You know what's swell? Just positively swell? The swellest thing ever is when a talented artist matches up with the Muppets to create some fantastic illustrations for all of us to enjoy. That's exactly what happened in the case of Dave Hulteen Jr., who has been creating great Muppet images over at Muppet Central and the MuppetCast for the last few years. Lucky for us, he's agreed to show us some of his latest works, and lucky for him, he gets to watch our smiling faces as we bask in their Muppetdom. (For the sake of this argument, I'm assuming Dave has a hidden camera in everyone's computer. Sorry if that gives you the willies.)

So without further ado, I bring you the latest from Dave Hulteen! And remember, click the images to see them bigger than a breadbox!


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Labels: fan art

A few months back, we spotlighted the incredibly talented Jay Fosgitt. At the end of said spotlight, I promised to follow-up with his "Gorch But Not Forgotten" comic strip. Sure, we may be a little late, but our timing couldn't be better.

Jay's first graphic novel, "Dead Duck", is being published by Ape Entertainment, set for release on November 25th. According to Muppet comics cover artist David Peterson, "Jay has a remarkable sense of humor, blending together the sensibilities of the Muppets, the Marx Bros, Monty Python and Benny Hill." Hopefully since you're on this website, you enjoy at least two of those things. Click here to preorder the book from Amazon.com and then brag that you were a fan of Jay Fosgitt before anyone else.

In equally exciting news, Jay recently pitched his "Gorch But Not Forgotten" series to Archaia Comics (the publisher of the upcoming Fraggle Rock, Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth comics), so the comics you're about to read may be just the beginning of this new Gorch saga. Hopefully Archaia will be smart enough not to turn a good thing down, and the success of "Dead Duck" will help get those Gorch comics into our hands.

So without further ado, I bring you Jay Fosgitt's "Gorch But Not Forgotten". (Remember, click for embiggening!)

Click here to shave one of the Sex in the City stars on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Jay Fosgitt

After taking a well-deserved break (which may or may not have had anything to do with a broken computer), we're pleased as punch to welcome back ToughPigs' own Chris Smigliano to the round table! Let's see what Smig's got up his sleeve this time around...

First up, more character profiles!

The big news of last week was the D23 Expo, and it looks like Smig got in the mood with some wacky Disney satire (which is the best kind of Disney satire).

And the big news from the week before was Steve Whitmire's mysterious absence from Kermit's live appearances. Leave it to Smig to cauterize the wounds with more satire!

Lastly, a lesson in puppetry, followed by an illustration Smig made for the San Diego Comic con in 1990, shortly after Jim Henson's death.
A million thanks to Smig for all of his fantastic work!

Click here to bury Bean Bunny on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Smig

Let's take a quick spin in our WABAC Machine, all the way back to the first half of this decade. The early 2000's were plagued with ownership issues for the Muppets, some dim-witted cowboy living in the White House, and the horror that is Good Boy. But the glimmer of hope that we all held on to was the phenomenal action figures produced by Palisades Toys.

Aside from the high-quality toys Palisades churned out, they were universally loved for their willingness to reach out to the fans via their own message board. The Palisades board allowed the fans to pose a multitude of questions to the staff, as well as give their input on future figures and accessories.

One of their recurring outreach projects was an art contest, in which fans would create designs featuring the Palisades action figures. Many of the submissions were absolutely brilliant, but none as impressive as Ivan Guerrero's. Ivan created some of the most elaborate fan art I've ever seen, and he was kind enough to allow us to share his pieces with us, both to give the images a new home, as well as remind us of Palisades' legacy.

Remember, click on the images to large-ify them. You're gonna want to see these in full detail.

This first image is called "A Very Scary Muppet Halloween," and features over 300 Photoshop layers. The picture raises two perplexing questions: Is Lew Zealand inherently evil? and Who killed Rizzo?
The next image is the same as the first, but with its original framing. And no Halloween portrait is complete without Shifty-Eyed Sam.
"The Great Muppet Christmas Caper" sports over 800 Photoshop layers, plus animated fireworks. I had a feeling that Doozers worked in Santa's Workshop (because seriously, who believes in elves??). The detail work in this image is fantastic. For example, the stained-glass window in the lower right corner, or the Christmas specials on the TVs in the upper right.
The last image may be Ivan's best known, as well as his most impressive. "Muppet Monsters Ball" boasts over 1200 Photoshop layers and over 230 monsters, aliens, and otherwise creepy characters. Think you can name them all? If you can (and if you want to bother trying), you're a geekier fan than I.
Of course, I'd be remiss to deny you the legend for the above picture. And now you'll know exactly where to find the Flabberdragon.
Many special thanks to Ivan Guerrero for his fantastic work!

Click here to find out how many Photoshop layers we use on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art

Every so often, we're lucky enough to stumble upon a talented artist with a good deal of Muppet illustrations in her portfolio. And sometimes we're even luckier because she agrees to let us showcase her work here on ToughPigs.

We're pleased to present artist Katie Cook, who has a lot of geeky illustrations on her website including Star Wars, Harry Potter, DC and Marvel superheroes, and more.

First up is a group of trading card-style pictures of all your favorite Muppet Show characters (and Gonzo in that weird jumpsuit the Palisades folks put him in). The second pic is Kermit and Piggy dressed as DC Comics' Green Arrow and Black Canary. Or if you don't know who they are, feel free to pretend they're Robin Hood and a hooker.
Next up is Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem and the Riverbottom Nightmare Band. Can you imagine the two of them at a Battle of the Bands? My eardrums are already vibrating.
Lastly, we've got a quintet of Fraggle Rock illustrations. Now that we know Fraggle comics are on their way, I hope the folks at Archaia Comics are paying attention!
UPDATE: Looks like one more image slipped past my radar. Here's a sketch Katie did with a helmet wrapped in a bow (and, y'know, Gonzo and Camilla or whatever).
Special thanks to Katie Cook for being supertalented and superawesome!

Click here to discuss this article on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art

A few weeks ago, I called upon you to submit your own redesign to the upcoming Letters to Santa DVD, which will sport the mysterious and captivating O-Sleeve. Much to my surprise, a few of you actually sent pictures in! Well done, few-of-you!

Let's take a looksee at what ToughPigs readers think of Letters to Santa and that pesky O-Sleeve.
Special thanks to everyone who submitted a picture! You guys are all aces in my book.

