Announcing The Muffin Stuff Blog!

It's hard to muster much enthusiasm for Muppets these days, I mean it's not like they brought back The Muppet Show, have a new attraction coming, or have been featured on any new pins or merch recently.

So my friends, I think it's time to share my true passion - MUFFINS!

Yes, over the next few days you'll see a major overhaul as we transition from Muppets to MUFFINS!

We'll be sharing our favorite MUFFIN recipes, our YouTube channel will focus our our hunt for the perfect, crumb-free MUFFIN, as well as our favorite MUFFIN related clips. 

To ease into this new chapter of social media MUFFIN dominance, here's a few crossover Muppet/MUFFIN videos. 

Muppet Babies even did a whole episode on their love of MUFFINS!

MUFFINS aren't just fun and games though, they can also be DEADLY serious:

MUFFINS can be full of of history:

Miss Piggy's bestie Martha Stewart even makes them:

MUFFINS are the perfect replacement for Muppets. They're fluffy, funny looking, good anytime, can be serious or light, and are all around enjoyable!

Even other puppets know about MUFFINS!

I hope you'll join us as we spread our love for our new passion...MUFFINS!

Bill Barretta and Frank Oz Team Up For "Judge Boing Boing"!

Bill Barretta and Frank Oz have joined forces to slam the gavel on Judge Boing Boing. 

The new series of shorts will debut tomorrow April 1, 2026. Note the date on the docket. 

We're not sure if it's one elaborate April Fools joke, or will actually be a recurring series but it's great to see Bill and Frank team up. 

Check out the teaser trailer below:

 

You can subscribe to the Judge Boing Boing YouTube channel here. 

Classic Episodes of ‘Sesame Street’ Coming to Tubi!

Sesame Street made a deal with Tubi to steam episodes from seasons 1 through 38 to stream on their platform. 

It's no joke, but earlier today it was announced that starting Wednesday, April 1, 250 classic Sesame Street episodes, that aired between1969 and 2007, will be available on the platform. It's part of a one-year deal Sesame made with the Fox-owned streamer. 

Every quarter, 10 percent of the available episodes will be swapped with new ones, bringing additional old-school favorites to the fore.

Some notable episodes that will be available on the platform include the series’ 1969 premiere, The 1988 episode when characters Maria and Lewis get married, the 1980 episode when Star Wars' C-3PO and R2-D2 visited the Street, and the 1978 miniseries “Big Bird Goes to Hawaii.”

Tubi's free, but ad based and It’s not yet known if these episodes will feature ads but speaks to Sesame's continued effort to provide Sesame Street to viewers for free. 

You can begin streaming this classic episodes tomorrow at Tubi.  

The Muppets 70th Campaign Nominated for Shorty Awards!

The Muppets 70th Anniversary campaign has been nominated for three Shorty Awards. 

The campaign is up for best Brand Awareness Campaign, Copywriting, and Brand Voice

From their submission:

Their objective was to execute a 70 week-long celebration of 70 different Muppet characters. Each week, icons were spotlighted like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, fan-favorites like Pepé the King Prawn and Joe the Legal, and extreme deep cuts like Angus McGonagle the Argyle Gargoyle.

The strategy was executed almost exclusively on social, allowing Disney to meet Muppet fans where they already are. Our goal was to celebrate the breadth of 70 years of Muppet history, highlighting not only specific characters and creative projects, but Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and the Muppet Performers who bring the characters to life.

The bulk of the campaign was executed through a mix of scene lifts, video edits, custom scripted character videos, historical still photos, exclusive behind-the-scenes images, and more. Every week, the spotlight was turned onto Muppet fans with fan art prompts for each featured character. 20-40 pieces closed out a character's celebratory week before kicking off the next. In total, over 300 artists were spotlighted, helping this celebration feel both for the fans and by the fans.

