# The Muppets! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 22, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787 "2011-11-22T20:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Evil\_Prince\_Zorte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@The\_Evil\_Prince\_Zorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Evil_Prince_Zorte)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/41 "2011-11-28T06:54:45Z")
I wish now that I had seen it at the El Capitan, so that I could watch the Muppet movie in the theater that they used as the Muppet Theater in the movie. It’s even plausible for the El Cap to have been Muppet Theater in real life since it is practically around the corner from Jim Henson Studios. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/42 "2011-11-28T07:11:16Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > . . . Hell, it’s worth the ticket price just for the barbershop quarter version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. . . Is that what that was. They didn’t enunciate worth a . . . or was that deliberate? > [@jayjay](#): > > We just got back from it. I loved it! I swear, as soon as the opening plinks of _Rainbow Connection_ started, my eyes misted up and things optical did NOT get better. . . .! > [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > . . . ( **jayjay** you were not the only one who got misty eyed.) . . . Good. I came here to see if I was the only one. I started leaking as soon as _Rainbow Connection_ started and it was on and off from there. Having the main characters not be the Muppets gave the movie a real bringing back the Muppets feel. I think I needed that after the long absence. It eased them back into our lives. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/43 "2011-11-28T14:58:34Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Is that what that was. They didn’t enunciate worth a . . . or was that deliberate? Deliberate. [Smells Like Teen Spirit.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPQR-OsH0RQ) Weird Al’s parody-[Smells Like Nirvana](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FklUAoZ6KxY) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/44 "2011-11-28T15:04:29Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I was terribly unimpressed by the dysfunction in the line " . . .it forces me to say things that hurt you." Remind me of the context of that quote? I can’t remember it. I agree with the comment that “We Built this City” was the wrong note. It doesn’t even make sense in context. I would have preferred an original song there for the fixing-up montage, a la “Can You Picture That” from the first movie. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/45 "2011-11-28T15:40:47Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Remind me of the context of that quote? I can’t remember it. When Piggy and Kermit are walking on the streets of Paris, talking about what went wrong for them. Kermit was telling her how all of her drama made him say things that hurt her. I thought it was a little jarring myself at first. It was like the one sour note for me in the whole movie. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/46 "2011-11-28T15:46:10Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > When Piggy and Kermit are walking on the streets of Paris, talking about what went wrong for them. Kermit was telling her how all of her drama made him say things that hurt her. I thought it was a little jarring myself at first. It was like the one sour note for me in the whole movie. To be fair, Kermit isn’t supposed to be the poster boy for healthy relationship bliss. Not that he’s a testament to dysfunction, either, but his relationship with Piggy has always been a strained one - and importantly, not only from her end. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/47 "2011-11-28T15:55:00Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > To be fair, Kermit isn’t supposed to be the poster boy for healthy relationship bliss. Not that he’s a testament to dysfunction, either, but his relationship with Piggy has always been a strained one - and importantly, not only from her end. Oh, I know…but the whole “you made me hurt you” thing is a darker stretch of rationalization than most people would think Kermit would reach for. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/48 "2011-11-28T15:56:36Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > To be fair, Kermit isn’t supposed to be the poster boy for healthy relationship bliss. Not that he’s a testament to dysfunction, either, but his relationship with Piggy has always been a strained one - and importantly, not only from her end. I actually liked that line a lot. The Piggy/Kermit relationship _is_ dysfunctional. Actually _talking_ about it is one of the first semi-functional things the pair has done. If we’re talking about what kids will “internalize” from the film (ftr I am a bit dubious on that concept in relation to this topic) I’d rather they internalize the concept that verbalizing problems instead of just living inside them is the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/49 "2011-11-28T15:59:09Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Oh, I know…but the whole “you made me hurt you” thing is a darker stretch of rationalization than most people would think Kermit would reach for. Hrm… I actually don’t see it as rationalization in the pejorative sense. If my partner is extremely melodramatic, this _does_ (in many extremely plausible scenarios) force the issue. I cannot be honest without mental pain ensuing on her part. Sure I’m not forced to be honest… but one governing assumption is that a certain amount of honesty about certain things is part of the bare minimum foundation of a healthy relationship. Jason Segal, if you’re a secret doper, I hope you’re loving this. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/50 "2011-11-28T16:04:39Z")
The Muppets probably has one of the funniest IMDb Parent’s Guide that I’ve ever seen - [link](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204342/parentalguide). Sex and Nudity > [@](#): > > A female muppet kisses a male muppet. > > A male muppet kisses a chicken muppet. > > A woman in the background is seen leaning against a man as they sit on the ground. Violence and Gore > [@](#): > > A muppet eats with her mouth open, and we see crumbs covering her mouth and hear the sounds of lips smacking. > > A man has hotdog sauce covering his face as he eats. A man and a muppet are seen brushing their teeth, and they both make spitting sounds (no spittle is visible). Several muppets and a man sit on open toilets in a warehouse and a woman declines sitting on the toilet. [quote] ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/51 "2011-11-28T16:14:17Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Oh, I know…but the whole “you made me hurt you” thing is a darker stretch of rationalization than most people would think Kermit would reach for. Exactly. It wasn’t in the context of him taking responsibility for hurting her; it was a blaming statement. I do not think Jim would have approved. Anyhoo, I didn’t mean to turn this into a slam-fest, but I’m relieve to hear I wasn’t the only one jarred by it. (good word jayjay!) ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/52 "2011-11-28T16:45:47Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > I saw it in a packed theater with adults and children and everybody loved it. Original fans won’t be disappointed, but the kids got into it. > > Hell, it’s worth the ticket price just for the barbershop quarter version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and the all chicken version of “Fuck You” (Bwak You?) YES!!! > [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > The Muppets probably has one of the funniest IMDb Parent’s Guide that I’ve ever seen - [link](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204342/parentalguide). > > Violence and Gore > > > [@](#): > > > > Several muppets and a man sit on open toilets in a warehouse and a woman declines sitting on the toilet. To be fair, those were Executive Used Toilets. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/53 "2011-11-28T17:32:35Z")
I just saw the movie this weekend and I thought it was a great comeback for the Muppets. I thought Segal and Stroller did a very good job with the movie. All the little goofy and corny things plus all the shout outs that they were actually in a movie were all pretty funny. There were as many adults in the theater as there were kids, and I thought they layed the “We need to save the theater, oh we failed, oh we won, oh we failed, everything’s OK at the end” just a little too thick. My 4 year old son got very restless during all that, though he liked the music and many of the jokes. > [@jayjay](#): > > Anyone notice that the Moopets-Animal was Dave Grohl? Yes. Way awesome. I would have liked to see him drum for real, but the lamely holding the tamborine during their performance was amusing. > [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > …well.. I’m going to say two things. > > 1. It was REALLY fun. > 2. It was straight up fan-fiction by Jason Segel. How is “Walter” not a Mary Sue? I think so, too. There was a little Mary Sue-ness to it, and I thought the movie leaned a little heavily on having him and Amy Adams in it, but he’s goofy and funny and she’s cute as a proverbial buttons, so the science checks out. For the next movie, I’d like to see the Muppets moreso than the humans though, 'cuz you know, it’s their movie and all. > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I’m 32 and kidless and saw it today with my mom. Loved loved loved it! Of course it’ll never be my favorite but I was so happy to get new Muppet stuff … Mixed gently with OLD Muppet stuff … It made my year! > > The whole crowd was kids and parents it seemed. Younger than me and mom of course 🙂 > > Oh and the “Man or Muppet” song was SO Flight of the Conchords!! I agree. “Man or Muppet” was well done. Right in the middle of the song I had a “Oh yeah, Brett MacKenzie’s doing the music, isn’t he?” Anyone know if he threatened to quit being music supervisor during any of the meetings? :D;) > [@OpalCat](#): > > I didn’t even know there was a new Muppets movie until the SDMB told me. I enjoyed the show. The theme is my default ringtone on my cell phone. I have the first season on DVD. But I’m not a rabid fan who feels compelled to rush out and see the movie. > > I’ll wait and read more opinions on it before deciding if we’re going to spend the (not insignificant) money to see it in the theater. If you have the ringtone and the DVDs, then I’d say you’re a big enough fan for the movie. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/54 "2011-11-28T18:32:47Z")
Very interesting response among my many friends who saw it. Most lost loved it bu the couple who are most into the Muppets hated it and watched The Muppet Movie as soon as they got home to remind themselves of the good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/55 "2011-11-28T18:46:11Z")
It definitely had its moments, but spent too much time wallowing in self pity. I’m surprised that kids liked it at all. I loved “Teen Spirit” done in barbershop though, and left the theater singing “Manamana”. 🙂 Was there a short cameo of Robert Guillaume enjoying the telethon? That was a nice, but extremely subtle, followup joke to Rashida Jones saying she’d rather air reruns of Benson. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/56 "2011-11-28T18:56:16Z")
> [@The\_Evil\_Prince\_Zorte](#): > > I wish now that I had seen it at the El Capitan, so that I could watch the Muppet movie in the theater that they used as the Muppet Theater in the movie. It’s even plausible for the El Cap to have been Muppet Theater in real life since it is practically around the corner from Jim Henson Studios. The original Muppet Show was shot in the UK. From what I can tell, Frank Oz was not happy about the script, which is why he declined to participate. He was working on a script of his own, but the studio picked this one over his project. I’m disappointed that we missed out on his talent, but I’m glad to hear that the movie is quite good. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/57 "2011-11-28T18:57:07Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > It definitely had its moments, but spent too much time wallowing in self pity. I’m surprised that kids liked it at all. I loved “Teen Spirit” done in barbershop though, and left the theater singing “Manamana”. 🙂 > > Was there a short cameo of Robert Guillaume enjoying the telethon? That was a nice, but extremely subtle, followup joke to Rashida Jones saying she’d rather air reruns of Benson. Not Robert Guillaume. [Bill Cobb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167850/) ---
**Author:** ![diku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@diku](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diku)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/58 "2011-11-28T19:02:55Z")
I thought it was about fifteen minutes too long. The whole Amy Adams sub-plot was kinda pointless, it really didn’t cause that much drama and was resolved really quickly. Not even sure why it was there. Also, any movie that uses We Built This City…sigh… ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/59 "2011-11-28T19:52:17Z")
I think they used “We built This City” because kids, strangely, love that song. It was my neighbor’s kids favorite “Kidz Bop” song just last year and my cousin’s kids love to do their jump up and down dance when they hear it. Weird, I know, but lyrics like “We” and “rock ‘n’ roll” seem to resonate with the younger humans. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787/60 "2011-11-28T20:28:18Z")
> [@diku](#): > > I thought it was about fifteen minutes too long. The whole Amy Adams sub-plot was kinda pointless, it really didn’t cause that much drama and was resolved really quickly. Not even sure why it was there. I agree with this. I would also say the Muppets weren’t in the movie often enough. I also thought Kermit came across as too weak and depressed–which I get was the idea–but I think it could have been handled better. Of course, I know actually watched The Muppet Show. My main exposure to them as been my 20 or so viewings of the brilliant Muppets 3D show as Disneyland/World which is high-energy and hilarious. Basically the opposite of this film =/ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppets/603787.md?page=4)