Remember the Muppet Show? That show was great. Kermit always running around all stressed out because everyone else was goofing off or otherwise messing with his head.  Miss Piggy always making him nervous with her amorous advances.  Still, no matter what catastrophe came his way, Kermit the Frog always put on a spectacular Muppet Show every single time. Who else in the entertainment can boast that kind of phenomenal track record? No one. No one, but one Mr. Kermit the Frog, Esq. Hi Ho indeed!

Remember those two old guys who used to sit in the special balcony seats and make fun of everyone? What were their names? Statler and Waldorf according to google. They must not have mentioned their names very much during the show because I have no recollection of such names and I watched that show all through my childhood.

Unfortunately there are no Statler and Waldorf costume (even though there should be). There are however, some very cool Muppets Costumes available for teens/adults.

There’s: Fozzie Bear, Super Gonzo, Animal, the lovely Miss Piggy and her not easy being green beau Kermit the Frog.

“It’s time to play the music,
It’s time to light the lights,
It’s time to meet the Muppets on The Muppet Show tonight.”

YouTube Video of Muppets Show Intro:

Well, this is by far my saddest New Comic Book Day post yet, as the only think I’m looking to get is MUPPET SHOW #0, and even that may not happen depending on what I’m getting for me $3.

I could talk about how thoroughly disappointing Blackest Night is, with its excessive wordiness and lack of details (Our Heroes solve what’s going on in a vaccuum, deducing/guessing answers/taking shots in the dark, at which point they are just taken for fact).

But I think I’m going to spare everyone, and just accept that this will be a poor December between this week and the Diamond bye week. I’ll work on my overly-fawning Image United review instead, and wish everyone a Happy Monday.

Last week, when I finally started to cook the HTML code for this blog, I started to wonder about the content of its first post. It would be about music videos, for sure, but I also wanted it to include some kind of chronological reference other than the date it was going to be published (October, 25th 1969, for instance, is for me far less effective as a chronological reminder than the day Pink Floyd released Ummagumma). I was basically hopping that in the meantime some killer music video would be released and that I’ll be able to talk about it. Well, the digital gods have been kind to me, because two weeks ago The Muppet Show Studio released on the web a quite amazing music video of the Muppets performing Queen’s «Bohemian Rhapsody»:

You may compare it with the original directed by Bruce Gowers in 1975:

The Muppet’s video is a pretty close parody of the original one. Although they skipped that fancy second stanza, it really tries to follow the set, mood and editing of Queen’s classic video. The Muppet Show Rock Opera became instantly viral and spread itself all over the digital landscape from blogs and other social networks to big corporate websites. In less than two weeks, the Muppets original video on YouTube is bound to cross the 10.000.000 views and, as a sheer demonstration of content convergence, the video crossed the digital frontier to be aired on TV channels all over the world, becoming on the most successful and hyped media contents of 2009. The pretext for the video was supposedly the 18th anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s death, but we are all aware that The Walt Disney Company has big plans for The Muppet Show in 2010 (as I write this, the Muppet’s video channel on U2B is #1 on most subscribed and #9 on most viewed).

All this goes to prove several things:

• the importance of music video in today’s digital medium contents;
• although a music video can be so deeply associated to a song that it’s almost impossible for most viewers to separate them in their collective memory, its promotional power can be used to promote other contents (like a TV show);
• the convergence potential of music video as a mash-up content folder and as a fandom gatherer;
• music videos have a huge potential of spreadability.

But for someone who has been studying the impacts of the digital convergence of music videos, the real gem comes at the epilogue of the Muppets video. After a zoom-out, we realize that the music video is also being watched by Kermit and Scooter in a computer screen (with a very symbolic webcam on the top of it) . The dialogue is precious:

- Scooter?
- Yes, chief?
- Remind me to stop setting at those video conferences. They are not very productive.
- You got it.

Music video as a video conference, now that’s what I call a precious insight. This is probably the best metaphor I’ve heard so far for defining the new digital status of music videos. A conference of producers and consumers, able to interact in realtime. Convergence and participatory culture, collective intelligence, fandom, prosumption and spreadability: all these theoretical keywords fit perfectly in this simple but effective metaphor.

Conclusion? In the digital era, we’re all Muppets.

I think that this Muppet cover of Bohemian Rhapsody probably appeals to adults more than children, but it’s going on my iPhone Muppet playlist for those tense moments when nothing but a good Muppet will do.

I couldn’t wait until Monday to share this with you. Enjoy.

Haven’t posted in a while, and I thought I’d share some clips from the Muppet Show. The first two both feature three puppets made to look like the puppeteers, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and Jerry Nelson.

The first one is called Going to Morrow, and is an American folk song. I love the verbal confusion running amok in it. The way the muppets bounce up and down to the beat of the song is great, too.

Then there is You Don’t Want My Love. I just have to laugh at this one. It’s al together silly. And I love it.

I couldn’t find more of Jim, Jerry, and Frank together, unfortunately.I did find Floyd from Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem playing a pretty good cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps, though.

A partir du 21 décembre, Disney Channel France diffusera (enfin !) l’émission “Studio DC : Almost Live” qui a été tournée en juin 2008 avec Miley Cyrus, les Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Jake T. Austin, Demi Lovato, Jason Dolley, Moises Arias, David Henrie, Jason Earles, les Cheetah Girls… et pleins d’autres.
Elle a été rebaptisée en France “Le Muppet Show” et est divisée en plusieurs parties. Une partie sera diffusée tous les jours pendant les vacances de Noël à 13h35. Et si vous en manquez une, pas de panique car la chaîne diffusera l’intégrale le 2 janvier 2010 à 18h10 !

Alors, rendez-vous dès le lundi 21 décembre à 13 h 35, sur Disney Channel !

Passend zum aktuellen Greatest Hits Album von Queen die Bohemian Rhapsody à la Puppet. Ich sag nur »Mimimimimi«.

Mal wieder gibt es ein Greatest Hits Album von Queen. Gefühlt wohl das 30-ste, tatsächlich ist es aber erst das vierte, ausnahmsweise nicht römisch beziffert sondern als das Absolute Greatest tituliert. Schade, dass man nicht einen vernünftigen Grund gefunden hat, den Fans auch dieses Album schmackhaft zu machen (abgesehen von Digital Remaster *gähn* und Kommentaren zu den Tracks *doppelgähn* – in der Limited Edition – oder einem netten aber schlecht verarbeiteten Büchlein – in der Special Limited Edition *grummel*). Ist nicht bald Welt-AIDS-Tag?  Naja, P.C. hatte noch nie was mit Kapitalismus zu tun. Dafür hatte Spaß schon seit früher Kindheit zwangsläufig mit der Muppet Show zu tun – bei vielen bis heute. Bei Statler und Waldorf kann ich mich ebenso gut beömmeln wie bei Beakers Version von »Freude schöner Götterfunken«. Außerdem steht die Show in einer langen Tradition von unnachahmlichen Coverversionen und bekannten Gästen, die Namen lesen sich wie die Teilnehmerliste eines VIP-Awards aus mehreren Jahrzehnten. Insbesondere viele Musiker waren gern gesehener Gast. Freddie Mercury hat es offenbar leider nie persönlich geschafft, ein Tänzchen mit Miss Piggy zu wagen. Aber die inzwischen wieder aktiven Muppets Studios (aktuelles kann man hier via Twitter erfahren) haben ihm und dieser großartigen Band nun ein unnachahmliches Denkmal gesetzt, danke liebe Andrea für den Link:

À GQ, nous sommes tous restés de grand enfants et depuis deux jours on se repasse avec délectations les “Mamma” de l’Animal. Car, pour fêter l’arrivé de la chaîne Muppets Studio sur You Tube, Kermit, Piggy et tous leurs amis proposent une version d’anthologie de la Bohemian Rhapsody du groupe Queen. Cette vidéo, déjà visionnée plus de quatre millions de fois en moins d’une semaine, bénéficie d’un nouveau mode d’affichage (1920X1080 pixels) permettant de la passer en plein écran dans des conditions bien meilleures.

Quand les Muppets reviennent sur le devant de la scène en parodiant la mythique “Bohemian Rhapsody” de Queen, ça buzze forcément !

Raph

Man behöver nog inte vara överdrivet populärkulturellt skadad för att reagera så här varje gång man sitter i en bil med ett par vänner och laddar igång Bohemian Rhapsody:

Eller så behöver man det, vad vet jag. Men helt ärligt talat: Varenda gång som mina närmaste vänner och jag sitter i samma bil så är det i princip lag på att man någon gång under resan vrålsjunger och headbangar till Bohemian Rhapsody. Oftast efter timmar av iPod-battlande och skämslåtar. Ibland är vi kloka nog att ha stannat till bilen på en parkering, ibland inte. Och har vi ingen iPod, så har vi våra röster.

Som den där söndagen när Navid var spiknykter och skulle köra oss alla till Slottskogen från Brunnsbo torg. Då fyllesjöng vi låten om och om igen som om vi alla bar på varsin OCD. Det var nog inte alls lika kul för honom som det var för oss just då. Men den natten slutade med att vi bag-in-boxade i parken, fuldansade till det halvtysta ljudet ut Patriks bärbara högtalare, hade på oss Markus japanska pingvinmask, sjöng shlagerklassiker och piratlåtar för varandra och att jag sträckte mitt ben när jag råkade halka i det daggblöta gräset och landade i en ofrivillig spagat.

Good times!

I alla fall, jag kom att tänka på det när Patrik skickade det här klippet idag:

COM CERTA FREQUENCIA, visito o site TMZ, aquele mesmo que matou o mundo de espanto, informando em primeira mão a morte do Michael Jackson. E não apenas eu visito, como todos os sites de celebridades do Brasil, para requentar algum assunto de astros internacionais. Hoje encontrei um vídeo sensacional: os Muppets interpretando Bohemian Rhapsody do Queen. Vale a pena. Esse é o vídeo:

nothing like a little bit of muppets in the the office to cheer everyone up!

No!  Don’t go in there!  They’re right behind you!  That’s what she said!  Run, bitch, run!

He has modeled his movie going experience after Statler and Waldorf from The Muppet Show.  Thinking it is his own personal Mystery Science Theater 3000 and he’s sitting front row center between Crow and Servo, he throws up zingers and one liners like the actors in the movie can actually hear him.  Hopefully he’s at a screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show because if not, his “audience participation” will be frowned upon more than when he tries to discretely take that ever so important phone call an hour into the movie.

No, we don’t care if the actor is obviously going to get killed when they walk into the deserted cabin.  It makes sense that they are slowly searching closets on the second floor of the house whose power has been cut when there is a serial killer on the loose.  Of course the scantily clad sorority girl will be able to outrun the killer through the woods and there’s no chance at all that she’ll trip, fall, and twist an ankle.  Really, what could go wrong with midnight skinny dipping in Crystal Lake?

Completará 40 anos esta rábula dos “Marretas” (Muppet show) mas, é ainda, uma alegoria à penetração da mensagem, muito actual ainda.

Mostra como fácil é seguir a música e como se quebra o consenso logo que varia o ritmo. Temos saudades dos Marretas!

So. Guten Abend. Hier bin ich wieder. Ist heute wenig los gewesen im Bus. Ich bin wie immer um ca. 6:30 los und hab die 611 gekriegt. Im Bus traf ich meine Kollegin Anja.

Der Bus war angenehm leer. Leider waren Elke und Fründ nicht da. Aber der Typ von dem ich denke, der ist schwul, saß mir gegenüber. Immer neben der selben Frau. Ich glaube, die arbeiten bei der Stadt Bonn. Auf jeden Fall kennt der sich gut mit der Geschichte der Stadt Bonn und in der Verwaltung aus. Obwohl der sieht so aus als sei er um die 43.
Ich bin heute früher nach Hause. So ein Bus um 15.30 Uhr ist richtig leer. Ich hatte einen Sitzplatz. Allerdings eierte auch unser Busfahrer wieder auf den Bussteig D2 auf den Platz der Linie 608, was dazu führte, das einige Leute wieder falsch einsteigen wollten und die Dransdorfer dem Bus nachliefen. Was ist daran so schwer???

Boah, hat der Stelter abgenommen? Wie nix grillen?
Ich erinnere mich gerade wieder ein eine lustige Szene in New York mit DD und Dörk. Wir wollten letztes Jahr nach Cony Island, weil der New Yorker is gar nicht doof und die haben Cony Island nicht komplett an einen Investor gekofft und stattdessen das Gebiet rund um Nathans und den Rummel Platz unter Denkmalschutz gesteckt. Yuhu. Auf jeden Fall sind wir auf der Suche nach der richtigen U-Bahn um die Ecke bei unserem Appartemente an der Avenue of the Americans und warteten. Eigentlich hätte die U-Bahn nach Cony Island uns mitnehmen müssen, aber die Linie fuhr immer an uns vorbei. Wir zeigten immer mit dem Finger auf die Bahn und … da fährt se wieder an uns vorbei. Hahaha. Bis wir Doofen feststellten: Wir müssen erst in einen anderen Bahnhof und von da kriegen wir dann die Bahn. Supa. Aber besser kapieren als nie. Und Cony Island ist soooooo cooool. Fahr bloß alle mal dahin. Wir fliegen nächstes Jahr wieder nach New Jeck City zu Jonathan in unser Appartemente.

Ach hab ich Bock da drauf. So. Jetzt packe ich mal zusammen, obwohl das Fernsehn heute wieder mal total Grotte ist. Soll ich mit die Munsters reinziehen. So geil.
WANN KOMMEN ENDLICH DIE MUPPETS AUF DVD?

ein blick aus dem fenster auf den heutigen abendhimmel in leipzig. so ähnlich muß der himmel ausgesehen haben, als jim henson und frank oz ihre serie schweine im weltall für die muppet show erfanden. und hier gibt’s das video mit dem gegurgelten gershwin. mich hat beim fotografieren allerdings fast ein apokalyptisch heulender wind von der dachterrasse gefegt. dabei sah der himmel so trügerisch schäfchensanft aus.

…of a quack who’s gone to the dogs!

Babies love the Village People. YMCA is also a hit with the under 4 crowd. And EVERYBODY loves a good muppet. This may be the best muppet mash-up I have ever seen, but that could just be my Scandihoovian ancestry talking.

Apparently I have more Muppet links to throw out…

• I would say this is the appropriate level of annoyed snarkiness at the meeping controversy.
• However, I don’t think it’s a generation gap issue.
• I don’t know how I never saw it, but 30 Rock is a rip-off of The Muppet Show!  Brilliant!
  

Stay tuned for next time, as I spoil the hell out of Blackest Night.

A few things I’ve enjoyed reading this week:

• Roger Langridge interviewed about The Muppet Show. Truly an excellent book.  (Matt, we should scan in our sketches!)
• Whilce Portacio talks Image United, proving that Newsarama only has 7 questions to ask about it.
• 1 in 10 readers read comics, and comic readers are more likely to buy prose novels.
• It’s not comics, but you should still read this interview with John Hodgman.
• Children are not allowed to imitate Muppets in school.
  

In another grand display of prioritization in the Massachusetts educational system, Principal Thomas Murray of Danvers high School has issued suspension warnings to students for their use of the word “meep”.  Many may recall this sound being issued by Beaker, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s lab assistant on the Muppet Show, or perhaps by the Road Runner of cartoon fame. Syracuse University Professor Bob Thompson says that the word is a bit like the F-word, in that it can be used as virtually any part of speech — verb, noun, adjective. 

“It has nothing to do with the word,” Principal Murray told the Salem News. “It has to do with the conduct of the students. We wouldn’t just ban a word just to ban a word.”

It seems that the kids have been running roughshod over the school, by interrupting classes with incessant outbreaks of the word “meep”, so the principal has banned the word because of its disruptive value. Parents have been notified of the new suspension policy via a reverse-911 call, a situation that fits exactly the intent behind reverse 911 technology.  It seems that there’s nothing else to improve upon at Danvers High School, and it’s perfectly average rankings on MCAS results, and there seem to be no existing rules in place to address disruptive student  behavior at the school. The ban on the word, and the associated harsh penalty for its use is most certainly appropriate. Students are not expected to select another equally disruptive word to take the place of “meep”, because they won’t work around the cagey veteran principal’s ruling.  Stay tuned for next week’s banned words.

Wednesday has come and gone. The heroes have fought their battles and villains have hinted at things to come. Now it’s time to review the game tape…

A warning, the last review is really grumpy. You’ll know it when you see the appropriate image.

I know I mentioned a while back that we should accept the genius of Langridge, but this issue needs comment. Muppet Show: The Treasure of Peg Leg Wilson #4 is a good ending to the arc and a nice segue into the next. This is the problem with the issue. It works too hard to serve the story. The clever variety of sketches are mostly gone because this issue has to wrap up the arc. Still, a poor Langridge issue is better than a good issue of most other writers. Next month: ROAD TRIP! WOOOOOO!!!

X-Men Forever #11 continues to demonstrate how far through the looking glass we’ve come with the book: Wolverine is still dead, Cyclops has still got a healthy son, Shadowcat has an adamantium claw, and Colossus is back in Russia as a champion and boy toy of a certain Black Widow. Seriously, this is the most enjoyable X-book out there.

Tony Daniel’s second issue of Batman was pretty uninteresting and mildly confusing. Daniel drew a passable issue, but he forgot to tell a coherent story. On the upside, Edward Nigma remembered something useful: he’s really the Joker…if a certain panel is to be believed. Morrison’s Batman and Robin #6 was adequate. The dial-in poll run by Jason is a nice moment for those of us who remember back in the day. On the other hand, Hannibal Tabu at CBR’s Buy Pile called it nicely when he said Flamingo is the Batman equivalent of Darth Maul. I’m waiting to hear Jesse’s take on the Doc Savage cross-over book. I do know the background and history of the character, but I’m not sold on the idea of needing him in the DC Universe.

Anyone remember the DC cross-over events MILLENNIUM, ALIEN INVASION, or BLOODLINES? Of course not, they suck. I fear Blackest Night will be the same way. I came to the realization while reading this month’s Booster Gold. DC’s plan to connect it to books to boost numbers hurts both the book the story ties into and the over all story. My beloved BG suffers because we’ve already dealt with Ted and his death. I can understand that Booster feels guilt and shame and anger, but bringing Ted back is an unfortunately literal depiction of the old chestnut, “beating a dead horse.” The only readable part of the book was the funeral/memorial. Reading Booster go down the list and point out why each hero attending is really a douche bag was entertaining. Worse, by throwing all of these sub-par tie-ins and mini’s, DC has managed to turn the potentially best GL story in…ever into a drawn out and over exposed flaming piece of stupid.

On the whole: not a great week for books. I won’t be reviewing for a couple of weeks. I’ll try to post something on those Thursdays, but with my travels in the next two weeks, I won’t be around to get books.