The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Showing posts with label Disney Parks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disney Parks. Show all posts
Jul 16, 2013
Muppets Vinylmation Series 3 Chaser REVEALED!
The fine folks at Vinylmation World revealed late last night the confirmed, rare chaser figure for the upcoming The Muppets #3 Vinylmation set to be released at Disney Parks and Disney Stores on July 26th. As we predicted, the chaser is Walter, and he's even better than I could've expected! Check out pictures of the figure below courtesy of Vinylmation Exchange user Jay Oh.
I don't know about you, Muppet fans, but I seriously love Walter so much. Check out the entire roster for Muppets Vinylmation #3 in our post from last month.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
May 24, 2012
News Update: May 24, 2012
We in the Muppet fan community know all about Paul Williams, scribe of songs in The Muppet Movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, and more. However, the general public is vastly unaware of Williams' incredible contribution to the world of music. That is what filmmaker Steven Kessler is setting out to remedy in his new documentary Paul Williams Still Alive. The film follows Williams in present day and chronicles his storied career as well. The trailer is below and features plenty of Muppets. Paul Williams Still Alive premieres in New York on June 8th and goes wide soon after.
The fine folks at Destination Vinylmation have snagged pictures of three new Star Wars Muppet action figures to be released at Disney Parks later this year. Last year they released action figure sized versions of Kermit as Luke Skywalker, Link Hogthrob as Han Solo, etc. The new figures feature Animal as Boba Fett, Link Hogthrob as Han Solo in Carbonite, and Scooter as Lando Calrissian. They are set to be released in August and will be priced at $18.95.
In the weirdest news of the week category we have a brand new product from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Perfumes. Why does this matter, you ask? Because the perfumes are scents based on Jim Henson's Labyrinth. Take that in for a minute... okay, yeah, that's a weird thing. Scents include 13 Hours, Fairy Bites, Goblin Cider, Hoggle, and Jareth. These are things you can actually buy and then smell like. Why anyone would want to smell like Hoggle (who apparently smells of fermented pumpkin, brown leather, dust, tobacco leaf, and dark woods) is beyond me, but to each their own!In other weird news, the Muppets have teamed up with BAND-AID Brand bandages for a brand new iPhone/iPad application called Band-Aid Magic Vision Starring Disney's The Muppets (catchy). I can't even begin to explain what the app does, so here's an official statement sent to us from BAND-AID Brand people plus a video that shows how surprisingly cool this app is: Your favorite Muppet characters are being featured in a brand new, first of its kind, mobile application launched by BAND-AID® Brand! The app— BAND-AID® Magic Vision—uses augmented reality (AR) technology to provide parents with an unprecedented ability to help their kids forget about boo-boos, and transform moments of hurt into moments of healing and virtual fun like never before!
Finally, enjoy this awesomely amazing behind the scenes video from roughly 1977 featuring Jim Henson, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, and a bunch of awesome people performing and building Muppets and just being amazing. (Video found by our friends at ToughPigs.)
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Apr 1, 2012
Disney Announces Angus McGonagle Thrill Ride
Well, that's all about to change as Disney today announced that they are again rethemeing their incredibly popular "Star Tours" attraction to showcase the star power of one Angus McGonagle. Yes, the argyle gargoyle who gargles Gershwin is about to become a fixture of the Disney Parks! Only a little bit of information has surfaced with this exciting announcement, but we've found out just a few of the exciting scenes that will feature prominently in the ride:
- Dodge saliva bullets as you rocket past Angus McGonagle and Mark Hammil gargling
- Enjoy a relaxing flight as Angus croons "Springtime" in the background
- Defeat Dearth Nadir with the help of Angus and Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"
- Knock the other, more talented acts off stage with relentless gargling of selections from "Porgy and Bess"
And really, what more needs to be said? Why bother indeed.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Dec 8, 2011
News Update: December 8, 2011
For the first time in years, The Muppets will be appearing at the annual Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade on ABC on the morning of December 25th! An entry on the Disney Parks Blog reveals that Kermit will be there (with a new scarf) and Statler and Waldorf will be heckling the proceedings from a perch above Main Street, U.S.A. We might also be treated to a few other Muppets in attendance, so set your recording devices/alarm clocks/coffee makers to see the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade on December 25th!
The Critic Show Podcast is not a weekly podcast run by Statler and Waldorf. It's a great podcast run by Scott Murray where every week he talks about movies, TV, and general geekdom. Last week, the show was all about The Muppets! The podcast went 100% Muppety as it welcomed guests Steve Swanson of The MuppetCast, Ryan Dosier of The Muppet Mindset (hey, that's me!), and Charles Grodin, best known to Muppet fans as Nicky Holiday from The Great Muppet Caper. It's a lot of fun and a great listen, so if you've got the time take a minute to hear some Muppety goodness from some talented people and Ryan Dosier!
Our good friends at Muppet Musings continually provide the Muppet fan world with great Muppet content via their YouTube channel and their blog, and these two interviews with the cast and crew of The Muppets are no exception! For a total of 56 minutes, these interviews will have you laughing and intrigued as Kermit, Miss Piggy, Walter, Jason Segel, Amy Adams, director James Bobin, music supervisor Bret McKenzie, writer Nick Stoller, and producers Joe Liberman and Todd Hoberman talk to the press about their new movie. Kermit and Piggy are in spectacular form here... so if you've got an hour to kill, give a listen!
