Muppet Madness Tournament 2011: Round 2

Muppet fans! Have you been doing your patriotic duty by voting every 12 hours in this year's Muppet Madness Tournament? You had better be... because the competition has been positively fierce so far. Alistair Cookie just barely pulled out over Dr. Bob in Round 1... same with Snuffy over Sweetums--and Round 2 isn't getting any easier. Check out some of these match ups! Swedish Chef vs. Statler and Waldorf, Super Grover vs. First Mate Piggy--how will you choose?! Well... here's how we see it all boiling down.

Character Variants
Alistair Cookie vs. Dearth Nadir
That other Round 2 break down predicted this win to go to the black-leather clad Dearth Nadir over the fuzzy blue robe-wearer. However, I predict that Alistair Cookie will continue his ride of success from Round 1 and topple over Dearth Nadir in this round, simply because Cookie Monster is a more well-known and popular character and Alistair Cookie appeared a whole lot more than Dearth Nadir did... Who is that strange man, anyway?

Super Grover vs. First Mate Piggy
I honestly think that this race is no contest... I predict Super Grover completely taking down the space pig in this round and I completely anticipate him making it all the way to the final round. I mean... c'mon... it's Super Grover, for corn's sake! You can't beat that with a stick. (Well... you probably could, but the kids definitely wouldn't learn anything from that.)

Creatures
Mr. Snuffleupagus vs. Cantus the Minstrel
I also think that this fight is pretty well won already... I predict that most viewers will be extremely nostalgic for the days of imaginary Snuffy and all the wonderful moments he has had on the Street over the years. The fact that Cantus only appeared in five episodes of Fraggle Rock won't help him... but perhaps his being a classic Jim Henson character will give him a win from behind. But for now I'm predicting a massive Snuffle coup. 

The Doozers vs. Mahna Mahna
Currently Mahna Mahna is trouncing The Doozers with about 10% more of the vote. Now... I'm no scientist (believe me), but I'd say that's a pretty good sign of him continuing to hold the lead through the end of the round. The Doozers are just to small to make a significant impact, unfortunately... I guess losing is just another thing that Doozers do?

Animals
Rizzo the Rat vs. Sam Eagle
This will be a very interesting one to watch. Two very popular, very fan-favorite characters battling it out for victory... and it's really anyone's guess which of them will pull out on top. My prediction is that Sam will jump to victory because of his patriotism and nostalgia factor, along with his "American Woman" video last year. However, I could also see Rizzo sneaking into the winner's circle based on his role in The Muppet Christmas Carol which a lot of casual fans absolutely love him in. But my money's on Sam... even though I'm sure he doesn't condone betting.

The Penguins vs. Slimey
Another pretty simple one to predict... The Penguins will pull out on top here--one could say they'll flip their way to victory. Slimey may have been to the moon and won the Squirmadega 500, but he just can't stand up to an entire horde of semi-aquatic arctic fowl. To a lot of people, Penguins define the Muppets--hurling Penguins, flipping Penguins, orchestra Penguins... Poor Slimey just can't slither to the top here.

Humanoids
The Swedish Chef vs. Statler and Waldorf
This is another one that could virtually go either way. These are arguably three of the most popular Muppet characters of all time battling it out for glory. The Swedish Chef has been immensely popular since his first appearance... but so have Statler and Waldorf. I guess it's just going to come down to which of them people have fonder memories of. I'm going to have to piggy-back off of ToughPigs' choice and say that this race is honestly just too close to call at this point. At the moment, Statler and Waldorf do have a slight lead... but I really do predict The Swedish Chef to come up strong very soon. This is the one to watch, folks!

Scooter vs. Janice
Yet another super close race! Scooter and Janice... possibly Richard Hunt's two most popular characters, battling it out for golden humanoid Muppet glory! Who will take the cake? Scooter has the fact that he appeared in nearly every episode of The Muppet Show going for him... while Janice is a fan favorite of hardcore and casual fans alike (the fact that she apparently looks like so many celebrities is a plus for her). Although Scooter holds the lead at the moment, anything is possible. I'm actually gonna go against the grain and call for a Janice victory here... but I've been wrong numerous (numerous) times before, so we'll definitely see.

