Results tagged “muppets”

The gang from Sesame Street was out walking the red carpet last night for their 7th Annual Gala benefiting the Sesame Workshop. Held far away from their Astoria home at Cipriani on 42nd Street, the muppets (friends of the First Lady) greeted some bold-face names, and Sheryl Crow even performed a duet with Elmo. Here are some of your Sesame faves (glad to see Grover made it out!) with the likes of Mayor Bloomberg, Brian Williams and Al Roker. Why do you think muppets hate Al Roker so much; maybe he didn't deliver enough "sunny days" to the street?

We knew that Office creator Ricky Gervais doesn't hold back on his signature off-color smarminess when he appears on award shows, but apparently children's shows aren't safe from it either. Gervais recently visited the set of Sesame Street and taught Elmo a word we're pretty sure the show hasn't learned before. But despite Gervais's notorious quick wit, puppeteer extraordinaire Kevin Clash didn't miss a beat. Here's the AP's clip of the two of them behind the scenes.

As the world readies for a new Late Night talk show host, here's a little history lesson on Jimmy Fallon's new set, which also housed Jack Paar's (and Johnny Carson's) Tonight Show. In the video below, circa 1984, Paar gives David Letterman a tour of his old studio, where Letterman's Late Night desk also sat. One door inside of a dressing room that remained locked for 20 years is opened to reveal some masterfully adorned pipes, a tribute from Jim Henson and the Muppets to Paar. Fallon confirms that the pipes are still there, and says "We're preserving it and putting it behind plexi."

If you've ever wondered where your favorite Muppets come from (and who hasn't), CNN has a great piece on the backgrounds of the Jim Henson creations. While all the big names are covered, so are the smaller ones. Take Rizzo the Rat for instance, they note that his name might sound familiar if you've seen Midnight Cowboy, because he's "named for Dustin Hoffman's character, Ratso Rizzo. He was created after puppeteer Steve Whitmire was inspired by rat puppets made from bottles." His first appearance was on the Muppet Show with a pack of rats following Christopher Reeve around. Meanwhile, the hugely popular Elmo (friend of Gothamist), wasn't created until puppeteer Kevin Clash put some life into an extra red puppet in 1984.

A brand spankin' new Muppets movie is coming to the small screen tonight (they were filming in Park Slope as recently as September). Letters to Santa stars all the muppets (according to Miss Piggy in the below behind-the-scenes clip), and has appearances by Mayor Bloomberg (as himself), Uma Thurman, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg (as a cab driver) and 30 Rock's Jane Krakowski. According to the Washington Post, one of our mayor's lines is: "the one thing New Yorkers are known for is being polite."

     

Ever want to see yourself in Muppet form? FAO Schwartz is offering the chance to do just that with their Muppet Whatnot Workshop. For just 90 bucks you can create your own muppet, to be delivered to your doorstep in just a few weeks.

Off of their balcony seats and into a NY Times Op-Ed spread, it's Statler and Waldorf! Together again, still grumpy and disagreeable, and speaking out on tonight's big debate. This isn't the first time the duo has been dragged into politics, they're often used in Jon Stewart's commentary (as recently as this year's DNC, in fact). But the question remains: who will be their Fozzie Bear of tonight's action?

For his Steely Dan-sampled "Champion" video, Kanye West turned himself into a Muppet (video), and now The Daily News reports that West could be developing a Muppet-like television show. MTV's Doug Herzog told the paper "We're working on a pilot with Kanye. It's going to be a black version of 'The Muppets.'" Maybe Bert & Ernie could make a cameo and work on their rap game...or perhaps Roosevelt Franklin can make be resurrected! In real Muppets news, the NY Times checked out the show's comeback, which includes a Christmas special to be aired on NBC this December (being filmed in Brooklyn).

Hey, the muppets are here to help you prepare for the next big terrorist attack, and other terrors—like nature's wrath! Of course, not even Super Grover can help clean up George Bush's war, but he can lend a brightly colored smiling face to fearmongering. Wired reports that Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff and his wife Meryl have worked with the Sesame Workshop and the Ad Council to come up with a campaign focusing on preparedness. They've declared that "it's a fact of life that not every day is a sunny day," and "recent events have exposed families to a range of disasters; the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 have particularly emphasized the need to ensure children's physical and psychological protection." Grover and others will be the face of the campaign, which includes DVDs, magazines and more! But what they really ought to do is update The Monster at the End of the Book by writing Dick Cheney into the denouement.

One West Coast baby blog has had it up to here with the lack of respect Grover is getting on Sesame Street, asking "has anybody gotten screwed over" more than the lovable blue guy? The one time Big Muppet on Campus has been overshadowed by that fame whore Elmo. They claim the red muppet, who has less of a pot belly and a dumbed down version of Grover's schtick, has become what Al Roker is to Willard Scott. It's also noted that the other Sesame Street elders, like Big Bird, get more respect, with "classy elder statesman" roles. What's next, will Super Grover be taken out of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Who better to celebrate the rich tapestry and diversity of America than the Muppets? They can be seen above performing a rousing rendition of 'Stars and Stripes Forever' in their own inimitable style. If one is watching the fireworks this evening, we suggest using this video as a simulcast audio addition.

The creator of Big Bird and Snuffleupagus, Kermit Love, died at the age of 91 this past Saturday from congestive heart failure; he was in Poughkeepsie, close to where he lived with his long-time partner Christopher Lyall. Though many rumored Kermit the Frog was named after him, the character was created long before Love began his career.