Puppet Up ! Puppet Up ! is a show that was started " to demonstrate what happens when the perilous and provocative forms of traditional comedic improvisation are mixed with the art of puppetry . " The show was originally titled " Jim Henson ' s Puppet Improv " , and also evolved into " Stuffed & Unstrung " . The sketches in the live show are not pre - planned , and the shows contain all true improv . The puppeteers in the Henson improv troupe trained with Groundlings performer Patrick Bristow for nine months to perfect their improv skills prior to their first show ; and monthly performer training classes continue to this day . Just like the Groundlings , the Henson Improv sketches are performed based on audience suggestions . The show is strongly advertised for " adults only " and as " uncensored . " First introduced in 2006 , " Puppet Up ! " was the Henson Company ' s first project under the Henson Alternative banner , a brand of productions with more mature themes and content than those traditionally associated with Henson Company . The troupe performed monthly shows at the Avalon Hollywood until " Stuffed & Unstrung " began . History . Brian Henson , producer of the show , recalled the genesis of the show in a 2006 interview stating , " we began doing puppet improv workshops to hone our comedy skills and realized that we were having so much fun that audiences might enjoy watching too . " In the fall of 2005 a show was performed in the sound stage of the Jim Henson Studios for friends and invited industry guests . The two shows were so successful that the group was invited to Aspen for the U . S . Comedy Arts Festival . The U . S . Comedy Arts Festival ( March 8 - 12 , 2006 ) was the show ' s first public debut . The Jim Henson Puppet Improv performed two shows featuring the talent of Brian Henson , Bill Barretta , Julianne Buescher , Leslie Carrara - Rudolph , Drew Massey , Paul Rugg , Allan Trautman and Victor Yerrid . In June 2006 , " Jim Henson ’ s Puppet Improv " began performing under a new name , " Puppet Up ! " . The troupe performed four shows over three nights at the world famous Improv in Hollywood . In August 2006 , " Puppet Up ! " traveled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for 30 shows . Two versions of the show were performed - the regular " adult only " version and , for the first ( and only ) time , a family - friendly " for kids " show . " Puppet Up ! " performed two shows in Las Vegas , Nevada in November 2006 . These shows were filmed as part of HBO and AEG LIVEs " The Comedy Festival " , taking place at Caesar ' s Palace . TBS produced an hour - long " Puppet Up ! - Uncensored " television special from these shows , that aired five days later on TBS . TBS also ordered 30 web - exclusive episodes of " Puppet Up ! - Uncensored " for their " Laugh Lab " video server on TBS . com consisting of clips from the troupe ' s various live performances and shows . The web series debuted on TBS . com on Wednesday , March 7 , 2007 . In spring 2007 , the troupe took the show to Australia , performing at the Big Laugh Comedy Festival in Sydney and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in Melbourne . The performances at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival were recorded and presented as " Puppet Up ! - Uncensored : Live in Melbourne , Australia " , a 76 - minute film exclusively licensed by the Jim Henson Company to the Center for Puppetry Arts . The film debuted at the Center in April 2009 . Starting in August 2007 , " Puppet Up ! - Uncensored " began performing monthly shows at the Avalon in Hollywood . The show grew and inspired into the stage show " Stuffed and Unstrung " , which opened in New York City in March 2010 . Commercials for the show featuring Bobby Vegan and Samson Knight have aired stressing that the puppets are not Muppets .