Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Chickens

Written by Mike Baldasare with edits by Ryan Dosier.

CHICKENS

Performed by...
Various

First appearance...
The Muppet Musicians of Bremen (1972)

Most recent appearance...
Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Best known role...
Interchangeable chickens; Gonzo's obsessions

Memorable quote...
"Bawk bawk bawk."

WHO ARE THE CHICKENS?
The Chickens are musical, talented and singing feathered birds of The Muppet Show and the Muppet movies. They usually communicate with squawks, although they have been known to speak at times. They debuted with the Muppets in 1972 when the first group of chickens was seen in the Tales From Muppetland special The Muppet Musicians of Bremen. These chickens were precursors to the chickens from The Muppet Show, with slightly different eyes. T.R. Rooster is one of the main characters of the special and would later appear on The Muppet Show as well.

The Chickens would go on to become one of the most often seen species on The Muppet Show. In the episode guest starring Rich Little, a group of real, live chickens were featured auditioning for Gonzo's dancing chicken act. This was the episode that first showed Gonzo's strange attraction to the birds. During the third season of the show, the chickens were rebuilt with more defined eyes. One of the most prominent chickens (and one of the few with a name), was Camilla, distinguished by her blue eyelids. Although Camilla was previously seen and Gonzo mentioned her name when attempting to audition her and another chicken named Nellie for Liberace's concert in episode 309, Camilla and Gonzo had their first date in episode 318.

Various chickens were added to the eclectic cast over the years, including a black rooster, a small yellow chick, and the full-bodied Giant Chicken who made a few appearances on The Muppet Show and Muppet specials. The chickens also showed off their impressive musical prowess on more than a few occasions, including performances of "Baby Face" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Out of My Hair." Chickens have also been known to play the piano and chimes and perform back up clucking for the likes of Gonzo, Rowlf, and Kermit.

The Chickens were very prominent in episode 321, where the Muppet Theater was struck with an outbreak of Cluckitis, a disease that turned the whole cast into chickens. Throughout the episode the chickens/Muppets continued with the show with chicken versions of Veterinarian's Hospital and Bear on Patrol. Thankfully guest star Roger Miller was able to roll with it and not lay an egg. Cluckitis seemed to strike the Muppets again when Fozzie, Gonzo, and Pepe turned into chickens while presenting at the D23 Expo in 2009.

Chickens have appeared in every Muppet movie to date. In The Muppet Movie, Camilla had a featured role alongside Gonzo. In The Great Muppet Caper, chickens inhabit the Happiness Hotel (along with every other creature imaginable). In The Muppets Take Manhattan, the chickens cluck the "William Tell Overture" for Gonzo's performance at the Aquacade in Michigan. Chickens were seen in various places (and eaten by Rizzo) in The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets From Space. The big break for Camilla and the chickens came in The Muppets when they performed "Forget You" during the Muppet Telethon. Most recently, they can be seen doing makeup and showing up in Muppets Most Wanted.

The chickens have appeared in nearly every Muppet production since 1972 and are a crucial part to the Muppet brand of humor. Chickens have also appeared prominently on Sesame Street for many, many years. Their appearances could be due to other factors, however, as Kermit once said "You have to treat the chickens pretty well because they've got a very tough union." Whatever the case, the chickens continue to appear with the Muppets in their movies and videos like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Blue Danube Waltz" as well as on TV appearances and merchandise. And that's no yolk!

WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED THE CHICKENS?
Chickens fill out a crucial niche in the Muppet world: random animals. Chickens waddle proudly alongside rats, penguins, pigs, bears, and other various things as a staple of Muppet productions. You would be hard pressed to find something Muppet-related without chickens in it--or at least chicken jokes and references. Jim Henson clearly thought that chickens were funny (because they are) and the fowl feather friends haven't stopped showing up since 1972. Also, what would Gonzo pine over without chickens all over the place? Cows? Come on.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

How To... Get a Girl to Like You

Maxwell Jessop - Hello, dudes, dudettes... and other hip variations of the word dude! I'm back! Sorry for my inactivity around here. But I'm gonna make it up to you, because today I'm going to show all you singles out there how to win a lady... or a chicken... I get the two mixed up sometimes. I mean, aren't girls called chicks sometimes? Anyway, here it is!

