Talk:What is a Muppet?

Recent edits

I made a number of edits to this page recently, and I don't think that I explained or summarized all of them, so here goes:

I put in the OED definitions for "muppet," which I got from the OED online. Originally, I sourced the definitions with a hyperlink, but since I'd got the definitions from my work computer, I hadn't realized that access to the OED online is by subscription only, and that the hyperlink led to a login page (unless your local network happens to have a subscription.) So I took the hyperlink out. I'd also wanted to put in the earliest known uses of the various definitions, but since I've been on vacation and unable to access the OED online, I haven't been able to do so, but I will do once I get back to work.

Before I started editing the article, the section describing alternate meanings of "muppet" implied that the British insult was in force before Henson ever coined the term. I'm pretty sure, however, that the British insult derives from the Muppets (proper noun), and mostly from The Muppet Show, and I will try to track down a definitive source for this info.

I also wasn't confident that the images used to illustrate the British insult actually did so, especially the "Muppet and Proud" poster, so I replaced it with an unambiguous example. I'm also not completely convinced that the book How to Be a Complete Muppet represents a reference to the British insult, but I left it alone for the time being. If it does represent such a reference, then the reference is certainly more ambiguous than either the British door plaque or the British t-shirt, in my opinion.— Tom (talk) 23:57, December 30, 2009 (UTC)

I put in the examples of usage of the various meanings of "muppet" as they appear in the OED online. The result is a bit wordy, but, in my opinion, interesting. For example, in definition 2, I considered that the image of "Six massive muppets...skimming across the water as we cruised at a steady seven knots" might be mind-expanding for those of us those accustomed to thinking in the narrow terms of Muppet fandom. Also, one of the usages in definition 3 mentions "fraggles" in a derogatory sense, which supports the notion that the British derogatory use of "muppet" post-dates Henson's coining of the term, and argues against the idea that the British "reclaimed" the term by parodying The Muppets. Of course, if the section now looks too unwieldy, then feel free to do what you want with it.

I also felt that the common usage of "muppet-style" among puppeteers and puppet builders deserved mention.— Tom (talk) 21:14, January 15, 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, I think they're great -- sorry that nobody posted to give you the thumbs-up on them! Those are really good additions to the page; I like that this page now feels more complete, like it should on this wiki. -- Danny (talk) 18:02, January 22, 2010 (UTC)

Muppets

Last July, we decided to redirect an article we had about The Muppets to the main page. Since that time, we haven't really had anywhere on the wiki that explained what a Muppet is. This is my attempt to put that back together in what is hopefully a more structured sense. —Scott (talk) 03:54, 3 June 2009 (UTC)

I'm so glad that the article was brought back, and in such an improved way! I wonder if this article should be linked to the main page. --Minor muppetz 14:32, 5 June 2009 (UTC)