My Favorite Muppets, Part 1: Jim Henson

I have hesitated to do a "Best Muppets" list for as long as I've written this blog.  But, after perusing other lists of a similar ilk, I've noticed that everyone tends to pick the same handful of characters.  There is a large population of characters that deserve recognition.  Limiting myself to just top 10 or 20 feels wrong, mostly because the popular ones will end up getting all of the top spots anyway.

So I shall break it down by puppeteer.  10 per person seems reasonable.  And, who better to start with than dear old Jim Henson?

Be warned, some of your favorites may not appear.  The Top 10 List is a cruel beast.

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10) Yorick - Sam and Friends

One of Henson's earliest creations, Yorick proves that sometimes the simplest ideas cannot be topped.  Paving the way for every Muppet with a voracious appetite, Yorick is just a skull that eats.  With his unwavering blank stare, Henson managed to create a character that was equally terrifying and endearing.  Part of me wishes that the film Kermit, Prince of Denmark had seen the light of day just so that Yorick could appear as his namesake.

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9) The Newsman - The Muppet Show

The Muppet News Flashes fulfill humanity's desire to see stiff and proper individuals get their feathers ruffled and violently injured.  Sure, each segment was exactly the same, but it was schadenfreude at its finest.

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8) Guy Smiley - Sesame Street

What I love about Guy Smiley is how passionate he is to his craft.  He has taken the concept of a game-show host and made it its own species.  Guy Smiley is very similar to another Henson character, Convincing John from Fraggle Rock, but what makes Smiley more appealing is his total lack of awareness of life outside of entertainment.  Convincing John always seems to have a personal goal to his energetic ravings.  Guy Smiley just lives in the spotlight.

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7) Mahna Mahna - The Muppet Show, various variety shows

Mahna Mahna is Henson's creative mind in a physical form.  My most well-received post is about this character, so it's clear that something about this creature appeals to a lot of us.  Besides, who can hear the words "Mahna Mahna" and not want to break into song?  (And yes, I know I used an image of Bip Bippadotta, but they are virtually the exact same character, so calm down.)

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6) Rowlf the Dog - The Muppet Show, The Jimmy Dean Show

Although Rowlf gets lost behind the other Muppets with his go-with-the-flow outlook on life, there was a lot more life to him in those early days.  He could verbally spar with the likes of Groucho Marx back in his Jimmy Dean days (and even his Veterinarian's Hospital days, although those were mostly flatlining puns).  Eventually he found his calling in the piano, but it always seemed as if Henson used Rowlf to say that which he couldn't say normally.

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5) Cantus the Minstrel - Fraggle Rock

The designers of Fraggle Rock created Cantus as a caricature of Jim Henson.  All of the other Fraggles looked up to Cantus and his words of wisdom, even if they were difficult to comprehend.  Henson's musings often made their way into Cantus's persona, and just like the Fraggles, this caused the production staff to treat the character as a prophet and mentor.  Cantus is like Rowlf to the nth degree, which is why I placed him slightly higher on the list.

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4) Delbert the La Choy Dragon - La Choy commercials

If the next three spots weren't such important characters, the La Choy Dragon would have swept this list.  Even though he was a brief character, he is the funniest mascot I have ever seen used to sell a product.  They way he frightens customers and destroys merchandise is such an avant-garde approach to advertising that I can't help but consider him to be the perfect representation of mindless consumerism.

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3) Ernie - Sesame Street

If each puppet on this list represented a different facet of Jim Henson, Ernie would be his childlike sense of wonder.  While Ernie is supposedly older than the other Muppets on the street, he loves life and doesn't let anyone get him down, even if he annoys others in the process.  He's always willing to find humor in any situation because he realizes that a good laugh can be cathartic in the most distressing situations.  Ernie may have a lot to learn, but he's got life all figured out.

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2) Kermit the Frog - Sam and Friends, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show

What else is there to say about Kermit the Frog?  He's the Muppet we all want to meet.  He's the Muppet we all want to be.

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1) Link Hogthrob - The Muppet Show

And out of all the Muppets Henson has portrayed, Link is his polar opposite.  A buffoonish clod who disrespects those he finds inferior to him, Link is what happens when Henson has the chance to play to the extreme.  He gets to indulge in a persona that is so unfamiliar to him that you can tell he has a wonderful time playing him.  I'm sad that Link never really took off as his own character, even though Henson tried his best to include him in the gang right until the very end.  With Kermit taking up most of his time, Link had to shine in his "Pigs in Space" and "Bear on Patrol" sketches, not to mention his covers of Village People songs.  I personally cannot hear "Macho Man" without picturing a leather-clad Hogthrob prancing about town.

