The MuppetCast - Show #48 - White Snow and Red Monsters

[minor muppetz]

Actually, Kevin Clash didn't perform Hoots in Follow That Bird. He performed a robin, who said "wrong kind" in that scene. I'd always thought he sounded like Elmo, but didn't think Kevin Clash performed him, since Clash wasn't credited under "board of birds" (just "additional muppet performer"). It's weird that they would have had Kevin Clash performed the voice of one character with such small dialogue, especially if he wasn't a regular character with a regular performer. The performer on set could have done the voice, or somebody who actually performed in the movie (like Richard Hunt or Caroll Spinney) could have redubbed the voice.

It's good to finally know for sure whether Clash performed in A Muppet Family Christmas. I know that I asked about most of those productions, but I do feel bad that with all the time spent discussing what he turned out to not have performed in, he didn't get to discuss much of what he did perform in, like The Jim Henson Hour and Muppets Tonight. I already knew that Clash didn't perform in Muppet Vision 3D. I recall seeing a post from one of that film's performers, I think it was Rick Lyon, back when the Muppet Central forum was a delphi forum, and he had said that Kevin Clash didn't perform in that film, citing that both Clash and Jerry Nelson were busy with Sesame Street at the time.

I didn't learn too much in this interview that I hadn't already known. I feel like I hadn't heard the story of Fozzie picking his nose before, but at the same time it sounds familiar. And while Clash thought one of those embarrassing stories was mentioend in Sesame Street Unpaved, it wasn't. The 30th anniversary specialw asn't mentioend there at all. The story of the bunny in the closing scene was mentioend in Jim Henson: The Works and Clash's autobiography.

I guess you were joking when you asked what he did perform in, and if you wonder you could check Kevin Clash's page at Muppet Wiki. But if you ever get to interview him again, I'd like you to know that he performed in: some of the Play-Along Videos, some of the Sing-Along Videos, the Muppets appearance on The Cosby Show, The Muppets at Walt Disney World, The Mupets Celebrate Jim Henson, and Tale of the Bunny Picnic.

I had read at The Muppet Newsflash that there are plans for a new DVD starring Abby Cadabby. I wonder if Abby in Wonderland is that production (thouygh Clash claimed that it might be shown on TV... He might not have known, or plans could have changed since the Muppet Newsflash article).

 

[stephenjlizard]

Hey m_m, good to hear from ya. Without going back and listening to the interview, I don't recall that Kevin said that he performed Hoots in Follow That Bird. In fact, I remember pretty clearly that he said he performed a "board bird" that went on to have some characteristics of Hoots. Which is good, I like me some Hoots.

Don't feel bad about asking about projects that Kevin wasn't in; now we know, right? I'm sure we'll talk to him again in the future, so I'll try to focus more on projects he actually performed in then, hehe.

Even if you didn't learn much in the way of new information, I hope you still enjoyed hearing all of this info straight from the man himself. I know I did!

I think the MNF story talked about the Sesame Street Dinosaurs DVD that's coming out in May. I can't be certain, but I think Kevin's mention of "Abby in Wonderland" might have been the first public mention of this project, which is exciting!

 

[dwayne1115]

Wow great show! hey Steve have you ever thought about giving your wife a part of the muppetcast. Maybe something kind of girly or something. That way you two could spend more time with each other. lol Cause i know in one show you said something like when your working on the show sometimes your wife won't see you much. just a thought.

 

[Erine81981]

Sounds like an awsome idea Dwayne. I hope Steve reads it and maybe does something with that idea.

 

[stephenjlizard]

I've asked her about it before, but she isn't very interested on getting on the mic. I sort of kid about not seeing each other from Friday night until Sunday night. But trust me, I've asked, and for now she's not quite interested in coming on the show. Good idea, though, and I won't give up on her!

 

[minor muppetz]

Hey m_m, good to hear from ya. Without going back and listening to the interview, I don't recall that Kevin said that he performed Hoots in Follow That Bird. In fact, I remember pretty clearly that he said he performed a "board bird" that went on to have some characteristics of Hoots. Which is good, I like me some Hoots.

Don't feel bad about asking about projects that Kevin wasn't in; now we know, right? I'm sure we'll talk to him again in the future, so I'll try to focus more on projects he actually performed in then, hehe.

Even if you didn't learn much in the way of new information, I hope you still enjoyed hearing all of this info straight from the man himself. I know I did!

I think the MNF story talked about the Sesame Street Dinosaurs DVD that's coming out in May. I can't be certain, but I think Kevin's mention of "Abby in Wonderland" might have been the first public mention of this project, which is exciting!

I relistened to this a few times, andI don't think Kevin mentioned anything about his board bird having any characteristics of Hoots. Come to think of it, aside from Elmo and "one of the board birds" Kevin didn't really mention any of the other characters that he has performed.

I figure that he might return. It would be great if you could arrange interviews with more major performers like Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Bill Barreta, Brian Henson, Caroll Spinney, and even Frank Oz (hey, he did send you a message in the Richard Hunt tribute show) in the future.

It was itneresting even though I only learned a few things about the Mupets that I hadn't known.

The Muppet Newflash article about the Dinosaurs release mentions a few other releases planned, including a DVD release of Elmo's Christmas Countdown and an Abby Caddabby DVD. No title or details were given there. I doubt it will be a "Best of Abby Cadabby" release (I don't think she's been around long enough yet, and don't think she has enough "best" segments).

 

[minor muppetz]

You know, when Kevin Clash said that he was probbaly busy with Sesame Street when A Muppet Family Christmas was made, I thought it was odd, since most of the main performers (even Caroll Spinney) were in the special. But then I started thinking, they probably chose that time to shoot material with the humans and a few performers like Kevin Clash, Martin Robinson, and Camille Bonora (and maybe also Fran Brill). And that got me thinking, although the special had at least one character eahc from Clash (Elmo), Brill (Prairie dawn), and Robinson (Buster), maybe that's why the majority of their characters weren't seen. I thought it was odd that Telly wasn't in the background, and partially surprised Snuffy wasn't there (He might have been too big to include). Depending on the number of puppets theyhad for the characters, they probably left behind Telly, Snuffy, Hoots, and others so that they could still produce material during the time of the special.