Have you met a Muppet in person?

[Buck-Beaver]

OK here's my "Meeting Muppet" story:

When I was a kid my Dad took me and my brother to the "Art of the Muppets" exhibit at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto. I met Thog there (not sure who was in the costume). I actually don't remember this, but there is a picture of me and my brother with Thog so photographic proof exists.

I also saw a group of puppeteers performing puppets I didn't recognize for the crowd. My Dad tried to get me to watch but because the puppets weren't from the Muppet Show I wasn't very interested and we didn't stay long because I wanted to see "Sesame Street" characters like Big Bird that were on display.

Of course I later found out those puppeteers were the cast of a little show called "Fraggle Rock" which was taping it's first season in Toronto.

I can't remember exactly which performers were there after all these years, but I am pretty sure Karen Prell was there doing Red.

 

[SuprGro78]

Well through a strange but amazing twist of fate and luck, I ended up backstage (doing a bunch of different things)for the entire MF weekend. One of the funnier and mortifying parts being that I handed the Manha Manha puppet to Bill in dress rehearsal and everything went fine. I did the same thing in the live show and then I went to put hats on the penguins and everyone started laughing so I went back into the green room and watched on the monitors (standing next to Jon Voight who was totally cracking up) and I realized that the eye of Mahna Mahna was falling off! I didn't know whether to laugh or go hide, but it was cool and everyone there really liked seeing the mistake.

 

[tygerbug]

My father worked for Henson and got to meet the Muppets, even go to the White House with them ... but myself I don't think I ever got to meet Jim sadly ... I had a memory of meeting Kevin Clash and posted here about it, but I think it was my mind messing with me. I am editing this post now ...

I definitely met and hung out with some performers who are now involved with Henson, and might have been involved in a minor way with Henson then ... the fellow I am mainly thinking of is named Noel McNeal ... saw him a lot. He played a character named Webster on Eureeka's Castle, and I attended a taping of this when I was a kid, which was fun. Noel also, I think, played a puppet character in a TV ad for my father's Tiny Dinos characters, which never took off. I remember him making a sexual joke which was over my head at the time.

 

[Joggy]

This probably doesn't count at all, but I have seen the characters from Sesamstraat, the Dutch Sesame Street.

Tommie and Ieniemienie (hand puppets) performed at a tribute to one of the actors (the late Lex Goudsmit, who was a friend of relatives of ours). And I was at the taping of a New Year's Eve special where they were joined by our Big Bird Pino!

And years before that, I took a puppetry course. The teacher was Tommie's performer Bert Plagman, who's a really nice man.

 

[The Great Gonzo]

It's not quite the same, but I have vague memories of going to see an exhibit of the Muppets at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago when I was really little. So little in fact, that the biggest impression I have was looking up at Statler & Waldorf's feet in their kid-sized shoes.

Did anyone else see this exhibit?

 

[beaker]

>>>One of the funnier and mortifying parts being that I handed the Manha Manha puppet to Bill in dress rehearsal and everything went fine. I did the same thing in the live show and then I went to put hats on the penguins and everyone started laughing so I went back into the green room and watched on the monitors (standing next to Jon Voight who was totally cracking up) and I realized that the eye of Mahna Mahna was falling off! I didn't know whether to laugh or go hide, but it was cool and everyone there really liked seeing the mistake<<

Wow, I never knew someone from MC got to be backstage at MF and the live show! How did this happen? Man, so ya got to meet the penguins up close? Too cool! I got to meet and pet a real life penguin at a aquarium thing in San Francisco in the late 80's, heh
Oh, I loved the Mahna Mahna opening sketch to the live TMS. Its rare ya see the Muppets out on the street!

That's cool ya got to hang out with some celebrities. So far this year Ive gotten to meet an dhang out with Robin Williams, Ray Liotta(MFS, Hannibal), and Jason Patric.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Originally posted by tygerbug
... the fellow I am mainly thinking of is named Noel McNeal ... saw him a lot. He played a character named Webster on Eureeka's Castle, and I attended a taping of this when I was a kid, which was fun. Noel also, I think, played a puppet character in a TV ad for my father's Tiny Dinos characters.

Noel is of course most famous for his wonderful work as Bear on "Bear in the Big Blue House."

 

[tygerbug]

Noel was bear? Wow, that's the main character of the show! He got loads of merchandise made from him!

I always wanted to know what happened to Noel.

Apparently he made good.

Very cool.

Anyone have a page of background info about him?

 

[The Great Gonzo]

Originally posted by beaker
>>>I got to meet and pet a real life penguin at a aquarium thing in San Francisco in the late 80's, heh

Oooh, I'm jealous of that! I love penguins, muppet and otherwise.

 

[beaker]

>>>Oooh, I'm jealous of that! I love penguins, muppet and otherwise<<<

Me too! Thats why I am glad so many of my fave things have penguins as mascots(Linux, Sanrio, Neon Genesis Evangelion)
I also cant wait for Ken to finally announce they'll be making penguin character packins!

As for Noel...yep, he's Bear! More estatic about that show and the characters I could not be over the years.