Click here to discuss Stephen King's level of talent on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: Christmas, DVD, fan art, Muppet movies

In honor of our new fancy Twitter icon (Twidder? Twitterbug?), let's check out some more art by ToughPigs' own Smig!

First up, Smig is continuing his character spotlight illustrations with a few familiar faces (and one whose face might not be the first thing you notice).

Labels: fan art, Smig

This is a True Story:

In June 2008, I caught wind of an artist who was doing something unusual on her website: Ali Spagnola was offering to create paintings and ship them to people for exactly free. That's zero dollars free. I poked around and saw it was no hoax (she subsidizes the work with PayPal donations), so I dropped her an e-mail asking for a painting. I asked for something Muppet-related, and Ali could be creative with whatever she'd like to paint for me. About three seconds later, I completely forgot about sending the e-mail.

Eight months later (to the day!) I received an e-mail from Ali saying that my painting was finished and ready to ship. It seemed that 750 people were in line ahead of me, and free paintings are first-come first-served. A few days later, the painting below was delivered by the US Postal Service.
The day after getting the e-mail from Ali (but before receiving the painting in the mail), I got an e-mail from friend-of-ToughPigs, Thomas, who runs the Superman blog Say It Backwards. Thomas thought I'd enjoy hearing that he also received a painting from Ali. He requested a picture of his favorite Muppet, Beautiful Day Monster. Was it coincidence that put both of those e-mails in my inbox within a day of each other? Yeah, probably.
Jealous??? Click here to request a painting from Ali Spagnola (but keep in mind that she has a 400-person waiting list), and don't be stingy by ignoring her PayPal icon!

Special thanks to Ali and Thomas for their hard work!

Click here to discuss Doozers, Monsters, and watercolors on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art

Continuing our saga of rock-inspired Muppet parodies, we now bring you the second half of this year's Muppet Rawk series. If you missed the first part, then give this link a click or two to enjoy the pictorial goodness.

And once again, if you're in the Seattle area, stop by the Ouch My Eye gallery to see these works in person. The Muppet Rawk exhibit will be on display until May 31.

Don't forget, click the pics to see them in Large Vision (tm)!

Using Beaker in this picture really captured the gauntness of Jim Morrison. It also raises the question: Was Beaker born without nipples, or were they burnt off in a horrible Muppet Labs experiment?
This picture is already really impressive, but it's doubly so when you can compare every frame to its counterpart on the original album. Of course, we all know that Sesame Street already called dibs on that parody.
This picture makes a lot more sense when you know that Gonzo is smashing that guitar as a part of his act. He just got finished reciting the lyrics to the M*A*S*H theme song with a mouth-full of M&Ms.
These three pictures were the only ones of the bunch that stumped me. The best I could figure is that they're parodying the KISS solo albums from 1978. Fozzie in particular has got to be a parody of Gene Simmons, but the other two I'm not so sure. If anyone has any insight, please let me know. Especially if you're Bill McEvoy.
Once again, Piggy is parodying Madonna's Like a Virgin album. I should just cut-and-paste my comments from the last Muppet Rawk article. And I'm lazy enough to do it too!
I feel bad for the model on the Funkadelic album cover. First she's buried up to her neck just for a photo shoot, and then she's parodied by a pig with an afro.
Double points go to the Bunsen image for being anatomically correct. And they say size don't matter!
Old? Check. Dirty? Check. A bastard? Check. Looks like Oscar fits that role pretty well!
I am equal parts disturbed and turned on right now.
That's a pretty good look for Big Bird. I think he'd make a good coaster.
This image is interesting because I could only find the original album on the "bizarre records" blogs. But is the parody more or less bizarre than the original? You decide.
If you asked me, both Statler and Waldorf are comedy. If you asked them, they'd both be tragedy.
This is the second best Gaffer fan art I've ever seen.
When I run for President, I will make this my official seal. Also, watching Studio DC will be considered treason.
"This show is so terrible, I had to set myself on fire! Doh ho ho ho! OK, now seriously, put me out. It burns." (Note: This is why I'm not a writer for the Muppets.)

Special thanks to Lawrence Ruelos for being my supercool Muppet Rawk liason!

Click here to rock it with Sprocket on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: events, fan art

Nineteen years ago today, the world lost one of its greatest talents: Jim Henson. ToughPigs' own Peter Savieri decided to commemorate this date by creating a new series of works depicting some of our favorite Muppet Show characters showing their grief at the loss of their creator.

Please take some time today to remember Jim in your own way.

Click here to help us remember Jim Henson on the ToughPigs forum.

Labels: fan art, Peter Savieri

Last year, Seattle-based gallery "Ouch My Eye" gathered a pile of artists together and created a collection of album parody art works featuring the Muppets (for a slideshow of last year's pieces, click here). This year, they're at it again, and the good people at Ouch My Eye have granted us a sneak peek at the paintings and sketches that are on display now through May 31. If you're in the Seattle area, feel free to skip this article and visit the gallery in person. But for the rest of us, let's get on with the art appreciation!

For your convenience (and mine), I buddied up the images with the album cover they're parodying. Give the images a click to see them in big-size.

This is one of my faves of the bunch, because it makes Bunsen look all creepy and New Agey. Kinda how you expect him to be in real life. It's too bad he's not an arm rod puppet, or else that'd be a Neat Thing.
It's hard to choose which of these is a better homage. The look on Grover's face is priceless, but you've got to admit that Bowie does look a bit like Beaker in the original album cover.
Does it count as an homage if Björk is already a Muppet?
There is no earthly reason that this hasn't already been turned into a t-shirt. I'd wear it every day.
There's something equally thrilling and terrifying about Dr. Teeth wielding an axe.
That's right, it's Flying Zucchini Brothers fan art. We salute you.
The odd part about this one is that the guy in the original album cover actually looks like a human version of Bunsen. The giant devil monster only resembles Beaker in passing.
Little known fact: Flavor Flav is tapped to play the lead in the upcoming Gonzo the Great biopic.
Naturally, this is not the first time Miss Piggy has parodied the Queen of Pop.
This piece is the most likely to be turned into a mirror and framed on my mom's bathroom wall. That's not necessarily a bad thing.
Funny, I always thought Cookie Monster would be the first to end up in an institution.
I could do without Rizzo holding a gun, but this is otherwise a fantastic piece. But is Henson really that bad of a neighborhood?

