I’m watching the Muppet Show right now. As I watch performances by noted performers (singers, dancers, etc) I realize that my favorite guest star performance is actually Twiggy. I thought she did a very good job and I was surprised at how nice her singing voice was.
My favorite non-guest star bit was Kermit’s nephew singing on the stairs.
What about you?
Twiggy had a very impressive acting and singing career, post-modelling, though I don’t think her albums ever made it to the U.S.
My favorite guest on the Muppet Show was ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev, whose appearance was considered QUITE a coup.
I really dig Animal vs. Buddy Rich.
I rather liked Garth Brooks, who steadfastly refused to perform any of his hits. Finally, they made him promise that he next song would be a country song.
So he dressed as Tevye, and sang If I Were A Rich Man. Well, of course they confronted him: “You promised you’d sing a country song!”
“So? Russia is a country.”
I have two favorites:
Rudolph Nuryev and Miss Piggy singing “Baby It’s Cold Outsude”
Kermit’s exchange with Racquel Welch:
Racquel: “I think this might have changed my reputation!”
Kermit: “It sure changed ours.”
[Sam the AMERICAN Eagle]He’s one of my favorite opera singers![/Sam]
Harry Belafonte -Turn the World Around
I always enjoyed the show, it was real TV family time. But a while back I had one, and only one, episode ripped from the DVD (long since lost). I should probably look into buying a boxed set, since I liked them so much. The episode: Guest Star: Alice Cooper
Mr Cooper, Mr Cooper, 10 seconds to show time
-Oh, thanks, Scooter
Ahh…Mr. Cooper, Ummm…those monsters…those aren’t ours.
-Oh, I know, they’re mine
Ahhhhh
Oh my. Favourite?
Of the top of my head, I though Zero Mostel was their best guest. His going starkers behind Sam’s back can have me rolling on the floor in no time.
Mikhael Barishnikov dancing to “Swine Lake”.
Guy Smiley singing “Catch a Falling Star”.
Scooter singing “Six-String Orchestra”.
Peter Sellers and Kermit (and some chickens).
"Now is the winter of our discontent - "
“Bawk bawk bawk bawk bawk!”
Too many to choose from…a few favorites
“For What It’s Worth” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m0yCM5uhQU
“Put Another Log on the Fire” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW7XenMAjiA&feature=PlayList&p=084D3FBB32FFD809&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=58
anything with Beaker - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KANI2dpXLw
The Star Wars episode was the best. I was about 8 years old at the time, the perfect demographic to enjoy both the Muppets and SW.
The reason given for the SW characters appearing on the show is that Chewbacca was kidnapped, and they’re searching for him. C3P0 shows Kermit a note from Chewbacca, which reads:
“Help! I’m being held prisoner by a bunch of weird turkeys.”
C3P0: It does rather sound like your show.
Kermit (nodding ruefully): Yeah. It does.
The sketch featuring two Slinky-type creatures dancing to “Java” is, in my opinion, the greatest Muppet sketch of all time. Most people prefer “Ma Nah Ma Nah,” but “Java” has everything that makes the Muppets great- weird creatures, great music, physical violence, and a twist ending. Even though I know what’s going to happen, the ending never fails to make me laugh.
P.S. Fans of the Muppet Show should definitely check out the Muppet Show comic by BOOM Studios- Roger Langridge really recaptures the spirit of the original show. The first eight issues are collected in two paperbacks, “Meet the Muppets” and “Treasure of Peg Leg Wilson.”
The entire Alice Cooper episode is probably one of my favorite television shows of all time. The sort of running skit throughout the episode of him trying to get the Muppets to sell their souls to the devil is probably my favorite muppet skit.
When the Muppet Show was on (when I was three-ish), my favorite moment each week was what Gonzo’s trumpet would do each week at the end of the opening credits.
Zoot was one of my favorites, I’m not sure why: So here’s Sax and Violence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgfZVNv6w2E&feature=related
Viking pigs doing “In the Navy” is one of my favorites.
We’re just finishing season 3, and I’m eagerly awaiting them releasing seasons 4 and 5 on DVD.
When I was in New York City a few months ago, I saw a 1981 documentary at the Paley Center for Media called Of Muppets and Men. My favorite part of the documentary was the behind-the-scenes look at the In The Navy sketch. It really shows you how much planning and choreography went into what just appears to be a silly puppet show. Quite impressive. (And see if you don’t end up trying to synchronize both your hands in opposite open-and-close to the words “In The Navy” after you see Louise Gold talk about how hard it is- I did, and I still can’t do it.)
Season 4 is slated for a 2010 release. The fact that Disney has been able to release almost all of the series uncut is a testament to both their pride in the Muppets and their clout.
For the best moment, I give you Jabberwocky:
One of my biggest thrills in my recent SoCal trip was t go to the Muppets show - sitting in the theatre was just so COOL.