The Muppet Mindset Calamitously Presents…

HOW TO…

Get a Girl to Like You

1. First things first, decide who you would like to date. Find someone you would like to show your affection to. Anyone will do, quite frankly. Remember, girls with feathers and beaks are not deal-breakers by any means.

2. After finding that one person, plan something special for her. Possibly bring her flowers. This is a very tricky thing, however, because some girls are allergic to such gifts. Hay fever isn't exactly something that'll boost your odds of her liking you.

3. If you don't want to try all the other clichés in the book (optional), try singing a song to win her heart. Write the song yourself. Women love that. Be sure to include lyrics like, "you’re prettier by far than Godzilla..."

4. By now you've probably won her love, if you didn't change your mind and fall in love with a big yellow canary, that is. Still, solidify your relationship. Take her on your wild and crazy escapades. Nothing shows your love more than strapping her to a motorboat and having her do her best impression of Tony Bennett singing "The William Tell Overture."

5. Take her to all your holiday activities. Come Christmas, she'll love to snuggle up with you around the fireplace. Just be careful. The Christmas Turkey has his eye on her. He’s one sly bird.

6. (Optional) Take her on vacations. I hear Walt Disney World is a fine place to be this summer. I'd recommend for you and your gal check out Walt Disney's Laundryland--the most romantic place west of the broom closet.

7. Listen closely for this one, be sure to remember her. I don't just mean keep her in your thoughts and don't forget to be romantic, do that, I guess. But, I mean, don't forget what she looks like. The color of her eyelids might be recognizable, but it's pretty hard to tell these girls apart.

8. Also, don't forget to cheer her on. Be there for her whenever she does something exciting. It won't always be as exciting as eating a rubber tire, but it's good to be there when she's showing her talents. Especially if she's singing a clucking rendition of Cee Lo Green's hit song, "Forget You."

9. Finally, cherish her. Because at this point, she's yours and you have succeeded in your goal to find a chicken---err---lady...

Disclaimer: The Muppet Mindset will not, cannot, and shan't not be liable for any emotional, physical, mental, metaphysical, or bacteriological damage associated with following the steps in this How To guide. We have literally no faith that these steps will work nor do we believe any dating advice with the style and mindset of Gonzo the Great will work. We do not condone treating women like chickens. We do, however, condone going to the world-renowned Walt Disney World laundry facilities. Please, just do not sue us. We're still in a legal rough patch. Right now, our lawyer is Ryan's fish he got at the State Fair. All he does is float around upside down at the top of the bowl in that scummy water...

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Great Muppet Couples: A Photo Essay

Happy February, Muppet fans! Today we welcome in the month of the year that we most associate with romance with pictures of some Great Muppet Couples, as well as some human couples from Muppet productions! Enjoy.

Count von Count and the Countess, Sesame Street

Bobo the Bear and Cindy Crawford, Muppets Tonight

Earl and Fran Sinclair, Dinosaurs

Gary and Mary, The Muppets

 Gordon and Susan (with son Miles), Sesame Street

Pa and Ma Gorg, Fraggle Rock

Maria and Luis, Sesame Street

 Oscar the Grouch and Grungetta, Sesame Street

Wayne and Wanda, The Muppet Show and The Muppets

 Floyd Pepper and Janice, The Muppet Show and the Muppet movies

Gonzo the Great and Camilla the Chicken, The Muppet Show and the Muppet movies

Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, The Muppet Show and the Muppet movies

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Muppetology 101: Recasting of Muppet Show Characters, Pt. 4

Ryan Dosier - Good day, students! Welcome back to our weekly Muppetology 101 lecture. After last week's special class, we're returning to our chapter on Recasting of Muppet Show Characters, this time spotlighting the Muppets performed by Jerry Nelson. As Jerry is the final original Muppeteer to somehow leave performing (Dave Goelz continues to perform all the characters he originated), this will be our final lecture on this topic. But, fear not, because more Muppetology with more topics will be on the way!

