Why The Muppets Matter | A Video Essay About Creativity

The Muppets have been cultural icons for decades. Ever since their inception in the 70s, the puppet crew has taken over our entertainment landscape. From books to recreations of all time classics like Treasure Island, if you have been alive for the past fifty years, you have not been able to escape the Muppet gang. But that begs the question, how has a group of puppets stayed so relevant for so long? Well, in today's video we'll be trying to solve this question and figure out why the Muppets matter.
Hello all, welcome back to another edition of "Ideas nobody asked for, but man if this isn't cool to me". On this weeks video we'll be discussing the importance of the Muppets and the unique cultural landscape they occupy. Not quite fictional, but not quite real either. The Muppets create a unique balance of reality and fantasy simply by existing, so that's pretty crazy and probably worth talking about for 14 minutes and 38 seconds. Thanks again for all of the continued support, I have some new series lined up so prepare yourselves.
Sources
1AM from Animal Crossing New Leaf
Almost Blue by Chet Baker
Metropolis Notte by G. Ducros
Mystery of the Forest from Chrono Trigger
The Muppets Theme from The Muppets Show
Clips from The Muppets Show
Clips from The Muppets Movie
Clips from The Muppets: Most Wanted

[@essencer.9494]

I have such an appreciation for the Muppets, It hasn't died, and it never will. It's nice to see others do, too.

[@Mnogojazyk]

Fun. What I find missing from so much current entertainment is fun. The Muppets, in contrast, embody fun even when they show the negative aspects of life.

[@kylemorello4787]

Most animated projects seem to be still embracing the combination of fun and poignancy.

[@3dnygma]

what an amazing, underrated essay. the Muppets have been a wonderful source of joy to me. got into them during COVID and periods of self-isolation. and Kermit's Ted Talk is one I think about on a weekly basis. you made such wonderful points

[@nicklyskawa3504]

Thank you so much! The Muppets do provide a unique level of comfort that is difficult to explain. I'm glad you enjoyed :,)

[@kirstyshadowdancer5095]

I still love the behind the scenes on Muppets Christmas carol where Hendersons son and gonzo and Rizo were doing an interview and the line was said "Originally we didn't have a narrator, then Gonzo asked if he could play Dickens". And the whole time their answering reporters questions and there was no slip. Gonna asked that question, not his puppeteer, the Character. He spearheaded the 00s restring of movies and since Disney pushed him out its only fine down hill

[@thetimturnershow2883]

Honestly, this video perfectly encapsulates why I have a deep admiration for the Muppets… The fact that their humor is directed at adults just make them all the more timeless. Kids can enjoy the jokes at face value, then come to fully understand them as they get older it’s more intellectual properties can tap into that sort of creativity, we could make the world a more creative and fun place.

[@azzy6687]

I never really watched much of The Muppets/Sesame Street as it wasnt really that much popular in my country, yet seeing videos of people so passionate and caring about this franchise makes me unable to not get sentimental What a fucking beautiful art, man.

[@LisaGelhaus]

Hearing the Muppet Show opener still gives me a shot of joy and expectation!

[@dillonohlemiller9027]

The Muppets are the reason I’m a puppeteer

[@janechamblesswright119]

I’ve loved the Muppets all my life - and yeah, I remember the Jimmy Dean show. I had the great pleasure of working for Children’s Television Workshop for several years as a freelance illustrator in NYC. I drew Muppets for a living. The BEST was when I could take my sketches over to the Workshop, to be blue-lined before I moved forward to completed artwork. This is where they built the puppets, and where the Henson Studio offices were. I’ve shook Kermit’s hand, patted Miss Piggy’s beautiful snout, and been introduced to Gonzo and his chicken lady friends. I loved every minute of those years, and looked forward to dropping off my drawings and picking up a new job. Jim Henson was a mighty man who possessed a great, leaping soul. He was a genius who made the whole world better, and when he left - he took the light with him.

[@brynjam1n]

This is such a good video essay on the muppets, i love the muppets and this is exactly why and you put it in perfect words

[@nicklyskawa3504]

Thanks so much!

[@fidgetyou]

I was surprised that there was no mention of the Muppets Tonight. I had thought that Disney already owned them by then since it aired on ABC and the Disney Channel. I do wish that Disney would put them on the streaming service.

[@nataliejarosz9360]

There was a huge variety of Muppet content during the Jim era-stuff that Disney doesn't have the rights to or doesn't make officially available.

[@beckylooney]

about to cry about the muppets for the third time this week

[@henrym4484]

I hope the Muppets still exist in the far future

[@johnylitalo4163]

These studio executives in Hollywood have taunted everything you loved and cared about. They're the real TV and movie villains.

[@drewhenderson9932]

To quote Kermit the Frog "Life's like a movie. Write your own ending."

[@savannaherickson6895]

thanks for spreading the muppet love

[@enminghee2926]

I always thought of the Muppets as the Countercultural Disney, which is why they've never been that good since Disney bought them. "The Rainbow Connection" is itself a response to the overidealism of "When You Wish Upon A Star", with the message being that life rarely works out the way you desire, but that shouldn't stop you from dreaming.

[@mmmghool]

Brilliant point. Thanks for sharing

[@55twintv39]

4:05 You forgot The Muppet’s Valentine Show.

[@whathaswings]

i think a lot of media now is centered towards pandering, which often results in soulless media. the muppets makes movies and tv shows for art, not money. it’s important to have soulful and inspiring medias to share and enjoy, and unfortunately that’s not very common nowadays.

[@slasherkz]

This video is extremely well made and as a muppet fan,i approve. AMAZING JOB

[@nicklyskawa3504]

I'm glad you liked it!!

[@shmoneydan]

This is so good! You said it perfectly! Great job!

[@nicklyskawa3504]

Thank you!!

[@daniexists6]

In october of 2010, I was able to meet Dave Goelz, the man who has been Gonzo, Zoot, Dr. Honeydew and sooooo many others since these characters appeared in The Muppet Show, and due to this I was able to see him perform Gonzo live for the audience, adlibbing and interacting in character with the general public. And I think the fact that, even then as I saw this man hold up his arm and working this puppet, it never really felt like it broke the illusion. And I really think that's the genius of these characters.

[@beetlebeetlebeetle2807]

this is amazing and deserves more views

[@JordanMccaff]

Muppets and SNES music? My kind of video!

[@penelopesparrow]

I don't know... I really love the ABC series, I loved seeing them as everyday people because it bought their world and my world into unity. You can easily see the creativity and fun and surreal song-n-dance world as a Muppet world, separate from us - they can do that, they're Muppets, I'm not. Bring the ABC series into it and suddenly they're the same as me, so it's easier to see my life having the potential to be like theirs. At the end of the day though I think all genuinely decent people love the Muppets because the Muppets have always loved us. Gunna go cry now.

[@megelizabeth9492]

3:02 I mean, there's always Sesame Street and Fraggle! (Classic Sesame is hilarious, btw. Some of my favorite reoccurring sketches are Waiter Grover, Salesman Grover, and Don Music.)

[@megelizabeth9492]

Oh yeah, and make sure to check out the Jimmy Dean and Rowlf stuff on KZbin, if you haven't already. They are just super charming, and fun to watch!

[@destinyamadasun4957]

For those who don’t know. Sam and Friends was Henson’s first muppet show.

[@55twintv39]

Video Essay Begins At 3:37

[@michaelbrent1536]

DevilArtemis is a KZbinr that has Kermit being friend with DBZ Cell and Shallot! They go on Waking Adventures and fight other characters! We need the muppets same way we need Hand Drawn Animation from Disney and good Storytelling!

[@drewhenderson9932]

Timeless Classics ❤

[@55twintv39]

3:31 They were created back in 1954/1955

[@roiceraschemalouski3525]

Them office O’s lookin mad tasty

[@frankboogaard88]

It all boils down to: Time is fun when you are having flies ;)

[@ryko1478]

This is honna be a bit nitpicky but in 4:45 you put The Muppets take Manhattan when mentioning that they had "starred in their own solo movie" implying that it was the first, when it was actually the third one, i think you got this confused with the original Muppet Movie. You also mentioned Christmas Carol and Tresure Island right after like they were made riding off the succes of the original movies and the show when in reality they were made after Jim Henson's passing and when they weren't nearly as famous as they once were. This is still a great video though, you really captured what makes The Muppets so special

[@beckylooney]

excellent video dude!

[@exactlyemx5426]

what a great video essay

[@MrJoshinJosh]

Sure The Muppets Matter to me a lot. But unfortunately to a lot of other people (Female Celebrities in particular) it doesn’t. All they ever wanna talk about is Disney and think that that’s the only part of their childhood😢

[@jakelyskawa9289]

Best video yet

[@tommyadzema]

CHEERS TO THE MUPPETS

[@StudiosH2343]

they matter for the lovers and the dreamers and me all of us under there spell we know that there probably magic

[@linseiger5921]

this video is so well done, wow

[@Connor.Kelly_]

this is amazing. thank you.

[@55twintv39]

Wow 😮

[@ryanrichard8000]

I love the muppets🐸🐻🐷🐂🐈🐯🐱🐮🐭🐘🐏🐶🐦🐧🐠🐼🐹🌈r.i.p Jim henson we love you so much❤💓

[@aline2857]

3:37

[@autsjn]

I FUCKING KNEW THAT WAS SMUCKERS

[@sharonpocock4834]

Please Please bring back the muppets

[@flyingkatya]

So I actually love the Muppet office TV show, however I do not like seeing Kermit only stressed out all the time. It's genuinely very upsetting and I spent most of the time just feeling so bad for him. In a kind of compliment sandwich I have to say I did really enjoy the humor. I think it was updated in the way that it needed to be but it could have done in a different setting that isn't just high stress, anxiety and misery. I can't blame Steve Whitmire for causing a ruckus over the choices made in the show because they seem completely valid to me.

[@bellat.1377]

Nice consise video

[@SnarkNSass]

I have a Muppet soul. I bleed felt. 💜✨💖

[@gcooper642]

Excellent video Nick. On the off chance you haven't seen the Defunct TV series on Jim Henson here's a link. I think you'll enjoy it If you've not watched it already. It had me crying at the end. kzbin.info/aero/PLplWWKocAfTYIGzH8eQ0x0kEQgoV9CpYm

[@taylorgreen9929]

Makes me cry

[@michaelmarrinan9981]

Its a bit like wwe, fictional characters yes but i could go watch it live

[@suruxstrawde8322]

..that- actually sounds very similar to the area of gen z in which anime sits. A fresh and unrestricted medium that creates a community around retaining the inner child. Though thar ideology existing in weeb communities is probably a direct inversion of the old american hatred of Japanese and childish things.

[@modelblue429]

🤨 ok

[@xaviercastillo1410]

1. The muppets primarily target is kids and maybe a few adults like myself. 2. The reasons why disney is not doing much with the muppets is because kids nowadays play fortnite and minecrafts and don't care about the muppets 3. Mickey mouse is not real you send the essay to nobody. 4. This is important, STOP HATING ON DISNEY!!!

[@ozharms]

1. Jim Henson intended the Muppets for a multi-generational audience. The Muppets are for everybody. 2. You say that as if it’s fact. Lots of kids care about the Muppets. I believe the reason Disney doesn’t do much is because they prioritize more popular assets like Marvel and Star Wars, assets that they know for SURE do well. Disney just doesn’t know what to do with them these days. 3. Of course Mickey isn’t real. It’s called “fiction” and “plot vehicle.” 4. It’s perfectly fair to criticize Disney, especially if you think about all the crap they’ve done. No one’s hating on Disney here.