Do Go On - 95 - Jim Henson & The Muppets

Episode Date: August 16, 2017

Did you grow up watching Sesame Street? Are you a fan of The Muppets Movie? Did you know Jim Henson was involved in Star Wars? Well strap in and learn all about it in this week's pod! Jess and Matt are still both a bit sick, and Matt also says many regretful things. So, everything is normal, basically. Support the show and get rewards like bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/DoGoOnPoTwitter: @DoGoOnPodInstagram: @DoGoOnPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoGoOnPod/Email us: [e-mail] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melbourne and Canada, we got exciting news for you. And we should also say this is 2026. Jess, what year is it? 2026. Thank God you're here. Right now, I'm in Melbourne doing my show with Serenji Amarna 630 each night at the Cooper's Inn Hotel, having so much fun. We'd love to see you there. Canada, we are visiting you in September this year.

If you've somehow missed the news, we are heading up Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto for shows. That's going to be so much fun. Tickets for all this stuff, I believe, are online. And I'm here too. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. And welcome to another episode of DoGo On. My name is Dave Warnagie and I'm here with Jess Perkins and Matt Stewart.

Good evening. Good evening. Good to be with you. Always a pleasure. And to the headlines. Felt a bit newsy. Yeah. Good evening. Good evening.

I thought it was more like a late-night political, Oh, like really serious. Serious. To our top story tonight. I did work experience at Channel 10 News when I was studying journalism. And my favourite part was that with a lot of the reporters, especially the women, there was one in particular who would always talk off camera. She had a really high kind of whiny, valley girl kind of voice. Can we hear an impression just to paint the scene?

So it's my birthday tomorrow. Literally it was her birthday the next day. It's my birthday tomorrow, Greg. You're going to remember that it's my birthday? And then when she was on air, thanks, Dan. You're very good at it. Go again. Commuters were held up for up to three hours this morning due to delays on the train line.

That's exactly how she sounded. Who was? Was it Sandra Sully? Yeah, I interned with Sandra Sully. Wow. Were you, like, did they ever talk to you about that voice and say that if you want to pursue a job in this career? Pursue a job in this career, Jess. Did you want to?

Of course I wanted to. Or pursue a career in this job, pardon me, to rephrase it to make even less sense. Did you... At journalism school, for example, do they ever mention that over you do the news, you'll have to speak like a fuck. Like day one. Day one of journalism school. Welcome to the class.

Good evening and welcome to journalism school. As opposed to Chibble J where you do work, and where they have to talk a bit more like this. dropping next week and they hold lots of... You've gone a bit too commercial there actually. Commercial, okay, sorry. Commercial is like, coming up after the break. We're going to hear the latest from Taylor Swift.

What's the Triple J one? Triple J is like you get to talk really normally and they say, they would say things like, a new one from Julia Jacqueline there for album. Touring next week, actually. So if you're in the area, make sure you check that out. It's weird breaks in the words. And they hold S's.

If words end with S, they do. Come up next. That doesn't end with S, but you know what I mean. No, you mean. Yeah. Anyway. Wow. Do you think that's...

I think that's taught, isn't it? Is it taught or casting similar people? I think maybe just also becomes the style, you know? That's the style at the time. Your favourite style, of course, is the 1930s, Jess. 40s. Please, give us an example. But yeah, it was 1943.

Jess loves that. I love it. I love it a lot. Anyway. I think you should bring that to the Triple Jai, your segment. Okay. 1940s, Jess. Yeah, right.

God, I'm good at coming up with segments. You are. 1990s, Jess. What does that specifically entail? Jess just reads news from the 1940s. She pretends the war never finished. Wow. Hitler has struck again.

That dastardly deeds. He's done all over Eastern Europe. Darsely deed, that's good Dund dirt shape So I was thinking Yeah I'm always saying the things that you're too afraid to think You're so edgy

You're too afraid to think You have dangerous thoughts You're so cool You shut the fuck up He panics every time Jess It is your turn to report It is my turn

And I have written The worst question I've ever written. Ooh, you've written some shit question. Most of because I don't write them. At least you've written this, I'm impressed. I wrote it. Okay, so I dipped into the hat.

And my question to you, gentlemen, is, can you name an Oscar winner who was never actually alive? Ooh. What? So someone who's never born. So it's got to be an Oscar winner. The man who was never born. Is that what this episode's called?

Because I love it. Yeah, it's a beautiful mystery. So an Oscar winner. It's a bit of a trick question. Okay. I'm guessing it's some sort of a A character. A character.

Like a Mickey Mouse type. It's Mickey Mouse. It's not Mickey Mouse. Winnie the Pooh? No. Doctor Who? It's got to be a big cinematic thing, right? Is it a Disney character?

Technically yes. Dumbo. Oscar winner. No. Is it Lambert, the sheepish line? Don't think classic Disney though. Oh, Lion King. No, that's classic Disney.

Oh, it's a toy story guy. Woody. No. What's unclassic Disney? Okay, stop thinking Disney. Oh. Don't think classic Disney. What was the category?

Um, uh, best original song. Oh, I believe I can fly. Only a few years ago. Space Jam. Six years ago. Is it Frozen? No. Year before Frozen?

Year before Frozen. Best original song. Oh, so it's a song. The songs are never alive. No, the song won, but who performed a song? Oh, a character. All right, name the song, we'll see if we get it from that. What's the category?

Is the category of the song or the singer? Song, Best Original Song is what they won. But, I mean, what's the topic of this report? Well, it's the character. And if I say the name of the song, it has their name in it. It has the brand. I really feel like we're going to get to get to this. Theme from Jaws.

Six years ago. I don't know. Just put us out of our misery, I reckon. Yeah, what is it? Well, what if I said, who can you name a puppet who's won an Oscar? Kermit. The Frog. Who is part of the Muppet.

The Muppets. Oh my goodness. The Muppets are really cool. I like the Muppets. Much like Matt. Okay, so cool. They are so cool. They are so cool.

And much like Matt, they've been around for like 60 years. And was that the year that the Muppets, the song written by Jermaine, I mean, Brett from Flat of the Concord's won the Oscar? Man or Muppet. Couldn't really say it, could I? Yes. So a couple of people, so Oscar Hogan Paul and Nick Gurney have both suggested Jim Henson and the Muppets as a topic. Very cool. And it is a bit cool.

I kind of wanted to look into, because I think it's really fascinating that something like Puppets, Puppets has been so hugely successful across so many generations. I don't mean, you know what I mean? It seems like... That's amazing. That's pretty incredible. It feels like we should have moved on. Is that what you mean?

Yeah. Like, technology improved, we don't need puppets anymore. And let's be honest, it's not quite a sock. It's not quite a mop. So, an answer to your question, I don't know what it is. What was there a question? That's just a Homer Simpson quote. and he's asked what a Muppet is.

It's not quite a sock. It's not quite a moth. Not quite a muck. Not quite a sock. A puppet. Not got a mop. Cool. Yeah.