As we begin discussing Jerry Nelson's characters, it must be noted that virtually every Muppet on this list has been taken over by the talented Matt Vogel. In recent recasts, it seems that a single new performer is chosen to take on the characters of a single gone performer--such is the case with Eric Jacobson and Frank Oz as well as David Rudman and Richard Hunt. Since about 2008 Matt Vogel has revived most, if not all, of Jerry Nelson's fan-favorite characters from The Muppet Show.

• FLOYD PEPPER
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON (1975-2003)
• Currently performed by MATT VOGEL (2008-present)
• Floyd Pepper was one of Jerry Nelson's favorite characters to perform. Even after the deaths of Jim Henson (Dr. Teeth) and Richard Hunt (Janice), Jerry kept Floyd around in appearances throughout the 1990s even without the rest of the Electric Mayhem. Upon Jerry's retirement from performing with the Muppets in 2003, Floyd disappeared for a few years. In the extended version of The Muppets' Wizard of Oz on DVD in 2005 and on The Muppets Green and Red Christmas album in 2006, John Kennedy performed Floyd. Kennedy's performance, while right in personality, just didn't capture Floyd's trademark raspy voice. In the first installment of Studio DC: Almost Live!, Matt Vogel performed Floyd for the first time. It could be this performance that solidified Matt as the chosen recast for all of Jerry Nelson's characters. Matt Vogel has performed Floyd since in appearances in viral videos, on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, TV specials, and most recently in The Muppets.
• Jerry Nelson first performed Floyd Pepper for The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence pilot in 1975, in which Floyd was one of the three main characters alongside Sam Eagle and Nigel. Jerry Nelson's final physical performance as Floyd was for the television movie It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002, but Jerry provided Floyd's voice for the 2003 video game Muppets Party Cruise.
• Matt Vogel first performed Floyd Pepper in both Studio DC: Almost Live! specials in 2008, when Floyd notably jammed alongside Disney star David Henrie. Matt Vogel has continued to perform Floyd since then including his appearance in The Muppets in 2011. 

• LEW ZEALAND 
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON (1977-2003)
• Performed by BILL BARRETTA (2002-2005)
• Currently performed by MATT VOGEL (2008-present)
• Lew Zealand, everyone's favorite boomerang fish thrower, was originated and perfected by Jerry Nelson for over 25 years. However, when filming It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002, the voices of Jerry's characters had to be looped over later due to health concerns. One such character was not looped, for whatever reason, and that was Lew Zealand as performed by Bill Barretta. Bill's Lew was over the top and hilarious--as it should be--and he stuck with the character through The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005. Starting in A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa in 2008, Matt Vogel stepped in once again to take over Jerry Nelson's character, a casting which has stuck since then in all appearances of Lew Zealand.
• Jerry Nelson first performed Lew Zealand in The Muppet Show Season 3 episode guest starring Marisa Berenson, in which Lew saves Kermit from marrying Miss Piggy in "the wedding sketch." Jerry's final, physical performance as Lew was at "The Muppet Show LIVE!" at MuppetFest in 2001, but his final vocal performance as Lew was for Muppets Party Cruise in 2003.
• Matt Vogel first performed Lew Zealand in the A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa in 2008, where Lew offered Claire's Mom fishes. Matt has performed Lew since then in appearances in the "Bohemian Rhapsody" viral video in 2009 and in The Muppets in 2011.

• CRAZY HARRY
• Originally performed by JOHN LOVELADY (1974-1977)
• Performed by JERRY NELSON (1977-2003)
• Currently performed by MATT VOGEL (2008-present)
• Crazy Harry is by now means a main Muppet character, but he has been recast quite a few times. His first performer was John Lovelady, who originated the character in The Muppet Valentine Show in 1974 when he was called "Crazy Donald" after Muppet designer and practical joker Don Sahlin. But come The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence in 1975 (where he was performed for the only time by Richard Hunt), the character's name had been changed to Crazy Harry for an unknown reason. John Lovelady returned to the character for The Muppet Show Season One in 1976-1977, but when he departed the show, Jerry Nelson took over. Even when Jerry was still performing, Crazy Harry was seen in the background but rarely spoke. In 2005 Crazy Harry returned to speaking in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz where he was performed by Rickey Boyd. But, once again, in 2008 Matt Vogel began performing Crazy Harry in viral videos, and the character made a sort of resurgence, appearing prominently in various music videos, TV specials and appearances, and The Muppets movie.
• John Lovelady first performed Crazy Harry (then called Crazy Donald) in The Muppet Valentine Show pilot in 1974. He would continue to perform the character in The Muppet Show's first season throughout 1976 to 1977.
• Jerry Nelson first performed Crazy Harry in The Muppet Show's second season in 1977. He would become the character's definitive performer for over 25 years. His final known physical and vocal performance as Crazy Harry was in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years in 1986. However, Jerry provided Crazy Harry's voice for Muppets Party Cruise in 2003.
• Matt Vogel first performed Crazy Harry in 2008 for the "Stars and Stripes FOREVER!" music video on YouTube. Matt continues to perform the character currently through appearances in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in 2010, "Bohemian Rhapsody" in 2009, and The Muppets in 2011.

• ROBIN THE FROG
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON (1971-2002)
• Currently performed by MATT VOGEL (2008-present)
• One of the most personal of Jerry Nelson's characters is Robin the Frog. Jerry originated Robin as the sweet, caring innocent we know and love and gave him a chipper, beautiful voice that is only a higher version of Jerry's own and extremely difficult to mimic. Matt Vogel was put to the task of giving Robin a voice for the first time in over five years in A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa when Robin sang a line in the song "My Best Christmas Yet." This proved difficult for Matt, and Robin sounded somewhat off. In 2009, Matt sang again as Robin on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon during the "Twelve Days of Christmas" number as Robin perched on Jimmy's shoulder. Again, Robin's voice wasn't perfect, but it was improving. Robin's most recent appearance was again on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in 2011 where he and Kermit sang "When the River Meets the Sea" with Jimmy. Matt Vogel's Robin voice is still not perfect, but the personality and joy of the character absolutely are, and the voice can only improve with more appearances.
• Jerry Nelson first performed Robin for The Frog Prince television special in 1971. Jerry would perform Robin throughout the run of The Muppet Show, for his major role in The Muppet Christmas Carol, and more up until It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002. This would also be Robin's last somewhat-substantial role to date.
• Matt Vogel first performed Robin for A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa in 2008, in which Robin had a line singing in "My Best Christmas Yet." Matt has performed Robin for a few appearances since then on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon both in 2009 and 2011, both times Robin sang with Jimmy and the other Muppets.

• CAMILLA THE CHICKEN
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON (1978-2003)
• Currently performed by MATT VOGEL (2008-present)
• Perhaps one of Jerry's easiest (yet somehow most challenging) characters to perform is Gonzo's chicken girlfriend Camilla. Jerry was the sole performer of Camilla, giving her a trademark clucking voice, for 25 years. After Jerry's retirement Camilla sort of disappeared with only an appearance in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005 (where she was performed by Alice Dinnean-Vernon) to put on her record. But in 2008, when Camilla was needed for the viral video "Classical Chicken," it was Matt Vogel who clucked up the scene. Camilla has found a new permanent performer in Matt, and her appearances have been more frequent ever since.
• Jerry Nelson first performed the chicken named Camilla in The Muppet Show Season 3 in 1978 (Jerry had performed other chickens before this, but none named Camilla). Jerry would continue to perform Camilla for about 25 years until her vocal cameo in the 2003 video game Muppet Party Cruise.
• Matt Vogel first performed Camilla in he 2008 music video "Classical Chicken," in which she literally laid an egg. Matt continues to perform Camilla still, including her appearance and scene-stealing "Forget You" performance in The Muppets in 2011.

