Ask Henson
October 24, 2009 9:07 PM   Subscribe

Ask Henson. Quality questions and excellent answers to Muppet related questions.
posted by Frasermoo (16 comments total) 14 users marked this as a favorite
 
87. Who the hell thought up Elmo?
posted by longsleeves at 9:31 PM on October 24, 2009


I saw Where the Wild Things Are last night and I have to say that the puppets and apuppet acting was phenomenal. They truly got every single piece of those animals right. I've never seen such a fluid combination of CGI and live action.
posted by cyphill at 10:21 PM on October 24, 2009


I wholeheartedly endorse this. I always loved the Muppins and always will.

The way I see it, if you don't like the Muffins, you're not worth hanging out with.
posted by inturnaround at 12:45 AM on October 25, 2009


"Jim, you're a great guy, and you really changed the world for the better. Why couldn't you just have gone to the doctor when you got sick?"
posted by newdaddy at 1:59 AM on October 25, 2009 [9 favorites]


longsleeves: "87. Who the hell thought up Elmo?"

According to Wikipedia, it was a dude called Kevin Clash.

"Sesame Street staff writer Nancy Sans once described Elmo's origins: "There was this extra red puppet lying around and the cast would pick him up sometimes and try to create a personality, but nothing seemed to materialize." The puppet was performed by Caroll Spinney in the early 1970s, Brian Muehl from 1979–1981, and the late Richard Hunt from 1981–1984. Sans continues that "...one day [in 1984], Kevin Clash, a talented puppeteer, raised him up and brought energy and life into Elmo and from that day forward we would all write for Elmo. Kevin's performance inspired the writers to develop Elmo's character."

posted by Effigy2000 at 3:01 AM on October 25, 2009


It seems when Jim died he took all the "mirth and mayhem" with him.
posted by digsrus at 5:33 AM on October 25, 2009 [2 favorites]


It's worth listening to this appearance of Kevin Clash and Elmo on NPR's Wait Wait. . .Don't Tell Me!, if only for the moment around 10:00 in where he does both their voices almost simultaneously.
posted by EarBucket at 7:15 AM on October 25, 2009




Previous FPP: A Muppet and a fat guy regarding An interview with Elmo and Ricky Gervais. Watch it!
posted by ericb at 8:12 AM on October 25, 2009


"Jim, you're a great guy, and you really changed the world for the better. Why couldn't you just have gone to the doctor when you got sick?"

It's so sad. I read an article once that said that his family thinks the reason he didn't go to the hospital sooner is because he didn't want to bother anyone. So sad.
posted by girlmightlive at 8:40 AM on October 25, 2009


It seems when Jim died he took all the "mirth and mayhem" with him.

Way to marginalize all the talented people who have produced excellent entertainment at Henson since Jim's death.
posted by Brocktoon at 10:37 AM on October 25, 2009 [1 favorite]


5.) If it's not easy being green, how does Gonzo cope with being blue?

Gonzo likes being blue, although he occasionally visits an ice cream stand in Bombay and has himself dipped in rainbow sprinkles and curry just to spice things up.


Heh. Awesome.
posted by czechmate at 12:37 PM on October 25, 2009


Yay! A Jim Henson post that doesn't have me weeping uncontrollably at my keyboard!

Thanks for posting. Great stuff.
posted by hippybear at 1:07 PM on October 25, 2009


Thanks for posting this.
posted by Outlawyr at 4:53 PM on October 25, 2009


Atlanta's Center for Puppetry Arts has two Jim Henson exhibits on long term display... I saw them for the first time this week and was giddy to be able to see Fraggles and Muppets and creatures from Labyrinth up close. (and a really scary giant Skeksis too!) ... free admission if you go to a puppet show!
posted by warreng at 9:23 PM on October 25, 2009


Such as referring to girls as Miss Piggy.

True story--on one of my first dates with my wife, I told her she reminded me of Miss Piggy, and it honestly took me a second to realize why she wasn't taking it as a compliment.
posted by EarBucket at 9:34 AM on October 26, 2009


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