User:MuppetArchives/Today on Muppet Wiki Archive 02

Archive of Today on Muppet Wiki, July/August 2006.

August 2006

 * August 31 &#8226; Bert's Goldfish: You think Elmo is the only Sesame Street character who owns a goldfish? Think again. Bert has a whole tank full of goldfish, including Lyle, Talbot and Melissa.


 * August 30 &#8226; The Koozebanian Phoob is a blue creature from the planet Koozebane, interviewed by Kermit in episode 205 of The Muppet Show. The Phoob is a very rare creature, because they're so tasty. Luckily, they've hit upon a survival strategy -- they evolve quickly to blend in with their surroundings. Very quickly.


 * August 29 &#8226; Wally Boag is an actor and comedian who's been honored as a "Disney Legend" for his long tenure performing in the Golden Horseshoe Revue at Disneyland. Boag portrayed the Traveling Salesman/Pecos Bill, a role he reprised when guest starring in episode 520 of The Muppet Show.


 * August 28 &#8226; Cookie Monster Angels: Three angels appear above Cookie Monster's head in Don't Eat the Pictures to remind him not to destroy the artwork in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This, as any regular Muppet Wiki reader should know, is an example of psychomachia. There may be a test later.


 * August 27 &#8226; Fozzie Bear, Star Helper: You think Fozzie had a hard time in the swimming book? In this one, his younger brother messes up the living room, and then Fozzie gets punished for it. The Muppet Kids Books were all about punishing Fozzie. Poor little guy.


 * August 26 &#8226; Fozzie's Last Lap: Fozzie used to be an innocent, happy child, floating in the swimming pool and daydreaming. Then two inconsiderate swim jocks come into his life... and they change everything.


 * August 25 &#8226; Hare Krishna is an Indian mantra, used in meditation, which spawned a movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Devotees of Hare Krishna became known for their shaven heads, robes, and ubiquitous presence at airports. In The Muppet Movie, Hare Krishna becomes a running gag, used as a stock answer whenever a character refers to being lost.


 * August 24 &#8226; Jacques Roach is a cockroach with a French accent who's appeared in a number of different roles. He was created for The Jim Henson Hour, as a spoof of the French underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau. In that sketch, Jacques piloted a submarine with a crew of rats and sheep. He returned to the show in later episodes as a French chef, competing with the Swedish Chef. The same puppet was used in The Animal Show as Yves St. La Roach, and he also appeared as a pirate in Muppet Treasure Island. It just goes to show what a French cockroach can do when he puts his mind to it.


 * August 23 &#8226; Lucy the Elephant is a trained pachyderm performer who appeared in Muppet Treasure Island, bearing Benjamina Gunn in an ornate carriage for Miss Piggy's grand entrance. Shooting had to be carefully choreographed so the elephant wouldn't lean over or go backwards. The trainer personally led Lucy, while surrounded by a parade of puppeteers on both ends. However, the scene was framed to suggest that Lucy was marching entirely on her own.


 * August 22 &#8226; Zsa Zsa Porkmustard is one of the finalists in the Miss Galaxy Pageant, representing the planet Koozebane. Instead of singing a song, she excretes ammonia while setting fire to her nose. Oddly enough, she loses.


 * August 21 &#8226; Hasbro Sesame Street Weebles: If you're in your thirties and somebody asks you what Weebles do, then obviously you answer, "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down." If you're not in your thirties, then you probably have no idea what Weebles are. It's a magical secret that only people in their thirties know.


 * August 20 &#8226; Sesame Street Online Stories: Sesameworkshop.org has a number of "online interactive storybooks" that kids can click through and enjoy. The title art for "Cold In My S'nose" is pretty amazing. So is the title "Cookies Can't Laugh".


 * August 19 &#8226; Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten was a popular German variety show, hosted by Austrian entertainer Peter Alexander. In 1975, Alexander visited the set of Sesame Street for a Christmas special that featured Ernie in liederhosen. In 1977, Alexander visited the set of The Muppet Show, and tried to cook with the Swedish Chef.


 * August 18 &#8226; Skenfrith is the ultimate conformist, a magical creature who changes his appearance based on what other people think he is. Red thinks that he has pigtails and likes to swim. The Gorgs think that he's a horrible monster with two heads -- or is that three heads?


 * August 17 &#8226; The Wizard travels around Fraggle Rock, performing dubious magical feats and trying to escape from the Poison Cackler that's chasing him. But his wanderings may be over when he finds a gullible Fraggle to trade places with...


 * August 16 &#8226; Monopoly: The classic board game takes players on a tour of Atlantic City, which is circular, apparently. But why go to Ventnor Avenue when you can visit Miss Piggy's Dressing Room or Oscar's Trash Can? USAopoly has produced variations of the game based on the Muppet Show and Sesame Street, with Muppetized locations, cards and money.


 * August 15 &#8226; Mrs. Goose: In today's new episode of Sesame Street, Abby Cadabby goes to her first day at Storybook Community School. Baby Bear had a nervous day there last year when he joined the school -- but kindly Mrs. Goose (played by Shirley Jones) is on hand to make her new students feel welcome.


 * August 14 &#8226; Season 37 starts this week! The new season of Sesame Street begins with the introduction of a new fairy character, Abby Cadabby, and focuses on getting kids ready for school. In other Season 37 news, Gina is going to adopt a baby in episodes that will air in November, during National Adoption Month.


