Muley Made It To Tv!!

[Fozzie Bear]

Finally!! After ALL these years, and sure it's 5.5 years later than my goal, but Muley the Mule, my puppet character that many have heard me discuss over the years, FINALLY made it on TV this morning.

A local channel, Fox 13, has a morning news show called Good Morning Memphis. Every Friday morning, they shoot the show from "world famous" Beale Street's W.C. Handy Park Amphitheater.

During the 7 o'clock hour, Muley was seen all throughout the show in background shots, was interviewed by Leon, with whom he worked as Maitre'D at Bosco's Celebrity Waiters Night last February (this year). Afterwards, he sang "Fly Me To The Moon."

The next song he did was Santana's "Smooth," and he even played the guitar (a talent that he didn't know he posessed until today).

Afterwards, it was on to Rock 103 (the radio station that has Muley Comix on their website {Sorry Nate, can't plug 94.1 The Buzz here---wait, I did!}) where Muley helped Ronald McDonald House spread the word about the RMH Big Scoop (where I'll be performing the costume of Bugs Bunny). The Big Scoop is an ice cream festival where people come in for one price at the door ($8) and then get all the ice cream and goodies they want for FREE. It's a huge annual money maker for the RMH.

After 103, we went across the hall to AM 600 for another radio interview, and the guy there really liked talking to Muley because he (Ken Kincaid) was the voice of the Memphis RiverKings (hockey team) and saw Muley several times down there, including in comic strips that Muley starred in a few times but were mainly about the 'Kings' mascots.

Ronald McDonald was there himself, as was Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo, and Rock-a-doodle.

Bev Hart from Rock 103's Wake-Up Crew and the band she plays in, Beg To Differ, were there also.

So, now I can finally say that Muley and I have performed on Beale Street, on Live television, and radio. Now, if I can get him in the movies somehow, he'll have made all the venues of entertaniment!!

Only thing that was bad was that the camermen were drunk. I TOLD them "shoot the PUPPET ONLY, not me; and get him from the waist up." Guess what they did. Took a WHOLE BODY shot of me and the Mule as he was being interviewed by Valerie (morning show anchor) before singing Smooth. Then, based on the angle they got my head. Ick. I saw the video tonight, and was disappointed in the camermen's work, but over all it was funny and enjoyable.

Leon: "So, Muley, are you going to have some ice cream tomorrow?"
Muley: "Can't, Leon. I have a little problem."
Leon: "What's that?"
Muley: "I'm lactose intolerant."
Leon: "Oh, I have some pills that can fix that!"
Muley: "Well, then. What are we waiting for?? I'll take the whole GAA GAA!!"

Get the Muppet reference there???
I don't think we did the same thing on the air tho, I can't remember.

Laters!
Kev le Foz

 

[Cindy]

Congrats Muley!!!...


and Kevin.

 

[Luke]

Congratulations Kev and Muley - talk about fly me to the moon, i'm over the moon you got to do this. What an excellent experience, and what a promotional schedule - when you tour the world let me know !

 

[radionate]

Yeah Kevin and Muley,

Once again congrats. It's okay that it was on a rival station. I know Ken Kincaid, I actually did his show once when he was doing Conference Call. They interviewed me when they were in Oxford, so I know you had fun with him!

He's to the next interview! (thought I was going to make it to the big scoop, but no deal. Have fun as Bugs!)

 

[beaker]

Whoah kev, you do puppetry! man, big congrats! Hopefully this is just the beginning! man, sorry about the cameraman's screwup, eek! but man...tv, radio...all in one day? major coolness!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Hiya, Friends!!

Thank you all for the congratulations!!

Well, we got a few photos taken yesterday, and I am unsure when we'll get them up at the MSCA website (www.midsouthcartoonists.com). I hope SOON!! We got a shot of him WITH his guitar and the band Beg To Differ that Bev Hart (from Rock 103 where Muley Comix is displayed on their website) plays guitar in. I think there's a shot of him with Ronald McDonald, one shot of him inside the radio studio talking into a microphone...they should be great!!

Here's a few more things that happened.

The FUNNIEST thing that happened was during commercial break, I remember that Leon Griffin (weatherman/anchor) pointed at me and then to where he wanted Muley to get in the audience behind him. When they shot the film, the "Fox 13: 7:15AM" type logo was at the bottom right of the screen, and was blocking Muley. There was a monitor (screen, not lizard ) that was pointed at the audience, so I let Muley wander back and forth, then, finally, you see him peeking over the logo from the background!!

Muley got LOTS of time to promote the Ronald McDonald House (www.rmhmemphis.org) which is his pet charity (funny, a mule with a pet!), but forgot to mention his own comic strip at Rock 103's website (www.rock103.com)!! He doesn't get a bonus in his paycheck this week.

While they were filming Beg To Differ performing one of the times, Muley is seen off the edge of the screen playing his guitar and mocking one of the band members, making her crack up. Right afterwards, in another shot, they got me in the background returning the mule to his 'stand,' and it looks like I'm choking the heck outta him!! LOL!!

Beg to Differ was on several times, and they kept getting jump-cuts to Muley talking to kids or dancing. One shot was really neat as I was laid down behind the chairs and you can see Muley over them dancing. It was cool!

Muley performing "Smooth" (Bev's favorite song) and he really WAS 'smooth,' because I've never seen from the viewer's perspective one of my puppets playing guitar (mine play right-handed, which is out of the norm because Muppets normally play left handed). He was strumming the chords and all that just really well.

It was all a terrific experience, and I'm happy to have done it. I'm still bashful when folks come up to me and say good things (while I watched the video I picked it to death critiquing myself). But, I thank them all and give credit to the Mule.

Today, at the RMH Big Scoop Ice Cream Festival (I was in costume as Bugs Bunny), I kept hearing that Muley was being requested by folks who saw him on the air, and Leon came in for Celebrity Sundae Making and saw me.
Leon: "Where's Muley hanging out at?"
Kevin: "Oh, he's home, doing all the hard housework today."
Leon: "He'll do HOUSEWORK?"
Kevin: "No, but like most people who are 'doing housework,' he's watching television and eating pistachio pudding."

Ah, the Life of Muley!!

WAIT! I just thought of a movie instead of The Life of Riley!!

Thanks again for your support, gang. I love my MC Family!

Kev le Foz de Mulle