The was hours of fun. HOURS. And much better than the clown head with the water-spraying whips for hair.
The was hours of fun. HOURS. And much better than the clown head with the water-spraying whips for hair.
Further proof that my generation was largely parented by objects, entertainment, and absence.
Iβm sorry, Iβve failed you.
Again.
β¦
Iβll see myself out.
MISS YA, FRIEND
WE ARE ALL NOTHING BUT BITS IN A CELESTIAL SOUP
Here's Craig Ferguson's DOCTOR WHO cold open from waaaaaaay back in 2011, which feels like several lifetimes (and regenerations) ago...
Iβm not sure any talk show host had as much fun doing his own thing in the dead of night on network television as Craig Fergusonβ¦
Have you heard the full version of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson theme? Because itβs perfect for cranking as loud as possible in the middle of a sleepless nightβ¦
NEW EPISODE!
In JUST A FEW THINGS, I welcome a special guest who shares favorite items from their personal collections.
For this ep, I'm joined by writer/performer Emily Fleming of GOOD MYTHICAL MORNING, FREE WITH ADS, MYTHICAL KITCHEN, and more!
youtu.be/EZNbmlrmCw8
A Michael Nesmith performance I hadnβt seen before, from a David Frost appearance in October 1971β¦
This captures the vibe of how I feel trying to get through most days...
Simple sincerity from a chorus of Muppet voices joining a guest committed to that sincerity, for a simple song with a straightforward message. The alchemy of The Muppets, when it works, is magical in its skillful simplicity.
Speaking of great production design, TALES OF THE TINKERDEE also had a rather unique, and fun, end credit sequence that very much brings to mind later doorway sequences from GET SMART and MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000...
The opening of Jim Hensonβs unsold TALES OF THE TINKERDEE pilot from 1962. Kermit is still very much in his formative stages, but nearly there, and King Goshposh & Taminella Grinderfall would later return in the TALES FROM MUPPETLAND specials. I love the production design...
And then the reveal of Jim, Jerry, & Frank, allowing the audience to see how the magic is made. I always note how forthcoming Jim is, again & again, about giving credit to his collaborators, so the public knows it wasnβt just him behind The Muppets.
Once the number fully kicks into gear, you can feel Jim, Jerry, & Frank really start to bounce off each other & groove. Remember - Not only are they performing the puppets, but theyβre also singing live while being wholly in the moment...
The Country Trio were a trio of puppets designed to look like their performers - Jim Henson, Jerry Nelson, & Frank Oz. The exuberance of this performance from THE DICK CAVETT SHOW is infectious...
Itβs the seamless & un-self-conscious transition between the material & the meta which really defined Jim Hensonβs approach to the characters & craft of The Muppets. Post-Jim, both The Jim Henson Company & then Disney have hidden the performer & the magic of performance. A shame.
This is the very first appearance of Dr. Teeth, on March 18, 1975, promoting the upcoming MUPPET SHOW: SEX & VIOLENCE special. Itβs remarkable to see how comfortable Jim Henson was both performing & improvising this brand new character, & just how fully-formed he already was...
Sometimes, it feels like my childhood was either a fever dream or an elaborate practical joke.
The only way to get social media on your phone in 1978.
Watching these two shows back-to-back is one of my core childhood memories...
Flashback to live news coverage from the evening of August 8, 1974...
But... if there's no IP, what's the point?
Also - "Snorkel-Pumper".
I think Iβm going to need both an @alyankovic.bsky.social & @tedleo.bsky.social cover of this McDonaldβs breakfast song.
Jimmy Olsen never fails to get into and out of trouble. Also, the final βyouβ in this jingle is a hell of a flex.
Timer needs you kids to brush your damn teeth.
(Did you know Timer was supposed to be an anthropomorphic circadian rhythm? I didn't! I'm not even sure I know now, because what the hell?)
This feels like it's teaching a generation of feral 70s children the latchkey parenting approach to a crying baby... "Listen, I'm going to be out for the night, so you're going to have to learn to wipe your own tears sooner or later..."
"This is the jingle that sells the toy that completes the contract that I signed that was for a jingle that sells the toy that triggers the payment that goes to me that I can use to pay that rent that's overduuuuuue..."
For any fans of Rhett & Link or GOOD MYTHICAL MORNING, I've unvaulted a long-unavailable video interview conducted way back in 2008 by a dearly departed friend, Bonnie Rose, which I published on my site all those (too many) years ago. Hope you enjoy this time capsule...
bit.ly/rhettlinkvault