The Jim Henson Company Puppets to perform at the 2011 Grammys

[Drtooth]

unite! You have nothing to lose but your chocolate chips!

On the subject of the PG rating, I actually think it DOES serve a purpose, but it's lost it's context in recent years, because, let's be honest, when's the last time a theatrical movie had an actual G rating?

Here's my take on the subject: PG is just what it is, it's a step up above G, but not quite PG-13. There are really two kinds of PG movies, there are PG movies that are specifically targeted at kids and families, then there are PG movies that are for adults. PG movies for kids are PG because it's a kids movie, whether it's a cartoon, CGI, etc, the characters and the storyline is conceived for kids, however, why is it PG? It may have some mild swearing in it, or there may be some situations in the movie that are "perilous" and "intense" that might bother younger kids and even frighten them, hence "Parental Guidence Suggested". That's essentially when a movie like Pee-wee's Big Adventure is PG: it's a kid's movie, because Pee-wee USED to be a kiddie icon (though unfortunately because of his not being able to master his domain scandal, it's the opposite of how people interpretate the Muppets as supposed to be for kids only, Pee-wee is now seen as being for adults only), however, there are some rather freaky scenes throughout the movie (but would you expect any less from Tim Burton, lol?), not to mention a brief scene of Twisted Sister shooting a MV for "Burn in H e l l", while the word isn't used as a swear, it's still a "bad word" either way. So you can see why a movie kid's movie like that would be "PG".

Now getting to the subject of PG movies for adults, these are essentially PG because of lack of more "adult" content and because it usually has tame language... so why is it targeted at adults? Mainly because the storyline might be like a "slice-of-life" story, and whatnot that would be boring for kids, with no fun, colorful, wacky characters.

To me, PG is action cartoon violence, the next step past a kid's show, like say, Batman. You should also be able to mildly cuss (nothing they wouldn't have said on early Simpsons episodes that is). Even very dark, almost too disturbing for little kids plot lines, like The Incredibles (A super villain killing all the super heroes so he can become the only Hero in the world). But more often than not, the meaning of G and PG are blurred, and those "PG" movies are just marketed as PG because G won't fool 10 year olds who don't want to go see it.

Now, you take a movie like Speed Racer, cussing, big violence, Spritle flips someone off for a half second. THAT'S what i call PG... even the Shrek films. Personally, I miss the first TMNT movie... a LOT of martial arts action, Raph cussed (in character, I might add) a couple times, and it was a very dark plot line. Where as the newer TMNT movie seemed like it was a G movie. The violence was basically the same as a TV Y7 cartoon, no cussing, it wasn't all that dark... and pretty much kids slightly younger than 7 went to see it (trust me... I saw it opening weekend). Kid leaning PG-13 movies are more what PG movies should be like, while adult PG-13 stuff is bordering slightly, but not quite on R.

But again, there's no call for some of the kid's movies I've seen to be PG. I still find it a scam so parents will have to take their kids to one of those...

 

[dwmckim]

For those asking about the performers...

Don't know who performed which puppets, but the puppeteering team consisted of Patrick Bristow, Julianne Buescher, Alice Dinnean, Artie Esposito, Brian Henson, Sean Johnson, Drew Massey, Ted Michaels, Michael Oosterom, Michelan Sisti, Colleen Smith, Allan Trautman, Russ Walko, and Victor Yerrid.

 

[D'Snowth]

So Patrick Bristow has become a puppeteer, eh? That's cool. He now makes the what... second comedian who's become a puppeteer for JHC, besides Paul Rudd (who was also a voice actor)?

 

[Quesal]

These new and semi-unknown puppeteers are very lucky to get to use what they learned from being big muppet/puppet fans and actually puppeteer for a big TV moment like that. That's a goal I have yet to achieve so my hats off to them

 

[jcnegron]

Discussions aside, I'm sure there is some clause in the Disney contract that lets the Henson company still call their own puppets "Muppets", otherwise they would be risking being sued every so often for slips in conversations or cases like this where they are introduced as muppets by someone else.

 

[MelissaY1]

Don't know who performed which puppets, but the puppeteering team consisted of Patrick Bristow, Julianne Buescher, Alice Dinnean, Artie Esposito, Brian Henson, Sean Johnson, Drew Massey, Ted Michaels, Michael Oosterom, Michelan Sisti, Colleen Smith, Allan Trautman, Russ Walko, and Victor Yerrid.

I am wondering if Victor was performing the pug puppet since that was one of the puppets he performed at Stuffed and Unstrung last summer? Although the movements also reminded of that little ferret thing Brian Henson performed in the home video "Muppet Classic Theater"

 

[dwmckim]

So Patrick Bristow has become a puppeteer, eh? That's cool. He now makes the what... second comedian who's become a puppeteer for JHC, besides Paul Rudd (who was also a voice actor)?

I'm sure he was stepping in as a right-hander, but yeah, cool to see him joining the ranks.

And, since this thread has covered pretty much everything besides the actual performance, let me be the first to say how surprised and impressed i was at how amazing a singer Gwynyth Paltrow is! Usually when someone mentions her name, i just think "way too skinny actress who always looks like she's about to cry"

Oh, and hey - turns out Henson's Creature Shop also built Lady Gaga's egg!

 

[Starchamberfall]

the "f" word

People who study language say this word (f***) is unusual in that, though it is used a lot, a lot of places, and has been used a lot for centuries, the taboo does not wear off, as it does for other words which no one is surprised to hear.

In other words, what is really unusual is not how bad the word is, it is how we still "need" it to be bad. Really bad.

 

[anytimepally]

And while it's true that the FCC overreacts at times, it is still necessary to have some sense of standards. I mean look at TV in general and how low it has sunk. We're one step away from Roman Coliseum entertainment.

The difference is all TV's have an off button. If I was in the Coliseum, I was going to be eaten by lions. I couldn't turn off their jaws.

 

[CalciferBoheme]

The only thing that could have made have made that better would have been if they'd actually been able to use The Electric Mayhem...

Oh well, it still turned out great. I'm such a huge fan of Cee Lo Green