Delta Sky Magazine, the magazine that rests in the pocket of the seat-back of the person in front of you every time you fly with Delta Airlines, has a fantastic article about The Muppets as its cover story for December 2011. Not flying Delta anytime soon? Well, you're in luck! The fine folks at Sky Magazine have put the entire article online just for you (note: probably not just for you)! It really is a fun, exciting read, so sit in a cramped seat in the middle of two people with half of your luggage at your feet, sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight! Er... article.The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com
Jun 16, 2011
Finding Muppets at Walt Disney World
Lisa Alexander - Hi folks! Lisa the Intern here. For those of you who don't know (which is probably all of you), I recently returned from a trip to Disney World. A word of advice for those of you who may be planning a trip soon: Don't try to do all four parks in three days. You will be rushed and stressed and will have to skip some potentially awesome rides and shows for the sake of getting to the next park. Also, it will severely limit your time for admiring and purchasing Muppet merchandise.
Yes, you read that right. Muppet merchandise is popping up all over all four parks--Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios--and it's selling.
First of all, you are probably familiar with the classic Mouse Ears--cute little hats you can buy to make it look like you have ears just like Mickey. And then there are the novelty Mouse Ears, with random things attached like a bridal veil so you can announce to the entire park that you just got married (or that you're a really cute little girl who asked Daddy really nicely). But the kind of Ears I saw most often actually being worn or carried around the parks? They were green and had Kermit eyes between the Mickey ears. Now, granted, my eye is naturally drawn to anything Muppet, and a bright green hat is much more noticeable than a black one, so it would probably be a little too bold of me to venture that the Kermit Ears (ain't that oxymoronic?) are the most popular Mouse Ears, but I would definitely say that they rank fairly high. I would also like to mention that there were an awful lot of people walking around the parks wearing Muppet t-shirts. It was very encouraging.
Now, like I said, there was Muppet merchandise for sale in every single park. I can't say exactly how much, because I didn't go in every single store. To be honest, the only Muppet merchandise I saw at Animal Kingdom was a Kermit pin, but that's still more than I was expecting--Animal Kingdom is not exactly the most character-centric park. Elsewhere, a small 3-D Kermit vinylmation pin was incredibly easy to find; I was practically tripping over it at Epcot. There was also a lovely set of three pens that looked like Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Animal, which I would have bought except that I never would have used them and simply don't have anywhere in my room to display Muppet pens. You could also buy the Kermit pen individually.
Of course, the real locus of all Muppet merchandise at Disney was the lovely gift shop you find upon exiting Muppet*Vision. And that, my friends, is where I have plenty of good news.
You may know that the waiting area for Muppet*Vision is filled with all sorts of fun props and decorations and random things that presumably belong to the Muppets. I would give you more details on the sorts of things you can find there, but I simply can't; the waiting area was so full that I could not explore. Yes, this very large area was PACKED with people eager to see the Muppets (or to enjoy some air conditioning, but an audience is an audience). This was QUITE a contrast to my trip to Disneyland two years ago, where my parents and I pretty much had the waiting area of Muppet*Vision all to ourselves and I wandered around taking a hundred pictures of everything.
Similarly, you may or may not know about the lovely Muppet fountain outside of Muppet*Vision. It's lovely in person, but I kept having to wait to take pictures of it because so many other families were posing with it.
"But what about the merchandise?" you are wondering. Well, Muppet fans, if you're heading to Disney, bring a very full wallet with you and leave plenty of room in your suitcase for souvenirs. I'm very particular about my Muppet merchandise, and I still managed to spend almost $90 of my parents' money. (What? It was my graduation present. And it was partly their fault. "What do you mean, you don't have a Fozzie plush? You NEED to have a Fozzie plush!")
Now, a lot of it is the same stuff we've been seeing for years--the same Kermit, Fozzie, and Miss Piggy plushes, although you have quite the selection in the size of those plushes. But there were new t-shirts and mugs, plus a bunch of the Muppet Comic Books, and other things that I'm forgetting because there was just SO MUCH there to love.
The vinylmation is harder to find. Like I said, this stuff is selling. The only Muppet vinylmation (other than the Kermit pin mentioned earlier) I could find was NOT at the Muppet*Vision gift shop, but at a gift shop attached to a presentation on animation. They seemed to have quite the selection, but it was of course all blind-boxed, and by that point I was being dragged out the door so we could get some lunch and move on to the next park. (Like I said, I do not advise doing four parks in three days.)
But the best indication about the Muppets at Disney World may have come from the lady working the register at the Muppet*Vision gift shop: "People are always so excited when they find this show ... It's amazing how many people still like the Muppets." She specifically mentioned the "older fans" and the little kids who weren't around for the hay-day of the Muppets, and yet somehow have still managed to fall in love with them.
The bottom line? I'd say the Muppets are "in."
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com
Yes, you read that right. Muppet merchandise is popping up all over all four parks--Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios--and it's selling.
