Month: April 2012

That’s what we more or less attended at Carnegie Hall yesterday.

It was a celebration of the music of the Muppets (and by extension of the life of Jim Henson) with puppeteer John Tartaglia as the MC. And the Muppeteers were there, performing in as low-tech an environment as you can imagine: They had black drapes erected on railings on either side of the stage, about five feet high, and the Muppeteers (dressed in black) would enter in a crouch from either wing, put the Muppets on their hands, and then have them appear over the top of the railing. It was on par with what you’d see during a puppet show mounted at your local library. Personally I thought it was marvelous because it really got the Muppets back to their roots, which was perfect for something celebrating the artistry of Henson (whom Kermit referred to as “my right hand man.”) Kermit, Fozzie, Piggy, the whole gang was there. They even had Statler and Woldorf heckling from one of the balconies. And Kath was teary eyed for a good chunk of it, particularly when Paul Williams was performing “The Rainbow Connection” with Kermit.

PAD

I received an email from the State Department yesterday that a July book fair in Lima, Peru, asked specifically for me as a guest to come out and talk about comic books and graphic novels. I figure it’s either a great honor or else an incredibly elaborate practical joke or kidnapping plot.

I figure I’ll go. When the State Department says a whole city asked for you to come out, I don’t see how you say no.

PAD

The moment when I release a bowling ball, with a full rack of pins at the other end, there are many variations as to what could happen. However, particularly in a close game–where simply getting a spare isn’t going to get it done–it really comes down to only two possibilities:

Either the ball will strike. Or the ball will not strike.

But it occurs to me that, at the moment of release, the ball has both struck and not struck. Both possibilities exist simultaneously.

I call it Schrodinger’s Balls.

PAD