Jim Henson's Wife Jane Once Said the Original “Muppet Show” Was 'Camp, Right from the Beginning'

Jim Henson's The Muppet Show was an uphill battle to create, but ended up being an international hit

NEED TO KNOW

• In an archived video from The Jim Henson Company, Jim's wife and co-creator, Jane Henson, talked about the Muppets' signature humor

• A new generation of fans are experiencing The Muppet Show through a new Disney+ special

Jim Henson's Muppets always had a special sense of humor.

In a video from the archives of The Jim Henson Company, the Muppets creator's wife, Jane Henson, explains how their signature snark came to be.

"The Muppet Showreally was an extension of what we began in the very beginning, because when we began, we were students out of college," Jane, who met Jim at the University of Maryland, shared.

"We had a kind of young adult kind of humor and disrespect of establishment and all that kind of thing, so the characters that we developed... we had a little family of five characters. Kermit was the main character. Then Sam, Sam was the only human and Sam never spoke. We had a monster who was kind of the beginning of all our monsters, and we had a cool musician."

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"It was camp right from the beginning, and it was that campy, somewhere between child and adult feeling that we wanted to continue. And I think, really,The Muppet Showwas a mature version of our originalSam and Friendsshow."

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The originalMuppet Showaired from 1976 to 1981 and was beloved by fans around the globe. The series won four Primetime Emmy Awards and three BAFTAs during its run.

In fact, theMuppets Showhad its beginnings in the UK because American networks were iffy about the racy sense of humor coming from what looked like children's characters to most.

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"Nobody really thought that puppets could stand on their own for half an hour on TV. They knew they were fine for two-minute bites onSesame StreetorThe Ed Sullivan Show. But a half hour on their own? This was something really controversial and groundbreaking," biographer Brian Jay Jones toldSlateof the initially uphill battle.

Lew Grade eventually was willing to take a chance on the Muppets, with Jones noting, "Lou Grade and Jim were were a generation apart, but they were cut from the same cloth. Grade had come out of the UK version of Vaudeville. He was famous for jumping on an oval-shaped table and doing the Charleston."

Audio journalist Sally Herships added, "It was filmed in England and broadcast around the world. But the Muppets wasn't just a show. It was a showwithin a show:Kermit as stage manager trying to get the whole crazy whirlwind zoo on stage. Miss Piggy the star, the diva. The Muppet Show was the archetype of a stage performance—and audiences loved it."

Fast forward to 2026 and a whole new generation is ready to fall in love with the Muppets signature charm. The new iteration ofThe Muppets Showis streaming now on Disney+.

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February 21, 2026

Jim Henson's Wife Jane Once Said the Original “Muppet Show” Was 'Camp, Right from the Beginning'

Jim Henson's The Muppet Show was an uphill battle to create, but ended up being an international hit NEE...

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Barry Manilow cancels more concerts amid recovery after cancer surgery

Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow announced Friday he needs to reschedule several more concerts as he continues to recover following surgery after he wasdiagnosed with lung cancer.

In astatementposted Friday to social media, the 82-year-old said he just had a "very depressing visit" with his surgeon, who he said told him: "Barry, you won't be ready to do a 90 minute show. Your lungs aren't ready yet."

Manilow said his surgeon said he was in "great shape considering what you've been through, but your body isn't ready," and told him: "You shouldn't do the first Arena shows. You won't make it through."

The "Copacabana" hitmaker announced in December that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and needed to reschedule his January concert dates in order to have surgery.

His upcoming arena shows were scheduled to begin Feb. 27 in Tampa, Florida, according to hiswebsite. Manilow said Friday he has to reschedule the first batch of shows from Feb. 27 through March 17.

Manilow said that "deep down, I wanted to go back—but my body knew what my heart didn't want to admit: I wasn't ready." He said that while he's been using the treadmill three times a day, he "still couldn't sing more than three songs in a row before I had to stop."

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"I'm SO, SO sorry I have to reschedule some of these first Arena shows. Again! But when I do come back, I will COME BACK!!!" he added.

Manilow said his surgeon indicated he might be able to perform in Las Vegas at the end of March and for the second leg of the arena shows scheduled to begin in April.

In December, Manilow said an MRI scan detected "a cancerous spot" on one of his lungs after he suffered a lengthy bout of bronchitis in the midst of a residency in Palm Springs, California.

"It's pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early," Manilow said at the time, adding that he was having surgery to have the spot removed.

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February 21, 2026

Barry Manilow cancels more concerts amid recovery after cancer surgery

Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow announced Friday he needs to reschedule several more concerts as he continues to recover...

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Bob Barker and “Price Is Right” Announcer Rod Roddy Were 'Not Friends' by the End of Their Mutual Time on the Game Show

American Broadcasting Companies via Getty; CBS via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Bob Barker served as host of The Price Is Right for 35 years, from 1972 to 2007

• Rod Roddy became the show's announcer after being among those who auditioned for the gig after the death of original announcer Johnny Olson in Oct. 1985

• Friend of Roddy opened up about the evolving relationship between Barker and the announcer for an episode of Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia

There was a lot going on behind the scenes ofThe Price Is Right.

When Rod Roddy came into the game show family in 1986, he had big shoes to fill. The show's original announcer, Johnny Olson, had died in Oct. 1985. Olson had a special bond with hostBob Barker. Early on, Roddy and Barker got along well.

Roddy's friend, fellow announcer Randy West, talked about the tides turning during an appearance onNostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia.

"If I may be so bold and disrespectful, Bob Barker liked him because he was not a leading man. Bob, as he was getting on in years, always the alpha male on any show that he did, was very conscious of his appearance and certainly didn't want a leading man type to be competing with," West shared.

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"And Rod, of course, offered no threat for his leading man appearance. So he liked Rod for his second banana look. They liked him for his delivery and his style of voice."

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After over a decade of working together, the shift between the two became palpable for those around the production.

"They were great for the first... 13 or 14 [years]. That was great and they fit together perfectly, top banana and sidekick. It was wonderful. But... there was a strained relationship between the two of them as the years went on," West noted.

"Toward the end, there was not a lot of off-air camaraderie. They were not in a position... Barker would never dismiss Rod from the show because he was such a fan favorite. He was an integral part of the program, but no, they were not friends at the end, and that was a great frustration to Rod, who would talk about it with me. He didn't want to be on anybody's bad side and he felt bad that the relationship had evolved to where they took him off the air."

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While Roddy remained on the show, camera shots of him were limited, which "upset Rod," especially because there was "no single incident" that changed the dynamic between host and announcer.

Craig Kilmore, who hostedThe Late Late Showalso recalled hearing of discord between Barker and Roddy.

"I think one of his friends told me some of the problems with Bob, but Rod didn't really complain about it. But I do know that there was some friction."

Read the original article onPeople

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February 21, 2026

Bob Barker and “Price Is Right” Announcer Rod Roddy Were 'Not Friends' by the End of Their Mutual Time on the Game Show

American Broadcasting Companies via Getty; CBS via Getty NEED TO KNOW Bob Barker served as host of The Pric...

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“The Pink Panther ”Director Shawn Levy Shares How the Crime Comedy Inspired His Marvel Movie (Exclusive)

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NEED TO KNOW

• Director Shawn Levy learned a lot about using the camera for comedy while filming 2006's The Pink Panther

• Sharing how the crime comedy helped his work with Marvel, Levy explains that "the camera is a participant in the joke telling. And more often than not, the simpler approach is the funnier approach"

• The Pink Panther celebrated its 20th anniversary in February

While Shawn Levy has had a long career spanning many different movies,The Pink Pantherhad a big impact on him as a director. The 57-year-old filmmaker shares that he learned about how to use the camera as part of the joke for more comedic scenes while working on the 2006 crime farce.

One scene from the movie, he tells PEOPLE, changed how the director framed particularly funny moments on screen.

Inspector Clouseau (Steve Martin) is followingBeyoncé'scharacter, Xania, around New York City. When he believes he is found out, he yells, "Newspapers," and pulls out a large newspaper to hide his face. After he pulls out the prop, he doesn't see the subway entrance and then falls down the stairs.

"I remember that because that movie was pretty early in my career, and it's the film that got me thinking about how the frame helps tell the joke," Levy shares.

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"I remember considering a bunch of other angles where I would've shown a stuntman tumbling down the stairwell from behind and then from the front towards the lens," he continues. "That was an epiphany moment where I realized, 'Oh, the camera is a participant in the joke telling. And more often than not, the simpler approach is the funnier approach.' "

The director —who has gone on to helmNight at the Museum,Date Night, episodes ofStranger Thingsas well as the upcomingStar Wars: Starfighter —says he "learned this the hard way on other movies."

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"I've tried a complex camera move in the midst of a joke, and it muddies the laugh. Steve not seeing stairs approaching because his face is hidden by the newspaper. That was an example of one uninterrupted frame that makes the joke land in a funnier way," Levy says.

Years later, when he was filming 2024'sDeadpool & Wolverine,there was a massive scene in which Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) fought over 60 other Deadpools.

"That's a similar shot, one uninterrupted, laterally moving wide shot. ButThe Pink Pantherwas where I first started my education in film comedy and how the camera needs to be a participant," Levy recalls.

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In addition to Beyoncé, 44, and Martin, 80,The Pink Pantherstarred Jean Reno, Kevin Kline, Emily Mortimer and Henry Czerny, to name a few.

When it come to rebooting the crime comedy movie franchise as the the time, Levy shares that "everybody came with a respect for the legacy we were inheriting and respect for the screenplay that Steve Martin had written."

There was also "a commitment to have fun and try to parlay that fun off-screen into fun on-screen for audiences," Levy adds. "When the movie became such a big hit, it was really gratifying. We knew we would take our shots critically. You don't touch a classic like that and not run that risk. The way audiences embraced the movie and Steve in this new incarnation of Clouseau was really affirming."

The Pink Panther, first released in theaters on Feb. 10, 2006, is available to stream on Kanopy and Roku TV.

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February 21, 2026

“The Pink Panther ”Director Shawn Levy Shares How the Crime Comedy Inspired His Marvel Movie (Exclusive)

Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock NEED TO KNOW Director Shawn Levy learned a lot about using the camera for comed...

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“Toy Story 5”: Everything to Know About Buzz and Woody's Return to the Big Screen

Pixar/YouTube

NEED TO KNOW

• Toy Story 5 hits theaters on June 19, 2026

• The fifth installment will see Tim Allen and Tom Hanks reprise their roles as Buzz and Woody, respectively

• Toy Story 5 explores how technology is reshaping childhood — and leaving traditional toys fighting for attention

Woody, Buzz and the crew are staring down their most formidable foe yet inToy Story 5.

Directed by Andrew Stanton, the fifth installment — starringTim Allenas Buzz Lightyear andTom Hanksas Woody — will tackle contemporary issues, particularly the impact of technology on childhood play.

"InToy Story 5the toys' jobs get exponentially harder when our toy crew goes head to head with what kids are obsessed with today: electronics," Stanton shared at Disney's D23 expo in August 2024.

Toy Story 5will also focus more on Jessie (Joan Cusack), according to Allen, who spoke withWIVBin April 2025.

"I can tell you that it's a lot about Jessie," he said. "Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there's an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyear. I can give you that, but I can't give you much more."

As the franchise prepares to explore new themes and challenges, the excitement is growing. Here's everything we know so far aboutToy Story 5.

How didToy Story 4leave off?

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Toy Story 4concluded with Woody and Buzz parting ways when the former joined Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to live a life as a "lost toy," free from the constraints of being owned by a child.

Throughout the film, Woody struggled to find his place with Bonnie, as she no longer needed him as much as Andy did. Buzz, understanding Woody's choice, assured him that Bonnie would be okay without him and supported Woody's decision to start a new chapter.

Meanwhile, Buzz stayed with Bonnie, continuing to live with Jessie, Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and other toys, including the new addition of Forky (Tony Hale).

When willToy Story 5be released?

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Toy Story 5is slated for release on June 19, 2026.

Who is in the cast ofToy Story 5?

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All the beloved characters are returning forToy Story 5, and fans will be thrilled to know that Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are reprising their roles as Woody and Buzz, respectively.

Joan Cusack is back as Jessie, while Blake Clark once again lends his voice to Slinky Dog. Tony Hale returns as Forky, Wallace Shawn voices Rex and John Ratzenberger reprises his role as Hamm.

Following the death ofDon Ricklesin 2017, Mr. Potato Head was recast, with Jeff Bergman stepping into the role. The same change was made for Mrs. Potato Head afterEstelle Harrisdied in 2022, with Anna Vocino taking over the part.

Meanwhile, Bonnie will now be voiced by Scarlett Spears, succeedingMadeleine McGraw(Toy Story 4) and Emily Hahn (Toy Story 3).

New to the cast isGreta Leeas the voice of Lily Pad.

What is the plot ofToy Story 5?

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Toy Story 5director Stanton revealed that the central conflict of the latest film will involve the toys grappling with staying relevant in the age of technology.

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The concept art revealed at D23 showed the toys looking sadly at their owner, engrossed in a tablet, hinting at the emotional and humorous struggles they will face as they try to reclaim the child's attention.

In June 2025, Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter teased that the fifth film in the three-decade franchise will lean into a "toy meets tech" dynamic.

Picking up afterToy Story 4, Woody has left the kids' room behind to help lost toys, while Jessie is now running Bonnie's room with Buzz serving as her deputy.

But Bonnie, now 8, is more focused on staying socially connected — prompting her parents to buy her a tablet called Lily Pad. The device lets her chat with friends and play games, but it also proves to be a not-so-friendly presence, subtly convincing Bonnie that she's outgrowing her toys.

Woody is ultimately called back to help, though it's been some time since the gang has reunited — and as Docter hinted, Woody and Buzz don't exactly see eye to eye, making for some classic sparring between the old pals.

Is there a trailer forToy Story 5?

Thefirst official trailerforToy Story 5debuted on Feb. 19, 2026 — and it quickly makes clear that playtime is in jeopardy.

The two-minute clip reunites Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang as they grapple with Bonnie's newest obsession: a sleek smart tablet called Lily Pad, gifted by her parents.

"Extinction — not again!" Rex panics as Bonnie's focus shifts away from her toy box and onto the glowing screen.

Meanwhile, Woody — still out in the world rescuing abandoned toys — checks in with Jessie over a walkie-talkie. "Toys are for play … but tech is for everything," he says somberly. Jessie doesn't sugarcoat the stakes: "I'm losing Bonnie to this device."

Determined to turn the tide, Woody heads back to Bonnie's room, ready to rally the crew and fight to save playtime once more.

Who is directingToy Story 5?

Stanton, a longtime Pixar director known for classics likeFinding NemoandA Bug's Life, will directToy Story 5.Stanton has been a key creative force behind theToy Storyseries since its inception as a writer on all the formerToy Storyfilms.

He will co-direct with McKenna Harris, who producedElementaland directed the Disney+ animated shortCiao Alberto, based onLuca.

In August 2024, Harris posted onInstagramabout her excitement in working on the film.

"YEEE-HAW! i'm co-directing toy story 5, and we've been having the best time with the best team ever! 🤠⭐️ ," she wrote. "so happy to be working with Andrew Stanton and my girl @jesschoismyth on this sweet, sweet movie!! 🥰."

Where can I watchToy Story 5?

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Toy Story 5will be released in theaters on June 19, 2026. In the meantime, fans can catch up on all theToy Storymovies onDisney+.

Read the original article onPeople

byCosmopolite

in

February 21, 2026

“Toy Story 5”: Everything to Know About Buzz and Woody's Return to the Big Screen

Pixar/YouTube NEED TO KNOW Toy Story 5 hits theaters on June 19, 2026 The fifth installment will see Tim A...

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