Interview with Legendary Muppet Performer DAVE GOELZ, Part 3

Interview with Dave Goelz

By Ryan Dosier

Dave Goelz’s Answers © Dave Goelz 2013

PART 3

RYAN:   We’re back with the one and only Dave Goelz, who just cracked up over my joke about a goat and a dwarf and a jar of peanut butter. Any jokes you’d like to share, Dave?

DAVE:   Now Ryan, tell the truth. We didn’t go anywhere, and you didn’t tell me a joke. This is a written interview. And I can’t remember jokes.

RYAN:   Then came Fraggle Rock, a series that I know is very special to everyone involved in it. How did this show’s differences from The Muppet Show challenge and liberate the performers working on it?

DAVE:   At first I felt limited by the show’s agenda, with its focus on modeling good behavior for kids. Eventually I found that it became kind of therapeutic. It was a chance to develop as a person, and that triggered a lot of growth and change for me.

RYAN:   What was it like on the occasions when Jim came to perform in an episode of Fraggle Rock?

DAVE:   It was great fun. He did Convincin’ John and Cantus the Minstrel, both of whom were wonderful characters. Jocelyn Stevenson wrote the latter for Jim, and it captured his wisdom and whimsy perfectly.

RYAN:   How much of Boober exists within you? Do you admire socks, tedium, and drudgery as much as he does?

DAVE:   Each of my characters comes from a part of myself. In Boober’s case, it’s the part that fears interviewers and would rather retreat to laundry. Which reminds me I need dryer sheets.

RYAN:   Boober formed tight bonds with many other characters on the show. Which of his friends do you think is the most important to Boober?

DAVE:   That would be Wembley, for sure.

RYAN:   One of Boober’s most hilarious relationships is with Sidebottom, his fun-loving alter-ego. Can you talk about the episodes where you played both Boober and Sidebottom and the difficulties and rewards that came with this?

DAVE:   Jocelyn Stevenson thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if Boober could overcome his fear. She hit upon the device of Boober meeting his alter ego in a dream, with an ensuing power struggle.

My favorite of the three episodes is Boober’s Quiet Day, which is structured as a farce, and results in a compromise––hence, a little growth for Boober. It helped me find more fun in him thereafter.

The shoot was a challenge, as I performed both sides of Boober and Sidebottom’s dialogue. Someone read off-lines while I performed each character, using blue-screen for the second character. I worked closely with our director, Eric Till, and our video switcher, Harley Walker.

RYAN:   What was it like performing Philo while filming the Trash Heap scenes with Jerry Nelson as Marjory and Richard Hunt as Gunge?

DAVE:   I loved it. Jerry was incredible with Marjory. His character and manipulation are just so alive. Richard created Gunge, who was such a great character that I just did the same thing with Philo. The “yeeeaaahhhh” was Richard’s. My favorite part of them was doing background vocals when Marjory sang. Search youtube for “Fraggle Rock I’ve Seen Trouble.”

RYAN:   The World’s Oldest Fraggle is one of my favorite characters on the show. How did this character come about?

DAVE:   They wrote the character and our producer Larry Mirkin asked me to perform him. My contribution was to make him kind of senile, and that he compensated for his lapses by blaming his flunky, who was played by John Pattison.

RYAN:   What were filming the Traveling Matt segments like? Were people receptive to a Fraggle on their roller coasters, in their farms, and throwing their money into fountains?

DAVE:   I don’t remember too much about attention from the public while we were shooting, but we seemed to have access to every place we wanted to go.

RYAN:   What are your favorite Traveling Matt segments?

DAVE:   I love the episodes when the legendary Traveling Matt comes home to Fraggle Rock and is exposed as a fool. Gobo wants to be proud, but Matt is utterly incompetent, and Red makes fun of him. Great dynamic! I also adore the episode that shows Matt as a little boy who wants to be an explorer just like his Uncle Gobo, who was a very accomplished explorer. Matt, of course, was incompetent even as a child.

RYAN:   What about your favorite Boober moments?

DAVE:   Boober’s Quiet Day. See above. Also the episode Marooned.

RYAN:   One of the most important aspects of Fraggle Rock was the music. What were some of your favorite songs on the show?

DAVE:   I loved everything that Dennis Lee and Phil Balsam wrote. Those two were just fantastic together. I saw them recently at the Fraggle 31st Year Reunion. They are lovely people, and so talented.

RYAN:   What does Fraggle Rock mean to you?

DAVE:   Harmony.

Jeez, are you ever going to stop with the questions?

RYAN:   What do you think is the lasting legacy of Fraggle Rock?

DAVE:   I’m thrilled that people in their thirties and forties are passing it along to their children. What a great feeling.

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

My Favorite Thing(s) About Fraggle Rock, Part 1

 Ryan Dosier - For the past few weeks I've been partaking in one of the best things a Muppet fan can do for him or herself: watching the complete series of Fraggle Rock on DVD. This beautiful series ran for four seasons and features some of my favorite Muppet moments, perfect songs, and wonderfully rich characters. I don't think that I, personally, have ever written about how much I love Fraggle Rock here on The Muppet Mindset... and after watching every episode of the series, I knew I had to. Today is the beginning of a new article series by me about why I love Fraggle Rock so very much. Each week will focus on a different aspect of this wonderful show. Enjoy!

THE CHARACTERS
Is it any wonder that I'm starting here? On this, probably my third or fourth viewing of the entire series, I came to the realization that there is not a single prominent character on Fraggle Rock that I do not adore. From the main characters like Wembley, Boober, and Junior Gorg to secondary characters like Cotterpin Doozer, Convincing John, and Large Marvin and even tertiary characters like Felix the Fearless, Architect Doozer, and Sidebottom--all of these joyous characters are flawlessly written, hysterical, touching, and undeniably enjoyable from the start to the finish of the series. Who doesn't love Gobo, Mokey, Red, Cantus, Pa Gorg, Marjory the Trash Heap, Philo, Gunge, or any of the characters here?

Arguably the best part about Fraggle Rock is watching these characters interact. Whether it's Philo and Gunge being hilariously obnoxious, Mokey being sweet and loving with grumpy Boober, Red running amok with Cotterpin Doozer, Junior driving Pa Gorg nuts, Traveling Matt's ineptitude causing Gobo trifles, or Wembley being hysterical with absolutely anyone, the interactions of characters is what makes Fraggle Rock such a treat. I dare you to watch the entirety of Season 1's "Marooned" and not be moved by the journey of Red and Boober, who go from total opposites to more than understanding one another, but relying on each other.

One can't discuss the characters of Fraggle Rock without mentioning Doc and Sprocket. Sprocket, the pantomime dog, and Doc, the charming and bumbling inventor, bookended every episode of the show and were not charged with carrying any of the emotional weight--at least not most of it. Yet the relationship between these two is so beautiful that it becomes something more than just man and dog. Sprocket is clearly Doc's closest companion--and who wouldn't want a dog like Sprocket as their best friend? His impression of Doc's neighbor Ned Shimmelfinny is enough to sell Sprocket... but of course there's a lot more to him. He's loyal, smart, stubborn, and wonderful. Doc--brilliantly played by Gerry Parks--is forgetful and oblivious and delightful to watch and the perfect partner for Sprocket. Talk about man's best friend... and dog's.

Another thing that I discovered on this run through the series is my love for Richard Hunt on Fraggle Rock. He performed Junior Gorg's voice and face, Gunge, and a whole host of random Fraggles and creatures, including the Wizard and the Mean Genie. Yes, I love Richard on The Muppet Show and on Sesame Street, but it wasn't until watching the series this time that I realized how fantastic he was on Fraggle Rock. The personality he brought to Junior Gorg is unparalleled and might just be his greatest character. I found myself looking forward to the Junior-centric episodes more than almost any other character (except maybe Wembley) because I knew I would laugh out loud multiple times. Junior's episodes are true classics: "The Garden Plot" in Season 1 where the Fraggles convince Junior he's dead; "Bored Stiff" in Season 3 where Gobo and Junior have to save the Fraggles; "Junior Faces the Music" in Season 4 where Cantus imparts wisdom to the Gorg; and, my personal favorite: "The Battle of Leaking Roof" in Season 3 where Pa and Junior try to fix the castle roof. But Junior's crowning achievement (pun definitely intended) is Season 4's "The Gorg Who Would Be King," which follows Junior into Fraggle Rock where he learns about the inter-connectivity of the world. I love Junior Gorg... and I love Richard Hunt. Fraggle Rock wouldn't be the same without him.

One can't mention Richard Hunt's Fraggle Rock contributions without mentioning Jim Henson's as well. Jim was not a regular on the series, leaving it to his trusted team to create magic--which they clearly did. But at least twice every season, Jim would come to play and bring to life two of his greatest characters: Cantus the Minstrel and Convincing John. Nearly everyone will talk about these great Jim characters... but I want to focus on one episode in particular: "The Secret Society of Poohbahs" from Season 3. Yes, Jim loved to balance the sentimental with the silly, but there's no denying that the silly almost always took over. Nowhere is this more true than in "The Secret Society of the Poohbahs." I won't spoil the episode if you haven't seen it, but it is perhaps my favorite Fraggle Rock episode and Jim Henson makes it so. Hearing Convincing John read off the Poohbah role call will forever be hysterical to me. Present with an exclamation!

Gobo's Uncle Traveling Matt (as Wembley loves to call him) is another one of the best things about Fraggle Rock. His postcards are such a delight in every episode that I'm surprised Traveling Matt never received his own spin-off series. I could watch Matt ride a roller coaster, imitate a pig, or wrestle a lawn plant all day every day. Dave Goelz created such a brilliantly funny and idiotically charming character. One of the many things I love about Matt is his voice. I can't even explain why... because it is so difficult to talk about what makes voices so special... but when Traveling Matt gets flustered and his voice gets high and freaked out, it's pure magic. I also love the way he says, "The other daaaaaaay..." Uncle Traveling Matt is the charming idiot savant who asserts that he is a hero to Fraggle kind (and maybe he is)--and hilarious to boot.

But my favorite character on Fraggle Rock is, without a doubt, Wembley Fraggle. What Wembley does throughout the series is just amazing. Even the second episode of the show, "Wembley and the Gorgs" implies that Wembley is the smartest, most accepting of all the Fraggles. Wembley may be the most naive, the most indecisive, the most wacky... but he also proves that he is the bravest, smartest, and noblest of the Fraggles. Wembley sees the worth in the Gorgs, he sings with Cotterpin Doozer, he raises a baby tree creature, he disproves the Wizard, he fights the Mean Genie, and grapples with mortality with a Mudbunny. Steve Whitmire is the only performer who could have brought Wembley to such wonderful life. The sounds he has Wembley make, the songs he sings, the faces he creates, the complete insanity and giddiness he instilled in Wembley all prove why Steve and Wembley are inseparable. If I had to pick one Wembley episode as my favorite, I think it would have to be Season 3's "Wembley's Wonderful Whoopee Water." The spectrum of emotion that Wembley goes through in this episode is magnificent. Wembley is undeniably one of Steve Whitmire's greatest characters.

And yet, all of the prominent characters on Fraggle Rock are some of their respective performers' bests. Jerry Nelson hit the trifecta with three main characters, each as wonderful as the other, with Gobo Fraggle, Pa Gorg, and Marjory the Trash Heap; three vastly different characters that prove the always impressive variety that Jerry is capable of. Mokey Fraggle and Cotterpin Doozer show us why Kathy Mullen is such a performing force to be reckoned with. Mokey is honest and real and wonderful while Cotterpin in headstrong and stubborn and smart as a tack. The crazy talent of Karen Prell was released through Red Fraggle whose rambunctious tenacity stole the show nearly every episode. Dave Goelz had Boober Fraggle, Large Marvin, Philo, and World's Oldest Fraggle along with Traveling Matt, Steve Whitmire performed Sprocket, Wembley, and a variety of characters, and they all brought to life an entirely new world.

This world, populated with Fraggles and Doozers and Gorgs and Silly Creatures and Hairy Monsters, still holds up wonderfully today. If you haven't seen it, get out there and find yourself some Fraggle Rock as soon as possible. You are truly missing out on some of the greatest Muppet characters that Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, and the Muppet performers ever created.

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

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Uncle Traveling Matt

UNCLE TRAVELING MATT

Performed by...
Dave Goelz

First appearance...
Fraggle Rock Episode 101: "Beginnings" (1983)


Most recent appearance...
A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
Appeared in Jim Henson's Fantastic World at Carnegie Hall (April 2012)

Best known role...
Fraggle explorer of "Outer Space"; Gobo Fraggle's uncle; postcard sender

Famous quote...
"Dear nephew Gobo, The other daaaaaaaaaaaay..."

WHO IS UNCLE TRAVELING MATT?
Gobo Fraggle's Uncle Traveling Matt is one of the most prominent characters in Fraggle Rock. He is a well-traveled, clumsy explorer who was the Fraggle to discover the Gorg's Garden and the first Fraggle to explore "Outer Space," the world of the Silly Creatures.

Most of Uncle Matt's moments on Fraggle Rock came through his weekly postcard to his nephew Gobo. The postcards were sent to Doc's workshop and had to be retrieved by Gobo in order to have any communication with Traveling Matt. Matt's postcards explained his encounters with the Silly Creatures in hilariously inaccurate detail. Traveling Matt recounted his experiences with roller coasters, cotton candy, subways, drive-in movies, cows, and numerous other Silly Creature things.

Traveling Matt's postcards, however inept Matt himself may seem, usually offered advice that assisted Gobo in his day-to-day activity. The postcards sent by Uncle Matt were always a major plot point in any episode as Gobo and the other Fraggles paused to read and reflect. Most of the Fraggles were elated by this, but Red Fraggle always met Gobo's cry of "I just got another postcard from my Uncle Traveling Matt!" with rolling eyes.

Matt's childhood and past were revealed in Episode 315: "Born to Wander," as told through the Storyteller Fraggle. Matt was raised by his Uncle Gobo, also a famous, more competent explorer. It was Matt's dream to be a successful explorer like his uncle (sound familiar yet?) so he set out to prove himself. He truly does so, as he accidentally discovers the Gorg's Garden and radishes, which became the new food staple for the Fraggles.

In Episode 205: "Uncle Matt Comes Home," Traveling Matt returned to Fraggle Rock for a brief period. His vacation was short, however, and by the end of the episode he was back to exploring Outer Space again. In the final season of Fraggle Rock, in Episode 404: "Uncle Matt's Discovery," Traveling Matt returned to Fraggle Rock permanently. Although he did make a few scant trips back to Outer Space, most of Matt's stories were told through oral retelling rather than postcards from that point on.

As the only Fraggle to venture into Outer Space, Uncle Traveling Matt was one of the only characters from Fraggle Rock to appear outside the show itself. He appeared at the wedding of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) and was joined by Sprocket at The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years (1986). It wasn't until A Muppet Family Christmas (1987) that other Fraggles besides Matt appeared outside the show.

Recently, Traveling Matt has appeared a handful of times in random appearances. In 2011, he was used in a promotional image for Native Springs shoe company. Later that year, Dave Goelz performed Matt for the first time in years at the Amphibian Alumnus Reunion event for past and present employees of The Jim Henson Company. Uncle Traveling Matt's most recent appearance was at Jim Henson's Musical World (April 2012), a stage show at Carnegie Hall in New York City where Matt appeared with Red and Wembley Fraggle, showcasing the wonders of "Carnegie Cave."

UNCLE TRAVELING MATT POSTCARDS
A postcard from Uncle Traveling Matt was read by Gobo or the other Fraggles in nearly every episode of Fraggle Rock. Here are a few favorite snapshots from Uncle Matt's postcards:

WHY DOES FRAGGLE ROCK NEED UNCLE TRAVELING MATT?
Uncle Traveling Matt is one of the most important characters on Fraggle Rock. He provides an unprecedented connection to the world outside. Although most of his explorations seem trivial or ridiculous, Traveling Matt is still giving the Fraggles a connection they wouldn't have otherwise. Uncle Matt provides details and information about a new culture, a new world, showing how the Silly Creatures of Outer Space are similar to the Fraggles. This message of "we're all the same" is the main message of Fraggle Rock as well.

Plus, Uncle Traveling Matt is absolutely hilarious. Now, please enjoy this picture of Traveling Matt on a German talk show...

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

News Update: February 4, 2012

NEWS UPDATE: February 4, 2012

Remember those awesome guys in the band OK Go who did that even more awesome music video with the Muppets for their cover of "The Muppet Show Theme Song"? Well, OK Go has gone and produced another amazing video, this time on Sesame Street! There are no Muppets in the video with them, but the guys in the band have basically solidified themselves as honorary Muppets anyway. Plus, this video is too cool not to share! Check it out below:



I'm sure you all heard about FOX News' rant a few months ago about how the Muppets were brandishing a Liberal agenda and brainwashing children against business and the oil industry with Tex Richman (who, you know, they thought was actually a Muppet, not a human character played by Chris Cooper). Well, it took awhile, but Kermit and Miss Piggy (mostly Piggy) finally responded to the outrageous claims in brilliant fashion. Check out the video below and see for yourself (and smirk at the irony of Kermit saying, "That's going to be all over the internet!"):



And if that weren't enough, FOX News had to mention the rebuttal by the frog and the pig on the air. Bill O'Reilly, host of The O'Reilly Factor, showed the clip and responded, "Well, we still like the Muppets. But they'd better watch it." I sincerely hope he was doing it with an air of joking about him... but you never know with Papa Bear Bill. Anyway... you can see that video as well and decide for yourself.

Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street, has launched a brand new website at its same old location: www.SesameWorkshop.org. The website is incredibly informative and gorgeous with loads of pictures, information, and ways that you can get involved with the Workshop's mission. It highlights all of their current (and some of their future) projects as well as showcasing individuals and groups involved with the Workshop. I think my favorite section is the Sesame News section where the website gathers Sesame-related news articles from various places around the web (Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, etc.). Explore the site for yourself and marvel in the greatness that is Sesame Workshop all over again!

In Fraggle Rock news (and I honestly can't remember the last time I said that), shoe company Native Spring are launching a line of advertisements for their children's shoes featuring Red Fraggle and Traveling Matt. The shoes aren't Fraggle themed and it does seem like an odd choice to have Red and Matt promoting shoes... but I'm not complaining, because we were also treated to three brand new pictures featuring new Red Fraggle and Traveling Matt posers! Could this mean that more Fraggle material is coming? Probably not... but who knows. Check out the pictures below:

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

New Fraggle Rock Plush From Manhattan Toys

The Jim Henson Company's online store have released four exciting new products from Manhattan Toys' line of Fraggle Rock goodies. An Uncle Traveling Matt plush doll and hand puppet and a Junior Gorg plush and puppet are now available through the online store. This is the first time Junior (or any) Gorg has been available in plush form, so that alone is quite exciting.

Uncle Matt Plush - $25

Uncle Matt Puppet - $22

Junior Gorg Plush - $30

Junior Gorg Puppet - $25

There's also plenty of other great Fraggle merchandise available at Henson's online Fraggle Rock store.

And while you're on this Fraggle kick, why not cast your vote in our polls to release a Complete Fraggle Rock Music set? You'll be glad you did!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier