Our podcast miniseries covering The Muppets Take Scripthattan - the live, star-studded script reading for charity on October 24th - concludes with two of our favorite famous Muppet fans!
We are so excited to chat with Drag Race All-Star Nina West (Miss Piggy) and Broadway's own James Monroe Iglehart (Dr. Teeth)!
To sign up for the livestream of The Muppets Take Scripthattan, visit Veeps.com and search for "Muppets"!
The Muppets Take Scripthattan live event (coming up on October 24th) is going to be chock full of celebrities, but also live musicians! Because what's a Muppet movie without music??
We're excited to welcome Dana Wickens (Animal), Brett Morris (Floyd Pepper), and banjo enthusiast Lucas Ross!
To sign up for the livestream of The Muppets Take Scripthattan, visit Veeps.com and search for "Muppets"!
Geeking out over the Muppets with two more stars of the upcoming live "Muppets Take Scripthattan" show! It's Paul F. Tompkins (Fozzie Bear) and Marc Evan Jackson (Kermit the Frog)!
To sign up for the livestream of The Muppets Take Scripthattan, visit Veeps.com and search for "Muppets"!
On October 24th, celebrities are gathering in NYC for a special script reading of The Muppets Take Manhattan, with proceeds going to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
In this miniseries, we'll be chatting with some of the stars of the show, starting with the hilarious and talented Janet Varney and Griffin Newman!
To sign up for the livestream of The Muppets Take Scripthattan, visit Veeps.com and search for "Muppets"!
It’s the season finale of A Prairie Dawn Companion, and Becca Petunia is wrapping up her look at the female Sesame Muppets of the 1970s. That’s right: it’s time to check back in on Betty Lou and Prairie Dawn in their late 70s book appearances. But also: What classic Sesame Street song is technically a feminist anthem? What can we expect to hear in Season 2 of this show? And wait a minute, shouldn’t we have talked about Winnie Wiggins???
Credits:
Written, Hosted, and Edited by Becca Petunia
Character Art by Becca Petunia
Podcast Artwork by Joe Hennes
Executive Producer: Joe Hennes
Research Help: Tony Whitaker, Shane Keating, Scott Hanson
Special thanks to Muppet Wiki, Michal Richardson, Katilyn Miller, Eli Lee, and the whole ToughPigs team
As everyone knows, Rodeo Rosie is really a rose. But does anyone really know Rodeo Rosie? And is she even worth knowing at all? This week on A Prairie Dawn Companion, Becca and her special guest, composer and writer Rachel Garrett Steele, are saddling up to figure out if Rodeo Rosie is...good. What does she say about culture's fascination with the American West and law and order? What can she do that no other Muppet can? And where can Becca buy a leather jacket like the one she wore in 1992? PLUS: an extremely special surprise from Rachel to close out the episode...
Credits:
Written, Hosted, and Edited by Becca Petunia
Guest: Rachel Garrett Steele
Additional Music by Rachel Garret Steele featuring Bobsun Dugnutt Jr., with lyrics by Ruthanna Long
Character Art by Becca Petunia
Podcast Artwork by Joe Hennes
Executive Producer: Joe Hennes
Research Help: Tony Whitaker, Shane Keating, Scott Hanson
Special thanks to Muppet Wiki, Michal Richardson, Katilyn Miller, Eli Lee, and the whole ToughPigs team
In 1973, Sesame Street introduced a new Muppet character named Tina. In 1974, Sesame Street introduced a second new Muppet character named Tina. In this episode, Becca and guest Drake Lucas talk about both Roosevelt Franklin's friend Smart Tina and the sometimes-smart Tina Twiddlebug, in an episode that is less confusing than it sounds. While neither of these characters became all-stars, they're a key part of the show's history and tell us a lot about how society views girls' intelligence. Grab your postage stamp pictures and get smart with us!
