The Muppet Mindset Goes Hollywood, Part 3

Ryan Dosier - My story of my time in the dream factory, the magic store, Hollywood, continues today after two previous parts highlighted events from the previous days. In Part 1, I went to the Cast and Crew Screening of The Muppets on the Walt Disney Studios lot. Two days later, in Part 2, I spent the first half of my day on Hollywood Boulevard for the green carpet at The Muppets World Premiere and actually got into the World Premiere Screening! We take you now to the continuation of that day already in progress...

I had just seen The Muppets for the second time in three days--two weeks before its actual release date. To say that I was on cloud nine would be a major understatement. As I made my way out of the theater and into the lobby of the El Capitan Theatre, I waited amongst the crowd to catch up with the Barrettas and find out what the Dancing With the Stars situation was. While I was waiting, a horde of celebrities walked out past me. It's such a bizarre thing to be standing somewhere that Anthony Hopkins is... even when he's just walking past you. Anyway, I finally found the Barrettas--who were surprisingly unsurprised that I managed to get in to the screening--and I think I basically asked when and where I should meet them to go to Dancing With the Stars. What happened next changed everything (it's amazing how many times everything changed on this trip). Cristina Barretta pulled off her Guest badge for the premiere (see right) and handed it to me. "Here," she said with her wonderful grin, "take this and meet us at the after party. We'll leave from there. Go have fun!"

So, mouth agape, cloud flying even higher, I floated across the street to the Kodak Theatre (where, you know, they have the Academy Awards) and up a few escalators, past some security, and into a huge room decked out in Muppet Theater Curtain crimson and adorned with countless Muppet posters, movie props (including The Muppet Show sign and the portraits from "Pictures in My Head"), four bars, and two desert stations. It was completely overwhelming and I had never experienced anything like it... nor will I ever again. Oh, and celebrities were literally everywhere I turned.

I met so many incredible people while at the after party, including the winner of the Yamaha Entertainment Group contest, Jeremiah Lance, who was about as excited as I was (I had a slight advantage because I'm an obsessed Muppet fan). I didn't have anything at all to eat or drink while at the after party, because I was too busy meeting icons and personal heroes and super talented people. I shook hands with Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs) and Rashida Jones signed my poster, and I met and got pictures with Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother), Darren Criss (Glee), Kristen Schaal (Flight of the Conchords), Joel McHale (Community), Bret McKenzie, Amy Adams, and Jason Segel. I honestly don't remember what I said to Amy... she is so stunning and sweet and charming in person that I lost all sense of anything. Thank goodness I have the picture below to jog my memory...

Jason Segel, however, was so monumentally wonderful to me that he gets an entire paragraph to himself. I don't think I've ever been more nervous about approaching a person than I was about approaching Jason--and not just because he's a giant. This was the guy who had accomplished everything I ever want to by working with the Muppets. Luckily for me, I was watching young mister Jackson Barretta for Cristina at the time and he, being completely uninhibited and great, went right up to Jason and gave him a high five (quite a stretch for Jason). I followed suit (minus the high five), and introduced myself as "Ryan from The Muppet Mindset," to which Jason responded, "Oh, hey! You guys had a great review of the movie!" Steadying myself from passing out right there, I handed Jason my business card, he read it, and lit up. He pointed at me and grinned and said, "You're Ryan! You wrote the review!" I told him that I was indeed and he started going on about how much he enjoyed my review, how glad he was that I liked the movie ("We made this movie for the fans like you. It means so much that you liked it."), and then... well, then he said, "Really, your review was one of the ones we were most looking forward to--it really means so much." How I refrained from passing out and remaining coherent, I'll never ever know. Jason was gracious enough to sign my poster and take a picture with me... which is right here:

My life had been made, my happiness level had never been higher, and somehow... it still wasn't over. Cristina came to find Jackson and I, we grabbed gift bags (with OPI nail polish and pistachios, plus a free copy of Disney twenty-three magazine), and were escorted out onto Hollywood Boulevard where a private car was waiting to drive us to CBS studios for the filming of Dancing With the Stars. As we drove, I just sat and absorbed everything that had just happened. I still couldn't believe any of it. I just kept looking through my pictures and smiling until we got to CBS. We went in the "VIP Entrance" and the Dancing people (they weren't really dancing) took us to the main stage where the Muppeteers and Muppets were rehearsing. Kermit and Steve Whitmire, Miss Piggy and Fozzie and Eric Jacobson, Gonzo and Dave Goelz, Pepe and Bill Barretta, Walter and Peter Linz, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, Rowlf, Sam Eagle, Dr. Honeydew, Beaker, Animal, and The Swedish Chef... everyone was there.

