Posted by thx3188 at 208.218.130.79 on November 30, 1999 at 18:41:27:
In Reply to: Hey Lynch, what's your take on Big Bird? posted by Snuffy on November 29, 1999 at 20:47:05:
: : "Muppet" means a combination of marionette and puppet.
This is true.
: Big bird is neither a marionette nor a puppet. He's a guy in a big bird suit. So, is Big Bird still a muppet? If not, what type of creation is he?
Yes, this is also true, but think about it. The guy inside the suit had to manipulate the mouth, didn't he?
For that matter, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were operated by puppeteers who were off screen, as was the unfinished C-3PO in Episode One.
Speaking of the Star Wars, Yoda was controlled by Frank Oz, who was in a track beneath the set, and Jabba the Hutt had 16 people inside of him.
Wouldn't that make them muppets?
If my reasoning is still not being followed, think about this:
If a muppet is a cross between a marionette and a puppet, why not a man and a puppet (which is what those costumes really are)?
thx3188