This morning NBC's Today spotlighted Jim Henson: The Biography with a fantastic video tribute to the man and his work. The video features appearances and interviews from Brian Jay Jones, author of the biography, and Frank Oz. It's a truly brilliant little clip and currently this week's must-see video.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Showing posts with label Jim Henson - The Biography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jim Henson - The Biography. Show all posts
Oct 15, 2013
Oct 11, 2013
Brian Jay Jones Visits The Daily Show
Last night friend of the blog Brian Jay Jones appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to discuss and promote Jim Henson: The Biography. The appearance was thoughtful, smart, fun, and enlightening. As always, Brian Jay Jones proved himself a Muppet historical genius and Jon Stewart showed himself to be quite a big Jim Henson fan as well. You won't want to miss this!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Oct 8, 2013
News Update: October 10, 2013
Cookie Monster is coming to New York ComicCon! That's right, David Rudman is bringing the voracious monster to the booth of our friends at WeLoveFine T-Shirts on Saturday, October 12th at New York ComicCon. There will be two photo ops/signings with David and Cookie Monster at 11am and 2pm on Saturday, October 12th. WeLoveFine's booth is #1836. WeLoveFine will also have a NYCC Exclusive Cookie Monster t-shirt, which you can see at right. If you're a Muppet fan going to New York ComicCon, this cannot be missed!Speaking of New York ComicCon--which is this weekend, by the way--there are tons of Muppety things going on. Our friends at ToughPigs have the definitive list, but we'll provide a quick recap. On Thursday from 2:30-3:00 in Room 1A17 there will be a panel about creatively energizing students featuring our friends Bonnie Erickson, Noel MacNeal, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, and Louis Henry Mitchell. On Friday from 1:45-2:15 in Family Room 1B02, Noel MacNeal will be hosting a workshop on how puppets are made. On Friday from 4:30-5:30 in Family Room 1B02, Louis Henry Mitchell is hosting a Sesame Street drawing workshop. On Saturday from 12:00-1:00 in Room 1A06 is the Comics For Everyone panel which features Joey Mazzarino and a rumored Sesame friend. On Sunday from 4:15-5:00 in Family Room 1B02 will be Leslie and Lolly Make Stuff Up starring our friend Leslie Carrara-Rudolph and the awesome Lolly Lardpop.
As if that weren't enough, our awesome (and awesomely lucky) friends Joe Hennes and Ryan Roe over at ToughPigs are moderating and hosting their very own ComicCon Panel! Their panel, ToughPigs Presents Jim Henson: The Biography is on Friday at 7:45pm in Room A101 and will feature Bonnie Erickson, Karen Falk, Fran Brill, and Brian Jay Jones. This is bound to be the most informative, most fantastically Muppety panel at ComicCon, so don't miss it if you're there!
This Thursday, October 10th our friend Brian Jay Jones, author of the New York Times Best Seller Jim Henson: The Biography will be the featured guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to promote and discuss the book. This is huge, out of this world promotion for the book so be sure to set your DVRs or your eyeballs to catch Brian's appearance! If you miss it, don't worry, we'll have a link to the video as soon as we can.Some more big news this week from the world of Sesame Street International, as Cookie Monster and Elmo have been officially announced to be starring in the new Sesame Workshop/CBeebies show The Furchester, which will debut on British television station CBeebies in fall 2014. No word yet on if Cookie Monster and Elmo will get new performers for this show (as they do with most international efforts), though I doubt it since most Brits are probably familiar with their classic voices. For more info, check out the BBC's press release for the series.
We end this week with sad news. Last week it was reported that master Muppet engineer Faz Fazakas had passed away at age 95. Faz was a brilliant craftsman best known for creating the engineering breakthroughs that allowed Kermit to ride a bike, Emmet and Ma Otter to row a boat, and allowed the Doozers to exist and work so brilliantly. Faz's influence on the technology of making the Muppets move in realistic ways without the assistance of visible hands or wires was truly extraordinary. He will be missed. The Jim Henson Company set up a wonderful tribute page on Facebook with many rare photos and videos of Faz and his work.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Sep 28, 2013
News Update: September 28, 2013
Jim Henson's birthday was on Tuesday this week and it saw the release of Jim Henson: The Biography as well as many rememberances and tributes across the internet. But perhaps the biggest tribute to Jim's legacy came from the Henson family themselves and the Smithsonian Museum of American History, who together announced the donation of over 20 Muppets for display in the museum. These include Fozzie Bear, Scooter, the Count, Cookie Monster, Elmo, and many more. Going on permanent display with the already-donated Kermit the Frog is the one and only Miss Piggy. Check out the video below for the entie donation presentation featuring Cheryl Henson and Bonnie Erickson!