And there you have it, Muppet fans. The entire break down of Round 2 of The Muppet Madness Tournament. Well... what are you waiting for, Christmas?! Go vote! You get to vote every 12 hours, so get on it! When deciding who to vote for, just remember...

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Almost Daily Fraggle Rock Quotations: Week 18

Hey folks. Lisa the Intern here again. Yeah, my week running the blog is over, and I was out partying all night last night, but for some reason I still have to post a few quotations for you. Not too many this week, but hey, in my defense, I was busy pulling articles out of thin air for you guys.


A Brush with Jealousy: "Boy, is this 'talking' business ever tricky!" --Wembley Fraggle


Wembley's Flight: "Let your heart fly free and high." --The Odd Old Man


...Well. That is officially pathetic. But hey, better than nothing, right? Also, I have some re-watching to do to cull more quotations from further episodes, which is hard to do when you're also doing homework and writing articles and such. So I apparently had a life this week, or something. Sorry about that.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Ryan Returns from Walt Disney World

Greetings, Muppet fans! Guess who's back--again! Yes, your favorite Ryan Dosier, Ryan Dosier, has returned from his much-needed vacation in Walt Disney World. How was Lisa the Intern? Did you all behave for her? I certainly hope so... she's the only good babysitter around. Unless you want me to call that British nanny again? ...That's what I thought.

Not much happening in today's post because I'm still tired and I have to unpack and such... but you can expect a full update on all the (few) Muppet things that were happening at Walt Disney World in the five days I was there. A preview: Not much was there, but I and a few Cast Members I spoke to were quite hopeful for what was coming with the wave from the upcoming movie.

Anyway... what is happening in this post is me reminding you to go vote in the first round of The Muppet Madness Tournament, which ends at midnight tomorrow, March 20th. There are some CRAZY close races currently--especially Alistair Cookie vs. Dr. Bob, which is currently only separated by two votes. So get over to http://muppetfans.com/tournament a vote, darn it! It's some of the most fun in the Muppet fan world all year and The Muppet Mindset is beyond thrilled to be a part of it this year. Who am I voting for? Well... I won't type it out but...

And, to end our post, we have to show off this fantastically amazing piece of work the incredibly talented Susanne Ritchie, who is behind the Black Cat Balloon Company blog, created. Check out this AMAZING balloon representation of everyone's favorite gargling gargoyle and bonafide Muppet Mindset mascot, Angus McGonagle:

How crazy awesome is that? I MUST have one. Someone call someone about that, okay? Be sure to check out the rest of the blog for even more amazing Muppet balloon representations and we'll see you all later here on The Muppet Mindset!









The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Lisa the Intern's Fan Art

Lacking other content for today--darned if I know how Ryan manages to put something up every single day--I, your faithful intern, must resort to ego-centricism and show off my strange fan art. That should be enjoyable for everyone, right? I mean, my mom likes it, anyway...

I'm not much of an artist, and as anyone who has ever tried to draw a Muppet knows, they're not easy to capture. I try to get around both of these things. For one, I use Paint--no, not paint as in the stuff you apply with a brush, but Paint as in the crummy little program found on all Windows PCs. An odd choice, perhaps, but it works for me. My other trick is that I don't start from scratch--I sort of trace an existing picture of whatever Muppet I'm "drawing." I'm not quite sure how else to explain it, but since a picture is worth a thousand words, let's start showing, shall we?

You may or may not know that Robin is my favorite Muppet, so naturally the first bit of fan art I did was of him. I started with this picture here of cute little Robin sitting on the floor backstage at the Muppet Theater. Then I completely removed the background and sort of re-colored Robin so that he no longer looked like a photograph, but more like the sort of "shading" I can do in Paint on my own. Then I moved him around a bit and put him on a rock in the middle of a river, so the final result looked like this:

Note to self: Running water is really, really hard. Somehow, I always forget that.

Next was Miss Piggy. I started with this screencap of her when she's just won the beauty contest at the Bogen County Fair. Then I took out the background, moved her over a little, and put her in the wings of the Muppet Theater, just about to come on stage. We can see Kermit in the audience--the only one in the audience, apparently. But this one just sort of kept getting more complicated on me. So there's also a big hole in the wall behind Piggy, complete with rubble on the floor, a broom next to it waiting to tend to that rubble, and a couple of chickens strolling through that hole. And above the hole, there's an exit sign with an arrow pointing somewhere else, but someone took some black spray-paint, crossed out the original arrow, and made a new one pointing to the hole. Nice and Muppety, don't you think?

Note to self: I hate hair.

In attempt to avoid hair, I tackled Scooter next. Believe it or not, this one isn't entirely done, but it's close enough for me to feel okay sharing it. I took one of those pictures we got when we were waiting for Letters to Santa to come out, and I got rid of Kermit, Piggy, and the entire background. Then I put Scooter on some random city rooftop, where he's apparently looking at the stars, but his original reason for coming up to the roof was to fetch Kermit, whom we can see sitting at the edge of the roof, doing some star-gazing of his own.

Note to self: Clothes are always a lot harder than they look.

So that is my fan art--or at least, the stuff that's worth looking at. Enjoy!







The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

The Magic of Fraggle Rock

I don't recall if I mentioned this back when I started my Almost Daily Fraggle Rock Quotations, but watching Fraggle Rock almost constantly is about all that's been keeping me relatively sane this school year. I mention this now because as I sat down to watch this, I was having trouble finding the remote for the DVD player to start watching again after a full day of classes, and also because I have nothing else to talk about. We're just sort of going to figure this post out as we go, alright? It should be fun.

As I was saying, Fraggle Rock has been an almost constant presence in my life since August. That was sort of interesting last semester, when I had no TV in my apartment and therefore could only watch the show on my computer, even if I was also writing a paper on that computer. Still, I played Fraggles almost constantly when I was in my apartment and awake, I started putting quotations on my chalkboard (now a white board), brought the DVDs with to watch at my friend's apartment to properly indoctrinate her, and even named my new laptop Sprocket. I have to say, it makes interesting background noise when you're reading about slavery, Ancient Greek mythology, and the history of book publishing in America. (And yes, those were all subjects of my assigned reading last semester.)

So just for a moment here, let's examine why I'm so drawn to Fraggle Rock as my saving grace in the face of the emotional and academic drama that is my life lately.

I mean, there's the obvious fact that it falls into the realm of my Obsessive Muppet Fandom, but it must be more than that, right? I mean, why Fraggle Rock and not my usual reprieve, Muppet Treasure Island? Yes, there is a lot more variety in the length of an entire series than there is in a single movie, but watching the same thing over and over has never fazed me before.

It could be the comedy. It could be the inspirational aspect that so often comes up in the show. It could even be the fact that by going to Fraggle Rock, it's sort of like hiding under a rock, which sure sounds appealing sometimes. But I think it's the specific brand of magic that is Fraggle Rock.

It's the hope that everything--everything--will be okay. Someday, we'll all understand each other, and there will be world peace, and we'll all sing and dance and eat radishes. It's the idea that if I could just find the right hole in the wall, I'll discover an entire world of little furry creatures who live on music and vegetables and don't know what money is, where garbage is not a problem of waste management but a source of knowledge and odd riddles and the occasional snappy song-and-dance number. It's the comfort and amusement in the idea that when the pipes start banging, it's actually a catchy, rhythmical tapping involved in a daily water-producing ritual.

With Muppets, there is always the idea that people are basically good, and that somehow everything will work out, but I think Fraggle Rock is the purest embodiment of that. It shows how problems arise, and how we could so easily fix them if we would just sit down and talk about it--or sing about it, as the case may be. The world of the Fraggles, the Doozers, and the Gorgs may be simpler than ours, but it's complex enough that we can believe in it, and since there is so much good in that world, surely we can find that good in our world, too.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Cotterpin Doozer

Today's Weekly Muppet Wednesday spotlight is written by Lisa Alexander, your faithful (and now well-rested) intern.


COTTERPIN DOOZER

Performed by…

Kathryn Mullen

 

First Appearance…

Episode 119: The Great Radish Famine (1983)

Most Recent Appearance…

Episode 513: Change of Address (1987)

Best Known Role…

Apprentice Architect

Memorable Quotes…

“I’ve got the smartest toes in Doozerdom!”

“I don’t wanna be a Doozer. I’d rather be a Fraggle!”

WHO IS COTTERPIN DOOZER?