Got to get Sins reference in. Anyway, so yeah, I will talk probably quite a bit about Jim Henson, but obviously he's pretty much synonymous with the Muppets. So it's all about his life with the Muppets. That's great. I'm excited. Let's get stuck in. Born in Greenville, Mississippi on September 24.

1936 James Mori Henson was the younger of two children of Paul Ransom Henson and his wife Betty, Betty, great name So is he Stasbittal name

Ransom? Yes Whoa Paul Ransom I've never heard that as a name I don't know if he's a big fan of the 1990s film with Mel Gibson

called Ransom sorry I mean Braveheart Classic mistake You just roll your eyes at yourself. I've wasted everyone's time again. Oh, I loved it. He was raised as a Christian scientist

and spent his early childhood in Leyland, Mississippi, before moving with his family to University Park, Maryland. Is that how you say it? Yeah, because you said just Maryland. Like, yeah, where all the Marys go. Maryland. But apparently, that's not how they pronounce it in Maryland. Which is near Washington, D.C.

They moved there in the late 40s. the year was late 40s See Jim later remembered the arrival of the family's First television as the biggest event of his adolescence Oh no Got a TV First wank didn't make it

How that's the saddest story I've ever heard Jim was it in the top three Come on First wanked Is that your number one memory from your adolescence? No What's the biggest event of your adolescence It was

The year was It was 1940 It was They just invented Something from the olden days The printing press The horse They just invented the horse

Yeah That was going to make it so much easier In 1954 In 1954 While attending North Western High School He began working for WTOP TV Creating puppets for a

Satellet Children's Show called the Junior Morning Show. After he graduated from high school, hence it enrolled at the University of Maryland as a studio arts major, thinking he might become a commercial artist. So he's a bit of a bit of a creative guy. I love it. He's hip. He's happening.

He's 1950s. He knows what's up. A puppetry class offered in the Applied Arts Department introduced him to the Craft and Textiles courses in the College of Home Economics. and he graduated in 1960 with a BS in Home Economics. Oh, not a BS. He's got a BS.

In Home Econ. What would that be, Bachelor of... Shit. Oh. In Home Econ. Bachelor of shit. Science? Probably science. Science, right.

That makes more sense. That makes it. Even more sense. I just don't think home economics is very scientific. I was lying before. It wasn't the horse. It was my first wank. With a horse. Matthew

Printing press With the printing press Why would you say something That you know you're going to ask me to edit out And you know I won't Yeah I just thought I missed an opportunity back there I needed a double down on the wank thing

It was playing on me And I'm like I'm going to Anyway Anyway So I'm just going to keep moving with Jim Henson And his BS in home econ As a freshman he'd been asked to create Sam and Friends

Which was a five-minute puppet show for WRC TV. The characters on Sam and Friends were forerunners of the Muppets and the show included a prototype of Henson's most famous character, Kermit the Frog. Henson would remain at WRC for seven years from 1954 to 1961.

In the show, he began experimenting with techniques that would change the way puppetry had been used on television, including using the frame defined by the camera shot to allow the puppet performer to work off camera. So, You know how...

That makes sense, right? So they'd frame it so that all you're seeing is the puppet, not the puppet and the puppeteer. Oh, right. Before that puppetry was pretty unconvincing. They zoomed in on the puppeteer's face. That feels like... So you couldn't see anything that was going on.

That feels like a fairly obvious thing to think of. Like, sure, it's hard to do in a live stage show, if that's what you're doing with puppets. Sure, it's hard to hide the puppeteer. But if you're doing it for TV, that seems like a fairly obvious choice. but he was apparently the first one to make that obvious choice.

Forward thinking there. Believing television puppets needed to have life and sensitivity, Henson began making characters from flexible, fabric-covered foam, rubber, allowing them to express a wider array of emotions at a time when many puppets were made of carved wood. Can't get much expression out of carved wood. Yeah. They've sort of got the one fixed expression, you know?

Yeah. Because they're carved. How funny is Kermit's expression? when he just like he mushes his face in. So funny. Like his whole mouth. That's his regret face. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kermit's regret face. He's just mush his mouth. But sometimes it's when he's mad too. Yeah, that's great. He's like, um, and his mouth. Yeah, great. I like when he wears a suit. I just like Kermit in general.

He's great. A marionette's arm. I'm manipulated by strings, but Henson used rods to move his Muppet's arms, allowing greater control. Of expression. Rod had a big collection of strings. He used his. Rod. If you're bringing your strings over, I need to manipulate Kermit again.

All right. This is the last time. Kermit, you don't mean anything to me. Here are some strings. If you do perform well today, though, you can have even more strings. I don't like you. Remember that. Is that even manipulating Kermit? You know, we had an even younger better look. fucking puppet try out last night and you really nailed it. That's much clearer manipulation.

I'm still a bit sick. Can I use that as an excuse? Yours is like, I love you. I love you, I hate you. Oh, you're manipulating me. You mean nothing to me, but here's a treat, but I don't care about you. I'm so confused. It's so weird. So confused, can I just do the puppet show now?

Dave was very quick to be able to slip in a manipulation. Oh man, I can manipulate all night long. Don't challenge me, I'll manipulate you. I don't want to challenge you or be manipulated. Henson wanted the Muppets characters to speak more creatively than what was possible for previous puppets. So he used precise mouth movements to match the dialogue, whereas previously it was like...

More of a... Yeah, yeah, whereas now it was much more deliberate and precise. When he began working on Sam and Friends, he asked fellow University of Maryland sophomore, Jane Nebel to assist him. The show was a financial success, but after graduating from college, Henson began to have doubts about going to a career

performing with puppets. He spent several months in Europe where he was inspired by European puppet performers, who looked on their work as an art form. Ah, so before that he had not enough pride in it. I guess so, yeah. Oh, that's actually quite nice. I was sort of expecting their jokes to be there,

but that's a really lovely point you just made. But puppetry is not an art form. Let's be honest. It's one step above river dance at best. Wow. No, it's amazing. I love it. I think they're awesome.

It's very clever. The Thunderbirds, love it. Oh, yeah. When he returned to the United States, he and Jane began dating. They were married in 1959 and they had five children. Lisa, Cheryl, Brian, John and Heather. Those people do not sound like a creative couple, do they?

No. List them again. I like Brian, but the rest of those names. Well, they're Jim and Jane. and they have Lisa, Cheryl, Brian, John and Heather. So sorry, Cheryl, I'm so sorry. They're fine names, but I think when you mix them all together, they've just gone rock solid, rock solid, rock solid,

Cheryl, rock solid, rock solid. You guys like Cheryl? No. Oh no. But it's not rock solid. Okay. The other ones are like John. You could build a church on John.

And they tried. If the Bible is to be believed. Peter, it was Peter. Fuck. Bad. Bible reference. Throw it over my head, no, 13 years of Catholic education.

