Happy 4th of July, Muppet Fans!

Happy 4th of July, Muppet Fans! Enjoy the day swelling with patriotism by celebrating with honor and culture and DIGNITY. (Last time we let Sam Eagle write for us...)

Speaking of Sam, yesterday, in honor of the holiday, the official Disney blog Oh My Disney! posted a wonderful video tribute to Sam the Eagle. Watch the video below in celebration of Sam's favorite day of the year!



Finally, remember that Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the Muppets will be appearing on PBS's A Capitol Fourth celebratory television special tonight! Check your local listings. Kermit and Miss Piggy are confirmed to be performing "Rainbow Connection" live with the National Symphony Orchestra, but expect plenty of other surprises from the Muppets throughout the show!

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

News Update: March 6, 2014

MARCH 6, 2014

I really don't remember the last time we had two News Updates in one week... quite honestly I don't know if we ever have. But here we are with enough great new Muppet content released this week to fill another post entirely. Crazy, crazy times.

Anyway, Sam Eagle was on Jimmy Kimmel Live Tuesday night for a brief surprise appearance. It seems that his role in Muppets Most Wanted as a CIA agent has led him to a new line of work: security detail. Watch the video for an explanation.



Jimmy Kimmel clearly loves Muppets Most Wanted (or ABC/Disney is making him love it), because last night on the show he had Ricky Gervais on to talk about the movie. Watch the clip from Ricky below--it's wonderful! Fair warning: a clip from the movie opens the video.



The Muppets have capitalized on John Travolta's flubbing of Idina Menzel's name at the Oscars on Sunday night. Travolta called Menzel "Adele Dazeem" and the Muppets ran with it to promote Muppets Most Wanted in this new spot. It's just... too perfect. Watch below.



Four amazingly cool new posters for Muppets Most Wanted have appeared online. They parody James Bond, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Face-Off in hilarious fashion. Check them out! (Thanks to our friends at ToughPigs for finding these.)

Disney has released another clip from Muppets Most Wanted today. In this one, Constantine has to deal with his hatred of Miss Piggy without ruining his evil plot.


Keeping Up Appearances - Muppets Most Wanted Clip on Disney Video







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

The Internet Goes Crazy for "Muppets Most Wanted"

Disney is finally letting the lid off of their big-time promotions for Muppets Most Wanted. Check out the brand new promo video below, featuring tons of new content from the film, some hilarious moments, and quite a few SPOILER ALERTS.



And if that's not enough, today Entertainment Weekly has revealed that "Party Central," a brand new Pixar short film starring the characters from Monsters University, will debut in front of Muppets Most Wanted when it comes to theaters on March 21st. The great relationship between Pixar and the Muppets continues!

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

The Muppet Super Bowl

SUPER BOWL XLVI

NEW YORK GIANTS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

We asked the Muppets who they would pick as Super Bowl winners tonight... most of them had no idea we were talking about a football game (the Swedish Chef thought it was a choice between soup or bowl, Gonzo thought it was some sort of stunt involving a giant bowl of tapioca and a cape), some of them didn't really care either way (Miss Piggy was conflicted over the looks of Eli Manning and Tom Brady, Rowlf just wanted to watch the commercials), and some were just bitter about the fact that their favorite sports couldn't reach mainstream popularity (competitive boomerang fish throwing, alligator wrestling, bad joke telling). However, there were two who had a distinct opinion about the game... Sweetums is pulling for the New York Giants because any press for giants is good press, and Sam the Eagle is rooting for the New England Patriots because all patriots should be winners in America.

I think I'll side with Sweetums. He's bigger.

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

Muppetology 101: Recasting of Muppet Show Characters, Pt. 2

Ryan Dosier - Welcome back to class, class! Hope you brought your purple gloves and your rubber chicken because today is all about Frank Oz and Eric Jacobson. We're continuing our series of Recasting of Muppet Show Characters today. As you'll recall, last week we explored the recasts of characters performed by Jim Henson. The only logical second step is to take a look at the characters performed by Jim Henson's right-hand man (sometimes literally), Frank Oz. Frank retired from performing with the Muppets in 2002 and since then all of his characters have been passed on to the incredibly talented Eric Jacobson, who, for the most part, has given near-perfect performances of every character on this list.

Take notes! That quiz is coming up! (Eventually, probably. First I need some lunch.)

