A behind the scenes look at #TheMuppets ~ Tuesdays 8|7c on ABC!! #ABCTVEvent #GoodDinoEvent

Disclosure: I attended this event as part of an all-expense paid press trip for Disney.  However, all opinions are completely my own. #ABCTVEvent  #GoodDinoEvent

I am sure you already know The Muppets have returned to primetime TV, but this isn’t The Muppets as you might remember them.  The characters are familiar but the show explores their personal lives and relationships, romances, breakups, achievements and disappointments.  The Muppets we grew up with are now portrayed in a way they haven’t before – a more adult way, yet it is a show the entire family can watch together!

While out in LA recently we visited the set of The Muppets, “Up Late with Miss Piggy” and watched a preview screening of “Going, Going, Gonzo”, the episode that airs tonight at 8|7c on ABC.  Then we were treated to a Q&A session with actor and executive producer Bill Barretta and executive producer and director Randall Einhorn.  

Having the opportunity to see behind the scenes like this is such a delight.  We sat in the ‘audience’ section of the Up Late with Miss Piggy set during this visit and seeing that the front row actually has no seats, as this is where Statler & Waldorf ‘sit’.  By sit I mean they are operated from under the stage but to you and I it looks like they’re sitting in the audience like everyone else.  

Explain the mechanics of using The Muppet puppets.

Bill, who has been a puppeteer captain on all of The Muppet’s films and television specials since 1998, and who currently voices multiple Muppet’s, told us first about Kermit.  Kermit is known as a rod puppet as he has rods that go into his wrists.  He is also very malleable – you can see Steve Whitmire’s knuckles as he manipulates Kermit’s facial expressions.   Fozzie is usually operated by two people, one would be doing the head and the behavior and the other the body.  

The culmination of these puppets coming together to create the TV show we watch each week is a testament to the hard work that everyone on the set put into each episode.  Peter Linz has been a key member of The Muppets team for some time, he along with 6 others perform the core Muppets.  Bill went on to explain that scenes that have two of his characters at the same time he and Randall work on coming at the scene from a different angle.  This takes time and often Bill will work on the dialogue after getting the shots they need.  

How long does an episode of The Muppets take to create?

Randall explained that this process takes 5 days to prepare an episode and an additional 6 days to shoot the episode.  These are not just 8 hour days; these are 10 to 12 to 14 hour days. 

Randall went on to say that preparing a normal (not puppet) TV show episode takes roughly one hour per scene to prepare – where you are not actually filming.  Roughly 15 minutes to rehearse, talk about and block the scene and 45 minutes to light the scene.  However, with The Muppets it takes roughly double that – two hours per scene, where there is no filming taking place.  If an episode has 28 scenes there is roughly 56 hours of preparation where you are not yet filming. 

Interaction between producers and writers

Both producers agreed that there was a fair amount of interaction between writers and producers and there is a mutual respect between the puppeteers and writers. 

Randall described how directing The Muppets is different than a normal TV show as the puppeteers have been doing their characters for over 20 years.  They will say that they don’t think their character would do this or that how it has been written and in these instances Randall has to agree with them, they’ve been doing them for this long, they’re the experts.

So, where is Walter?

We met and fell in love with Walter in “The Muppets” movie in 2011 and people are wondering if he’ll be coming onboard with The Muppets on ABC. 

Bill spoke to this – saying that there were certain ideas how this show and its characters would fit in and for right now, the first season for sure, Walter didn’t have a spot in this arena – YET. 

So….there’s hope – Walter might come back, just no mention as to when, but also no outright NO, positive thinking.

Why a late night talk show?

This is the idea the writing staff came up with.  They’ve given Kermit somewhat of a ‘normal’ life, a job, mortgage, errands to run, etc.  This goes with the theme of the show, showing The Muppets personal lives, how they live and what makes them tick.

This explores the possibility of a female late night talk show host and at the same time it gives Piggy the spot light and the ability to be the diva we already know her to be.  It just ‘fit’ and they ran with it. 

How are guest stars cast?

Both Bill and Randall said that they are doing a lot of calling.  Calling and texting friends, people that they’ve worked with in the past and asking them to be a part of the show. 

Randall spoke with Mindy Kaling, who is on an upcoming show, and was like, could you, would you?  (I cannot wait for this episode, I love Mindy!) 

There are also celebrities who want to be on the show, like Dave Grohl – who battles Animal in a drum duel in TONIGHT’S episode, a duel that has been a LONG time in the making, you don’t want to miss it!!  Randall also said that Reese Witherspoon wanted to be on the show from the get go.

Sometimes the script dictates who they need or what type of person they need, but sometimes they also write specifically for certain guest stars.  The writers and producers really have to be flexibile too as original guest stars might become unavailable, which results in others coming onto the show, like Kristin Chenoweth, who wasn’t originally scheduled.

I hope that you enjoyed this behind the scenes look at The Muppets as much as I did and be sure to tune in TONIGHT at 8|7c on ABC for the  “Going, Going, Gonzo” episode!!

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