Self Help Radio 010626: Puppets

Okay, so, I had this idea of making a Self Help Radio sock puppet but I ran into a couple of snags. The first was I don't have any white socks, & so had to rummage through my wife's socks, most of which barely fit on my fist - what is it with tiny socks anyway? I managed to find a small white sock & took a picture & then I discovered the second snag - it's not a sock puppet without your fist making the mouth put the Self Help Radio bear has a speaker for a mouth. I didn't grapple with the problem to find a solution. I just said to hell with it. Here's your graphic. I never claimed to be artistic.

Though not a puppet show, the puppets show had plenty of puppets, including Muppets, & many metaphorical puppets too. I talked to a puppet! Perhaps you're a puppet fan, perhaps this will be just up your alley.

Listen to the show now or when you have a puppet party at either the KBOO website or at the Self Help Radio website. If you're using the latter, you might need the username SHR & password selfhelp. In any event, almost everything that happened on the show is listed below.

This show could've used a Statler & Waldorf tho.

Self Help Radio Puppets Show

"It's A Puppet Show" The Telephone Company _The King's Surprise_

"Puppetry" Raylee Forest _My World EP_

"Puppetry" Raul Danks & Jon Taylor _There's A Dream I've Been Saving: Lee Hazlewood Industries 1966-1971_

"Puppet On A String" The Detroit Cobras _Tied & True_

introduction & definitions

"The Young New Mexican Puppeteer" Tom Jones _Close Up_

"I'm Your Puppet" Dionne Warwick _Soulful_

"Popo The Puppet" Danny Kaye _Danny Kaye For Children_

"Puppet Girl" Wendy James _Now Ain't The Time For Your Tears_

"Puppet Boy" Devo _Shout_

interview with Wally the puppet

"Puppet Man" The 5th Dimension _The Very Best Of The 5th Dimension_

"Puppet On A String" Little Lisa _The Complete Motown Singles | Vol. 5: 1965_

"Welcome To The Muppet Show Fan Club" The Muppets _The Muppet Show Fan Club_

"Puppet Master" Marissa Nadler _Marissa Nadler_

"Puppeteer's Son" Jacobites _Heart Of Hearts (The Spanish Album)_

interview with writer Jack Forster

"The Puppet Motel" Laurie Anderson _Bright Red_

"The Puppet" Echo & The Bunnymen _Songs To Learn & Sing_

"Puppet Museum" Sassyhiya _Take You Somewhere_

"The Puppet Lady" Chris Garcia _Laughing & Crying At The Same Time_

"Puppets" Atmosphere _When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold_

interview with Portland Puppet Inspector Harrison Thompson

"Puppet" The Clinger Sisters _Havin' A Good Time_

"Puppet On A Chain" 100% Pure Poison _Coming Right At You_

"Puppet Of Wax, Puppet Of Song (feat. Xanthe Waite)" Mick Harvey _Intoxicated Women_

"Puppet" Lisa Germano _Inconsiderate Bitch_

"Muppet" Grasscut _1 Inch / 1/2 Mile_

conclusion & goodbye

"Dance Puppet Dance" Little Pattie _20 Stompie Wompie Hits_

"Mr. Cupid's Puppet Show" The Winnerys _Daily Urban Times_

"Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head" They Might Be Giants _They Might Be Giants_

"My Puppet Pal" Tiger _We Are Puppets_

Whither Puppets?

(image by Mr Joshua, found here)

The first Self Help Radio of 2026 is about puppets. & for the life of me I'm not sure why. I did meet a puppeteer in December, but it was certainly before that that I planned the show. I have a feeling it has something to do with a Serge Gainsbourg listening spree from back around Halloween that led me to become reacquainted with Mick Harvey's follow-up recordings, Intoxicated Woman. I had been obsessed with his Gainsbourg covers in the 1990s, Intoxicated Man & Pink Elephants, & had all but forgotten the third record. So I was listening to it, & to the Gainsbourg originals, & enjoyed "Puppet Of Wax, Puppet Of Song" a lot. It was probably why I decided to do a show about puppets.

But who knows? That was what, three months ago? In 2025-2026 time that's like fifty years! I can't be expected to remember that far back!

What I do know is that the Self Help Radio "puppet" show is happening tonight from midnight to 2am on 90.7fm KBOO in Portland, which is also available everywhere at kboo dot fm. It'll be songs about puppets. One day I'll do an entire show with all the songs sung by puppets. But that's not this show.

Preface To Puppets: I Never Had A Puppet

(found on Tumblr)

As a child, I had stuffed animals. I had dolls - insomuch as GI Joes & the like were dolls. I had Fisher-Price humanoids. & most of all I had Star Wars figures - which may as well include what followed from other series. But I never really had puppets.

Which is not to say I didn't love puppets. In talking about this show with someone recently, I mentioned that - besides Sesame Street - I was a fan of puppets on Sid & Marty Krofft series, on Gigglesnort Hotel, on The Great Space Coaster - which featured Gary Gnu - on The New Zoo Revue, & probably many others.

But one thing I didn't have was - okay well two things I didn't have were - a desire to have a puppet & a puppet - even one made from a sock - to manipulate & play with.

Even now I don't think I would enjoy that.

It doesn't mean it wouldn't make a decent radio show tho!