YES, BUT CAN HE PLAY THE MUSIC AND LIGHT THE LIGHTS?  Apparently, none of the human cast for The Muppets will return for the sequel, but your new human lead?  Emmy winner Ty Burrell (after negotiations with Christoph Waltz fell through) will play an Interpol inspector investigating something the Muppets are doing.

I SAVED LEAP DAY! AND CONNECTED WITH MY SON! AND SOLVED A BIG CASE OF MURDER!  The Writers Guild of America has announced its nominations for the best of television in 2012, with separate honors for comedy and drama, for new series and returning series, and for episodes of particular note.  Breaking Bad has 4/6 of the dramatic episode nominations (with another going to the most infuriating episode of Mad Men); Modern Family 3/6 of the comedic.

MY SISTER IS WAITING FOR US IN CHINA. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HER IF WE DON'T GET HER? Vulture notes the highlights of 2012 in hatewatching: Smash, The Newsroom, The Killing, and Gallery Girls.

#FIRSTWORLDPROBLEMS DESK: Look--I love Fandango--it's an easy way to check not only what's showing at local theatres but also to know whether things are selling out before I make plans.  However, when a movie is showing in multiple formats, there is no way to get all showtimes in all formats displayed on one page, as Fandango considers each format a separate film.  For instance, The Hobbit is showing in four formats in the NYC area next week--2D, 3D, IMAX 3D, and High Frame Rate 3D (it's also apparently showing in IMAX 2D in some markets, though not in NYC)--that means I have to look at each format's listings separately or browse by theatre to get a full list of showtimes.  Any reason they can't fix this?

DEAR NFL NETWORK: I like football, Cee-Lo Green, and the Ramones. Cee-Lo Green singing football-related words (lyrics, whatever their precise aesthetic definition, are better than this) over the music to Blitzkrieg Bop is nonetheless utterly -- I emphasize: UTTERLY -- unappealing. If you must have Thursday Night Football intro music, please do better. If you're just doing this reflexively because the broadcast networks do it on Monday and Sunday nights (and you're still kind of figuring this whole thing out after seven years) please consider doing something else instead.

A BANKRUPT LOUDMOUTH AND CHILD SUPPORT CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR:  Mike Tanier evaluates Warren Sapp and the other 14 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

added from the chronic brain trauma desk:  Roger Goodell is floating an idea to eliminate kickoffs by giving the kicking team a "4th and 15" from its own 30, effectively replacing a kickoff with a punt and an onside kick with a normal offensive formation from 4th and 15 (or fake-punting). It is weird. It would change the game significantly.  But if this is what the research shows might lead to a safer game, it has to be considered.

THE DIRECTOR INITIALLY THOUGHT IT HAD A "NINETY-FIVE PERCENT CHANCE OF BEING AWFUL":  And yet Rocky das Musical is a hit in Germany, and the Stallone adaptation may come to the States. Here's a trailer.