The "Muppet Show" disclaimer "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures."

"Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe." The NY Post reports, adding "It’s unstated precisely what Disney considers to be offensive on the show, but some characters depict Native American, Middle Eastern and Asian people. And...
Tags: Comedy, Law, South Park, Censorship, Disney, Puppets, Ethnicity, Children's Tv, Flags, Warnings, Ny Post, Gary, Carter, Johnny Cash, Fantasia, Jim Henson

Michelle Obama plays a supermarket owner in Netflix' new kids' show, Waffles + Mochi

Here's the trailer for a Waffles + Mochi, a new Netflix series for kids that is executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama. Once upon a thyme, deep in The Land of Frozen Food, lived two best friends named Waffles and Mochi with one shared dream: to become chefs! — Read the rest
Tags: Food, Cooking, Video, Television, News, Netflix, Puppets, Michelle Obama, Barack, Mochi, Waffles, Kids Shows, Land of Frozen Food

Incredible hand-carved marionettes of Bowie, Lemmy, Devo, Bootsy Collins, Hunter Thompson, and more

Darren Moreash of Harrietsfield, Nova Scotia carves astounding marionettes of rockers and counterculture characters. (As Dangerous Minds notes, Moreash's Darrionettes starred in the Cheap Trick video "I Want You for Christmas," seen below.) Check out Moreash's multitude of Darrionettes, including Cheech and Chong, Jimi Hendrix, Charles Manson, James Taylor, and many more at his Facebook page. — Read the rest
Tags: Post, News, Puppets, Cheech, Marionettes, Bowie Lemmy Devo Bootsy Collins Hunter Thompson, Darren Moreash, Harrietsfield Nova Scotia, Moreash, Darrionettes, Chong Jimi Hendrix Charles Manson James Taylor

Watch the Weinerville Chanukah Special (1995)

Weinerville was a surreal puppet and live action variety show for kids (although not really) that aired on Nickelodeon for two seasons from 1993 to 1994. (The show was created by puppeteer and actor Marc Weiner who went on to voice the also-odd Swiper the Fox character on Dora the Explorer.) — Read the rest
Tags: Video, Television, News, Weird, Fox, Puppets, Nickelodeon, Dora, Cult TV, Marc Weiner

Watch this 1995 Nickelodeon weirdo Weinerville Chanukah Special

Weinerville was a surreal puppet and live action variety show for kids (although not really) that aired on Nickelodeon for two seasons from 1993 to 1994. (The show was created by puppeteer and actor Marc Weiner who went on to voice the also-odd Swiper the Fox character on Dora the Explorer.) — Read the rest
Tags: Video, Television, News, Weird, Fox, Puppets, Nickelodeon, Dora, Cult TV, Marc Weiner

Delightful dinosaur hand puppets

Maker Teresa Noel shows off these wonderful dinosaur hand puppets. In addition the one shown, they have a triceratops and others: This red one has a nice mix of scary and awesome: Image: YouTube / Teresa Noel
Tags: Toys, Video, News, Puppets, Dinosaurs, Teresa Noel

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater Pivots In A Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has forced the entertainment industry to pivot and rethink how it does things. Like many venues, the iconic L.A. institution Bob Baker’s Marionette Theater had no idea how long lockdown would last. “Once you realize you’re in it for the long haul, it [became about] figuring out how to translate this very […]
Tags: Puppets, Artists, Bob Baker, Bob Baker Marionette

Watch Bullwinkle the television puppet tell kids to pull the knobs off their TV sets (1961)

In an infamous 1961 episode of The Bullwinkle Show, the Bullwinkle puppet encouraged viewers to pull the knobs off their TVs. Parents weren't too happy. From the Lost Media Archive: It was reported that around 20,000 young children complied to this, causing NBC to receive a ton of letters from angry parents. — Read the rest
Tags: Video, TV, Television, News, Nbc, Funny, Puppets, 1960s, Teevee

Watch a rocking performance by Marionette Freddie Mercury

Queen's Freddie Mercury the Marionette performs at Plaza Oriental, Madrid. The puppet was created by the talented artisans of Titeresy Marionetas.
Tags: Post, Video, Music, News, Puppets, Queen, Marionettes, Plaza Oriental Madrid, Marionette Freddie Mercury

Watch a rocking performance by Freddie Mercury (the marionette)

Queen's Freddie Mercury the Marionette performs at Plaza Oriental, Madrid. The puppet was created by the talented artisans of Titeresy Marionetas.
Tags: Post, Music, News, Puppets, Queen, Marionettes, Plaza Oriental Madrid

Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Has Been Canceled by Netflix

The story of Thra on Netflix is over. io9 has exclusively confirmed the streaming service has chosen not to renew The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, meaning the series has come to an end after only one season.Read more...
Tags: Science, Interview, Netflix, Puppets, Streaming, Exclusive, Emmys, Lisa Henson, Louis Leterrier, Jim Henson Company, Javier Grillo Marxuach, Cowboy Bebop, The Dark Crystal, Thra, The Dark Crystal Age Of Resistance

Being John Malkovich Is Better Now Than It Was in 1999

Being John Malkovich—the brainchild of writer Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze—is still one of the great modern American films. However, what it meant to me at the time of release is not what it means to me now. And looking at it in a macro sense, it represents a lot more than just a perfect collaboration.Read more...
Tags: Science, Puppets, Cameron Diaz, John Malkovich, Charlie Kaufman, Spike Jonze, John Cusack, Retro Review, Catherine Keener, Being John Malkovich

Incredible handmade marionettes of early rock-and-rollers

George Miller is an artist, musician (The Kaisers and The New Piccadillys), and production designer. While on lockdown in Glasgow, Miller created a series of spectacular marionettes of early rock and roll, country, and R&B greats like Johnny Cash, Link Wray, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wanda Jackson, Sister Rosetta, and Bo Diddley. The detail and personality of the marionettes is quite astonishing. Miller loves them too much to sell any. From an interview at Dangerous Minds: I’d been working on a BB...
Tags: Art, Post, Music, News, Makers, Bbc, Sculpture, Puppets, Rosetta, Glasgow, Miller, George Miller, Bo, Bo Diddley, Eddie Cochran, Kaisers

Mr. Manos is the finger ninja action film series of the summer

Move over, vintage fingerboards. Mr. Manos has arrived with vintage martial arts films, featuring finger ninjas. The battle with Red Master above has the coolest combination of outfits and action, but they are all pretty impressive. To view the full series from the beginning, start here: Mr. Manos is a spinoff from Action Icons, a channel that curates amazing action sports content. Mr. Manos has been posting some green screen testing over on their Instagram, so it looks as if even more ...
Tags: Post, Video, News, Instagram, Martial Arts, Puppets, Ninjas, Puppetry, Manos

An Ancient Dark Crystal Mystic Comes to Life for the First Time in a New Book of Thra

The world of Thra is full of incredible beings and creatures, from major civilizations like the Gelfling and the Skesis, to humble landstriders and adorable (and occasionally horrifying) Nurlocs. Now, a new book wants to detail Thra’s grand bestiary—and io9 has an exclusive look inside shows.Read more...
Tags: Books, Science, Netflix, Puppets, Streaming, Exclusive, Preview, Jim Henson Company, Adam Cesare, Insight Editions, The Dark Crystal, Brian Froud, Thra, The Dark Crystal Age Of Resistance, Iris Compiet

This Candyman Shadow Puppet Short Film Is a Horrific Mirror You Can't Look Away From

Much as the Candyman film franchise focuses on the stories of people foolish enough to summon a murderous ghoul into their midst by chanting his name, the films have always been, at their cores, gruesome reflections on the American legacy of anti-Black racism that led to the lynchings of thousands over the centuries.Read more...
Tags: Science, Horror, Racism, Puppets, Slavery, Universal, Candyman, Jordan Peele, Short Films, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Nia DaCosta, Manual Cinema

Library explains new curbside book pickup with "Ice Ice Baby" parody

Kudos to Nashville Public Library for making a video that explains their new curbside service in 1989 style! "Curb Side Baby" parodies Vanilla Ice's megahit AND relays important info about checking out books with rapping mice puppets ("Vanilla Mice"?). What more could you ask for? This video was produced in-house by fantastically talented staff: Greg from Main Library Children's Division and Morgan from The Puppet Truck. Rap performed by Justin from The Puppet Truck, and Wicked Ida Puppetry p...
Tags: Post, Video, News, Library, Cool, Psa, Puppets, Nashville, Morgan, Greg, Justin, Ice Ice Baby, Vanilla Ice, Nashville Public Library, Cool as Ice, Let's kick it

WATCH: Muppet Guys LIVE honor Jim Henson, 30 years later — Saturday, May 14, 4pm ET

• “Miss Piggy,” “Kermit The Frog,” and all your favorite Muppets will be there. The beloved humans behind The Muppets are gathering for a special live internet broadcast today to honor the late Jim Henson, who died 30 years ago today. TUNE IN, FREE! TODAY, May 16, Saturday, 4pm ET. muppetguystalkiing.com/Jim Frank Oz tells Boing Boing: We’ll be answering questions about Jim and his work because that day is the 30th anniversary of Jim's passing and we just want to talk about him. THE INFO: ...
Tags: Post, News, Entertainment, Fun, Muppets, Puppets, The Muppets, Jim, Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Jim Frank Oz

WATCH: Muppet Guys LIVE honor Jim Henson, 30 years later — Saturday, May 16, 4pm ET

• “Miss Piggy,” “Kermit The Frog,” and all your favorite Muppets will be there. The beloved humans behind The Muppets are gathering for a special live internet broadcast today to honor the late Jim Henson, who died 30 years ago today. TUNE IN, FREE! TODAY, May 16, Saturday, 4pm ET. https://muppetguystalking.com/jim/ Frank Oz tells Boing Boing: We’ll be answering questions about Jim and his work because that day is the 30th anniversary of Jim's passing and we just want to talk about him. THE...
Tags: Post, News, Entertainment, Fun, Muppets, Puppets, The Muppets, Frank Oz, Jim, Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company

Making DIY Homemade Puppets with Jim Henson in 1969

May 16 marks 30 years since Jim Henson passed away. To remember his delightful legacy, here's a public access video of him and Don Sahlin (who went on to create and voice Rowlf) from 1969, teaching kids how to make puppets out of random household objects like tennis balls and socks. h/t OpenCulture Image: Blake Handley / Flickr (CC 2.0)
Tags: Video, News, Diy, Muppets, Puppets, Jim Henson, Arts And Crafts, Don Sahlin, Sock Puppets, Actual Sock Puppets, Blake Handley Flickr CC

This Saturday: Another bonkers streaming service by the almighty Opp

9pm PST on the Instagrams! View this post on Instagram Tomorrow Night, April 11th, 9pm. Streaming from here on Instagram Live. Thank You. #almightyOpp #fullkundaliniblowout A post shared by jeffrey's human persona (@almightyopp) on Apr 10, 2020 at 8:08am PDT Absurdist puppetry and the arcane! Join the almighty Opp for another uplifting Instagram stream. It's OK that it's NOT OK!
Tags: Post, News, Puppets, Almighty Opp, It's Ok That It's Not Ok

These puppets sing a sexy slow jam for when you want to get down while social distancing

The struggle is real. Also this song bops.
Tags: Video, News, Puppets, Social Distancing, Slow Jam

almighty Opp Instagram Livestream at 9pm PST tonight

View this post on Instagram The pleasure is mine. Tomorrow, 9pm PST, Right here on InstagramLive. Thank YOU! #almightyopp A post shared by jeffrey's human persona (@almightyopp) on Apr 3, 2020 at 9:17pm PDT This comes late but if you catch it you will be glad you did. almighty Opp is livestreaming a special extra installment of their usual once monthly amazing, absurdist puppet ritual. jef...
Tags: Video, News, Puppets, Almighty Opp

Watch Kenny Rogers perform "The Gambler" on The Muppet Show

On October 18, 1979, Kenny Rogers, who died on Friday, performed "The Gambler" on The Muppet Show. See the human hands on those muppets? This was one of the rare instances in which "the puppeteer lends his/her body parts," according to the Muppet Wiki.
Tags: Video, Music, News, Muppets, Puppets, Kenny Rogers, Know When To Hold 'em

Watch the Cookie Monster's first appearance, in a 1967 IBM training film

Jim Henson's "The Coffee Break Machine" (1967), a skit in an IBM training film, was the first appearance of a proto-Cookie Monster, then green, who evolved from a puppet named the Wheel-Stealer. (A slightly different version of the clip appeared on the Ed Sullivan show that same year.) From the Muppet Wiki: A proto-Cookie Monster wanders upon a talking coffee machine that has been set in "Auto-Descriptive" Mode. As the machine describes its parts, the monster eats them. Once the machine...
Tags: Video, News, Funny, Computers, Muppets, Puppets, Ibm, Ed Sullivan, Jim Henson

Can Puppets Save the World From Extinction?

Two new productions use everyday materials and artistic ingenuity to gently warn young audiences of the perils of climate change.
Tags: News, Puppets, Evans, Theater, Amanda, Carlo, Philippi, Dixon Place, Renee, New Victory Theater, Villalobos, Adinolfi, Lee Sunday, CollaborationTown, Concrete Temple Theater, Riddle of the Trilobites (Play

‘Sesame Street’ Is Opening Up to Syrian Refugees

What happens when the people who invented educational television try to reinvent humanitarian aid?
Tags: Television, News, Syria, Puppets, Humanitarian Aid, Children and Childhood, Refugees and Displaced Persons, Sesame Street (TV Program, Amman (Jordan, Ahlan Simsim (TV Program

Governor Cuomo, Pardon This Man

Tyrone Abraham served his time. His story shows what happens when a state’s criminal justice system collides with federal immigration enforcement.
Tags: News, Puppets, Columbia University, Deportation, Politics And Government, Immigration and Emigration, Citizenship and Naturalization, Immigration Detention, Sing Sing Correctional Facility, Rikers Island Prison Complex, Amnesties, Commutations and Pardons, Probation and Parole, Asian American Writers' Workshop, Cuomo Pardon This Man, Tyrone Abraham

Check out these awesomely creepy puppets of microbial creatures

  Judith Hope is a UK-based puppeteer who has created maneuverable art for theatre, festivals, parades, and more. Most recently, she was hired to work on a show called "Microbodyssey," which describes itself as a "visual theatre experience for both adults and children that features puppetry, shadow theatre and an original score" about microbes and other invisible organisms. And so, for this project, Hope has had the distinct pleasure of creating child-sized puppets of things like tardigrades: ...
Tags: Post, Video, UK, Hope, News, Puppets, Newcastle, Puppetry, Tardigrades, Tardigrade, Centre for Life, Microorganisms, Bacteriophage, Judith Hope, Centre for Life Newcastle

The Mister Rogers No One Saw

Fred Rogers wasn’t just a brilliant educator and a profoundly moral person. He was an uncompromising artist.
Tags: News, Puppets, Opera, Rogers, Fred, Fred Rogers, Children and Childhood, Culture (Arts, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (TV Program, Won't You Be My Neighbor (Movie