And "In the Navy" is the greatest Muppet Show sketch of all time.  I've always wanted to talk about it, but I've never had much analysis administer to it.  It is just a wonderful piece, enhanced by the fact that Link plays the leader of the Vikings.

It's so wrong.  It's so right.  Just like Link Hogthrob.

Random Muppet #28: Lo-Co

On the Muppet Wiki, there is a "Random Muppet" button which sends you to the page of one of the thousands of Muppets in existence. I will press the button and discuss the importance of the Muppet that comes up, no matter how obscure. No skips. No redos. This is the Random Muppet Challenge.

(This week is the special Christmas Edition. For Christmas.)

Random Muppet #28: Lo-Co

Wait, which one is the Muppet?

Performer:  Bill Barretta

Muppet Universe of Origin:  General "Muppets"

Most Significant Appearance:  "All I Need is Love" music video, November 26, 2012

Cee Lo Green is about the closest thing we have to a human Muppet these days.  His style, his fashion, and his personality are so cartoonish that you can't help but enjoy his presence.  Ever since his Elton-John-Muppet-Show-inspired performance of "The Song Alternatively Known as 'Forget You'" at the 2011 Grammys, it became clear that the man needed to collaborate with Kermit and the gang at some point.

And that point came this very year, when Cee Lo ended up at the Muppets' Christmas party and introduced his new holiday song, "All I Need Is Love."

Complete with a sample from "Mahna Mahna."

Halfway through the music video, a new Muppet named Lo-Co is introduced.  He bears a striking resemblance to Cee Lo, and even performs in his stead at some live appearances of the song.  He is a curious figure, indeed.

Why Is He the Most Important Muppet?  What Is the True Meaning of Christmas?

As Santa (played by Craig Robinson) joins the party, we see that Christmas isn't the same for everybody.  Despite the fact that he looks and acts like Craig Robinson, he is treated like Santa Claus all the same.  There is no debate about it.  He is Santa Claus.

There goes that "tech-savvy Muppet" with his iPhone again.

This is a perfect addition to the song.  It has nothing to do with love in the romantic sense, but it is totally about acceptance.  What Cee Lo wants most for Christmas is to feel loved for who he is.

The man with the Muppet 'fro.

Everyone wants to know their place in this world.  We are attracted to like-minded individuals in order to make our lives bearable.  Some people take time to develop their personas, and struggle to find where exactly they fit in.

A Henson Company tradition is to provide special people with Muppet caricatures of themselves.  These are highly prized puppets that signify that a person is accepted by the Muppets.  It is their way of saying, "You are one of us," literally.

Cee Lo earned his wings this year.  He received the greatest gift a Muppet could receive.

Sesame Street Parody Muppets, notwithstanding.

The Muppets, Part 5: Too Much Nostalgia!

After the glorious reprise of "The Rainbow Connection," the Muppets find that they still have a few minutes to complete their show before the midnight deadline and they still haven't quite reached the $10 million mark.  Scrambling for an act, Gary finds Walter in a dressing room, afraid to showcase his talent.  He feels that he is unworthy of joining the Muppets, but Gary gives him a heartwarming little pep-talk about how Walter belongs with the Muppets.  Inspired, Walter takes the stage to perform "The Whistling Caruso."

Because he's the only Muppet who can whistle...I guess.

The crowd goes wild and the donations pour in, bringing the total to $9,999,999 right before midnight! And then midnight comes...and the Muppets realize that they've lost.  Tex Richman takes the stage to kick everyone out of his theater, and when the Muppets try to protest, Fozzie hits the sign revealing that the Muppets actually made...$99,999.99.  So they lost by a lot.  And, that's it!  The Muppets failed!

As Kermit dejectedly leads the Muppets out of the building, he tries to save face by giving one final assessment of the situation.  Sure, the Muppets may have lost their home, but the fact that they were able to come together and pull something like this off and get as close as they did proves that it isn't the end for them.  They may have been knocked down a few pegs, but they aren't out of the game.  This is a new beginning.  They wouldn't be the Muppets if they didn't endure countless obstacles.

 

They may have lost the theater, but they haven't lost their essence.

And then, in a crowning moment of awesome, Kermit steps out onto the streets of LA and we see thousands of fans waiting for him. They had made a cry for attention and everyone responded! And as the Muppets greet their public, they ask Walter to join them, because with out him, none of this would be possible. The movie ends with a reprise of "Life's a Happy Song," and everyone lives happily ever after!

Well, almost... During The Film That Never Ends, many plot threads are wrapped up during the credits.  Gonzo finally releases his bowling ball, hitting Tex Richman and causing him to laugh and return the Muppet Theater.  Kermit and Piggy get back together.  And Gary proposes to Mary, resulting in the answer of "Mahna Mahna."

 

How else could this movie end?

As the credits roll, the various celebrity cameos join in the "Mahna Mahna" song as the Snowths dance around them. This moment is so..awkward, yet I can't help but appreciate it. I mean, if I were appearing in a Muppet movie, I'd certainly want to sing "Mahna Mahna." It comes off like watching someone else's home movies, where it was probably more fun to participate in than to watch. But who cares? They're having fun with the Muppets, let them enjoy it!

The greatest moment of Jason Segel's life.

And we have finally reached the end of this epic film!

 

Before diving into this final review, it is important to remember two things about this movie.  First, it is essentially a fan-film made with a Hollywood budget.  And second, there is at least 30 minutes worth of story that had to be cut out of the movie (and even then, the film is 10 minutes longer than the average Muppet movie and it certainly feels it).  In fact, I could spend this whole time discussing the deleted scenes and how they would have changed the film for the better or worse.  But you can read about all of those in the novelization, which keeps the whole story mostly intact.

 Those 8 pages of color photos change EVERYTHING!

I'll only highlight the significant edits as they pertain to the film as a whole, so you'll have to find out about the missing prison scene that was heavily featured in the trailers some other time.

The inclusion of these scenes would have doubled the amount of celebrity cameos.  Seriously.

The Bad (or at least, The Nitpicks)

1) Whose Story Is It Anyway?
It's unfair to compare this movie to the original Henson three, but for a movie that is attempting to capture the spirit of the originals, there are some differences that can't be overlooked. For example, the number of story arcs per film (as determined by the number of specific "resolution" scenes):

The Muppet Movie - 2
Kermit (and the rest of the Muppets) - Following a dream to make it in Hollywood
Doc Hopper (and Max) - Hunting down Kermit for his frog legs

The Great Muppet Caper - 3
Miss Piggy - Trying to win Kermit's heart by masquerading as Lady Holiday
Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo - Trying to solve the mystery of the jewelry thefts
Nicky Holiday - Stealing jewels and winning the heart of Miss Piggy

The Muppets Take Manhattan - 3
Kermit - Getting his musical published
Kermit - Getting amnesia
Miss Piggy - Making sure that Kermit loves and marries her (and not that attractive waitress)

The Muppets -8
Walter - Finding his heroes and his place in the world
Gary and Mary - Letting Walter go and settling down as a couple
Kermit - Saving the Muppet Theater
Miss Piggy - Repairing her relationship with Kermit
Animal - Maintaining self-control and avoiding drums
Tex Richman - Destroying the Muppet name and rediscovering laughter
Uncle Deadly - Reawakening the Muppet within
Jack Black - Reluctantly stepping in as a celebrity host

This represents the changing world of film. As an audience we want more. And the film juggles most of these subplots fairly well. But at times, I found myself wondering, "Where are they going with this? Is all of this necessary?" By having so many storylines, few have time to really grow and breathe. Due to deleted scenes, some of the stories come out of nowhere. Uncle Deadly's arc is introduced and resolved in the final third of the film, and Walter's anxiety about being part of the Muppet gang is a little unjustified. With so many characters, it's hard to give the film a strong, singular focus. Fortunately, once it decides that it's all about the Telethon, things run more smoothly.

2) Trapped in the 1980s (and the 2010s)
Okay, this movie is very funny and very entertaining, but even a year later, it shows signs of being dated. First, there is an odd focus on the Muppets being a relic of the '80s. This may have been the way it felt for Jason Segel and the other writers of the script, but the Muppets haven't necessarily gone away. And even their "classic" material has a timeless quality to them. The Muppet Movie, for example, doesn't feel dated, because the plot and humor aren't tied to 1979. But The Muppets takes an extra effort to drill this idea into our head. Rather than a general, "The Muppets have been gone for nearly three decades," there is a specific, "It was 1981 when they left and it's 2011 now." When Whoopi Goldberg walks in with Selena Gomez and the kid from Modern Family, I knew this won't age well.

It's not just the references and cameos that make this a 2011 film. The directorial style has a very "Flight of the Conchords meets Jason Segel" vibe. Which makes sense, since that's what it is, but it makes it feel less...Muppety. The humor is very "of the now." And I'm afraid that with each passing year, it could get less and less relevant.

