Anything Exciting For Muppets In 2007?

[beaker]

Yeah it's just not looking good...even JimHillMedia, who was ALWAYS doing pro Muppet articles every week hasn't even done one in ages.

We could truly be looking at a completely Muppetless year. I wish "SecretSquirrel" or some Muppet insider could poke their head in and at least *hint* at something. Geez.

Palisades Toys closes down. The Muppets continue to linger on in a dormant state. Bear in the Big Blue House seems to be no more. *sigh*

I agree, why the heck did they sell to Disney? What does Brian Henson or any Henson company head have to say now, now that's clear they are shelving the Muppets? They said in 2004 "it's better this way, so they can better flourish"...riiiigght.

Over THREE YEARS LATER, and nada. nothing.

The Muppets are not a "70's/80's" nostalgia trip, no matter what the media or public thinks. They are a constant, like say apples on a kitchen counter.

If it wasnt for Statler and Waldorf on movies.com, or the occational Kermit/Piggy appearence on tv, the franchise would be 100% deadline.

Remember even back in 2002 the insane angered fervor and zeal of Muppet fans over something as small as a figure accessory wasn't liked?

Now the very franchise itself is on the bring of total oblivion and nothing but apathy. Those who said it was a grave decision to sell to Disney were dead on.

 

[Luke]

Only thing i know of is the Muppets will be on some Disney cruises. I'm not sure if Steve will be there doing Kermit but the rest of the Muppets will be puppeteered by the new stand-in's that had been auditioned for. Not a good sign really. Miss Piggy did some guest spots for a UK tv show on females in comedy. That is about it.

 

[Giar Fraggle]

From what I heard, the cruise shows are going to be all stand-ins. No Steve, no Dave, no Eric.

 

[Philip Kippel]

From what I heard, the cruise shows are going to be all stand-ins. No Steve, no Dave, no Eric.

Perhaps the puppeteers doing the characters on the cruises will just be puppeteering to pre-recorded soundtracks by Steve, Dave, Eric, etc.

Once again, please stop the pessimism and finger-pointing!

Things WILL get better--they ALWAYS do.

 

[Giar Fraggle]

Nope, they're going to be providing the voices--no pre-recordings.

I'm sorry, I'm not pessimistic, I'm just stating the facts. Do with them what you wish. (Actually I'm hoping it will move many of you to write letters.)

 

[Philip Kippel]

I'm sorry, I'm not pessimistic, I'm just stating the facts.

I'm sorry, but it's still pessimism in my eyes.

 

[MWoO]

There is a difference between pessimism and realism. Things do not always get better. Sometimes they get worse. You may called that pessimism but it's just reality. That does not mean things can't get better, but there is no logical reason to think they will always get better.

I seriously doubt that these stand in's will be doing pre-recorded stuff. It's possible, but I think that would be silly.

 

[Drtooth]

I agree, why the heck did they sell to Disney? What does Brian Henson or any Henson company head have to say now, now that's clear they are shelving the Muppets? They said in 2004 "it's better this way, so they can better flourish"...riiiigght.

Other than for money for projects they won't get off the ground, I don't know why. The Real question is why the shell Disney bought the Muppets, if they didn't think it would do them much good? The only faint glimmer of hope is that if Disney really DOESN'T want the Muppets, why don't they sell them back.

I mean, in other areas, Disney has made strides to please fans of various other projects. They released to DVD Studio Ghibli films (the finest in Japanese animation, IMO). They have box sets of Disney Afternoon shows, once thought impossible, since they seem dead on focused on "tweenage moron girl" and "10 year old moron boy" projects. Shell... they even released the Tick's animated series on DVD, after just coming across the copywrite since Rupert Murdock sold Diz the family channel for obvious reasons. Of course, they're still sitting on the rights to Eek the Cat.

The Muppets are not a "70's/80's" nostalgia trip, no matter what the media or public thinks. They are a constant, like say apples on a kitchen counter.

Nor are they all Sesame Street baby show characters. It's so sad that this will be considered just "pointless nostalgia." That and Ninja Turtles. The Comic has been around for a while.

Remember even back in 2002 the insane angered fervor and zeal of Muppet fans over something as small as a figure accessory wasn't liked?

Now the very franchise itself is on the bring of total oblivion and nothing but apathy. Those who said it was a grave decision to sell to Disney were dead on.

YEah... remember the glory days of so much crappy Muppet merchandise, we could afford to be choosy? Flat, silk screened antenna toppers were scoffed at, and we could complain about likenesses of plush dolls as being lousy, and easily over looked, so we could save up for the super special slightly different colored chase varient Lew Zeland's fish, or a convention exclusive of Fozzie wearing a different hat? All that stuff seems to have faded away now. I'd still Kill for the Sababa Rizzo or Janice, or the Vet's Hospital plush set.

I mean, I've seen strides. New greeting cards, a T-shirt, pair of Boxers (scoffing at the Kermit panties, I feel it's about dang time) and porciline dolls. But nothing to the extent they had back 4 years ago.

So far the only Muppet project going on is... well... Sesame Street is still on the air. that's about it.

As for extreme Pooh.... "ooh... we're trying to get AWAY from Eisner's work." Prostituting Pooh around, killing the character with horrid merchandise (most of it bought by fat middleaged housewives) certainly is NOT anything Eisner will do.... Will Eisner, that is.

 

[muppetperson]

Hey... Dont be totally gloomy.Remember that the Kermit replica is coming!

 

[tomahawk]

My opinion on this is that the Muppets, through Disney, are being used only for merchandise purposes alone right now.