 * August 13 &#8226; The Flip Wilson Show: In his book The Wisdom of Big Bird, performer Caroll Spinney describes making an entrance on The Flip Wilson Show and accidentally falling on his Bird butt. We've got pictures.


 * August 12 &#8226; E!'s 101 Incredible Celebrity Slimdowns: This five-episode miniseries, which aired on the E! network in March to no real acclaim, ranked Miss Piggy at #41 -- just below Kelly Ripa, but well above Jessica Simpson and Bill Clinton. Which proves precisely nothing.


 * August 11 &#8226; The Love Boat: Did you ever wonder how many celebrity guests on The Love Boat also worked with the Muppets? No? Well, lots of Muppet Show guest stars took a ride on the Pacific Princess, including Pearl Bailey and Avery Schreiber. Belinda Montgomery from Hey Cinderella was in two episodes, and Dinosaurs voice artists Jessica Walter and Sherman Hemsley appeared too. If you look hard enough, everything connects back to the Muppets, and we're all about looking hard enough.


 * August 10 &#8226; Abby Cadabby: The new season of Sesame Street begins airing next week, and a new character is moving to the Street. Abby, performed by veteran Muppeteer Leslie Carrara, is a fairy-in-training whose powers so far only extend to turning things into pumpkins. She'll be attending Storybook Community School with Baby Bear, so maybe she'll learn some more spells as the season goes on...


 * August 9 &#8226; Muppet TV: Vive le France! French network TF1 struck a deal with the Walt Disney Company in 2005 to produce a new French version of The Muppet Show, using the actual puppets. A pilot was produced, and the series is expected to air this fall.


 * August 8 &#8226; Charlie McCarthy may be fictional, but who isn't? That didn't stop him from having a long and distinguished career, along with his partner Edgar Bergen. The pair appeared with some of the biggest stars of their day, including Frank Sinatra, Mickey Mouse, and, of course, Miss Piggy.


 * August 7 &#8226; The Poky Little Puppy is an enduring children's book character owned by Western Publishing, and one of the characters most closely associated with the Little Golden Books line. In 1997, Western introduced the Puppy to some other famous characters...


 * August 6 &#8226; Los Fraguel: In America, we know the Fraggles as Gobo, Wembley, Mokey, Boober and Red -- but in Spain, that's Gobo, Dudo, Mussy, Bombo and Rosy. The popularity of the Spanish-dubbed version led to translations of the Fraggle Rock comic book, an alternative rock band and a Madrid bar -- and in 2005, the first season of Los Fraguel was released on DVD.


 * August 5 &#8226; Atari Sesame Street games: In Big Bird's Egg Catch, you help Big Bird win the county fair egg contest by collecting eggs that fall directly from the nether regions of chickens, down into a basket that Big Bird is carrying on his head. Well, it was 1983, so maybe that sort of thing made sense back then. PS: Sesame Street is set in New York City, so it's a little unclear where that "county fair" is being held.


 * August 4 &#8226; Elmo's Mom: We first saw Elmo's dad in the Sesame Beginnings videos released in the spring, but we've never seen Elmo's mom before now. We finally get a glimpse of her, live and in person, in the Talk, Listen, Connect video.


 * August 3 &#8226; The Muppets 2007 Calendar just came out in stores. The calendar includes photos of the characters, mixed with circus-style illustrated posters. Sweetums makes his calendar debut.


 * August 2: Spend a night in The House of Seven Colors
 * August 1: Happy birthday, Dom DeLuise

July 2006

 * July 31: Everything you need to know about the Earth
 * July 30: Travel to London with Big Boy
 * July 29: Hold still: Photo Puppet
 * July 28: I now pronounce you frog and pig: Dr. Cyril Jenkins
 * July 27: The true story of Mr. Snuffleupagus
 * July 26: I Want to Be President... Don't we all?
 * July 25: Sesame Street takes a trip to Hawaii
 * July 24: Hens across the ocean: Caponata
 * July 23: How lucky is Elmo? He's got two Fairy Godpersons
 * July 22: I Am Chicken, hear me squawk
 * July 21: Live on stage: Puppet Up!
 * July 20: Boldly going where no fish has gone before: Wanda Cousteau
 * July 19: Frazzle's pet human, Pickles
 * July 18: The two options: Communism and Capitalism
 * July 17: What's your sign? It's Disco Frog!
 * July 16: Chow down on Doozer sticks
 * July 15: Before Muppet*Vision 3D, there were the Muppet View-Master reels
 * July 14: The latest handhelds: Street Surfin' and The Count's Number Bowling
 * July 13: Mano. Ah, Mano.
 * July 12: Go back to the sea with Ted
 * July 11: Taste the difference a Muppet Lunchbox makes
 * July 10: Taste the difference quality makes: Esskay Meats
 * July 9: Fraggles from Denmark: Fragglerne
 * July 8: Playing the hits: Sesame Street Singles
 * July 7: Momma said there'd be days like this: The Disaster on Wheels
 * July 6: Brought to you by the Muppetopolitan Opera Company: Pigoletto
 * July 5: Another odd find: Susan from Sesame Street with the Bubble Gum Singers
 * July 4: Happy 4th of July! I Love Liberty
 * July 3: Time to celebrate the United States of America
 * July 2: Spend a dull day with Professor Hastings
 * July 1: Me versatile: Cookie Monster's Alternate Identities