The MuppetCast - Show #71 - Monsters in the Kitchen

[stephenjlizard]

Hello Muppet People! I'm happy to be back in the studio here in Columbus, OH, hosting The MuppetCast. With a new in-person interview with Jane Hunt (live from her kitchen), a new Muppet List, a discussion of Studio DC, all the normal news, history, feedback, and a Sesame-riffic montage, this episode might as well have everything but the kitchen sink. And if you look around hard enough, you just might find one of those, too.

Listener Steve Finney, a regular contributor to the podcast, joins me this week as we discuss favorite Sesame Street monsters in the Muppet List. Later, he re-joins me to compare notes and observations on the new Disney Channel special, Studio DC: Almost Live. While I wasn't such a big fan of it, Steve F. makes some points that make me re-think my own positions in a few places. It's a great discussion on a show that I know many of us have varying opinions of, and I'm sure it won't be the last time we mention it on The MuppetCast.

If you're just joining the community of MuppetCast listeners, you may be wondering what's all the talk about Jane Hunt on the show? Jane is the mother of Muppeteer Richard Hunt. She and I have become friends over the past year, as The MuppetCast presented a special tribute to Richard this past January. Jane was kind enough to talk with me about her very special son, and since then she has been a returning guest, occasionally sharing stories from a perspective that only a mother could offer. We've gotten to know Richard so well over the last few months because of her generosity.

Recently, I traveled to New Jersey to visit Jane in her home, and we spent some time talking and looking over various pictures and puppets, lots of things from Richard's life. With Jane's permission, I also shot some video interviews, and part of our time together is included in this week's episode. A full DVD will be available very soon, I'm still putting it all together at the moment.

Thanks go out to Evoulie for the Sirius radio audio. That'll be in next week's show. Also coming up next week: a disucssion with Ryan and Joe from ToughPigs.com about the Fraggle Rock DVD announcement. I think we're all three of one mind about the subject, and it should be quite a conversation.

Links to all sorts of fun stuff can be found in the show notes over at MuppetCast.com. Thanks for downloading and listening to the show!

 

[The Count]

Hey Steve... First off, congrats on reaching the five-eights mark here, you'll probably reach the true milestone by Christmas.

1 Brian Summers' intro. Thought I recognized his voice from the other DisCasts, particularly the PinCast which I listen to regularly now.
2 Nice that your site's Muppet Amazon store is doing well. Guess you got the same arrangement as the one here at MC.
3 Matt Robinson... Yes, the first Gordon. Gordon's last name—the character of Gordon—is Robinson, in homage to this actor, from a postcard Gina once received directed to a Mr. Robinson which ultimately was given to Gordon. Also, that little girl Sally in the first episode? That was Matt's real life daughter, Holly Robinson-Peete.
4 Yes, there was an earlier green version of Grover. I'd recommend you search through Muppet Wiki for either Gleep or Fuzzy Face.
5 The photo of Richard and both Placidos... Unless I miss my guess, that's from the Sesame Street 20th anniversary special, the sort of mythical thirteenth episode of JHH.
6 The Muppet List this week... Very well done. But I can't help think of this old sketch I sort of have in my memories in spite of being unable to pin it down as where/if it happened. What I know is that this reporter character or maybe it was Colambo came up to Grover asking for his help in getting to know all the various monsters on Sesame Street, and the sort of short bio list ensued.
7 Telly... Originally, he was "best friends" with Oscar. You should watch the specials Big Bird in China and/or Don't Eat the Pictures to see the more classic Telly. Though the original version, according to Muppet Wiki, was meant to be a "television monster with zombie-like eyes", in much the way Cookie Monster became a cookie monster. My best memory of Telly would have to be him segwaying to the old Ask Oscar segments, Linda replacing the grouch in the trashcan in one of these.

At any rate... Good show and I look forward to next week's. Oh, and enjoy those Season 39 episodes.

BTW: Steve F's registered here, so maybe he'll see this and reply in time.

 

[dwayne1115]

Wow Steve i didn't reaize how you felt about Stuido DC almost Live! I thought that you would have liked it better, but I also understand where your comming from.

Also i love the idea of having people on talking about diffrent things like the Muppet list and then talking about studio DC. I would love to talk sometime about anything, maybe the new Peppe book when i get it read. I would also like to ponit out that Jim Lewis and Kerth Thatcher produced it. They might not have had a whole lot to say about the writeing of the script. I think that if one or both of the guys i said help write the show it would have been a lot different.

 

[Colbynfriends]

Great show Steve. I liked listening to you talk with Jane Hunt. I also liked listening to some of the new material from SS, especaly Feist's song. I can't get that song out of my head either.

 

[Emmett The Crab]

What news?

I'm really curious about the Fraggle Rock DVD news that you're taken aback by.

Edit: I just found it. That is very aggravating.

 

[Dire Corrector]

I'm glad Grover, of course, made the monster list. He's also the reason I was able to survive the dreaded Celine Dion song "My Heart Will Go On." I always like to do the refrain in a Grover voice. "Neeeeeeeear faaaaaaaaar"

 

[CensoredAlso]

Around 109 (when the photo of Richard and Kevin is being discussed) it keeps conking out on me every time. However, I did try downloading the whole thing and it worked then. ::shrugs::

Cool interview with Jane (loved her Swedish Chef imitation! Hehe) It would be cool if some of the photos could maybe be included on the Muppetcast site, hehe. But in either case, fun listen!

 

[stephenjlizard]

I'll try and scan in the photos to the Flickr page this week, thanks for reminding me. Glad everyone is digging the episode. It's the first one I've recorded in the studio since the trip, and it felt good to get back into the swing of things!

 

[kermiegirl]

When I was listening to the show, there was something wrong. It seemed like it was going in slow motion. It could be me or you but I don't know.

 

[Vic Romano]

I had just started listening to The MuppetCast when suddenly, I spilled milk on my laptop and destroyed it. I'm back and started listening again!

Stephen; GREAT show. Hearing the interview was great. I wish I had listened sooner, I live very close to where you were staying, I coulda' taken you out to dinner!

I also started listening to previous shows and really enjoyed show #60 with the pin trading interview. That was fascinating.

I have a question about the latest show; a little obscure though; during the feedback e-mail portion of the show, I heard string instrumentals of "Yo Ho A Pirates Life For Me" and some Mary Poppins music. What was that from? It was beautiful! It stuck out to me because it wasn't "Muppet Music" like is usually played. All the music you use is so clear and crisp. I remember (I think show #50) with the full MV3D show, and it sounded like a direct cut of the soundtrack as opposed to the "mic in the attraction" copy I have. I also enjoyed hearing Feist on Sesame Street clip, what an awesome track!

The MuppetCast is a dream come true for a fan. The service you're providing us with is sublime. Thanks so much. I really encourage everyone who has not heard MuppetCast to download all the episodes and listen to them like I'm doing. Really excellent work, man.