I Never Thought I’d Live To See the Day

Today, January 1st, 2024, the Disney cartoon “Steamboat Willie” enters the public domain, along with the very earliest iteration of Mickey Mouse.

It was supposed to happen in 2004, but because of efforts by Disney and other copyright holders to lobby Congress in the late ’90s, the protection was extended by another 20 years.

As any strict constructionist could tell you, the Constitution expressly says that copyright protection cannot be perpetual or indefinite.

Nevertheless, I honestly never thought this day would come. I thought Disney would file some sort of last-minute injunction or something.

So that’s it, then? That means the Mouse is up for grabs?

Not quite.

It’s just the earliest version of Mickey that has entered the public domain. Later versions, e.g., the ones with pupils, are still under protection. 

Furthermore, Disney has been using a clip of Mickey driving the boat and whistling in “Steamboat Willie” as a trademark for several years. Unlike copyrights, trademark protection endures indefinitely as long as the owner keeps using the trademark.

I read an article the other day, which I didn’t save because it made me mad, saying that Disney copyright lawsuits have dropped off since 2006. Nevertheless, I think we will shortly see a marked increase in Disney trademark infringement lawsuits. 

The expiration of copyright and the long-overdue entry of creative works into the public domain is certainly something to celebrate. Yet I can’t help but mourn the more obscure works that should have entered the public domain 20 years ago that have been lost in limbo, perhaps forever, because of the Mouse House’s greed and self-centeredness. 

Muppet-Dickens Dreamcasting

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday, friends!

Despite the fact that I have two degrees in English, I never studied any Charles Dickens works in school. In high school, I think the English curriculum was cyclical (or, as Weldon would say, “sickle-lickle”) and I just wasn’t in the right rotation to read any Dickens. As an undergrad, I mostly took surveys, and we didn’t have enough time to read any really long novels. (This is also why I’ve never read any of the famous 19th-century Russian writers, such as Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky, although that’s my reading goal for 2024). In grad school, the instructors pretty much assumed that we had read most of the classics by that point, and the curriculum was designed to expose us to works outside the traditional literary canon. As a result, I know a lot about many obscure works, some by very obscure authors, but relatively little about what are considered the classics.

In recent years, this gap in my knowledge base has bothered me, especially as it relates to Charles Dickens. The 19th century, especially the early 19th century, is my favorite period in literary history, and I had never read probably its greatest author in the English language.

This year, I set out to remedy that. I set a goal for myself that I would read at least five books by Charles Dickens before the end of the year. I read five Dickens novels and listened to a sixth one. I enjoyed them all very much. In fact, I think that I got a lot more out of them, coming to them as an adult with several decades of life experience under my belt, than I would have if I had read them as a student in my teens or 20s.

Over the last 30 years or so, The Muppet Christmas Carol has been many people’s first exposure to the work of Charles Dickens. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that my first impression of MCC was not particularly favorable. However, I’ve come to appreciate it more over the last 12 years or so.  Furthermore, I think that gaining a greater appreciation for Dickens over the past year has also given me a bit of a deeper understanding of and respect for The Muppet Christmas Carol (though I maintain that Dickens’ original story is much funnier).

The Muppets and Dickens go together so well in MCC that it made me wonder what other Dickens adaptations the Muppets could tackle. I started dreamcasting the Muppets in the Dickens novels that I have read (or listened to) this year, and I thought I’d share those ideas with you as a fun little treat before Christmas (or during Christmas, depending on when I actually get this written and published).

(Dickens spoilers beneath the cut: You’ve been warned!)

Kermit der Frosch

I was shocked recently to look at my blog and see that my last post was in January. A lot has changed for me since then; I have a new job as a medical scribe in an orthopedics clinic, so life is good but very hectic for me. But I did want to make sure I did the traditional post for Steve’s birthday (and Jim’s, but mostly Steve’s). 

In 2012, Kermit went to Germany to promote The Muppets (2011) and gave an interview to a radio station in Berlin: 

I’m not sure what made me think about this video again, but there are a couple of things that stood out to me. There are long stretches of time in which the interviewers have to translate Kermit’s answers, and Steve does a lot of funny little gags that would be completely lost to the radio audience. Steve often talks about how important it is for the puppet to remain alive and aware throughout the entire performance, and this is a really good example of that.

