The Brand New Ask Jim Lewis Thread

[dwayne1115]

Question! I have a question! *raises hand* *waits* ...Anyway!

Mister Lewis, I have been watching de Muffins over and over again d'is Christmas time, and one of my favorites, of course, es de Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie with Mister Dirk Hatcher as director of transportation, hokay. My question for jou es do jou have any theories as to what de other Muffins were doing in de Kermin-less j'universe? We know Fotzie es a pick-pocket, Miss Piggy es a failing telephone actress, Gonso lives in de malls, Ritzo got eaten by de Fear Factor peoples, Robin refilled bottles of de waters, Scooter danced in de cages... What about Rowlf? Or de Swedish Chef? Or Uncle Deadly, hokay? (Jou can skip d'at last one if jou really want to, hokay.)

Also, again, Merry Christmas to jou and jours! I hope jou enjoy A Muffins Christmas: Letters to Santa tonight, hokay! I know I will!

Wow i had a reall hard time reading this!

 

[theprawncracker]

Wow i had a reall hard time reading this!

*snickers* Sorry, I was in a Pepe mindset after watching VMC before LtS...

 

[dwayne1115]

Thats ok i kind of thought it was funny.

 

[Davina]

very cute

My big question would be, ok, we know we've got Piggy's book coming up, any word on any other muppety goodness coming out in the next year?

(and a big thanks for the Pepe and Piggy books, they are wonderfully timed for my family, we did Christmas early as my hubby was just deployed and we got him the Pepe book, which he just loved, and I will be getting Piggy's book as soon as it's out, which is about when hubby's being gone is going to set in, so it's great timing as a pick me up. oh, and our Pepe is in my avatar)

 

[Vic Romano]

I have a first time question. What kind of relationships do the Muppets and it's current employees keep with Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson? Does Frank ever call you or Dave Goelz or maybe chat with Bill Baretta on the set of Sesame Street (when he's there) about current productions like Letters From Santa or Studio DC? Or does Jerry give input on performances of the characters he no longer does? In other words, is it all business as usual? Or is there ever a a friendly dialogue about how things are going?

 

[Beauregard]

Morning Jim-bob! Well, is it actually morning? I'm currantly typing this post in the evening, assuming that whenever the questions are sent out, you are more likely tor eceive them actually in...the...morning, but if not, good afternoon, good evening and good night! I just happened to notice that you co-authored or edited another of Miss Piggy's books, "Miss Piggy's Rules: Swine-Tested Secrets for Catching Mr. Right, Keeping Him & Throwing Him Back When You've Had Enough" in 1997, and I wondered if that book had any influence in the creation of "The Diva Code: Miss Piggy on Life, Love, and the 10,000 Idiotic Things Men Frogs Do" AND! Have you ever noticed just how long the titles of Piggy books usually are!

 

[Oscarfan]

Hey. I's got's a questions.

When a one-time Muppet character appears, how is it decided who performs him/her/it?

 

[frogboy4]

Hi Mr. Jim!

What do you think (if anything) do you feel is missing from Muppet projects that you would like to add? I guess it could be anything from character dynamics to plot lines. If you were given carte blanche - what would you do?

Thanks for your time.

 

[dwayne1115]

Wow ok people I'm goiing to send in these questions TONIGHT! I'll have to put on hold watching my new Three Stooges DVD set, but this is worth it! Ryan I'm going to fix up your question in plan english, but keep your origanal question as well. You'll see what I mean.

 

[dwayne1115]

Good morning all! Here are all of your answers. I hope you enjoy!


Holiday Questions for Jim Lewis
12.26.08




1. the Prawn Cracker (AKA Ryan): Question! I have a question! *raises hand* *waits* ...Anyway!

Mister Lewis, I have been watching de Muffins over and over again d'is Christmas time, and one of my favorites, of course, es de Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie with Mister Dirk Hatcher as director of transportation, hokay. My question for jou es do jou have any theories as to what de other Muffins were doing in de Kermin-less j'universe? We know Fotzie es a pick-pocket, Miss Piggy es a failing telephone actress, Gonso lives in de malls, Ritzo got eaten by de Fear Factor peoples, Robin refilled bottles of de waters, Scooter danced in de cages... What about Rowlf? Or de Swedish Chef? Or Uncle Deadly, hokay? (Jou can skip d'at last one if jou really want to, hokay.)

Also, again, Merry Christmas to jou and jours! I hope jou enjoy A Muffins Christmas: Letters to Santa tonight, hokay! I know I will!

(If you need a translation of that just ask Pepe Myself or Ryan for that)

Is good question, okay. Some of the things you cite above aren’t ones I came up with, but ones invented by my successor on the project. Personally, I’d have let the characters keep more of their dignity, but that’s crumbs in the toaster, so let’s move on.
When I started that project, I talked to the performers (Frank, Jerry, Dave, Steve) about where they thought their characters would be if there were no Kermit. And to tell you the truth, they didn’t give me many specific answers, but all said essentially the same thing: that the characters lives are unimaginable without Kermit there to encourage and believe in them, just as their lives as performers are unimaginable without Jim having been there to encourage and believe in them. Make up your own particulars.



