The Muppets Show… My 100th Post!!!!

This is my 100 post!!!!

So, I have thought that should be about something special … and then the idea came to me, to write about something special to me. Its is sentimental, yet remarkably simple. A tv show, that I watched as a chicle, in a different corner of the world, in completely different language. Yet till this day, when I see it, it always brings smile to my face. Who am I talking about, you ask???

One and only. The Muppets show!!!!

I really hope that you will enjoy this small trip, down the memory lane with me !!! shall we begin.?

The Muppets are an ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, cabaret, and self-referential style of variety-sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the namesakes of the Disney-owned media franchise that encompasses television, film, music, and other media associated with the characters. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. Many of the characters listed here originated on The Muppet Show, a television series that aired from 1976 to 1981. Since then, several more characters have been introduced in other television series, as well as theatrical films.

The first Muppet characters appeared in Sam and Friends, a Washington, D.C.–based show which was broadcast from 1955 to 1961. Kermit the Frog was one of the show’s regulars, and thus was one of Henson’s first Muppet creations. The characters became a household name after their appearance in the children’s television program Sesame Street.

Main characters:

Kermit the Frog

A hardheaded frog who is the straight man central character and de facto leader of the Muppets. Created by Jim Henson and introduced in 1955 on Sam and Friends, Kermit quickly became the de facto face of the early franchise, including regularly appearing on Sesame Street, sometimes as a reporter. He starred on The Muppet Show, as the showrunner, responsible for managing the show’s production, and has appeared in every Muppet-branded production since. Jim Henson was Kermit’s performer from his debut until Henson’s death in 1990.

Miss Piggy

A temperamental diva pig who is the Muppets’ break-out and “authentic superstar”, she was the romantic significant other of Kermit’s. miss Piggy is “uniquely strong and feminine”, but “domineering and demanding”.  She was designed and built by Bonnie Erickson. Debuted in a 1974 Herb Alpert television special, where she was performed by Jerry Nelson. Miss Piggy is the hot pig actress from the Muppet Show, with Kermit being her main squeeze. Just do not get her angry, for she has a pink belt in “Pig Wan Do” and is not afraid to use it. “Hiya”!

Fozzie Bear

An insecure, stand-up comic bear introduced in The Muppet Show.  Fozzie is “a sweetly insecure and absolutely terrible comedian”. He is such a bad comedian that he “can’t afford good joke writers, and he can’t write good jokes himself but still a good character”. Fozzie is the “comedian” bear of the Muppets, but his jokes often get booed and tomatoes get thrown at him. He usually ends his jokes with “Wocka Wocka Wocka”.

Gonzo the Great

An eccentric, hooked nosed, stunt performance enthusiast. Gonzo is that proudly weird bird-like thing from the Muppet Show. His girlfriend is Carmilla the Chicken, and he is the victim of Miss Piggy’s karate chops and announces gone wrong.

Rowlf the Dog

An easygoing pianist dog who first appeared in Purina Dog Chow commercials. He was designed by Jim Henson himself. Wonderfully down-to-earth, with a dry, self-disparaging sense of humor, a master of the double take.  Rowlf is the piano playing Muppet dog. He is easy going and loyal and likes classical music.

Scooter

known for being the backstage stage supervisor, utility stage crew member, and general all-around “gofer” on The Muppet Show. The loyal stage manager and assistant of the Muppet Theater.

Animal

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Animal is that Muppet of unknown species. Unreal, wild and frantic monster who is the drummer of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem. He is best known for his crazy drum solos in the band. Not the most well conversant Muppet out there.

Pepe the King Prawn

Pepe is Spanish (his full name is Pepino Rodrigo Serrano González) and speaks with a heavy accent, punctuating his sentences with “Okay?” His character plays on many Latino stereotypes: he has a fiery temper (especially when referred to as a “shrimp”), and thinks of himself as a lothario, often making suggestive remarks. His conscience usually wins out and makes him do what is right in the end.

Rizzo the Rat

A wisecracking rat Muppet and best friend of Gonzo. Rizzo is a streetwise and sarcastic rat with a New Jersey accent. He has a self-proclaimed acrophobia (extreme fear of heights).  His humor can be risqué. His name is derived from Dustin Hoffman’s Ratso Rizzo character in Midnight Cowboy.