3) An Extra Happy Ending
Had the movie just ended right after the finale, it would have been perfect. But then scenes kept happening to make sure no one was worried about the future and nothing was left ambiguous. Tex Richman needed comeuppance, I suppose, but completely changing his character with a head injury is a bit of a cheat. Also, the unnecessary ending with Kermit and Piggy's life as a couple seemed a little..odd, with Kermit upset at the paparazzi. But, as made evident by Piggy's outfit, this scene was actually supposed to be a flashback (to when Kermit learned about the sham wedding at the end of The Muppets Take Manhattan) that took place earlier in the film.

  

The audience is stupid.  They'll never suspect a thing!

4) You Can't Please Everyone
Let's face it. Some of our favorite Muppets were going to be overlooked in this film. With the deleted scenes left intact, complainers will see that many more of their favorites were prominently featured (at least briefly). Everyone was going to have to deal with some cuts. So, for every Uncle Deadly moment of redemption, there is a Gonzo moment that got cut. For every prominent Thog appearance, there is a missing Rizzo scene. For every Sweetums running from Mad Man Mooney's, there is an unfilmed appearance by Nicky Holiday. In some alternate universe, the perfect Muppets movie exists.

But what we got, was astounding!

The Good (nay, the Great!)

1) The Muppets are Back!
Jason Segel set out to make a Muppet movie like the good old days. No more revisions of classic literature, no more trips to space, no more *shudder*...television Christmas specials. To Segel, the Muppets are at their best when they are trying to put on a show, providing us with the third greatest gift, laughter. And he got everyone together and did it!

 

 When this image came out, fans rejoiced.

 Although there are a few missteps, it really feels as if we are reconnecting with old friends. It is the world's best reunion. This is also the first film that feels like The Muppet Show reimagined as a movie, with all of the attentions to detail. Sure, the puppets are rebuilt (and some, like Thog, were built to big) and some puppets have gone missing and the voice performers aren't the originals (save for the trooper Dave Golez), but it truly feels as if the Muppets have returned to inspire a whole new generation.

2) Walter isn't Awkward!
The scariest piece of news about the new Muppet film was that a new "tech-savvy" Muppet would be introduced. Ugh, were they really going to try to modernize the Muppets? Walter doesn't even look that special! He looks like a discarded Sesame Street extra.

But it was Walter's simple appearance and passion for the Muppets that made him a character to root for. He represented the audience, the people who wanted to join the Muppets when they were kids, the people who want to join the Muppets now. It was the character that made this movie work, even if his whistling talent was a little bizarre.

Stop making that face!

3) The Muppets are Failures!
A sentiment that I've returned to time and time again is the idea that the Muppets are popular because things go wrong in their lives. They struggle, they mess up, they explode, and the continue to persevere. The film continues that tradition by having the Muppets lose the theater (then it negates this brilliant move by having Richman give it back, but let's ignore that). The impluse to give the Muppets a tragic ending is inspired and in keeping with the long running motif that the Muppets are the losers. The original ending had the money counter stop at $99,999,999 like in the movie and then, through a show of good faith, Waldorf and Statler decide that Walter's routine was worth a dollar, thereby saving the Muppets.

  

They really do care!

 

While this would have been a nice character moment for the old men, I'm glad the film ultimately went in the direction that it did.  Having the Muppets not only lose, but lose terribly, is a sense of realism not usually scene in a children's film, but perfectly in mind with the Henson philosophy.

4)  The Film is Full of Love and Imagination

This is what happens when people make a film that they are passionate about.  Hollywood blockbusters have become so sterile and formulaic that the average theater-going public don't have many chances to see something that comes from the heart.  Disney, once the face of a soulless corporation, has recently stumbled into the idea that people make better films when they aren't limited by what's popular.  Pixar films are allowed great freedom in their stories, the recent Avengers movie was penned and directed by cult-icon Joss Whedon, and here, The Muppets was allowed to retain the personal element of Segel and director James Bobin.  They didn't try to make a film that would make the most money.  They made the Muppet film that they wished others would make.  And they had fun with it.

In what other context would Bret McKenzie be able to win an Oscar?  Taking him on as the lead songwriter and composer is a technically risky move.  But here is a guy who loves to entertain and had the creative liberties to write the songs he wanted to see in a Muppet movie.  And it worked!

 

The Muppets made this happen.

Jason Segel, like his idol Jim Henson, had a simple idea and was fortunate enough to be able to share that idea with the world. Starting with his own old homemade puppet Walter, he followed in the footsteps in a great man and took great care to keep things as magical as he remembered. The film may not be perfect, but it is genuine. No one can know how Henson would have reacted to this movie. But in my opinion, it did him and his creations justice. Here's to hoping the sequel will follow up on this great opportunity to keep the Muppets alive, and not just in name only.

 

Lovers, dreamers, and fanscripts.

The Definition of "Mahna Mahna"

In the short time he was with us, Jim Henson created multiple worlds where he brought thousands of creatures to life.  Animals, monsters, humans, aliens, giant birds, and other fantastical species that are too bizarre for words.  Although the stories he told ranged from comedic parodies to grand epics, I feel it is best to start with a song.

It is through music that Henson first showcased his craft.  He allowed his creations to move through the rhythms, experiencing emotions as dictated by the sounds.  It was during these moments that Henson first connected with us, and it stands as a testament to his appeal across generational and linguistic boundaries.

The premise is simple.  Two identical creatures are singing a song that an outsider wishes to join in.  When the newcomer threatens the integrity of the song with improvisational scatting, the original singers disapprove, raising the frustrations of the free spirit.

I present to you, "Mahna Mahna."

The Snowths and Mahna Mahna

Although it had been performed before on Sesame Street (with different puppets), it wasn't until its appearance on a 1969 episode of The Ed Sullivan show that the "Mahna Mahna" song gained its popularity.  Eventually, the song became synonymous with the Muppets as Henson and his crew would repeat the act on multiple other variety shows.  So it was no question about what song would be the opening number for the premiere episode of The Muppet Show.

It is this incarnation that I share with you today, for it benefited from repeated polishings and multiple takes (unlike the live versions, which have their share of errors).  This version also explores the limitless possibilities Henson saw in putting puppetry on television.  Dating back to his original college works in 1955, Henson loved the idea that the television screen created a natural border to present his puppets in.  Because the puppeteers could be completely obscured through clever camera editing, puppets had a wider range of travel.  As seen in the following clip, Mahna Mahna can travel from the foreground to the far background and can suddenly appear from the left, right, bottom, or top of the screen.  In this simple staging, the notion that we are watching puppets shatters, and we are left with abstract creatures inhabiting a three-dimensional space.

What is a "Mahna Mahna" indeed?

Why do we find this sketch so charming?  It falls into a simple pattern that escalates with each verse.  Mahna Mahna (the character) runs through the full gamut of emotions over this silly issue of being able to sing his own way and he explores various avenues to get his material into the song.  First, it is just accidental.  Then he tries to alter it to fit the needs of the Snowths.  Then he tries to sneak it in unnoticed.  But it's no use.  Ultimately he decides, it does not matter what the others approve of.  This is his music and he is going to have the final word.

Fittingly, Mahna Mahna is performed by the free-spirited Henson himself.  His need for unguided artistic expression defined his entire life.  He knew what he wanted to make, and more importantly, he wanted to have fun making it.  The unassuming Snowths (both played by Frank Oz, Henson's main creative partner) do not intend to cause pain.  They simply just reinforce the rules as they know them.  There is a structure to the song and alterations are not bad; they are just incorrect.  You can see the pain in their eyes as they must continue to crush Mahna Mahna's dreams.  It's not his fault, he's just not a right fit for this world.  One of the Snowths almost starts to like one of his scats, but after confirming with the other one, realizes that, no, not now.

Fortunately for Henson, he did not listen to the Snowths in his life.  He yearned to try new things because it made him happy to make others happy.  As Henson's company grew and grew, it was amazing to see how many eggs he had to juggle.  With so many different shows and movies in production, one would expect Henson to be a heartless money-making machine.  But despite his intelligent, calm, reserved nature, Henson never lost respect for the silly and whimsical.

Remember:

Every time you see an old clip of Kermit flailing his body around shouting "YAAAAAAAY," he is attached to Henson's arm.

Henson understood the need for absurd entertainment.  For him, it was as pleasurable to create as it was to share.  It appeals to the child in us as much as it appeals to the adult.  If we aren't willing to sit back and laugh at the ridiculous, we have misguided values.  Our world is filled with rich colors, fascinating sights, and unique sounds.  Life can get serious yes, but it pays to stop and look at the happiness and humor that is all around us.  Nothing matters if it does not make you smile.  During Henson's memorial, Frank Oz noted of his departed friend that he did not see Jim as a creator, but "as an appreciator.  He appreciated so much.... He appreciated...just beauty.... I really don't believe that Henson could have been such an extraordinary creator if he hadn't been such an extraordinary appreciator..."*

So, as Waldorf explained to Statler, the question is not "What is a 'Mahna Mahna?'"

"The question is, 'Who cares?'"

*Oz, Frank "Jim Henson." Remembrances and Celebrations: a Book of Eulogies, Elegies, Letters, and Epitaphs Ed. Jill Werman Harris. Pantheon Books: New York, NY, 1999, 145–147.