topic Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets in Beauty

O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

Happy Elizabeth — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:05:54 GMT

Are they hand puppets? So, there are people crouching underneath the table? Are the people that do the voices the same people that are crouching beneath the table. I ask because I didn't know if after all these years they've made them more robotic. No, I'm not drunk.

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

Caron122 — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:25:16 GMT

I believe they are hand puppets but I'm not sure if the same person is doing the voice also or if it's someone else.

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

HappyDaze — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:33:24 GMT

I know they use to be manipulated beneath the table/counter but I am not sure about today's muppets. I saw a special about the muppets before and they showed them working the puppets beneath them.

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

PalmTree11 — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:38:17 GMT

They look like hand puppets today, sometimes you can see the wire things that they use to make their hands move. Not sure about the voices though... I like that shrimp guy!

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

Bandwife23 — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:38:45 GMT

As others have said, I also think there are people underneath the tables controlling them. If you look closely(especially on Pepe) you can see wires coming out from his little arms. I'm thinking someone is underneath the table controlling his movements. Now, as far as the voice, I'm not sure but I would THINK it would be the same person doing the voice. That would make things a lot easier! DON'T WORRY! Its not an embarrassing question! A couple of weeks ago Shawn and Isaac Mizrahi had a LONG discussion on air about the muppets. She didn't know that the sesame street characters were/are muppets. So don't feel bad!

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

HappyDaze — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:40:31 GMT

On 3/16/2014 PalmTree11 said:
They look like hand puppets today, sometimes you can see the wire things that they use to make their hands move. Not sure about the voices though... I like that shrimp guy!

they had wires back in the day too, and those wires connected to stick-like things that the puppeteer would manipulate under the table.

I LOVE the shrimp guy too, he makes me laugh!

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

Katluvr58 — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:47:32 GMT

It used to be Frank Oz doing Kermit and Miss Piggy's voices, not sure about this show though. I asked my BF (who claims to know everything) and he said they were puppets controlled from underneath. I thought they had sticks and wires. Good question to google though.

Since the concept for a Muppet must be approved by a workshop supervisor before it can be built, Muppets begin as sketches on paper. Once designed, Muppets work in different ways. The simplest type of Muppet is a hand-and-rod Muppet, such as Grover from "Sesame Street." The Muppeteer uses his right hand to control Grover's head and his left hand to control rods that are attached to Grover's hands. This is why most Muppets are left-handed. Sometimes, the Muppeteer can control both of the Muppet's hands (for hugging or clapping, for instance), but at other times, an additional Muppeteer is needed to operate the right hand and legs.

A live-hand Muppet, like Ernie from "Sesame Street," requires two Muppeteers: One operates the left hand and head while the other controls the right hand -- the latter job is called "right handing." Some Muppets are operated completely by rods and cables (Slimey the Worm is so small that he's controlled by just one rod), while others are operated by remote control. Larger Muppets are actually full-body costumes worn by Muppeteers.

To allow them to move easily, recent Muppets have been made from a light, flexible, durable material called reticulated polyfoam. The Muppet's body parts may be carved from a block of this foam, or layers of foam may be glued together with contact cement. The Muppet's "skin" material is tailor-made for each Muppet, and it's pinned, glued and stitched to the foam. Usually, the skin is made of antron fleece (or "Muppet fleece"), fake fur, feathers or flocking. Special attention is given to choosing the type of material and color of the Muppet, since these attributes determine the Muppet's character. It's important that the seams on the Muppets don't show, because Muppets are often filmed at close range. A special "Henson stitch," which was invented by designer and builder Don Sahlin, is designed to stay hidden.

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

luvmyteddy4 — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:55:26 GMT

I always wondered too. When they were on The Talk I noticed they covered the bottom half of the table. I thought that Miss Piggy was probably a man but never knew for sure.

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

Happy Elizabeth — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:57:43 GMT

Thanks so much for all of the replies!

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

Nadjalu — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 01:49:42 GMT

Yes they are hand puppets and yes the puppeteer does the voice of the Muppet.

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

LooPY — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 01:56:50 GMT

On 3/16/2014 luvmyteddy said:
I always wondered too. When they were on The Talk I noticed they covered the bottom half of the table. I thought that Miss Piggy was probably a man but never knew for sure.

Your hunch was right! Frank Oz originally played the role of Miss Piggy, and Eric Jacobson has been her voice for over a dozen years. To paraphrase Austin Powers--that chick is a man, man!

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

LuckyOH — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 02:01:23 GMT

Jim Henson did Kermit's voice.

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

Alsee — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 03:11:11 GMT

You mean they're not real?? How disappointing to learn they are puppets

Re: O/T Embarrassing Question RE: Muppets

KathyPet — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 03:30:15 GMT

On 3/16/2014 Alsee said: You mean they're not real?? How disappointing to learn they are puppets

Say it's not so! Miss Piggy is my role model!