The Muppet Show was originally conceived by Jim Henson around 1954-1955. He created a whacky, zaney world where puppets or “muppets” would interact in song and dance and joke. Henson invented the word “muppet” in 1965 by putting the word marionette and puppet together.

Jim Henson created Fragglerock, The Muppet Show, and many other Muppets inspired movies. There is a new Muppet movie coming out this year called “Muppets in Manhatten”.

The common look of a muppet is a round face, open mouth and protruding eyes. Muppets represent human characteristics and are occasionally anthropomorphic animals, monsters or strange and interesting creatures from Henson’s imagination.

Here is a wikipedia quote on the topic of Henson’s choice on puppeteers for each muppet. “Muppets tend to develop, as writer Michael Davis put it, “organically”, meaning that the puppeteers take time, often up to a year, slowly developing their characters and voices. Muppets are also, as Davis said, “test-driven, passed around from one Henson troupe member to another in the hope of finding the perfect human-Muppet match”.^[11]

When interacting with Muppets, children tended to act as though the Muppets were living creatures, even when they could see the puppeteers”.

One of my favorite muppets is probably “Animal”. He is the wild and crazy drummer in the muppet band. He has a hairy face and a unibrow and he really lets loose on the drum set. Check out this costume!

Cat girl

Growing up, most of us had a pet of some kind. Whether it was a dog, cat, rabbit, hamster, fish, snake, lizard or rat; you loved the thing, and you know it. This is probably why most of us are animal lovers at heart. If it wasn’t because of a pet, then it was because of all those cute storybook/disney/pixar characters that found their way into our conversations and games when we were younger. To this day we still can’t help but go “aww” when a kitten does something cute or laugh when we hear about a snake that has eaten something ridiculously too big and tried to pretend like it was just going about it’s normal business afterwards. Or maybe you hate all animals? You’d still agree that the playboy bunnies are good, right? Well there you go, your favorite animal is a bunny.

So for this Halloween, when you’re thinking about what you want to dress up as; why not pick an animal?

For women this usually goes in the same direction; put on something cute and skimpy, and add the appropriate ears attached to a headband to denote what animal you are. Bunnies, cats, mice, or perhaps antenna and wings for a ‘sexy bee costume’. There are plenty out there to purchase, but like I said, not many of them will be very covering. If you’re a more modest individual, it might be best to put together an outfit yourself, and only purchase the accessories you need. It might be cheaper that was as well.

For men it’s a little more complicated. Of course you could always go in a full out mascot costume and get lots of hugs from the party goers (it’s like hugging a big teddy bear!), or you could try something a little more creative. For example, a ‘bad dog’ with a spiked collar, floppy dog ears and a metal band t-shirt. Or just wear the ears and a leash and see how many people will take you for a walk.

Regardless of what you do, being an animal this Halloween might be a lot of fun! Give it a shot.