Muppets in Space, for real

Given the opportunity, who wouldn't end the week with a Muppets post?

There's been all sorts of news on the Muppets front lately, the most important of which is that there will be another Muppet movie. Last fall's film was a success, giving the franchise a much needed shot in the arm. (In the lead-up to the movie's release, it seemed as if there were Muppets everywhere; when I would go home at night, I was afraid to open the door of my house for fear I'd be attacked by woolly creatures looking for yet another venue to invade). Much has been made that Jason Segel won't be part of the next package, but although one thanks him for helping get the francise back on its feet, it's not as if he is absolutely essential to its continuation. If he were to be in it, good. Not in it? Okay, whatever. Then again, I'm not his agent, so I may not have the correct vantage point here.

Back in 2004, it was not the Muppets in the news, though. NASA had just landed on Mars, which was a pretty big deal. But as it turns out, it almost was the Muppets in the news, with their own Mars launch. They were beaten by NASA by "a mere three weeks—give or take a 20 year margin of error." But they were big about it, as this letter from Muppet Labs demonstrates.

(See you Monday!)