First of all, you are probably familiar with the classic Mouse Ears--cute little hats you can buy to make it look like you have ears just like Mickey. And then there are the novelty Mouse Ears, with random things attached like a bridal veil so you can announce to the entire park that you just got married (or that you're a really cute little girl who asked Daddy really nicely). But the kind of Ears I saw most often actually being worn or carried around the parks? They were green and had Kermit eyes between the Mickey ears. Now, granted, my eye is naturally drawn to anything Muppet, and a bright green hat is much more noticeable than a black one, so it would probably be a little too bold of me to venture that the Kermit Ears (ain't that oxymoronic?) are the most popular Mouse Ears, but I would definitely say that they rank fairly high. I would also like to mention that there were an awful lot of people walking around the parks wearing Muppet t-shirts. It was very encouraging.
Now, like I said, there was Muppet merchandise for sale in every single park. I can't say exactly how much, because I didn't go in every single store. To be honest, the only Muppet merchandise I saw at Animal Kingdom was a Kermit pin, but that's still more than I was expecting--Animal Kingdom is not exactly the most character-centric park. Elsewhere, a small 3-D Kermit vinylmation pin was incredibly easy to find; I was practically tripping over it at Epcot. There was also a lovely set of three pens that looked like Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Animal, which I would have bought except that I never would have used them and simply don't have anywhere in my room to display Muppet pens. You could also buy the Kermit pen individually.
Of course, the real locus of all Muppet merchandise at Disney was the lovely gift shop you find upon exiting Muppet*Vision. And that, my friends, is where I have plenty of good news.
You may know that the waiting area for Muppet*Vision is filled with all sorts of fun props and decorations and random things that presumably belong to the Muppets. I would give you more details on the sorts of things you can find there, but I simply can't; the waiting area was so full that I could not explore. Yes, this very large area was PACKED with people eager to see the Muppets (or to enjoy some air conditioning, but an audience is an audience). This was QUITE a contrast to my trip to Disneyland two years ago, where my parents and I pretty much had the waiting area of Muppet*Vision all to ourselves and I wandered around taking a hundred pictures of everything.
Similarly, you may or may not know about the lovely Muppet fountain outside of Muppet*Vision. It's lovely in person, but I kept having to wait to take pictures of it because so many other families were posing with it.
"But what about the merchandise?" you are wondering. Well, Muppet fans, if you're heading to Disney, bring a very full wallet with you and leave plenty of room in your suitcase for souvenirs. I'm very particular about my Muppet merchandise, and I still managed to spend almost $90 of my parents' money. (What? It was my graduation present. And it was partly their fault. "What do you mean, you don't have a Fozzie plush? You NEED to have a Fozzie plush!")
Now, a lot of it is the same stuff we've been seeing for years--the same Kermit, Fozzie, and Miss Piggy plushes, although you have quite the selection in the size of those plushes. But there were new t-shirts and mugs, plus a bunch of the Muppet Comic Books, and other things that I'm forgetting because there was just SO MUCH there to love.
The vinylmation is harder to find. Like I said, this stuff is selling. The only Muppet vinylmation (other than the Kermit pin mentioned earlier) I could find was NOT at the Muppet*Vision gift shop, but at a gift shop attached to a presentation on animation. They seemed to have quite the selection, but it was of course all blind-boxed, and by that point I was being dragged out the door so we could get some lunch and move on to the next park. (Like I said, I do not advise doing four parks in three days.)
But the best indication about the Muppets at Disney World may have come from the lady working the register at the Muppet*Vision gift shop: "People are always so excited when they find this show ... It's amazing how many people still like the Muppets." She specifically mentioned the "older fans" and the little kids who weren't around for the hay-day of the Muppets, and yet somehow have still managed to fall in love with them.
The bottom line? I'd say the Muppets are "in."
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com
Sep 16, 2010
News Update: September 16, 2010
NEWS UPDATE: September 16, 2010
\Cat Cora, Angelo, and Fozzie Bear appeared on CBS's The Early Show yesterday morning to promote The Muppet Kitchen with Cat Cora. On the show they made some hamburgers or something, but the real fun was watching Fozzie and Angelo completely run over the interviewer in true Muppet fashion. A truly hilarious appearance and I don't think I've seen Fozzie in better form in a long time! 
Everyone's favorite super monster, Super Grover, posted a new video to Grover's Facebook page where he offers tips about what makes a super hero super. The video is completely charming and showcases Grover's cute and super sides. Season 41 of Sesame Street starts September 27th!A rumor is floating around one of the Disney Parks forums that a Muppet Meet-n-Greet attraction may be in the works for Disney's Hollywood Studios. According to said rumor, the attraction will feature an actual, puppet-version of Kermit the Frog for fans and visitors to the Disney theme park to interact with. No word yet on how this will be accomplished voice-wise, but if they can have a human-sized Mickey Mouse talking to guests with his real voice, I don't think we should put anything past the Disney Imagineers.
And, finally, Dave Goelz and a "special guest" will be coming to the St. Louis County Library near St. Louis, Missouri on October 1st! Dave will be hosting Muppet History 101 as part of the Muppets, Music and Magic: Jim Henson's Legacy series put on by The Jim Henson Legacy. The event starts at 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:00) and goes until 9:00 PM. The event includes Muppet material you won't see anywhere else including early TV appearances, commercials, and much more. A question and answer session with Dave wraps up the evening. It's sure to be an amazing night and Ryan Dosier (yours truly) is going to be there! Let us know if you'll be there too or be sure to say hello when you see me!The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Aug 16, 2010
New Muppet Star Wars Action Figures Coming Soon
This past weekend in Orlando, Florida the annual Star Wars convention, now in its fifth year, Star Wars Celebration V, was held. Even George Lucas returned from Tattooine (that's where he lives, right?) to attend. Disney Parks, having the Star Tours attraction in Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios and in Disneyland Park, featured a panel for Celebration V to highlight all of the new Star Wars-related Disney merchandise and upcoming things. This included an exclusive first look at brand new Muppets dressed as Star Wars characters action figures. (Note: Not to be confused with the Muppet Star Wars PVC figures released a few years ago.)
The first (of hopefully more than one) series of figures includes...
Kermit as Luke Skywalker (with Lightsaber) and Miss Piggy as Princess Leia (with blaster)
Link Hogthrob as Han Solo (with blaster) and Fozzie Bear as Chewbacca (with blaster)
Sam the Eagle as Obi-Wan Kenobi (with Lightsaber) and Gonzo as Darth Vader (with Lightsaber and chicken-Stormtrooper)
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew as R2-D2 and Beaker as C-3PO
There's no official word yet on when these figures will be released in the Disney Parks, but as soon as the information surfaces, the Muppet Mindset will report it!
May the Force be with you!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
The first (of hopefully more than one) series of figures includes...
There's no official word yet on when these figures will be released in the Disney Parks, but as soon as the information surfaces, the Muppet Mindset will report it!
May the Force be with you!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Jul 9, 2010
News Update: July 9, 2010
NEWS UPDATE: July 9, 2010
It was announced this morning that the Sesame Workshop special, "When Families Grieve" was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. The special that starred Katie Couric and Elmo, which showed families some coping mechanisms for dealing with the loss of a loved one, was nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Children's Program. Its only competition is Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, so there is a good chance that Sesame Workshop will be bringing home yet another shiny statue to put on the mantle.
If you're planning to attend the San Diego Comic Con this year, be sure to stop by Archaia Comics' booth. According to Comic Book Resources, Archaia will be hosting five panels at this year's convention, one of which, on Sunday, July 25th, is dedicated to their work with The Jim Henson Company. The panel is scheduled to discuss the Fraggle Rock comic series, what's next for Archaia's partnership with Henson, and upcoming work with the worlds of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Guests on the panel include some of the Fraggle Rock Comic Book team (including editor Tim Beedle) and Brian Froud, who worked with Jim Henson to develop The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. So if you're in the San Diego area and plan to attend Comic Con 2010, be sure to stop by Archaia's presentation!
Renowned Disney sculptor and artist Jim Shore is taking on The Muppets! The artist has sculpted stone resin figures of Animal, Statler and Waldorf, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, and Kermit, on sale now. The figures cost $40 each ($50 for Statler and Waldorf), plus shipping, and seem to be great quality and look pretty darn good too.
A new set of Vinylmation Disney pins is now available at the Disney Parks. The set includes Vinylmation pins of Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Statler, Waldorf, Bunsen, and Beaker, and a mystery pin that can be either Bean Bunny, Sweetums, Rowlf, Rizzo, or The Swedish Chef. These pins are not only a lot cheaper than buying the Vinylmation figures, but they're also a lot easier to find.
It was announced this morning that the Sesame Workshop special, "When Families Grieve" was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. The special that starred Katie Couric and Elmo, which showed families some coping mechanisms for dealing with the loss of a loved one, was nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Children's Program. Its only competition is Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, so there is a good chance that Sesame Workshop will be bringing home yet another shiny statue to put on the mantle.
If you're planning to attend the San Diego Comic Con this year, be sure to stop by Archaia Comics' booth. According to Comic Book Resources, Archaia will be hosting five panels at this year's convention, one of which, on Sunday, July 25th, is dedicated to their work with The Jim Henson Company. The panel is scheduled to discuss the Fraggle Rock comic series, what's next for Archaia's partnership with Henson, and upcoming work with the worlds of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Guests on the panel include some of the Fraggle Rock Comic Book team (including editor Tim Beedle) and Brian Froud, who worked with Jim Henson to develop The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. So if you're in the San Diego area and plan to attend Comic Con 2010, be sure to stop by Archaia's presentation!
Renowned Disney sculptor and artist Jim Shore is taking on The Muppets! The artist has sculpted stone resin figures of Animal, Statler and Waldorf, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, and Kermit, on sale now. The figures cost $40 each ($50 for Statler and Waldorf), plus shipping, and seem to be great quality and look pretty darn good too.A new set of Vinylmation Disney pins is now available at the Disney Parks. The set includes Vinylmation pins of Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Statler, Waldorf, Bunsen, and Beaker, and a mystery pin that can be either Bean Bunny, Sweetums, Rowlf, Rizzo, or The Swedish Chef. These pins are not only a lot cheaper than buying the Vinylmation figures, but they're also a lot easier to find.
Jan 21, 2010
New Muppet Badges and More with Walt Disney World on Facebook!