Also there were the Muppet Wives, as they so love to be called (and as they should totally pitch to Oxygen for a new reality show). The amazing and supportive and friendly wives of Peter Linz, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, and Eric Jacobson were all there, along with Dave Goelz's lovely wife and two awesome kids. I was lucky enough to have conversations with all of them, and they were so intrigued by me and The Muppet Mindset and so supportive and genuine. It's easy to see why the Muppet performers married these brilliant women. Even Dave's kids were fantastic! We talked at length about the movie and they didn't even mind when I said, "Okay, this is going to sound weird, but your dad is one of my favorite people. Gonzo is my all-time favorite and I just love his work." Truly, truly amazing people who, again, had no requirement to be nice to me, but that's just who they are.

The Muppet Wives weren't the only ones I got to meet that night... I also met the Muppets!! The experience of meeting a Muppet will turn you into a seven year old immediately. You completely forget about Bill or Dave or Peter... and you just buy into it 100%. It started when Bill came over with Pepe on his arm. He started entertaining his son with Pepe. And then... Pepe looked at me. "Hola! You having a good time?" I responded with a laugh and an affirmative, then I asked Pepe--Pepe, not Bill... I was a mess--if I could take a picture with him. "Si, si, come on!" Pepe told me. then this happened...

Can you say, "Profile picture for life?" And then... Gonzo. Dave Goelz came over with Gonzo still on his arm. Now... background on me, Gonzo is my absolute favorite Muppet. Always has been, always will be. I was so elated to see Gonzo (again... I saw him in person in St. Louis last October), that I practically jumped when I asked if I could take a picture. Gonzo said sure, and unfortunately the lighting on the stage was terrible, but you can obviously tell that it's me standing with Gonzo... which is more than enough for me.

Later, Dave told me that someday I'd get a better picture with Gonzo. I'll probably hold him to that if I ever get the chance. Then my pal Peter Linz came over with Walter. My meeting with Walter was probably the greatest thing that happened on my trip. We took a picture together (because Peter was gracious and awesome) and then Walter held out his hand for me to shake. As I shook the little felt piece with an armrod attached, I said, "Walter, I loved you in the movie. I'm such a big fan." Walter then gasped that glorious Walter gasp and said breathlessly, "You're a big fan of me? But... I'm a big fan of you! How does that work?" For the millionth time that day, I nearly passed out. Walter and I laughed, and then told me he had to get back to work, "Since I'm a big star now." Here's the amazing picture...

But the most amazing thing about this night was being present, live, in-person to see the Muppeteers perform. Words cannot adequately describe the talent of these guys. Yes, we've all seen their work, sure, some of us have even seen them perform on camera... but absolutely nothing compares to watching them work live on a major musical number. Steve Whitmire and Bill Barretta were amazing... they took Kermit and Pepe over to the audience and started just goofing around with them. At one point, Katy Perry's "Firework" played to keep the audience entertained, and Kermit did an entire, unscripted, unhinged, amazing lip-sync and dance to the song, with Bill doing hysterical stuff with Kermit's right hand. It was pure magic and a moment that I will always treasure.

And then they performed and more magic happened everywhere you turned. Whether it was Kermit playing the piano, Eric Jacobson performing Miss Piggy, Matt Vogel dropping rose petals ("Sometimes... you just need a guy to drop a few rose petals."), Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire cracking up Tom Bergeron as Statler and Waldorf, Peter Linz making Walter whistle, or David Rudman just being spectacular bringing Fozzie to life... magic was everywhere. Did I mention that they filmed the entire "Life's a Happy Song" performance in one take? Because they did. Brilliance abounding.

Before I knew it, it was over, and the Muppets were whisked away, and the Muppeteers with them. I stayed with the Muppet Wives until someone from Dancing With the Stars came down to tell us that they were taking the family up to the green room. I hesitated and said I could just go, but Cristina grabbed me and pulled me along with them. Indirectly declaring me part of the family. I seriously could have cried. We went upstairs, and there we were... all of us just hanging around. Me, a 21 year old kid from Illinois, hanging around with the seven main Muppet performers and their families. Again... it just didn't add up, but I didn't bother rechecking the math.

I chatted with each and every performer and shared an amazing moment with all of them. Steve Whitmire was thrilled to see me, "Ryan!" he shouted. "So glad you finally caught up to us!" Eric Jacobson was so pleased that I liked the movie in his quiet, brilliant way. Dave Goelz was hilarious and kind and remembered that he met me in St. Louis. "Are you from there?" Dave asked. I told him I was about two hours from there. "So you drove two hours just to see me?!" and then, a beat later, "Wait... you came all that way just to see us here?!" Amazing. David Rudman told me some incredible stories about Richard Hunt, and when I told him how great Scooter was in the movie, all he did was talk about Richard. Matt Vogel was brilliant and so much fun as he talked about his rose-petal-dropping prowess, and again, when I talked about how great Floyd and Uncle Deadly were in the movie, he just talked about Jerry Nelson. And, finally, Peter Linz... who was possibly as excited to be there as I was, was elated to show me the pictures he had taken at the green carpet. And as they all left, every one of the Muppeteers said goodbye to me, told me we'd talk soon, and bid farewell. My night ended with me being driven home in a private car, taken back to my hotel. My night ended with me being happier and stunned and higher than I ever had been in my life.