Check back in with us in a few days when we'll have more pieces from the Muppet Rawk gallery!

Click here to go vinyl on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: events, fan art

As you can imagine, ToughPigs' own Peter Savieri went through a few drafts before finishing his popular Myth Piggy series (all of which you can view here). Lucky for us, he's got a few of those images to share with your eyeballs!

First up is the first version of Miss Piggy as the Lady of the Lake. Says Peter, "I did this one first, then realised I'd veered into more of a spontaneous moment area, rather than an iconic pose... So that's why the more classic-yet-funny closeup for the official Lady of the Lake."
Next is an image done after the Myth Piggy series ended. By request, it's Miss Piggy rising from the ashes as a Phoenix.
Thirdly, we've got an image from ToughPigs' own Tony Whitaker, who painted this awesome picture of Jim Henson amidst a veritable Easter egg hunt of references to his characters and career. Can you spot all of them??
Special thanks to Peter and Tony for their amazing artwork!

Click here to rise from the ashes on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Peter Savieri

It's been a while since we spotlighted Smig here on ToughPigs, which only gave him more time to make more pictures for us! First off, if you look to your right (no, your other right), you'll see our new PayPal and Facebook links which feature some purdy doodles from Smig himself. The quasi-obscurity of the characters only adds to the awesomeness.

Next up, Smig did a few character profiles for everyone's favorite secondary Muppet Show characters, which came out pretty great. I don't know about you, but I'm campaigning for a whole book of these.



This piece was done after a conversation on the ToughPigs forum about the upcoming Muppet Robin Hood comic book. It's also a peek into the strange workings of Smig's mind.
Have you ever wondered what Beaker's X-ray would look like? Well wonder no more!
Lastly, we've got a visual interpretation of a story we've all heard many times about how Kevin Clash first began performing Elmo.
Special thanks to Smig for putting pen to paper!

Click here to throw stuff at Kevin Clash on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Smig

Back in this post, I showed you the cover of the new 25th anniversary DVD release of Follow That Bird, and pointed out the sneaky move of putting Elmo on the cover when doesn't have any kind of significant role in the movie. Then I asked you to come up with your own Follow That Bird covers.

I got some great responses, so how about we look at them now? Do yourself a favor, and click on these to make them bigger!

Scott H:


Jarrod F:


Paul B:


Joe H #1:


Michal R:


Mike C:


Phil R:


Joe H #2:


Mo W:


Frank:


Joe H #3:

I tell ya, if Sesame Workshop would just put any of these designs on the real cover, they'd sell... well, they probably wouldn't sell many copies. But Tough Pigs readers sure are a creative bunch. Big thanks to everyone who submitted a cover, and don't forget to look for the new Follow That Bird DVD on March 24th!

Click here to follow that DVD on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: DVD, fan art, fanaticism, reader participation, Sesame Street

The uber-talented Peter Savieri has been hard at work behind the scenes, creating a new series of his Muppet art. This time, he's drawn pictures of Miss Piggy, and transcended her to the stories of myth and godhood that she's always deserved. Take a peek at the Myth Piggy series!

Labels: fan art, Peter Savieri

Greetings, art lovers! We at ToughPigs hope that you had a splendid Valentine's Day weekend. If you did, then I hope it was either spent cuddling up to a loved one or with your favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor (the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive). And if you didn't, then perhaps some new art from ToughPigs' own Smig will tickle your fancy!

First up is a strip referencing the new Tiny Zoe (tm), which debuted at the Sesame Street panel in Wayne, New Jersey (click here and here for our recap of the event).
And next is another sick and twisted scene from the sick and twisted mind of one Mr. Smig.
Click here to question which came first, the chicken or Gonzo? on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Sesame Street, Smig

Here at the ToughPigs lab, we're constantly discovering new portions of our own Periodic Table of Muppet Fandom. We've got the noble gases of Chris Smigliano, the alkali metals of Peter Savieri, the metalloids of Ryan Roe, and me, the neodymuim of the group. And now we're adding the next piece of the puzzle: Jay Fosgitt.

Jay is an incredibly talented cartoonist in Michigan, and he's got a cadre of Muppet toons under his belt. Thankfully for us, he's a bit of a Muppet fanatic, which resulted in some slightly obscure references in his work, including Sam and Friends, Emmet Otter, and The Christmas Toy. His new online comic, Dead Duck, just premiered online, which you can view here.

Keep an eye on this space for more Jay Fosgitt soon, when we'll unveil his latest Land of Gorch comic strips. And no, I'm not kidding.













Click here to do some etchings on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Jay Fosgitt

We've got some pretty talented people over on the ToughPigs forum. We've got jugglers, balloon artists, didgeridoo players, contortionists, and all sorts of freaks, geeks, and squeaks. More than one of our pals is good with the art thing. You've already seen some great work from Smig on our site, and now we're pleased to introduce Peter Savieri, who has made some beautiful images of some of our favorite Muppet characters.

Peter will be showcased here on ToughPigs as he continues to create his Muppet works, so hopefully we'll be seeing a lot more of him. Going back, here's a collection of his completed works, and his new images will pop up here soon.

And because you demanded it, here's two new Smig cartoons, the first of which he presented to Street Gang author Michael Davis at a recent book signing. WARNING: the image may or may not confirm some risqué rumors. Bert was unavailable for comment.Click here to get all artsy-fartsy on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Peter Savieri, Sesame Street, Smig, The Muppet Show

You know what I can't get enough of? Art by ToughPigs' own Smig! That guy sure can draw. Lucky for us, he likes to draw Muppety things! Just like these here:

Click here to wear spandex on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Fraggle Rock, Smig, The Muppet Show

It's that time again! Time for more Muppety art by ToughPigs' own Smig! What's notable in this installment is the piece at the end of this post, which was published in a recent issue of The Comic Buyer's Guide in his regular strip, "For Art's Sake." Enjoy the enjoyment! And as always, click on the images for embiggenment.


Click here to feast on a vegan at the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, fan art, Sesame Street, Smig, The Muppet Show

In case you haven't looked three inches above these words lately, you may have noticed that we've got a shiny and new logo here at ToughPigs.com! We commissioned the piece a while back from our resident artist, Smig, and then sat on it for a few months before bothering to put it up. Because that's how we roll around here.

