About this Episode

VYS0055 | Merry ChristMups! - The Muppet Christmas Carol - Vayse to Face with Phil Ristaino: Saturnalia 2025 - Show Notes

God help us, every one! 'Tis the season of good will to all creatures and, even better, that jolly old elf, Phil Ristaino, returns to Vayse after an absence of only 4 episodes for an urgent meeting about the Muppet Christmas Carol, a film which he had never seen before researching for the episode!

With Phil's help and encouragement Hine and Buckley joyously delve into a film which has been a Vayse favourite for over 3 decades, discussing the sad and sudden demise of the genius that was Jim Henson, the connections between the muppets and spirituality, why the Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the best Christmas movies, if not one of the best movies ever made, how the spirit of Jim Henson visited his successor to the voice of Kermit... and how the Muppets got the best performance of his career out of Michael Caine (recorded 4 December 2025).

Phil Ristaino online
The Post Relevant Podcast website
Phil’s website
Agents of Venus - Bandcamp
Phil on Instagram

Jim Henson and the Muppets
The Muppets - Wikipedia
The Muppets Trailer - YouTube
Man or Muppet - YouTube
The Muppet Christmas Carol - Wikipedia
The Muppet Christmas Carol Trailer - YouTube
The Muppet Movie - Wikipedia
The Muppet Movie Trailer - YouTube
Labyrinth - Wikipedia
Labyrinth Trailer - YouTube
The Dark Crystal - Wikipedia
The Dark Crystal Trailer - Youtube
Jim Henson - Wikipedia
The Muppet Christmas Carol: A festive classic's dark backdrop - BBC
Michael Caine - Wikipedia
Gonzo The Great - Wikipedia
Rizzo the Rat - Wikipedia
The Muppets - Wikipedia
Christian Science - Wikipedia
The Muppets and Drug Use - Muppet Wiki
Jane Henson - Wikipedia
Sam and Friends - Wikipedia
Sam and Friends - YouTube
Kermit The Frog - Wikipedia
Jim Henson and The Muppets Visit The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson - 03/18/1975 - YouTube
Sesame Street - Wikipedia
The Land of Gorch - Wikipedia
The Land of Gorch - YouTube
The Muppet Show - Wikipedia
The Muppet Show Trailer - YouTube
The Muppets Valentine Show - First Muppet Show Pilot - YouTube
The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence (Opening Scene) - YouTube
Brass Eye - Wikipedia
Brass Eye - Complete Series (All 7 Episodes) - YouTube
Prince on The Muppets Tonight - YouTube
10 Behind the Scenes Facts about The Muppet Christmas Carol - YouTube
Star Wars - Wikipedia
Star Wars Trailer - YouTube
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Wikipedia
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trailer - YouTube
VYS0054 | You Can't Make An Omelette Without Breaking A Few Egregores - Vayse to Face with Joshua Cutchin
The Great Muppet Caper - Wikipedia
The Great Muppet Caper Trailer - YouTube
The Muppets Take Manhattan - Wikipedia
The Muppets Take Manhattan Trailer - YouTube
Ghostbusters - Wikipedia
Ghostbusters Trailer - YouTube
Fraggle Rock - Wikipedia
Fraggle Rock Opening Theme - YouTube
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - Wikipedia
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Trailer - YouTube
Streptococcal Pharyngitis - Wikipedia
Mastoiditis - Wikipedia
Scarlet Fever - Wikipedia
Meningitis
Toxic shock syndrome
Frank Oz - Wikipedia

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens - Wikipedia
A Christmas Carol - Wikipedia
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - Project Gutenberg
Brian Henson - Wikipedia
Christian Science Website
Mary Baker Eddy - Wikipedia
Mitch Horowitz
Seth Material - Wikipedia
Jane Roberts - Wikipedia
Big Henson Energy: The Ridiculous Optimism of The Muppets by Aimee Knight - Kill Your Darlings
Steven Mackintosh - Wikipedia
Robin Weaver - Wikipedia
‘God bless us, every one!’ The five best film versions of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol by Kevin E G Perry - The Independent
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew - Wikipedia
Puppetry for the Modern Shaman by James Godwin - Howlround Theatre Commons
Masks in Magic by Gordon "the Toad" MacLellan - Whitedragon.org
The Mask - Wikipedia
The Mask Trailer - Youtube
Dave Goelz -Wikipedia
How we made: The Muppet Christmas Carol - Guardian
Muppets From Space - Wikipedia
Muppets From Space Trailer - YouTube
Gonzo's attraction to chickens - Muppets Wiki
Sesame Street Theme - YouTube
X-Men - Fandom.com
How Were the Ghosts in The Muppet Christmas Carol Created? by Via Laurene - Comic Book Resources
Bob Marley - Wikipedia
Miss Piggy - Wikipedia
Dionysus - Wikipedia
Banshee - Wikipedia
The Roman god Bacchus as a Christian icon by Riley Winters - Ancient Origins
The Immortality Key: Uncovering the Secret History of the Religion with No Name by Brian C. Muraresku - GoodReads
Ergot - Wikipedia
Kykeon - Wikipedia
Eleusinian Mysteries - Wikipedia
Triple Deity - Wikipedia
Paul Williams - Wikipedia
The Carpenters - Wikipedia
Rainy Days and Mondays by the Carpenters- Wikipedia
Rainy Days and Mondays by the Carpenters - YouTube
When Love is Gone by Paul Williams - YouTube
When Love is Gone - Muppet Wiki
When Love is Found by Paul Williams - YouTube
Why It Matters That “When Love Is Gone” Is Found by Joe Hennes - ToughPigs
Why ‘Love Is Gone’ Is Vital To The Muppets Christmas Carol by Julia H Dixon - Writer in a Hat
Steve Whitmire - Wikipedia
Muppet Religion by Jodi Eichler-Levine - The Revealer
The Simpsons - Wikipedia
Read the apology letter Barbara Bush once wrote to Marge Simpson by Dan Snierson - Entertainment Weekly
The Beatles - Wikipedia
Bob Ross - Wikipedia
Carl Sagan - Wikipedia
Five fun facts about The Muppet Christmas Carol as it turns 25 - BBC
Michael Caine Loves The Muppet Christmas Carol as Much as You Do by Lauren Larson - GQ
Sam the Eagle - Wikipedia
Sesame Street - Monsterpiece Theater "Twin Beaks" - YouTube
Muppet Songs: Muppet Christmas Carol - Scrooge - YouTube
Muppet Christmas Carol - Spider Joe - YouTube
Lullaby by The Cure - YouTube
Spirited Away - Boiler Room - YouTube
Scrooged - Wikipedia
Scrooged Trailer - YouTube
Mickey's Christmas Carol - Wikipedia
Mickey's Christmas Carol Trailer - YouTube
Scrooge - Wikipedia
Scrooge Trailer - YouTube
Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol - Wikipedia
Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol - YouTube
Muppet Christmas Carol, Heatwave
Muppet Christmas Carol - 'Tis the Season - Youtube
Anunnaki - Wikipedia
Sasquatch - Wikipedia
The Fae - Wikipedia

Christmas Recommendations

Groundhog Day - Wikipedia
Groundhog Day Trailer - YouTube
Eyes Wide Shut - Wikipedia
Eyes Wide Shut Trailer - YouTube
The 33 Degrees of Eyes Wide Shut
Making of The Beatles - YouTube
Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney - YouTube
Part 8 (Twin Peaks) - Wikipedia
Cheech & Chong - Wikipedia
VYS0052 | Goddamn Shit-sucking Vampires - Halloween 2025: The Lost Boys - Vayse to Face with Sorcha Ní Fhlainn
PRP3: Twin Peaks: the Return: the DECODE episode 5

Buckley's Final Question

ChatGPT
Yoda - Wikipedia
Salacious B. Crumb - Wookiepedia
Cookie Monster - Wikipedia
Animal - Wikipedia

Vayse online

Website
Twitter
Bluesky
Instagram
Bandcamp (Music From Vayse)
Ko-Fi
Email: vayseinfo@gmail.com