• MISS PIGGY
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1976-2002)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2001-present)
• Miss Piggy was the first of Frank Oz's characters to be recast after Frank's retirement from working with the Muppets. It didn't prove too difficult to cast the porcine diva once the exceptionally talented Eric Jacobson took over. In fact, at Eric's first performance as Miss Piggy at MuppetFest in 2001, most people in the audience had no idea that it wasn't Frank performing--the voice and mannerisms were that spot-on. Frank performed Piggy a few more times before officially retiring from the character in 2002.
• Frank Oz first performed Miss Piggy in The Muppet Show Season One (1976), trading off the character with Richard Hunt for the first few episodes but finally settling in as Piggy's permanent performer before the season ended. Frank Oz's last performance as Miss Piggy was on The Today Show in 2002 for the 50th anniversary special.
• Eric Jacobson first performed Miss Piggy during a video insert in "The Muppet Show: LIVE" at MuppetFest in 2001. Eric Jacobson has continued to perform Miss Piggy in every appearance of the character after 2002, including The Muppets in 2011.

• FOZZIE BEAR
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1976-2000)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2002-present) 
• Fozzie Bear remained silent and unseen after Muppets From Space in 1999, and did not physically perform the character again after that. Three years later, Eric Jacobson donned the role of the bear in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002, solidifying himself as Fozzie's permanent performer. Eric's Fozzie remains one of the best recasts in Muppet history, as Eric's characterization of the bear is reminiscent of what Frank did with Fozzie on The Muppet Show.
• Frank Oz's first performance as Fozzie Bear was on The Muppet Show Season One in 1976. Frank Oz remained Fozzie's sole performer for over 20 years, up to Muppets From Space in 1999. Frank's final vocal performance as Fozzie was in the Muppet RaceMania video game in 2000.
• Eric Jacobson's first performance as Fozzie Bear was in the TV movie It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002. Eric Jacobson has performed Fozzie for the past decade, including Fozzie's major role in The Muppets in 2011, and will continue with Fozzie for the foreseeable future.

• ANIMAL
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1975-2000)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2002-present)
• Animal is without a doubt one of the most popular Muppets, but even he was not recast permanently after Frank Oz's retirement for two years. Even during Muppets Tonight, 1996-1997, Frank began phasing his way out of the character as Kevin Clash performed Animal in a few of his appearances, with Frank looping the dialogue later. However, when it came time for It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002, Eric Jacobson was the obvious choice for the permanent recast of the drummer. A few other performers took on Animal in the 2000s (most notably John Kennedy, who did Animal's voice for Muppet Party Cruise, a 2003 video game), but Eric has been the only performer of Animal from 2005 onward.
• Frank Oz's first performance as Animal was in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence pilot in 1975. Frank Oz gave his last physical performance as Animal in Muppets From Space in 1999, but also did Animal's voice for Muppet RaceMania in 2000.
• Eric Jacobson's first performance as Animal was in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002. Eric would be the main Animal throughout the 2000s, with a few other puppeteers doing the character's voice. But from The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005 to Animal's semi-starring role in The Muppets in 2011 and beyond, Eric Jacobson has been Animal's only performer.

• SAM THE EAGLE
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1975-2000)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2005-present) 
• Sam the Eagle was perhaps the most difficult of Frank Oz's characters to recast after his retirement. In It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002 and the Muppets Party Cruise video game in 2003, Kevin Clash was the voice of Sam Eagle. It wasn't until The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005 that Eric Jacobson performed Sam for the first time. Since then, Eric has been the only performer of Sam, giving another near-perfect performance as the pompous eagle. Eric performed Sam in such hits as "Stars and Stripes FOREVER!", "American Woman," and "Bohemian Rhapsody" in 2008 and 2009.
• Frank Oz's first performance as Sam the Eagle was in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence pilot in 1975, where Sam was one of the main characters alongside Nigel and Floyd Pepper. Frank Oz's final, physical performance as Sam Eagle was in Muppets From Space in 1999, but Frank did provide Sam's voice for the Muppet RaceMania video game in 2000.
• Eric Jacobson's first performance as Sam the Eagle was in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005, where Sam played the Emerald City gate guard. Eric Jacobson has continued to perform Sam the Eagle ever since, including Sam's role in The Muppets in 2011.

• MARVIN SUGGS
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1976-1981)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2011-present)
• One of Frank Oz's stranger characters was Marvin Suggs, a minor character who would appear various times throughout the run of The Muppet Show. Marvin Suggs would continue to appear in silent roles after The Muppet Show ended in 1981, but Frank Oz never spoke as the character after that. Marvin disappeared after a brief, silent cameo in Muppets From Space, but in 2011 director James Bobin revealed that one of his favorite Muppets was Marvin Suggs, so the character had a semi-resurgence in The Muppets and the OK Go music video for "The Muppet Show Theme Song," performed by Eric Jacobson both times.
• Frank Oz's first performance as Marvin Suggs was in The Muppet Show Season One, Episode 105, in 1976 where Marvin and his Muppaphones performed "Lady of Spain." Frank Oz's last known performance as Marvin Suggs was in The Muppet Show Season Five, Episode 506, in 1981 playing the Wonderland Judge.
• Eric Jacobson's first performance as Marvin Suggs was in OK Go's "The Muppet Show Theme Song" music video in 2011. Eric Jacobson has only performed Marvin Suggs in 2011, but even this was enough to have Marvin Suggs and the Muppaphones sang a line in the finale version of "Life's a Happy Song" in The Muppets in 2011.

Well, that'll do it for class today... I'm letting you out early, be grateful! Next week we'll jump back into it with a look at the recast characters of The Muppet Show characters performed by Richard Hunt! Now, be gone with you!

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

More Official Character Descriptions from "The Muppets"

The fine folks at Disney Publicity and Marketing have provided us with even more official character descriptions from The Muppets! You'll remember that way back in September we spotlighted character descriptions of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, Walter, Gary, Mary, Tex Richman, and Veronica. Well, these extra descriptions give insight into some of the other Muppet players. Check them out below and thanks again to Disney for the information!

STATLER & WALDORF (Statler & Waldorf) return to the balcony in Disney's "The Muppets" as feisty and curmudgeonly as ever. These two old hecklers let the insults fly—as well as serving an important public service. "We didn't want to be in the movie," explains Statler, "but we felt it was our duty." Adds Waldorf, "Yeah, somebody's got to warn the rest of the audience what they're in for."

This time, the duo takes center stage, sharing the fine print of the Muppet contract with villain Tex Richman. Of course, Statler and Waldorf ("The Muppet Movie," "The Great Muppet Caper," TV's "The Muppet Show") don't realize that Tex plans to raze Muppet Studios and drill for oil, which would mean the end of their balcony—and their heckling.

One thing is certain. Statler and Waldorf think everyone should see this movie. "We had to sit through it," says Statler. "The least folks could do is share our pain."

THE SWEDISH CHEF (The Swedish Chef) is behind some rather combustible culinary creations in Disney's "The Muppets," especially after he discovers a long forgotten refrigerator in the rundown Muppet Studios.

The Swedish Chef ("The Muppet Show") is equally at home in the kitchen and on set. Wherever he goes, he's fighting a never-ending battle against food and ingredients; a battle he rarely, if ever, wins. It didn't take much convincing to get him to return to Muppet Studios when production kicked off.

'Zikkledeffer gøøbee der smidleflingen," says the Chef. "Vooshkee høøksker mit gingen agloofe majuskee! Børk! Børk! Børk!" (Roughly translated: "It's not everyday you get offered to play the role of Chef from Sweden. Besides, I had a soufflé in the oven and an afternoon free, so why not!? Børk! Børk! Børk!")

DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW & BEAKER (Dr. Bunsen Honeydew & Beaker) are still hard at work in Muppet Labs—where their latest invention shrinks poor Beaker ("The Muppet Show") to pocket size. Undeterred by this diminutive debacle, Beaker fortunately returns to normal size to complete his latest big-screen appearance, all with the help of his mentor and boss, the legendary Dr. Bunsen Honeydew ("The Muppet Show").

"We are scientific consultants on the movie as well as scientific consultants in the movie," says Honeydew. "Very meta, don't you agree?"

"Meep meep meep," adds Beaker, who—in addition to his scientific contributions—was also tapped for an all-Muppet barbershop quartet rendition of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

SAM THE EAGLE (Sam the Eagle) lends his patriotic disdain to Disney's "The Muppets" in a heroic effort to add dignity to the telethon's opening musical number and spirit to the barbershop quartet.

Sam Eagle ("The Muppet Show"), who has always looked askance at the Muppets' supposedly entertaining efforts, explains his reason for being part of Disney's "The Muppets." "I play an American Eagle who stands for all that is good and decent in the world, thus standing in sharp contrast to the rest of the weirdoes in this movie."

