# 2 Muppet Show questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524 "2005-04-09T04:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/1 "2005-04-09T04:45:50Z")
My wife and I have been renting “The Muppet Show” on DVD. For me, it’s one of the shows that I liked as a kid, and, seeing it again for the first time in a long time, I like it still. But as I watch it, a couple of questions came to me. I don’t know if there are any answers, but if there are, I’m sure I can find them here. 1. Scooter’s uncle owns the theater. How come Kermit is in charge instead of Scooter? 2. The audience could get tickets for free. Where did Kermit get the money to pay the performers? Scooter’s uncle? They never mentioned any sponsers that I can remember. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/2 "2005-04-09T05:16:56Z")
I know Scooter shows up at some point and gets a job on the strength of being the owner’s nephew, but he doesn’t run the show because it isn’t his show. Presumably Kermit has the agreement with the owner or whatever. Don’t ask too many questions. It’s not supposed to make any sense. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/3 "2005-04-09T05:33:15Z")
I know, I know. As my wife says “you’re thinking to hard.” But just these two questions, that’s all I ask, just answer these two questions. Well, actually, you just answered the first, thanks. I guess it makes sense if Kirmit made the deal with the owner and Scooter showed up afterwards. Now, my final question. Where did Kermit get the money to pay everybody? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/4 "2005-04-09T05:37:22Z")
Found a golden ball at the bottom of a well? _has no idea_ ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/5 "2005-04-09T05:55:54Z")
Kermit had already been the star of a successful television show for several years (Sesame Streeet). He probably negotiated a big multimillion dollar contract like Jerry Seinfeld or the cast of Friends… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/6 "2005-04-09T06:01:21Z")
> [@Santos L Halper](#): > > Kermit had already been the star of a successful television show for several years (Sesame Streeet). He probably negotiated a big multimillion dollar contract like Jerry Seinfeld or the cast of Friends… 🙂 Hehehe, I like that. Although remember, The Mupet Show started in the 70’s, so I doubt he’d make multi-millions, but still… (yeah yeah, I’m taking this way to seriously, I know :D) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/7 "2005-04-09T06:24:28Z")
If it’s a Vaudeville show they’re putting on, then the audience does pay for the tickets. If it’s a TV variety show (even though they never say so, really (except when Luke Skywalker says they seem to have “landed on a TV variety show planet)”), and there aren’t any TV cameras seen) then it’s paid for by the Network. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/8 "2005-04-09T07:52:08Z")
If you wonder how they eat and breath, and other science facts, Just repeat to yourself, “It’s just a show, I should really just relax.” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/9 "2005-04-09T09:14:16Z")
> [@Master Control](#): > > The audience could get tickets for free. Where did Kermit get the money to pay the performers? Scooter’s uncle? They never mentioned any sponsers that I can remember. You’re so naive. The “show” is just a front. The revenue comes from Gonzo pimping out his chickens. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/10 "2005-04-09T09:49:02Z")
[At one point](http://www.muppetcentral.com/guides/episodes/tms/season1/22_merman.shtml), Fozzie’s agent negotiated a tenfold increase in Fozzie’s salary, which is a big improvement because previously he’d been making nothing. I’m not sure the salary expense of the show was all that high. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/11 "2005-04-09T11:14:42Z")
I always figured that Kermit had an agreement with Honeydew, for a large fraction of any profits from patents issued to Muppet Labs. What, wouldn’t **you** pay big money for any of those neat and useful inventions shown on the Muppet Labs segments? I’d call you chicken, but I don’t want to upset Camilla. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/12 "2005-04-09T13:46:52Z")
> [@Master Control](#): > > 1. Scooter’s uncle owns the theater. How come Kermit is in charge instead of Scooter? Because Kermit is a professional, and Scooter is just a kid who hopes to work in the theatre when he grows up. No way would the Uncle put Scooter in charge. > [@](#): > > 1. The audience could get tickets for free. Where did Kermit get the money to pay the performers? Scooter’s uncle? They never mentioned any sponsers that I can remember. I don’t recall that. Who said they get in for free? ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/13 "2005-04-09T13:49:54Z")
Statler and Waldorf (The two heckling old men) routinely complained about wanting their money back, and then ‘remembering’ they didn’t pay anything for their tickets. Of course, what goes for the box seat holders wouldn’t necesarily go for _hoi paloi_ in the orchestra seating. I can’t recall whether the general audience ever demanded a refund or not… ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/14 "2005-04-09T14:07:53Z")
As for the OP, I think the questions are flawed: 1. How can a frog talk? 2. How come a pig is about the same size as a frog? 3. Where did Jean Stapleton learn Mock Swedish? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/15 "2005-04-09T14:32:32Z")
I always thought it was kind of like a comedy club–the performers had day jobs. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/16 "2005-04-09T16:01:34Z")
Statler and Waldorf did get in free but that was because they were pensioners from their life time in the theater; however, everyone else did have to pay to get in. But you must remember that most of the cast weren’t paid very much. I mean, Kermit could subsist on bugs and Gonzo’s girls were paid chickenfeed. Granted, there were some cast members who were real pigs about those things, but they shall remain nameless. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/17 "2005-04-09T23:44:39Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > If it’s a Vaudeville show they’re putting on, then the audience does pay for the tickets. > > If it’s a TV variety show (even though they never say so, really (except when Luke Skywalker says they seem to have “landed on a TV variety show planet)”), and there aren’t any TV cameras seen) then it’s paid for by the Network. It was a TV show in their world too. When Harry Belafonte did the Banana Boat Song he said that it was the first time he was doing it on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/18 "2005-04-09T23:47:02Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > As for the OP, I think the questions are flawed: > > 1. How can a frog talk? > 2. How come a pig is about the same size as a frog? > 3. Where did Jean Stapleton learn Mock Swedish? I don’t care about the completely impossible questions. I was just curious in a couple of the more plausible questions. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/19 "2005-04-10T00:56:07Z")
> [@TV time](#): > > Statler and Waldorf did get in free but that was because they were pensioners from their life time in the theater; Ah, they were retired performers were they? I didn’t know/remember that. I do remember one episode where they took over running the show, while Kermit sat in the box and heckled. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524/20 "2005-04-10T01:55:00Z")
If you want to damn your soul to hell for enjoying something evil, you may want to watch “Meet the Feebles”. It is an early film by Peter Jackson and it is loosely based on the muppet show. This one film has more violence than all three of the LotRs movies combined. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-muppet-show-questions/298524.md?page=2)