Latest news with #Muppet
Time Out
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
An adorable (and free!) Muppets exhibit will take over the Museum of the Moving Image this weekend
Not since The Muppets Take Manhattan have we been this excited about a puppetorial release! On Saturday June 21, the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria will reveal newly restored puppets from the beloved franchise (unseen for decades!), plus host tons of family-friendly activities during 'Muppet Babies Take MoMI,' a fanatical Muppets celebration. The weekend-long Muppet takeover spotlights baby Kermit the Frog, baby Gonzo, and baby Rowlf—who debuted on screen in The Muppets Take Manhattan —during their first public appearance in many, many years. Venture through the 15,500-square-foot public space to take part in hands-on workshops to craft paper-bag puppets and turn yourself into a Muppet; dance in the courtyard to live music by John Koozin and the Neighborhood; pose questions during a panel discussion with restoration experts and puppet builders from Jim Henson's Creative Shop; and, of course, screen that 1984 quintessential Muppets flick in the grand Redstone Theater. With support from Bank of America, MoMI restored ten puppets from its extensive collection of Jim Henson artifacts, including Camilla the Chicken (The Muppet Show, 1976–1981) and other rare puppets made for TV commercials and variety show appearances in the early '60s. Those will be on display in the lobby as part of the museum's 'Open Worlds' initiative, which invites the public to use its first-floor spaces as a free, accessible, WiFi-enabled community resource. 'We're delighted to present these historic puppets to the public during this fun weekend, and to share the story of MoMI's ongoing collaboration with Jim Henson's Creature Shop,' Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs Barbara Miller said in a statement. During the restoration process, the puppets were cleaned, given mounts to prepare for presentation, and reinforced with new foam to ensure they remain stable. None of these puppets have been in the public eye for decades; and in total, The Jim Henson Exhibition (ticketing required) boasts 50 puppets spanning the television legend's career. Here's the full schedule of free events this weekend: 'Muppet Babies Take MoMI presented by Bank of America' Saturday, June 21 1:00–5:00 p.m. 'Choose Your Own Adventure' hands-on workshops Draw Yourself as a Baby Muppet: Kids can contribute their own Muppet Babies drawing to be displayed in the Museum's classroom space Paper Bag / Plate Muppets: DIY puppet-making workshop Green Screen Station: Bring your puppet to life in front of camera with an imaginative setting created using (green) screen. Led by MoMI Puppeteer in Residence Brian T. Carson. Sunday, June 22 3:30 p.m. Jim Henson's Creature Shop Panel Discussion Jason Weber, Creative Supervisor, along with two other puppet builders from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, in conversation with MoMI Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs Barbara Miller, discussing the process of puppet building and conservation.
Buzz Feed
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Vote Now: The Ultimate Muppet Championship
It's not easy being it's even harder to pick the best Muppet of the pack. However, that's what we're here to do today. We've gathered 20 of the most iconic Muppets, and it's your job to rank them in this ultimate showdown. So, what do you think? Let us know in the comments!
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Second Alleged Sean Combs Sex Trafficking Victim Begins Testimony
Follow all our Sean Combs trial coverage The second woman allegedly sex trafficked by Sean Combs took the witness stand at the hip-hop mogul's criminal trial Thursday, just months after she first started speaking with prosecutors but more than a year after she purportedly told Combs that reading Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura's graphic lawsuit was like reading her own 'sexual trauma.' More from Rolling Stone Woman Recalls Sean Combs' Alleged Threat: 'I'm The Devil, And I Could Kill You' Judge Dismisses Four Claims in Ex-Assistant's Sexual Battery Lawsuit Against Vin Diesel Tom Girardi Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Embezzling Millions From Clients The woman, testifying under the pseudonym Jane, is listed as Victim-2 in the Southern District of New York's sex trafficking and racketeering case against Combs. Prosecutors previously kept much of Jane's story under wraps, but they allege Combs fed her drugs and coerced her into highly choreographed 'freak-offs' with male escorts between 2021 and 2024. In the courtroom in lower Manhattan, Jane told jurors she first met Combs in 2020, while he was dating one of her friend. She said he paid for their trip to Miami, hosted them at his home and quickly made it clear he was interested in her. 'He was really charming, really nice, and I was already drawn to him pretty instantly,' she testified, according to CNN. 'There was a little bit of flirting going on.' Jane said Combs pursued her after that. She held him at bay at first, at least until her friend got engaged to someone else, she testified. Jane said Combs invited her back to Miami in early 2021, and their first date lasted five days. She said they developed pet names. She called Combs 'Ernie,' and he called her 'Bert,' a reference to the Muppet characters. (Combs previously appeared in Disney's 2014 movie Muppets Most Wanted.) Jane said Combs took her out to a restaurant and walked with her on the beach. 'I was head over heels,' Jane reportedly testified. She later traveled with him on a two-week trip to Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. Prosecutors say Combs used manipulation, threats and physical violence to get what he wanted from Jane, busting down doors, dragging Jane, by her hair and kicking Jane while she was curled up in a ball on the ground. (Ventura previously testified that Combs coerced her into hundreds of freak-offs during their 11-year relationship that ended for good in 2018.) Prosecutors have indicated they only began speaking to Jane in January, after they uncovered text messages she sent Combs in the days after Ventura's lawsuit was first filed in November 2023. 'It makes me sick how three solid pages, word for word, is exactly my experiences and my anguish,' she texted Combs. After Combs allegedly fed Jane a 'false narrative' and made a vague reference to supporting her financially, Jane continued dating Combs into 2024, prosecutors said. In her opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told jurors they would hear recordings of phone calls in which Combs called Jane after Ventura filed her lawsuit. 'You will hear him try to manipulate Jane into saying she wanted to have freak-offs. You will hear him interrupt Jane when she pushes back,' Johnson said. Johnson described Jane as a single mom who started spending time with Combs in 2020 and 'fell in love with him quickly.' Johnson said Jane was not seeing other men, but Combs was dating other women and kept his relationship with Jane out of the public eye. Johnson said Combs lured Jane into her first freak-off with little warning or notice. The two already had taken drugs together and been intimate, and Jane complied with the surprise request in an effort to please Combs, Johnson said. Within a matter of hours, Jane found herself in a hotel room, having sex with a stranger while Combs directed her step by step, Johnson told the jury. 'The defendant continued asking Jane to have freak-offs and promising that if she did, they would spend quality time together, they would go on dates together, they would go on trips,' Johnson said on the first day of Combs' trial last month. 'That was what Jane wanted more than anything, a real relationship … But even though the defendant promised her quality time and trips, he never delivered. Those were just lies he told her to get more nights in dark hotel rooms with escorts.' According to prosecutors, Combs took steps to control Jane financially, discouraging her from working so that she could be available to him on a moment's notice. Although Jane repeatedly told Combs that she didn't like 'freak-offs' and only wanted to be alone with him, Combs dismissed the request. He also allegedly ignored Jane's pleas for the male escorts to wear condoms. Combs is accused of threatening to release explicit videos of Jane, supplying her with narcotics to keep her awake and compliant, and using physical violence to trap Jane in his abusive dynamic. During one purported incident, Combs allegedly kicked down four of Jane's doors and lifted her off the ground in a chokehold. Later that night, Combs allegedly beat Jane again, punching her in the face, kicking her on the ground, and dragging her by her hair before forcing her to have a freak-off. 'You're not going to fuck up my night,' Combs allegedly told Jane, according to the government's opening statement. When Ventura filed her stunning complaint and Jane worked up the courage to confront Combs, the Bad Boy Records founder allegedly tried to feed her a 'false narrative' over the phone, prosecutors allege. Combs attempted to convince her 'that she had willingly engaged in sex acts with him,' prosecutors said at Combs' bail hearing last September. 'In this call, the defendant ensures the victim that if she continues to be on his side and provide support and friendship, that she doesn't have to worry about anything else, which is just a thinly-veiled reference to continuing that financial support,' a prosecutor told the court. In the defense's dueling opening statement, Combs' lawyer, Teny Geragos, sought to set Jane apart from Ventura. She told jurors that by the time Combs started seeing Jane, 'he was more upfront about his dating life,' including the fact that he was dating multiple women. She said Jane also was older and more mature than Ventura, 'living her own life in a different state raising her child.' Geragos said that after Jane's first experience with a freak-off, 'she began to do everything possible to make these nights incredible for Combs.' Geragos suggested Jane 'made the choice' to engage in freak-offs 'out of love.' 'She was desperate to spend time with him, to be with him, and ultimately, to give him something none of the other girlfriends that he was dating at the time were giving him. She will tell you that she tried many times to change the tenor of the relationship from one of a purely sexual nature to something maybe deeper or more meaningful,' Geragos said. She blamed the alleged violence in the couple's 'toxic and dysfunctional' relationship on Jane's 'jealousy.' In her opening, Geragos said Combs was interested in a 'swingers lifestyle,' which she described as a predilection for consensual 'threesomes by adults.' She told jurors it was not their job 'to judge him for his sexual preferences.' She said the government had the burden to prove Combs coerced the women, and that the evidence would show the women willingly stayed with Combs out of love and because he was a 'wealthy rapper' who gave them generous financial support. Geragos acknowledged that Combs was violent in the video showing him kicking and dragging Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016, but she said 'domestic violence is not sex trafficking.' Jane's time on the stand is expected to stretch well into next week. More than two dozen witnesses already have testified at Combs' trial, which is now in its fourth week. Prosecutors have called multiple former assistants, alleged male escorts, and even Scott Mescudi, the musician and actor known as Kid Cudi, to support their allegations Combs used his wealth, influence, and inner circle to carry out crimes aimed at fulfilling his sexual desires and protecting his reputation. 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Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Words of wit, wisdom and such: Commencement season arrives
BALTIMORE — Leadership comes down to five things. Or maybe three. This day is all about you, unless it's really about the family and friends who got you here. Live globally, but embrace the home and the hearth. It's commencement season, and this month, speakers sent the graduates of Maryland's colleges and universities off to the rest of their lives with these and other necessarily pithy words of wisdom, many of them blessedly brief. As at least two speakers noted, they were the only thing standing between the graduates and their hard-earned diplomas — and maybe an adult beverage. 'We always joke commencement speakers should think of themselves as the body at an Irish wake, you have to be there, but no one expects you to do much,' said Paul Orzulak, a former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton. The co-founder of the communications firm, West Wing Writers, Orzulak has written more than 100 commencement speeches, a task he enjoys for how it allows the newly graduated in the seats to see themselves in the accomplished person at the podium. But, he said, it's also a challenge in these TED Talk- and social media-pervasive times. 'People narrate their lives so much now,' he said. 'There's a sharper expectation for wit and humor.' This year's commencement speakers face a unique set of circumstances along with the usual pomp, with colleges targeted by the Trump administration on a range of issues, from cuts to federal funding to allegations of antisemitism linked to the pro-Palestinian protests that flared after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. 'If [the University of Maryland] is a guide, going in a more light-hearted direction is one answer to the complicated year colleges and universities have experienced,' Shawn J. Parry-Giles, professor and chair of the department of communication at the University of Maryland, College Park, said in an email. 'I anticipate some will try to avoid politicizing commencement this year,' she said. 'Right now, campuses are more likely hoping that graduation ceremonies can be a respite from such political controversies by placing the focus on providing a joyous space for families and friends to gather to celebrate their graduates.' UMD had the beloved and ever upbeat Muppet, Kermit the Frog, as its commencement speaker. While other colleges didn't go quite that cuddly a route, most speakers tended to lead with positive messages, even if they referred to the political backdrop of the times. The exception — as might be expected given the speaker and the setting — was Vice President JD Vance, who strongly criticized previous administrations while promoting the message of the current one at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation in Annapolis. Steven D. Cohen, a professor of business communications at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, said 'now more than ever' commencement speakers should use their platform to inspire, 'whether you're a frog or a celebrity or a politician.' READER POLL: Who gave the best commencement speech? Kermit the Frog, Dawn Moore, Wes Moore or JD Vance? Cohen, who also works as a communication coach and trainer, said the best speakers offer their audience a glimpse of themselves beyond the success that warranted them the commencement gig. 'When you open up, and show a piece of yourself, the failures you've had, the challenges,' he said, 'there's an authenticity there that you don't always see at that level.' Here are excerpts from some of the commencement speeches given by speakers in Maryland this month. At the University of Maryland Eastern Shore commencement on May 16, Moore spoke about how what matters is not what you plan to do but what you actually did. 'As young Black men and women, you will often be told your achievement alone will be enough. Being the first Black partner in the history of the firm will be enough… Being the first Black governor will be enough,' he said at the historically Black university. 'But those are all answers to what you will do and actually say very little about what you did do.' 'I don't want the answer to what I did in life being: 'He made history,'' the governor said. 'I want the answer to be: 'He made child poverty history.' I want the answer to be: 'He made food and housing insecurity history.' I want the answer to be: 'He made inequitable pay between men and women history.' 'That is the difference between a mindset of 'I will' and a mindset of 'I did.' And as governor, I've tried to act accordingly.' Thasunda Brown Duckett, president and CEO of financial services organization TIAA, spoke at Morgan State University in Baltimore on May 17. The third Black woman to head a Fortune 500 company, Brown Duckett noted her mother attended segregated school, as she offered lessons in leadership criteria, including what she said might be the most important: optimism. 'I know the world feels heavy right now, and many of our problems might seem insurmountable. But I assure you, friends, we live in a country that on its worst day still has innovation and renewal in its DNA,' she told attendees. Befitting her role as head of the trillion-dollar retirement services company, she also offered practical, financial advice: Contribute to your 401(k), especially if your employer matches contributions. 'If you don't remember one word that I have said today, I want all of you to remember the word compounding… A dollar saved today is worth more than a dollar saved tomorrow,' she said. '[Matching contributions,] that's free money. Don't leave coins on the table. Trust me. Your future self will say thank you.' Jonathan Karl, ABC News White House correspondent, spoke in Chestertown to Washington College graduates on May 18. He described keeping a photo of the young protester facing down a line of tanks in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989 as a reminder of how the media must bear witness to events that governments may try to erase or revise. 'There are people in positions of power and authority who pretend that Jan. 6 was peaceful, that we didn't witness a violent attempt to overturn a presidential election… There are people who would like to cover-up that truth just like the Chinese covered up the truth of Tiananmen Square… It's true that the students of Tiananmen Square tried to stand up for their own freedom and their country's freedom… It's true the Capitol came under attack again on Jan. 6… Don't believe those who tell you there is no real truth. That's a lie.' Maryland's first lady told graduates and guests at the University of Baltimore commencement on May 21 that she's learned 'big lessons about solving big problems:' Division is a barrier, collaboration is the path to success, and strengthening community elevates the work. 'That work is more important now than ever before. As a society, we have become increasingly divided — and I don't just mean politically — I mean physically. We send an email rather than meeting in person. We send a text rather than talking on the phone. … 'The greatest ideas in the world were developed in person,' she said. 'The greatest businesses in the world were built with people creating together. Community is our lifeblood. It's the only hope we have as a state to secure our future.' Sonja Santelises, the outgoing CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, looked to the future at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. 'What in the world do I do now? Asking that question today feels even more consequential in light of the current state of the world — and this is coming from an urban school superintendent, so you know when I say it's a little turbulent, it's really rocky,' she said. 'Many of us believe this is also a unique time for a different type of leader to emerge… Right now, you are the engine for that type of new leader… True leadership is not a position, but it is a way of moving in the world that seeks to solve problems on behalf of others and motivating others to do the same. 'Don't just lead in your field, lead in life… You actually don't have to give up on the fullness of life. I never wanted to only have one aspect of myself, and you should not settle for that either… Make sure you take care of your relationships. Make sure you take care of these pieces that are you. Love hard, love deeply and make sure [you know]... that if you are going to raise children and have a family, you are doing one of the most important things in our world that we could have done. Sal Kahn, founder and CEO of Khan Academy, the free online educational platform, spoke at Johns Hopkins University about AI and how rapidly it was changing life compared to previous advances. 'Whether you find this thrilling or terrifying or both, your feelings are valid. But make no mistake, this is the most epic of backdrops to your story. AI and other transformative technologies are neither good nor evil. They amplify human intent. Fire can warm or destroy. A knife can harm or create. Likewise, AI can amplify the negative intent of criminals and autocrats or the positive intent of artists, researchers, policymakers and educators. Whether the singularity leads us to dystopia or utopia is not a coin doss. It depends on what you people with creativity, intellect, integrity and positive intent choose to do with it.' Kermit 'spoke' at the University of Maryland, College Park. A snippet: 'Life is not a solo act. It's a big, messy, delightful ensemble piece… It's important to stay connected to your loved ones, stay connected to your friends and most important of all, stay close to your dreams, no matter how big, no matter how impossible they seem. The truth is, dreams are how we figure out where we want to go, and life is how we get there.' At Bowie State University's commencement, U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks harkened back to the bravery and endurace of the activist turned South African president, Nelson Mandela, whose fight for justice kept him going through 27 years in prison. 'Mandela's story endures throughout history because he endured,' she said. 'He never let the conditions of the world around him determine what he believed in. 'Now, you might look around at the current state of the world and wonder if I know what I'm talking about,' Alsobrooks said. ' My response to that is to just live a little longer. Hold on for a little while. The callous and self-centered personalities may seem popular now. But not forever. 'Even in his letters to his adversaries detailing his unwavering demands for justice, Mandela remained dignified,' she said. 'The fire in him burned, but it didn't turn him bitter or spiteful… And that's your charge — to stand on principle, and resist letting the circumstances of the moment push you off your game.' Krish Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge, the refugee resettlement agency, spoke at Goucher College of her own family leaving Sri Lanka to escape civil war and immigrating to the U.S., where her father found work in the city school system. 'You see, back then, American leadership meant offering refuge and opportunity to families like mine. Sadly, that promise is being tested these days — and I often wonder, had my family tried to come today, would we be welcomed?' Noting Goucher was the first college to require every student to study abroad, she lauded their 'global spirit.' 'You come from 43 states and 47 different nations — a living mosaic of backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences. And in an age where some voices try to stoke fear of difference or draw lines between 'us' and 'them,' you offer a powerful counterexample. Your value lies in your curiosity, your empathy, your courage to challenge the status quo, and your willingness to build bridges where others would build walls. And that global perspective has never been more urgently needed.' 'The Trump administration has reversed course, no more undefined missions, no more open-ended conflicts,' Vice President J.D. Vance said at the Naval Academy. 'We're returning to a strategy grounded in realism and protecting our core national interests. Now this doesn't mean that we ignore threats, but it means that we approach them with discipline, and that when we send you to war, we do it with a very specific set of goals in mind… That's how military power should be used, decisively with a clear objective. We ought to be cautious in deciding to throw a punch, but when we throw a punch, we throw a punch hard, and we do it decisively, and that's exactly what we may ask you to do.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kermit the Frog tells Maryland students to ‘take big leaps' in sweet commencement speech
Miss Piggy would surely agree that Kermit the Frog looked dapper in his red robe and graduation cap as he delivered his cheery commencement speech to the University of Maryland's graduating class on Thursday. The iconic green Muppet encouraged the graduates to 'take big leaps' in life and to always 'stay connected to your families, your friends and your dreams.' 'Life's like a movie,' he told the crowd. 'Write your own ending. Keep believing. Keep pretending. You've all done just what you set out to do. And you're just getting started!' The speech — written and spoken by puppeteer Matt Vogel, who has performed Kermit since 2017 — paid tribute to the late Jim Henson, creator of 'The Muppet Show' and a graduate of the University of Maryland class of 1960. 'In the early days, he had a hand in literally everything I did,' Kermit said at one point, eliciting laughter from the crowd. 'Jim believed that everyone had a place,' he continued. 'Jim thought of that and he made us believe it. And so, my whole life I tried to appreciate people for exactly who they are. ... Life is not a solo act. No, it's not. It's a big, messy, delightful ensemble piece, especially when you're with your people.' He added, 'So as you prepare to take this big leap into real life, here's a little advice, if you're willing to listen to a frog. Rather than jumping over someone to get what you want, consider reaching out your hand and taking the leap side by side. Because life is better when we leap together.' And if those sweet remarks weren't enough to inspire, Kermit wrapped his speech with a 'Rainbow Connection' sing-along, reminding everyone of the prism of opportunities before them. Kermit's speech begins around the 2:04:00 mark below. Click here for a transcript of his remarks. This article was originally published on