In honor of this momentous occasion, we also bring to you three new pieces by Smig. So enjoy the artiness! (Click the images to embiggen)

Click here to help unionize the Doozers on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Fraggle Rock, Smig

We at ToughPigs.com are happy to have Chris Smigliano, better known around our offices as "Smig", on our team. He's had a close relationship with ToughPigs, dating back to the MuppetZine days.

Smig has agreed to create some exclusive art for ToughPigs, which we'll be spotlighting here. And keep an eye or two on this space for a few more Smig-related surprises in the near future!

And without further ado (that's right, not one more ado to do), ToughPigs and Chris Smigliano present: New Tux.
Click here to discuss the tuxedo/dinosaur rivalry at the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, Smig, The Muppet Show

It's been almost a month since I announced the "Who Will Be Jim" contest, and we're ready to crown the winners! Ok, so there aren't any actual "winners," much like in a soccer game. Except that sometimes people do win in soccer. So maybe that wasn't the best analogy. The special prize for those of you who participated in giving us your thoughts on who could play Jim Henson and Company is getting to see your name in print in a Muppet Fan blog. Congrats!

Now let's get to the Jims (and Franks and Jerrys and Richards, etc)!

Jim Henson

Robert Downey Jr. (suggested by Kynan)


Steve Whitmire (suggested by Kellie)


Johnny Depp (suggested by Neil)


Josh Charles (suggested by Kynan)


Jeff Daniels (suggested by Brad)


John Cusack (suggested by Kynan)


William Hurt (suggested by Joe)


Jason Segal (suggested by Kynan)


Daniel Day-Lewis (suggested by Ryan)


Ryan Gosling (suggested by Brad)


Jeff Bridges (suggested by Joe)


Cate Blanchett (suggested by Peter)


Frank Oz

Peter Sarsgaard (suggested by Kynan)


David Cross (suggested by Brad)


Bernie Brillstein

Robert Prosky (suggested by Andrew)


Richard Dreyfuss (suggested by Kynan)


Jerry Juhl

Andy Richter (suggested by Ryan)


Philip Seymour Hoffman (suggested by Tom)


David Lazer

Tony Shaloub (suggested by Kynan)


Bradley Whitford (suggested by Kynan)


Lew Grade

Robbie Coltrane (suggested by Ryan)


Jim Broadbent (suggested by Andrew)


Bob Hoskins (suggested by Andrew)


Maurice LaMarche (suggested by Michal)


Richard Hunt

BJ Novak (suggested by Kynan)


Jay Baruchel (suggested by Kynan)


Hank Azaria (suggested by Joe)


Jane Henson

Maggie Gyllenhaal (suggested by Kynan)


Chris Langham

Hugh Laurie (suggested by Ryan)


Dave Goelz

Joshua Malina (suggested by Kynan)


So, if anyone from the offices of Penny Marshall are reading, now you know who to cast. See, we make it easy for you!

And if anyone has more ideas for who you think should play Jim & Co., please stop by the ToughPigs forum and let us know!
Click here to discuss the many beards of Jim on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, Muppet movies, reader participation

Lots of folks got lots of ideas over on the ToughPigs forum about who's got the chops to play Jim Henson in a possible feature film. But as we all know, Jim's only part of the story. Who will play Frank Oz? Steve Whitmire? Jerry Juhl? Frank Biondo?

Yeah, all bets are off! Cast everyone in The Works! Get your tuchus over to the ToughPigs forum and add in your $0.02. Or, if you're camera shy, you can send an e-mail to yours truly at joe.toughpigs@gmail.com.

Image courtesy of ToughPigs' own Brad!

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, Muppet movies, reader participation

According to the internets, it's official (or would that make it "e-fficial"?): there is a Jim Henson biopic in the works. The movie will be about Jim's life, successes, tribulations, and maybe some puppets. That is, if the Jim Henson Company, Disney, and Sesame Workshop can all allow the puppets to be in the film. Or else we might be getting two hours of a tall guy with a beard with nothing on his hands.

But the question remains: who out there can fill the shoes of the man behind the frog? I mean, other than this guy. Head on over to the ToughPigs forum with an idea or two. Feel free to post pictures (double points for fancy Photoshopping), and we'll post the results here on ToughPigs.com next week.

Prizes for the best choices will include bragging rights and a walk-on role in the upcoming Frazzle documentary.

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, Muppet movies, reader participation

This is part two of two of NicheMuppet. Click here to read part one! And now, some more made-up Muppets.

Skinny Blue, created by Quinn R
Target audience: Celebrities

Quinn says: "Skinny Blue" is a Paparazzi weasel who's new to Sesame Street. The paparazzi realized that Sesame Street was a magnet for celebrities, and sent this blue-furred cretin to get some exclusive pictures. Somehow he became convinced that Oscar was related to the Academy Awards, and won't leave him alone. With all the spoiled starlets out there, I figured that Sesame Street needs to make them feel like paparazzi are okay and misunderstood, much like Count von Count and Cookie Monster did for vampires and googly-eyed beasts.

Upside-Down Steve, created by Joe H
Target audience: Kids who walk on their hands

Joe says: You know what kids really love? Walking on their hands! You know what they love even more? Muppets who walk on their hands! Upside-down Steve has been walking on his hands for so long, he has forgotten how to walk upright. Oh, that crazy Steve! Most of his storylines involve looking for his missing shoe, which is ironic since he has no need for shoes.

Sister Mary Monster, created by Michal R
Target audience: Viewers seeking wholesomeness
Michal says: If you've taken part in the recent clamoring for a return to family values on television, we'd like to direct your full attention to Sister Mary Monster. Mary occasionally stops in at Hooper's for a nice, tall glass of milk, but generally tends to mind her own business unless someone needs something to count. She doesn't drink, she doesn't smoke, she doesn't swear, and she doesn't engage in premarital sex. Or sex of any sort. Which, considering that she's a Muppet, should be a given, but a surprising number of viewers consider this guarantee extremely valuable.

Reggie Monster, created by Leighanne M
Target audience: Sticklers

Leighanne says: Meet Reggie the Monster, who loves rules & regulations and makes his living updating them to suit the modern stickler. One of his favorite topics is food safety regulations, and he's lobbying hard to get the Five Second Rule legally amended to .05 seconds for barber shops.