The other thing that gets me about this interview is that, when asked to rate his optimism for the future of humanity on a scale of 1 to 10, Kermit rates it at a 9. That really touches my heart because, on a good day, I might get up to 7. I don’t know how much of that is Kermit and how much is Steve, but based on what I do know of Steve, it seems very much in character for both of them.

Happy birthday, Steve! Thanks for all the wonderful memories and the good work you’re still doing. 💚💛 

Brian Henson: An Amateur Behavioral Analysis

“[Steve Whitmire]’s capable of very deep performances. The falling out between me and Steve is really about business ethics. Working with him on set was always good.”

Brian Henson, quoted in a retrospective on the Muppet Christmas Carol in The Big Issue

So … it recently came to my attention that, since completely trashing him to the Hollywood Reporter five years ago, Brian Henson has since said some things about Steve that could be interpreted as nice. Most of them aren’t as inherently contradictory as the quote above and seem to be pure, unmixed compliments. 

I found out about this because a reader used them as examples to support the case that I was being too harsh towards Brian. At my request, the reader was kind enough to provide some links to videos of Brian making these compliments, and I am very grateful.

I didn’t expect the clips to change my opinion of Brian, and they haven’t. Without an apology for the things he said in 2017, anything complimentary that Brian has to say about Steve now only shows him to be inconsistent and untrustworthy. And as the above quote shows, he doesn’t seem to have any regrets about trashing Steve back then, or scruples about taking digs at him now. 

The reason that I was so excited to see these clips is because it gives me an opportunity to make an attempt at reading Brian’s body language. Approximately six months ago, I started becoming interested in body language and behavioral analysis from watching the Behavioral Arts channel on YouTube.

Despite the clickbait-y titles that he uses on his videos, Spidey makes a point of emphasizing in all of them that body language analysis is an inexact science, that certain behaviors can mean different things in different contexts, and that body language is open to interpretation. 

I echo Spidey’s caveats and add one of my own: I do NOT claim to be an expert in body language analysis after watching these videos for six months. Spidey had to study this for decades to get to be an expert; I still have a LOT to learn. I reiterate: I do not claim ANY expertise in behavioral analysis. If an actual body language expert wants to come tell me that I am way off base, reading things into Brian’s behavior that aren’t actually there, I will defer to their expertise (after I verify their credentials, of course). 

Nevertheless, even to a relative neophyte at behavioral analysis, Brian’s body language when he talks about Steve suggests some VERY interesting things. 

I have here three video clips of Brian: one from 2018, one from 2020, and one from 2022. As you watch them, pay particular attention to Brian’s face as he mentions Steve’s name; something about his expression changes every time. 

Before I give you the actual links, I want to point something out: In each case, I’m linking closely to the relevant part of the video, but I’m also making a point of giving a little bit of context at the beginning. An important part of behavioral analysis is establishing a baseline of behavior for the individual because it’s the deviations from baseline that are significant. 

Okay, here goes: 

2022 D23 Expo — Muppet Christmas Carol Panel:

 

2018 — Evolution of Puppetry: 

 

2020 George Lucas Talk Show — Muppets Tonight Watch-Along: 

Did you see it? If not, try watching them again. I’ll give you a hint: Look particularly at his eyes. 

Old Disappointment

Recently, I received a comment on one of my blog posts saying that I had been “harsh” toward Brian Henson. This surprised me for several reasons: (1) The blog post in question didn’t even mention Brian Henson; someone else brought him up in the comments, and I responded. (2) I know the things in my head that I’ve wanted to say about Brian but have held back; compared to those things, the criticisms I have made have been pretty tame.

I asked the commenter why they felt that I had been harsh, and when they explained, I felt the point was valid. I think it is fair to say that my criticisms of Brian have been a bit more pointed than the ones I’ve made of Lisa and Cheryl. This is partially because of Brian’s position of authority within the company and partially because his actions in regard to the Schism are in direct opposition to statements he made in the past regarding forgiveness and his father’s legacy.