I said this when I first started writing the series... but life will always surprise you in amazing, unbelievable ways. If you had asked me, two years ago, when I started The Muppet Mindset, if I thought that I would ever get to do any one of the things I did between November 10th and 12th, I would have laughed. I would have laughed and shook my head if you asked if I would ever see a Cast and Crew screening of a theatrical Muppet movie. I would have laughed if you asked if I would ever be a member of the crowd at the World Premiere of a theatrical Muppet movie, much less get into it. I would have laughed if you asked if I would ever meet Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Pepe, Gonzo, Walter, any Muppeteer, or any number of other people. If you had asked me if I thought I would ever, in my wildest dreams, get to hang out with seven of my heroes in a green room after their performance, I would have told you to stop getting my hopes up with such ridiculous questions.

But all of these things happened. All of these things changed my life. All of these things reaffirmed my faith in the goodness of people. I can't express enough just how wonderful and incredibly nice every single person was to me. I have way too many people to thank for all of this... here's a list that probably doesn't include someone... I can never, ever thank these people enough: Cristina Barretta, Bill Barretta, Mary Jacobson, Peter Linz, Rocco Fonzarelli, Jill Breitzman, Lylle Breier, Kevin Frawley, Jason Segel, James Bobin, Steve Whitmire, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Matt Vogel, and David Rudman. Each of them made my trip what it was... and it was unreal and indescribable (trust me... I've tried to describe it for a month and still come up short).

Oh, I just remembered someone I didn't thank... YOU. You, and you, and you, and you, and you--well, all of you. If it weren't for each and every one of you and your undying support and undying passion, none of this would be possible. Everything I do here at The Muppet Mindset, out in Hollywood, anywhere, is for you the fans. You're the reason for The Muppet Mindset, and The Muppet Mindset is the reason for this trip, and so you're the reason for my life changing. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To see each and every picture from my adventure in Hollywood, check out The Muppet Mindset on Photobucket. There are countless pictures that didn't make it into the three posts, so if you wish to see them all, now's your chance!






The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

News Update: November 18, 2011

NEWS UPDATE: November 18, 2011

MightyFine T-Shirts have announced the top five winners of their recent Muppet t-shirt design contest! Five wonderful t-shirts are being produced from artists and friends of The Muppet Mindset, Kenny Durkin and Dave Alvarez, along with three other talented artists! I honestly can't pick a shirt I like the best... they're all very, very well done. But I know for sure that I will be purchasing Kenny's and Dave's, and probably the Electric Mayhem Tiki shirt as well. The shirts are $25 dollars each and come in varying colors and levels of awesome. Be sure to get one for yourself and secretly hope it gets there before Wednesday!

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, the Muppets teamed up with UL Fire Safety Labs, which debuted with the UL Fire Safety PSA, and now continues with two new videos: Holiday Safety with Kermit, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and Beaker, and Cooking Safety with Kermit and The Swedish Chef. You can check out the latter embedded below!

Earlier this week, The Muppets Studio debuted three Muppets parody posters just in time for the release of Twilight: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (ugh). The posters feature Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and Rowlf the Dog parodying characters from the popular Twilight series, Edward Cullen (the sparkly vampire), Bella Swan, and Jacob (the shirtless werewolf). Rowlf's poster is featured at right, and you can see the other two from the links above!

Muppet fans over seas have been mostly getting the shaft in all of this movie promotion, and especially in the much later release date. But they've finally got a win under their belts, with the amazing, epic United Kingdom movie theater exclusive commercial for the Orange cell phone company. The commercial features the Muppets selling out for Orange and completely revamping their show. Thankfully, we still get to see a countless troupe of Muppets singing and dancing and being awesome. Check it out below!



Our good friends over at StitchKingdom.com always seem to get the best Muppet scoops (probably because they're the best), and they recently acquired some awesome new content including tons of hi-res stills from the movie, magazine pictures, and specific Muppet pictures as well! Be sure to check out the great stills from the film, because they really are spectacular. Also, it's nice to have an official, hi-res picture of Scooter, Rowlf, Sam Eagle, and The Electric Mayhem!

A few weeks ago, we mentioned that DisneyStore.com would be releasing a Walter plush toy very soon. Well... he's here! Yes, Walter is finally available for purchase! Walter is 18 inches tall (that's how tall he actually is!), costs $16.50 plus shipping, but he looks like he's worth every penny. Trust me, once the movie is out people everywhere will be clamoring for a Walter plush, so pick yours up while you've got the chance! I ordered mine already (which is really the only reason this is included in the News Update).

