The Pinnacle of Western Culture in Entertainment
. . . was The Muppet Show.
And that is why my paternal cup is runnething over with pride as I sit in my workshop, painting and photoshopping, as my 5 year old twins are howling with laughter over Steve Martin's first Muppet Show appearance. He was in the middle of Ramblin Guy and I swear to you both of them erupted in applause. They are giggling contagiously and with increasing intensity at every physical gag. We all marvelled at the Carol Burnett episode after Steve Martin, and now we are at the beginning of the Gilda Radner episode. Eskimo pigs are singing "The Lullabye of Broadway" and I'm convinced that television enternainment never was, nor has ever been, this good.
The show appealed universally to both young and old. The jokes were corny and over the top, but when done with enthusiasm and sincerity by fuzzy caricatures, animals, vegetables and Whatevers -- you can't help but want to join in and laugh. I came along a little too late for the glut of TV variety shows, and only remember Donny & Marie and Flip Wilson in my earliest memories. But I must say that TV programming that is clearly escapist and foolish and overtly entertaining is SOOOO much more my speed than reality. No, I don't find the staged reality of reality TV to be entertaining at all. And the REAL reality of AK's favorite: Really Real Totally Gory and Real Emergency Room Trauma? No thank you.
Give me the sassy sarcasm of Kermit in the very first episodes (and revived a few years ago for an interview with John Stewart). That's where Dave Letterman learned his schtick, you know! Give me the comic thespians, the comedians who could sing, and the singers who could act. Give me Frank Oz's over-the-top stealing of any & every scene. Give me the Zen of Jim Henson, even the commercial zeal of Brian Henson since without it Muppets would be dead and we'd have no Pepe or Bobo the Bear. And what better test is there of an actor's mettle than to place them up on platforms and ask them to interact believably with puppets?
The term "Muppet" is believed, I think, to come from Mobile Puppets. Jim Henson was a puppet guy originally in the 50s, when puppets lived -- as they always had -- in a box. Television was taking off like crazy in the 50s, and Jim Henson's brilliance was to see the TV box as a puppet box that could move around with them. He gave puppets a whole world that they could walk around in and interact with.
I'm going to try and upload/link you to that Jon Stewart video. Then I'm going to search the internet for the latest goings on in Muppetland, so I can report to you. Both of you. Because the more I think about it, the more important Muppets are.
:)
And that is why my paternal cup is runnething over with pride as I sit in my workshop, painting and photoshopping, as my 5 year old twins are howling with laughter over Steve Martin's first Muppet Show appearance. He was in the middle of Ramblin Guy and I swear to you both of them erupted in applause. They are giggling contagiously and with increasing intensity at every physical gag. We all marvelled at the Carol Burnett episode after Steve Martin, and now we are at the beginning of the Gilda Radner episode. Eskimo pigs are singing "The Lullabye of Broadway" and I'm convinced that television enternainment never was, nor has ever been, this good.
The show appealed universally to both young and old. The jokes were corny and over the top, but when done with enthusiasm and sincerity by fuzzy caricatures, animals, vegetables and Whatevers -- you can't help but want to join in and laugh. I came along a little too late for the glut of TV variety shows, and only remember Donny & Marie and Flip Wilson in my earliest memories. But I must say that TV programming that is clearly escapist and foolish and overtly entertaining is SOOOO much more my speed than reality. No, I don't find the staged reality of reality TV to be entertaining at all. And the REAL reality of AK's favorite: Really Real Totally Gory and Real Emergency Room Trauma? No thank you.
Give me the sassy sarcasm of Kermit in the very first episodes (and revived a few years ago for an interview with John Stewart). That's where Dave Letterman learned his schtick, you know! Give me the comic thespians, the comedians who could sing, and the singers who could act. Give me Frank Oz's over-the-top stealing of any & every scene. Give me the Zen of Jim Henson, even the commercial zeal of Brian Henson since without it Muppets would be dead and we'd have no Pepe or Bobo the Bear. And what better test is there of an actor's mettle than to place them up on platforms and ask them to interact believably with puppets?
The term "Muppet" is believed, I think, to come from Mobile Puppets. Jim Henson was a puppet guy originally in the 50s, when puppets lived -- as they always had -- in a box. Television was taking off like crazy in the 50s, and Jim Henson's brilliance was to see the TV box as a puppet box that could move around with them. He gave puppets a whole world that they could walk around in and interact with.
I'm going to try and upload/link you to that Jon Stewart video. Then I'm going to search the internet for the latest goings on in Muppetland, so I can report to you. Both of you. Because the more I think about it, the more important Muppets are.
:)
posted by Chris at
9:38 PM
7 Comments:
I agree, Muppets rule. Poppins' kids usually glut themselves on some of my Muppet movies when they come to visit - I'm jealous that you have the show at your disposal!!
I still sing the "DA NA NA NA do do, dododo" song. Apparently my memory has added a little muppet that pops up and tries to sing "You are my sunshine" into that skit - I'm sure it's real, but no one else remembers it!
Glad your munchkins are enjoying them too.
Word to the spreading of the Gospel of Muppets!!
OH man do I need to find a way to post videos. I worked on it last night & could not. I have the original "Muhnuh mununh", the newer one with "Phenomena" and Sandra Bullock, and on a CD somewhere we have Presidents of the USA singing it! It could be the new Naked Mole Rat: Todays Daily Muppet Thing of The Day
Man...you've exposed a failing of mine as a parent; we own no episodes of the Muppet Show. :o(
Movies, yes...but I think you're right; there's something that remains unmatched about the Show.
Indeed the show is it's own thing. And best viewed in it's historical context, like Historical Documents in GalaxyQuest. They have only released Season One on DVD (and my sons have lost disc 3) but there are also some older "Best of The Muppet Show" DVDs floating around out there. Those are the gems because they really are the best ones. I found one at a video store that was going out of business, my mom bought two from a DVD club years ago. I am SO working on the video-in-the-blog thing. Must. . . spread. . .the Muppet. . . word. .
I picked up this great book when I worked at B&N (for 30% off) about Jim Henson and the Muppet show. It's called Jim Henson: The Works. You would LOVE it! It talks about the beginning of muppets, Jim Henson and all things muppets. I also have Sesame Street: Unpaved that goes over the first 30 years of Sesame Street. Both are coffee table books full of pictures. They are great. Go to amazon.com and it will pair the Unpaved book with another book about Jim's sketches and such. I love the muppets! Sabine likes watching thr movies, our library as some of the vidoes. When the VCR is hooked up maybe I'll rent them for me.. I mean her. ;)
S.
The Muppets and M*A*S*H defined my childhood television experience. Ok, there was the Dukes of Hazard and the Love Boat, but they don't really stand the test of time.
I am waiting a little longer before I introduce our little one to the joys of the Muppet Show. He enjoys Sesame Street so he is on the right track.
I'm right there with you, Aaron. Vickie Stubing was my heartthrob. MASH reruns were on at 6pm AND 7pm every weekday. Did anyone else get nightmares from watching "In Search Of" with Leonard Nimoy on Sunday evenings?
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