Friday, December 31, 2010

The Muppet Year in Review, 2010

Here we are, Muppet fans: the last day of 2010. It's been quite the roller coaster year for me--but darn it, if it hasn't been the best year of my life! Through it all, The Muppets Studio, Sesame Workshop, and The Jim Henson Company have been working their tails off to shower us with Muppet goodness. There has been so much to be thrilled about over the past 365 days, so I've compiled this list of the biggest highlights off last year--and would you believe that this is only the major developments? Let's start where any good year does... January!

January -
  • The Muppets appear on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Jan. 3rd - Only the third day of the year and we've already got a terrific Muppet appearance! Animal drives the bus, Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, Floyd, and Pepe sing "Just One Person" and Miss Piggy brings down the house (most literally).
  • Disney launches "Give a Day. Get a Disney Day." campaign starring The Muppets - From TV spots, in-park promotions, parade appearances, and a whole website where The Muppets say your name, the "Give a Day" campaign almost made me go out and volunteer! Almost.
  • The Muppets appear on America's Funniest Home Videos, Jan. 10 - Just over a week into 2010 and we have two major Muppet TV appearances. The Muppets volunteered to help Tom Bergeron host AFV to tie-in with the "Give a Day" campaign--yet the only real volunteer was Miss Piggy's girdle. (Don't tell her I said that.)
  • Muppeteer Jerry Nelson releases solo album Truro Daydreams - And yea, verily, it was good--nay, GREAT. And my iPod was never the same.
  • Cookie Monster appears on Cake Boss, Jan. 17 - "You Cake Boss? Me LOVE cake! Can me have fork?"
  • The Muppet Show Comic Book goes On the Road and becomes a continuing series - On the road and off the shelves!
  • Flight of the Conchords creator James Bobin named director of the new Muppet movie - And the Muppet world collectively shrugs and says, "Sure, why not?"
February -
  • "Beaker's Ballad" debuts on The Muppets Studio's YouTube Channel - Beaker sings "Dust in the Wind" and we're all blown away! (Or we all at least feel a slight breeze.)
  • Muppet King Arthur is released - And the jokes are really up to the usual Muppet excaliber. Ahh! Wocka! Wocka!
March -
April -
May -
June -
July -
August -
September - 
October - 
November -

December -
Happy New Year, Muppet fans! I can't wait to share the excitement that 2011 will surely hold with all of you! We're entering the year of The Muppets, the year of Sesame Street's 42nd season, and the year of what is sure to be an avalanche of Muppety goodness.









The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier