Exterminating a major rumor before it hatches

dwmckim

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We're all excited about the upcoming movie and the doors it should hopefully open for further major Muppet projects. A lot of us are hoping it may lead to another television series.

I've discovered the seedlings of a major rumor regarding such a series which while small and harmless now could potentially grow and worm its way around the web and outside like a major virus. Sooner or later, someone will ask about it or it will make its way into some blog or article where the reporter did shoddy research and/or didn't employ a fact checker. So if at any time this comes up anywhere on or outside this forum, you can kindly direct them to the URL of this thread so people will know how/where this got started and that there's no validity to it.

Turns out there's a site called "Idea Wiki" which is set up like a regular Wiki but instead of being devoted to collecting facts, it instead is a place where people post ideas, dreams, and fantasies (in the typical Wiki format making them seem like they're real things.)

Someone posted an entry on this Idea Wiki for a Disney Channel television series to be aired "early 2012" called "Lights, Camera, Muppets". The author creates a rather convincing (but obviously fictional) outline on the cast list (including David Rudman not only playing Scooter and Janice but also Luncheon Counter Monster and Kevin Clash as Clifford and Brian Henson as Sal Minella), human cast and guest stars and episode titles (about thirtysomething episodes in its first season). The author imagines it as having a lot of crossovers with other Disney Channel shows with several actors reprising their roles on the Muppet series.

This fan fiction has started to filter onto other "real" Wikis including lists of upcoming Disney Channel shows and on the Wiki page for The Muppets (not to be confused with Muppet Wiki which is much more careful about confirming facts and where it's not made its way onto but rather the "regular" Wikipedia entry for "The Muppets"). Since it's made its way there, it's only a matter of time before people start taking it seriously and people (fans, bloggers, and reporters) curious about learning more about the Muppets as the movie news generates buzz start thinking it's a real thing and the rumor gets all over the place and out of control. So i'm getting this out here before it happens so fans can stop it in its tracks when "more credible" sources start picking up on it.

So to recap, it's a piece of fan-fiction that's starting to spread as a false fact. Even if Disney was already laying plans for a new Muppet series after the movie it would not have all the casting and episode info at this point when The Muppets have only just started taping the movie nor does it seem likely that we'd see Kevin/Brian. It's also highly unlikely that they would have over 30 episodes already planned out when (a) most shows - especially in their debut season don't start out as more than 13 episodes, twentysomething at most and (b) all the scripts written/outlined before anything's taped.

A Google search for "Lights, Camera, Muppets" - aside from showing some of the Wikis and lists the rumor has spread to at this early stage shows that previous mention has been made in the form of Youtube comments after Studio DC aired in the form of "hey, wouldn't it be great if Miley Cyrus singing with the Muppets led to a Hannah Montana spinoff starring the Hannah Montana cast and the Muppets on a regular basis?" The person who originally thought of this probably is the same one who developed the Idea Wiki page.

So to those reading now and those who may be directed to this post later on, it's not a real project. It's a rumor based on fan fiction. We're not seeing a tweenie focused show for the Disney Channel (definately NOT the kind of show the Muppets should be doing if they do move on to regular television again!)
 

rowlfy662

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yeah your right its right its on wikipedia although it sounds cool theres been studio dc and kevin is to busy with performing elmo but it would be exciting if it happened
 

Drtooth

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So to those reading now and those who may be directed to this post later on, it's not a real project. It's a rumor based on fan fiction. We're not seeing a tweenie focused show for the Disney Channel (definately NOT the kind of show the Muppets should be doing if they do move on to regular television again!)
I should hope NOT! Disney seems to be slowly cooling down it's tweenybopper focus (thank Frog) and I would hate for them to just keep thrusting the Muppets into tween coms in order to sell them to tween who don't care who they are or what they are, or why they're there with their favorite "stars." it would be great to see one of those fake Phineas and Ferb talk show segments with one of the Muppets to promote the film in the near future, but that's about it. heck, I'd be surprised if said tween stars are still working for Disney in 2012. Miley wants out of that to start an actual career, I'm sure others will follow.
 
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