Muppets!

CNN.com has an article titled Surprising stories behind 20 Muppet characters, which I find quite humorous. I just bought Jim Henson's Labyrinth and forgot how much I love those crazy puppets.

Here are a few Muppet background checks:

Miss Piggy is apparently from Iowa. She started as a minor character on "The Muppet Show," but anyone who knows Miss Piggy can see that she wouldn't settle for anything "minor." Her first TV appearance was actually on an Herb Alpert special. It wasn't until 1976, when "The Muppet Show" premiered, that she became the glamorous blonde with a penchant for frog that we know and love today. Frank Oz once said that Miss Piggy grew up in Iowa; her dad died when she was young and her mother was mean. She had to enter beauty contests to make money.

**THOUGHTS FROM ME: MISS PIGGY REMINDS ME OF A VOLUPTUOUS AND LOUD FRIEND WHO HAD A PHYSICALLY SMALLER BF WHOM SHE SNOODLED IN HER BREASTISIS AND ADORED DEARLY.

Oscar the Grouch is performed by the same guy who does Big Bird, Carroll Spinney. Spinney said he based Oscar's cranky voice on a particular New York cab driver he once had the pleasure of riding with. He was originally an alarming shade of orange. In Pakistan, his name is Akhtar and he lives in an oil barrel. In Turkey, he is Kirpik and lives in a basket. And in Israel, it's not Oscar at all -- it's his cousin, Moishe Oofnik, who lives in an old car.

**THOUGHTS FROM ME: I WANT TO SEE THIS MOISHE OOFNIK CHARACTER. HE SOUNDS LIKE A REAL GROUCHMAHOLIC!

Gonzo: What exactly is Gonzo? Nobody knows. Even Jim Henson had no particular species in mind. Over the course of "The Muppet Show," "Muppet Babies" and various Muppet movies, Gonzo has been referred to as a "Whatever", a "Weirdo" and an alien. Whatever he is, he first appeared on the scene in 1970's The Great Santa Claus Switch. His name was Snarl the Cigar Box Frackle. In 1974, he showed up on a TV special for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. He became Gonzo the Great by the first season of The Muppet Show and developed his thing for Camilla the Chicken almost accidentally: During one episode where chickens were auditioning for the show, puppeteer Dave Goelz ad-libbed, "Don't call us, we'll call you... nice legs, though!" It was decided then and there that Gonzo would have a bizarre romantic interest in chickens.

**THOUGHTS FROM ME: GONZO IS DEF A PEDOPHILE/CREEPSTER IN MUPPET FORM.

Thursday Night Supper Club: Saturday Brunch Edition

Since many of my Thursday Night Supper Club friends will be busy on Valentine's Day Weekend, we decided to have a Saturday brunch instead. Although some were a bit hung over from a Friday night adventure, we were able to pull off yet another successful meal.

Today's Menu:
APPS
- Fruit salad with apples, raspberries, strawberries, and grapes
- Smoked salmon pinwheels with tofutti vegetable "cream cheese"
ENTREE
- Eggs "however-you-like-them" --> I like mine sunny side up
- Mixed herb salad with honey-citrus vinaigrette, apple, red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds and a baked parmesan crisp
- Sauteed potatoes and peppers
DRINKS
- Spicy Bloody Marys
- Mimosas

For once we did not have a dessert, but that was not by choice!! A member who was going to make french toast could not come last minute, but I'm sure we will make up for it next time~

Money Money!

I'm not very lucky when it comes to winning things. I never win the lottery, raffles, sweepstakes, or anything, and it's not like I don't consider myself unlucky; I'm just not good at the game of chance. I like to attribute my luck in life to trying my best to make the best decision I can. However, I was chance-lucky this past weekend when I won $150 in the company Super Bowl squares-thingy. Shwiinng shwiiing!

Dumb-Dumb of the Week: Michael Phelps

I would say that it is rather normal for most people to experiment with drugs and such at a young age. However, I do not think it is acceptable for a public figure (especially an Olympian) to smoke the dope....at least in social scenes. That is why I nominate Olympic gold medalist, Michael Phelps, as Dumb-Dumb of the Week.

Songs I Love: Comic Strip

Brigitte Bardot was a sex symbol in the 1950s-60s. She was a model, actress, singer, and is now an animal rights activist. I have never seen her movies, but her music is fun and brings you back to another era. I love her song with singer Serge Gainsbourg called "Comic Strip" which is full of onomatopoeias -- SHEBAM ! POW ! BLOP ! WIZZ !

In The Heights

I attended my second Broadway show called "In The Heights" and it was fabuloso. It's about 3 days in the lives of Dominican-Americans living in New York's Washington Heights (upper upper west side Manhattan). It's a mix of hip-hop and salsa-type music and dance, and the show even won a Tony Award for Best Musical!

I could relate to the story of Nina and her immigrant parents who do all they can to give their daughter a better life, and I saw my parents in the characters Kevin and Camila. I also loved the smooth raps of Usnavi and the inspiring/amazing dances by the cast (especially Graffiti Pete)

Although we sat in the rear mezzanine for most of the show (we were allowed to move up at intermission), it was a great show to see. I can't wait for my next one!

"I Gave Up Christ For You"

I'm watching Sex and the City and Charlotte is upset at Harry for not proposing, and she tells him, "I gave up Christ for you and you can't give up the Mets?!"

My bf is Jewish and I'm Catholic, but I will never give up Jesus!
So Booyakasha!