Credits:
Written, Hosted, and Edited by Becca Petunia
Guest: Drake Lucas
Character Art by Becca Petunia
Podcast Artwork by Joe Hennes
Executive Producer: Joe Hennes
Research Help: Tony Whitaker, Shane Keating, Scott Hanson
Special thanks to Muppet Wiki, Michal Richardson, Katilyn Miller, Eli Lee, and the whole ToughPigs team
In 1971, a new pink, blonde little girl joined Betty Lou on Sesame Street. That's right, it's finally time for Prairie Dawn! And while Betty Lou faded to the background, Prairie Dawn stuck around and still appears on the show over 50 years later. Why did one work rather than the other? Well if anyone can help Becca answer that question, it's Stephanie D'Abruzzo, a performer who has years of experience developing female characters for children's media...and also currently performs Prairie Dawn on Sesame! They'll discuss everything from Prairie's handkerchief to 90s Anything Muppet Elizabeth, so you do not want to miss this one.
And remember: the answers to Becca's questions will start with a Q.
Credits:
Written, Hosted, and Edited by Becca Petunia
Guest: Stephanie D'Abruzzo
Character Art by Becca Petunia
Podcast Artwork by Joe Hennes
Executive Producer: Joe Hennes
Research Help: Tony Whitaker, Shane Keating, Scott Hanson
Special thanks to Muppet Wiki, Michal Richardson, Katilyn Miller, Eli Lee, and the whole ToughPigs team
Becca's got an endless alphabet purse full of obscure female Muppets and arcane media criticism terms in this episode of A Prairie Dawn Companion! Join Becca Petunia and her special guest, Kristi O, as they talk about Roosevelt Franklin's mother, a little girl named Frannie, and the unforgettable oddball Granny Fanny Nesselrode. Featured in this episode are discussions of 70s media, tropes, and what happens when you mix turquoise and violet.
So join us on this visit to Goat Corners, New Hampshire, won't you?
Credits:
Written, Hosted, and Edited by Becca Petunia
Guest: Kristi O.
Character Art by Becca Petunia
Podcast Artwork by Joe Hennes
Executive Producer: Joe Hennes
Research Help: Tony Whitaker, Shane Keating, Scott Hanson
Special thanks to Muppet Wiki, Michal Richardson, Katilyn Miller, Eli Lee, and the whole ToughPigs team
Look, we'll cut to the chase: in this episode, Becca Petunia talks to the queen of Muppet performers, Fran Brill. She was Prairie Dawn! She was Zoe! She was also Roxie Marie but that's less important to most of you! Becca and Fran talk about her entire career and the joys and challenges of bringing so many beloved characters to life. Come on, what else do I have to say? It's Fran Brill!!!
Credits:
Written, Hosted, and Edited by Becca Petunia
Guest: Fran Brill
Character Art by Becca Petunia
Podcast Artwork by Joe Hennes
Executive Producer: Joe Hennes
Research Help: Tony Whitaker, Shane Keating, Scott Hanson
Special thanks to Muppet Wiki, Michal Richardson, Katilyn Miller, Eli Lee, and the whole ToughPigs team
Becca Petunia takes a close look at Sesame's first recurring female character, softhearted Betty Lou. Not only that, but she is joined by fan favorite recurring ToughPigs guest, puppeteer Stoph Scheer (The Creatures of Yes, Puppet Up, Muppets Mayhem)!
Featured in this episode are discussions of drag performances, monsters, and the importance of merchandise. Plus: you'll learn all about Inspidia! You don't want to miss this one.
Credits:
Written, Hosted, and Edited by Becca Petunia
Guest: Stoph Scheer
Character Art by Becca Petunia
Podcast Artwork by Joe Hennes
Executive Producer: Joe Hennes
Research Help: Tony Whitaker, Shane Keating, Scott Hanson
Special thanks to Muppet Wiki, Michal Richardson, Katilyn Miller, Eli Lee, and the whole ToughPigs team
Welcome to A Prairie Dawn Companion, the new podcast from ToughPigs.com! On "A Prairie Dawn Companion," Becca Petunia applies a feminist lens to the history of Sesame Street. Although Sesame always prioritized diversity, it is well-known that prior to the 1990s, the show did not devote much time to its female Muppets. As a lifelong Sesame superfan, Becca seeks to explore the history of the street's female Muppets and the women who performed them in an effort to bring attention to these important figures. In doing so, she also delves into feminist media criticism to look at what worked and what didn't about Sesame's many attempts to bring the spotlight to the girls of the world.