Cotterpin is the rebellious little Doozer who doesn’t want to build. She loves to draw and, unlike most Doozers, is a great admirer of Fraggles. She envies the way they laugh and sing and play all the time instead of always doing boring work. For this reason, she befriends the Fraggles and doesn’t hesitate to turn to them for help or to occasionally join them on their adventures.

Cotterpin does not like, under any circumstances, being bossed around. Determined to go the way she has to go, she is quick to ignore the Architect’s orders and to walk away from a situation where she feels she is being controlled, such as when she is pressured to take the helmet and build or when she is very much the subordinate member of Red’s Helping Club. With a very strong sense of self, Cotterpin is also very insistent about being addressed by her name; she is not just “a Doozer,” but a very specific person, thank you very much. While most of the Doozers are happy to be one of the collective whole, Cotterpin is determined to be an individual.

Cotterpin is a rather sassy Doozer; playful and always well-intentioned, she can also be quite the critic and has a talent for manipulating others when she needs to, such as when she convinces Gobo to help her find the Cavern of Lost Dreams by yawning and suggesting that he’s really only a second-rate explorer. But she is also a loyal friend, ambitious and—in her own way—a hard-working Doozer.

COTTERPIN DOOZER SONGS

Like all the characters in Fraggle Rock, Cotterpin loves to sing. Here are some of her more memorable songs: 

• “The Way I’ve Got to Go” 
• “I’m On My Own” 
• “Eye to Eye” (With Crusty and Yeaster Doozer) 
• “Children of Tomorrow” (With Wembley Fraggle)

WHY DOES FRAGGLE ROCK NEED COTTERPIN DOOZER?

Cotterpin is the bridge between the Fraggles and the Doozers—probably the only character in the show who can fully appreciate both lifestyles. She’s a friend of the Fraggles and loves to do some Fraggle things, but she is still a Doozer through and through, making her an essential link in bringing the Rock to a world of Perfect Harmony.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

2011 Muppet Madness Tournament

Note from Lisa the Intern: Again... the late thing. I can't blame the labyrinth I built to defend the sacred blog-running document this time. It's more the fact that I just got out of class and pulled an all-nighter last night. The Lisa wants sleep, by both the Shakespearian and the modern definition of the word "want." ...Also, the Lisa is an English major. ...And... the Q is silent... and... the Trash Heap has spoken. Nyah. ...Just read the announcement, would you? 

MuppetFans.com Proudly Presents: The 2011 Muppet Madness Tournament!

We’re halfway through March, the brackets are set, and fans’ excitement is ramping up, all of which can only mean one thing! Nope, it’s not March Madness, it’s something much more important: Muppet Madness! Following last year’s successful online tournament, the creators of fansite MuppetFans.com are extremely proud to present the 2011 Muppet Madness Tournament, which allows Muppet fans everywhere to vote for their favorite characters in a fun, engaging contest.

The online tournament is scheduled to run from March 15 to April 4, the same dates as the NCAA’s March Madness. Muppet fanatics and casual fans alike can participate by going to http://MuppetFans.com/tournament and casting their votes in various Muppet matchups, which will pit monster against frog, fairy against Fraggle, and bear against… whatever.

Designed to emulate the NCAA tournament, the Muppet Madness Tournament is divided into four quadrants: animals (Rizzo the Rat, Sam the Eagle) humanoids (Scooter, Sesame Street’s Guy Smiley), creatures (Mr. Snuffleupagus, Fraggle Rock’s Trash Heap), and a “variants” category for alternate versions of characters featured in last year’s tournament (Reporter Kermit, First Mate Piggy). Website visitors will be able to vote once every 12 hours in each matchup, until the champion is crowned. In the 2010 tournament, Bert & Ernie beat out fellow finalists Kermit and Gonzo to take the grand prize, and this year’s competition is sure to plenty of surprises and twists of its own along the way!

Voting results will be presented every Sunday on new episodes of The MuppetCast podcast (found in iTunes and at http://muppetcast.com) as well as featured articles on MuppetFans.com. Each week, the tournament hosts will announce the winners of the previous week’s round of voting, give some commentary on each competition, and present the matches for the next round, starting that same day.

Fans can also download a printable PDF of the tournament brackets and start tournament pools with other Muppet fans.






The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier