Muppets are stuck (badly) to the wall and then pop off (badly) to sing an updated version of "Together Again." First, the produced already referenced this song twice in the previous film, and the "again" joke really only works if the movie kept it's original title "The Muppets Again." Disney marketing realized early on that it was a bad idea to market the film as a blatant attempt of doing the same things over again again. So why didn't someone at Disney stop them from doing this? Even if they sang it as a joke, and got heckled, much like Chris Copper does in the "Life's a Happy Song" encore, it could have worked, but they play it straight and it suffers accordingly. Again on the soundtrack it's fine, but in the movie it just feels very forced, and doesn't fit. They also decided to make a joke about Nadya having a solo in the song before it cut to "The End." The joke would have been funny if it were a running gag through the film. but as it stands Nadya has her own number in the pun filled "The Big House," so it doesn't really make sense, and ends the movie on a "huh?" note.

My problems with the ending don't end there, though. They producers thought it would be a good idea to showcase all the cameo performers again (BADLY) on the wall. They don't add anything and take a lot away. The awful CGI compositing overshadows all the good work done throughout the rest of the film. It may be over used during "I'm Number One", but it's used seamlessly in the roof top climax. Then after "The End" the credits appear over the London skyline (reminiscent of The Muppets take Manhattan), with CGI fireworks (like The Muppets), that turn into many of the most popular characters faces, similar to kaleidoscope ending from Muppets from Space. It's cute, but again the CGI is terrible and is very derivative. Too much "Again" not enough "Most Wanted," The end credit gags are thankfully a step in the right direction and there should have been more of that. Be sure to stay to the very end to see a tribute to Jane Henson and Jerry Nelson and a short Fozzie shout out similar to Animal's from The Muppet Movie.

If the ending is my second biggest problem, what's my first? Well, the first time I saw the film it was proceeded by The Muppets in a audience participation sing-a-long style screening. Even though I've seen The Muppets numerous times, it was during this screening that, thank to Bret McKenzie's cue cards, you could literally see how many "awww" moments there were. In Muppets Most Wanted there isn't a whole lot of them. In fact for all the funny moments, fantastic songs, and amazing production values (save for the CGI), there's very little heart. The move has a coldness that I kept hoping it would redeem at song point, but by the time "Together Again" happens it's too late and feel cheap.

Now, again most reiterate that I liked this movie. It's fun, funny, exciting, has some legit action sequences, amazing puppetry, great songs, and the Muppet performers are once at the top of their game.

If you haven't yet, go see Muppets Most Wanted if you have, go see it again. There's something for everyone, next time, more heart, less bad CGI.

Now our review - 10 years later.

Ten years later, "We're Doing a Sequel", the "Interrogation Song" and "I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu)" are all still standouts. 

And I still abhor the finale. The "together again, again" song, the characters on the gulag wall, and the truly terrible CGI fireworks were bad then and have not aged well.

There's still something missing (yes, that's a nod to The Muppets Take Manhattan) but the good news is it seemed like the producers/director agreed. So much so that when the film was released on home video, "The Unnecessarily Extended Edition" was included. 

While  "The Unnecessarily Extended Edition" doesn't fix the ending or terrible CGI, it does add more short moments from characters that otherwise get a little to no other screen time in the theatrical release, and scenes that add context and background to jokes. 

I much prefer the "The Unnecessarily Extended Edition" to the theatrical release. You can read about all the differences here and watch them below. 

Unfortunately, it's not available on Disney+ but you can order it from Amazon.
Note: we are an Amazon partner and funds help support the blog. 

So, if you plan to revisit the film for the anniversary, I highly recommend going the "Unnecessarily Extended" route.

Happy 10th Anniversary, Muppets Most Wanted. Hard to believe it's been 10 years already, but hopefully we won't have to wait another decade for another theatrically released Muppet film. 

Plastic Meatball & Henson Celebrate Farscape's 25th Anniversary with New Licensing Collaboration!

Plastic Meatball has extended their collaboration with the Henson Company for a new line of items celebrating Farscape's 25th Anniversary.

Under a new licensing pact, Plastic Meatball will develop an extensive range of Farscape-inspired products, including toys and collectibles, puzzles, games, housewares, apparel,  limited-edition artwork, and more.

The Emmy-nominated series created by Rockne S. O’Bannon, follows astronaut John Crichton’s adventures as he navigates a world of alien cultures aboard a starship. 

Over the years the series grew a passionate fanbase known as “Scapers." 

While the collection won’t begin to roll out until the end of the year, Plastic Meatball got the celebration started this week by offering a limited “timed” edition 25th Anniversary T-shirt. 

The long sleeve shirt features artwork of the main cast, the debut of the new 25th Anniversary logo, and a quote from the series’ hero, John Crichton - "I'm not Kirk, Spock, Luke, Buck, or Arthur Frelling Dent. I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas."

The limited edition shirt will be available until midnight March 25 from Plastic Meatball after which the shirt will be retired.

Sesame Street Coming to American Dream!

A new Sesame Street themed area is coming to the American Dream mall. 

According to Nj101 and the Today show:

American Dream in East Rutherford and Sesame Workshop, the global impact nonprofit behind Sesame Street are joining forces to debut a groundbreaking Sesame Street Learn and Play Educational Center at the megamall later this year.

The state-of-the-art facility will feature the iconic street that’s been in existence for more than 50 years, its landmarks, and its characters.

