The ask Jim Lewis thread is now open

[dwayne1115]

alright my children i have once again sent some questions to Jim hey when you think of a question go ahead and put it down that way i can kind of shuffle them up now i will only use one from that person to make it even and fair but go ahead and post any qustion when you come up with one. I love seeing what ya'll are thinking about and it gives me some kind of idea of what kind of mi of questions i want to send. Im still comming up with great qustions but im going to try and step back and see if some of you all ask them. I will Post jim answers as soon as i Get them. So lets get real creative with the questions and i will say the one who has the most creative question the next time around there question will be the frist one asked on the next bach of questions. Let the creativeity begin!!!!!

 

[dwayne1115]

Well here are the answers to the bach of questions Jim worte me and said he is having a really fun time answering these questions. So keep them comming.
Love
Dwayne








Even More Questions for Jim Lewis

Even more ANSWERS from Jim Lewis



1. What creative muppet mind or minds are behind the posed muppet art pieces--things like the Plump Fiction or Kermit Cline pictures? Who brings these poseable figures to such glorious photographic life, and how do they get the credit/kudos that are their due?

This is an excellent question. Several great minds have been involved with this over the years, beginning with former creative director and my mentor, Michael Frith, who is responsible for so many of the classic pieces (e.g. The Kermitage, Piggy Calendars). John Barrett, the great photographer, is equally to be feted for his ability to capture just the right look. And then, of course, there are the former workshop people like Danielle Obinger, the late costume designer Barbara Davis, as well as art director extraordinaire Lauren Attinello. (And so many others who I am offending by failing to mention their names. Forgive me all who I have failed to acknowledge.) The fact is, it is a real talent—not only to choose the right image to parody—but also to capture the essence of the original with the Muppet twist. Furthermore, it is true genius to bring the characters to life in still images. These aforementioned folk and many others like them deserve credit, kudos and more for capturing the soul of the Muppets and and creating very funny images on film.






2. Whenever you or the other writers work on a one-time project with the cast of The Muppet Show, like a special or movie (I would only count a few one-time guest apearances on other TV shows, like the Muppets appearance on The Cosby Show), do you and the other writers need to know which performers will be available for the production before you write, or do you just write in whatever characters you want to have included, and then rewrite the part if the performer of that character isn't available (I don't know if I worded that right, so I'll just give an example... If, back when Jerry Nelson was still performing with the Muppets, you wrote a script that featured a scene with Floyd, and then Jerry Nelson ended up not being available to perform in that scene or production... would you have rewrote itt o include another character, or would you have kept it in and prayed that Jerry Nelson would loop the voice later)?

The answer is yes….Next question. Actually you got it right. First, we try to write for whatever character works best in a scene or opposite a particular guest star. Ideally, every performer is available, but that’s not always the case. Using your example, if Floyd was perfect for a scene, we’d likely write for him and then have Jerry loop the scene later. But we’d also do our best to make sure that Floyd wasn’t carrying the whole scene, so that the looping could be kept to a minimum. In other words, we make it up as we go along.



3. Have you ever worked on other Henson shows such as Sesame Street Fraggle Rock or even Muppet Babies? If not did you ever have any ideas for storys for any of thouse shows?

Oddly enough, no. When I first joined the company in the 1980s, “Muppet Babies” was still on the air, and I used to give notes on scripts, but I never wrote a script. I wasn’t around for “Fraggle Rock” and I’ve never had the pleasure of writing for “Sesame Street”. Nor have I given them ideas or stories. I guess you might say I’m exclusive to Gags Beasley.



4. Do you have your own copies of the final completed scripts you've written? Or are all copies kept by the respective companies exclusively?

By the time a script is shot, it’s a rainbow of different colors (each color representing a change on that page and the day/draft of that version). And even then, changes are made on the fly as performers improvise or writers come up with something better on the spot. So, the short answer is: no. I don’t have copies of the completed scripts. I usually have the final draft that I originally submitted. There is also very dog-eared, scribbled-upon, smudged, coffee-&-tear-stained shooting draft. But I usually toss this away page by page as we triumphantly shoot another page. Posterity suffers, but why should it be the exception?

 

[RKUNKLER]

Hey Jim were there any sketches that you wanted to do but never made it To The Muppet Show and are there any songs rights issues that came up ?

 

[minor muppetz]

I've read that you recieved storywriting credit on The Cosby Show episode Cliff's Nightmare, which featured the Muppets. Can you tell me what the process was like when writing that episode? I would like to know if it was meant to promote The Jim Henson Hour (which, like The Cosby Show, was broadcast on NBC, though it aired after The Jim Henson Hour was cancled), or if it was done as a favor in exchange for Bill Cosby hosting Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting (or vice versa), why Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and Jerry Nelson didn't perform in the episode (which sort of limited the amount of well-known characters who could have been in the episode, though I find it a bit odd that Scooter, Bunsen, and Beaker weren't in it), and if there were any ideas you had that weren't used in the finished version of the episode.

 

[dwayne1115]

Ok i know i said i wanted to step back and not but an answer for this batch of questions but i just can't help myself. This question i thought about putting in the intervew when i did it but also thought it was to much like a fan question.


Is there a Muppet that is harder for you to write for then say one that is easy for you like Fozzie?

Now my question will not be entered into the contest and will be at the last of the next batch of Questions.

i wish i had more contacts with people to do more ask threads but im really busy working on things for this one that i think one is really all i can handle right now.

I am also glad to see so many new people keep asking questuions.

Thanks everyone because this tread is truly for the fans and the interviews done here are done by the fans.

Also i am thinking of putting the interviws i have done on paper and maybe one day in book from what do you all think about that?

 

[theprawncracker]

Question for Jim...

When writing for Gonzo, is it hard to keep his personality as the deranged lunatic obsessed with self-harm and in love with chickens? It seems that Gonzo's personality has "toned down" a bit over the years. But I thought the "old" Gonzo personality really shone thorugh in "Before You Leap". So I'm just wondering what sort of talk has gone on about Gonzo.

 

[jeremyactor]

How different is it writing for The Muppets from before Disney and since Disney?

 

[Speed Tracer]

Dear Jim. Hi, how are you? That's good. My question is this - are there any guest stars that were scheduled to be on Muppets Tonight before it was canceled? Who were some guest stars you desperately want(ed) to write for, but didn't get a chance to?

 

[dwayne1115]

ok yall i sent the questions in to jim and i have to say the winner is the pawnkraker for her question about the writing of Gonzo. Now i have to say that we had some great questions but that one was a reall good question. Keep trying and maybe your next question will be frist next time.

 

[dwayne1115]

heres the answers jim is having a blast.



The Best Question To Jim Lewis Contest



I was trying to get some people to really be creative, and I went to Muppet Centerel
And posted that the winner of the most creative question would get to have there question first. So here it is the winner of the question came up with a wonderful question that I can’t wait to hear the answer to.



1. When writing for Gonzo, is it hard to keep his personality as the deranged lunatic obsessed with self-harm and in love with chickens? It seems that Gonzo's personality has "toned down" a bit over the years. But I thought the "old" Gonzo personality really shone through in "Before You Leap". So I'm just wondering what sort of talk has gone on about Gonzo?

I don’t think there’s a definitive answer as to why Gonzo seemed “toned down” a bit over the years. Here’s my best guess. I think some of it has to do with Gonzo taking on more of a hosting role (“Muppet Christmas Carol,” “Muppet Classic Theater,” etc), especially after Jim’s death and before Steve was fully up to speed on Kermit. Gonzo, with Rizzo as a perfect foil, could hold the steady center. He had the wit and the personality to fill the role. When Kermit again started to fill the host spot on a regular basis, Gonzo seems to have retained some of the gravitas he gained during his guest hosting time. Well, I’ll do my best to put an end to that! Glad you think that “Before You Leap” was a push in that direction. (Fortunately, deranged lunatics with a chicken and self-injury obsession are my specialty.) At the same time, and I think Gonzo’s creator/performer Dave Goelz would agree with this, it’s a pleasure to push longtime characters into new situations. We grow. They grow.




2. How different is it writing for The Muppets from before Disney and since Disney?

The process of writing for the Muppets has always been collaborative, with everyone involved devotedly engaged in trying to make the next thing the best thing--to make it funnier, stranger, more appealing and to give you, the viewing public, more chewing satisfaction. Since Disney, that cast of “everyone involved” has changed somewhat, though not completely by any means. But the process remains the same.










3. Are there any guest stars that were scheduled to be on Muppets Tonight before it was canceled? Who were some guest stars you desperately want(ed) to write for, but didn't get a chance to?

Memory fails, but I can’t think of anyone we had scheduled but didn’t get a chance to shoot. As for guest stars we wanted, but couldn’t get: I’m also happy to say we were fortunate in getting so many stars, especially ones like Prince and Garth Brooks and Tony Bennett who don’t normally do this sort of thing. That said, my favorite shooting day remains the one where we had Star Trek’s George Takei, Don Rickles (in a frog suit) and the one and only Captain Kangaroo, Bob Keeshan on set at the same time. This is magic. Weird magic, but magic nonetheless.





4. I've read that you recieved storywriting credit on The Cosby Show episode Cliff's Nightmare, which featured the Muppets. Can you tell me what the process was like when writing that episode? I would like to know if it was meant to promote The Jim Henson Hour (which, like The Cosby Show, was broadcast on NBC, though it aired after The Jim Henson Hour was cancled), or if it was done as a favor in exchange for Bill Cosby hosting Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting (or vice versa), why Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and Jerry Nelson didn't perform in the episode (which sort of limited the amount of well-known characters who could have been in the episode, though I find it a bit odd that Scooter, Bunsen, and Beaker weren't in it), and if there were any ideas you had that weren't used in the finished version of the episode.

Long time ago. The “story by” was credited to distinguished Muppet writer emeritus Bill Prady and myself. We didn’t actually write the episode, which was penned by the writing staff of the show (They actually turn up in the episode around the dining room table. Doing what, I don’t remember.) I can’t recall how it came about, but I think it’s safe to say Mr. Cosby was a fan of the Muppets and thought they’d add a unique flavor to an episode of his show. (For this, I am forever grateful.) As for why certain performers and characters weren’t involved, I suspect this was all a matter of availability, but again, it was a long time ago, so let’s let it remain a mystery.





5. Were there any sketches that you wanted to do but never made it To The Muppets Tonight and are there any songs rights issues that came up ?

Can’t recall. Though I’m personally a big fan of some short bits that we wrote for the UK version of the show (the added 2 minutes for their commercial-less network). It involved Clueless and Polly from “Muppet Treasure Island” and a large monster who’s hands we saw, but nothing else. Can’t really describe much more, but it was out there. Hope to see those again someday.


6. Is there a Muppet that is harder for you to write for then say one that is easy for you like Fozzie?

Fozzie isn’t easy, but I understand him since I’m usually trying to tell jokes that don’t get laughs….Kermit is difficult because he is so darn nice. You want him to be that way, but you don’t want him to be bland. He’s not. He’s a feisty, spirited frog, pushed to the limit and surrounded by crazies. It’s important to keep that in mind when you’re writing for him….Piggy is fun beyond words. She can say almost anything, but it is easy to make her one-dimensional, a mere series of eccentricities and peccadilloes (e.g. karate, food, shopping, frog, etc.) She is that, but she is more, with great depth thanks to Mr. Oz…..Oh heck, it’s not easy writing for any of them. It’s work, but I love it and am blessed (so far) to be able to do it. If writing was easy, I’d be doing it now instead of answering this question and stalling until I can quit for the day.