the adventures of travelling uncle matt

Screen Rant

Uncle traveling matt invites silly creatures to fraggle rock's night of the lights.

Uncle Traveling Matt lets Silly Creatures know they're invited to the Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock - Night of the Lights holiday special.

Apple TV+ reunites with the Fraggles tomorrow, with the Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock - Night of the Lights Holiday Special . The Fraggles are celebrating their favorite holiday of the year, fresh off a successful first season of their rebooted series, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock . The Rock is cheerful like never before when Jamdolin (voiced by none other than Daveed Diggs, Hamilton ) encourages Wembley to make a special wish. From there, the lovable band of Fraggles go out looking for the brightest light and learn the significance of their holiday.

Jim Henson first created Fraggle Rock back in 1983 , and the original fan favorites were brought back together for the revival series. Gobo, Red, Wembley, Mokey, and Boober have also made new friends with which to explore both the Rock and Outer Space, and they often hear from wise old Uncle Traveling Matt thanks to his delightful postcards detailing interactions with the humans he calls "silly creatures." The Jim Henson Company series is executive produced by Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford, John Tartaglia, Matt Fusfeld, and Alex Cuthbertson, with Dave Goelz and Karen Prell co-executive producing. Many of the creatives also serve as puppeteers and voice actors, making the series all the more special. The holiday special in particular is produced by Ritamarie Peruggi.

Related: 10 Best Jim Henson's Creature Shop Movies (According To IMDb)

Screen Rant had the pleasure of sitting down with Uncle Traveling Matt (and, somewhere off-camera, a friendly silly creature named Dave Goelz) to discuss everything there is to know about his love of the Night of the Lights, his adventures in Outer Space, and what viewers can expect from Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock 's holiday special.

Uncle Traveling Matt on The Night of the Lights

Screen Rant: You have traveled far and wide; even to outer space and back. What can you tell me about your travels? What is the most important thing you've learned?

Uncle Traveling Matt: Well, it turns out that silly creatures celebrate with Night of the Lights as well. Everybody seems to love lights. I don't know why it is. In fact, I'm looking here right now at you, and you seem to have lights in your cave.

Speaking of silly creatures, have you had any recent exciting interactions with silly creatures celebrating the Night of the Lights?

Uncle Traveling Matt: Yes, I have. I've had wonderful times. Recently I was on something called a subway, which... I don't know what that is exactly. But you apparently have to have money to get on it. I don't know what money is.

I wish that I could help you. But I too lack money, so neither of us can ride the subway.

Uncle Traveling Matt: Well, we'll take a walk. We'll take a walk.

As the oldest Fraggle, you have plenty of wisdom to impart from your travels to youngsters like Gogo. What would you advise him to do on a night such as this?

Uncle Traveling Matt: Well, the little Fraggles like to celebrate every year. And sometimes I go back and celebrate with them, like I am now. You know, you can see all these lovely lights here. These by the way are glow grapes, these grew. You just plant a little seed and then you bring water to it. And then you wait—wait all year actually. And when you pick them they start glowing. You must have those too, right?

I think that we do it a different way. We can make something glow, but probably not as cool as the Fraggles.

Uncle Traveling Matt: Well, I did once see a light farm—I believe it was called a department store or something like that. You can buy glow grapes.

I would love to know what inspires you when you send your nephew postcards.

Uncle Traveling Matt: Well, you see, the little Fraggles don't get out much; they never come. They're kind of timid and afraid, so they stay underground. But I'm sort of a hero explorer, and I come out and look around, and I write down what I see. And then sometimes even send back artifacts. I find things in outer space, and I wrap them up in a little package. I send them to my nephew Gobo.

Are you on the lookout for any artifacts tonight?

Uncle Traveling Matt: I absolutely am. I'm very interested in what's hanging out of your ear. What is that? Plants that grow out of your ears?

They’re called earbuds! What exciting plans do you have tonight for the night of the lights?

Uncle Traveling Matt: Well, I am going to go looking. I'm going to go exploring. Just see what the silly creatures are doing. There's something called a parade that I'm going to explore if I can find it.

About Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock

Jim Henson’s fun-loving, musical Fraggles are back! Join Gobo, Red, Wembley, Mokey, Boober, and new Fraggle friends on hilarious, epic adventures about the magic that happens when we celebrate and care for our interconnected world.

Next: Fraggle Rock Cast Guide: Every Cameo & Guest Star In Back To The Rock

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock - Night of the Lights Holiday Special will premiere globally on Friday, November 18 on Apple TV+.

• The Jim Henson Company characters
• Characters wear hat
• Characters with a mustache
• 1983 Characters Debuts
• 1980s Characters
• Uncle Traveling Matt
• View history

Uncle Traveling Matt in "Outer Space".

Traveling Matt with Red and Wembley at the Jim Henson's Musical World concert on April 14, 2012.

Uncle Traveling Matt is a brave Fraggle explorer and Gobo's uncle on Fraggle Rock . In " Beginnings ," he ventured out of the Rock to explore the human world of Outer Space .

To document his exploits, Matt sends Gobo a series of postcards recounting his experiences with the Silly Creatures and their culture from the Fraggle point of view. Uncle Matt prides himself on his bravery and resourcefulness, but also tends towards clumsiness, frequently falling backwards or tripping during his travels.

He makes a brief return visit back to Fraggle Rock in the second season episode " Uncle Matt Comes Home ," but in the fourth season episode " Uncle Matt's Discovery ," he returns to the Rock for good. Although he still makes a few occasional trips to Outer Space, he mostly recounts his travels to the other Fraggles orally, as flashbacks are shown.

As a boy, Matt discovered the Gorgs' Garden and, with it, a new source of food ( radishes ) during a mushroom blight. He was raised by his Uncle Gobo , also a great Fraggle explorer. As a child, Matt resembled his nephew Gobo, only with blond hair and tan skin and fur. His Uncle Gobo resembled Matt as an adult except his skin was orange and his hair was a faded purple.

In a 2006 interview , Dave Goelz discussed the three character flaws that define Matt's personality: his misperceptions , his clumsiness (created by Goelz to make taping Matt's segments more interesting), and his denial of the first two flaws. As Goelz later said in a 2011 interview;

"The original concept for him was that he went out and misinterpreted everything and then sent postcards back that we saw on video, where he described the outside world in a distorted way. I just didn't think it was very funny, so I started adding two other components. I started adding clumsiness so he was also physically an inept explorer. And then I added this emotional disconnect. So when he wrote back to his nephew, he would say, "I decided to leave the shop." In actuality, you see him being drop-kicked out of the place and flying through the air and hitting a wall. That aesthetic started to become part of the material, and it was written in as we developed it. [1] "

Traveling Matt is the only Fraggle, and one of the few Fraggle Rock characters in general, to make solo cameo appearances in other Muppet productions, without other Fraggles. He appeared at Kermit and Miss Piggy 's wedding in The Muppets Take Manhattan , and promoted the film on German television in 1984. The following year, he was the only Fraggle Rock character present when the Muppets appeared on Night of 100 Stars . In 1986, he received company in the form of Sprocket when introducing scenes in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years . Reuniting with his fellow Fraggles, he participated in mass appearances in the 1987 Television Academy Hall of Fame induction of Jim Henson, and in A Muppet Family Christmas (in which he provided part of the bass vocals for "The Holly and The Ivy" as part of the Carol Sing Medley where he pops up next to Doc and Sprocket when the other five Fraggles come into view). Matt also graced NBC interstitial segments for the animated version of Fraggle Rock . Most recently, he made an illustrated appearance at a dance in Volume 1 of the Return to Labyrinth manga series, asking Hana if they have any radishes. He also appeared alongside Red Fraggle and Wembley Fraggle at Carnegie Hall as part of Jim Henson's Musical World , where he mistook the hall for "Carnegie Cave" and as a Doozer cave built for the Gorgs.

A traveling matte is a technique used in television and film to insert a foreground object into a prerecorded background image. This technique was often used in Fraggle Rock , especially when the Fraggles are walking through the many underground caves, as well as the Gorg's Garden.

Dave Goelz performing Traveling Matt on location in Toronto.

• 1 Filmography
• 4 External links

Filmography [ ]

• Episode 101: Beginnings
• Episode 102: Wembley and the Gorgs
• Episode 103: Let the Water Run
• Episode 104: You Can't Do That Without a Hat
• Episode 105: The Thirty-Minute Work Week
• Episode 106: The Preachification of Convincing John
• Episode 107: I Want to Be You
• Episode 108: The Terrible Tunnel
• Episode 109: The Lost Treasure of the Fraggles
• Episode 110: Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk
• Episode 111: Catch the Tail by the Tiger
• Episode 112: The Finger of Light
• Episode 113: We Love You, Wembley
• Episode 114: The Challenge
• Episode 115: I Don't Care
• Episode 116: Capture the Moon
• Episode 117: Marooned
• Episode 118: The Minstrels
• Episode 120: The Garden Plot
• Episode 121: Gobo's Discovery
• Episode 122: Mokey's Funeral
• Episode 123: The Beast of Blue Rock
• Episode 124: New Trash Heap in Town
• Episode 201: Wembley's Egg
• Episode 202: Boober Rock
• Episode 203: The Trash Heap Doesn't Live Here Anymore
• Episode 204: Red's Sea Monster
• Episode 205: Uncle Matt Comes Home
• Episode 206: Boober's Dream
• Episode 208: All Work and All Play
• Episode 209: Sir Hubris and the Gorgs
• Episode 210: A Friend in Need
• Episode 211: The Wizard of Fraggle Rock
• Episode 212: The Doozer Contest
• Episode 213: Red's Club
• Episode 214: The Secret of Convincing John
• Episode 215: Manny's Land of Carpets
• Episode 218: The Day the Music Died
• Episode 219: Doomsday Soup
• Episode 220: A Cave of One's Own
• Episode 221: Wembley and the Great Race
• Episode 222: Doozer Is As Doozer Does
• Episode 223: Boober's Quiet Day
• Episode 224: The Invasion of the Toe Ticklers
• Episode 301: The Bells of Fraggle Rock
• Episode 302: Red-Handed and the Invisible Thief
• Episode 303: Boober and the Glob
• Episode 304: The Grapes of Generosity
• Episode 305: Blanket of Snow, Blanket of Woe
• Episode 306: Pebble Pox Blues
• Episode 307: Home Is Where the Trash Is
• Episode 308: Believe It or Not
• Episode 309: Wembley and the Mean Genie
• Episode 311: The Beanbarrow, the Burden and the Bright Bouquet
• Episode 312: Gobo's School for Explorers
• Episode 313: Scared Silly
• Episode 314: The Great Radish Caper
• Episode 315: Born to Wander
• Episode 316: The Battle of Leaking Roof
• Episode 317: Playing Till It Hurts
• Episode 318: Bored Stiff
• Episode 319: The Cavern of Lost Dreams
• Episode 320: The Incredible Shrinking Mokey
• Episode 321: A Dark and Stormy Night
• Episode 322: Gunge the Great and Glorious
• Episode 403: Sidebottom Blues
• Episode 404: Uncle Matt's Discovery
• Episode 406: A Tune for Two
• Episode 407: The Perfect Blue Rollie
• Episode 408: A Brush with Jealousy
• Episode 409: Wembley's Flight
• Episode 410: Red's Blue Dragon
• Episode 412: Space Frog Follies
• Episode 502: The Riddle of Rhyming Rock
• Episode 504: The Trial of Cotterpin Doozer
• Episode 505: The River of Life
• Episode 509: Ring Around the Rock
• Episode 510: Inspector Red
• Episode 513: Change of Address
• Night of 100 Stars
• The Muppets Take Manhattan (Wedding finale)
• The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
• A Muppet Family Christmas
• Do It Anyway

See also [ ]

• Uncle Traveling Matt (animated)

Sources [ ]

• ↑ Disney twenty-three , Winter 2011 issue , page 51

External links [ ]

• Postcards from Traveling Matt - Traveling Matt Postcard Transcriptions
• 1 Michael Scott
• 2 J.J (Cocomelon)
• 3 Dwight Schrute

Unraveling the Mysteries of Uncle Traveling Matt

• January 7, 2024
• Travel Planning

Despite being a star in the beloved children’s series Fraggle Rock, there’s more to Uncle Traveling Matt than just being a lovable puppet. This eccentric character embodies an insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge that resonates deeply with the audience, no matter their age bracket. As Uncle Traveling Matt ventures into outer space – aka the human world – his keen observations encourage us to see our everyday life through fresh eyes, unveiling its underlying magic. True exploration, as woven into Uncle Traveling Matt’s journey, isn’t merely geographically globetrotting but delving deeper into understanding different cultures, challenging perspectives, and fostering empathy. Cryptic postcards sent back to his nephew Gobo give us tantalizing glimpses of these intriguing odysseys. They open doors of perception, inviting us to look beyond the surface of stereotypes and fostering an appreciation for diversity.

Adventures with Uncle Traveling Matt

One incredible thing about Uncle Traveling Matt is his ability to transform a simple journey into an escapade of imagination and exploration. There’s always something intriguing waiting around every corner when you’re with him; in his quirky sphere, a tour through the park can quickly become an expedition through uncharted tropical rainforests teeming with exotic flora and fauna. It’s this remarkable talent of turning every day into the extraordinary that makes each venture with him one to look forward to eagerly. You may never know where the next adventure will lead you! With Uncle Traveling Matt, an after-dinner stroll could whisk you away on a moonlit odyssey across deserted desert dunes under twinkling stars. Each experience is unique, etching indelible imprints on your memory canvas that beckon back at leisure moments. 

The Impact of Uncle Traveling Matt on Pop Culture

Undeniably, Uncle Traveling Matt from the Fraggle Rock series transcends being just another character in a children’s show—it establishes him as a pop culture icon that reshapes our perception of wanderlust and curiosity. His relentless pursuit to discover silly creatures, aka humans, through his uniquely humorous and often puzzled lens reflects an interesting commentary on our complex human society. 

The charismatic uncle’s whimsically relatable exploration narratives have resonated with audiences, enhancing the international appreciation for Jim Henson’s creations. Interestingly, Uncle Traveling Matt’s adventures do more than provide comic relief; they inspire viewers to step out of their comfort zones and embrace the unknown – much like what pop culture implores us to do today. 

Whether accidentally ‘inventing’ jogging or misunderstanding standard practices such as mail delivery, Matt uses his naivety as a tool for forging connections and breaking cultural barriers. In doing so, he exemplifies how humour intertwined with perspective can effectively communicate profound messages—ultimately positioning Uncle Traveling Matt as an enduring beacon of exploration within popular culture.

Uncle Traveling Matt’s character carries a depth that transcends his comedic appearance. His explorations and discoveries not only entertain us but also stir a sense of curiosity about different cultures and places. The mysteries surrounding him serve as an endless source of fascination, enabling viewers to see the world through his eyes. There is much more to this beloved Fraggle Rock character than meets the eye. So, let’s continue to explore, learn and unravel life’s mysteries, following in the footsteps of our adventurous Uncle Traveling Matt.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name  *

Email  *

Add Comment  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

Trending now

Muppet Wiki

Please visit Special:Community to learn how you can collaborate with the editing community.

The Tale of Traveling Matt

• View history

The Tale of Traveling Matt is a lyrical tribute to Uncle Matt , as told by Gobo Fraggle . Gobo extolls Matt's virtues and describes how his uncle left Fraggle Rock to explore Outer Space . Several postcards from the series are depicted.

For the Weekly Reader edition, the book was retitled Traveling Matt's Adventures in Outer Space .

Translations [ ]

The Adventures of Travellin' Uncle Matt

Monday 24 march 2014, santiago part 1.

No comments:

Post a comment.

Uncle Travelling Matt from “Fraggle Rock” to Search for Holiday Magic During Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The world’s greatest explorer, Uncle Travelling Matt, will be looking for holiday magic this season in the heart of New York City, at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

What’s Happening:

• Join Uncle Travelling Matt as he goes on an epic journey away from Fraggle Rock friends and family to learn the meaning of the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day” holiday and the impossible-to-answer question: “what is a parade?”
• Watch his journey on broadcast nationwide on NBC and streaming on Peacock on Thanksgiving Day, November 24th.
• Additionally, Apple TV+’s highly anticipated Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock  –  Night of the Lights  holiday special is out now! The special will be available to non Apple TV+ subscribers for special free windows from November 23rd to November 27th.
• Jim Henson’s fun-loving and musical Fraggles — Gobo, Red, Wembley, Mokey, Boober and new Fraggle friends — have returned for all new adventures about the magic that happens when we celebrate and care for our interconnected world.
• It’s the Night of the Lights, the most Fraggily holiday of the year, and the Rock is filled with songs and cheer. When Jamdolin (voiced by Emmy Award nominee Daveed Diggs, Hamilton ) encourages Wembley to make a special wish, the Fraggles head out on an adventure to find the brightest light and, maybe, the true meaning of the holiday.
• From The Jim Henson Company, the series is executive produced by Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford, John Tartaglia, Matt Fusfeld and Alex Cuthbertson. Dave Goelz and Karen Prell co-executive produce. Harvey Mason jr. serves as the executive music producer. The special is produced by Ritamarie Peruggi.

• Check out Mike’s review  of Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock  – Night of the Lights , as well as a very special video interview with Uncle Traveling Matt  himself!
• Apple TV+ is also the streaming destination for the original 1980’s Fraggle Rock  series, as well as recently added bonus specials, “Down at Fraggle Rock,” “Doozer Music” and “Fraggle Songs,” all of which are now streaming.

Start a travel blog Login

The Adventures of Uncle Traveling Matt

Postcards from Outer Space!

Relaxing on the French Riviera

and overcoming a fear

The French Riviera

Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

Lunch of Champions

In the Water

It was LEGEN.....wait for it.....DARY!

Nicole and Ella

Posted by MatthewMilde 16:52 Comments (2)

Back in Nice

a night with the Hospitality students

The Nice I Remember

Me and the Beer

The Hospitality Students

Posted by MatthewMilde 16:53 Comments (0)

The Cinque Terre

beware of the cats

Beware of the Cats!

Pathway in Vernazza

Vernazza with Monterosso in the Distance

Hike to Corniglia

View of Corniglia

Riomaggiore

Me in the Cinque Terre

Posted by MatthewMilde 16:34 Comments (0)

Il Dolce Far Niente

The sweetness of doing nothing

Me and Jaceppi

It was a great night just hanging out in the apartment! I was experiencing what the Italians refer to as "Il Dolce Far Niente" which translates to, "The Sweetness of Doing Nothing!

Posted by MatthewMilde 16:49 Comments (0)

City of 100 Churches

and the leaning tower of Pizza

The Leaning Tower

My Lucca Bed and Breakfast

Lucarotti Team

Typical Lucca Street

Basilica of San Frediano

Piazza Anifiteatros

Under the Tuscan Sun

Posted by MatthewMilde 16:35 Comments (0)

• Table of contents

Latest entries

• I’m Coming Home, I’m Coming Home
• The Reflexivity of Self-Identity through Tourism
• Three Trains
• The Spanish Omelette
• The El Rastro

In This Category

Photography.

More photos ...

• Apr 2011 (21)
• Mar 2011 (29)
• Feb 2011 (31)
• Jan 2011 (9)
• Oct 2010 (1)
• MatthewMilde (91)

A member of Travellerspoint

© Authors: MatthewMilde