News Update: December 4, 2012

NEWS UPDATE: December 4, 2012

Straight off the heels of their week long television-takeover, CeeLo Green and the Muppets are still all over the place. For instance, check out this video introduction CeeLo and Miss Piggy made for a playlist of their favorite holiday songs (obviously including the "All I Need is Love" music video).



Friend of the Muppets and Sesame Street Neil Patrick Harris has always been an avid puppet fan and supporter of all things Muppet-related. So it should come as no surprise that he found a way to team up with The Jim Henson Company along with The Nerdist Channel to create an hysterical, rude, and down-right awesome new web series called Neil's Puppet Dreams. Be forewarned: the following video is very much PG-13, so be ready for some raunchy puppets. However, if you're like me and a sucker for anything NPH (especially NPH and puppets), then this is for you!



Michael Bublé: Home for the Holidays is an upcoming NBC holiday television special from singer Michael Bublé (obviously) and everyone's favorite furry red monster, Elmo, will be appearing in the special on December 10th at 10:00pm/9:00pm central time! This does not mean we can expect to see a new performer as Elmo after Kevin Clash's recent resignation, it just means the special was filmed in October. In an interview with Xfinity, Bublé says, "There was never a discussion to lose him. The truth is, Elmo didn’t do anything. He’s a three-year-old monster. He’s innocent, sweet, and funny – and very polite, too. The deal is that Elmo is featured on my special and that’s kind of how I really felt about it. It’s so warm and sweet. It really is a beautiful moment. I think people will enjoy it." I think it's very cool of Bublé to respect Elmo this much and I for one can't wait for the appearance!

Speaking of Muppet TV Appearances, Kermit the Frog always seems to spend some time on the airwaves this time of year, and this holiday season is no exception! Yesterday he appeared on ABC's cooking/talk show The Chew to (finally) promote the Blu-ray release of The Muppet Christmas Carol. Check out the hilarious appearance in the videos below, and find out what Kermit thinks of Homeland, which celebrities he thinks he looks like, and more!



One of my favorite shows and one of NBC's funniest shows is 30 Rock starring Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin. As you may know, the show is coming to an end after this, it's seventh season, so they're pulling out all the stops to make it one to remember. And this Thursday night, December 6th at 8:00pm/7:00pm central time, those stops include welcoming the real, actual Kermit the Frog to the show! This is sure to be a fantastic appearance, and 30 Rock is no stranger to Muppets, so be sure to tune in to see Kermit rock with Liz Lemon, Jack Donaghy, and more! Special thanks to our friends at ToughPigs.com for breaking the news!

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

The Muppets Appear Everywhere This Week

With the premiere of their fantastic new "All I Need is Love" video with CeeLo Green earlier this week, the Muppets have been all over the place since Monday promoting the heck out of it. Rather than hitting you over the head with the videos day after day this week, we've decided to just collect it all in one convenient post! So enjoy clips from Muppets on Good Morning America, The Voice, Christmas at Rockefeller Center, plus Kermit and Pepe at Disney Store Times Square and Frank Oz on The Colbert Report!

The Muppets (and LoCo) sing "All I Need is Love" LIVE on GMA

Kermit and Dolly Parton sing a brief "Islands in the Stream" with Chickens on GMA

Pepe Flirts with GMA co-host Lara Spencer


Kermit the Frog and CeeLo Green perform "Bein' Green" on The Voice, with appearances by Gonzo, Fozzie, Janice, Animal, Statler, and Waldorf


The Muppets and CeeLo Green perform "All I Need is Love" LIVE during NBC's Christmas at Rockefeller Center


Kermit and Pepe answer questions at the Times Square Disney Store (video courtesy of our friends at StitchKingdom.com)


Frank Oz stops by The Colbert Report to discuss the Blu-ray release of Little Shop of Horrors and some Muppety chit-chat

The Colbert Report

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

"All I Need is Love" Music Video Now Online!!

The incredible, awesome, way too cool for any more words music video for "All I Need is Love" starring The Muppets and CeeLo Green is NOW ONLINE!! Watch it, love it, then watch it again. Yes, it's that good.









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

Upcoming Muppet Appearances - Nov. 2012

The Muppets are hitting the press this coming week for quite a few very exciting appearances. Check out below for each of the appearances and details on what to expect!

• TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27
• Muppets visit Good Morning America on ABC - The Muppets (it is unclear which ones) will be appearing on the ABC morning show to promote... who knows!
• Kermit and Pepe at Disney Store Times Square - Kermit the Frog and Pepe the King Prawn will be appearing at a private D23 meet-up at the Times Square Disney Store on Tuesday as well.
• Muppets on NBC's The Voice, 8:00pm/7:00pm central time - CinemaBlend.com confirms that the Muppets will appear on NBC's hugely popular reality show on Tuesday night. Kermit will perform "Bein' Green" with CeeLo Green (an inspired choice) and we can expect appearances from Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Janice, Statler, and Waldorf as well. CinemaBlend also says that "The show is going all out, even introducing a brand new Muppet, who looks like the pop star and judge, named 'Lo-Co.'"

• WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28
• Muppets on Christmas at Rockefeller Center on NBC, 8:00pm/7:00pm central time - The Muppets are scheduled to appear at the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting on NBC Wednesday night. However, the ceremony is two hours long and NBC will only air the second hour across the country, so hopefully the Muppets will be a part of that second hour.
  
• FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30
• Muppets on CeeLo's Magic Moment on TV Guide Channel, 8:00pm/7:00pm central time - The Muppets, including Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Pepe, Animal, and Snowths will appear on CeeLo Green's family-friendly Christmas concert to perform their new song "All I Ned is Love." 

Finally, in Muppet performers appearing without Muppets news, Bill Barretta and his awesome brother Gene Barretta will be appearing on The Preston and Steve Radio Show around 9:00am/8:00am central time on Wednesday, December 5th. The show is a "morning-zoo" type talk show and Bill and Gene will stop by to talk their work with the Muppets as well as children's books. The show isn't always kid-friendly, so keep that in mind, but you can listen live online on December 5th right here.

So set your television recording devices and mark your calendars for some awesome upcoming Muppet appearances, Muppet fans!

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

News Update: November 1, 2012

NEWS UPDATE: November 1, 2012
Our friends at the campaign known as the Million Puppet March have asked us to share their campaign with Muppet fans. As you may know, the campaign is derived from Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's promise to end funding to public broadcasting. The Million Puppet March is a march on Washington D.C. this Saturday, November 3rd. The campaign needs support and they have an indiegogo fundraiser going on now that you can donate to. You can find out all of the info you need at the official webpage for the Million Puppet March. Regardless of political affiliation, we just wanted to share the campaign for those interested.

Our friend Julian Kleibeler contacted us about sharing a video he made celebrating the Muppets and ABBA, titled "For the Love of ABBA and Whatnot." Check out what Julian had to say about the video, "It's an anniversary tribute music video combining Muppets and ABBA.  Unfortunately we weren't able to use the original song in our tribute; and we traveled to Zermatt, Switzerland, to make sure one of the members saw it, while being in talks with the group's manager, who showed it to yet another member in Sweden. Though both apparently liked it, their manager's stance remained that their general policies would not allow usage.

But we didn't let that discourage us, recycled this band's last original song's perfectly fitting working title, recomposed, rewrote the lyrics and made the whole film into a silent movie. Please make sure to watch it in HD for best quality and to notice all the little details (and ABBA song references). Also, if you follow the instructions provided at the end of the video, you'll get to try your hand on making the video into something more of what it was intended to be from the start."



Last week we showcased the official YouTube video track for the upcoming Cee Lo Green/Muppets holiday single: "All I Need is Love." As we mentioned, the Muppets performed the song with Cee Lo in Las Vegas a few weeks ago for part of his star-studded Christmas show. The show was filmed and prepared to air on television as well! The special will air on November 30th on the TV Guide Network, so set your TV recording devices accordingly!


Finally, in huge news, we have our first bit of information regarding the upcoming production of the newest Muppet movie! First and foremost, we can confirm, thanks to two extremely reliable sources, that the next Muppet film will begin filming in January!! We've also learned that The Muppets director James Bobin is confirmed to return to direct the next feature. This has been assumed for awhile, as Bobin co-wrote the script for the next film with The Muppets co-writer Nicholas Stoller. This news is monumental, as it tells us the script is done, Disney has signed off on it, and the casting process has begun.


Speaking of casting, we have the first bit of casting news from The Hollywood Reporter, who revealed late last night that Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained) is in talks to star in the film! The article says his role will be that of an Interpol inspector, one of a handful of non-cameo human roles in the film. The article also reveals some of the other human roles, a Russian femme fatale and a male lead whose intentions are always in question. Who would you most like to see playing these two roles? (I would be beyond thrilled if Neil Patrick Harris was cast as the male lead.)








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

All Cee Lo Needs is Love... And Muppets

We got an exciting early Christmas gift this week as the full, official audio track for "All I Need is Love," the new surefire hit single from Cee Lo Green and heavily featuring the Muppets, debuted on YouTube. The album containing the song, Cee Lo's Magic Moment, is due out on October 30th and the music video for the song will presumably debut around then (or perhaps closer to Christmas) as well. But for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the incredibly catchy, bouncy "All I Need is Love" complete with Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie, Animal, Snowths, and an awesome extended solo from Pepe the King Prawn!



I don't know about you... but all I need now is the music video for this awesome song!

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

Muppets and CeeLo Green Happen in Vegas

Last night the Muppets, including, at least, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, Pepe, and the Snowths, performed onstage in Las Vegas with CeeLo Green! The performance was a part of the live stage show "CeeLo and Friends" promoting CeeLo's upcoming album CeeLo's Magic Moment. The Muppets joined Green onstage to perform the original song "All I Need is Love," which will appear on the album as well.