And now for the Amazing Muppet Talk Show Appearances of The Week section... first up, Miss Piggy on Jimmy Kimmel Live from Monday, where she and Jimmy discuss the movie, her stardom, the rest of the Muppets, and so much more. The pig looked gorgeous, and you can see her entire interview for yourself below!





The very next day, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Walter, Gonzo, Fozzie, Animal, Scooter, Sam Eagle, Rowlf, Bunsen, Beaker, and The Swedish Chef all appeared on ABC's Dancing With the Stars to perform a massive song and dance number to "Life's a Happy Song" from The Muppets (and Statler and Waldorf appeared to heckle). This is probably my absolute favorite of all the Muppet appearances we've seen in this fervor of promotion for the movie--and you can see the whole thing below!!



As if that weren't enough, on Wednesday, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy appeared on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon! As we Muppet fans are all aware, the Muppets are always at their best on Jimmy's show, and this appearance was absolutely not an exception. Below you'll find the interview segment with Kermit and Piggy, plus the frog and pig playing "Password," hosted by Jimmy and played alongside the always-wonderful Martin Short and R.E.M.'s leading man, Michael Stipe. Watch the greatness unfold below!





And closing off the week of Muppet appearances yesterday was the massive Muppet takeover of Good Morning America on ABC. Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo, Pepe, Fozzie, Animal, Rizzo, The Swedish Chef... the gang was all on hand to celebrate their movie and goof around with Robin Roberts, George Snuffleupagus (spelling?), and the rest of the GMA crew all morning long as they overtook Times Square! Lucky for you, our good friends at ToughPigs.com have every single clip from yesterday's show in one convenient place! But we've got something they don't... an exclusive, Muppeteer-filled, video from our friends at StitchKingdom.com. Watch the video below to see Bill Barretta (Mahna Mahna), Steve Whitmire (Kermit), Dave Goelz (Gonzo), Eric Jacobson (Miss Piggy), Matt Vogel (Snowth, Camilla), and Peter Linz (Snowth) in a rare on-camera appearance! It's amazing how unbelievably talented these performers are... and it's just so much fun to see stuff like this.



And as a reminder for the rest of the week... Animal will be drumming with The Roots on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon TONIGHT (November 18th) on NBC, so be sure to tune in. Also, an appearance that should not be missed... Jason Segel is hosting Saturday Night Live on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19th on NBC. No Muppet appearances are confirmed... but we know for a fact that all of the Muppeteers are in New York City anyway... so why not stop by SNL while they're there? It only makes sense. Tune in to find out if they make it!!

Remember way back when we were still talking about The Muppets filming? Remember way back when we didn't even know Amy Adams was in the film? Well, now you can find out how she got involved in the film: a specially-filmed video invitation from Jason Segel and Kermit the Frog, asking Amy to come play with the Muppets (and also possibly be in a movie). Here, watch it for yourself below!



Well, I think we've had just about enough with this (massive) News Update, so we'll close with two great videos from the World Premiere of The Muppets at the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard! Our very own Ryan Dosier was present at the premiere, the green carpet, and the after party! If you look closely, you can actually spot Ryan in the crowd in the first video, and in the second, Ryan gets interviewed by the gorgeous girls of newly launched online video series, Fan Am! Enjoy the fun!












The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com

Two Weeks of Major Muppet Appearances

As we gear up closer and closer to the release of The Muppets, the Muppets themselves are popping up just about everywhere--including all over television talk shows! Unfortunately, the shows have only released their guests up until November 19th, so we don't know any appearances happening the week the movie comes out... yet. But keep an eye on The Muppet Mindset often for updates! Be sure to check out our Upcoming Muppet Appearances section on the right side of every page.

But for now, we're showing off all the appearances for this week and next! Set your TiVo's or viewing habits accordingly!

• Tuesday, November 8th (TONIGHT) - Jason Segel on The Tonight Show on NBC, 11:35pm/10:35pm central
• Wednesday, November 9th - Kermit the Frog on The Ellen Degeneres Show, check local listings
• Wednesday, November 9th - Miss Piggy presents an award on the Country Music Awards on ABC, 8:00pm/7:00pm central
• Friday, November 11th - Kermit the Frog on The Tonight Show on NBC, 11:35pm/10:35pm central
• Monday, November 14th - Amy Adams on The Tonight Show on NBC, 11:35pm/10:35pm central
• Monday, November 14th - Miss Piggy on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC, 12:00am/11:00pm central
• Wednesday, November 16th - Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC, 12:35am/11:35pm central
• Saturday, November 19th - Jason Segel hosts Saturday Night Live! on NBC, 11:30pm/10:30pm central

Also, while we're on the subject of Muppet appearances, you can check out Miss Piggy's wonderful appearance on The Tonight Show from last week. Check out the videos below!







