Way back in 2006, Kanye West had a vision for a Saturday Night Live-esque adult comedy puppet show—unfortunately, Alligator Boots never made it farther than the pilot stage for Comedy Central. Then last September, behind-the-scenes footage of the show suddenly appeared online... and was removed just as quickly. But as we were reading Grantland's massive Aziz Ansari piece today, we saw a link to that video and decided to check it out. And hey, would you look at that: a pre-sex tape Kim Kardashian shows up wearing Princess Leia's metal bikini. more ›

Nerdcore rapper MC Frontalot just dropped this video for his song "Stoop Sale" and it's pretty cute. Frontalot (a.k.a. Damian Hess) describes it as an all-puppet extravaganza about buying a mystical item on a street corner in Brooklyn. But what it's really about [SPOILER ALERT] is how agonizing over a decision can make you miss out on incredible opportunities that will never come again. more ›

Before the Muppets take over the cineplexes this Thanksgiving (which, don't get us wrong, is going to be awesome!), brush up on some of the lesser-known, and sometimes less-kid-friendly puppets to make it to the silver screen at BAM's "Puppets on Film" exhibit. more ›

The Fall TV season begins in earnest next week (though the CW and NBC jumped the gun and began showing off their new shows this week) which means we're all about to be bombarded with analysis of Nielsen overnight ratings (not to mention DVR ratings). But unlike box office receipts, few people really know what it means when you get a 1.4 rating / 4 share of the Adult 18-49 market with 2.989 million viewers. But you know who does know? ESPN's puppets. And they're happy to explain it to you: more ›

If the blazing heat this week has you wishing for Arctic climes, here's a teaser for an upcoming show at BAM that will have you wishing for the days of shorts and sandals in no time. Master marionette craftsman Erik Sanko (who wowed us with The Fortune Teller) has been working on a new show at BAM called 69°South, following the trials and tribulations of Arctic explorer Ernest Shackleton in 1916. more ›

A tipster pointed us to the "Mock the Dummy" video below, which depicts Rand Paul, Carl Paladino and others explaining how to form your own Tea Party, what issues to stress, etc ("It's my Tea Party, and I'll cry if I want to"). Paladino is depicted with a Yankees hat, and a tuft of purple-ish chest hair (we think it's chest hair), and he tells the other puppets what the people really want: "They're looking for fucking cajones. Not some prince hiding behind Daddy's coattails." more ›

Would it surprise you to learn that ninety percent of Bronxchester Sen. Pedro Espada Jr.'s campaign cash from the past year comes from outside the Bronx? Since June 2009, Espada has raised $261,000 from individuals and corporations, ninety percent of which ($237,510) came from elsewhere, the Daily News reports. more ›

We received an email this morning which alerted us that somewhere in New York City, right now, there is $10,000 in U.S. mint one-dollar coins buried in a treasure chest. more ›

A puppet proprietor in DUMBO is on the receiving end of some harsh words from some of the Hindu community. Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain in Nevada, sent the owners of the Unemployed Philosophers Guild on Jay Street a letter this week, voicing disapproval of the shop's Shiva and Ganesh puppets. more ›

Yesterday, it was revealed that the United Teachers Federation gave City Council cue cards of questions to pose during a Department of Education hearing. The Post's David Seifman writes, "The questions for the Department of Education were sharp and confrontational. The questions for the union were softballs." Councilman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) told Seifman, "You couldn't get by without them handing you a card. It was almost like an admission ticket to the hearing," while Councilman James Oddo (R-Staten Island) said, "I've had people suggest to me ask the commissioner this or ask this witness that. I've never had anybody type up cue cards for me." The Daily News reports, "Nearly half the members of a City Council committee who got cue-card questions from the teachers union at a heated charter school hearing got campaign cash from the labor group." (The Post, in an editorial, also accused the Council of being for sale.) UFT spokesman Ron Davis was apologetic and said, "We certainly don't plan on it happening again." However, good government group Common Cause thought the cue cards were okay, since both sides were heard. more ›

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. more ›

Do you enjoy ingeniously crafted rock tunes, with brilliant lyrics and arrangements for accordion, keyboard, ukulele, guitar, bass and drums? Do you like pirates? How about puppets? Rum based drink specials? Laughing until your sides hurt? If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you’re ready to set forth on the dread ship Jollyship the Whiz-Bang, the rollicking “pirate puppet rock odyssey” that’s currently docked at Ars Nova. more ›