The Muppets 70th campaign was unique because it allowed an opportunity for The Muppets to celebrate themselves. As the only characters within The Walt Disney Company who are able to speak in-character and in the first-person on social media, The Muppets were able to celebrate alongside their fans. This was achieved via social exclusive character Q&A sessions, in-character social copy and commentary, and our "Muppets About Muppets" custom video series, where one Muppet would opine about that week's featured character.

The results of The Muppets 70th anniversary campaign exceeded expectations from both an analytics standpoint and a fan reaction standpoint. Posts from the campaign window are now in The Muppets' top 10 most engaged with posts of all-time on Instagram. Mid-way through the campaign, we reached one million Instagram followers, which we celebrated with a custom video featuring Kermit the Frog.

Fan reactions were also spectacular throughout the campaign. Every week, the account was met with so much love for the featured characters, giving us a sense of which fan-favorite characters resonate the most. Disney was thrilled to give fans an exciting, exclusive way to show their love for The Muppets!

You can red more about the campaign and help them win their categories by voting daily through April 8th at: https://shortyawards.com/18th/the-muppets-70th-anniversary-celebration

Congrats to Theresa, Mae, Ryan Leigh, Dani, Michael, Frank, Tiff and everyone involved in The Muppets 70th campaign.

Hallmark Muppet and Sesame Street "Better Together" Magnetic Plush!

Hallmark has two sets of Magnetic Plush Pairs that Henson fans will want to add to their collections featuring Kermit and Miss Piggy and Bert and Ernie. 

First up is the Better Together Muppets Kermit and Miss Piggy Magnetic Plush Pair:

Bring home a little Muppet magic with this charming Better Together magnetic plush duo featuring Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. Kermit beams with his signature embroidered smile, radiating his easygoing charm, while Miss Piggy steals the spotlight in a glamorous fuchsia ball gown complete with pearls and elegant evening gloves. Hidden magnets let the pair connect, separate and reattach to each other easily. Soft, sweet, and full of personality, this set is perfect for fans who adore their iconic, one‑of‑a‑kind chemistry.

Hallmark also has a Better Together Sesame Street Bert and Ernie Magnetic Plush Pair: 

Best friends are better together—just like these fun characters from Sesame Street. Give your friend or kiddo this adorable pair of Muppet pals and roomies, Bert and Ernie. Plush toys stick together, easily separate and reattach with embedded magnets. With embroidered features, tufts of black hair and colorfully striped outfits, these friends will be ready to go on adventures, be naptime companions or sit on a bed, bookshelf or desk. Share them both or keep one and give the other to your bestie or better half to say, "we'll always be better together!"

Each is $24.99 as are available online using the links above and at your local Hallmark store. 

Plastic Meatball Unveils New "Labyrinth" and "Emmet Otter" Items!

Plastic Meatball unveiled their 2026 lineup of Henson Company items at WonderCon over the weekend.

Get ready for wave two of their Labyrinth action figure line launching next month to celebrate the film's 40th anniversary. 

Wave two includes Sarah and Jareth in their ballroom attire, Toby with a Goblin, Sir Didymus with Ambrosius, and Ludo. 

Sarah and Jareth, Toby and Goblin, Sir Didymus with Ambrosius will be available in April, and a deluxe Ludo will be available in the Fall. 

The action figures will be $15 each while the price for deluxe Ludo has not yet been revealed. You see them in more detail in Park and Cons' video below:

But that's not all, they also unveiled they'll be releasing Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas Emmet and Ma Otter deluxe plush replicas later this year as well.  

The detail on these is incredible and they look just like they popped off the screen from the special. No price has been revealed on these yet.

Again, you see them in more detail in Park and Cons' video below:

We'll keep you posted when these are available to order/ pre-order from Plastic Meatball. 

Sesame Place Classic Character Plush - Gladys the Cow!

This year's Sesame Place Classic Character will have you MOOOOvin' your butt to pick one up, Gladys the Cow! 

Gladys first appeared in season 4 before Richard Hunt took over the role a made her into the bovine diva she is known to be. The acting, dancing, and singing cow is now performed by Jennifer Barnhart.