Thanks to the fine folks at The Tonight Show or Disney publicity (we're not really sure which one) for actually emailing us the links to Miss Piggy's appearance! It's great to be in the loop!







The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com

"The Muppets" Soundtrack Revealed (SPOILERS)

IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO KNOW WHICH SONGS APPEAR IN THE MUPPETS MOVIE, STOP READING NOW!! FULL SOUNDTRACK LISTING FOLLOWS.

It seems like everywhere you look there's more and more information about The Muppets flooding in. The most recent item to the flood: The Muppets (Original Soundtrack), which features every song from the film and 15 tracks of dialogue as well. There are four songs on the soundtrack written by music supervisor Brett McKenzie ("Life's a Happy Song," "Let's Talk About Me," "Me Party," and "Man or Muppet"), Kermit's new song "Pictures in My Head," written by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis, and Chen Neeman. There are three classic Muppet songs on the soundtrack ("The Muppet Show Theme," "Rainbow Connection," which appears twice, and "Mahna Mahna") plus Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" covered by The Muppet Barbershop Quartet and Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" by Camillia and the Chickens. Other songs include Paul Simon's "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," Starship's "We Built This City," and a new Andrew Bird song, "The Whistling Caruso."

The following is the full track listing, including dialogue tracks. Beware of spoilers abounding in the dialogue track names! Dialogue tracks are denoted with an asterisk (*).

The Muppets (Original Soundtrack) available November 21, 2011

1. The Muppet Show Theme - The Muppets
2. Muppet Studios, I Can't Believe It!* - Walter
3. Life's a Happy Song - Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Walter
4. I Haven't Seen the Old Gang* - Kermit and Jason Segel
5. Pictures In My Head - Kermit and The Muppets
6. We Drive* - Kermit and Walter
7. Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard - Paul Simon
8. That Spells Reno* - 80's Robot and Amy Adams
9. Rainbow Connection - The Moopets
10. Welcome Back* - Kermit, Fozzie, Walter and Dr. Teeth
11. We Built This City - Starship
12. Party of One* - Sarah Silverman and Amy Adams
13. Me Party - Amy Adams and Miss Piggy
14. We Humbly Ask* - Kermit and Chris Cooper
15. Let's Talk about Me - Chris Cooper
16. The Answer is No* - Chris Cooper and Kermit
17. Are You a Man or a Muppet?* - Amy Adams
18. Man or Muppet - Jason Segel and Walter
19. Down at the Old Barbershop* - Kermit
20. Smells Like Teen Spirit - The Muppet Barbershop Quartet
21. Princesses of Poultry* - Kermit
22. Forget You - Camilla and the Chickens
23. It's Time For Our Song* - Kermit and Miss Piggy
24. Rainbow Connection - The Muppets
25. Get Out There and Help Those Guys* - Jason Segel
26. The Whistling Caruso - Andrew Bird
27. How Charming, a Finale* - Uncle Deadly
28. Life's a Happy Song Finale - Entire Cast
29. Mary, Marry Me* - Jason Segel and Amy Adams
30. Mahna Mahna - Mahna Mahna and The Two Snowths

Are you itching to hear just one of these songs? Well, itch no further (you're breaking skin!) because yesterday on his blog, Ryan Seacrest released an exclusive listen to the entire "Life's a Happy Song" track! This song takes place near the beginning of the film and features Jason Segel, Walter, and Amy Adams as they leave Smalltown, U.S.A. and head for Hollywood. Be sure to listen for Feist and Mickey Rooney's vocal cameos!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com

Official Character Descriptions from "The Muppets"

Earlier this weekend, our friends over at Stitch Kingdom were provided with some fantastic, official info from Disney about The Muppets. Over the next two days we'll be sharing with you what they've shared already, starting today with The Muppets Official Character Descriptions. Enjoy these fun, insightful looks at the characters we'll meet (and we've already met) in The Muppets this fall. Also, be sure to click on the links for Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, and Walter, so you can check out the new, official Facebook fan pages for each character!

GARY (Jason Segel) is loyal to his brother Walter—the two do everything together. "Gary is from Smalltown, USA," says Jason Segel (TV's "How I Met Your Mother," Forgetting Sarah Marshall), a longtime Muppet fan who created the role with himself in mind. "He's very naïve, sweet and innocent, and he's very much in love with his girlfriend Mary. He's torn between his brother and growing into a new phase of maturation where it's time to be with his girlfriend. He's lived with his brother forever so that is his big struggle."

The plot thickens when the trio decides to take a vacation. Says Segel, "The movie starts out with me and my brother Walter, whose wildest fantasy is to meet the Muppets. My goal is to take a vacation to L.A. with my girlfriend Mary. So we all come to L.A. and while taking a tour of Muppet Studios, which are now decrepit, we find out that they're going to be torn down to drill for oil. So we have to find Kermit, reunite the Muppets—who have disbanded because of professional rivalries—and put on a show to raise enough money to save the studio."