Artie, created by Kyle W
Target audience: Artists

Kyle says: Artie is a full body Muppet character with brownish fur. He loves to draw and paint. He moved to Sesame Street from Paris, and he wears a striped white and red shirt and a beret. He's a little older than Big Bird, and has always wanted to be a famous artist. He's fun but also doesn't like criticism. Artie is fond of Baby Bear, who loves to draw with him. They both enjoy having fun with Hero Guy, and Artie really enjoys living on Sesame Street.

Naked Nate, created by Ryan R
Target audience: Nudists

Ryan says: Although characters like Big Bird and Snuffy never wear clothes, Nate will be the first humanoid Muppet to go au naturale. He just prefers to be nude, that's all. Like most Sesame Street Muppets, Nate is normally only seen from the waist up, so there’s no need for concern over indecent exposure. But if the script ever calls for a wide shot, Nate’s unmentionable areas can simply be blocked out with a black censoring bar, which may be adorned with the number or letter of the day. Nate loves grabbing lunch at Hooper’s Store, but he’s run up a massive tab because he never has any cash on him, due to the fact that a naked dude has no pockets.

Unseen Muppet, created by Quinn R
Target audience: Agoraphobes

Quinn says: This Muppet is really just a pair of eyes up in a window on Sesame Street--an agoraphobe who would like to be out playing with Elmo, Big Bird, and others, but can't bring himself to come out of his apartment and interact with them. Sometimes we catch a glimpse of him, but he's usually just out of sight. This will send a message of some kind to the agoraphobic children of the U.S. that yes, they have a problem, but there are millions of others out there just like them. In their apartments.

Milkie, created by Joe H
Target audience: POG collectors

Joe: The year is 1992 and POGs are all the rage! Every kid in America had to collect as many as they could and bury their friends in the fiercest of competitions. There was no badge more honorable than that of your favorite pop culture characters and actors on small circular bits of cardboard. So Sesame Workshop created a Muppet to cater to POG-loving kids. Unfortunately, Milkie debuted in the fall of 1999, long after the death of both the POG fad and the retro-POG fad. Milkie is currently living out her days at the Muppet Workshop, keeping a wobbly desk stable.

Guitar Hero Guy, created by Michal R
Target audience: Guitar Hero experts

Michal says: For the all the Guitar Hero addicts out there who would watch Sesame Street, if only they could wrench their fingers away from their consoles long enough to change the channel, Guitar Hero Guy is not necessarily eager to be your friend, unless you’ve brought your own controller. Muppets and humans alike from the Sesame gang periodically approach this enigmatic little animated fellow, hoping to cajole him into singing the Alphabet Song or even to eat lunch, only to be rebuffed with remarks usually lost under the deafening strains of a Van Halen cover.

Connie, created by Leighanne M
Target audience: Muppet performers

Leighanne says: Here’s Connie, who’s more tailored to a certain demographic of Muppeteers than viewers: those darlin’ performers must get awfully tired some days, so Connie’s here for the good folks who just need to lie down and work their Muppet magic from a prone position..

Maxwell P. Stache, created by Ryan R
Target audience: Children with moustaches

Ryan: Kids these days are growing up faster than ever, and that means more and more of them have moustaches. Maxwell allows the Sesame writers to cover topics such as moustache-growing, moustache-grooming, and moustache-having. And through the marvels of modern puppet wizardry, Maxwell’s moustache can actually move. Look for “Moustache-Dancin’ Maxwell” to be the next massively successful, must-have toy craze. And depending on what market research reveals, the show could introduce a sister for Maxwell, to appeal to all those little girls out there with beards.

And that wraps it up. Thanks to everyone who submitted characters!

Click here to comment on this article on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation, Sesame Street

How many under-served demographic groups could there possibly be in the potential Sesame Street viewing audience? Based on the data we now have available to us here at Tough Pigs, my informed, scientific answer is: a whole bunch. I asked for ideas for new Sesame Muppets designed to reach very specific sections of the TV audience (kinda like how Abby Cadabby was calculated to appeal to little girls), and I got some doozies. If Sesame Workshop wants to stay relevant in this age of narrowcasting, they should snap up the rights to each and every one of these characters.

Now let’s see what you came up with. This is part one of two; part two can be found here.

Minesweeper Grouch, created by Joe H
Target audience: Minesweeper addicts

Joe says: 85% of all kids today learn their 123s from Minesweeper. It's a fact. So why not make a lovable Sesame character for them? The Minesweeper Grouch is Oscar's Ukrainian comrade who, under cover of night, plants flags and question marks where he thinks numbers might be buried. His motivation is unknown, but the residents of Sesame Street feel safer knowing they won't be blown up by a mine when they go outside.

Zefrem, created by Quinn R
Target audience: Polygamists

Quinn says: Zefrem the Polygamist Rabbit and his wives are recent move-ins to Sesame Street. They've lived on a remote compound for most of their lives, and are enthralled at all the big city has to offer. There are thousands of polygamist children in the United States, and finally getting a "plig" Muppet on Sesame Street would be a real coup. They make fast friends with The Count, who's delighted at the many different ways the rabbits can breed. And inbreed.

I-Can-Sing-All-of-Rent-Monster, created by Michal R
Target audience: Rock musical devotees

Michal says: Can you sing all of Rent? Of course not; you’ve got better things to memorize, like the complete works of Gertrude Stein. But without thinking too hard, you can probably come up with half a dozen friends who, when reminded of a single lyric from the much-ballyhooed rock opera, proceed to sing straight through to the show’s end without hesitation. Who’s to stop these suggestible souls from similarly devoting themselves to Sesame Street? Enter I-Can-Sing-All-of-Rent-Monster, a charming gal with an enchanting laugh, a lilting singing voice, and the most visually arresting pair of pants this side of Fourteenth Street. You won’t be able to turn away. No one will.

The Irographs, created by Leighanne M
Target audience: Chart lovers

Leighanne says: This illustration has been brought to you today by the Irographs: Malleable little Muppets aimed at people who enjoy both (a) irony and (b) charts. Here they’re representing the different kinds of pies that people like, only they’re not doing it as a pie chart.

Monster Muppet Fan, created by Chris S
Target audience: Muppet geeks

Chris says: A huge fan of all the non-human characters that populate Sesame Street, Monster Muppet Fan is known to sit at his computer for hours at a time looking up every minute detail of his fellow Muppets’ lives. When he does leave his room, it's usually to follow his furry friends around, take notes on what they're up to or plans they are making, and then go home to post all about it his blog: "The Monster Muppet Fan Site".

He is also known to carry around his trusty video and still cameras to catch his friends in the act of not sharing, messing up the alphabet, or
forgetting their numbers and then posting the incriminating evidence on TMZ.com. Because of this, he is sometimes referred as "Paparazzo Monster". The only other reason Monster Muppet Fan will venture outdoors is to pick up the latest merchandise based on his Muppet friends, have them autograph it, then display his new found possessions in his room for the world (AKA him) to see.

Accessories: Video camera, Still Photography camera with wide angle zoom lens, Computer with high speed internet connection, specially configured laptop with harness to walk and blog at the same time, thick horned rimmed glass.

Appearance: Sometimes mistaken for Harvey Monster.

Cigarilla, created by Ryan R
Target audience: Cigar smokers

Ryan says: Not once in the history of Sesame Street has there been a Muppet who smoked cigars. Now there's Cigarilla, a cheroot-puffing gorilla who will finally fill that void and bring in all the formerly estranged smokers in TV-viewer land. His educational potential is considerable – he can build triangles, squares and rectangles out of cigars, he can teach the letter S (for stogie, smoke and stench), and kids will have lots of fun counting his hacking coughs. Unfortunately, we'll never know what kind of chemistry he might have with other characters, because none of the other Muppets can stand to be around him.

Tanner Monster, created by Anthony S
Target audience: 7^th graders

(Tanner was absent on picture day)

Anthony says: This Muppet is enthusiastic and friendly, but his ever-changing body keeps him from being as outgoing as he'd like. He can often be found counting the new hairs under his arms. Rosita makes him feel strange, and he doesn't know why. Ideally he would be played by John Tartaglia.

Tuna Salad, created by Joe H
Target audience: Picky eaters

Joe says: The Tuna Salad Muppet is for kids who aren't big fans of their regular fruits and veggies. Sure, there have always been Muppet characters like Broccoli, Scallions, Tomatoes, Apples, Grapes, and the like. But as the first Muppet to represent fish, celery, and mayonnaise all in one character, more kids will be chowing down on this deli-friendly snack in no time!

Benjamin Beaver, created by Quinn R
Target audience: (see below)

Quinn says: Benjamin Beaver's mother has Baron von Munchhausen Syndrome, so she makes lots of trips to Gina's veterinarian clinic. She doesn't ever really need to make them, but she's sure that Benjamin is sick, and she needs the attention herself. Benjamin likes Gina's office, and even though he doesn't start out sick, he usually ends up with a case of chicken pox or bird flu by the time he leaves.

Gus the Amicable Zombie, created by Michal R
Target audience: Zombies

Michal says: I can’t tell you how many times a member of the undead community has approached me on the street and said, unprovoked, “Gosh, Michal, I’d love to become a regular Sesame Street viewer, and perhaps even contribute vast sums of the fortune left to me by my late self to the public broadcasting cause, but I just feel so… so alienated. We’re talking about a show that regularly features monsters, a mammoth-like creature who can turn invisible, and an abominable giant bird. My goodness, they’ve even got a vampire with a daily segment – and yet the zombie population has never even merited a walk-on spot. I’ve never felt so insulted in all my undead life.”

Won’t someone think of the zombies? Won’t someone PLEASE THINK OF THE ZOMBIES?


That's it for part one, but click here to read part two! Click here to discuss this article on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation, Sesame Street

This just in! The deadline for NicheMuppet has been extended to Wednesday, September 12! NicheMuppet is the reader participation thingy where you come up with a new Sesame Street Muppet designed to appeal to a very specific demographic, be it a Muppet with a particular job or hobby or whatever.

If you need inspiration, consider Leo the Party Monster, a Sesame character who actually existed. All he cared about was partying, so he was destined to be a big hit with all the rave-goers in the audience. Except that the ravers probably stayed up late, which meant they couldn't get up to watch Sesame Street in the morning, which is probably why Leo the Party Monster didn't stick around very long.

But you get the idea. Send a description of your character, and a picture (if you feel artistically inclined), to me at ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com. Get it to me by September 12, then look for the best ones to be posted right here on ToughPigs.com. Don't be a procrastinating Muppet! Send your submission today!

Click here to rave about this article on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation, Sesame Street

Hey, everyone. Have you been enjoying the new season of Sesame Street? More importantly, have you sent me your NicheMuppet submission?

You can see this earlier post for the details, but basically, NicheMuppet is inspired by Abby Cadabby, the rising star on Sesame Street who was designed to appeal to little girls, and it's where you come up with a new Sesame Street Muppet calculated to reach a specific demographic, and send me a description (and a picture, if you're so inclined.) It could be a retired Air Force Muppet, a bobsled racing Muppet, or whatever, as long as it speaks to a particular segment of the potential audience.

Send your new character ideas to me at ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com. The deadline is September 5. Now if you'll excuse me, Abby is about to turn me into a pumpkin.

Click here to share your excitement about this article on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation, Sesame Street

The new season of Sesame Street (its 38th! Holy cow!) started on Monday, and it's as great and hilarious and star-studded as ever. Oh, and educational. It's that too. Word has it that every episode this season will include some kind of appearance by Abby Cadabby, the funny fairy with the poofy pom-pom pigtails. When Abby debuted last year, we heard a lot about how she was very carefully designed to appeal to little girls.

Now, it makes sense for a children's show to create a character aimed at little girls, because that's half their audience (not counting the grown-up nerds who still watch the show, like you and me). But it got me to thinking... what if Sesame Street wanted to target other demographics? More... niche-y demographics?

That's where you, the readers of Tough Pigs, come in. I want to hear your concepts for a brand-new Sesame Street Muppet calculated to appeal to a certain set of viewers. What if the show wanted to reach the stamp collectors in the audience? They could introduce a Muppet named Posty, who's covered in stamps, or who goes around sticking stamps on everyone. Or what if they wanted to grab the attention of the extreme sports crowd? They could bring in Gnarly Monster, who's obsessed with bungee-jumping off the roof of 123 Sesame St. or skydiving onto Hooper's Store.

