Disney sends Muppets to promo land

[beaker]

Interesting article. While it bothers me on some level to hear the Muppets referred to as a "property," on a practical level I'm very glad that Disney seems to committed to really bringing the Muppets back in a big way. Time will tell, but I remain eternally optimistic.

The fact Disney let the Muppets on SNL is a brave move toward the right footing...the Muppets need to be seen as edgy and hip(and that means sometimes doing decidely more risque and non family friendly material) along with keeping a family sheen. Oh ho wI wish that edgy Fox primte time show had happened...but Im awaiting to see what truly big plans they have for the Muppets. So far so good as far as needed tv appearences.

Ive long wished for the Muppets to come back to the limelight, as they last were in the 80's.

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

I agree about SNL--and it was clear that the audience loved them. That's just the audience they need to court. I mean, it won't be difficult to get kids to embrace the Muppets. If kids are seen as their only target demographic, though, then they'll lose so much potential. I was really glad to see them on SNL.

That's the thing I've always loved about the Muppets. They're not just kids' entertainment. They're really family entertainment, and that's something very special.

 

[McFraggle]

I agree about SNL--and it was clear that the audience loved them. That's just the audience they need to court. I mean, it won't be difficult to get kids to embrace the Muppets. If kids are seen as their only target demographic, though, then they'll lose so much potential. I was really glad to see them on SNL.

That's the thing I've always loved about the Muppets. They're not just kids' entertainment. They're really family entertainment, and that's something very special.

I agree, and the key thing like you said was that they need to court the "SNL" fans. That 18-49 demographic is important because they'll be the ones buying stuff for their kids.

 

[Beauregard]

This should be great i would like to see new Muppet Stuff real soon

Hm, yes, and refered to like Pooh. We all know what Disney did to THAT...

 

[beaker]

Hm, yes, and refered to like Pooh. We all know what Disney did to THAT...

Yeah, not many average Pooh consumers know who "AA Milne" is...

That's the thing I've always loved about the Muppets. They're not just kids' entertainment. They're really family entertainment, and that's something very special.

Well there is the perception amongst a lot of people that the Muppets are just 'old kid nostalgia', and then the insider industry perception that only the college aged and older folks have any love for the Muppets...so to bring both into the fold is what they need to do. If Disney is seen sliding all the way to the babyish family side it won't be good.

 

[McFraggle]

I agree that there is a market out there, it just needs to be tapped. You can have the "kid's" stuff and the stuff for collectors as well. There is a large market for Mickey dolls but also Disney has had success with "Disney Treasures" and the porcelain statues and things like that. There just has to be a balance.

 

[beforemyway]

The fact Disney let the Muppets on SNL is a brave move toward the right footing...the Muppets need to be seen as edgy and hip(and that means sometimes doing decidely more risque and non family friendly material) along with keeping a family sheen. Oh ho wI wish that edgy Fox primte time show had happened...but Im awaiting to see what truly big plans they have for the Muppets. So far so good as far as needed tv appearences.

Ive long wished for the Muppets to come back to the limelight, as they last were in the 80's.

I'm not sure what exactly you are speaking of.. but that greatly distrurbs me... I know many MANY people who love the muppets that... if they find out the muppets have been being used in such fassion will probably boycot them. I know as for myself, I wouldn't be as pleased with them. Did you know that the best actors WILL NOT star in a movie that is too risque? cause it really LOWERS your ablility to be on certain avanues. It doesn't make you appear BETTER, by any means. There are people who wont have anything to do with anything your in if you lowered yourself in certain ways.

You can be 100% clean, and STILL apeal to the older crowed.

 

[McFraggle]

There's such a thing as lowering yourself, and using tools for promotion. "SNL" is the latter, it has become an American institution. As for the Fox show, "edgy" was probably hype more than anything.

 

[timrikthegorf]

I'm not sure what exactly you are speaking of.. but that greatly distrurbs me... I know many MANY people who love the muppets that... if they find out the muppets have been being used in such fassion will probably boycot them. I know as for myself, I wouldn't be as pleased with them. Did you know that the best actors WILL NOT star in a movie that is too risque? cause it really LOWERS your ablility to be on certain avanues. It doesn't make you appear BETTER, by any means. There are people who wont have anything to do with anything your in if you lowered yourself in certain ways.

You can be 100% clean, and STILL apeal to the older crowed.

Dude, they sang a Christmas song! They weren't staring in moppet porn!

You do know that while the Muppet show was being developed Jim Henson took Kermit around to do short guest spots on various shows and didn't always keep it 100% clean. He asked Cher if she ever fools around back when Kermit was known only for Sesame Street! Singing a Christmas song on SNL is not lowering one's self and neither is appearing on various TV shows for promotion. The moppets have to be out there on TV and they have to be on shows that appeal to adults. Of course if they were on Mad TV, well that would be a bit too much.

Oh, and the Muppets have done some "edgy" things lately. They added Howard the Pig as a gay choreographer. They portrayed God as a black woman to break down the idea that only a white man can be seen as God. They even had Kermit contemplating suicide as the basis for a movie! Now they are breaking tradition again by having a black music star play Dorothy without having to make it the Wiz showing that the color of one's skin does not matter when telling a classic tale. These are pretty "edgy" things.

I think we'll see the Muppets be just as edgy as they were in the 70's only also in tune with 21st century. There won't be hardcore Muppet sex, but you'll probably see some what adult situations just like on TMS. Some innuendo, some allusion to sex, some explosions, and stuff like that with some new topics to hit on like the gay pig and such.

 

[beaker]

I'm not sure what exactly you are speaking of.. but that greatly distrurbs me... I know many MANY people who love the muppets that... if they find out the muppets have been being used in such fassion will probably boycot them.

So having a non patronizing and actually funny prime time show is worthy of a boycott? These people should probably never see the Muppets truly edgy material(like Land of Gorch, pilot pitches, etc) then.

As for the Fox show, "edgy" was probably hype more than anything.

naw, that would have been the rightful direction to take the Muppets, not this Disney fiasco...