• UNCLE DEADLY 
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON (1976-1979)
• Currently performed by MATT VOGEL (2011-present)
• The most obscure of Jerry Nelson's semi-major characters is the Phantom of The Muppet Show, Uncle Deadly. The character only had a handful of appearances for about three years before disappearing into obscurity. It took director James Bobin and performer Matt Vogel to revive the long-lost phantom in The Muppets in 2011, giving Uncle Deadly his most prominent role ever as henchman of Tex Richman. Matt Vogel's Uncle Deadly is spot-on and we hope to see a lot more of him in the future.
• Jerry Nelson first performed Uncle Deadly in The Muppet Show Season 1 episode where Twiggy guest starred. Jerry would perform the phantom in a few more appearances until his final physical and vocal performance as the character on The Tonight Show in 1979 when Kermit the Frog guest hosted.
• Matt Vogel first performed Uncle Deadly in The Muppets in 2011 when the character made a huge return to the spotlight after over 30 years of being both silent and gone completely. Uncle Deadly has not appeared since The Muppets last year, but if he does Matt Vogel will be performing him after his fantastic work in the film. 

• POPS
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON (1980-2002)
• Currently performed by MATT VOGEL (2011-present)
• Pops, the Muppet Theater doorman, was one of Jerry Nelson's later characters, first appearing in the final season of The Muppet Show and only making a few other appearances after that. The character has not spoken in an actual Muppet project since Jerry Nelson's retirement, but was seen in "The Muppet Show Theme" music video with OK Go. In a behind the scenes feature posted by the band, Pops is seen and heard speaking to the camera, complaining about the volume of the music, here performed by Matt Vogel. If the character returns, one can assume that Matt will be beneath him.
• Jerry Nelson first performed Pops in Season 5 of The Muppet Show in 1980 when Pops would start every show in the cold open. Jerry performed Pops in his biggest role in The Great Muppet Caper in 1981 and would perform him until It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002, when Pops was seen and heard selling tickets.
• Matt Vogel first performed Pops in 2011 for "The Muppet Show Theme" music video with the band OK Go. The character has yet to appear again, but one can assume that Matt Vogel will be performing him when and if Pops returns.

• DR. JULIUS STRANGEPORK 
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON (1977-1996)
• Currently performed by MATT VOGEL (2009-present)
• One of the stars of the "Pigs in Space" sketches on The Muppet Show, Dr. Julius Strangepork was one of Jerry Nelson's best-known characters, if only because of his frequent "Pigs in Space" appearances. The character has not spoken on screen since 1996 on Muppets Tonight, but he has appeared in "Bohemian Rhapsody" and The Muppets. Matt Vogel performed Strangepork in "Bohemian Rhapsody," and even though he did not speak, Matt confirmed it was indeed his performance in an interview. Hopefully we'll get to hear Matt Vogel's take on Dr. Strangepork soon.
• Jerry Nelson first performed the illustrious Dr. Strangepork in the first "Pigs in Space" sketch in Season 2 of The Muppet Show in 1977. Jerry would continue to perform the character until his final vocal and physical appearance with Strangepork in a "Bay of Pigswatch" sketch on Muppets Tonight in 1997.
• Matt Vogel performed Dr. Strangepork in the "Bohemian Rhapsody" viral video in 2009. The character did not speak in this appearance, but Matt Vogel confirmed that he did indeed perform him in an interview. Dr. Strangepork has yet to have a speaking role without Jerry Nelson.

Well, there you have it! Jerry Nelson's Muppet Show characters, all performed with aplomb by Matt Vogel. Don't believe me? Watch The Muppets and listen for Matt and you'll know for sure! His Uncle Deadly, Floyd Pepper, and Lew Zealand are especially perfect.

Anyway... study hard, there could be a quiz, blah blah... have a good week, class! We'll see you next week with the first of our installment of Recasting of Sesame Street Characters, spotlighting both Jim Henson and Frank Oz.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Muppetology 101: Relationship Paradigms of the Muppet World

Ryan Dosier - It's that time again! Time for everyone's favorite class (which is unfortunately not worth any credit): Muppetology 101. Today we had planned to discuss Jerry Nelson's characters from The Muppet Show and their recasts, but then we realized that today is February 14th, Valentines Day. So, instead, we're taking a look at some of the greatest (and strangest) couples from the world of the Muppets. We're hitting everywhere from The Muppet Show to Sesame Street to Fraggle Rock... so try and keep up!

• Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy
• First appeared as a couple in The Muppet Show Season 1: Episode 101 (1976)
• The most famous and well known romantic couple in the world of the Muppets is, obviously, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. Many questions about the true definition and nature of their relationship linger due to various comments made by both parties. One thing is certain, Miss Piggy loves Kermit more than almost anything--and when she loves, she goes whole hog. In her first appearance on The Muppet Show, singing in the Muppet Glee Club, Piggy's love for Kermit shown through as she broke from the group to practically pummel him with adoration. From then on Kermit and Piggy were something more than co-workers. They transcended the "will they/won't they" dynamic by having a "will he/have they" effect instead due to Kermit's reluctance to accept her advances. These advances and confusions continued for almost a decade through two feature films, finally climaxing in the biggest confusing moment of all in The Muppets Take Manhattan when the film ended with a wedding between Kermit and Piggy. Whether this was a wedding between the characters playing off-canon in the movie or Kermit and Miss Piggy's actual personas is still a major debate and dividing point among Muppet fans. Are they married? Are they in a committed relationship? Is it just professional (as Kermit says, "I'm a professional and she thinks we're in a relationship.")? Will we ever really know? Nope. Probably not. But for over 35 years this relationship has been a driving and defining point for the Muppets--one that is not likely to go away anytime soon.

• Gonzo and Camilla
• First appeared as a couple in The Muppet Show Season 3: Episode 318 (1978)
• The weirdest of relationships features the weirdest of Muppets. Gonzo the Great and Camilla the Chicken are two star-crossed lovers, somehow bonded by... who knows what. First seen together in Season 3 of The Muppet Show, Gonzo's fetish for fowl first developed as a throw away joke in Season 2, in which he mentioned that a chicken had nice legs. This spiraled into the development of Camilla, a semi-steady chicken girlfriend for the weirdo. Camilla and Gonzo were seen together romantically in The Muppet Movie and The Muppets Take Manhattan and throughout The Muppet Show. Like any relationship, however, theirs is not without confusion. Dave Goelz used to say that Gonzo couldn't tell the chickens he was with apart, so he assumed they were all Camilla (a joke played out in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years). But more romantic fans like to think that Gonzo is faithful to Camilla and she is the same chicken (most) every time--including her role in The Muppets in 2011 as Gonzo's faithful secretary. Gonzo and Camilla have been romantically entangled for over 30 years.

• Floyd Pepper and Janice
• First appeared as a couple in The Muppet Show Season 2 (1977)
• Floyd and Janice and probably the hippest couple featured here. Janice has been implied as Floyd's main squeeze since roughly Season 2 of The Muppet Show (not-so-coincidentally when Richard Hunt took over Janice). They were first romantic in The Muppet Movie when Floyd calls Janice "momma" and "my woman;" he rushed to her defense and told the others not to yell at her in The Muppets Take Manhattan, and the two of them presented Muppet Music together in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years. After Richard Hunt's death, Janice was barely seen so opportunities for Floyd and Janice to be seen together were slim. Now that she has been recast to David Rudman, perhaps we'll see more interaction between the two.

• Gordon and Susan
• First appeared as a couple in Sesame Street Season 1: Episode 0001 (1969)
• The first couple to be seen together in the Muppet universe was the wonderful pairing of Gordon (Matt Robinson, Hal Miller, currently Roscoe Orman) and Susan (Dr. Loretta Long) on Sesame Street. From the very first test pilots for the show, Gordon and Susan were shown as a married and loving couple. Gordon is a science teacher and Susan is a nurse, proving that a couple doesn't have to be a working husband and a stay-at-home wife. In Season 17, the two made Sesame Street and television history by adopting a child, Miles, who would continue to grow up as a character on the show. Susan and Gordon are still married and together on Sesame Street, even though Susan doesn't appear nearly as much as she used to. But one thing is certain, after 43 years of marriage onscreen, it's impossible and unthinkable for this duo to part ways any time soon.

• Luis and Maria
• First appeared as a couple in Sesame Street Season 19: Episode 2404 (1988)
• Perhaps the most important and revolutionary coupling of all is Luis (Emilio Delgado) and Maria (Sonia Manzanno) on Sesame Street. For many seasons in the early years of Sesame Street, Maria was in an implied relationship with David (Northern Calloway). However, in the show's 19th season, it was decided that Maria and Luis would become a pair. The first fell in love in Episode 2404, even kissing each other in the Fix-It Shop at the end of the episode. In Episode 2455 that same season Maria and Luis get engaged (after prodding from Big Bird, Oscar, Elmo, and Telly). Finally, in Episode 2485, history was made as a preschool television show showed two people getting married. It was a truly major event in both the life of Sesame Street and children's television as a whole. It didn't talk down to children... it was real with them. Maria and Luis love each other, they share everything, they always want to be together, so Maria and Luis got married. They remain together as a couple, with a daughter, Gabriella (whose birth on the show provided another revolutionary episode in Season 20), and have for over 20 years.

• Pa and Ma Gorg
• First appeared as a couple in Fraggle Rock Season 1: Episode 102 (1984) 
• Dysfunctional? Perhaps. Slightly crazy? Yeah, that's true. But in love? You'd better believe it. Pa and Ma Gorg, the King and Queen of the Universe, respectively,are able to survive almost anything in their relationship--especially the antics of their bumbling son Junior. The first time they appeared in an episode of Fraggle Rock was the second episode of the show, "Wembley and the Gorgs," in which Ma captures Wembley and Pa treats him as an adoring subject. Since then they have been loving, arguing, and singing together. They've also been canoodling by Kissing Rock and a certain pond... but we shouldn't talk about that. They celebrated their 513th wedding anniversary in Season 4 (1987) by singing the ballad "I Give to Thee." By that logic, Ma and Pa Gorg have currently been together for 538 wonderful years. I wonder what sort of theme that anniversary has.

So there you have it, students! The most popular and loving relationships in the Muppet world. Hey, if you can find a pig or a frog or a chicken or a whatever or a Gorg that loves you for who you are... I say go for it. Happy Valentines Day, all! See you next week!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Camilla the Chicken

Written by Ryan Dosier.

CAMILLA THE CHICKEN

Performed by...

Jerry Nelson (1978-2003) 

Alice Dinnean-Vernon (2005)

Matt Vogel (2008-present)

First appearance...

The Muppet Show Episode 318: Leslie Uggams (1979)

Most recent appearance...

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Best known role...

Sweet, little chickadee to The Great Gonzo

WHO IS CAMILLA THE CHICKEN?
Camilla is the fiery hen-honey of America's favorite weirdo, The Great Gonzo. Presumably hatched in a hen-house on a Midwest farm, Camilla has pecked her way right into the hearts of Muppet fans since her humble beginnings as one of the many chickens featured on The Muppet Show. She has the incredible distinction of being one of the few chickens to have been named in the show. Though Gonzo says he has trouble telling the chickens apart because they all look alike, Camilla is distinct in that her eyelids are blue (yes, that's the only defining characteristic).

Camilla is also notable because she's one of only three semi-well known female characters within the Muppet cast. The other two being, of course, Janice and Miss Mousey (or something like that).

Camilla's first named appearance was in a season 3 episode of The Muppet Show guest starring Leslie Uggams. Gonzo tells Kermit that he's nervous about taking Camilla out on a date, only to find that she has hay fever. He then tries to serenade his chicken date with a song, only to fall for the portly poultry that is Sesame Street's Big Bird (one of Gonzo's stranger moments...). Gonzo and Camilla's on-again-off-again-peck-again relationship continues to this day.