Walter

A shy, soft-voiced human-like Muppet and obsessive fan of the Muppets. Introduced in the film The Muppets (2011). After his successful contributions to the telethon with his lauded whistling act, Walter is accepted as a member of the Muppet ensemble.

Supporting characters:

Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem

Dr Teeth is the Muppet band leader and pianist/ keyboardist of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. He dresses like a rock star and has long arms and a gold tooth. A rock house band consisting of Dr. Teeth, the gravelly-voiced leader and keyboard player of the band; Floyd Pepper, the cynical “hippie” bass player; Janice, the lead guitar player with a flower child personality; Zoot, the laid-back saxophone player; and Animal, the crazed drummer. The trumpet player Lips was a later addition to the band. Other characters to perform with the Electric Mayhem on occasion were Rowlf the Dog on piano on many occasions, Rizzo the Rat on cymbals, Beaker on vocals.

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

An inventive, yet absent-minded scientist who frequently performs science experiments and invention demonstrations that typically go wrong and has an “genial cluelessness” whenever his assistant, Beaker, is a victim of these presentations. Inventor of the many devices at Muppet Labs, often of questionable safety.

Beaker

The long-suffering assistant of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. A hapless assistant to Bunsen, who performs ill-fated experiments which often result in him getting seriously injured.

Sam Eagle

The hard-nosed censor and obsessive patriot of The Muppet Show. A patriotic bald eagle and the group’s self-proclaimed delegator of disciplined manners and values. Sam as a cross between Uncle Sam and the bald eagle (which is the U.S. national bird and symbol) with a dash of Richard Nixon (who represents a conservatives).

Statler and Waldorf

two, grumpy, old men, sitting on the balcony box, in the theater. Always in a cranky mood, sarcastically commenting everything that they are seeing. Statler and Waldorf were named after two New York City hotels; the Statler Hilton and the Waldorf-Astoria.

The Swedish Chef

A parody of the television chefs. The Swedish Chef has a thick brown moustache and has bushy eyebrows that completely hide his eyes. This character bears no resemblance to Sweden, Swedes, or the Swedish language. Most of the time feature in a kitchen, waving some utensils while singing in  gibberish supposedly mimicking Swedish phonology, the songs  always end with “Bork, bork, bork”! as the Chef throws the utensils aside, occasionally knocking items off a shelf or the back wall in the process.

Camilla the Chicken

is the female chicken that is Gonzo’s longtime love interest. This chicken with hay fever, usually she hyperventilates after attacking a villain and needs “mouth-to-beak resuscitation”. In the Muppets’ Wizard of Oz, Gonzo mentions that he and Camilla are engaged, but this is never elaborated.

Bobo the Bear

A large bear Muppet who usually plays the role of bumbling henchman. Enforcing yet easily amused and perplexed brown bear. He is notable as a more realistic but still anthropomorphic portrayal of a bear, compared to the stylized appearance of Fozzie Bear.

Uncle Deadly

 He is a sinister-looking, blue dragon-like monster who lurks around the Muppet Theater. He was used a performer there, playing Shakespearean Othello.

Minor characters:

Bean Bunny

His fellow Muppets often found him to be insufferably cute. Whenever Bean was yelled at, particularly by Kermit, he became very scared and whimpered, mostly due to his youth and his sensitivity to noise, a common trait he shares with real bunny rabbits.

Crazy Harry

 is a pyrotechnician obsessed with explosives. Crazy Harry has black scruffy hair, an uncombed chin curtain beard and huge, egg-shaped baggy eyes.

Lew Zealand

He is a tan humanoid Muppet with dark hair, a mustache, a red knobby nose, a rough and a red suit. Lew has an obsession for throwing fish, which are unique in that they return to him once thrown—hence the term “boomerang fish”.  His catchphrase is: “I throw the fish away, and it comes back to me!”

Sweetums

is an exceptionally large, striking, and hairy ogre about nine feet tall. Despite appearing physically intimidating, he is often depicted as friendly and harmless. Sweetums has very thick blondish-brown hair all over his body. He has a large lower jaw, like a bulldog, which juts out, revealing two pointy teeth. He has thick, brown eyebrows over his large yellow eyes and large nose. He often wears a shabby, burlap-like brown shirt. Many are fooled by his intimidating appearance, but he is genuinely nice and humble, therefore his name.

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