Happy Birthday, Jerry Nelson

Posted on July 10, 2016 by Max

Jerry Nelson performs the Count, Sesame Street, late 1970s.

Jerry Nelson performs the Count, Sesame Street, late 1970s.

Thinking of Jerry Nelson, who would have been 82 years young today. Here’s the biographical essay I wrote about him, “The Count Writes a Haiku”. Grateful for all his work to make “millions of people happy”.

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Summer Book News

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Max
Jim Henson biographer Brian Jay Jones and I at the BIO conference in 2014.

Jim Henson biographer Brian Jay Jones and I at the BIO conference in 2014.

  • Had a great time at the Biographers International Organization conference in Richmond last month, where I was applauded as a finalist for their Hazel Rowley Prize for a first-time biographer doing particularly promising work.
  • Readers may have noticed this website has become more mobile-friendly!
  • I’ll be releasing a new excerpt from the book for Richard Hunt’s birthday in August! Stay tuned!
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Funny Boy is Rowley Prize Finalist!

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Max

I’m proud to announce that Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography is one of three finalists for the Hazel Rowley prize from the Biographers International Organization. The prize helps first-time biographers find publishers for their books. Sweet email this morning with the news: “Members of the committee enjoyed getting to know Richard Hunt.”

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‘Listen, React and Tell the Truth’: An Interview with Michael Earl

Posted on December 25, 2015 by Max

201210240118Michael-Earl I am sorry to mark the passing of Michael Earl, a longtime puppeteer, whom Richard Hunt mentored as a young performer on Sesame Street. Earl briefly played Snuffleupagus, Forgetful Jones, and dozens of other roles in The Muppet Movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and various other Muppet and non-Muppet productions. Earl also passed on the craft of television puppetry, founding Puppet School with his partner Roberto Ferreira. Here’s a brief excerpt from our 2011 interview. Continue reading →

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“The Muppets” (2015) – The Review!

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Max

The Muppets passes my most important test – it’s funny as hell. At moments, it’s old-school, Muppet Show funny — and that’s my highest praise.

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poster1Puppets are a great art form: They don’t die. The most beloved outlive those who brought them to life. Jim Henson’s been gone for 25 years, and the Muppets are back on primetime television – on ABC, which rejected The Muppet Show forty years ago, making their zealous promotion of the new show especially sweet.
Continue reading →

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Fan Mail!

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Max

Writing is solitary, so it’s easy to forget that an audience is out there waiting for the book – until you get a wonderfully encouraging email from a complete stranger! Thanks to Julia Kosier of Wisconsin for this wonderful message. Continue reading →

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