My Tragically Delayed Review of Muppets Haunted Mansion

I did watch Muppets Haunted Mansion when it premiered last year. It would have made more sense to watch it before Halloween so that I would have had time to review it. But I wanted to watch it on Halloween because I didn’t have anything better to do, so I did, and by the time I was inclined to write a review of it, it felt more like Christmas. So now that it’s the Halloween season again, I’m going to review it now.

Christmas in September

Welcome! If you read my blog regularly, you know that I always like to do something special for Steve’s birthday.* I found this video a while ago of a YouTuber watching Muppet Christmas Carol for the first time and giving her reaction to it. Not only was this her first time watching Muppet Christmas Carol; it’s also her first time watching any Muppet movie. I thought Steve would enjoy it because Rizzo really made a positive impression on her. She’s done more reaction videos of other Muppet productions, and the rats are consistently one of her favorite parts. She even misses them when they’re not in the original Muppet Movie.

Personally, it’s fun for me to get the perspective of someone who doesn’t know much about Muppets but knows about literature, since I have a perspective on both. And it’s just so refreshing to hear opinions about the Muppets from someone who hasn’t been tainted by fandom snobbery.

Hope you enjoy!

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* And yes, obviously it’s Jim Henson’s birthday too, but he’s not around anymore to know whether people remember and potentially be hurt if they don’t. I choose to prioritize the living, and I don’t think Jim would disagree with me.

Why I’m Afraid To Watch the New Fraggle Rock

I know, of course, that now that “Fraggle Rock”: Back to the Rock is available, I shouldn’t talk about it without watching it first. But I’m afraid.

I’m afraid that talking about it without having watched it will be hypocritical, and that talking about something about which I do not have firsthand knowledge will make me look stupid. But if I try to watch it, I’m afraid I won’t be able to be objective because almost everything that I’ve found out about it makes me so angry.

I make it a point not to review things that I haven’t seen. So what follows is not a review. I am not making value judgments about what other people do or do not enjoy, nor am I making recommendations about what other people should or should not watch. What follows is merely a subjective account of the feelings I have from the above trailer, reviews, etc. To reiterate, I am NOT saying that other people should not watch the series or judging people who choose to do so. I’m just trying to explain why I feel that I CAN’T watch it.

No More Apologies

If you read my two-part series condemning Miss Piggy’s abusive behavior, you may have gotten the sense that I might have been talking about something more than the Muppets. If so, you weren’t wrong.

The first part of the series was written in May 2019, before Johnny Depp had filed any defamation lawsuits, so at that point, the case wasn’t really on my radar (although it should have been). By the time I wrote the second part, it was April 2021, at which point information had come to light that strongly indicated that the story we had been fed was the opposite of what had actually happened, that Amber Heard was the abuser in the relationship and Johnny Depp the victim. I didn’t mention the case by name in that analysis. Maybe I should have. But it was definitely at the forefront of my thoughts as I was writing it. That’s what I meant when I said that things tend to happen when they are supposed to happen.

Muppet Show Viewing Guide: Season 5

Season 5 is probably the best The Muppet Show has to offer. If the DVD releases had been based on merit rather than chronology, it should have been the first. Then everyone could enjoy it without having to offer up a pound of flesh to Disney per month in perpetuity.

It makes me a little sad that Henson and Co. stopped making The Muppet Show just as they got really good at it. Nevertheless, this season has its uncomfortable moments just as the other ones do. Furthermore, ceasing production on the Muppet Show freed them up to do Fraggle Rock. And as good as The Muppet Show can be at times, (the original) Fraggle Rock is infinitely better. Yeah, I said it, and I’ll stand by it.

I’m classifying The Muppet Show Season 5 episodes according to the same system that I used in my Season 4 Viewing Guide:

• Delightful
• Mostly Harmless
• Cringeworthy
• Horrific

However, because there are a couple of episodes not readily available for viewing, I’ve had to add a couple of special categories. 

5 Muppet Songs More Overplayed Than “Rainbow Connection”

“Don’t you like music?” Franz asked. “No,” said Sabina, and then added, “though in a different era…” She was thinking of the days of Johann Sebastian Bach, when music was like a rose blooming on a boundless snow-covered plain of silence. 

Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

“Rainbow Connection” is the greatest song from one of the greatest Muppet productions ever made. Because of its popularity, there are a lot of different versions of it, and this is a good thing because it means that everyone can pick the version that best suits their preference.

However, many members of the Muppet fan conglomerate think it gets played too often, and it makes them mad as hell. If they had their way, “Rainbow Connection” would get locked in a vault and only taken out every 15 years or so, like a lot of other Disney content.

And although I take verbal jabs at them for what I consider to be their misplaced vehemence over something that is relatively inconsequential, I have to admit that I sort of understand where they’re coming from. “Rainbow Connection” is a beautiful song, but there are other absolutely lovely Muppet songs, and it might be nice if some of them had more exposure.

And while I don’t get tired of “Rainbow Connection” itself, there are some versions of it that I like much better than others. For example, while I have listened to Matt Vogel sing it a few times, I am convinced that I could live out the rest of my life quite happily without hearing it him sing it again because I know now that he will never be Kermit to me. That sounds like a critique of his performance, and to some extent it is, but to a greater extent, it is a deliberate decision on my part. But that’s a topic for another time.

But I don’t get tired of the song itself. Ever. At least, I haven’t yet, and it’s been decades since I first heard it, so if it was going to happen, you’d think it would have occurred by now. Nevertheless, there are songs, including Muppet songs, that I DO get tired of hearing. In my opinion, the following Muppet songs are much more deserving of the fandom’s contempt due to overexposure than “Rainbow Connection.”

A Birthday Promise

Happy Birthday, Steve!

I didn’t really know what to do this year because, although it’s your birthday, I feel like we’re the ones who have gotten the gifts: Cave-in and the community that’s grown up around it, the talks you’ve given, and your engagement with the fans.

Ultimately, I decided that what I wanted to give you for your birthday this year is a three-fold promise:

1. I will always support you as far as I am able.
2. I will always respect your point of view, even if I disagree with it.
3. If I do criticize you, it is always with the intention of being constructive.

Cave-In 2nd Annversary Show

This month marks the 2nd anniversary of Cave-In. Ordinarily, this month’s episode would be on this Friday. However, I have it on good authority from Trollbot 9000 that this month’s episode will actually be on the exact anniversary, which is Tuesday, August 31st.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Whitmire (@steve_whitmire)

If you notice, Steve has done something very clever in this Instagram post: It says, “Cave-In This Week.” Technically true, but misleading. It’s not happening this calendar week, but it is happening within seven days.

So, to reiterate, no Cave-in on Friday, but tune in next Tuesday for a special anniversary show. That’s all I know about it.

Muppets Now and Earth to Ned

Assuming that nothing has changed since I cancelled my subscription last month, there are two Henson-related series original to Disney+ currently streaming. Muppets Now was originally meant to be a series of shorts but was instead expanded into a series of full-length episodes for some inexplicable reason. Earth to Ned is a Creature Shop production made in association with the Walt Disney Company. Each sounded at least vaguely interesting to begin with. Having seen them both, the former is worse than I expected, and the latter is far better.

Muppet Show Viewing Guide: Season 4

Muppet Show episodes run the whole gamut, from the delightful to the disturbing. If you’re new to Seasons 4 and 5 like I am, you may wonder where each episode falls. The Disney+ content warnings help a little but don’t give you any specifics and are sometimes esoteric.

Back in the days before there were streaming services, or even video recorders, there wasn’t a way to skip over the parts of The Muppet Show that were less than stellar. You just had to sit through them and wait for the good stuff to come back.

Now, however, between DVDs, YouTube, and streaming, it’s easier to skip over the bad parts and enjoy the good parts. It’s just a matter of knowing what to expect and where to look. Well, I “took a chance on the crap” so you don’t have to, and I can tell you the highlights and the lowlights.

I’m organizing the episodes into four categories:

• Delightful: Sit back and relax; you shouldn’t see anything offensive or objectionable in these episodes at all
• Mostly Harmless: There are a few uncomfortable moments, but these episodes are enjoyable for the most part
• Cringeworthy: There are a few bright spots, but these episodes are mostly dull or upsetting.
• Horrific: These episodes are almost completely demoralizing. Even the few good numbers aren’t enough to save them. Skip the episodes altogether and look up the few good parts on YouTube instead.