Gary throws himself into the effort, putting his relationship with Mary on the back burner—again. Will he ever be able to grow up and embrace true love?

With his Kermit t-shirt and watch, WALTER (Walter) is a devoted fan of the Muppets. The lifelong resident of Smalltown, USA, dreams of meeting his heroes one day, and feels that—just maybe—he belongs with them. So when brother Gary and his girlfriend Mary plan a trip to Los Angeles, Walter joins them with hopes of realizing his dream once and for all.

The role marks the big-screen debut for Walter, and one seemingly written for him. "I play Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan," says the star, "which is a real coincidence, since I happen to be the world's biggest Muppet fan and my name is Walter. It's like I was made to play this part."

Walter finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time—or is it the right time?—when he overhears evil oil baron Tex Richman discussing a plot to destroy Muppet Studios. With the help of Gary and Mary, it's Walter who sets the plan in motion to reunite the Muppets and save the studio. His pure-hearted enthusiasm for all things Muppets just might save more than the studio, too.

MARY (Amy Adams) is a valued shop teacher in Smalltown, USA—at least if the number of apples on her desk are any indication. She is Gary's longtime girlfriend who often finds herself playing third wheel to Gary and his brother Walter.

Mary shares Gary and Walter's sweet, innocent disposition, but she's growing weary of sharing her boyfriend with Walter. She can’t help but hope for a magical proposal during their Los Angeles vacation, but her plans are derailed when news of Muppet Studios' pending demise spur the trio into expressly non-marriage-proposal action.

Amy Adams (The Fighter, Julie & Julia) was called on for the role—in a way that was impossible to miss, says the actress. "Jason and Kermit sent me an invitation to be in Disney's The Muppets—they asked if I'd read the script and consider the role of Mary. Kermit was a big part of my decision. I don't like to tell Jason that 'cause he’s a little sensitive that I might be partial to Kermit, but I am."

In Disney's The Muppets, KERMIT THE FROG (Kermit the Frog) lives a quiet, solitary life. It's been a few years since the Muppets last performed together and Kermit doesn't realize how much he misses his friends until he's tracked down by Walter, Gary and Mary from Smalltown, USA, and convinced to reunite with the rest of the Muppets to save Muppet Studios.

Returning to the role he made famous in six previous Muppet movies, "The Muppet Show" and countless TV specials and internet videos, is Kermit the Frog. "I've played other parts, like Bob Crachit  in A Muppet Christmas Carol and Captain Smollett in Muppet Treasure Island, says Kermit, "but I think me is my favorite part."

The role is a bit of a departure for the frog known for his unifying spirit and award-winning songs like "The Rainbow Connection." "The movie is filled with comedy, music and adventure—like all the Muppet movies," says Kermit. "But I play quite a dramatic role. You see a side of me that maybe you haven't see before—and I'm not just taking about new camera angles. Acting wise, I really stretch to play me. One of my favorite moments is singing a brand new original song called 'Pictures in my Head.' I walk through the halls of a big mansion looking at portraits of my Muppet friends and missing those guys. It was very emotional…and I think it will disprove critics who've said 'the frog can't emote.'"

Kermit, who's always the glue that holds the Muppets together, has a big job in this movie, going head to head with Tex Richman—a guy who's lost his laugh—to save the studio.

TEX RICHMAN (Chris Cooper) is a rich oil baron who's concocted a devious plan to destroy Muppet Studios, presumably to dig for the oil he claims is underneath.

But the truth, says Chris Cooper (Adaptation, The Bourne Identity), who portrays the villain, is that Tex has a personal vendetta against the Muppets. "He blames the Muppets for a terrible event that happened to him at his 10th birthday party," says Cooper. "He is unable to laugh and has vowed to destroy the Muppets."

But Tex Richman's inability to laugh doesn't stop him from taking part in other Muppet antics. He may be cold-hearted and conniving, but this oil magnate has a few secrets up his sleeve that are more fun than fiendish.

MISS PIGGY (Miss Piggy) showcases her diva attitude and big personality in a new made-to-order gig in Disney's The Muppets. As plus-size editor of Vogue Paris, she shares her sublime fashion sensibilities with readers worldwide... at least until Kermit shows up.

The Frog is there, of course, as part of his mission to reunite all the Muppets to save Muppet Studios from Tex Richman. But Miss Piggy can read between the lines: she knows an invitation for love when she sees it.  And really—how could she say no to Kermie?

Playing the role of Miss Piggy is none other than Miss Piggy (Muppets from Space, TV's "The Muppet Show"). "It's the role I was born to play," says the internationally famous star. "Moi plays a high-powered, confident, charismatic, gorgeous, scene-stealing star who saves the day and wins her frog’s heart." Her fans would expect nothing less.