Little known fact is they built a John on Cheryl. Amazing. Fascinating. Now, despite the success of Sam and Friends, Henson spent much of the next two decades working in commercials, talk shows, and children's projects. The popularity of his work on Sam and Friends in the late 1950s led to a series of guest appearances

on network talk and variety shows. Henson himself appeared as a guest on many shows, including the Steve Allen show, the Jack Parr program and the Ed Sullivan show. Although apparently Ed Sullivan misintroduced Henson as Jim Newsom and his puppets. Good. Newsom. The Marionette's not puppets, you fucking idiot. I think some of those shows you mentioned are like full classic, early, late-night American talk shows, right?

Yeah. Jim Parr, I've heard that name. Was he the guy before Johnny Carson, maybe? I was watching an interview with Johnny Carson and Jim Henson, and it's like it's hard to watch. Because it's so good. Yeah. What are they saying?

No, it's just kind of like an awkward, stilted interview style, which is probably maybe just indicative of the time. I don't know. But he has Kermit with him and it's very, Kermit's like, Kermit stills the show. It's so funny. Everyone loves him. He's wearing a little plaid suit, adorable.

I love suits. So good. On Kermit. I love suits. Oh, I love them. This first national television broadcasts greatly increased exposure, which led to hundreds of commercial appearances by Henson characters throughout the 60s. Among the most popular of Henson's commercials was a series for the local Wilkins Coffee Company in Washington, D.C.,

in which his Muppets were able to get away with a greater level of slapstick violence that might have been acceptable with human actors and would later find its way into many acts with the Muppet show. So in the first Wilkins' ad, a Muppet named Wilkins, is poised behind a cannon another Muppet named Wontkins, get it, Wilkins Wontkins, I was originally reading it as Wontkins and I was like, no, that's

probably Wontkins, that would make more sense. So Wontkins is in front of the cannon and Wilkins asks, what do you think of Wilkins coffee? And Wontkins responds, Never tasted it. Wilkins fires the cannon and blows Wonkins away, then turns the

cannon directly towards the viewer and ends the ad with, now what do you think of Wilkins. That's fantastic. It's quite threatening, too, which is fun. And just for full disclosure, I really enjoy Wilkins coffee. If anyone's pointing a can out at me. You love coffee, don't you?

I drink it every day. Six times a day. Six cups. You have six cups of coffee a day? Six mugs. Six mugs a coffee a day. Yep. Do you?

Latte. Expresso. Expreso. Fuck. Cappuccino. What's the difference between a cappuccino and a latte? Several things. Couldn't have.

name one. Cabuccino and a latte. It's just foam. It's the difference. I'm going to lock in foam. Oh. He's an expert. All right, guys, I don't drink coffee at all.

It tastes bad. Why are you putting in your mouth every day? Stop it. Stop everyone. It's a chemical. He's bloody slaves to the bean. I've said it before and I'll say it again. And we've never argued with you.

We are slaves to the bean. Aren't we Maddie? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Love the bean. Love the bean. I hate the bean. More of a Wonkins man.

You're more of a won'tkins. I've always said that about you. We're Wilkins types. You know, you're a wonkens. So in relation to this ad, Henson later explained, till then, advertising agencies believed that the hard sell was the only way to get the message over on television. We took a very different approach. We tried to sell things by making people laugh.

The hard sell. Threatening people with a cannon, not a hard sell. No, we just go for comedy. The commercial only went for seven seconds. Wow, a lot happens in seven seconds. It was an immediate hit, and it was syndicated and reshop by Henson for local coffee companies across the United States. He ultimately produced more than 300 coffee ads. So just to make ends meet, he's doing a lot of commercials and stuff as well.

Is it always Wilkins and Wonkins? No, I don't think it always is, but the Muppets are being used for... It's Ness Cafe and Not Ness Cafe? Nop's Cafe and Nopes Cafe. No, what do you think of Nob's guessway? In 1963, Henson and his wife moved to New York City, where the newly formed Muppets Inc would reside for some time. Jane quit performing to raise their children

because she was actually performing with the Muppets with him. Hensen hired writer Jerry Jule, J.U.H.L. How would you say that? Jull. Probably H. J.U.H.L. Yeah. I'm picking on the way you say H again, sorry How did I say it?

H. Fuck. H. That's fine. It doesn't matter. But who says H? I do, Dave does. Okay, that's two out of three.

Fair enough. J-U-H-L. Ooh, J-U-L. Great. J-L. My mom says white, and it annoys me so much. Does she? White out.

White. Does she say that with every quip, like a whip-her? No, but just white. White. Wholly? Where is my white dressing quown? Wilkins.

Sorry about that. Hwantkins. Wilkins, Wernkins. It's not all W's. Dave Huanicky. White. White. White.

So she puts the H before and after the W. White. White. Is it? White. Yeah, I don't know. Anyway. Quite annoying when people say,

Malcolm Turblower, the Australian Prime Minister says this. Police, instead of police. Police. Police. No. Please. He also says medicine and not medicine.

Oh, my God. What is he a toddler? No, he's a toff. That's what he is. Yeah, so Henson had hired writer Jerry Jewell in 1961 and puppet performer Frank Oz in 1963 to replace Jane while she was raising the kids. Henson later credited both with developing much of the humor and characters of his Muppets. So Jerry Jule, I don't know Frank Oz, but Jerry Jule. Jerry Jule was like more of a writer.

Cool. Jewel. Henson and Oz developed a really close friendship and a performing partnership that lasted 27 years. Their teamwork is particularly evident in their portrayals of the characters of Burton and Ernie, Kermit and Miss Piggy, and Kermit and Foszie Bear. Why, they both do both?

That's so cool. Isn't that cool? Henson does a lot of the characters himself, voicing and stuff like that. What a guy. But yeah, just their teamwork is nice. You know, do you think we'll last 20, years? Surely podcasts won't be cool in 27 years.

Nah, puppets will be though. Yeah, good point. You can always rely on puppets. Puppets are timeless. That's what I say. Henson's 1960s talk show appearances culminated when he devised Rolf, who was a piano playing anthropomorphic dog. Rolf became the first Muppet to make a regular appearance on a network show, the Jimmy Dean show. Henson was so grateful for this break that he offered Jimmy Dean a 40% interest in his production company, but Dean declined stating that Henson deserved all the rewards for his own work. Wow, that's amazing. And we're not talking about James Dean, though.

Jimmy Dean. Different. Different Dean. I'm pretty sure James Dean never had his own chat show. I didn't think so either. I think he's dead by this point too. Making it very difficult, but not impossible. Not impossible.

In America to host a chat show. You can be whatever you want to be if you believe. From 1963 to 1966, Henson began exploring filmmaking and produced a series of experimental films. His nine-minute experimental film Timepiece was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1966. Incredible.

He's a busy guy. Yeah, real busy guy. In 1969, television producer Joan Gans Cooney and her staff of the Children's Television Workshop, impressed by the quality and creativity of the Henson-led team, asked Henson and his staff to work full-time on a little show you may have heard of. The Jimmy Dean show?

The Jimmy Dean show. I wonder if, um, could you tell me how to get, how to get to, uh, Sesame Street? Play School. Fuck, you know. Sesame Street was seen as a visionary children's program for public television. It was, it was going to be huge. It's going to be huge.

It was going to be huge. But something bad happened. And I'll tell you all about it right now. At first, at first Henson's Muppets appeared separately from the realistic segments on Sesame Street. But after a poor test screening in Philadelphia, the show was revamped to integrate the two, placing much great emphasis on Henson's work. So previously it would just be like small little sketches that their Muppets did. And then they would just have like other segments.

And then they put them together to make it work more fluidly. You know what I mean? Like it's just to make it all just flow. I get it. Yeah. You get it, Matt? Oh, yeah. He gets it.

He gets it. Though Henson would often downplay his role in Sesame Street's success, Cooney frequently praised Jim's work, and in 1990, the public broadcasting service called him The Spark that ignited our fledgling broadcast service, which is very nice. The success of Sesame Street also allowed Henson to stop producing commercials. Ah, no more coffee commercials.

And he later remembered that it was a pleasure to get out of that world. wasn't a fan Sounds more like a wanton kind of guy Yeah, won'tkins Wontkins In addition to creating and performing Muppets characters Henson was involved in producing various shows and animation insets

during the first two seasons of Sesame Street So during the first season Henson produced a series of counting films for the numbers 1 through 10 which always ended with a baker voiced by Henson falling down the stairs while carrying the featured number of desserts

I love that. Concurrently with the first years of Sesame Street, Henson directed Tales of Muppetland, a short series of TV movie specials. They were comic retellings of classic fairy tales aimed at a young audience and hosted by Kermit the Frog. The series included,

Hey, Cinderella, The Frog Prince, and the Muppet musicians of Bremen. It always ended with a baker falling down the stairs. I think that's so cute. Cinderella. Hey, Cinderella. I'm walking here.

I assume is how that would go. Am I wrong? It sounds about right, yeah. It sounds exactly right. Concern that the company was becoming typecast solely as a purveyor of children's entertainment, Henson, Oz and their team targeted an adult audience with a series of sketches on the first season of the groundbreaking comedy series Saturday Night Live. Cool.

Henson recalled that I saw what Lorne Michaels was going for and I really liked it and wanted to be a part of it. But somehow what we were trying to do and what his writers could write for, it never really gelled. The SNL writers never got comfortable writing for the characters and frequently disparaged Henson's creations. One writer Michael O'Donoghue said, I won't write for felt.

What a fuckhead. That's where he draws the line. I won't. I won't do it. I won't. Real uppity. What a fuck head. Huh?

Nah. What's his name? Michael O'Donoghue. I'm putting him in my book. Yeah, he won't work in this town, Melbourne. Never again. We'll get the word out. Unless he really wants to.

Unless he starts writing for felt. Yeah. These are our demands. Around the time of Henson's character's final appearance on SNL, he began developing two projects featuring the Muppets, a Broadway show and a weekly television series. It's ambitious. Yeah, at the same time.

In 1976, the series was initially rejected by the American networks who believed that Muppets would appeal only to children. So then Hanson pitched the show to the British impresario, impresario. Ooh, that sounds good. Impresario. Impressario. Ooh, the impresario. He pitched it to the British impresario, Lou Grade, to finance the show.

The show would be shot in the UK and syndicated worldwide. That same year he scrapped plans for his Broadway show and moved his creative team to England where The Muppet Show began taping. The Muppet Show featured Kermit as the host and a variety of other memorable characters, notably Miss Piggy, Gonso the Great and Fossey Bear, along with other characters such as Animal.

Do you remember Animal? Yeah. The drummer? Kermit's role in the Muppet show was often compared by his co-workers to Henson's role in the Muppet's production, a shy, gentle boss with a whim of steel who ran things as firmly as it is possible to run an explosion in a mattress factory.

Carol Spinney, the puppet performer of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, remembered that Henson would never say he didn't like something. He would just go, hmm, that was famous. And if he liked it, he would say, lovely. Wow. Sorry, it was a subtle feedback. It's a real burn if you went, you went, people started crying. It was his, it was his equivalent of,

you are the weakest link. Goodbye. If you got two hums in a week, you know you're going to be fired. You're fired, Donald Trump. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.

Hmm. So yeah, he was. Hinton himself even recognized Kermit as an alter ego, though he thought that Kermit was bolder than he was. He once said of Kermit, he can say things I hold back. I love that. I think that's really cute.

Wow, he can go from a, hmm, to a... Mm. Is that, that's your camera impression? Oh, yeah. A little pig. Pig? Are you doing Farmer Hogget?

Doesn't he call Miss Piggy Piggy Pig? Who calls her piggy? I don't think so. What's her name? Well, you haven't been there for the pillow talk like I have. Ew. Why are you watching the Muppets have Pillow Talk? That's their time.

Hey, it's all of our time. It's not day. Oh, sorry. Gross. Lovely. Matt does a hmm. Do your, do the noise you make when you're going along with one of my dumb jokes. Hmm.

Hmm. Is that it? No. I don't know. You'd have to do a dumb joke. Turns out from now, can't force them. Turns out that it was actually Matt going.

No good. Yeah, no good. It was his, oh dear. He's never said lovely though, so that's not good. Okay. So, in 1979, three years after the start of The Muppet show, the Muppets appeared in their first theatrical feature film, The Muppet Movie. The movie was both a critical and financial success.

It made $65 million US dollars domestically and was at the time the 61st highest grossing film ever made. Wow, top 61. Top 61. That's where you want to be. Yeah. That's where you want to be. Ever.

61. Ever, at the time. Ever. Top 61. Top 61. That's my dream. I really hope the guy that said he wouldn't write for Felt went along and saw how successful. What a fuck.

Fuck. She should have written for Felt. I mean, his show was pretty successful too, right? Still running. But still. Fuck. Still. I'm looking this guy.

What's his name? Michael O'Donohue. Michael O'Donohue. It's a good name, though. Never working in this town again. We can remember him. I know a guy called Michael O'Donohue. Is he working in this town?

Yeah. Oh, fuck. As a trivia host. He fucked it. You fucked it? Yeah, well, I mean, that's all right. I think he's just working as a trivia host. Happy for that?

Okay. Let's slide, Michael. What I mean just? Wow, Matt. Look, I'd look down upon trivia hosts. Okay. It's interesting, because you are one. Yeah.

Self, self-loathing trivia host. I hate myself. No, fair enough. Hmm. Hmm. Now, a song from the film, you may know it, The Rainbow Connection, sung by Kermann. Oh, I don't think I know it.

The Rainbow Connection. For lovers and dreamers and me I'm really not the camera at the frog fan I thought I was I had to learn it on piano so I do I do remember it but anyway I could only remember it from the title That's not where it starts

How does it start? Why are there so many Songs about rainbows What's on the other side? I'm not really nailing the melody there. I've sort of forgotten it. Rainbows are visions, but only illusions. Rainbows have nothing to hide.

So when it's them to believe them, wait and see, someday we'll find them the rainbow connection for lovers and dreamers and me. Please cut all that out. Bravo. So that song that you just heard beautifully performed

was sung by Henson as Kermit, and it hit number 25 on the Billboard's Hot 100. Top 25! Was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Okay, that's genuinely impressive. That's quite impressive. It's top 25 more impressive for you than top 25 of all time? It's a bang and tune.

Billbot Hot 100. Bang and tune. In 1981, Henson directed the sequel, The Great Muppet Caper, followed, and Henson decided to end the still popular Muppet show and concentrate on making films. Oh, he ended it himself. He's like, we're not doing TV anymore, we're movie stars now, baby. From time to time, the Muppet characters continue to appear

and made for TV movies and television specials. In addition to his own... puppetry projects, Henson aided others in their work. This is pretty interesting. I didn't know this at all. In 1979, he was asked by the producers of the Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, to aid makeup artist Stuart Freeborn

in the creation and articulation of Jedi Master Yoda. He helped make Yoda. He does have a little bit of a muppity value about him. Well, there you go. Yoda is cool. And also Frank Oz. Right. Voices Yoda. Well, I was about to say,

Henson suggested to George Lucas, who was a Muppets fan, that he used Frank Oz as the puppeteer and voice of Yoda. So yeah, you're right. I didn't know that. Oz voiced Yoda in the Empire Strikes Back and each of the four subsequent Star Wars films. So he was the voice of Yoda always. Yoder is cool. Yoder is so cool. So there was no Yoda in the first Star Wars.

That's bad that I don't know that, I'm guessing. No. We've really got to get someone into a Star Wars episode. He's got to go to the Dagabar System to meet up. with Yoda. Right, and that's episode two. Sorry, five, four, five.

Numbers are hard. It's very confusing. The naturalistic life-like Yoda became one of the most popular characters of the Star Wars franchise, and Lucas even lobbied unsuccessfully to have Oz nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Oh, isn't that cool? Please. Come on, go on, go on. Come on, he did a good job. He did good. In 1982, Henson founded the Jim Henson Foundation to promote and develop the art of puppetry in the United States. You got to get the message out there. You know, it's kind of like Houdini with the magic.

Is that who Dini was doing that? Yeah, yeah. It was the same thing. Magic society or whatever. Magic societies and Hempeteries. Puppetry Society. Henson's just getting the good word out there about Puffet. I put them in the same sort of bracket.

Puppetry, magic, river dance. The thing with both of them, and maybe river dance, They're all really cool, is what I was getting, man. Super cool. Is when they're done really well, it's genuinely very impressive. It's when it's like shit magicians or crap puppets. You're like, fuck off, these guys are white. Do you know what I mean?

Yeah. Yeah, that's the same with maybe everything. No, disagree. Disagree wholeheartedly. I think even the worst comedians are still true artists. So the worst comedians are better than the best puppet. Is that what you're saying? That's what I'm saying.

Definitely not. As I continue this report about this incredibly impressive puppeteer. Around this time, he began creating darker and more realistic fantasy films that did not feature the Muppets and displayed a growing, brooding interest in mortality. 1982's The Dark Crystal was a financial and critical success, and a year later, The Muppets Starring The Muppets Take Manhattan, which was directed by Frank Oz did fair box-off business

grossing 25 million domestically Fair box-off business I like how you phrased that Fair boxer Thank you And it got 25 million What's that 471 all time At the time?

It ranked as one of the top 40 films of 1984 Top 40 Of that year 1984 However However, 1986's labyrinth, do you ever watch the labyrinth? Oh yeah, David Bowie. Dance, magic dance.

No. It was similar to his dark crystal film. I was a fantasy, and he directed it by himself. It was considered, in part due to its costs, a commercial disappointment. Right, but it's like a cult classic. It is now, but it didn't do very well originally. Really? People didn't like Bowie's codpiece.

Despite some positive. reviews, the New York Times called it a fabulous film. The conventional failure of the labyrinth demoralized hence and to the point that his son Brian remembered the time of its release as being the closest I've seen him to turning in on himself and getting quite depressed. Oh, that's so sad because it's such a famous... Well, that's it, yeah, as you mentioned,

it later became a cult classic. Oh, hopefully in his life's home. No, I remember watching... Well, I mean, quite possibly, but I remember watching it in primary school. Yeah, I saw it in primary school. And that was late 90s. and it came out in 86. So I don't think it would have been in his lifetime

that it sort of reached its popularity. Oh, bloody Van Gogh all over again, except that he had a lot of other successes. Yeah. Now, Henson and his wife separated the same year, although they remained really close for the rest of his life. Jane later said that Jim was so involved with his work that he had very little time to spend with her or their children.

All five of his children began working with Muppets at an early age, partly because, as Cheryl Henson remembered, one of the best ways of being around him was to work with him. Oh, Cheryl. Bloody hell. I couldn't talk to your dad unless you're holding a puppet. Hi, Dad. I've got to be at school.

Pretty good. Can I have 20 bucks to go to the movies? Oh, of course you can. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Like the cookie monster. Brian's like, Dad, I'm 35. Look me in the eye. Fucking look me in the eye.

I don't know what you're talking about. Dad, meet your grandchild. Just shake his hand. Dad. Shake his hand. You shook his Muppet hand. Just shake his real hand. Dad.

Dad. I don't know what you're talking about. Dad. Though he was still engaged in creating children's television, such as a successful 80s show's Fragel Rock and the animated Muppet Babies, Henson continued to explore darker, mature themes, with the folk tale and mythology-oriented show,

The Storyteller, which won an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program. The next year, Henson returned to television with the Jim Henson Hour, which mixed lighthearted Muppet Fair with the riskier material. A bit risky. What happened, there was a sort of, like, normal Muppet, and they're like, now, tonight's porn film. Big Bird, got her big birds out. Showed her chicken fillets.

I don't know. Big Bird's a man. He showed his chicken fillets. An eight-foot tall man. The show was critically received and won hence and another Emmy for outstanding directing in a variety or music program. Okay, what does critically received mean? They acknowledged that it existed. Well-received.

We have sent the critics the tapes. They told us they got them no opinions yet. It was well-received, smart ass. So it did win him in Emmy, but it was cancelled after 13 episodes due to low ratings. Oh, that sucks. I don't really understand how that works. He blamed NBC for constantly rescheduling the show. That's always a risk, isn't it?

It's a bad sign when they're shuffling it around. Bloody, the kiss of death, that is. No, I'm with Jim on this one. Fucking NBC, you pieces of trash. Matt's just taking down the big dogs. We've got Michael O'Donnelly, NBC. The list goes on. You can't help it.

