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Inspired by a remark from our dear friend Butters Kenny, this thread is about any and all things pertaining to muppets - those puppet-like creations of Jim Henson.

You can talk about the Muppet Show, the performers, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Muppet Babies - anything pertaining to the world of Jim Hensons muppets you'd like.

Watch this 'timely' clip and get some inspiration!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGzX5eAm1aw

I've just been searching YouTube and came up short. I have somewhere here something I recorded on a DVD from a public television special. It was about Jack Parr and his Tonight Show. One of the guests was Jim Henson. He and his assistant (maybe his wife???) put on the first national performance of the Muppets in history. Henson was doing this on a local TV station before The Tonight Show Appearance. It starred Kermit the Frog and some character who was a Monster. Kermit was singing something about "I love the way you look,' and the girl muppet turned into a monster and tried to eat Kermit.

Edit: Still looking for the Jack Parr Show, but here is a 5 second bread commercial I found:

Click This for YouTube Link

Dude....the best use of any muppets was Labrynth.

Yeah, it really is interesting to go back and view some of those old "Sam and Friends" clips. Even though the production value was much lower back then, to see it now, it looks like the wry sense of humor was always there from the beginning.

As for JJ, I agree to the extent that labyrinth represented a high point in muppet design and functional ability.

Bork Bork Bork!

Here's another favorite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yvHWyvexZA

I remember seeing that Jack Parr appearance you talked about. I don't know where you could find it now.

Thanks, BRMBug. Thanks for trying to find it on the net. But I do know one place to find it: Somewhere here in my house on a DVD that I recorded myself from my DVD-R.

Once I find it, I'll upload it to YouTube, and then link it here.

My search begins . . . . .

"Dad, what's a muppet?"

"Well, it's not quite a mop and not quite a puppet..."

The Muppets need to comeback with a bang.

Not alot of kids know who The Muppets are theses days and they don't know how to love them, like the adults.

"Wacca Wacca"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco

*since you said Sesame Street* I have two of Cookie Monster I love to share.

Here's one I have nevered shown before and it's badly funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5thpdEEE-DE

and the favorite Stephen Colbert aguring with Cookie Monster. That I have shown before.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colber ... 74545/june

I think the replacements for the original actors are doing a decent job considering the acts they have to follow;

Steve Whitmire as Ernie and Kermit sound decent.
Eric Jacobson sounds good as a replacement for Frank Oz with Bert, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Grover, but his Miss Piggy falls a little flat IMO.

David Rudman, who now does Cookie Monster, is alright in that clip with Stephen Colbert, but nobody could ever do that character like Frank Oz. Compare it to This Martha Stewart clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Orxd5L5qFLI

I guess I'm a "Cookie Monster purist" , he's a Frank Oz creation and will never be as great performed by anybody else. But newer clips like the Colbert one are good for nostalgia.

After watching Letters to Santa. I thought Miss Piggy's new voice was flat. The new voice makes her sound like she caught a cold. But they still make great jokes, coming out of her mouth.

Edit: ( I just watched the video)

Yes, I hear the difference in the voices.

But comparing Martha's interview over Colbert's.

I kind of agree with the person that said "martha gets too into making cookies and isn't a good host for a muppet . "

Well, she's too busy to be playing with Cookie Monster for one. It's hard to do two things at one time. But a Colbert type show is much better for that kind of playing . Colbert was right at his face and gave Cookie Monster all the attention.

Moving the topic to that other blue monster created by Mr. Oz (Grover) one of my favorite Sesame skits with him is from the first season, in his first appearance, which I'm sure most people here, including me, never saw as a kid as this was almost 40 years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZLBQTv1Xus

Check it out - he's green with an orange nose and he sounds like Cookie Monster.

Some people have said that when Grover says "Alright, I'll get in the box," he originally said "the DAMN box" and the word damn was silenced. There is a very noticeable pause between the words "the" and "box."

Also, check out the monster at the end of the skit - it's like they were trying to scare the hell out of kids back then.

^ His mouth moved like he was saying "damn" too. I wondered when they changed him? Maybe the next season like they did Oscar.

Monster in the Mirror (celebrity version) is the only time I think of Grover. But only because I got excited when it came to seeing The Simpsons in the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maYnqbdo2jw

Rewatching it now. Interesting to see how many people on there, have passed away.