Walt Disney World is obviously the happiest place on earth (unless of course you're a bakery that Cookie Monster has wandered into), but did you know they also have the happiest Facebook Profile on earth as well? Well... that might not be true, but, starting today, for Muppet fans it is pretty darn chipper.
Disney debuted a brand new "Give a Day" section to their Facebook profile. And who is the first Disney character you see on this brand-spanking-new page? Why, none other than Sam Eagle, of course (of course?)! Sam is the first of Disney's "Volunteer Spotlights," a selected volunteer who has an incredible story to tell about their volunteering experience. I don't know what makes Sam's story so heroic, but it does have a nice quote from him: "Painting the house red, white, and blue."But that's not terribly exciting is it? Well, lucky for you there's more! The site also features some really cool "badges" that you can attach to your own Facebook profile or to your blog or other website (see Gonzo and chicken at right).
Did I mention these badges are completely free and look absolutely gorgeous? Because they are. And they do. Yet another reason for Muppet fans to be proud of the job Disney is doing with our favorite fuzzy friends. We're finally seeing some new, quality poser puppet pictures featuring more than just Kermit and Miss Piggy. It's truly a wonderful time to be a Muppet fan.
The Facebook profile also features all of the Muppet TV commercials in one convenient location (as if having them all on The Muppet Mindset wasn't convenient enough for you...). Yet another reason to check out this neat addition to the Muppet "Give a Day. Get a Disney Day." promotion timeline!So have you volunteered yet? Do you have any interest in volunteering yet? If not, what the heck do these Muppets have to do to inspire you? They're working their non-existent rear ends off here!Give 'em a break, eh? After all... they've been volunteering since September!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Jan 9, 2010
News Update: January 9, 2010
NEWS UPDATE: January 9, 2010
According to The Muppet Newsflash's Twitter feed, the new album, "Muppets: Revisited" has been pushed back to a Fall 2010 release date. Originally planned for a February release, the album has been moved back for an unknown reason. Whatever the reason is, I'm sure it will only lead to a more quality album!
Last week, The Jim Henson Company debuted their new YouTube sketch comedy show, "Alt/Reality." The short-form comedy show on YouTube parodies reality television show as only Henson puppeteers can. Check out their first video "Antique Swap Meet."
Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Sweetums took Main Street in Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom by storm yesterday. It was all part of the brand new "pre-parade" entitled Disney's Honorary VoluntEARS Cavalcade in which the Disney Parks honor volunteers (as if getting into the park free wasn't enough). Disney blog site Laughing Place has a video of the complete parade (it's very short). The parade will run every morning in both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom.
Finally, don't forget to catch the Muppets as they volunteer on America's Funniest Home Videos tomorrow night on ABC. The show airs at 7/6c and is being billed as "Muppet Palooza." This is sure to be another can't miss appearance. Scheduled to appear are Kermit, Miss Piggy, Pepe, Dr. Honeydew, Beaker, Swedish Chef, and The Electric Mayhem--if there was ever any doubt that the Muppets were making a comeback, it should be completely squashed by now.
According to The Muppet Newsflash's Twitter feed, the new album, "Muppets: Revisited" has been pushed back to a Fall 2010 release date. Originally planned for a February release, the album has been moved back for an unknown reason. Whatever the reason is, I'm sure it will only lead to a more quality album!
Last week, The Jim Henson Company debuted their new YouTube sketch comedy show, "Alt/Reality." The short-form comedy show on YouTube parodies reality television show as only Henson puppeteers can. Check out their first video "Antique Swap Meet."
Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Sweetums took Main Street in Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom by storm yesterday. It was all part of the brand new "pre-parade" entitled Disney's Honorary VoluntEARS Cavalcade in which the Disney Parks honor volunteers (as if getting into the park free wasn't enough). Disney blog site Laughing Place has a video of the complete parade (it's very short). The parade will run every morning in both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom.Finally, don't forget to catch the Muppets as they volunteer on America's Funniest Home Videos tomorrow night on ABC. The show airs at 7/6c and is being billed as "Muppet Palooza." This is sure to be another can't miss appearance. Scheduled to appear are Kermit, Miss Piggy, Pepe, Dr. Honeydew, Beaker, Swedish Chef, and The Electric Mayhem--if there was ever any doubt that the Muppets were making a comeback, it should be completely squashed by now.
Jan 7, 2010
Haul-A-Steer, World Premiere, and, above all, Volunteer
Have you been to the brand new Give a Day, Get a Disney Day website located at disneyparksgive.com? You haven't? Oh, good grief. Fine. I'll wait here while you go. Just go on. Let me know when you're done...
Hmm? Oh. Right. Well, first put in your name and email address--am I going to fast for you? After you've put in your information, put in the info of up to three of your friends (or, if you have no friends, just put in your own info again).
Are you done? Good. Now, go to your email (trust me, it's worth all of this work) and check your junk mail folder--Don't worry, it's from the Muppets. It's safe. Click the linky link and...
BAM! Kermit and Miss Piggy! Right away they're talking to each other about a world premiere/volunteer and all of a sudden--Wha?! Did they just say YOUR NAME?! They did, yes.This is just another step in Disney's huge push for the Muppets and their "Give a Day. Get a Disney Day." promotion that has been taking the world by storm recently. Unfortunately, the Muppets destroy the website, so it probably won't be storming the world for too much longer--but how awesome is it that the Muppets destroy the website?
Once you've watched Fozzie Haul-A-Steer and the Swedish Chef and Animal don pirate hats, you have the option of choosing three groups of Muppets to help you clean up the site: Animal (in a French maid outfit), Bunsen and Beaker, and Miss Piggy. Whichever one you click is hilarious (and fret not, you'll be able to watch the other two too), but I'm personally quite fond of Animal the French Maid.Anyway, once your Muppet "cleans up," you're redirected to the site where you put in you and your friends' info. But don't navigate away just yet! Simply hit the back button or reload the page and your treated to even more Muppety goodness! First it's Sam Eagle revealing that you are a spy (I am shocked and appalled at you!) and then if you click back after the session has played through again, it's Gonzo trying to burst through your computer screen with a jet pack (he sadly fails).
Are you having an awesome attack yet? Because you should be. The Muppets are back to their old, destructive selves once again--and Disney's letting them do it all over their website!
What's more, they're also letting the Muppets do it elsewhere in the Disney family. As you all know, they tore down an entire house on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition last Sunday. And exactly a week later (this Sunday, January 10th) they'll be appearing on America's Funniest Home Videos. I only assume they'll be funny on videos in a home in America. But that's just spit-balling.
And starting tomorrow at both Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Sweetums will be appearing in a daily pre-parade at the parks to honor volunteers who participated in "Give a Day. Get a Disney Day." So they get a free ticket to Disney and they get to be in a parade with the Muppets? This volunteering thing doesn't seem half bad!
So if you find yourself in Walt Disney World or Disneyland anytime this year (after tomorrow) be sure to check out the pre-parade with Kermit and Miss Piggy. And if you're in front of a TV this Sunday night at 7/6c and it's tuned to ABC, be sure to catch the Muppets on America's Funniest Home Videos!
So if you find yourself in Walt Disney World or Disneyland anytime this year (after tomorrow) be sure to check out the pre-parade with Kermit and Miss Piggy. And if you're in front of a TV this Sunday night at 7/6c and it's tuned to ABC, be sure to catch the Muppets on America's Funniest Home Videos!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Nov 22, 2009
Muppet Magazine Advertisements Mega Awesomeness
Remember a few months ago when the Muppets headlined Disney Park's "Give a Day. Get a Disney Day." promotions with commercials and things? Well, there's more!
In the December 2009 issues of both O Magazine and Real Simple magazine, there are brand new, gorgeous spreads of the Muppets volunteering and subsequently celebrating at Walt Disney World. Don't feel like going out and paying $5 a piece for two magazines you'll rip three pages out of and never look at again? Well, aren't you lucky you have The Muppet Mindset?
Photos courtesy of Lisa Alexander and Scarecroe from Muppet Wiki.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier.
In the December 2009 issues of both O Magazine and Real Simple magazine, there are brand new, gorgeous spreads of the Muppets volunteering and subsequently celebrating at Walt Disney World. Don't feel like going out and paying $5 a piece for two magazines you'll rip three pages out of and never look at again? Well, aren't you lucky you have The Muppet Mindset?
Photos courtesy of Lisa Alexander and Scarecroe from Muppet Wiki.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier.
Oct 22, 2009
Videos for the Muppet Soul
The past few days we've linked to some highly exciting Sesame Street and Muppet videos online. Instead of just briefly mentioning them, we've decided to give these videos/video pages their due.
First up, there's the absolutely phenomenal webpage Sesame Street has created for their 40th birthday. This site features a behind-the-scenes look at the new 40th Anniversary book, downloads of some really cool Sesame desktop wall papers, and a collection of vintage videos.
The highlight of this site, by far, is the "Best Sesame Ever!" section. Here, Sesame fans young and old have the chance to vote for their favorite Sesame Street clips from all four decades of the show. Each week, videos from a new decade are added for voting, and after all four decades the top clips will be voted on to choose THE GREATEST SESAME STREET CLIP OF ALL-TIME! This week: The 2000s! Grover hosts and informational/instructional video about voting in this decade (suggesting that you vote for a video starring a very cute, furry, blue monster) but the rest is up to you.
There's a great selection of clips to choose from including Feist's fantastic performance of "1,2,3,4," "Preschool Musical," Wayne Brady singing "Between," "Pigeons, Cookies, and Trash," Plain White T's singing "I'm a Letter T," Ernie and Bert's Banana Phone, "American I," "A's Anatomy," the web-sensation "Mad Men" parody, and more!
Voting results can be viewed as well. Currently leading the race: "Pigeons, Cookies, and Trash" with 9% of the vote, followed closely by Feist's "1,2,3,4" with 7%. Make sure you do your Sesame Street fan duty and vote today! You can count on The Muppet Mindset to keep you updated each week when a new chance to vote arises.
Next up, The Muppets! That's right, those wacky, irreverent beasts of felt and fur are back with more videos in commercials for the Disney Parks and their "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promotion. The first commercial features TV Chef Cat Cora (who will star in a brand new cooking show with the Muppets later this year) with Kermit, Gonzo, and The Swedish Chef all volunteering at a restaurant of sorts. Without revealing what happens in the video... I just have to point out that Steve Whitmire and Dave Goelz are masters at comedic reactions.