Below are a few clips of Gladys over the years:

You can pick the latest Classic Character plush at Sesame Place parks and at Sesame Street Lands at SeaWorld parks.

Special thanks to Sesame Street Digest for the info. 

Welcome to the Classic Character Collection, Glady's!

Muppet Stuff Video: Booking It to A Four Foot Prune!

Join me as I scour A Four Foot Prune in Philadelphia for all kinds of vintage Muppet and Henson treasures! 

From rare plush, vinyl records, and long-forgotten merchandise, you never know what Jim Henson magic might be hiding on these shelves. Come along to see what treasures turn up—and maybe discover a few must-have collectibles for your own shelf!

A Four Foot Prune: https://www.afourfootprune.com/

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

Muppet Stuff Video: Fan Expo Philadelphia 2025!

Join me as explore Fan Expo Philadelphia for all the Henson-related items on the show floor and Artist Alley. 

We also talk with Sesame Street comic artist Stephanie Williams, Henson performer Morgana Ignis, and an extended interview with Muppet comic strip artist Guy Gilchrist! 

Fan Expo: https://fanexpohq.com/home/events/ 

Guy Gilchrist: https://www.guygilchrist.com/ 

Morgana Ignis: https://www.instagram.com/morganaigni... 

Stephanie Williams: https://www.whysteph.com/

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

'Sesame Street' sues 'SeaWorld' over mishandling brand, unpaid royalties!

Sesame Place and the Sesame Street Lands at SeaWorld parks days be be numbered. 

Yesterday, in New York court Sesame Workshop sued SeaWorld to end their decades-long relationship, accusing the theme ‌park operator of withholding royalties and undermining the "Sesame Street" brand.

SeaWorld, a unit of United Parks & Resorts, has been Sesame's exclusive ​U.S. theme park licensee for 45 years, opening several "Sesame Street"-themed parks and attractions ​featuring characters including Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Elmo.

Sesame Workshop said ⁠SeaWorld has for a few years ignored the most recent licensing agreement, which ​dates from 2017, including by withholding royalties and closing sites, including the temporary closure ​of Sesame Place San Diego.

According to the complaint, matters worsened in September when SeaWorld stopped paying royalties to Sesame Workshop altogether, and as a pretext to end the relationship made the "preposterous" accusation ​that the New York-based nonprofit failed to invest in its own brand.

"SeaWorld’s rogue, ​retaliatory actions pose an imminent threat" to Sesame Workshop by tarnishing its reputation, using its intellectual ‌property ⁠without permission and "disappointing children and families" who hoped to visit the closed sites, the complaint said.

SeaWorld is known for the orca Shamu. A United Parks spokesperson said in a statement the Orlando, Florida-based company looked forward to "setting the record straight in court." ​United Parks changed its ​name from SeaWorld ⁠Entertainment in 2024.

The lawsuit also seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
“United Parks & Resorts has repeatedly failed to honor its contractual obligations, ​leaving Sesame Workshop no choice but to pursue litigation to ​protect our ⁠brand and the trust that families place in it," a Sesame Workshop spokesperson said in a statement.

In September 2024, a federal judge in Orlando upheld an arbitration ruling that ⁠SeaWorld ​pay Sesame Workshop more than $11 million including interest ​for breaching their licensing agreement. SeaWorld didn't pay until October 2025, Sesame Workshop said.

From Reuters with reporting by Jonathan Stempel in ​New York; Editing by Mark Porter, Aurora Ellis, Cynthia Osterman Editing by Louise Heavens

Muppet Stuff Video: Blowze Sesame Street Tissues!

Get ready, collectors and nostalgia lovers — today we're unboxing Blowze's line of Sesame Street tissues boxes! 

Whether you're a die-hard Sesame Street fan, a quirky home décor enthusiast, or just someone who believes blowing your nose should bring you joy — this collection is for YOU.