Those are terrible examples, so you'll have to come up with a better one. Write up a description of YOUR idea for a new character -- their name, physical appearance, and who they're designed for -- and send it to me at ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com. If you're feeling especially ambitious, you could include a drawing of your new Muppet... and if I like it, I'll post it here on the site. I reckon three weeks is a reasonable amount of time to get the job done, so look for the submissions to be posted here on or around September 6. I'll post a reminder or two in the interim, in case you're in the "forgetful" demographic. (By the way, that group already had its own Muppet representative.)

So what are you waiting for? The fly-fishing enthusiasts of the world need a Muppet that speaks to them! Send your submission to ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com today!

Click here if you can think of anything to say about this article on the Tough Pigs forum.

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation, Sesame Street

Welcome back to the Tough Pigs art gallery! It’s part two of the Young Muppet Fans Art Extravaganza (part one can be found here), and today we’ll be looking at works from the past, submitted by the artists now that they’re older and taller and can grow moustaches. Well, some of them can grow moustaches, anyway.

Leighanne M is going to kick things off for us, with this pair of pics of Bert and Ernie she made when she was 4 and 5, respectively.

Regarding the caption on that first picture, Leighanne offers this word of explanation: “I made Ernie’s and Bert’s torsos way too long so I solved the problem by calling them worms. Imagine the Muppet News Flash that would've ensued if Bernice the pigeon were a wormivore.” Leighanne called the second picture “Sharing Schmaring,” and I think it’s a pretty good snapshot of our favorite odd couple.

Hey, I like Sesame Street characters. Let’s see some more. Here’s Mary Catherine O's Big Bird, drawn when she was around 5 years old.

The cool thing about this picture is that it’s a great recreation of an illustration in The Sesame Street ABC Storybook, from a story in which a knightly Big Bird is searching the kingdom for things that begin with the letter A... or possibly for foods which keep the doctor away, I'm not sure which.

Speaking of Sesame characters and books, when Michael H was 7, he affectionately paid homage to – or as he puts it, “blatantly plagiarized” – the literary classic Oscar's Book by creating this three-page work.

It’s powerful stuff. When Oscar begs you not to look at the book on the first page, it only ensures that you must dare to look at the second page, where he begins to warn you that the book will make you crazy, only to think better of it and declare that it’ll make you crazy.

Finally, he asks you to play “mud drag,” whatever that is (the artist has no recollection as to its significance). And you’re right there with him.

It’s a pretty ambitious work, but Michael wasn’t the only one experimenting with long form techniques as a kid. Here’s another selection from 5-year-old Mary Catherine. It’s her adaptation of A Muppet Christmas Carol, complete with “Miss Piggy twins.”

Now I’m going to force you to look at another one of my own childhood drawings. It’s Rowlf the Dog, drawn around the same time as the Kermit I showed you in this original post. (And most likely on the very same day – I work fast when I’m inspired.)

Go for it, Rowlf! Play the heck out of that tiny piano with your differently sized arms!

Here’s something different. When Josh H was 13, he took shop class, where he was assigned to create a shelf. When the teacher said the shelf could take any shape, Josh says his “Muppet senses kicked in, and a light bulb went off,” and he knew he had to make the class’s only Gonzo shelf. Nine weeks later, he had this lovely piece:

Shifting our attention now from Gonzo to Gobo, here are some Fraggle Rock watercolors painted by Justin P way back when he was only three years old. The first one is Gobo flanked by Red and Mokey, and the second one is Pa Gorg.

I’m pretty sure Pa is dancing there. For more Fraggles, we turn back to Leighanne, who drew individual portraits of the show’s main characters.

I think seven-year-old Leighanne could have gotten a job as a portrait artist at Six Flags Over Fraggle Rock.

Wow. Lots of great pictures. But we’re not done yet! Here’s another one from the prolific Mary Catherine – it’s an adorable rendering captioned “One day, Kermit asked Miss Piggy to go to the prom with him.”

After seeing that, I can only assume Piggy is wearing her prom dress is Mary Catherine’s next picture.

And finally, let’s close things out with Stevie B’s shot of the Muppet Show cast, drawn when Stevie was five.

If that picture doesn’t make you smile, you need to pay a visit to the smile repair shop as soon as possible. And that’s what this whole thing was about… the Muppets make kids smile, and kids draw the Muppets, which makes everyone else smile. We all win.

Yikes… this might just be the least cynical ToughPigs.com article ever. What have I done?!

Click here to discuss this article on the Tough Pigs forum! And stay tuned for a possible follow-up exhibition for grown-ups!

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen and everyone else, to the Young Muppet Fans Art Extravaganza! The Tough Pigs art gallery is now officially open.

A while back, I asked for samples of Muppety art from kids past and present, and I received some really great submissions. I said “Awwwww!” many, many times while going through these pictures. In fact, I may buy a new refrigerator just so I can display all these works of art.

I’m going to divide up the pictures into categories, and post them in two separate articles, so as no to overwhelm you with cuteness. First up, some art from the kids of the 21st century.

Let’s start things off with two drawings of Pino. Pino is Big Bird’s counterpart from the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street, and he’s rendered here by 8-year-old Ana and 7-year-old Anouk.




He certainly looks happy to have achieved the dream of seeing his name in blocks. Next up, let’s take a look at a trio of Kermits. Inspired by a Fisher-Price puppet, 8-year-old Sofie drew a Kermit who seems to be saying, “Make love, not war:”

Next, 12-year-old H. used the time-honored medium of pencil to create this Kermit:

And 12-year-old J. drew our favorite flippered fellow chillin’ in the swamp. Note the accurate depiction of Kermit playing banjo left-handed, a detail some professional illustrators don’t even get right.


Speaking of Kermit, how about a picture that tells the timeless story of love between a frog and a pig? The pig’s little doggy is there too, in this work of art by 6-year-old Gillian.


The text reads: The Muppet Party Cruise: The Muppet Show

They love each other. They are family forever. They lived happily [ever] after.

Piggy: “I love you Kermit”
Kermit: “I love you too Piggy”
Piggy: “I love you Foo-Foo”
Foo-Foo: “roof-roof roof-roof”

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

Thank you for coming to The Muppet Show.

A happier work of art I’ve never seen. You know what else makes me happy? The Electric Mayhem. And here they are, rendered by 8-year-old Sara. (Eight seems to be a good age for Muppet art. Maybe that’s when we reach our Muppet-drawing peak.)