FOZZIE BEAR (Fozzie Bear) lives to make people laugh. So during the Muppets' extended hiatus depicted in Disney's The Muppets, the stand-up comic bear was determined to keep his act and the spirit of the Muppets alive—even if it meant joining up with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the Moopets may be sincere, but they're also a little creepy.

"The Moopets recreate great Muppet moments," says Fozzie Bear (The Great Muppet Caper, TV's "The Muppet Show"), who is back on the big screen as his namesake, "at least that’s what they told me we were doing. Could've fooled me."

Regardless of who he shares the stage with, Fozzie will try anything to tickle the audience's funny bones: gags, novelties, whoopee cushions, banana peels, custard pies and recycled jokes that earn more winces than laughs—particularly from his in-house hecklers, Statler and Waldorf (aka "those two old guys in the balcony") In truth, Statler and Waldorf just might be the bear's biggest fans. Though they'd never admit it, they may actually be happy to see Fozzie and the Muppets reunited—and they might have to throw the bear a laugh or two this time if it means saving Muppet Studios.

VERONICA (Rashida Jones) is a network executive called on by the Muppets to air their studio-saving telethon. She's not easily swayed, and it'll take a big-name star to seal the deal.

Actress Rashida Jones (The Social Network, TV's "The Office") portrays the tough-as-nails woman to impress. "I play a hard-nosed, stressed-out TV executive," says Jones, "but I am the only one who gives the Muppets the chance to air their fundraising telethon. I definitely crack the whip, though, because I'm scared of losing my job and I’m scared it’s not going to be successful—I yell at Kermit a lot."

It won't be easy, but hopefully, Kermit can charm Veronica like he charms every woman, network exec and diva pig he encounters.

GONZO THE GREAT (The Great Gonzo) has been very busy since the Muppets last performed. In Disney's The Muppets, Kermit, Walter and the gang find that Gonzo's career is down the drain—literally. "I play a plumbing magnate," says the daredevil who returns to the role he single-handedly made famous. "In this movie, we see what happens when I pursue plumbing — my original career choice. Actually, show business and plumbing have a lot in common—especially when it comes to clogs and snakes."

It takes some convincing—and an increase in health insurance coverage—to get Gonzo back on stage. Fortunately, Gonzo (The Muppets Take Manhattan,  TV's "The Muppet Show"), a pioneer of all things weird, can't resist the temptation of the wild and wacky stunts he performs to earn the eternal admiration (not to mention shock and awe) of his audience—and one very special chicken named Camilla.

Gonzo's stage act, which includes shooting himself from a cannon, balancing a piano on his nose, or eating radial tires to classical music, will likely always end in disaster... but that's the whole point!

ANIMAL (Animal), the ultimate rock n' roll survivor, finally addresses a troublesome personality trait and finds himself in an anger management program in Disney's The Muppets. He's traded in his drums for a flute and is struggling to redefine his identity. As if...

But fear not, fans of the over-the-top, monosyllabic, appetite-with-legs drummer from Dr. Teeth's Electric Mayhem Band. Once reunited with the Muppets, Animal's incessant (yet innocent) pursuit of rock n' roll, food and women (not necessarily in that order) returns. "Me like," says Animal (Muppet Treasure Island, TV's "The Muppet Show"). "Movie good."

Be sure to visit StitchKingdom.com for even more Muppety goodness!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com

"Green With Envy" Official Trailer

Finally... the movie we've been waiting for. The first official trailer for the new romantic comedy starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams, Green With Envy is finally online! Check it out below and see what all the fuss is about!



Needless to say... I know what I'll be doing come November 23rd.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Jason Segel and Amy Adams Are Crazy (about The Muppets)

Greetings, Muppet fans! Do you remember a few months ago when we couldn't go a day without having a News Update featuring loads and loads of cameo rumors, on-set pictures, Jason Segel interviews, and more all about this fall's The Muppets? Well, since they wrapped filming news has been pretty quiet from the Mouse House and the mouth of Segel--that is, until yesterday, when all smell broke loose (it smelled like strawberries) (rethinking that... this could be a bad sign).

Tuesday was CinemaCon 2011 in Las Vegas where all the big studios (Paramount, Dreamworks, Disney) got together to show off their biggest upcoming features to theater owners wanting to get butts in their seats (or seats in their seats, even). Disney's big show included action sequences from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, revealed that the Monsters, Inc. sequel would in fact be a prequel, and showed off stuff from Winnie the Pooh. But... of course you don't care so much about that. What you want to know is... what the heck did they say about The Muppets?!