In late 1988, Henson ended into negotiations to sell his company to the Walt Disney Company for almost 150 million, hoping that with Disney handling business matters, he would be able to spend a lot more time on the creative side of things. 14 years later, after the initial negotiations began, Disney purchased them up at intellectual properties from the Jim Henson Company for 75 million in 2004. Is that all they paid for? It feels like it would be worth more than that. I think they must have I'm not 100% sure on how it worked

I think they sort of bought the Muppets and then later also bought all the intellectual probably like after Jim Henson had died I see I'm not really sure exactly how it's a little bit confusing there

but it basically meant that the acquisition consisted of the rights and trademarks to the Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House characters as well as to the Muppet's film Muppet Films and Television Library But exceptions included the Sesame Street characters Because they were previously sold to the Sesame Workshop The Fregal Rock characters

Which were retained by Henson And the distribution rights to the Muppets take Manhattan Muppets from Space and Kermit's Swamp Years Which remained with Sony Pictures Entertainment Tell you what Like it must be nice being very successful But it gets complicated, doesn't it? Yeah

I wonder, it's interesting how Sesame Street bought the Sesame Street characters, the workshop, whatever. But what does that mean for characters like Kermit? There's a few that crossed between the two, or is Kermit the only one? But yeah, I wonder what that means for him. They have rights to Kermit,

but then so does Sony for those movies and so does Disney or whoever. Plus, yeah, that'd be confusing. It's so confusing. It's like the Marvel thing all over again. Yeah, oh, it's a mess. as part of the acquisition Disney formed the Muppets holding company which was later renamed the Muppet Studio

which was a wholly owned subsidiary responsible for managing the characters and franchise so as a result the term Muppet became a legal trademark owned by Disney although Sesame Workshop continues to apply the term to their characters under the exclusive license from Disney it's very complicated it's a mess I don't really, I don't get it.

Okay, so, on the 12th of May in 1990, which is a good year, Henson traveled... Such a casual add-in that one. Henson, he traveled to North Carolina with his daughter, Cheryl, your favorite of his children. Love you, Cheryl. To visit his father and stepmother. And they both returned to New York on the 13th of May, so that's just a quick trip, up and back. And Henson canceled a Muppet recording session scheduled for the 14th. chance of the next day. That night

Henson's wife Jane, I mean they were separated but they were still mates. She came to visit him. That night Henson suffered a medical emergency. He was having trouble breathing and he began coughing up blood. He suggested to his wife that he might be dying but did not want to take time

from his schedule to visit a hospital. Oh no, it is Houdini. It is Houdini. But two hours later, he finally agreed to be taken by taxi to New York Hospital and he arrived there about 5 o'clock in the morning. He stopped breathing and an x-ray revealed he had abscesses on his lungs.

I think I'm dying, but I don't want to... Hey. That doesn't... The logic there doesn't quite connect. I'm the same. I reckon I'd be in a similar situation. I don't want to go to the hospital and them tell me that I shouldn't have bothered them. I know that sounds crazy, but I feel that way like, like, do...

Like, is this... Because I'm not a medical person and I'm a bit of a hypercontract. Like, is this serious enough for me to call an ambulance? I don't know where the line is. I think they would rather you be sure. I think that's probably preferable. But that's exactly what some people. Because some people said, because he was, like, raised as a Christian scientist,

some people were like, that's why he didn't want to go to hospital. But other people were, like, he gave that up in his 20s. Oh, right, right. Jane was like, he just wouldn't have wanted to bother anyone. Shit. That's fine. Uh-oh. He's got abscesses on his lungs.

He was placed on a ventilator, but his condition deteriorated rapidly despite aggressive treatment with multiple antibiotics. Following 20 hours in intensive care in New York Hospital, he died on the 16th of May at 121 a.m. And he was only 53 years old. No, what is an abscess on the lungs? Another one to add to the list. Things to panic about at night.

News of Henson's death spread quickly, and fans from around the world responded with tributes and condolences. So it's really quick then. Obviously, he didn't think he was sick, like, the day before, and then you... Yeah, within two days, basically, of feeling unwell. He had passed away. I reckon he'd be gone to hospital earlier, he would have pulled through? Who knows? You haven't been feeling unwell at all, have you lately days?

Oh, so I put this on me. I've had a cough for about two weeks and I've been thinking about calling the ambulance for about two weeks. I reckon call a doctor for sure. Put your mind at ease. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe just walk yourself down there.

Yeah, thanks. I might do it. But I don't want to bother that. I'm surprised. I thought he was older. I guess when I was, I was a kid when he died, he would have said 53 probably was old then. We weren't born yet.

Yeah, exactly. You guys were quite young. I said I was a kid. I meant I was... No, we weren't born yet. We were quite young. You were quite young. I mean, you're in your mama's bellies.

Yeah, we're right up in there. Life starts at conception. You know what? You know where I stand on this? We do. Not, no. We do not understand. So on the 21st of May, Henson's public memorial service was conducted in New York City

at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Another was conducted on July 2nd, St Paul's Cathedral in London. In accordance with Henson's letters, no one in attendance wore black, and the dirty dozen brass band finished the service by performing when the Saints go marching in.

Harry Belafonte. You know whose song that is? I do know who song that is. The St. Good of Saints. I think the Saints came up with it. I think it's our original. How's it go? Freestyle.

Dave, how do we stop? Dave, how do we stop this? Oh my God, okay. Wow, we got the full encore version. One more time, Saints fans. That's what they'd say after the game. That is what they'd say. And they'd play it again.

If we ever won, we've lost many in a row now. At time of recording. I think hopefully by the time of this being played, we've won a couple in a row. Hopefully the finals will have started and you'll be out of your misery. Yeah. So Harry Valafonte sang, Turn the World Around,

which was a song that he had debuted on the Muppet show, as each member of the congregation waved with puppet performers rod. So everybody had a performers rod and they all had... They were having a good time. Brightly coloured. I have to be very excited to get my

performers rod. Talking about somebody's memorial service, you fucking monster. Cookie monster. And it's nice because they all had different individual brightly coloured foam butterflies on their performers rods.

Yeah, yeah. You've got to be real excited for the butterflies coming out. But yeah, yeah. You got a butterfly. fly on your rod. Oh my goodness. That means I'm having a great time.

That's awesome. That's really nice. That's very sweet. Later, Big Bird, performed by Carol's Spinney, walked out on stage and sang Kermit the Frog's signature song, B and Green, which is weird that Big Bird sang it, but it's still sweet. Wow. You know that one, Dave?

Hey, Pick. Is that that one? No. No, Farmer Hoggett. That's not a thing at all. That's the one about it. being easy. Yeah, I know that.

I do know that one. Is you being green? You yellow, you're being feathered, fucking. Big Bird was heard to be heckled. That does being green. I know it, but I can't think of the tune now. Cool, that I should have a big listening party after this. In the final minutes of the two and a half hour service,

six of the core Muppet performers, Dave Goals, Frank Oz, Kevin Clash, Steve Whitmer, Jerry Nelson, and Richard Hunt sang in their character's voices a medley of Jim Henson's favourite songs eventually ending with a performance of just one person it all began with Richard Hunt singing alone as Scooter

Henson employee Chris Barry writes that during each verse each Muppeteer joined in with their own Muppet until the stage was filled with all the Muppets performing and their beloved characters That's kind of nice I would have been crying I reckon Yeah well that's the thing Is this televised?