I especially like Sara’s artistic choice of leaving the whole picture black and white except for Dr. Teeth’s gold tooth. Very striking. Also: Just how cool is Floyd? He’s so cool he can play in the band without his bass. Continuing with Sara’s theme of Muppet Show musicians, here’s Rowlf, joined by some singing chickens.


Say, those are some nice-looking Muppet chickens. It’s a good thing, then, that Sara continued the Chicken Period of her career with this flattering portrait of Camilla.


Among the e-mails I received in response to the call for entries was one from a Mr. Hai hoa, who writes:

“hihihihi”

Well hello to you too, buddy, but I’m afraid you forgot to include any Muppet art. Maybe next time get your kid to whip up a picture of Harvey Kneeslapper, or something.

Let’s close out this category of the exhibition with a series of Sesame Street character studies by 5-year-old Miles. First up, two Caroll Spinney characters – Shivers the Penguin and Bennett Snerf. Just kidding! It’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.


That’s a nest of baby birds accompanying Big Bird there. Perhaps he’s babysitting for his Uncle Slim. Next, Miles gives us one of the biggest Sesame characters and one of the smallest. It’s Snuffy (joined by a baby snuffleupagus) and Slimey (puppet wire included).


Finally, here’s an image I’d like to have on a T-shirt: It’s Miles’ depiction of Cookie Monster.


What’s the matter with kids today? Not a thing, judging by these fantastic pictures. Muppet fan spirit is alive and well in the current generation, and I don’t know about you, but that gives me hope for the future of mankind.

Now that we’ve been amazed and inspired by those works of art, here’s some silly stuff just for fun. When I posted the call for entries, I suggested that those without access to pictures by actual kids could create some new artwork using kid-inspired techniques. I got a handful of entries… all of which came from my friends from the Tough Pigs forum… and myself. But here they are.

I want to mention that the next ten pictures you’ll see here were drawn wrong-handed, to simulate childhood motor functions, thus ensuring authenticity. Here’s a Sam the Eagle, drawn by me. In the interest of maintaining the joke, I’m going to say that I was eight when I drew this.


Here’s an obscure character and an old favorite – Marlon Fraggle from Fraggle Rock and Scooter. I’ll say I was 10 and 12, respectively, when I drew these.


And here’s my portrait of the Count with his girlfriend, the Countess. I think this looks like the work of a 5-year-old Ryan.


Next up, a series of fake childhood drawings by Joe. Here are three monsters – Cookie Monster, Telly, and a very specific Beautiful Day Monster (from a season one Bert & Ernie sketch.)


And here's fake young Joe's take on a Honker:


And now, from Michal, here are three Sesame Street characters: Herry, Guy Smiley, and Lefty the salesman.


And here’s Michal’s crayon drawing of a Doozer. It’s worth noting that Michal drew this upside-down in order to further the kid aesthetic.


Finally, we’ll close out this category with Shawn’s vibrant portrait of Kremit. I mean, Kermit.

I’m not sure whether Shawn used his right hand or his wrong hand to create that, but it captures the kid aesthetic nicely.

That’s it for part one, but click here for part two, featuring lots of great vintage fan art by kid Muppet fans who have since grown up to become mature, well-adjusted grown-ups who occasionally sing Rubber Duckie in their cars.

Click here to discuss this article on the Tough Pigs forum!

ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation

This is another quick reminder that the deadline for the Young Muppet Fans Art Extravaganza is coming up next Monday, April 30. For guidelines on submissions, see this article.

Don't forget, if you don't have any Muppet fan art drawn by your younger self or a kid you know, you can create some new art in kid style for exhibition in a separate category.

The entries are looking great so far, so don't delay, send your li'l Muppet fan art to ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com today!

Join us in talking about this over at the Tough Pigs forum.

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation

This is just a quick reminder that the deadline for the Young Muppet Fans Art Extravaganza is Monday, April 30, two weeks from today. For the details on submission guidelines, see this earlier article.

We've gotten some great entries so far, including some Fraggle Rock, Sesame Street and Muppet Show art. So keep 'em coming! Send your kiddie Muppet fan art to ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com today!

We're talking about this over at the Tough Pigs forum.

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation

I was just admiring this picture I drew of Kermit the Frog, back when I was about ten years old, and it gave me an idea. Surely I can’t be the only one who’s held onto his old work. There must be other Muppet fans whose childhood artwork was preserved for posterity after it came off the refrigerator, and I know there are some youngsters out there today with a few Muppety drawings in their tiny portfolios.

There’s something pretty wonderful about kid fan art. Just look at that Kermit drawing! I approached it with pure enthusiasm for the subject. I loved Kermit, he had given me a lot of happiness, and I wanted to return the favor by capturing that happiness in a likeness of him. The picture was drawn in pencil, but innocence was the true medium.

Or maybe that’s all a load of hooey and it’s just a chubby Kermit with tiny arms and an inexplicably white collar.

Either way, the fact remains that kid fan art is neato with a capital O. With that in mind, I’d like to announce a call for entries for a new, exciting, and extremely cute exhibition: The Young Muppet Fans Art Extravaganza! If you have any Muppet-related drawings, paintings, or sculptures created by kids, scan them or take photos of them, and e-mail them to ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com.

Here are a few guidelines, because, let’s face it, you gotta have guidelines or you end up with pure chaos:

•Kid Muppet fan artwork must have been created by a child 13 years old or younger. Big kids’ art is tainted by the bitter, jaded worldview they inevitably develop starting on their 13th birthday.

•If you don’t have any of your own old work, you could submit some art by a kid in your life… your offspring, relatives, students, whatever. I’d love to see some contemporary Sesame Street works or some Bear in the Big Blue House art in amongst all the old Muppet Show stuff.

•If you don’t have any old work of your own, and you don’t know any children, I will allow submissions created in the style of a child for a separate exhibition category, preferably using one of these media: crayon, non-toxic markers, finger paint, or Play-Doh. For extra childlike authenticity, I recommend using your non-dominant hand. So if you’re right-handed, try drawing with your left hand, and vice versa.

•The deadline for entries is April 30, three weeks from today. That should give you plenty of time, right? I’ll post weekly reminders here until then.

Again, you can send your entries to ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com. I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of art comes in. I’m sure we’ll get some masterpieces, and once they’re exhibited, the art world will never be the same.

Click here to discuss this article on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: fan art, fanaticism, reader participation