Two rods in one?

[D'Snowth]

I noticed awhile back on Sesame Street, Zoe was stretching her arms above her head. I noticed her rods seemed to "branch out" from just one handle. How do you make and work rods like that?

 

[Jinx]

Hmmm... hard to say. It sounds similar to my Garth puppet though. His arm rods are pretty flexible, and they are long enough to reach above his head. If I hold both handles in one hand and extend his hands above his head, they are both branching out from essentially a single location, even though they are separate from one another. Perhaps this is the way Zoe is too.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

If you buy John Kennedy's Puppet Mania book (it's about $10 US I think) it has instructions for a neat little kangaroo puppet with rods like that.

 

[Bear Man]

Also if you can get hold of it, watch the Muppet Show documentary ("Of Muppets and Men" I think, but my brain isn't working at the moment...) They show behind-the-scenes of the "In the Navy" scene with the Viking pigs. They have arm rods that are joined together quite low down on a pivot and are operated by the same puppeteer who works the mouth opening and closing their hand - just like a pair of scissors.

 

[Was Once Ernie]

I recently had a chance to watch Steve operating Kermit close up. The arm rods are as Bear Man described above (although I'm not sure they're actually joined together). But he also has a small cup on one rod that he puts his thumb into so that the rods don't slip. All he has to do is move his thumb back and forth to make Kermit's left hand move or move his fingers back and forth to operate the right arm. Spreading his fingers and thumb apart separate Kermit's hands. To make Kermit applaude, he just opens and closes his hand. It's very clever in its simplicity.

 

[D'Snowth]

I recently had a chance to watch Steve operating Kermit close up. The arm rods are as Bear Man described above (although I'm not sure they're actually joined together). But he also has a small cup on one rod that he puts his thumb into so that the rods don't slip. All he has to do is move his thumb back and forth to make Kermit's left hand move or move his fingers back and forth to operate the right arm. Spreading his fingers and thumb apart separate Kermit's hands. To make Kermit applaude, he just opens and closes his hand. It's very clever in its simplicity.

Boy, I need to catch up with the times!

 

[Jinx]

Fozzie-

Somewhere I have a video of that same sequence, although I do not have a video of Of Muppets and Men. I think I have a still image of it somewhere too and I remember upon closer inspection that they simply used common scissor-style kitchen tongs fastened to the arm rods to allow the pigs to clap the "we want you...we want you...we want you as a new recruit" section of the song.

 

[MGov]

Tongs.

I use spring loaded kitchen tongs for my arm rods. I use tin snippers to cut them down and then attach each arm rod to each side. Then I control both puppet hands with one hand.

 

[KermieBaby47]

I recently had a chance to watch Steve operating Kermit close up.

Hey Earl! I'm continuously jealous of your amazing lifestyle!

So did you hear any great tidbits about future Muppet stuff you'd like to share? Hee-hee.

Also wondering if you were in conversation with him (or other Muppeteers) and got to show off your Kermit and other Muppet voices. Any news on when we'll hear newly re-cast Muppet voices (besides From the Balconey). I'm very curious about those Disney Cruise shows.

Later!

Anthony

 

[KermieBaby47]

I just realized that I severly muffined this thread, sorry!

Back on topic, I like the idea of the thumb-cup on the left arm-rod. Would seem to make it better if you just felt like clipping your puppets' right arm to his chest/belly area for cramped puppeteering.

I can see the practicality of using a tong-like rod attachment though, especially for timed clapping.

Gonna hafta finish up the Christmas portraits I'm working on so I can make another puppet. I'm thinking an Anything Muppet type puppet would be great for me right now, but what do I use to make his arm-rods?