ROWLF THE DOG (Rowlf) isn't exactly tough to track down in Disney's "The Muppets." Kermit and the gang fetch the piano-playing dog from a cozy hammock and convince him to return to the stage. And, it turns out, Rowlf's ("The Muppet Movie," TV's "The Muppet Show') unique canine musical sensibilities prove perfect for the all-Muppet barbershop quartet.

"You could say that this is Rowlf unleashed," says Rowlf, who has been with the Muppets since the early days. "In this movie, I really get to do what I like best—play piano, sing, tell jokes and take myself for long walks around the neighborhood."

SCOOTER (Scooter) takes the threat to Muppet Studios in Disney'’s "The Muppets" to heart. "I'm stage manager of the Muppet Theater," explains Scooter. "I try to help Kermit save the studio, 'cause without a theater and stage, there's really not much for a stage manager to do."

Scooter ("The Muppet Show") gets to play a new role in the movie—as host—when, in a pinch, Kermit calls on Scooter to fill in for him on stage. Unfortunately the classic advice Scooter gets to calm his nerves—pretend that the audience is naked—doesn't necessarily work for him.

DR. TEETH AND THE ELECTRIC MAYHEM BAND (Dr. Teeth, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Zoot & Animal) rock the house, shake the foundations and do both major and minor structural damage with their funky, heavy rockin' musical sounds. And even though Animal has allegedly sworn off drumming in exchange for a more peaceful existence, Dr. Teeth, Floyd, Janice and Zoot have other ideas in mind for their legendary drummer—all of which lead to a seriously rockin' rendition of "Rainbow Connection."

Dr. Teeth highly recommends Disney's "The Muppets." "If you see only one movie," he says, "this is absotively, possolutely the one to see! And if you see two movies this year, I'd recommend goin' to see this one twice. We need the gig, you dig?"

Janice agrees. "It will, like, help you achieve total inner grooviosity, fer sure." To which saxophonist Zoot adds "Huh?"

Floyd Pepper was chasing Animal and could not be reached for comment.

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

News Update: October 27, 2011

NEWS UPDATE: October 27, 2011

The Disney Store has released a bunch of new Muppet stuff online and in their physical store locations. Among these are four brand new Muppet mugs featuring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo the Great--only available in-store, along with some new t-shirts, and eight wonderful new Muppet plush toys of Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, Beaker, Rizzo, and... Pepe the King Prawn! This is the first time a Pepe plush has been widely available, so be sure to get yours today, okay! All of these are available at DisneyStore.com | The Muppets and I've been told that even more stuff--including a Walter plush--will be coming out soon. So be on the look out!

The Muppets have released three brand new videos recently: two promoting their involvement with Alamo Rent-A-Car Company, and the other featuring Sam the Eagle as he shills out for "likes" in The Muppets Fan-A-Thon in the most patriotic way possible. Check out all three videos below--and make sure you bring an umbrella. Rowlf's tongue is flying!







A slew of great new interviews with cast and crew of The Muppets have filtered out onto the internet recently. Variety has a great little piece with Christophe Beck, composer for the film. In it, Beck talks about his exposure to the Muppets, why he enjoys them, and why he has loved working on The Muppets. An interview with Zack Galifianakis on BuzzSugar.com talks a little bit more about Zack's cameo in the movie as a character called "Hobo Joe." He also talks a little about his hope for the film and love of the characters. Director of The Muppets James Bobin talked with Film Journal International at great length and opened up about his love for the Muppets and his love for The Muppets. He really comes across as a great fit for the characters--which should be very satisfying to a lot of fans.

Kermit the Frog recently stopped by Toronto to visit and co-host the popular morning talk show CP24 to promote The Muppets and announce that he and the rest of the Muppets would be appearing in the annual Toronto Santa Claus Parade on November 20th. Luckily, CP24 posted two videos from Kermit's gig on their website and, as always, the Frog was fantastic. Take special notice of how he rolls around in the chair and be sure you watch both videos and stay till the end. There's a very special, adorable, understated musical treat.

Whilst in Toronto, Kermit met up with friend and co-star Jason Segel and the two talked about The Muppets with various news outlets. Toronto.com has a great piece and small interview with both the Frog and the writer/actor. In the interview, Jason talks about the fart shoes and explains why he thinks they work and people are over-reacting. It's basically what we said here the other day... you know how Segel likes to take all of our ideas. I mean, I was talking about a Muppet feature film long before he was!

