From: Widerman-AT-aol.com
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 16:23:15 EDT
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] NY Times Magazine Sunday Oct 4 "Can the Muppets Make


Steve, thanks for pointing out the article, I was already working on the  
crossword puzzle and might have missed it.
 
I was particularly piqued by the section of the article that stated: 
 
 ". . . it was also hard to film segments with Palestinian kids  talking to 
Muppets. 'It's impossible to get them to loosen up . . . 'There isn't  this 
freedom of kids allowing themselves to act silly with puppets or  dolls.'"
 
I was forced to consider the possibility that cultural influences and  
miserable living conditions could negate the inherent magic of puppetry, which I 
 believe most people perceive instinctively, particularly children. It was  
heartening to see the conclusion of the article where "a wave of excitement 
 swept through the room" when the Muppets were introduced. "Kids who were 
stuck  at the back of the auditorium stood on the arms of their plastic 
chairs and  tables, craning their necks."
 
I guess for most kids, it's still magic. Ahhhhhh.
 
     -Steven->





In a message dated 10/4/2009 10:19:19 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
sapuppets-AT-gmail.com writes:

This is  a longish article in today's NY Times Magazine section (about  6
pages)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/magazine/04sesame-t.html?hpw

Working  with Sesame Workshop in the US, several years back the Israelis  
and
Palestinians attempted a version of Sesame St that could  promote
understanding and heal some very deep wounds. It has evolved into  something
different.

It seems to me that the tragedy is that there  are people on both sides of
the conflict who would prefer to deny the very  existence of those on the
"other  side"
Steve
_______________________________________________
List  address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Admin interface:  http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
Archives:  http://www.driftline.org


_______________________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
Archives: http://www.driftline.org