The second video features fake doctor Sara Ramirez with Pepe and Fozzie Bear (with a cameo by Sweetums) volunteering in a hospital. Notice how Fozzie ruthlessly tries to fry up Pepe for lunch--see if you can find THAT on Sesame Street!
Can these videos get anymore awesome? I'm loving all of the classic Muppety vibes they give off. I only hope we see more and more like this! Now, if you'll excuse me... I'm off to volunteer so I can go to Walt Disney World and ride Toy Story Midway Mania with Gonzo and Fozzie!
Here are the three previous "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promos:
With James Denton:
With Teri Hatcher:
With Taye Diggs:
First up, there's the absolutely phenomenal webpage Sesame Street has created for their 40th birthday. This site features a behind-the-scenes look at the new 40th Anniversary book, downloads of some really cool Sesame desktop wall papers, and a collection of vintage videos.
The highlight of this site, by far, is the "Best Sesame Ever!" section. Here, Sesame fans young and old have the chance to vote for their favorite Sesame Street clips from all four decades of the show. Each week, videos from a new decade are added for voting, and after all four decades the top clips will be voted on to choose THE GREATEST SESAME STREET CLIP OF ALL-TIME! This week: The 2000s! Grover hosts and informational/instructional video about voting in this decade (suggesting that you vote for a video starring a very cute, furry, blue monster) but the rest is up to you.
There's a great selection of clips to choose from including Feist's fantastic performance of "1,2,3,4," "Preschool Musical," Wayne Brady singing "Between," "Pigeons, Cookies, and Trash," Plain White T's singing "I'm a Letter T," Ernie and Bert's Banana Phone, "American I," "A's Anatomy," the web-sensation "Mad Men" parody, and more!
Voting results can be viewed as well. Currently leading the race: "Pigeons, Cookies, and Trash" with 9% of the vote, followed closely by Feist's "1,2,3,4" with 7%. Make sure you do your Sesame Street fan duty and vote today! You can count on The Muppet Mindset to keep you updated each week when a new chance to vote arises.
Next up, The Muppets! That's right, those wacky, irreverent beasts of felt and fur are back with more videos in commercials for the Disney Parks and their "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promotion. The first commercial features TV Chef Cat Cora (who will star in a brand new cooking show with the Muppets later this year) with Kermit, Gonzo, and The Swedish Chef all volunteering at a restaurant of sorts. Without revealing what happens in the video... I just have to point out that Steve Whitmire and Dave Goelz are masters at comedic reactions.
The second video features fake doctor Sara Ramirez with Pepe and Fozzie Bear (with a cameo by Sweetums) volunteering in a hospital. Notice how Fozzie ruthlessly tries to fry up Pepe for lunch--see if you can find THAT on Sesame Street!
Can these videos get anymore awesome? I'm loving all of the classic Muppety vibes they give off. I only hope we see more and more like this! Now, if you'll excuse me... I'm off to volunteer so I can go to Walt Disney World and ride Toy Story Midway Mania with Gonzo and Fozzie!
Here are the three previous "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promos:
With James Denton:
With Teri Hatcher:
With Taye Diggs:
Oct 1, 2009
The Muppets Give a Day and Get Into the Disney Way
You may recall two days ago that we here at The Muppet Mindset touched on and linked to the new Disney Parks promotion that the Muppets are headlining. Well... we've decided that wasn't enough.
These new promotions for Walt Disney World and Disneyland signify a lot more than just a few commercials featuring the Muppets, this is a full-blown advertising campaign starring the Muppets. Disney has given Kermit and Co. the reins to their campaign to bring people to their theme parks in 2010. The theme parks are perhaps Disney's greatest means of money-making, so the fact that the Muppets have been tapped to bring people in to the parks this coming year really speaks to the confidence the Mouse House has in our furry little friends.
Not only does Mickey have confidence that the Muppets can and will do good things, but they're being welcomed into the Disney world as family. How do I know this, you ask? Well, there are many telling signs, but I'll just point out the glaringly obvious ones in this video starring Miss Piggy and Taye Diggs (whoever that is). Go ahead and watch it, I'll wait here.
...You done? Great! Now, what's the first sound emitting from the video? Yes, it's the time-honored Disney classic "Bella Notte" from Lady and the Tramp. Why is this so important, you may ask, again, the answer is clear: Disney has integrated the Muppets into their company. The Muppets are no longer the awkward step-child, they're now the beloved little cousin who always gets the best Christmas presents. In the video, Miss P. also gets to play Cinderella for a second. I don't really know why that's important... but it's pretty cool.
The Muppets have also been unleashed on the main websites for Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and the Disney Parks homepage. On the first two sites, Gonzo, literally, cuts through the castles and appears with some chickens. "There! That's better!" he declares proudly before being seen flying above and around the castle on a balloon.