As we all know, May 9th is Kermit the Frog's birthday. Except... maybe it isn't? This is a Muppet mystery that's begging to be solved. To get to the bottom of this, we're chatting with someone who knows a thing or two about the frog: CEO of The Jim Henson Company, Lisa Henson!
In honor of Kermit's (alleged) birthday, the anniversary of Sam & Friends and The Jim Henson Company, and the actual birthday of Lisa Henson, please enjoy this special bonus podcast interview!
This past February, The Muppet Script event brought celebrities, comedians, and musicians together for a live (and livestreamed) script reading of The Muppet Movie, with proceeds going to charity. It was such a hit, they're doing it again!
The Scripted Muppet Caper is coming to Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on May 5th. And like the first show, it will also be available to watch from the comfort of your own home. This time around, proceeds will be going to The Translatin@ Coalition.
Among the many famous folks taking part is the incomparable Nina West from RuPaul's Drag Race! Nina will be reprising her role as Miss Piggy from the first script reading. And lucky us, we got the opportunity to chat with Nina about the show, Miss Piggy's effect on drag culture, and which of our favorite Drag Race stars would make for good Muppets.
Click here to purchase your tickets to the livestream, airing on May 5th at 7:30pm PT!
Enjoy!
Muppet performer Noel MacNeal is getting ready for his live cabaret show - "Hey, This Was Really Fun!" - and what a great opportunity for us to sit down with the man behind the Bear for a chat about everything he's been up to lately.
Listen in as Noel tells us about performing, directing, making his off-Broadway debut, and his love of Big Birds and friendly Bears!
Hey, This Was Really Fun! will be held at 54 Below in New York City on March 24th, and you (yes, YOU!) can watch via livestream if you're not in the NYC area! And be sure to follow Noel on Instagram!
When a crisis hits, Muppet fans are known to band together to help the world. After the devastating wildfires in California, Muppet fan (and ToughPigs contributor) Matt Wilkie decided to gather some of his Muppet fan friends - including some celebrities - for a special fundraiser called The Muppet Script.
On Sunday, February 9th, these folks will be gathering for a live reading of the script of The Muppet Movie, with folks like Bobby Moynihan, Paul F. Thompkins, Nina West, and David Dastmalchian appearing as the cast of one of our favorite films.
Joining us for a special one-off podcast interview is Producer/Director/Muppet nerd Matt Wilkie to tell us all about how the show is coming together, and why it's so dang important for people like us to do what's right.
For tickets to the livestream of The Muppet Script, please visit the Dynasty Typewriter website.
The Great Muppet Fandom Panel is back! After a year-long hiatus, our podcast featuring Muppet fans talking over each other about the biggest headlines in the Muppet world.
This uber-topical episode covers topics like the state of Sesame Street, the impending Muppets Rockin' Roller Coaster, drama in the fandom world, Muppet amigurumi, and so much more.
With special guests ToughPigs writers Shane Keating, Danny Horn, Drake Lucas, and Katilyn Miller!
Get ready, because the Fraggles are coming to your town! Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock LIVE kicks off its cross-country tour this week, and we have SO many questions about the show. So who better to ask those questions to than the show's writer, director, choreographer, and Fraggle expert John Tartaglia??
Listen to our bonus episode of Fraggle Talk as we chat with John all about live Fraggles and what we can expect to see in the show.
For more information about Fraggle Rock Live, including tour dates and locations, visit FraggleRockLive.com.
It's been a wild ride, but our Bear in the Big Blue Podcast podcast miniseries is coming to a close (for now). And what better way to end things than with a holiday party! Yes, it's Christmas (and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and something about a Winter Berry) in the Big Blue House!
Joining us for this family gathering is ToughPigs' own Anthony Strand, co-host of the Movin' Right Along podcast!
Episodes referenced in this podcast:
Oh hi there! Welcome back to Bear in the Big Blue Podcast! We've got a sparkly new episode just for all you Toileteers, as we cover mistakes, computers, and going to the bathroom. All the hits!
With special guest Danny Horn - founder of ToughPigs, host of The Fantastic Miss Piggy Podcast, and the brain behind Muppet Pictures!
Episodes referenced in this podcast:
