Ask Ken at Palisades

[Fozzie Bear]

HIYA!

I just remembered something about one of the Vet'sHospital sketches that really floored me and may make for a good prop/accessory for the pack or playset.

As the scene opened, there was Piggy with her back to us, then she slowly turned around sucking in air from the oxygen tank OR was it meant to be Laughing Gas? I dunno, but she stops a breif second and looks at the camera and throws the face mask down and runs over to the table.

If you know what ep it is, watch it...it's REALLY funnee to see her actions on this.

FOZ

 

[uncleduke]

Re: One more time

Originally posted by Gorgon Heap
Ken, two quick questions and then I'm off to bed:

One: the Newsman is slated to come with a small desk. I'm guessing a chair may be in there too. Would it be at all possible to include a newsroom backdrop? Just a flat, scale-cheated cardboard or plastic surface with a little stand to clip it into to hold it upright. With the Newsman sitting down it could look all right, and it could be made to fit within the confines of the packaging. What's the skinny?

Or you could create a backdrop that looks like the one from the show, and post it on the web and anyone who wanted it could download and print it for free. McFarlane has been doing this for years, and the fans seem to like it.


Also Ken, when you get married, will there be an Ask Mrs. Ken thread, or are you planning on keeping her as far from us weirdos as possible?

 

[uncleduke]

Floyd Question

I was up late tonight (kids will change that.... say goodbye to 8 hours a night) So we were having a special midnight screening of The Muppet Movie and I noticed Floyd is Left handed.
On the prototype photos, he appears to be posed to play his bass right handed! Are the pics backwards... did 100 other people notice this and I am just behind on reading the posts?

Sorry if this has been discussed already. I was just wondering.

 

[FER SURE]

Once again I am completely amazed by the amount of information pent up in Dave's brain. Great suggestions and you have my total support on the streacher.
I have to say that of all the playsets I want Vet's Hospital the most. The fact that Janice will come with it only makes that so much the better. The possibilities for this one are endless. About that penguin...put him with a Vet's Hospital fig as a "Penguin Patient Pack In."

 

[ResidentLilly]

Gorgon Heap Is it purple or maroon? In the first two seasons, and variously thereafter, Gonzo wore the standard chorus outfit of a maroon tuxedo. From the third season on, he wore a lavender suit (or tuxedo- never payed much attention to the difference).

I have no idea. I can send you the pic he is being based on, but you would have to remind me at my work email so I can send it frm there.

Ah. Hmm... I honestly don't know how I feel about scorecards. Nice nod to the Diana Ross episode but not something they used on a regular basis. I take it then that veggies and scorecards are the remaining accessories they'll come with and that things like teacup, hearing aid, and programs are out? Actually they never used programs except in a publicity photo of Droop invading S & W's box, but if they had programs it would be super neat-o!


Yeah those things you mentioned are out, most likely. And hey...wouldn't you consider the scorecards an Easter Egg? I do...

Ken- BTW - How does Waldorf look? It is a major subject of debate (like the current Piggy look) that the older version of Waldorf looks the best. Many of us fans around here feel that way. Just a heads up. He's really looked so screwy from project to project that I honestly don't think Henson would even notice anymore, but we do. He looks rather alienish now.

You are navigating through waters in which I have no power. It will look the way they want him to look, and I have very little to say in the way of likeness. That's as it should be, it is after all their license. And I have really disagreed very little with their decisions on that for the most part. I'll do the best I can to walk that fine line.

frogboy4 I think that by the time wave 6 comes out that accessories will be tough to think up.

I disagree...I think it will end up being easier because when new Kermit's and Piggy's and such start being done they will be character specific and usually the accessories smack you right in the face as to what they should be. To me, Series One will always be the hardest one...I mean, Kermit and Piggy and Bunsen were all tough decisions as to what they should come with.

Corbet Ken-
What is your opinion on McFarlane Action Figures?

Which ones? Not trying to be flippant, but they put out a lot of figures, many different genres.

matleo Ken,
Seriously, are you really doing Lips??? it's not nice to tease us with a nugget lik that and not spill, man. A lot of us are die-hard band fans and would LOVE to see Lips. You don't have to say where you have him placed but a yeah or nay would be real cool. of course, I also realize a lot is subject to change with this line.

Lips is one of three characters on what I call my Extreme Wish List for next year. BUT, he may not see the light until 2004. Whether we do him or not, he is on the radar for me at least.

Rufus Hey, I wanted to throw this out, because I haven't seen it mentioned here and it's been floating around in my head for awhile...
-Piggy variant, you could just paint the whole think gray, like when she was turned to stone in the Tony Randal episode. You could also get rid of all the joints, as she couldn't move when she was like. A super-cheap repaint to do - wouldn't even have to be painted if it was molded in a gray speckled stone like plastic! Unfortunately, it may be too obscure, and more casual Muppet fans and the general public would probably think it looked cheap (no paint job and no joints).
But, since she is coming with the playset and if you needed an excuse to release a version of her separately...!

Problem is, to take all the joints out means a totally new tooled figure. But I like the all stone idea. Easy repaint. But you're right, may be too easy to be popular.

One: the Newsman is slated to come with a small desk. I'm guessing a chair may be in there too. Would it be at all possible to include a newsroom backdrop? Just a flat, scale-cheated cardboard or plastic surface with a little stand to clip it into to hold it upright. With the Newsman sitting down it could look all right, and it could be made to fit within the confines of the packaging. What's the skinny?

The skinny is, a backdrop is a no brainer. Something will be in the package. The other thing is...no chair. I don't think he needs one. I never saw one in the show either. He just ran up and started talking.

