J.D. Hansel

Writer for ToughPigs. Host of The Great Muppet Fandom Panel. Jim Henson was part chicken. He/him.

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I come bearing reposts of my old muppetstwt content as I try to figure out what the heck to do with this platform that I don’t understand. I appreciate your patience.

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Muppet Fans Talking #18 - "I Have Hair Now"

In this new episode of MFT, we try to host a podcast while watching 'The Dark Crystal' in its entirety. Somehow we ended up discussing Mr. Rogers. That sounds like us.

If you’re new to the show, don’t start with this episode. This episode is very strange.

In this episode, I force CW to watch The Dark Crystal.  All of it.  While we’re hosting the podcast.  Chaos ensues.  (Also, please forgive my audio quality in this episode – something went horribly wrong with my microphone!  Chaos ensues.)  Enjoy!

— J. D.

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An Academic Eye on Jim Henson (2018 Panel with Brian Jay Jones & Brian Real)

A year ago, Muppet Hub's J.D. talked with UMD professor Brian Real and author Brian Jay Jones about the work of Jim Henson. By popular demand, the audio from this event is now a podcast! Go grab a college-ruled notepad and get ready to learn!

After many requests, and one whole year of thinking it over, I finally decided it was worth releasing this audio as a podcast.  The video’s been up on YouTube for a year, which is why I was unsure as to whether this needed to be a podcast, but I think it does.  This is worth listening to, if only so you get to hear some of Brian Jay Jones’ great stories about Jim.

Over the course of this talk,…

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Muppet Fans Talking #17 – “It's My Special Day”

In today's new episode of Muppet Fans Talking, the gang covers a lot of anniversary news and everyone gets upset with JD, as usual.

In celebration of 5 years since Muppets Most Wanted debut, we celebrate Sesame Street‘s anniversary instead!  If you’re ready for a fun trip down Muppet Memory Lane, this episode will surely disappoint.  Enjoy!

LINKS:

The link to the pinball game

The link to the SeaWorld video on the Muppet Mindset with the bad Big Bird show

The link to the picture of Frank Oz

The link to the weird Sesame video…

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If you've ever wanted to be homeless, today's new episode of Muppet Fans Talking is for you! (Admittedly, that'll make more sense in context. Just listen to the show.) Well, here we go again! In this episode, JD gets Steve to co-host with us, the gang discusses what's coming up in 2019, and SeaWorld finally gets put in its place.

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Muppet Fans Talking #9 – Review of 'The Happytime Murders'

How would three self-appointed Jim Henson experts review 'The Happytime Murders'? Find out in the latest episode of Muppet Fans Talking!

After much anticipation, J.D., Jarrod, and Steve all sit down and discuss the latest big release from The Jim Henson Company, The Happytime Murders.  Stay tuned for part two of this episode, in which they discuss things that aren’t The Happytime Murders.

  LINKS:

Jarrod’s spoiler-free review of the movie: https://muppetmindset.wordpress.com/2018/08/24/the-happytime-murders-spoiler-free-review/

Ja…

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Muppet Fans Talking #7 – “Silly String”

Aaaaaaand we're back! This week, we're discussing 'Happytime Murders' and Disney fandom.

We’re back!

LINKS:

Jarrod’s interview with Cookie and Abby

Arrested Developmuppet

Muppet Mindset Jim Henson Retrospectacle Article

  Check out Steve Swanson’s work at MuppetCast.com and fanpress.co.  Read Jarrod Fairclough’s work at MuppetMindset.com.  Follow Muppet Hub on Facebook at muppethub.com/facebook and on Twitter at muppethub.com/twitter.

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It's the first episode of my new interview-based show "Muppets on Mic," with special guest Lisa Loeb! In this first episode of "Muppets on Mic," I talk with Lisa Loeb, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter behind hit songs such as "Stay (I Missed You)."  What do we talk about?  Muppets, of course! Listen to her cover of "Rainbow Connection" here, and click here to check out her new album, Lullaby Girl.

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Three Thoughts on Kermit

Here's my open letter to Steve Whitmire, Matt Vogel, and the fans. Peace!

The news has broken that Steve Whitmire is no longer with the Muppets, and the role of Kermit the Frog has been handed to Matt Vogel (with Statler seemingly going to Peter Linz).  You can listen to what I had to say about this in a recent episode of Muppet Fans Talking by clicking here. We’ve also just found a new website that appears to be from Steve Whitmire himself, and I’ll let you read the…

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Heathers Review

A bizarre movie with an epic ending - that's my kind of film!

MINOR SPOILERS Lately, it seems I’ve been in the mood to watch movies about bad teenagers committing extreme crimes.  I recently watched The Bling Ring, which focuses on the least likable people on the planet breaking into the homes of celebrities and stealing their priceless belongings.  It’s fascinating because it has the feeling of an Animal Planet documentary, giving the viewer a mostly…

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JD's Favorite Movies - November, 2016

This Thanksgiving, I'm sharing a list of the movies for which I'm most thankful - 125 of them!

With Thanksgiving here again, it’s another chance for me to take the time to share a list of the movies for which I am most thankful. This year, I’m sharing my top 125 favorite films (excluding documentaries this time).  It’s fun to compare this list to my list from May of this year, or my list from last November, to see what’s moved up and down.  Enjoy – and have a happy Thanksgiving! The Muppet…

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E82 – 11PC – The Meaning of Labyrinth

This week, we celebrate Labyrinth! Click here to watch Muppet Hub’s Labyrinth unboxing video, and then click here to buy a copy of the film. Click here to purchase the book Jim Henson and Phi…

Our new episode of 11PC will leave you Magic Dancing!  Whatever that means!

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Labyrinth Gift Box Unboxing & Review

It's my first unboxing video! Let me know what you think! - JD

On a whim, I decided that I should record it when I opened up the new Labyrinth Blu-Ray release.  Unfortunately, my first recording is lost, but this video is still fun and informative. Have you gotten the Labyrinth 30th Anniversary Blu-Ray yet?  If not, here’s a video to consider when you’re trying to figure out how you want to buy…

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E81 - 11PC (feat. Nicholas Lemon) - "The Good Kind of Gonorrhea"

Surprise! It's a new episode of 11PC! With Nicholas Lemon! And I somehow resisted the urge to pun on his name!

11PC is proud to present a brand new interview with puppeteer, entrepreneur, and overall fun person Nicholas Lemon! Nic’s here to talk about a project that his excellent puppet production company, Nicholas Lemon Productions, has had in the works for a few years now.  It’s a TV special called Some TV!, and it’s been airing on various stations in Canada and New York.  With your help, it may be…

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It's good to remember that there is a big difference between wanting to do something and wanting to have done something. It's basically the difference between desires and priorities. This distinction was one of the hardest things for me to understand as a child, and I think that's true for most children. Conversely, I think adults don't realize just how often the difference is visible in a child's behavior. One of the reasons children start things they don't finish is that they never wanted to DO them in the first place - they wanted to show people that they did them. Creative people generally don't grow out of this phase, in that we're always thinking of things that ought to exist, even though we're not looking forward to the difficulties of the part of the process known as "just doing it."

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JD’s Favorite Movies – May, 2016

I love movies.

Last year, on Geek Pride Day of 2015, I posted a list of my favorite movies.  Then, this past Thanksgiving, I posted an updated list.  Why?  Because my list is always changing, with films moving up and down drastically all the time.  Since my feelings about certain movies have evolved so much, and since I watch a lot of movies, I think that this is a good list to re-publish in approximately…

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Phantom of the Paradise Review

THIS is what cinema was meant to be. "A tale of beauty and the beast..."

Whoops.  I only meant to watch the first few minutes of the movie before going to bed, so I wonder, how did I end up staying awake into the middle of the night to finish it?  Oops.  I meant to return it to the library after I watched it, and yet somehow it stayed in my computer with PowerDVD running different scenes from it everyday, which I accidentally kept watching.  Oh, poopy – I had other…

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