ABC News Video: Jason Segel, Muppet Savior

[DannyRWW]

Hmmmm...I'm glad he got this rolling at any rate... I'm glad that someone who has the passion and drive and enough clout to get the movie done is handling this... maybe not a savior but certainly somebody who is living the dream that I think many of us have...he gets to work with the muppets... I hope things go well and I certainly will give him ccredit for getting disney to do something big with the muppets.... I'm actually a little jealous of him (from what I've seen of the movie though he almost seems like he has a little muppet in him anyways )

 

[Ruahnna]

I'm falling madly in love with Jason Segal. (Luckily, my hub is very understanding....) What a wonderful man, to use his celebrity and clout to bring our folks back to the big screen!

I also have to point out that--if you keep watching the Jason Segal video, then watch the second video, then keep watching...you get to see the Dec. 6, 1987: Muppets Host Nightline. And in THIS video, Piggy comes onto the show to ask Kermit "When are you coming home?"
And Kermit explains about the important work they are doing explaining all the financial terms to the audience, and then Ted Koppel says hello to Piggy and Piggy responds, saying "And I've been watching out there waiting for Kermie."
There is some more banter and then an unfortunate reference to "pork bellies," at which point Piggy leaves, saying (to Kermit), "Come on home. I'll wait for you dear."
And Kermit calls back, "I'll be there!"
Not married, my foot!

 

[dwmckim]

One thing that gets lost is yes in a sense Jason's submitting a script that actually got produced is in a sense like a piece of fan-fiction getting a greenlight, but also keep in mind that not only was Jason an established actor but part of his talent and rise to fame comes from the fact that he's ALSO been a writer as well as an actor. Writing scripts is something he was already a paid professional at...it just so happens most people recognize him more for the acting than the writing.

 

[beaker]

Even though, as I sadly predicted, Disney has royally dropped the ball on merchandise/books/etc...as of right now I can't go ANYWHERE online without seeing animated Muppet banners and ads. I dont watch tv but I hear it's total muppet saturation. The Muppets are on two big newstand publications: EW and Wired. I hear there is now billboards and bus stop ads in major markets. Muppets are now on tv being interviewed on all the main talk shows almost every day.

This is exactly what we had hoped would happen, back in 1998 when we dreamed of a grand Muppet comeback. By 2004 and 2005 it all seemed so hopeless. MFS disappointed, EM.TV was literally a corrupt parent company. 2002-2005 was a great muppet merch period, but it was a dark age for good Muppet content. It wasnt til the fall of 2008 with the viral videos that things started to look up. And not til Sept 12th 2009 at D23 did the future finally look bright.

All thanks to Segal. So weird the guy is younger than I am, but you can tell he gets all shy and choked up about the whole thing. He just took the ball and ran with it, even though he could have gone for what may have seemed like surefire solid hits. Nope, he aggressively lobbied for this.

Anyone see the Kermit CBC interview. Even Kermit was pretty much saying everything is riding on the box office of this movie. If people want a new show, butts need to be in seats in two weeks

 

[AaronCF]

I'm curious why Disney has decided to delay opening in the UK until February of next year. As an American temporarily living in England it is particularly distressing, since I know I 'could' be watching it in a couple weeks, rather than 3 months. The only thing I can think of is that Disney isn't concerned with the British market, but this seems odd to me as the Muppets have a history of extreme popularity in Britain. The population, hence boxoffice, can't compare to the states but still its a fairly affluent country and the movie is likely to be popular.

Just to throw my two cents in on the 'savior' debate, the main reason I'm uncomfortable about it is that I've liked what the Muppets have done in the past ten years. I guess the popularity hasn't been there, and maybe this movie will change that. But their online videos are closer to what the Muppets were designed for, from Sam & Friends to The Muppet Show, they were about short sketch comedy, not long narratives. TMS had elements of serial narrative, and of course the movies were beautiful works of longer storytelling, but the sketch is still the core application of Muppet media.

I suppose I'm also a little sad that they have to be so nostalgia driven. Everyone here applauds the inclusion of minor characters from the past (which I also take some pleasure in), but for me, the Henson tradition seems more about characters tied to their performers, which grow and change over time. And as new performers join, new characters take increasingly important roles (through the Henson practice of upstaging). I'd rather see Bobo take up the piano, then have Barretta try to perform Rowlf. But obviously, I'm fairly alone in wanting the Muppets to be an evolving entity, rather than characters somewhat frozen in time (like Disney's other properties). (More Pepe please! )

 

[RainbowConnectd]

Is it weird that this video a) made me want a room like that and b) confirmed that Jason Segel might be my dream man??

AGREED! I liked him but to find out he's a fan, or "one of us" is wonderful!
Now I love him <3

 

[Duke Remington]

I'd rather see Bobo take up the piano, then have Barretta try to perform Rowlf.

Congratulations. You have just commited sacriledge.

 

[Drtooth]

Even though, as I sadly predicted, Disney has royally dropped the ball on merchandise/books/etc...as of right now I can't go ANYWHERE online without seeing animated Muppet banners and ads. I dont watch tv but I hear it's total muppet saturation. The Muppets are on two big newstand publications: EW and Wired. I hear there is now billboards and bus stop ads in major markets. Muppets are now on tv being interviewed on all the main talk shows almost every day.

It was definitely an internet heavy promotion. I really hope that counts. There really SHOULD be more merchandise in casual stores... at least a couple plush toys. We got some WEIRD stuff at Wallgreens though. Not weird in a good way. I want to see MORE Muppet ads on television. AS I constantly say, I see like one a day, maybe, but I get constantly assaulted by Happy Feet 2, Hugo and worst of all Jack and Jill (Adam, nothing says hack like playing multiple roles in the same comedy movie). I really hope quality wins out over loud, in your face-iness of these (at the risk of calling them Thanksgiving Turkeys) Thanksgiving Turkeys. Or in the case of Hugo, boring pretentious faux Britishness.

All thanks to Segal. So weird the guy is younger than I am, but you can tell he gets all shy and choked up about the whole thing. He just took the ball and ran with it, even though he could have gone for what may have seemed like surefire solid hits. Nope, he aggressively lobbied for this.

That's the kind of passion and vision the Muppets needed. The didn't get that at all, even when Henson was at the helm (well... a bit in the 90's between MCC and Muppets Tonight). Nice that you point out that EMTV was a crummy stint, but it gave them crazy amounts of merchandise. Somehow, I think we have to thank Palisades and Sideshow for starting that up.

I suppose I'm also a little sad that they have to be so nostalgia driven. Everyone here applauds the inclusion of minor characters from the past (which I also take some pleasure in), but for me, the Henson tradition seems more about characters tied to their performers, which grow and change over time. And as new performers join, new characters take increasingly important roles (through the Henson practice of upstaging). I'd rather see Bobo take up the piano, then have Barretta try to perform Rowlf. But obviously, I'm fairly alone in wanting the Muppets to be an evolving entity, rather than characters somewhat frozen in time (like Disney's other properties). (More Pepe please! )

This movie's trying to get it both ways. Bobo and Pepe standing next to Scooter and Rowlf? Fan favorites that haven't been seen much that everyone was clamoring to have back? A completely new project with all new characters would have been a mistake for a franchise relaunch. If nostalgia brings them in, they WILL stay for something new. If a New Muppet show were to happen, I'd actually prefer to see anything BUT a clone of the original Muppet Show. I'm probably one of the few here, but I think I liked the concept of Muppet Central from Jim Henson Hour a tiny bit more. It gave them the freedom to do weird and wild stuff, yet have some regular recurring sketches. Muppets Tonight tried too hard to be too many types of genres at once (a Talk sketch show?), but found a perfect balance... just before the show ended.

 

[CarrieTheGreat]

I'm sorry, but I have a soft spot in my heart for The Muppet Christmas Carol (MMC). The wonderful Jerry Juhl was still around, and he struck the perfect balance between the classic literature of Charles Dickens and the wacky humor of the Muppets. Paul Williams wrote beautiful songs for the picture, including "One More Sleep" and "Bless Us All," and even the spirits bear close resemblance to their descriptions in the book.

All around, MCC is an A-plus picture, and I watch it at least once a year.

 

[Drtooth]

I am not saying it's not a well done movie. I find it a great Christmas movie, but too many human characters taking the focus away from the Muppets, giving them secondary and tertiary roles kept it from being a great Muppet movie. The writing was top notch, the music was spectacular, the acting was perfect... but the scenes with few or no Muppets seem to drag on. Had Rizzo and Gonzo not been narrators, I wouldn't even tell the Muppets were supposed to be the stars of the movie. MTI had a better balance of human/Muppet... though, that's mostly because of the new pirate characters they created.