Henson Alternative Henson Alternative is a production and distribution brand of The Jim Henson Company . The productions under the Henson Alternative banner feature more mature themes and content than those traditionally associated with Henson Company . According to Nicole Goldman , Henson Company Vice President of Marketing and Publicity : The Miskreant Puppets . In 2011 the Jim Henson Company branded the group puppets used in the Henson Alternative shows as the Miskreant Puppets ( a brand trademarked by the company in May 2011 ) . Many of the puppets are recycled from past Henson Company projects including " Jim Henson ' s Animal Show " , " City Kids " , " Animal Jam " , and others . As the shows have grown , new and original puppets joined the catalog . In 2006 dozens of new puppets were designed by Julianne Buescher and Drew Massey ; and built by Buescher , Massey , Patrick Johnson , and Sean Johnson with help and guidance from veteran Muppet designer / builder Jane Gootnick . Gene Barretta designed the puppets for the " Late Night Buffet with Augie and Del " and " Tinseltown " pilots , many of which were recycled in future Henson Alternative Productions . List of productions . " Puppet Up ! - Uncensored " ( 2005 - present ) < br > " Puppet Up ! " ( previously titled " Jim Henson ' s Puppet Impov " ) is a live stage show that mixes puppetry and comedic improv . The live show , which launched in 2005 , has toured the United States , Europe and Australia and was featured in a television special on TBS , a web series on TBS . com , and an exclusive film for the Center for Puppetry Arts . " Late Night Buffet with Augie and Del " ( 2006 ) < br > The company developed and piloted a late night talk show entitled " Late Night Buffet " for TBS featuring Brian Henson and Bill Barretta as co - hosts Augie and Del . The series was promoted at Comic - Con in 2006 , however it was not picked up for a series . Kathy Najimy , Fred Willard , Hal Sparks and Kaitlin Olson appeared in the unaired test pilots . " Tinseltown " ( 2007 ) < br > " Tinseltown " was a pilot developed for the Logo Network . The pilot followed the life of Bobby Vegan , an outspoken and struggling entertainer ( and a pig ) , and his life - partner and manager , Samson Knight ( a bull ) . The pilot aired on November 2 , 2007 as part of the network ' s " Alien Bootcamp " anthology series although the series was not picked up for more episodes . " Del ' s Vegas Comedy Binge " ( 2007 ) < br > " Del ' s Vegas Comedy Binge " was a series of webisodes produced in 2007 for TBS . com starring Delbert Kastle , co - star of the " Late Night Buffet " pilot , as he explored The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas , NV . The show was released on TBS . com in the last week of November 2007 , and features appearances by Wayne Newton , Frank Caliendo , Bill Engvall and others . " Stuffed and Unstrung " ( 2010 ) < br > " Stuffed and Unstrung " was a live improv stage show that evolved from Henson ' s previous production " Puppet Up ! - Uncensored " . " Stuffed and Unstrung " marked the debut of a completely revamped production featuring all new technical effects and original music and staging . Created and developed by Brian Henson and Patrick Bristow , the show debuted in March 2010 with a special 10 - week limited engagement at the Union Square Theatre in New York City . The show featured recreations of classic Henson bits , including " I ' ve Grown Accustomed To Your Face " and " Java . " The show was also featured in an episode of " The Celebrity Apprentice " with Donald Trump and " Last Call with Carson Daly " . " Hot Dog TV " ( 2010 ) < br > " Hot Dog TV " ( or " HDTV " ) , is a series of one - minute interstitials featuring puppet hot dogs . The series first ran on Cartoon Network in the summer of 2010 . " Late Night Liars " ( 2010 ) < br > In 2010 , Henson Alternative produced " Late Night Liars " , an original late night comedy game show hosted by Larry Miller and featuring a cast of original puppets . The series premiered on the Game Show Network ( GSN ) June 10 , 2010 and lasted eight episodes . " Alt / Reality " ( 2010 - 2011 ) < br > " Alt / Reality " is a a sketch - style web - series that parodies . Episodes were released on the Henson Company ' s YouTube channel throughout 2010 and 2011 . " The 53rd Grammy Awards " ( 2011 ) < br > The 53rd annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13 , 2011 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and was broadcast nationwide on CBS . The Jim Henson Company ' s Henson Alternative puppets performed back - up for a performance of Cee Lo Green ' s " Forget You " by Green along with Gwyneth Paltrow . " Simian Undercover Detective Squad " ( 2011 ) < br > " Simian Undercover Detective Squad " ( also known as " S . U . D . S . " ) is a webseries featuring two monkey declivities - Skreet ( Allan Trautman ) and Yeager ( Ted Michaels ) . Fifteen webisodes premiered exclusively on the Xbox and Zune networks in April 2011 , and select episode were re - released on The Nerdist Channel in 2012 . " Marvin E . Quasniki for President " ( 2011 - 2012 ) < br > In 2011 , the Jim Henson Company partnered with The Nerdist Channel to create a series of exclusive YouTube videos for Marvin E . Quasniki , a puppet character performed by Paul Rugg running for President of the United States . " Ain ' t It Cool with Harry Knowles " ( 2012 ) < br > " Ain ' t It Cool " was a web series on the Nerdist Channel hosted by film critic Harry Knowles . The Jim Henson Company provided a puppet version of Knowles , performed by Artie Esposito , for the program . In the May 24 , 2012 episode , the puppet interviewed " Sesame Street " performer Caroll Spinney and director John Landis . " Neil ' s Puppet Dreams " ( 2012 ) < br > " Neil ' s Puppet Dreams " was a 7 - episode webseries produced by The Nerdist Channel and The Jim Henson Company ' s Henson Alternative brand . The series was created by and stars Neil Patrick Harris . In the series , Neil has an affliction that causes him to have dreams that are populated by puppet characters . Guests on the show included Nathan Fillion , David Burtka , Michael Serrato , and Joe Manganiello . " Ketchup with the Hot Dogs " ( 2013 ) < br > " Ketchup with the Hot Dogs " is 6 - episode webseries a 2013 Henson Alternative webseries that features comedic recaps of recent television series ( including " True Blood " , " Boardwalk Empire " , " Homeland " , " Dexter " , " The Walking Dead " , and " Breaking Bad " ) reenacted by hot dogs . " That Puppet Game Show " ( 2013 - 2014 ) < br > " That Puppet Game Show " was BBC variety and game show which ran from August 2013 to January 2014 . The show was produced by the BBC in conjunction with The Jim Henson Company and features the Miskreant Puppets . In the series , Dougie Colon hosts a game show in which celebrity contestants go head to head in challenges set up by the show ' s " experts . " Eight episodes were produced . " Good Morning Today " ( 2013 - 2014 ) < br > " Good Morning Today " was a short - form series that billed it ' self as " a morning talk shows show that takes place in a parallel universe . " The program was created using the Henson Digital Performance Studio to animate digital characters in real - time . " Good Morning Today " aired on Fusion in 2013 and 2014 . Human guests on the program included : Chris Hardwick , Tony Hawk , Ken Jeong , Conan O ' Brien , Danny Trejo , Neil deGrasse Tyson , Fred Willard , " Weird Al " Yankovic and others . " No , You Shut Up ! " ( 2013 - 2016 ) < br > " No , You Shut Up ! " is an comedic news talk show on the Fusion channel that was created by David Javerbaum ( the former head writer and executive producer of " The Daily Show with Jon Stewart " ) . The show features Paul F . Tompkins and a panel of puppets and celebrity guests debating about the different issues of the day from their unique perspective . Guests on the show have included Jack Black , John Cho , Seth Green , Riki Lindhome , Diego Luna , Wendi McLendon - Covey , Andy Richter , Rich Sommer , Nicole Sullivan , Patrick Warburton , Fred Willard , Keegan - Michael Key , Jordan Peele , and " Weird Al " Yankovic . The cast appeared on the February 23 , 2015 episode of Comedy Central ' s " @ midnight with Chris Hardwick " .