2. From Davina: . My big question would be, ok, we know we've got Piggy's book coming up, any word on any other muppety goodness coming out in the next year?

(and a big thanks for the Pepe and Piggy books, they are wonderfully timed for my family, we did Christmas early as my hubby was just deployed and we got him the Pepe book, which he just loved, and I will be getting Piggy's book as soon as it's out, which is about when hubby's being gone is going to set in, so it's great timing as a pick me up. oh, and our Pepe is in my avatar)


Ooh, I’m so happy that the books make you happy. I sit here wondering about them. I go to the bookstore and rearrange the shelves for better placement, hoping that someone bought a copy. (And not cause I get a royalty, cause I don’t.) So, getting your note is very very encouraging.
As for next year’s Muppety goodness. Yes. There will be.
But I can’t say more. And besides, there’s a fine chance you’ll know about it before I do.




3. From Vic Romano (First time Asker): I have a first time question. What kind of relationships do the Muppets and it's current employees keep with Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson? Does Frank ever call you or Dave Goelz or maybe chat with Bill Baretta on the set of Sesame Street (when he's there) about current productions like Letters From Santa or Studio DC? Or does Jerry give input on performances of the characters he no longer does? In other words, is it all business as usual? Or is there ever a a friendly dialogue about how things are going?

The Muppets have been, since before I got there 20 years back, a repertory company. When the performers are all there, sweating, singing, upstaging each other, a certain bond forms. (I will not typify the aroma of this bond, but it is memorable.) By which I mean to say that there is much conversation and friendly banter among performers of all generations. Not on every project. And not on any kind of regular basis. But the performers (and all those who’ve been at this for a time) are an extended family, flung far across the country, but close nonetheless.
I even got Christmas cards from some of them! ….Okay, postage due, but it was something.




4. From Me: Did you help write or setup the Muppet Monopoly game?


I wrote it. Which I hope you think is a good thing. The folks who do those special edition Monopoly games come in and pick the brains of folks like me. And in this case, I penned the cards, suggested names, themes and characters for various sections of the game. And still I lose miserably.




5. From Beauregard: Morning Jim-bob! Well, is it actually morning? I'm currently typing this post in the evening, assuming that whenever the questions are sent out, you are more likely to receive them actually in...the...morning, but if not, good afternoon, good evening and good night! I just happened to notice that you co-authored or edited another of Miss Piggy's books, "Miss Piggy's Rules: Swine-Tested Secrets for Catching Mr. Right, Keeping Him & Throwing Him Back When You've Had Enough" in 1997, and I wondered if that book had any influence in the creation of "The Diva Code: Miss Piggy on Life, Love, and the 10,000 Idiotic Things Men Frogs Do" AND! Have you ever noticed just how long the titles of Piggy books usually are!


To answer your last question first: Piggy gets paid by the word, thus the length of title.
Did that “Rules” book have anything to do with the current tome? Only tangentially. I wrote the former with the great Louise Gikow. Funny. Talented. Great writer. I don’t deserve to be in the same room with her dry cleaner. This book, I wrote on my own, and while the topics (men, relationships, life rules) are related, the tone is different. Breezier, I’d say, whatever that means. You be the judge.







6. From Oscarfan: When a one-time Muppet character appears, how is it decided who performs him/her/it?

The characters are never created in a vacuum. It’s not like a write a character and pick who will play it. If it’s a secondary, supporting, one-time character, we (the producer, the workshop, the performers) think about what this character should look like and how they should sound…..Then it’s usually a matter of a performer saying “Hey, I’ve got a take on that character, let me try this….” And there you go! For a character like Pepe, and with most of the other major charactes, the performer is the wellspring of invention. The writers, the designers, builders, etc… all have input and ideas, but it’s the performer who makes these character so rich, full of life and frighteningly real.











7. From Frogboy: Hi Mr. Jim!

What do you think (if anything) do you feel is missing from Muppet projects that you would like to add? I guess it could be anything from character dynamics to plot lines. If you were given carte blanche - what would you do?

Oh, we all have after-the-fact ideas and there are always ways to improve. But in general, I like the way things are trending. The focus (as in the “Santa’s Letters” special) is back on the characters, and less on them serving in supporting roles.
In general, I have a great sense of the emotional depth of the characters. They are very real to me (and I know most of you feel the same way). Their plight is our plight. We can feel what they feel. I’m hoping we’ll tap into this more. To make the audience care, really care, and make them laugh at the same time….that’s what I want to do. The Muppets aren’t just iconic lovable characters, they are you and me – only moreso.