No The funeral was later described by life magazine as an epic and almost unbearably moving event. Wow, what would have been so uplifting and so sad at the same time? Yeah, yeah, exactly. And the image of a growing number of performers seeing just one person was recreated for the 1990 television special The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, and it also inspired screenwriter Richard Curtis, who attended the London service, to write the growing orchestra

wedding scene for his 2003 film Love Actually. Do you remember that scene in Love Actually where somebody starts singing and then It's like a whole band, sort of people stand up with different instruments. And then it's like, oh, there's a whole orchestra here. Really spitting on Jim Henson's grave, Curtis. Don't, don't you? Are you a love actually fan? I'm a Richard Curtis fan.

Big time. Big time. He'll never work in this town again. Oh my God. Now you're turning on Richard Curtis? Richard Curtis is blacklisted. He's in the book. Unless he writes for felt.

That's my wonder man. The Jim Henson Company and the Jim Henson Foundation continued after his death, producing new series and specials. Jim Henson's Creature Shop, which was founded by Henson, also continues to build creatures for a large number of other films and series. For example, the sci-fi production of Farscape and the film adaptation of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. And it's considered one of the most advanced and well-respected

creators of film creatures, which is pretty cool. His son Brian and daughter Lisa are currently the co-chairs and co-CEOs of the company. Where's Cheryl? His daughter Cheryl is the president of the foundation. All right. All right, Cheryl. We still love you. Fuck, you were quick to jump there.

Henson is honoured as both as himself and as Kermit the Frog on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That's cool. Only three other people have received this honour. So Walt Disney. Being recognised as Kermit the Frog. Three other people. Disney and the Bugs Bunny guy. Yeah, and who else?

Mel Blank. Mel Blank. Mel Blank is for both himself and Bugs Bunny, and yes, you're right, Disney for himself and Mickey. And who else might be for themselves and their character? It's one that I... I was kind of like, okay, really? Who played Alf?

No. Bart Simpson? No. More recent. Our time. Oh, our time. Bart Simpson's not our time, according to Jess there. You mean even more recently than Bart Simpson?

Even more recently than Bart Simpson? Family. guy, go? Oh my God, no, it's not... It's Mike Myers with Shrek. Oh, okay. Oh, I love Mike Myers. Me too, but I just think...

He makes me horny, baby. But do we put him on the same level as Walt Disney? Yes. Okay, fair enough. Art is art. Mike Myers. He's giving me a felt rod right now. He would write for felt, and you know he would.

Oh, he definitely would. In 2011, the Muppers were featured in a seventh film intended to serve as creative reboot for the characters. Disney had been furthering development on a Muppet film since 2008 when it considered adapting an unused screenplay written by Jerry Jewel. Directed by James Bobbin, written by Jason Seagel

and Nicholas Stoller. It starred Jason Seagel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Rashida Jones, and the film was met with widespread critical acclaim. I saw that at the cinema. Yeah, me too. I don't usually like musicals, but I enjoyed that. I loved it. It got an Academy Award win

for Best Original Song, like I mentioned at the start, for Man or Muppet, written by Brett McKenzie from Flight of the Concord. It was a great film. And after the successful performance of The Muppets, Disney Greenlit the sequel in March 2012. And that was Muppets Most Wanted, which was released in 2014, had Ricky DeVease, Tina Faye and Ty Burrell in supporting roles.

I haven't seen that one yet, though. I didn't see that one either. I watched it on a flight, but I fell asleep during it. The cool thing about was Jason Segal writing it and starring it was that story that he sort of wrote about himself and forgetting Sarah Marshall. Yeah. Remember how he plays the guy that wants to write sort of Muppet-style things?

And then he wrote the Muppet movie. What a dream. Yeah, it's very cool. Yeah. Very cool. Very cool. Very cool. You know, one of the guys you mentioned, Steve Whitmore, he was one who took over the Kerman's voice.

And he recently got sacked and it's broken his heart. But I read Brian Henson. Henson. Son of Jim. I was going to say. Brian Henderson, who was a news reader in the, like, 90s or something. Anyway, yeah, apparently he was like, yeah, it was about time. He was a real, I think he was kind of calling him a bit of an asshole.

But, you know, there's two sides of every story, but. Cool. Disney gave him the ass. I don't think it was under Brian's control, but... Gave him the ass. Gave him the ass. The big felled ass. So that basically brings me to the end, but I will just recap with, in all,

the Muppets have created eight films. received four Academy Award nominations and one win, featured in 10 different television series, two TV films, 27 TV specials, and they've had a box office gross of over 450 million. And that's just the Muppets. Like Jim Henson obviously did other things as well, but just the Muppets alone have achieved all of that.

That's sick. Pretty sick. That is amazing. I guess it's the lesson here. You should try and make the most of your time and work really hard because it could go at any time, or don't work too hard because you'll wear yourself out. And it could go at any time.

Yeah. I worry about that. I think about that. Like, would he have lived longer if he hadn't worked so hard? Or would that have happened anyway? So it was great that he made the most of his dead. And if he didn't work so hard, would he have been as happy? Was he happy?

You know, there's a lot of questions there. It's like a Jerry Springer final thought, isn't it? Hey, look after yourselves and each other. No, what a... Wow, that's an amazing guy. Yeah, cool dude. Great beard. I like him.

Yeah, I like him too. And it was one of those situations I was reading about him. I was like, wow, he's really impressive. I hope he doesn't turn out to do something creepy later in life. The only saddish part was when his wife said that his work meant that he didn't have any time for his kids. Oh, fuck. That was a bit brutal. But I think we can all describe him as lovely.

Hmm. Hmm. Shut me down there. But as always, we need to obviously thank some people. We need to thank everyone that's listened to this episode. Thank you so much. If you are new to the show, we do appreciate that. We don't often chat out to the new people,

but go back and check out all our episodes. We do, I imagine that people find different topics when they're searching for them. So have you found the Muppets? Thank you so much. We'd like to thank people that support us on Patreon, which is the way that some of the listeners can give back to the show and keep the well-oiled machine running.

We need felt for our puppets. Yeah. That's what we need. Are we the puppets? I think so. Cool. I think we are. Can I thank someone?

We'd love to thank some people from Patreon that support us over at patreon.com slash do you go on pod. Who we got Matt? I got a, maybe my favorite guy from Coventry in England. Oh. Yeah, maybe. Jerome Williams. It's a real rock solid man.

Jerome Williams. Yes. Rock solid. I was describing. boring names of Rock's Solid before. I mean this one is you could use this for anything. Name a scenario, a person in any scenario.

Author. Jerome Williams. Author Jerome Williams. Please make him welcome to this book recital. Famous scuba diver. Scuba diver. Please make Jerome Williams welcome as he dives into the water at this book recital.

Any scenario. Sing a songwriter. Sing a songwriter. Please make him welcome to the stage. Jerome Williams as he dives into the water below at this book recital. woodwork for any name whatsoever. Jerome Williams. So good.

So good. I'm going to name a character. Next time I'm going to write something, there's going to be a Jerome Williams in it. Oh, wow. What an honour to you, Jerome. Shut the fuck. Oh, my God.