The Muppets are the main focus on the Disney Parks homepage as well. Here, there are six different videos (three sets of two) that show the Muppets volunteering then enjoying their reward of a free trip to a Disney Park. Kermit is hammering, then seen with Robin and some other frogs in front of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland; Miss Piggy is hauling a piece of wood, then enjoying herself on the puke-worthy Mad Tea Party; Animal is "painting," then seen jamming with the Electric Mayhem on the Mark Twain River Boat; Fozzie is sawing, then seen on a fire truck going down Main Street, USA with the rest of the Muppets; Pepe and Rizzo are drilling, and then living it up in Pirates of the Caribbean; Bunsen and Beaker are testing the electricity of the house they're building, then Beaker becomes part of the Disney fireworks. If Disney didn't trust the Muppets' popularity, they wouldn't trust them to headline their main portal to all of their theme parks the world over.
Last, but certainly not least, is the main website for the entire "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promotion starring, you guessed it, the Muppets! Although it's not terribly easy to navigate, it's still a fun, Muppety site and it once again screams that Disney finally trusts the Muppets. They really are the spokes-whatevers for the 2010 Disney Parks promotion, and Disney really is doing right by them.
One has to wonder, however, if people who see these great promos on their TV (Did I mention that they're nationally broadcast commercials? 'Cause they are.) will be clamoring to see the Muppets in the parks once they've volunteered and received their free tickets. It seems that some guests who came specifically influenced by these ads and this campaign would be slightly perturbed that the only place to see the Muppets is in Muppet*Vision 3D. But, then again, this could also be a sign that Disney is planning to integrate the Muppets into the Parks more. Imagine Fozzie's Comedy Clubhouse, Pepe's Salsa Soiree, Miss Piggy's Palace ("Please, like Cinderella has anything on MOI!")... Yes, I'm going overboard, but I'm an obsessed Muppet fan, so it's okay.
So, yeah, that's how Disney is (finally) throwing the Muppets a big welcome to the family party. Keep a lookout for these fantastic commercials on your TVs! But, if you're feeling lazy and don't feel like doing that, you can catch them all on Disney's "What Will You Celebrate?" video page.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go volunteer so I can meet the Muppets! ...That's what happens when you volunteer, right?
Not only does Mickey have confidence that the Muppets can and will do good things, but they're being welcomed into the Disney world as family. How do I know this, you ask? Well, there are many telling signs, but I'll just point out the glaringly obvious ones in this video starring Miss Piggy and Taye Diggs (whoever that is). Go ahead and watch it, I'll wait here.
...You done? Great! Now, what's the first sound emitting from the video? Yes, it's the time-honored Disney classic "Bella Notte" from Lady and the Tramp. Why is this so important, you may ask, again, the answer is clear: Disney has integrated the Muppets into their company. The Muppets are no longer the awkward step-child, they're now the beloved little cousin who always gets the best Christmas presents. In the video, Miss P. also gets to play Cinderella for a second. I don't really know why that's important... but it's pretty cool.
The Muppets have also been unleashed on the main websites for Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and the Disney Parks homepage. On the first two sites, Gonzo, literally, cuts through the castles and appears with some chickens. "There! That's better!" he declares proudly before being seen flying above and around the castle on a balloon.
The Muppets are the main focus on the Disney Parks homepage as well. Here, there are six different videos (three sets of two) that show the Muppets volunteering then enjoying their reward of a free trip to a Disney Park. Kermit is hammering, then seen with Robin and some other frogs in front of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland; Miss Piggy is hauling a piece of wood, then enjoying herself on the puke-worthy Mad Tea Party; Animal is "painting," then seen jamming with the Electric Mayhem on the Mark Twain River Boat; Fozzie is sawing, then seen on a fire truck going down Main Street, USA with the rest of the Muppets; Pepe and Rizzo are drilling, and then living it up in Pirates of the Caribbean; Bunsen and Beaker are testing the electricity of the house they're building, then Beaker becomes part of the Disney fireworks. If Disney didn't trust the Muppets' popularity, they wouldn't trust them to headline their main portal to all of their theme parks the world over.
Last, but certainly not least, is the main website for the entire "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promotion starring, you guessed it, the Muppets! Although it's not terribly easy to navigate, it's still a fun, Muppety site and it once again screams that Disney finally trusts the Muppets. They really are the spokes-whatevers for the 2010 Disney Parks promotion, and Disney really is doing right by them.
One has to wonder, however, if people who see these great promos on their TV (Did I mention that they're nationally broadcast commercials? 'Cause they are.) will be clamoring to see the Muppets in the parks once they've volunteered and received their free tickets. It seems that some guests who came specifically influenced by these ads and this campaign would be slightly perturbed that the only place to see the Muppets is in Muppet*Vision 3D. But, then again, this could also be a sign that Disney is planning to integrate the Muppets into the Parks more. Imagine Fozzie's Comedy Clubhouse, Pepe's Salsa Soiree, Miss Piggy's Palace ("Please, like Cinderella has anything on MOI!")... Yes, I'm going overboard, but I'm an obsessed Muppet fan, so it's okay.
So, yeah, that's how Disney is (finally) throwing the Muppets a big welcome to the family party. Keep a lookout for these fantastic commercials on your TVs! But, if you're feeling lazy and don't feel like doing that, you can catch them all on Disney's "What Will You Celebrate?" video page.
Oh, and did I mention that Bob Iger loves Kermit and Miss Piggy too? 'Cause he does!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go volunteer so I can meet the Muppets! ...That's what happens when you volunteer, right?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)