According to numerous sources the entire Vegas performance will air on TV Guide Channel and on The Warner Sound Atlantic Records' YouTube Channel this holiday season. Sources also continue to report that the Muppets will be appearing in the music video with CeeLo for "All I Need is Love." The album drops on October 30th, so the music video will probably follow close behind. But for now... enjoy some pictures from backstage before the show from Disney and Miss Piggy's Twitter account:

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

News Update: October 6, 2012

NEWS UPDATE: October 6, 2012

Our friend Elmo continued to make the talk show round this week to promote "Elmo: The Musical" on Sesame Street Season 43. He stopped by Today on NBC on Tuesday to hang out with Al Roker and friends and just be hysterically goofy. Check out the video below and witness Elmo cracking everyone up with his Gangnam Style dancing, ravenous cookie eating, and eye makeup.



In other Sesame Street Season 43 news, one of Sesame's fantastic spoofs from this season made the rounds on entertainment websites this week. "Birdwalk Empire," a parody of the Emmy-nominated Boardwalk Empire, is that video and you can watch it below! It really does live up to the hype, because it's hilarious... and features Frank Oz as a random chicken. How can you NOT watch it?

As we mentioned last week, the Muppets will be appearing on Cee Lo Green's new Christmas album, CeeLo's Magic Moment, available on October 30th. The Muppets will appear on the track "All I Need is Love" and you can preview a minute and a half of the track right this very minute on iTunes! Based on the preview, this song is pretty fantastic. It's a lot of fun, uses some classic "Mahna Mahna" background tracks, and the Muppets sound great. We get to hear Kermit, Gonzo, Fozzie, and Miss Piggy in the preview, but I have a feeling we'll hear a lot more of them once we can hear the whole song!

Last week we also posted the entirety of the Muppets at the "Just For Laughs" Comedy Gala. Unfortunately, the full video has been taken down, presumably for good. But thankfully, our good friends at Muppet Musings have recovered one of my favorite parts of the show: The Muppets Salute Canada, led by Sam Eagle and a whole bunch of hilariously false facts. Enjoy the video!

Finally, as you've probably heard, in the first Presidential Debate on Wednesday night, Republican nominee Mitt Romney said these exact words, "I'm gonna stop the subsidy to PBS. I like PBS. I love Big Bird." This one comment led to a firestorm of support for Big Bird, a wave of anger at Mitt Romney, and generated thousands and thousands of tweets. For the best, full coverage of this incident, I dictate to our good friends at ToughPigs.com, who have rounded up everything you need to know about this thing. Personally, I'm glad Big Bird is getting exposure... but now he and Sesame Street are being used as obnoxious political jabs by both parties, which is frustrating. Mostly, like Sesame Workshop, I'm just glad everyone can agree that we all love Big Bird regardless of party. I will always stand on the side that supports Big Bird and Sesame Street, because Big Bird and Sesame Street have supported the children of America and the world for 43 years.

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

News Update: September 27, 2012

NEWS UPDATE: September 27, 2012

Cookie Monster and Grover stopped by the offices of Entertainment Weekly this week to promote Sesame Street's 43rd Season. While they were there, they were convinced to perform a medley of songs celebrating the best of summer 2012, including The Hunger Games, Doctor Who, and The Avengers. As musicals. With Cookie Monster and Grover. Watch and love!

Elmo stopped by The Look on the HelloStyleChannel on YouTube to show off his latest fashion, as seen in the new segment "Elmo: The Musical." The video is ridiculously cute and Elmo is always funny (especially when he talks about Game of Thrones and not having nuclear war codes), so enjoy!



As we mentioned awhile back, The Muppet Christmas Carol is coming to Blu-ray on November 6th and the release is packed with bonus features. One of these features is a new one called "Muppets Christmas Carol Sing-Along" and the two preview videos below, featuring The Swedish Chef, chickens, and a bunch of rats, appear to be from that feature. Enjoy!





Friend of Jim Henson Company puppets and spinning-chair sitter, Cee Lo Green, is going to have a very Muppety Christmas this year with the release of his new holiday album Cee Lo's Magic Moment, scheduled for release on October 30th (this Tuesday). As our friends at ToughPigs.com reported, the Muppets will sing the song "All I Need is Love" "on his Christmas album, the subsequent music video, and even on his live show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on October 10th." Appearing on the song would have been plenty, but all of this extra stuff? AWESOME. I for one cannot wait for the music video! Look out for the album to drop on Tuesday, when we can finally listen to this Muppety/Cee Lo collaboration!

Finally, and most importantly, on October 27th, The Jim Henson Legacy and The Museum of the Moving Image are hosting "A Tribute to Jerry Nelson" at the Museum in New York City at 2:00pm. The tribute is scheduled to include Bill Barretta, Fran Brill, and Dave Goelz as well as "other special guests" all in person at the show. I (Ryan Dosier) am planning to be in attendance at the event, and if you can make it out, I would highly recommend it. My friends at the Legacy have told me that it will be truly special. For more information, visit the website for the Museum of the Moving Image.






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