Author of Jim Henson: The Biography Brian Jay Jones has appeared all over the place promoting the book this week. One of my favorite appearances was an audio interview for NPR on The Diane Rehm Show. The hour-long appearance is informative and fun and includes a special appearance from our friend Dave Goelz. Take a listen to the appearance and learn more about the process of writing the biography.Also making the rounds this week are the Muppets of Sesame Street, appearing on two of the most popular late night shows on TV. On Wednesday, Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Grover, Zoe, Cookie Monster, the Count, Murray, Big Bird, and Snuffy appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon playing and singing the "Sesame Street Theme" with Jimmy and The Roots on classroom instruments. This appearance was spectacular and you've got to watch it below!
Straight on the heels of this magnificent appearance, Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch made a big appearance on The Colbert Report Thursday night. The Caroll Spinney duo appeared as part of Colbert's new "Pointless/Counterpointless" segment, where Colbert hoped they would argue with each other. Of course, this didn't go according to plan, so Colbert's frustration and Big Bird's innocence take center stage. It's a hilarious, wonderful appearance that will make you go "How'd they do that?!" when you realize Caroll is providing the voice for both characters at once. Watch below!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Sep 24, 2013
Jim Henson: The Biography Now Available!
Jim Henson: The Biography
by Brian Jay Jones
Available now wherever books are sold
Ryan Dosier - I finished reading Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones over a month ago and this perfect piece of writing has been stuck in my brain ever since. After I finished the book I wrote up a "brief" review which I think expressed how I feel about the book pretty well. But now that Jim Henson: The Biography is finally available for purchase everywhere, I felt like I should say some more.
More than anything, I keep thinking that Jim Henson: The Biography is important. It is a necessary, enlightening, and amazing. Finally, Jim Henson's entire story and legacy are given their proper due--500 pages worth. Not only that, but the book is funny, touching, loving, exposing, and unendingly interesting. It is virtually impossible for you to not find something in this book that is new information to you. I could write an entire article filled with things I didn't know before reading this.
These are all reasons that you should go out and pick up a copy of Jim Henson: The Biography to read for yourself. There have been very few books or documents of any sort that truly capture everything that Jim Henson was--but Brian Jay Jones pulled it off. From Jim's Civil War-era ancestors to his long lasting legacy, the book covers it all. Jim Henson's life and career was one of the most impressive of the 20th century, but his story has never been told as fully as it is in Jim Henson: The Biography. Many of us can never know Jim Henson, but Jim Henson: The Biography is truly the next best thing.
Read our initial review for more thoughts on the book. Plus, read the entire prologue of the book for just a taste of the magnificent writing and storytelling that you will get when you buy the book.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Sep 22, 2013
Jim Henson: The Biography Previews and News
Our friends at Random House, publisher of the forthcoming biography, were kind enough to send us two exciting promotions for the book. First of all is this really cool book trailer, which you can (and should) watch below:
Next from Random House is the incredible opportunity to view an excerpt from Jim Henson: The Biography. Below you can read the entire prologue--which is excellent and fun and beautiful. Huge thanks to Random House for letting us share this!
Here's hoping that taste of Jim Henson: The Biography inspired you to go out and buy this spectacular book on September 24th. You won't regret it one bit!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Sep 13, 2013
News Update: September 13, 2013
Lots of news this week about promotion for the release of Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones which finds its way on to shelves on September 24th. First and foremost, Brian Jay Jones and Dave Goelz will be appearing on NPR's The Diane Rehm Show on September 25th to discuss the book and Jim Henson. This is sure to be a fantastic appearance by both Brian and Dave, so don't miss it! We'll post audio from the appearance as soon as it is available online.On October 1st, Brian Jay Jones, Fran Brill, Dwight Bowers (curator of the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History), Karen Falk, Barbara Miller (Curator of the Collection and Exhibitions for Museum of the Moving Image), and Craig Shemin will all be appearing in person at New York's Museum of the Moving Image for a panel discussion about Jim Henson and Jim Henson: The Biography as well as a reception after. If you're in the New York area, you certainly won't want to miss this opportunity!
Then, on October 22nd, Brian Jay Jones will be on hand at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC from 6:45pm to 8:15pm to give a lecture about Jim Henson: The Biography. The book will also be available for signing at the event.Finally, on November 5th, Brian Jay Jones will be appearing for a book signing in Leland, Mississippi, Jim Henson's hometown and self-proclaimed "Birthplace of Kermit the Frog." The event will be held at The Leland Progress Office from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Don't miss out on these many opportunities to get a signed copy of Jim Henson: The Biography, the best piece of Muppet merchandise this year!
Here's your friendly reminder that Sesame Street's 44th Season begins this Monday, September 16th on your local PBS station! The season is packed with celebrity appearances, spoofs, songs, and fun. Plus, a very special episode dedicated to Jerry Nelson. Set your DVRs and get ready to sweep the clouds away for the 44th consecutive year! For more on what to expect this season, check out our preview article!
Last and least: a cover album of songs from Fraggle Rock was apparently released on July 25th. This completely flew under our radar and we had no idea it was even a thing until a few days ago. Unfortunately, we had to be exposed to it. I don't normally recommend avoiding Fraggle things completely, but in this case I'll make an exception. Dream a Dream and See, the cover album, is horrible. Do not buy it. I really don't even recommend listening to the track previews on iTunes... it's just that bad. I can't tell you how disappointed I am by this release. Fraggle Rock deserves infinitely better.The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Aug 8, 2013
Brief Thoughts on "Jim Henson - The Biography"
Ryan Dosier - Two weeks ago, I was beyond lucky to receive an advanced copy of the upcoming book Jim Henson - The Biography by Brian Jay Jones. Thanks to the immense kindness of the author, Brian Jay Jones, Random House sent me a copy to read and enjoy. And then, again thanks to Brian, I've been allowed to write up a few thoughts about the book for the site. So, here goes.Jim Henson - The Biography is an astounding piece of writing. What Brian Jay Jones captured in 500 pages is nothing short of the most definitive, most complete, most painstakingly impressive account of Jim Henson's life that has ever been produced. No stone is left unturned in this beautiful piece of work spanning Jim's ancestors in Civil War times all the way up to Jim's memorial service in May, 1990. Seriously, I learned so much and appreciated so much more about every single project that Jim Henson worked on that I was completely stunned by the end of the book. This is no crash course in Muppet history, this is a fully detailed textbook with every piece of information you could want. But unlike a textbook, Jim Henson - The Biography is immensely entertaining, funny, witty, smart, heartwarming and, of course, heart breaking.
Some fellow Muppet fans I've talked to have been concerned that Jim Henson - The Biography might somehow paint Jim or the people who worked with him in a bad light. Let me dispell this concern because it could not be farther from the truth. Jones paints Jim in a light as bright as ever and humanizes him in a wonderful way. For years Jim Henson was this god-like figure to me with no faults, but Jones' writing not only shows that yes, he was an undeniable genius and renaissance man, but he was capable of missteps. Jones looks at Jim's faults and "failures" (since they really weren't total failures) from an analytical eye, pointing out why projects are not as beloved as others, why Jim or one of his colleagues may have acted the way they did, or why people vied for Jim's attention so voraciously. This biography is a perfect picture of who Jim Henson was, why people loved him, and how much the entire world was in awe of him--it's impossible not to love him and be in awe of him yourself by the end of it.
What comes across the strongest in Jim Henson - The Biography is just how impressive, dedicated, brilliant, hardworking, hilarious, and well-meaning Jim Henson was always. Brian Jay Jones' writing is a beautiful, well-deserved love letter to a man who created happiness for the world. Jones clearly loves Jim Henson as much as any Muppet fan, and it comes across in stunning detail on the pages of his book. You will learn so many things about Jim, Jane Henson, the Henson kids, Bernie Brillstein, David Lazer, Frank Oz, Jerry Juhl, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, and an unending slew of other names than you can't find anywhere else. Jones was given unprecedented access to Henson archives and it is unbelievably clear that he made great use of that access.
So much for being brief, eh? But really, I cannot come up with enough positive adjectives for Jim Henson - The Biography. Every page is crammed with a new piece of information, an incredible story, a meaningful quote, or a detailed account of a great moment in Jim's life. The highest compliment I can give the book, however, came in the final chapter. Jones covered Jim Henson's final days on Earth in such beautiful, amazing detail that I cried not once, not twice, but three separate times before hitting the final page. Every chapter in the book is perfect, but the final chapter is something even more. Kudos to Brian for capturing it so beautifully in his writing.
Muppet fans, if you only buy one piece of Jim Henson related merchandise this year, please make it Jim Henson - The Biography. It contains information about everything you could ever want to know about Jim Henson (and I mean that) and there is virtually nothing better you could buy as a fan of Jim and Jim's creations. Buy it for yourself, buy it to educate your friends and family about why you love this man, but just buy it. I guarantee you will never regret it. The book is a stunning tribute to Jim and far and away the best piece of media ever produced about the life of this modern day genius. Thanks to Brian Jay Jones for creating this simply perfect piece of work. I can't wait to read this essential book again.Pre-order Jim Henson - The Biography by Brian Jay Jones right now on Amazon for only $23.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
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