Here we go!
ANSWERS FROM Jim Lewis 12/08/2009
From Minor Muppetz:I know that you've rarely if ever written for the Sesame Street Muppets. But if you were to write for Sesame Street, which characters would you most want to write for?
Ernie and Bert. One of the all-time great comedy teams. Affection, pathos, and classically funny.
From Bobthepizzaboy: First off, how ofter do you as a writer actually have to be on-set during the average production span?
On the subject of Kermit's Swamp Years: we've all noticed that there is a mass of in-jokes to the early years of Jim Henson's career. Did Henson request these in-jokes go into the movie or did you just write these in on your own?
With Muppet productions we usually have a writer on set most if not all the time during a shoot. Since the performers are the characters, and so tend to “play and ad lib,” the writer is there to make sure that what they’re doing makes sense in the overall script. Then the writer goes back to the craft services table and noshes some more…..As for Kermit’s Swamp Years: the in-jokes and homages were not requested by the Hensons (it was made after Jim’s passing), but were put in there by the likes of me, David Gumpel the director and Joey Mazzarino, my co-writer, all of whom had worked with Jim. We felt that if we were telling a tale from Kermit’s early years it would be natural that there’d be a Jim connection.
From Ryan: Jermaine! ...Wait, that's not right. Eh, he'll get the gist of it.
I have two questions for you! (Two! Two questions! Ah! Ah! Ah!)
One, one question! Have you seen any good movies lately? I saw The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock last night and absolutely loved it, and I watched Disney/Pixar's Up on DVD recently and fell in love with it again.
Two, two question(s)! What have some of your favorite recurring sketches been? Pigs in Space? Vet's Hospital? Bear on Patrol? The ever-popular talking houses? Muppet Sports? Wayne and Wanda? Anything else I'm too lazy to type out?
Thanks, Julliard! Hope all is well with you and yours and theirs!
Roderick!.....I haven’t seen any good movies lately. Thanks for the tip. I did love “Up” but I think I saw that a year ago which as far as I know does not qualify as “lately”. As for favorite sketches – Pigs in Space, of course, but especially Vet’s Hospital. The relentless burlesque quality of that operating room still leaves me in stitches (Get it? Stitches?) Plus, I love seeing Rowlf do almost anything. How’s that, Reg?
From Togetheragain: Hey Jim! As we enter finals week here at my school and I've got two big papers that still need writing, I've got a question... What's your favorite thing to do to procrastinate? (Besides answering our questions, of course.)
Also... Which essay question should I answer for my Drama final? Number one or number two?
Happy first-snow-of-the-year-in-Central-Illinois, Jim! ...Not that snow in Central Illinois has much to do with you... So while I'm at it, happy we-finally-ran-the-dishwasher-last-night, and a very merry this-apartment-desperately-needs-a-vacuum, too!
Oh, you mention some of my favorite holidays and appliances, thank you! I would answer question 2. If things are the way they were in my day, then question 2 is the question the teacher likes better because when he/she was done writing question 2 he/she could say – wow! I’m done! Now I can run the dishwasher or vacuum something dirty. This is a pleasant feeling. Whereas, after question 1, the teacher in question could only think: “eck! I’ve got to come up with another question. When will the misery end?”
While answering questions is certainly my favorite method of procrastination, I also enjoy napping. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzsnnnnnnxxxxxxxxx…etc.
5. From (New Question askie) antsamthompson9: Jim, I noticed that you wrote Elmo's Weather Report Song for the SSL show, When Elmo Grows Up. First of all, how did that come about? And also, did you choose which characters would sing it or did someone else? Lastly, did you ever see Sesame Street Live? BTW, I loved the show!
I did? Well, I’ve done a few things for Vee Corp who does the SSL shows and they are wonderful folks, very talented and put on great shows. Have seen many, though fewer now that my kids are older. I don’t remember writing that song, but somebody probably said: We need a song for Elmo here and it should be a Weather song. Whaddayagot! And then I wrote something and someone with real musical ability fixed it and made it sound great.
From unclematt: James,
How pleased are you and Disney as a whole with the tremendous responce you have recieved from The Muppet's Bohemian Rhapsody? All involved have to be completely overjoyed.
unclematt
I am thrilled by the response to “Bohemian Rhapsody”, though I take little to no credit for it’s execution. I was in early meetings and pitched shtick (then I went and fetched those shticks…I recycle shticks y’know). It’s a natural for us and it came out great thanks to much effort by performers, director, and Queen.
As for Disney, I am of the same mind as Jim Henson: this is the right place for the Muppets. They “get” character better than anyone.
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