I can't, I could never just be nice to you. You never believe me. I'd also love to thank a Perth man. I'm assuming Perth, Australia, not Perth in Scotland, or another Perth. But anyway. No, it is Perth W.A. Perth W.W.A.

Chimath. Sorry. Chimath Wajaratny. What a fucking legend. I like to call him Chami Boy, because that's his email address. But sick name again. I got a couple of banging names. Chimath Wurjatny.

Sorry, I'm going to say that one more time. Chimath Wajatny. I feel like you may have mispronounced Chimath's name so badly that even he hasn't recognized that you're talking about him. He's laughing at home going. Hey to be that guy. Have his name him mispronounced after pledging to the show and supporting him. Oh, hang on. No, I'm not on this.

Chamath with Geratny. That's it. No doubt about it in my mind. Thanks, Chimath. No doubt, no doubt. I would like to thank some people, may I? Please. Thank you so much.

I would like to thank big supporter of the show all the way from Canada. Some of the nicest people in the world, including Dean Brett. Never trust a man with two first names except Dean. I reckon I can trust Dean. What about Matt Stewart? No, I've only just realised. Oh, I've never thought of you having two first names either. I'm sure it's traditionally a surname.

The way you've spelled it, yes. Yeah. Anyway, Dean, Brett, I think we can trust. I think that rule, he'll be the exception to that rule. Thanks, Dean. We'd love to come to Canada one day, so hopefully you'll be our number one ticket holder. And maybe you could even let us sleep in your guest room. Oh, I wonder if he's got a moose house.

That's not too much, a moose house? Yeah, we could stay, you know, in California, like, on the O.C, they have a pool house. I assume I've in Canada They'll have a moose house That's a great assumption So I'll just have a little house next to their moose Is the fridge filled with chocolate moose? Yes

Sick My word it is By law Oh my word it is And I would also like to think A little closer to home In fact very close to where I grew up In Clayton, Victoria

Vivian Richards Viv Richards The Vivian Richards The famous The Master Blaster. West Indian cricket player. Now lives in Clayton. Really?

One of the greatest batsmen of all time is subscribing to our podcast. That's cool. Viv! I went to uni in Clayton. I didn't know the great man was nearby. I feel that this may not be, it may be a different Vivian Richards and has learnt to cop this their whole life. Oh, sorry.

And now here we are. So thank you, Vivian Richards. Vivian Richards' unisex name, Vivian. I wouldn't, I didn't. Can be. Can be both. I've definitely thought. that was a female name.

Hmm. I wonder. I wonder what we've got here. But, I mean, I've been wrong before. I've only known two Vivians. Viv Richards and Vivian on the young ones. Adrian Emberson's character. Yeah.

What about Vivian Richards in Clayton? I've three, possibly, depending on Viv's gender. Only two male. Male, that's what I'm saying, yeah. So what you're thinking it's a... Anyway, it doesn't matter. We don't see bloody sex here. No, and we're not going to assume.

We very rarely see sex. I wish I could see sex here. I'd love to thank, if I may, a long-term support of the show. Big time and big thanks. All the way, they're living in Cumbria in England, and I would like to thank Scott Clark. Scottie. Scott Clark, we appreciate a lot of support over the time from Scott Clark there.

Thank you. Scott Dogg. Scott Dog. I'm so sorry. I'm just following. telling what he's saying. Scott Doug, we have a weaner. And I would also like to thank from Cumbria to San Bernardino in California.

California. I reckon that this person may have a pool house. Wow. And they may live in Orange County. No shit. I think they may know Seth. From the wrong side of the tracks? Yeah, the other guy.

Ryan, was it Ryan? Ryan's the bad boy. And I feel like this might be a bad boy. The bad boy of San Bernardino. Christian Espinoza. Oh, that is a cool. That's a cool California name, is it? Christian Espinoza.

Great name. Was there a Simpsons character called Espinosa? No, there's someone... There's a character in Castle called Espinosa. I'm sure you're probably thinking of that. A cop. A cop. Yeah, Spinoza, yeah.

My mom and I love that show. I'm thinking of it, yeah, it's a cop called Espinosa. Yeah. It's Castle. Well, Christian, thank you so much for all the support. Mate, you're the king of our castle. And hey, can I just say thanks to you guys? The listeners at home?

Nah, you two specifically. Oh, okay. Sure, what happened? No, just for being you. What's your angle here? No, no angle. What do you want? Nothing.

I don't want anything. Money? I just wanted to, you know, just say thank you. I think you're really great. Are you good friends to me? You're very supportive. I can't take this seriously. What is she?

I just want to say thank you. Is this another bullying tactic? Is she telling me that I'm so cool now? I think so. You are both so cool. Don't drag me into this. Matt is so cool. Come on.

Sorry, Matt. I have to turn on you. Otherwise, everyone will bully me. How come you assume I'm bullying when I'm trying to be nice? Yeah. All right. I accept it and I appreciate your thanks. I do not reciprocate.

Interesting. But I accept it. So thank you. And thanks for everyone over at pageron.com. So do you go on pod who supports the show. It's really cool. Thank me. I'd love to think, Jess, but I just can't.

I just could not bring myself to do it. Fair enough. I'll thank you off here. I'll never go on the record. I'll never go on the record. I'm thanking you. The friendly people at home don't need to hear this. No, no. But if you do log on to Patreon and support us there, you get bonus episodes.

You can get a bonus. There's all these different reward tears and you can get a shout-outs. Oh, man, how sad does that sound? Reward tears. We'll cry into a little jar and send it to you. Hey, if you pace enough, I'll do it. I'll do it. Humped an watermelon, you asshole.

That's because you refuse to film it. You refuse. I do not refuse. I refuse to look, but I will press record and close my room. All right, I'll do it. I will be doing it. Thanks so much, guys, for getting in... Thanks so much for supporting the show, guys, over at Patreon. And if you want to get in contact at any time,

patron or not, the email is always open. Do go on pod at gmail.com. And you can get in contact on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Do Go On Pod. All the links to all our social media and stuff is in the description of the episode. We have such tiny portions of our listeners who follow us on the social media. If you don't, you should do it. We do do. We do extra stuff on there. Yeah, we do.

I mean, you don't have to. Fuck, I hate myself already. Do whatever you like. I'm sorry. Jumping on them. They're fine if I don't want to. I listen to the show. I don't have to.

I'd love it if they did, though. That'd be nice. I see you become one of our favourites is interacting with us Yeah, we get to know your name But anyway, next week I did a vote for the first time I'm out to everyone So if you follow us on social media

You'll see stuff like that when it pops up I did a vote anyone could vote Patreon or not On what topic you're doing On what topic I'm doing It's going to be a Canadian topic next week To celebrate some sort of Canadian milestone Which hopefully I'll figure out what that is by next week

The 150th birthday of their country Yeah All right and yeah Of course, you can get in contact at any time. Suggest the topic. But until next week, we'll say, be good, and I will say goodbye. Later.

Bye. Thanks, Jess. Appreciate you. Oh, no. Is this not still recording? No, this is fuck. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates.

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