The final Christmas episode – and in fact the final episode of 2009 – sees us celebrating one more week with some great Muppet Christmas music. Special guest segments were provided by Rick Niesen, James Kemp, Michael Stork, and UnknownMuppet.

Thanks for 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. 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

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I had a good portion of this episode planned out well in advance of recording, but as things tend to happen around Christmas, something better came along. So I’m proud to welcome musician Matt Suroweic (official website) back on to the show to discuss the re-release of his tribute to the music of Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas, and to jointly announce a new charity album he and I are undertaking in 2010!

The real topper to this week’s show is the debut of young Muppet fan Juliannah Wilson as she presents the first-ever Muppet Storytime segment. She provides our feature segment this week, gracing us with her reading of “Baby Kermit’s Christmas“.

The MuppetCast is sponsored by our friends at Bell, Book & Comic. Life should be more Fun!

The special introduction to this week’s show will hopefully be heard all around the Disney podosphere this Christmas. It’s a combined reading done by some of us of the well-known editorial piece “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus”. I’d like to thank EVERYONE who helped bring this idea to a reality in the span of a few short days. The voices heard on the recording are:

Juliannah Wilson as Virginia
Paul Barrie – A Window to the Magic
Bryan Ripper & Jonathan Dichter – All About the Mouse
Gary Chambers – The Mouse Lounge
Clinton Alvord – Comedy4Cast
Tom Corless – WDW News Today
James Songster – WDW Cast Member
Scott & Tracey Morris – Disney, Indiana
Tairy Rich – Disney Tidbits
Steve Swanson – The MuppetCast

Thanks to Michael Stork for his Kermit impression and the Hawaiian Christmas tune!

The MuppetCast remembers actress Alaina Reed Hall, who passed away a few days ago at age 63. Ms. Hall played the part of Olivia on Sesame Street from 1976 to 1988, and many of us grew up knowing her as a familiar face on the Street. We celebrate her life this week.

CBS News recently featured the Muppet Whatnot Workshop at FAO Schwarz on The Early Show, Saturday Edition. The hosts made their own whatnots!

If you own an iPhone or iPod Touch, you owe it to yourself to get the new “The Muppets Animal Drummer” app from the iTunes Store. For just $1.99 you can match skill with Animal, and even create your own original beats that Animal plays back to you!

Make sure to pick up the iPhone and iPod Touch-ready Muppets Bohemian Rhapsody (iTunes link) video for only $1.49. Normally I don’t buy the YouTube-released vids in iTunes, but I think you’ll agree that this is highly worth it.

The Muppets will appear on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on January 3 on ABC. Set your DVRs to see the Muppets pitch in and help a St. Paul, MN family save their home.

Sesame Workshop is set to begin making digital books starting in 2010. Check out their official eBook website!

Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter will not return to Goodspeed Opera House next holiday season. Instead, it may go out on tour, or find a different home in the Northeast US. Plans are still being made.

Carl Huster got the unique opportunity to work with Jim Henson very early in Jim’s career. If you’ve heard of the Southern Colnel Muppet character, Carl was working with Jim on the Southern Bread ad campaign, for which the Colnel was invented. Some great video on this site with rare Henson ad footage!

Thanks for 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. 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

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We continue the Christmas 2009 series with a review of the Sesame Street special “Elmo Saves Christmas“. Along with the review, two special guests stop by: Michael Davis, author of “Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street”, and Hervon McNeil of a capella group 14 Karat Soul!

The MuppetCast is sponsored by Bell, Book & Comic. Life should be more Fun!

You can follow Michael Davis and see where he’s appearing around the US at his official website.

See and hear 14 Karat Soul – a group with a long history with Sesame Street and other children’s shows – at their official website!

James Wojtal wanted everyone to know about Puppetworks and their participation in the Macy’s Herald Square Annual Puppet Show, titled “Miracle on 34th St.” It’s based on the film of the same name. Find the official Puppetworks website here.

The Swedish Chef as Santa Claus! Bork, bork, bork…I mean Ho, Ho, Ho!

The Muppets Studio released a new YouTube video recently, featuring the singing trio of the Swedish Chef, Beaker, and Animal as they sing the Christmas classic, Carol of the Bells. Nice work!

The Jim Henson Company also posted several new YouTube videos, all taken from “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter”, now playing at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT. Click here for tickets!

During this episode we played a game where the winner received an autographed first-edition hardcover copy of “Street Gang”, courtesy of Michael Davis. Listener Colbynfriends was the winner, so congratulations! Listen for even more ways to win signed books (and audiobooks) in the coming weeks!

Thanks for 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. 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

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This week we look at a wonderful Muppet Christmas album featuring a dear Muppet friend. “John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together” was first released in 1979, and has seen several re-releases over the years. I think you’ll enjoy hearing the history – and yes, some of the music – from this album.

Also making an appearance is Dave Hulteen, an extremely talented Muppet fan artist. Dave’s work can be seen here on MuppetCast.com, as well as a recent feature article on ToughPigs.com! Dave has two Deviant art accounts, one featuring his premium work, and the other his Muppet work. Make sure to keep an eye out for Dave’s awesome artwork!

Thanks for 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. 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

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I didn’t realize this until I posted the show, but we actually begin this episode with Thanksgiving and end with Christmas! Seems like a good idea, given that we’re kicking off the 2009 holiday season this week. Longtime listener BJ Wanlund is my guest, and in a new Muppet List segment we discuss a Muppet project near and dear to our hearts, Muppet Babies. (more…)

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We celebrate July 4th weekend (in the US) with an updated MuppetCast Salute to America! With some fantastic Muppet news, listener feedback, and some hilarious behind-the-scenes Sesame Street footage, hopefully you’ll enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed putting it all together. (more…)

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To celebrate Mother’s Day this week, we revisit an interview from last year with Muppeteer Richard Hunt’s mother, Jane Hunt. Jane is a real treat, a good friend of the show, and she shares some unique observations and special memories of motherhood and grandmotherhood from years gone by. Of course, a few “Richard stories” are thrown in as well. (more…)

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This episode of The MuppetCast is devoted to the new TV special “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa“, which aired this week on NBC. Along with the great new songs and bits and pieces from the special, you’ll hear from writers Hugh Fink, Scott Ganz, and Andrew Samson. A very special guest also joins us: Muppet legend Paul Williams. (more…)

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This is a Special Edition episode of The MuppetCast, featuring the 1978 special “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street“.

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! (more…)

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Another day, another podcast.

Merry Christmas everyone! This is the special Christmas Eve edition of The MuppetCast, and I think you’ll really love it. Some updates on a few goings-on in the Muppet world, lots of great listener emails, and, just this once, we’re even playing some Muppet Christmas music this week. (more…)

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This week we pay tribute to a favorite Muppet Christmas movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol. We take a look and listen to many parts of the movie, and even get some interviews with people involved in the film! Gonzo the Great, Rizzo the Rat, Brian Henson, Steve Whitmire, Paul Williams, Dave Goelz, they’re all here. Lots of good stuff, so enjoy! (more…)

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This episode of The MuppetCast is devoted to “It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie”. It’s rare that a Muppet movie is not a musical, but this is one of them. That said, there’s still plenty of music and Christmas Muppet material to enjoy!

Speaking of Muppet Christmas music, last year’s “A Green and Red Christmas” album has been nominated for a Grammy! Make sure you have this album for the holidays if you don’t already. If you do already have it, buy it for someone else this year! (more…)

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This special edition of The MuppetCast is devoted to the Christmas specials “A Muppet Family Christmas” and “John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together.” Lots of Muppet-y Christmas stuff to enjoy, so watch the icy patch and have fun! (more…)

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Welcome to this Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas special episode of The MuppetCast! We’ll take a good look at Emmet Otter this week, and even talk to some people who have some special connections to this great Christmas special.

Remember that you still have one week to enter the MuppetCast Christmas Contest! See the website for details. The cutoff date for contest submissions is December 8. (more…)

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