Two: I can't believe I was so dumb for not having realized I could ask this. I suggested a stretcher earlier to come with Vet's Hospital, not realizing it could, or more likely SHOULD, come with one of the Vet's Hospital figs in the series, either Dr. Bob or Nurse Piggy. If their medical instruments aren't already set in stone, will you consider it?

Consider it considered. Likelihood not good, but I will think about it.

Also Ken, when you get married, will there be an Ask Mrs. Ken thread, or are you planning on keeping her as far from us weirdos as possible?

Um...she reads the board, so keeping her away from you weirdos is impossible now. And her mom reads the board too.

uncleduke...I noticed Floyd is Left handed.
On the prototype photos, he appears to be posed to play his bass right handed! Are the pics backwards... did 100 other people notice this and I am just behind on reading the posts?

There was some debate a while back on this. It was decided that since there was no real clear answer that he would be right handed and Janice would be left for stage positioning.

I have to say that of all the playsets I want Vet's Hospital the most. The fact that Janice will come with it only makes that so much the better. The possibilities for this one are endless. About that penguin...put him with a Vet's Hospital fig as a "Penguin Patient Pack In."

Janice is not coming with the playset. A different character is. Penguin patient is a cute idea...

Ken

 

[FER SURE]

Janice is not coming with the playset. A different character is. Penguin patient is a cute idea.

AH HA!! Another Update to Jamie's list. Well my instinct told me that Janice wouldn't get a playset, but I held out hope. My choice in your position would be Piggy. She has the most star power to sell the playset. That would mean though that Piggy would have 2 playsets which in my mind would put Dr. Bob as top billing for the playset. Tough Call! Thanks for the support on the Penguin patient idea. The coolest and best backround characters(for me at least) have always been penguins.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Hiya Soon-To-Be-Mrs. Ken! (If you read this). You're brave to hang around us folks...we blow up penguins from time to time, u know that, right?

Ken,

Off topic here:

McFarlane Toys was mentioning once about making some Ghostbusters figures based on the movie, not the cartoon, and being a huge fan of Ghostbusters, and having the entire costume I realize how popular they really still are, was wondering if you might put that on your task board for the future? I'm really impressed with the Muppets Figs, and I know you could certainly do my fave movie some justice, too. I WISH Palisades was taking care of the Peanuts Figs coming out this fall, maybe even some Blues Brothers action figures, and you'd have all 4 of the film-things I like best.

Even though Blues Brothers 2000 had a weak story line/plot, it had some GREAT music!

Back to Muppets:
You're right about the Newsman, I never even thought of that about the "no chair" and "running up" to the desk! Clever thing to notice...and here I called myself a Muppet fan. Sheesh!

Has anyone begun work on their substitute Muppet Theater yet? I've painted the generic backdrop that I found in a picture somewhere which I've lsot now, and I've made the curtains...It's gonna be HUGE! Even "I" can play in it!!

Well, not really...
FOZ

 

[Rufus]

I think the reason no one has done realistic Ghostbusters figures yet is because Bill Murray doesn't want his likeness used for action figures. I can't remember where I heard this exactly, though... it may have been from a friend who used to work at McFarlane Toys.

But you can check out my attempt at a Ghostbuster action figure (you're not the only one who's thought they'd make cool figures!)
Click here for Ray!

- R -

 

[Louis Kazagger]

Forget your Ghostbuster's Ray, check out that Jessica Rabbit! Va Va Va Voom!

There is a company called andgor.com that makes some top notch custom heads for 12 inch scale dolls. Many of their custom toys have been featured in Toyfare's "Wish List" section, such as Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, Scott Bakula from Enterprise, Sam Jackson and Bruce Willis from "Unbreakable", Burgess Meredith as the Penguin, etc....

Here's what their Bill Murray Peter Venkman looks like.

http://www.andgor.com/murray.html

They sell the head if you want to try your own hand at this. I think they'll even sell you the clothing etc.. as well off the site.

http://www.andgor.com/headsforsale1.html

I think $40.00 for just the head is pretty steep personally, but the custom does look great!

Here's a link to pics of some of their other custom creations for Toyfare:

http://www.andgor.com/toyfaregallery.html

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Yeah those things you mentioned are out, most likely. And hey...wouldn't you consider the scorecards an Easter Egg? I do...

I do, I do... I guess I just don't think scorecards would be as cool or all-purpose. Teacups, programs, hearing aids- more jokes to be had with those than the scorecards. I personally always felt that the scorecards took away from the heckler jokes more than adding to them (there were two good ones- Waldorf giving Fozzie a 1 for leaving the stage as soon as his act starts, and giving Gonzo a -6). I just feel there's more that can be done with the other stuff I mentioned than the scorecards. Anyone else have an opinion on this?

Lips is one of three characters on what I call my Extreme Wish List for next year. BUT, he may not see the light until 2004. Whether we do him or not, he is on the radar for me at least.

Would you be telling too much in saying what the other two you want to do are?

As to the Newsman's chair, I forgot he usually didn't have one. In the Gilda Radner episode he's in a chair (so he can be glued to it), but essentially you're right, except on a rare occasion he never sat down and never even had a chair. And my response to the backdrop: WOO-HOO! Thanks a lot!

Thanks for considering the stretcher to come with whoever isn't going with the playset (who is?) I didn't think there were that many medical instruments to do, but then again most of what I know about medicine I get from watching reruns of MASH. For the most part though they never actually operated on anyone. I think a stretcher would have plenty of play value and may be worth cutting a few medical instruments for. I know I'm already a nag, but out of curiosity why is it unlikely? Is it because it's later in the game and was never on the table? Or had somebody brought up the idea before over at Palisades? If there's no concrete reason that's okay too.

Thanks for all the replies.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole