This Christmas season, we’re celebrating one of the North Pole’s greatest success stories: Kent Cook, the North Pole Newsroom’s #1 reporter (or so he claims). He’s back, bigger and funnier than ever, with six brand-new sketches for I Spot Santa’s 2024 holiday lineup. Just in time for our 16th year spotting Santa.
If you’ve been with us since the beginning, you probably remember when Kent first hit the scene. I built the very first Kent Cook puppet on February 16, 2010. I Spot Santa itself started in 2009, and Kent debuted the following year. Ever since, kids have loved every misstep, meltdown, and goofy giggle this lovable North Pole reporter brings to our Christmas sketches.
Over the years, Kent has become a true fan favorite, amassing over 30 million views across all his adventures. He’s starred in our short film Chip & Bernie Save Christmas with Dorf, appeared in dozens of I Spot Santa sketches, and brought holiday laughs to families around the world.
Why I Rebuilt Kent Cook in 2024
After 14 years of wacky, well-traveled reporting, it was time to give Kent a fresh start. In 2024, I decided to completely rebuild him, a brand-new puppet, ready to tackle new hijinks, bigger sets, and even stickier situations. And what better way to debut the new Kent than with six all-new holiday sketches for our 2024 Christmas season?
Here’s What Kent’s Up To This Year
Here’s a peek at what you and your kids can expect from Kent’s holiday adventures:
Cocoa Chaos — Kent tackles a massive cup of hot cocoa, turning a warm drink into a sticky, hilarious mess that’ll make you laugh out loud.
Not So Silent Night — Kent tries to embrace caroling but gets bombarded by snowballs from mischievous elves. It’s a singing showdown you don’t want to miss.
Sweet Stuck-tion — A lollipop straight from Santa’s candy factory traps Kent in a sticky situation — literally.
Wreath Wreck — From teeny tiny wreaths to giant disasters, Kent shows you how not to decorate for Christmas.
Bulb Blunder — Christmas lights create chaos as Kent learns the hard way that not all strands are merry and bright.
Elf Antics — Kent’s dream of spotting a real elf almost comes true in this magical misadventure full of near-misses and North Pole mischief.
How We Made These Sketches Happen
The production on these six new Kent Cook sketches is actually pretty impressive — if I do say so myself. Originally, I had a completely different shoot planned for a Saturday in August 2024. I was going to film a few new Kent Cook bits the next month, but at that point, I had zero scripts and zero ideas.
Then, the Thursday before that shoot, two of our main people came down with a cold. We had to postpone. So instead of letting the weekend go to waste, I shifted gears fast. That same night, I ran to a local hobby store, grabbed every fun prop I could find, and let those inspire a whole batch of last-minute ideas.
On Friday, I sat down and wrote six new Kent Cook sketches. Actually, I wrote eight! The plan was to repurpose the sets I’d already built for the other project and make them work for Kent.
On Saturday, the goal was to film all eight. Thanks to our incredible main puppeteer, Ronald Binion, we knocked out seven sketches in one day. Our small but mighty crew of five made it happen. I couldn’t be prouder.
Writing eight sketches in one day and pre-recording all the voiceover ahead of time was equal parts chaos and fun — but that’s how these new Kent stories came to life.
It’s scrappy indie filmmaking at its best. But when you’ve got a character like Kent Cook and a team like ours at Murena Entertainment, LLC. — you find a way to make the magic happen.
The North Pole’s #1 Reporter (Sort Of)
Kent Cook has always been the North Pole Newsroom’s #1 reporter, traveling the world in search of Santa sightings. Even if his mishaps make him miss them every single time. But that’s what makes him so lovable. He might not catch Santa on camera, but he always finds a way to make kids laugh and keep the holiday spirit alive.
Here’s to More Kent Cook Mischief
I’m so proud to share these six new sketches with you this holiday season. Whether you’ve loved Kent since 2010 or you’re just discovering him now, these new stories are packed with the goofy slapstick and holiday heart that have made him a fan favorite for 14 years.
Watch all of Kent’s new adventures this December and let him bring extra laughs, smiles, and a little North Pole chaos to your Christmas countdown.
Keep spotting Santa — and keep cheering on Kent Cook. He’s got plenty more holiday mishaps to come.