In the major recent explosion of promotion for Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, Kevin Clash stopped by some talk shows for some rare appearances without a furry red sock on his arm. Our friends over at ToughPigs.com have the full collection of appearances, but check out below for the video from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for my favorite of the appearances. Also, take note, that The Muppet Mindset has interviewed someone that Jon Stewart has interviewed. How awesome is that?!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Kevin Clash
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

The Muppets are the stars of the November 2011 issue of WIRED Magazine subtitled "Fuzzy Logic." The cover features Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker and inside, seven pages are wonderfully overflowing with Muppets including Sam the Eagle, Janice, Statler and Waldorf, Gonzo, and a lot more. I can't recommend going out and buying this magazine for yourself highly enough. It's a wonderful item to have with a great piece on Jason Segel included (which has pictures like the one at right). However, if you can't afford the magazine or can't seem to find it for yourself, the wonderful folks over at ToughPigs.com have scanned the whole thing just for you (probably not just for you)... so check it out!

Our friends over at We Love Fine T-Shirts are hosting a Muppet t-shirt design contest and voting is--and has been--open. Voting ends on November 4, so get in there and vote for one of the shirt designs that are actually good, not some of the poorly Photoshopped uses of already existing material. The piece at right, designed by friend of the blog Dave Alvarez, is just one of the examples of amazing Muppet art in this contest. Go vote so you can get to wear one of these on your torso!

There are two great new promotional videos for The Muppets appeared on Disney.com recently. Thanks to our friends over at Muppet Musings, these two videos are now on YouTube for all to see! The first, "The Muppets: 10 in 60" features Jason Segel and Kermit the Frog as they attempt to answer ten questions about The Muppets in 60 seconds. This video features some fantastic new shots from the movie and some great interaction between Kermit and Jason. The second is the Disney Movie Surfers showcase of The Muppets wherein Kermit deems both Jason and the random girl interviewing them as honorary Muppets. Why wasn't I in that room at the time? Anyway... enjoy both below!

And, finally, there is a brand new final parody trailer for The Muppets now available for a bazillion viewings online!! Here it is--in all its amazing glory. The Muppets just parodied their own parody. That just happened. Watch it now!









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

(Kind of) Weekly Muppet Quotes Spotlight: Sam the Eagle

Casey Daron - Hello Everyone! Welcome back to (Kind of) Weekly Muppet Quotes! Today we spotlight the most American Muppet of all, Sam the Eagle! Even though Sam thinks the Muppets are SICK and WIERD, he still manages to stay with the Muppets after all these years. Now's your chance to be a true American by reading these quotes!

"At times like these, I am proud to be an American."
~ Sam the Eagle, The Great Muppet Caper

"Work hard lad, and one day, your life will be as solid as this very building--" CRASH! "--Huh. I've been meaning to fix that shelf."
~ Sam the Eagle, The Muppet Christmas Carol

"It seems the words on my coffee mug are right: 'It is hard to soar with Eagles when you work with turkeys.'"
~ Sam the Eagle, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie

"It's called 'A Salute to All Nations, But Mostly America.'"
~ Sam the Eagle, Muppet*Vision 3D

"Is the Captain bad tempered? The man is a raging volcano, tormented by inner demons the likes of which mere mortals cannot fathom!"
~ Sam the Eagle, Muppet Treasure Island

BONUS! This is a quote from The Muppets found in the new book, Frogs are Funny!

"What should you do if someone gives you a large boulder as a present? Take it for granite! Wocka! Wocka!"
~ Fozzie Bear, The Muppets

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

86 Days Until "The Muppets"

Lucas Ervin - For this third week, I would like to showcase some of the craziest characters on The Muppet Show that appeared many times over the show’s five year run. These characters also seem to show Jim Henson’s wicked sense of humor that he was so well known for. Everybody has their weird moments--even Kermit--but these guys are what gave The Muppet Show its crazy vibe. So this week, prepare for sick, weird and morally appalling characters who will make you laugh, sing and run for cover.

86.   Koozebanians
I decided to kick off with the Koozebanian characters because they’re featured more often than people might think. Kermit, dressed in the same reporter outfit from Sesame Street, interviewed many of the different species that inhabited the planet Koozebane, such as Phoobs, Spoobles and even covered a Koozebanian mating ritual. The crew from Pigs In Space have also landed on the planet a couple of times, including the Star Wars episode. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can be seen throughout the entire five-year run of the show. The link above shows Dom DeLouise during his visit to the planet, dealing with some mischievous Merdilops.

85.   Bobby Benson and His Baby Band
Richard Hunt was another Muppet performer who really understood Jim’s odd sense of humor, and he proved it by playing several questionable characters like Beaker, Sweetums, and, of course, Bobby Benson, a middle-aged man who smokes and somehow has a band of babies with him at all times, and apparently is returning in The Muppets in November. He always said, "That’s my babies!" But I’m pretty sure he just stole them from a daycare center, and the moms and dads never investigated it further. Of course, if their parents actually cared about their babies, then we wouldn’t have great numbers like "Pennsylvania 6-5000."

84.   Sam the Eagle
A Frank Oz character, the fact that Sam was always trying to instill moral and wholesome entertainment into the Show but always failing at his attempts to do so is exactly why he makes the list this week. He’s tried discussing the issues of nudity, stealing, and even has read the fable "The Ant and the Grasshopper," where, in this version, the story actually ends with the ant getting stepped on and the grasshopper drives down to Florida. He’s even tried censoring the show a couple of times, and failed miserably. He really doesn’t seem to get along well with anyone either. In fact, the only two people--aside from Wayne and Wanda--that he really can communicate with are Statler and Waldorf. He’s a pretty well-known character, has been around since the Sex & Violence pilot, and despite being a bit difficult towards the other characters, he’s still pretty lovable. In the hilarious clip above, Sam tries to talk to Kermit about his family tree.

83.   Wayne and Wanda
If there was one act Sam Eagle really enjoyed, it was this singing duo. The definition of insanity is someone who does the same thing over and over again, expecting different results, and during the first season of The Muppet Show, these two came back, week after week, singing a different song and hoping it would go smoothly. But as we all know, it never did. Kermit ended up firing the two singers (although Wayne would still appear in a melodrama or a song from time to time). The duo returned during Season 4, singing to Kermit for his birthday, but Kermit is reminded of why he fired them in the first place, and fires them again. And who knows? Maybe they’ll be fired for a third time when The Muppets hits theaters.

82.   Lew Zealand
I love Lew. It’s that simple. He’s silly, funny and has a very unique act; boomerang fish-throwing. He throws the fish awaaaaay... and they come back to him. He was supposed to only appear once in the Marisa Berenson episode, but Jerry Nelson and the writers enjoyed him so much, he stayed on. Lew has appeared in every theatrical and television Muppet movie. With his goofy laugh and his clown-like apparel, Lew gradually did more than just sling fish; he became a superhero, turned into a chicken, even sang a few memorable songs like "Goodnight, Sardine" and "Another Opening, Another Show." You could even say he was a pretty prominent character by the time the show ended, and from what I understand, he didn’t enjoy his previous job very much. Apparently he used to work with a porpoise just for the halibut, but then he lobster. Yeah, it’s funnier said than written. Anyway, the clip above shows one of Lew's greatest moments: throwing fish while Leslie Uggams sings.

81.   Marvin Suggs and the Muppaphone
When we first saw this guy performing "Lady of Spain" on his Muppaphone--a xylophone made of furry little orange and pink Muppet heads that, when you hit them with a mallet, cry "Ow!"--we knew Marvin Suggs sure was... something. He certainly provided some other unique moments, like when he portrayed the judge in Alice In Wonderland, or when he tried out a new act with a singing food chorus, doing his rendition of "Yes, We Have No Bananas." Most recently, he made an appearance in the OK GO music video of "The Muppet Show Theme Song," and is rumored to be making a comeback in The Muppets. When asked what he may be like off the show, Frank Oz once said, "I’ve always felt that Marvin lived in a skuzzy trailer park with his put upon wife, and he kept the Muppaphones in a cage and would beat them regularly." Whatever his off-camera life, Marvin is sure entertaining such as in the clip above, performing "Witch Doctor."

80.   Crazy Harry
Crazy is his first name. Crazy Harry--with his love of explosives and eerie laugh--has also been around since Sex & Violence but was originally named Crazy Donald, in reference to the famous puppet-builder Don Sahlin. Also, during the first season, he could be found in the orchestra pit playing the triangle, and was performed by John Lovelady. When Jerry Nelson took over the character in season two, Crazy Harry got that famous laugh and you had to be careful with what you said around him. For example, if Kermit were to say something like, "We’re starting the show off tonight with a bang," Harry would show up with his dynamite plunger, ask "Did somebody say BANG?!" blow Kermit up, and start in with his maniacal laughter. He was recently seen in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, blowing up an old house, made a dynamite appearance in the OK GO video, and, like many other lesser-known characters, he’ll appear in the new Muppet film in November. I honestly can’t wait to see him, because as Jean Stapleton sings in the clip above, I’m just wild about Harry.

86 Days Until The Muppets!!

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

Sam the Captain American Eagle

Yesterday marked the release of Marvel Studios' latest film epic, Captain America: The First Avenger. And, considering the fact that Disney now owns Marvel Comics and its parade of super-characters, it seems only obvious that Disney would begin to combine their own original beloved characters with the beloved characters from the Marvel universe. So... which Disney character would we be seeing don the iconic Captain America garb and holding that shield? Mickey Mouse? Stitch? Woody? Nope. None of the above. But see below...

Yup. That is Sam the Eagle dressed as Captain America. It's awesome. It's random... but it's awesome. Who would have expected Disney to make an official poster like this? Also... note the wonderful mash-up of the Marvel logo with the new Muppets "M." I think this is one of the only times that I've actually liked that M. Kudos to the Disney marketing team on this randomly awesome poster!






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

Happy 4th of July!

It's the 4th of July, America's birthday, American Independence Day, Exploding Christmas... and what better way to celebrate than with America's favorite eagle (or at least the eagle's favorite America), Sam the American Eagle.





Happy America Day, everybody! Go do your patriotic duty and blow something up.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

New Muppets Video: AMERICAN WOMAN

The Muppets have done it again. Their brand new, hotly-anticipated, viral YouTube video, "American Woman" has been posted just in time for Memorial Day Weekend! The new video stars Sam the Eagle as he... oh, forget it, just watch for yourself!



Sam the American Eagle, ladies and gentlemen! And how about Kermit there at the end? Excellent! Now... excuse me while I watch again and gasp at the word "Canadian."

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Sam the Eagle

Written by Blake.

SAM THE EAGLE

Performed by...
Frank Oz (1975-1999)
Eric Jacobson (2005-present)
Kevin Clash (2002-2003)

First appearance...
The Muppet Show "Sex and Violence" pilot (1975)

Most recent appearance...
Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Memorable quotes...
"You are all weirdos."
"It is called ‘A Salute to All Nations, But Mostly America.’"

WHO IS SAM THE EAGLE?
Sam the Eagle is the “keeper of the peace,” per say, of the Muppets and one of their funniest characters.  He generally disapproves of the various shenanigans that Kermit and company are up to and often tries his best to encourage the crew to maintain the dignity they have left.  He never personally ridicules anyone, he just doesn’t see eye-to-eye with most of the other Muppets.  This often inspires Sam to create segments of his own so that he can weave in at least a little bit of “educational value” into the show.

Sam is definitely proud of his American citizenship.  Many of his speeches and appearances have discussed his patriotism.  He just wishes that everyone else would show as much American pride as he does.

If Sam’s actions prove anything, it’s that he sure is persistent.  Many folks might give up on the tiresome task of trying to high-brow the Muppets, but Sam has remained loyal to them for 35 years now.  He must see some untapped potential in them that everyone else obviously doesn’t!

Additionally, while some (cough, cough, Miss Piggy, cough, cough) might blow their top when herding together such a rowdy bunch of characters, Sam has kept composure and poise in the midst of his many Muppet mishaps, even when everything seems to get chaotic.

Although it might be in Sam’s best interest to search elsewhere if he’s looking for scholarly, dignified performers, we sure are glad that he’s stuck around all these years so that we get to watch his unsuccessful attempts unfold.

SAM THE EAGLE'S FRIENDS
Sam is occasionally paired with a Muppet here and there, but for the most part he tries to isolate himself from the rest of the gang.  However, that doesn’t mean that he’s friendless.

In The Muppet Show’s first season, Sam was very supportive of the singing duo Wayne and Wanda.  He very much liked their performances and viewed them as a quality act that deserved to stick around with the Muppets.  However, their songs often ended in mayhem.  Unfortunately, except for a few random appearances, Wayne and Wanda have not been a major part of the Muppets since The Muppet Show episode 124 (season one’s finale).

Without Wayne and Wanda, Sam thankfully still has someone to talk to when he feels like expressing himself.  He feels comfortable sharing his thoughts and ideas with Kermit.  Although the frog might be nice, he never manages to fit Sam’s grand ideas as they were intended into the Muppets’ productions.

SAM THE EAGLE MOMENTS
Sam has been sporadically used throughout Muppet history in a variety of different types of roles.  He’s been a front-running star, a supporting player, and a brief cameo guest in a number of Muppet productions. 

In The Muppet Show, Sam was most active in season one in the aforementioned Wayne and Wanda skits, as well as in several panel discussion segments.  From there, his appearances on the show were mostly restricted to several brief speeches.

Later on, Sam proved himself to be quite the versatile actor.  He’s performed a part in each of the Muppets’ “role-playing” movies: Scrooge’s teacher in The Muppets Christmas Carol, Arrow in Muppet Treasure Island, and an employee of Oz in The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz.

In the summer of 2008, Sam joined YouTube under the pseudonym “patrioticeagle” and uploaded the Virmup (Muppet Viral) video “Stars and Strives FOREVER!” to much success.

Perhaps Sam’s most prominent and arguably best moments, though, are part of Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3-D, an attraction that debuted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World in 1991 and at Disney’s California Adventure in Disneyland in 2001.  Sam is one of the main stars of the attraction’s pre-show video, which includes several hilarious “opening acts.”  Later, just before guests head into Muppet Theater, Sam relays several safety instructions that include some very funny back-and-forth banter with Gonzo.  This pairing wasn’t used again to my knowledge, but it certainly works well here.  Gonzo’s wacky personality and Sam’s orderly behavior play off of each other very well and could definitely be used again in the future.  Once the main 3-D film begins, Sam delivers more hysterical remarks, some of which are highlights of the show amongst many park guests.

SAM THE EAGLE'S ANNOYANCES
Everyone gets a little ticked off from time to time, and there are several specific issues that seem to get in Sam’s way.  Whenever a musical production number arises, Sam is the first to proclaim his disapproval.  “Bohemian Rhapsody” was simply an outrage as Sam sees it.  Crazy Harry has also recently been an annoyance to Sam, having twice caused a YouTube explosion that the poor eagle simply wasn’t fond of.  Generally, whenever a Muppet is doing something that he or she shouldn’t be doing (which is quite often), Sam becomes stressed.

SAM THE EAGLE AND THE U.S.A.
As stated earlier, Sam is a proud American.  He feels that he should do his part to help others appreciate his nation and often stages patriotic odes to his country, none of which have been successfully performed in their entirety.  His three-hour “A Salute to All Nations But Mostly America” was degraded to a minute and a half (much to Sam’s horror), his viral Internet extravaganza didn’t go as well as he would have hoped, his speech at the 2009 D23 Expo was interrupted by several fellow Muppets, and his recent inspiring volunteer speech concluded with him being dropped to the ground.  Thankfully he has wings.

WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED SAM THE EAGLE?
Sam’s specific role pertaining to the Muppets as a group is questionable.  Although he inputs many ideas and tries his best to keep things organized, he’s not really the “glue” that keeps the show on the road.  (That’s more the job of Kermit and Scooter.)  So in reality, it would seem as if Sam needs the Muppets more than the Muppets need Sam!  Without them, he’d have no one to concoct zany ideas for.  If he was surrounded by people similar to him, he probably wouldn’t stand out, though when he’s around his Muppet friends, he’s an original because he’s so much different than them.

Even though Sam may not be integral to the functioning of the Muppets in the grand scheme of things, he has definitely been the root of several of their biggest adventures.  Had he not let Dorothy and her friends into Oz, they would have never realized that what they truly wished for was with them all along.  Instead, their journey would have abruptly and prematurely come to a halt.  Additionally, if Sam had not been at the post office to inform Fozzie and Gonzo that opening Santa’s letters was illegal, there would have never been the crazy voyage to the North Pole (not to mention that Fozzie and Gonzo could have potentially gone to prison).

Sam the Eagle is one of the Muppets’ most memorable characters because he dares to be an original in a crowd of weirdos.  Usually he appears in random cameos, though that’s really what Sam is best at.  If he were overused, his comedic style wouldn’t read as funny as it does when it’s unexpected and quick.  That being said, when he does appear, Sam’s presence is a treat to enjoy as he inspires those around him to do good, have poise, and appreciate America.  Thank you.

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