What makes Funny Puppets

I love vintage puppets. They are totally different than post-muppet puppets. The muppets were great, but they ruined puppetry by making everyone else think that they had to copy them. Sort of like how Peanuts ruined comics, even though it was wonderful itself.

Here are the traits that I think make puppets the most fun.

You can't have too many strings.

Off-balance poses add precarious excitement.



The Jaw has to be obviously separate from the face.




If there is a human host, it's good if she never makes eye contact with the puppets and even better if she looks positively creeped out the whole time.


Having wall-eyes is a great puppet attribute.


Here's Howdy Doody's gay twin brother.



A seam down the middle of the face adds realism and believability.





If a puppet is gonna wear clothes, it is essential that they be lumpy and bunched up at the crotch. This contrasts nicely if the face is totally smooth shiny and wooden.

Here are some fun puppets.



The burn-victim effect can be mesmerizing to children.


Here are some severely happy looking prosceniums.

The whole atmosphere of puppets should be so evilly happy that it hurts.

These puppets are crappy, but I like the proscenium.