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

SAVE THE DATE: Celebrate Jim Henson's Birthday at MOMI 2026!

Save the dates of  Sep 24 — Sep 27, 2026 as MoMI will commemorate Jim Henson’s 90th birthday with four days of activities featuring special guests, screenings, puppetry workshops, a collectible swap meet, live music in the courtyard, and more!

That's right, this year instead of two full days of activities, the Museum of the Moving Image will host four straight days of Henson fun!

And of course while your there be sure to include a visit to The Jim Henson Exhibition, the Museum’s dynamic experience exploring Henson’s groundbreaking work for film and television and his transformative impact on culture, where the public can come face-to-face with 50 beloved characters from the worlds of The Muppets, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and other productions released during Henson’s lifetime. 

Here's our look at last year's event:

More details will be announced soon and the full schedule will be posted on MOMI's Website.

Sesame Street World at Universal Studios Japan Closing Permanently!

According to WDW News Today, Universal Studios Japan is planning to permanently close 

their Sesame Street World mini land. 

The land, which opened in 2012, is set to close on May 10th to make way for new experiences. Universal will honor the land with a farewell celebration, “Forever Friends – Always Together.”

During the event, guests can capture their memories with the Elmo and Friends “Memory Snapshot Card.” The semi-translucent card feature Elmo and other Sesame Street characters. Guests can snap pictures of the card with various landmarks. 

Artwork on the cards will change during the event. The first round will start March 20 and run while supplies last. The second round will begin April 15 and run through May 10.

Guests can also share their memories of Sesame Street Fun World at two “Treasure Boards.” These will be in front of Elmo’s Imagination Playland and Sesame’s Big Drive April 11 - May 10.

However, after the closure, the Sesame Street characters will continue to appear throughout the park, including in parades, meet and greets, and the return of the currently closed "Sesame Street 4‑D Movie Magic” attraction. 

This year also marks Universal Studios Japan's 25th anniversary and with the celebration  comes exclusive commemorative merch featuring the park's stars including a whole line of Sesame Street items including a shirt, towel, bucket hat, a keychain set, a Pen and Note set, and BFF Plush Keychains. 

More info on Universal Studio Japan's website. 

RIP Lyle Conway

Sad news as veteran Creature Shop sculptor Lyle Conway has died. 

Conway began his career at the Henson Company in the Muppet Workshop on The Muppet Show.  

He was later asked design the creatures and be the fabrication supervisor on The Dark Crystal sculpting many Skeksis, Urskeks, and Aughra.

On Dreamchild he oversaw the entire shop making sure The Mad Hatter, March Hare, and Lewis Carrol's other creatures looked as close as possible to the book's descriptions and illustrations. After Dreamchild, he freelanced for other films and returned to The Creature Shop to work on Where the Wild Thigs Are. 

Jim's Red book from 7/16/1984 – ‘Dreamchild begins shooting.’ includes this passage about Lyle:

"Designer Lyle Conway, having followed The Dark Crystal with work on the film Return to Oz, was tapped by Jim to oversee the shop for Dreamchild. Conway’s experience paid off and the build exploited everything he and the team had learned, using it in a much more efficient fashion. The budget was tight and, as Conway described, it “…turned out to be one fourth the work [of The Dark Crystal] at ten times the speed. We had 14 weeks to build everything, which is no time at all for us, and I think we stayed that much fresher as a result.” The film opened in summer 1985 to generally positive reviews, particularly for Coral Browne’s performance as Alice, and the writers made much of the creatures from Jim’s shop. The review in The Guardian noted, “The realization by Jim Henson and his team of the fabled creatures of Lewis Carroll’s imagination is beguilingly original.”

A few of Conway's non-Creature Shop work included 1988's The Blob and Return to Oz, in which he not only worked on the creatures, but also performed the voice and face of the Gump. His most notable post-Henson credit was on Frank Oz's Little Shop of Horrors designing Audrey II in each different phase, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.

Below you can see Lyle work brought to life.