Instead of the usual show this week, I’ve decided it’s time to present a new vidcast! And this is one many listeners have been waiting to see for a very long time. This is the complete presentation of the August 2008 Road Trip to New Jersey, featuring Mrs. Jane Hunt (mother of beloved Muppeteer Richard Hunt) and myself as we celebrate Richard’s life and his work.

Listeners who donated in the past year to the show have received their own copy of the DVD (still available upon request with donation) and it’s gotten nothing but positive reviews. By the end of this hour-long video you will come to know and appreciate Richard in a whole new light.

I’d like to again give my sincerest thanks to Mrs. Hunt and her husband Arthur Miller for their kindness to me over that weekend and every time our paths have crossed since.

Enjoy the show! Questions/Comments about the Muppets or The MuppetCast can be emailed to me@muppetcast.com, or called in to the voicemail line at 614-364-4270 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              614-364-4270      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Even better, stop by the Muppet Central Forums and discuss this and many other episodes with Muppet fans worldwide. Follow the show on Twitter and join the Facebook page too!

Have a great week!

-Steve

Also, make sure to vote for the Center for Puppetry Arts in the Nickelodeon Parents’ Poll! You can give them your vote for Best Atlanta Theatre Group for Kids, Best Atlanta Tourist Spot, and Best Atlanta Museum. You can vote daily. Winning in any or all of these categories means a lot for the Center, and will help them achieve their goal of a dedicated Jim Henson wing to their new facility!

Questions/Comments about the Muppets or The MuppetCast can be emailed to me@muppetcast.com, or called in to the voicemail line at 614-364-4270 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              614-364-4270      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Even better, stop by the Muppet Central Forums and discuss this and many other episodes with Muppet fans worldwide. Follow the show on Twitter and join the Facebook page too!

Have a great week!

-Steve

Also joining me in this episode is Jeff Cornett, co-director of the Puppeteers of America’s 2009 National Festival. We talk about PoA, it’s various Muppet connections, and the exciting events contained in this July’s festival. You’ll be booking your travel plans by the end of the interview!

The MuppetCast is sponsored by Bell, Book & Comic. Life Should Be More Fun!

Have you ever heard of the Jim Henson Mississippi Delta Boyhood Museum? It’s in Leland, Miss – Jim’s hometown – and although small in comparison to some other Henson collections, you’ll be glad you made the trip.

The Jim Henson Company’s new CG-animated show Dinosaur Train is set to air September 7, 2009 on PBS KIDS. We first heard about this show months ago, but as we near the debut much more information has surfaced.

The annual Licensing International Expo is set to take place this year in Las Vegas June 2-4. This is the licensing industry’s largest annual event, and this year the Jim Henson Company will be there looking for new licensees for Fraggle Rock!

Brian Calvert for KOMO News in Seattle, WA posted an interview this week with Henson archivist Karen Falk, in anticipation of the arrival of Jim Henson’s Fantastic World at Seattle’s Experience Music Project. The Experience Music Project will open the exhibit to the public on May 23.

The 2009 Daytime Emmy nominations have been published, and Sesame Workshop has been nominated in several categories. Henson’s Sid the Science Kid also received two nominations, so congratulations all around!

The Sesame Street CD “Silly Songs” will be re-released this May 19, this time by KOCH Records, the company currently handling all Sesame Street CD releases. The newly themed packaging features new artwork, and a booklet containing the lyrics to all the songs.

Check out ToughPigs.com for the new works from Peter Savieri, some commentary on the recent Daytime Emmy nominations, and pictures from this year’s “Muppet Rawk” album art imitations.

Thanks for listening this week. It’s amazing to think that all of these memories, the news, the music, all of it sprung from these projects inspired and assisted by one man: Jim Henson.

Questions/Comments about the Muppets or The MuppetCast can be emailed to me@muppetcast.com, or called in to the voicemail line at 614-364-4270 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              614-364-4270      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Even better, stop by the Muppet Central Forums and discuss this and many other episodes with Muppet fans worldwide. Follow the show on Twitter and join the Facebook page too!

Have a great week!

-Steve

This special episode features an interview with one of the most-requested Muppet performers among the fans, Jerry Nelson. Now retired, Mr. Nelson was one of the very early Muppeers, working closely with Jim Henson on projects like Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and Fraggle Rock; not to mention numerous Henson films like The Muppet Movie, The Dark Crystal, and The Muppet Christmas Carol. His career spans over 40 years, with much of that time spent as a principal Muppet performer.

Thanks to everyone who left voicemails and sent in special audio pieces for the show. It truly is the Muppets fans – from all over the world and from every walk of life – that keep The MuppetCast afloat. I sincerely appreciate your listening.

Questions/Comments about the Muppets or The MuppetCast can be emailed to me@muppetcast.com, or called in to the voicemail line at 614-364-4270 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              614-364-4270      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Even better, stop by the Muppet Central Forums and discuss this and many other episodes with Muppet fans worldwide. Follow the show on Twitter and join the Facebook page too!

Have a great week!

-Steve

-Steve

Paul created and helped write Letters to Santa, along with writing the wonderful new songs for it. He talks about both this special AND the new Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas musical, which he also revamped for the stage, and for which he also wrote new songs.

Hugh, Scott, and Andrew also wrote the much-discussed but never-seen Muppet Election Special, and you’ll briefly hear about their ideas for that piece. In my opinion these three have the right idea of where to take the Muppets, and Letters to Santa is a good “first project” in Disney’s new campaign to revitalize them.

Stick around for some after-Christmas fun next week.

Questions/Comments can be emailed to me@muppetcast.com, or called in to the studio phone line at 614-364-4270. Make sure to stop by the Muppet Central Forums for some spirited discussion of Letters to Santa (or any other Muppet topic), and check out Muppet Central Radio’s offering of Muppet Christmas music.

Merry Christmas, Jolly Everything, and Have a great week!

-Steve

Next week is another special episode, as I’ll be featuring “A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa“. That airs on NBC this Wednesday, December 17, at 8PM EST. Along with listening in on much of it, you’ll hear from writers Scott Ganz, Andrew Samson, and Hugh Fink. There may be a fourth special guest, but that isn’t confirmed at this point. Stay tuned!

The premiere performance of Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas went very well last Sunday, the Hartford Courant has a picture of Brian Henosn, Jane Henson, and Paul Williams at the theater.

On January 30, William Paterson University will be hosting “Sesame Street at 40: A Night of Celebration and Discovery with the Legendary Cast“. This special evening’s panel discussion will feature Frank Oz, Kevin Clash, Caroll Spinney, Marty Robinson, Fran Brill, and David Rudman. Also on the panel are Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, and writer Tony Geiss. Michael Davis, author of “Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street“, will be the evening’s moderator.

This episode features much of “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street”, but there were parts that I left out on purpose. This video is posted in seven parts on YouTube (not by me), and I want you to go watch it yourself! There are some truly laugh-out-loud moments with the Muppets interacting with the kids that are just adorable. That, and the fact that so much of this special gets right to the heart of Sesame Street – with some very memorable moments from characters like Mr. Hooper, Big Bird, and Maria – makes this one for the ages. They truly don’t make ‘em like this anymore.

Here are the links to see it all on YouTube. Apologies if you’re reading this on your iPod and not on the website:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7

And there you have it! I hope this episode of The MuppetCast helps keep you in the holiday spirit and brings a little joy into your week. Let me know how you liked it.

Questions/Comments can be emailed to me@muppetcast.com, or called in to the studio line at 614-364-4270. Make sure to also stop by the Muppet Central Forums and say hello. It’s the best time of year over there, with Muppet Central Radio playing nonstop Muppet Christmas music. What could be better?

Have a great week!

-Steve