Well, it turns out... a lot. According to quite a few sources (including The Hollywood Reporter), Jason Segel and Amy Adams were on hand to introduce the first official footage from the film. The Reporter states that "Disney impressed" with the footage, which is either journalistic fancy wording or a really good sign. Jason and Amy also revealed that there are four new songs in the film, along with callbacks to classic Muppet songs, as reported by LatinoReview. (e.g., "Rainbow Connection," "Mahna Mahna," which we had heard about previously.) Also semi-notable... this article confirms that Miss Piggy is relocated in Paris after the Muppets separate in the film. The Wrap also highlighted Segel's joking that, "I do not do any full frontal nudity. Kermit on the other hand..."

Then yesterday the news kept coming in, especially from CinemaBlend, which posted an exclusive, awesome video interview with Segel and Adams along with a very enlightening article about what was included in the footage shown and what else went down at the presentation. Be sure to read the article then watch the video below:



I don't know about you... but that video not only made my day (yesterday), but it made me even more incredibly excited for this movie--which I didn't know was possible (okay, yes I did). The tone that Jason and Amy have already is exactly perfect for the film and if they carry that through the movie--even plussing it--then we are in for quite a treat. I love Amy saying, "We're really putting on a show!" and "It takes a real, concerted effort to be joyful." I am so excited to have both of these incredibly talented actors to play along with the Muppets in this movie. And I firmly believe that it is going to be nothing but joyful.

Finally, our friends over at StitchKingdom confirmed that the title treatment we showed off in January is indeed the official title treatment for The Muppets. Make sure you enlarge the picture on the webpage linked above to see it hi-res. The Kermit M is textured and fuzzy and I love it. (PS - That logo makes an epic desktop background... just sayin'.)

And in case you somehow still don't know...

The Muppets will be released in United States theaters on November 23, 2011

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Huge News from the Set of The Muppets

Muppet fans... there is SO much Muppet news I don't even know where to start! Pictures and information and interviews from the set of The Muppets is gushing out like the Mississippi in flood season! (Trust me on this.) I guess we'll just start with the latest celebrity cameo....

Kathy Griffin! Yes, Animal's booty call from Muppets From Space is stepping out of her life on the D-List and onto the set of The Muppets. Griffin revealed on her Twitter account that she would be appearing in the movie alongside Ricky Gervais and Animal. Later, she posted pictures of herself on set working with Billy Crystal, David Rudman, Scooter (in a tux), and Ricky Gervais. Also in the background of one picture you can clearly make out The Muppet Newsman and partially make out Gonzo right next to him. SlashFilm.com reported that Griffin's cameo was a last-minute replacement for Jean Claude Van Damme... you know, because Kathy Griffin and Jean Claude Van Damme are basically the same person.
 
Next up we have an awesome article from The LA Times who apparently visited the set of The Muppets and got to interview Kermit. In the interview Kermit talks about Jason Segel, Walter, and acting. The article also mentions that backstage at the Muppet Theater is present in the movie and Kermit reprises "Rainbow Connection" at some point. The amount of awesome in this article is ten fold!

The New York Post just conducted an interview with Chris Cooper, who plays the villain in The Muppets. He doesn't talk Muppets very much but he mentions that he gets a hip-hop musical number with a chorus line of Vegas showgirls. Yes... you read that right.

And the biggest news of all... The Muppets closed down Hollywood Boulevard! Trust me when I say that's a huge deal. Hollywood Boulevard is almost never closed down unless a big-budget movie is filming or a movie premiere is happening. The Muppets was filming directly in front of the Disney-owned El Capitan Theater (a gorgeous location) which will presumably be digitally made to look like the Muppet Theater based on the signage on the marquee out front that promotes The Muppet Telethon for one night only at The Muppet Theater.

SlashFilm.com has pictures of an enormous dance number/crowd scene that took place right outside the El Capitan last night. This includes pictures of quite a few Muppets including Sweetums and Thog. Yes, THOG. Can you believe it?! When's the last time we saw Thog? The Muppet Show? Wow. BleedingCool.com also has pictures and two shaky (but still pretty good) videos of the filming and Celebrity-Gossip.net has pictures of Jason Segel and Amy Adams dancing, presumably for this big production number. Various sites are reporting that Kermit and Piggy were also on hand (pun intended) for this number as well.

Well... my excitement level is through the roof, where's yours?

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Inside The Muppet Studio

Greetings, Muppet fans! Guess what, guess what, guess what? We now officially have set photos from The Muppets starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams!! These photos were taken at The Jim Henson Company Studios in Los Angeles (I KNOW, right?) and it showcases the old Muppet Studios... obviously run down since the heyday of the Muppets. I don't know what more to say about these pictures... so I think I'll just show you.

These pictures come to us from SlashFilm.com, BleedingCool.com, and The Jim Henson Company's Facebook and Twitter. THIS MOVIE IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING!! And now we have actual proof! How COOL is this?









The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier