WE. ARE. BACK! We’re joined by Kevin Carlson, creator and star of the iconic 90’s video series Timmy the Tooth. Kevin is also known for his work on projects including The Mr. Potato Head Show, Imagination Movers, Crank Yankers, and The Muppets. Additionally, he is a co-chair of the SAG/AFTRA Puppeteers Committee, which fights to ensure fair contracts for professional puppeteers. We talk to Kevin about the responsibility of negotiating for fair wages and residuals for puppeteers, evolving Timmy the Tooth from a live variety show to a major TV program, and his fail-safe approach to preparing for ..read more

We're celebrating the re-opening of theatre on Broadway and "The 21st Day of the Month of September" with the puppeteer cast of Broadway's Little Shop of Horrors revival — Eric Wright and Teddy Yudain! Together, they perform Audrey II in this production of the Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's cult-classic musical. Outside of the show, Teddy is a working actor and puppeteer, Eric is the owner and head chef at The Puppet Kitchen. Both artists are alumni of the University of Connecticut and the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. We'll chat with the pair about their ..read more

On this week's show we're joined by one of puppetry's rising stars — Haley Jenkins! Haley currently stars in the title role of PBS Kids's Donkey Hodie, based on characters from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. She has also performed on Helpsters, The Pee Wee Herman Show Live on Broadway, Sesame Street, where where she originated the role of Karli. We talk with Haley about first finding bravery on the stage in high school, how her time in the Disney College Program ultimately led her to Sesame Street, and how all of her experiences in puppetry have informed her work as Donkey Hodie. We also talk about ..read more

Here to discuss his decades as a writer and biographer, Puppet Tears welcomes Brian Jay Jones. He has written best-selling biographies on iconic artists such as Washington Irving, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), and George Lucas. His 2013 book, Jim Henson: The Biography was written with the cooperation of the Henson family, who granted Jones unprecedented access to the Henson Archives. We talk with Brian about his journey in creating his acclaimed "book shelf," his admiration for Jim Henson's "creatively restless" work ethic, and how he is forever intertwined with the legacy of his subjects. He al ..read more

On this episode, we're celebrating 20 years of ToughPigs.com with the help of Joe Hennes and Ryan Roe! As co-owners of the site, as well as editor-in-chief and head writer, respectively, Joe and Ryan have overseen the evolution of ToughPigs from a little-known fan blog to a robust media outlet for all kinds of Muppet related content. They each host their own podcast for ToughPigs. Joe oversees The Muppet Fan Podcasts with ToughPigs.com, currently celebrating with a retrospective series ToughPigs at 20. Ryan is the host of Movin' Right Along, where he and Anthony Strand re-visit Muppet movies t ..read more

​Let's give a big hand for this week's guest and our ol' pal Chase Woolner! Chase is the owner and operator of Busy Hands studio, where he crafts handmade puppets, pottery, and art supplies. He has worked as an additional Muppet performer on numerous projects including the films The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted, appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and the 2015 ABC series The Muppets. We talk to Chase about his recent move from LA to Michigan where he works as a full-time visual artist, how a puppetry turned into his first professional gig on the set of 2011's Muppet movie, an ..read more

For this episode of Puppet Tears, the guys have their yearly check-up with The Godfather of Puppet Tears - Mr. Jim Kroupa. Infamously known for his work as a puppet builder and mech designer, Kroupa has worked on countless films and television shows from Sesame Street and The Muppets Take Manhattan to Helpsters and the upcoming reboot of Fraggle Rock. One program he was heavily involved in - Eureeka's Castle, on which he was a lead character, head builder, and writer - has re-emerged this year, streaming on Paramount Plus. We talk to Jim about his experiences while bringing Eureeka's Castle to ..read more

We're back with a guest who has traveled from galaxies far, far away, to green lands before the Crystal cracked - Hugh Purves! You know him from his work on Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and so much more. He is the owner and operator of the one-stop-online-shop PuppetThings.com. We'll chat with Hugh about the many projects on his expansive C/V, his innovative approach to material use and puppet building, and what he's learned while on the sets of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters. Join us for a conversation jam-packed with ..read more

On this week's show we're joined by the one-and-only Stacey Gordon. Stacey is the founding owner of Puppet Pie, a puppet building art studio in Phoenix Arizona. She is also a performer on Sesame Street, where she has performed Julia, the first Muppet character with Autism, since 2015. We talk with Stacey about how her early love for dolls and toys lead to an interest in theatre, growing her business from an Etsy shop to an international arts programming, and the series of events that lead her to Sesame Street. Tune in for a truly inspirational chat full of insights into how to find success in ..read more

On this episode, we have an animated discussion with the one-and-only Jamie Bressler! An absolute power-house puppet builder, Jamie has built characters and props for the Jim Henson Company, Saturday Night Live, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and beyond. Her own work has earned her Comic-Con and Internet fame, creating on-model puppet versions of Disney and Pixar characters. We talk to Jamie about how her training as a scenic designer evolved into a passion for puppetry, skills she learned from Puppet Kitchen and Bob Flanagan's Den Design Studio, and the experience of seeing her builds co ..read more