1. There is a drawer of muppet features and it is magnificent.
2. Puppet building is very serious and hard work; we're not "playing with dolls" over here.
3. Speaking of blood, sweat, and tears: Injuries from power tools and razors are common place.
I currently have blood spots on both Elmo and Big Bird. Elmo from stabbing myself with a needle while trying to sew a cowboy hat to his head, and Big Bird from not carefully enough trimming his leg fleece.
4. Oscar the Grouch has a broken jaw, but we don't fix it because that's how the puppeteer likes it.
5. That same puppeteer, Caroll Spinney, is also the genius behind Big Bird.
Caroll Spinney (on the left) is magical and when you meet him you instantly want to hug him.
6. A lot of kids cry when they first meet Big Bird, as he is a little over 8 FEET TALL, and it can be shocking at first.
7. Speaking of scary puppets, a lot of our designs weren't so cute at first. Check out first-generation Snuffy's big green eyes.
8. Big Bird's feathers are made from hundreds of dyed turkey feathers that need to be replaced on the reg.
9. There are several different puppets for each of the characters.
10. Pupil placement on the eyeballs is taken VERY seriously. There is a secret way to get it right that no Jim Henson Builder will ever reveal.
11. Same for the super top-secret "muppet stitch."
12. Getting a muppet dressed might be harder than dressing a child. They literally can’t move their limbs to help and then the clothing has to be pinned in place in a very hidden way.
13. Elmo is very popular, but to be honest, when working on set his voice can get a little grating after awhile.
14. Putting eyes on inanimate objects is extremely satisfying.
15. Things were never the same after Jim died.
