Kelly Younger

Kelly Younger

Kelly Younger is a screenwriter, TV writer, playwright, story consultant, and Emmy-nominated producer. He is currently writing on The Muppet Show, produced by Seth Rogen and starring Sabrina Carpenter. Credits include Candy Cane Lane, starring Eddie Murphy, Muppets Haunted Mansion, Muppets Now, and Kermit's commencement address to the University of Maryland. He served three years on the Disney Animation Story Trust and Pixar Brain Trust. Kelly earned his MA and PhD in Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama at UCD in 1999.

What made you choose UCD for your masters and PhD?

I received a Rotary International Scholarship that allowed me to study anywhere in the world. I knew right away I wanted Ireland. My family roots are in Athlone and I still have relatives there, so it felt like a return rather than a leap into the unknown. I also loved storytelling, theatre, and literature, and I have always believed the Irish do those better than anyone. UCD had remarkable connections to Dublin's theatre world and to professors, directors, and storytellers who were shaping the work happening in the city. It felt like the perfect fit.

Did you experience any culture shocks when you arrived here from Los Angeles? What did you enjoy most about your life in Dublin?

Growing up in Southern California, where it never rains and you live in your car, it took a minute to adjust to being constantly damp and walking everywhere. And yes, I nearly died every time I crossed the street because I kept looking the wrong way. I was absolutely that guy.

But I adapted quickly. I loved my classmates and the whole cultural energy of the city. Dublin felt alive with theatre, film, art, and music. I saw Cillian Murphy in his first play, Disco Pigs, and ended up grabbing pints with him afterwards. I spent nights at concerts and plays, days in museums and libraries, interviewed playwrights and poets, and closed down pubs with casts from shows at The Abbey and The Peacock. It was a remarkable time to be young in Dublin. I even took a class in Irish at UCD. (I did not pass.)

PhD research is often a solitary endeavour. How did you find your community on campus and beyond?

Drama kids always find each other and look out for each other, so I felt immediately accepted and supported. But here's the funny part: my dorm was on the Smurfit Business School campus, so I ended up befriending a bunch of the Business School lads. I was their token arts friend, and they basically adopted me like a lost puppy. They took me to Gaelic sports and pubs, and I took them to the Dublin Theatre Festival and… let's be honest, also pubs. We've stayed great friends ever since. They and their families even came to America to vacation with us in Yellowstone, and just last year I met them all in London for the Leinster vs Toulouse rugby match. I still don't understand rugby, and I'm not convinced they understand theatre, but we have a great time trying. Also, did I mention pubs?

Did you always want to be a writer?

No, I wanted to be a Goonie. Then I wanted to be Indiana Jones. So I studied Classics and Archaeology because I fully expected to dig up buried treasure, fight bad guys, and travel the world. But after a few months of heat stroke on a dig in Greece, I realised what I really loved were the stories about treasure - the myths, fairy tales, legends, adventures. And those could all be enjoyed in the cool, shaded basement of the library. No wonder writers have a reputation for being underground mole people who hiss at sunlight.

Do you ever experience creative blocks, and how do you overcome them?

Absolutely. But Miss Piggy has zero patience for creative blocks - and you do not want to keep her waiting - so I try to follow her lead and just "Hi-ya!" right through them. 

How do you balance the multiple strands of a career in academia and the creative arts?

I'm lucky that my life as a professor at Loyola Marymount University and my work as a writer in Hollywood complement one another. I think of it as one career with two offices. In the classroom, I get to talk about craft. In the writers' room, I put that craft into action. Both keep me learning and growing.

How did it feel to land a job as a writer on the iconic Muppet Show?

Landing The Muppet Show felt beyond a dream come true. I've been lucky to work with the Muppets for years, but this show is the one that has lived in my heart since childhood. I watched it obsessively and I'm convinced it's what pushed me toward theatre. I even still have my Muppet lunchbox from grade school, which the performers signed for my birthday a few years ago. That moment pretty much melted my inner eight-year-old's heart.

Are you allowed to share any behind-the-scenes stories with us?

Joe from Legal has a pretty strict NDA, but I will say one day on set Statler and Waldorf called me a hack, and honestly, it felt like a career milestone. Also, Pepe the King Prawn insists on calling me "Smelly Younger". I'm pretty sure he believes that's my actual name.

You collaborated with Kermit the Frog on his commencement speech to the University of Maryland Class of 2025. Did he have any words of advice that you'd like to pass on to our own UCD students and recent graduates?

I was so honoured that Kermit asked me to help with his commencement speech. It was a tough assignment because the world feels pretty complicated right now. But if anyone can bring light and optimism, it is Kermit. My favourite moment, and the one I hope helps UCD students as well, was when he talked about not stepping on others to get ahead. Kermit said, "So as you prepare to take this big leap into real life, here's a little advice, if you're willing to listen to a frog. Rather than jumping over someone to get what you want, consider reaching out your hand and taking the leap side by side. Because life is better when we leap together."

Is it hard to write for Kermit? He's such an icon.

Well, it's not easy being green, but studying at UCD on the Emerald Isle certainly helped!