CAMILLA THE CHICKEN AND GONZO

Gonzo and Camilla have been the hottest weirdo/chicken couple in Hollywood for nearly thirty years (besides, of course, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes) (you can figure out which one is which). They've been romantically entangled as a firmly established couple ever since The Muppet Movie.

Oddly enough, Camilla was sparsely seen with Gonzo (or anyone else, for that matter) in the early to mid 1990's. Such movies as The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island left Camilla completely out of the picture. In fact, in the latter, Rizzo even eats a large chicken in Long John Silver's kitchen and Gonzo doesn't even bat a yellow eyelid.

Apparently this was a very difficult time in Gonzo and Camilla's relationship. Camilla was nowhere in sight in Muppets From Space throughout the whole film, let alone on the beach at Cape Doom to see Gonzo off as he was about to leave for outer space with his alien family.

Thankfully, Camilla and Gonzo soon returned together in recent productions such as The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Studio DC: Almost Live!, A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa, The Muppets, and Gonzo's viral YouTube video "Classical Chicken." In the YouTube video, Camilla even laid an egg that Gonzo seemed very concerned about. Possible beaky baby hatching in the future? ...I doubt it. 

CAMILLA THE CHICKEN APPEARANCES
Camilla has appeared in numerous Muppet productions since her debut. She was a featured character in The Muppet Movie, traveling alongside Gonzo and Kermit and the others to Hollywood. In The Muppets Take Manhattan, she was held hostage by phony talent producer Martin Price (Dabney Coleman) and was only saved when Animal grabbed the "bad man" by his ankles and refused to release.

In the 1990's, Camilla was mostly scarce. In 1990, she appeared with Gonzo at Walt Disney World in The Muppets at Walt Disney World. In this special, Gonzo led his little chick around the more... hidden locations of the Disney parks, including a sewer and a laundromat. Her only other appearance from that era was in one episode of Muppets Tonight starting the music for Gonzo's act.

In more recent productions, however, Camilla has made a semi-resurgence. She appeared in Studio DC: Almost Live! Hosted by Selena Gomez in which Gonzo magically transformed her into a turkey. Camilla was the reason Gonzo/Tin Thing wanted a heart in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. She also appeared briefly in the beginning of A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa with Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Pepe, Rizzo, and Gonzo at the post office to mail their Christmas letters. 

Camilla appeared quite a lot in The Muppets in 2011, where she worked alongside Gonzo at his plumbing corporation, Gonzo's Royal Flush. She also performed "Forget You" with her chicken pals. Camilla will also appear in Muppets Most Wanted in 2014.

WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED CAMILLA THE CHICKEN?

This question is difficult to answer... but it's one that needs to be answered for all Muppets. Why do the Muppets need Camilla? Well... it's not easy to put into words, so we'll put it into a hypothetical situation! Isn't this fun?

What if Camilla left the Muppets? Well... then Gonzo would leave, obviously. And if Gonzo left, why is there any reason for Rizzo to stay? With Rizzo gone, there isn't much reason for the other rats to hang around--or Pepe for that matter (no one else would get him, hokay). With the rats gone, Beauregard would leave. Without Pepe... well, no one would really leave, but they'd all feel a little empty hole. Without Beauregard, Scooter would probably have to double duty as go-fer and janitor, so Scooter would leave. Scooter's leaving would force someone else into the go-fer/stage manager/janitor position, and no one would be able to fill all of those roles as efficiently as Scooter, so the show would crumble. Without the show, the Electric Mayhem would go off to find another gig, Fozzie would have to go play another night club, Robin would have no reason to stay and would go back to the swamp, Kermit would spend more and more time in the swamp, without Kermit, Miss Piggy would leave. And... well, I think you get the point.

If Camilla left, it would cause a massive, unforeseen chain reaction. So... let's just not think about that, and say that this is why the Muppets need Camilla.

 

Special thanks to Lisa the Intern for random things!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com