“Generations of children have grown up with the iconic show, and now, kids and those young at heart can engage with Sesame Street firsthand at American Dream,” said Bryan Gaus, senior vice president and general manager of American Dream.

The Sesame Street Learn and Play at American Dream is the first of several planned U.S. locations, which will provide interactive, playful, and hands-on enriching experiences featuring favorite places and faces from Sesame Street, said Senior Vice President of Global Strategic Partnerships and Themed Entertainment Sesame Workshop, Jennifer Ahearn.

The 13,000-square-foot educational play center will take kids into the enchanting world of Sesame Street, where they can put their imaginations to the test. Immersive experiences will help foster playful learning with the furry characters. Children will learn about the rainforest as they step into Elmo’s World. They will role-play a shopping experience in Hooper’s Store, explore Abby Cadabby’s magical garden, and laugh with Bert and Ernie.

At the Sesame Street Community Center, kids will enjoy hands-on arts and crafts, and at the bike shop, they’ll learn about cause and effect with cranks and gears. In the Sesame Street playground, they can climb, slide, explore, and discover fun facts about nature.

Take photos in front of the iconic 123 Sesame Street building stoop, Oscar’s trash can, and more. Big Bird will delight guests with stories at his nest, and Abby and Elmo will make surprise visits.

Party rooms will also be available for booking events and the Sesame Street retail store will have tons of merchandise for sale, too.

 

To learn more about Sesame Street Learn & Play Educational Play Center at American Dream, visit https://www.americandream.com/venue/sesamestreet.

https://www.americandream.com/

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock S1 Bloopers and S2 Trailer!

To get everyone ready for the upcoming second season of Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, the Jim Henson Company not only released a blooper real from season one but the trailer and poster for season 2!

Get ready to laugh your cares away, because we’ve got something you’ve never seen before: Fraggle Flubs! Go behind the scenes with Gobo, Red, Wembley, Mokey and Boober and see which performances from Season 1 didn’t make the cut!

Season 2 Synopsis: Jim Henson’s fun-loving and musical Fraggles — Gobo, Red, Boober, Mokey, Wembley and Uncle Travelling Matt, appearing alongside new Fraggles and Doozers voiced by special guest stars including Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose, Emmy Award winner Brett Goldstein, Emmy Award winner Catherine O’Hara, Tony and Grammy Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Daveed Diggs, Grammy nominee Adam Lambert and K-pop group aespa — are back with more epic, fun and zany adventures, this time with big changes affecting the Rock.

The Fraggles, Doozers and Gorgs will be forced to confront their past and celebrate their interdependence as they move through challenges together with hope, silliness, and brand-new songs, all while dancing their cares away … down at Fraggle Rock.

You can watch the trailer below:

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock is executive produced by The Jim Henson Company’s Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford and John Tartaglia, along with Matt Fusfeld and Alex Cuthbertson. Co-executive producers are Dave Goelz and Karen Prell, and executive music producer is Harvey Mason Jr. The new season is produced by Chris Plourde and co-produced by Tim O’Brien. The series is produced in association with New Regency, with Arnon Milchan and Yariv Milchan executive producing.

In addition to Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Apple’s partnership with The Jim Henson Company includes Harriet The Spy, the first animated adaptation of Louise Fitzhugh’s children’s novel; Slumberkins, the mixed-media puppet/2D animation program from the children’s emotional learning brand.

As you can see, Mokey's pet plant Lambert is back getting a prominent place on the poster and featured in the trailer as well. 

All 13 episodes of Season 2 will premiere globally Friday, March 29 on AppleTV+.

The joining the full first season of Back to the Rock, the Night of the Lights holiday special, the original 1980s series, the Fraggle Rock: Rock On! shorts, plus recently added bonus specials Down at Fraggle Rock, Doozer Music, and Fraggle Songs.

Muppet Stuff - Unboxing Muppet Figural Bag Clips!

Join me as I unbox and try to collect the entire set of Monogram International's Muppet Figural Bag Clips.

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

RSVLTS Jim Henson Archives Collection Shirts!

After previous collaborations on Labyrinth and Dark Crystal shirts, RSVLTS has now teamed up with The Henson Company Archives for a line of shirts based on Jim's sketches. 

You can see the shirts in their Jim Henson Company Archive line below:

JIM HENSON "BY HENSON'S HAND"

It’s fun. It’s fantastical. It’s… kinda freaky.

When most people doodle, it’s a flower. Maaybe a 3D cube if they’re feeling ambitious. When Jim Henson doodled, it was a masterful menagerie of artistic storytelling. We invite you to enter a unique world filled with strange characters, shadowy corridors, ominous words, and more intriguing imagery from the personal collection of the master himself. Imagine the look on Jim’s teacher’s face when she made him show her what he was drawing back there?

JIM HENSON "WHAT THE FUZZ?"

Hey, look! It’s a… ummm… ok, we have no clue what it is, but we do know that it was created by Jim Henson and pulled from his official archives – and that’s good enough for us.

Take home this KUNUFLEX™ button down featuring Jim’s hand-drawn sketch work before it’s gone and you're left making the same face as your could-have-been fuzzy friend. Just make sure to follow proper washing instructions so the poor thing doesn’t come out looking all weird… well, weird-er.

JIM HENSON "CURIOUS CREATURES"

This colorful collage of creativity is a who’s who of what the what??? From long beaks to devilish grins, fancy hats to flashy feathers, it’s a mysterious little masterpiece that could only have come from the mind – and official archives – of Jim Henson.

You can order these and more Henson related shirts at the links above and at the RSVLTS website.