In what organizers are fairly certain is unprecedented, puppets are going to take over the Nashville Public Television pledge set on Sunday, March 3 from 7-10 p.m., during the broadcasts of “An Evening with Jerry Lewis: Live from Las Vegas” and “Brit Floyd.” The puppets, from Nashville Public Library’s Wishing Chair Productions and stars of the Nashville International Puppet Festival, will spend time on the phone bank and share screen time with the human hosts.
“Puppets have always been well represented and respected on NPT,” says Aesop, he of the orange fabric skin and hipster mustache. “Several of us in the puppet community thought it was time we gave back and volunteered to man, or rather puppet, the phones. Plus, we understand that Janet Ivey and Lelan Statom are co-hosting, and I have a beef to settle with Statom. I’m still wringing myself out from that rain he didn’t tell me was coming a few weeks ago. Felt and water don’t mix, you know.“
In addition to the traditional thank-you gifts of DVDs and show tickets that viewers who call in can claim for their support, there will also be some unique gift opportunities around the popular Nashville International Puppet Festival, taking place in and around the Nashville Public Library, June 21-23, 2013.
“I think Jerry Lewis would approve of this zaniness,” says NPT pledge producer Linda Wei. “Most of our viewers understand the necessity of our pledge drives, and have gotten fairly used to how they work. So when the puppets called and asked to help, and weren’t even concerned with what the donated food was going to be that night, we were more than happy to have them. I’m excited. And scared.”
Check out the promo here:
Learn more about Nashville Public Library’s Wishing Chair Productions here.