120 Awesome Muppet Songs, Part 3

Ryan Dosier - Our countdown of 120 Awesome Muppet Songs, presented in completely random order, continues today! Be sure to check out the first 30 songs on Part 1 and Part 2 before jumping in to the 15 we've got for you today. Remember, the song order was chosen by iTunes shuffling, which explains why there are three Fraggle Rock songs in a row (not that there's anything wrong with that). Tune up and get down!

31.   "Merry Christmas, Baby" from The Muppets: A Green and Red Christmas
Oh goodness I adore this little number. Bill Barretta and Pepe have never been in better voice than they are in this classic, rocking Christmas tune. Pepe is clearly in yuletide heaven as he sings with a backup chorus of girls. This song is so perfect and fitting for everyone's favorite King Prawn. It's a crying shame that Pepe doesn't get to sing more, because when he does, he absolutely kills it. Favorite lyrics: "Santa came down the chimney, half past three/With lots'a little presents for my babies and me!"

32.   "Fun is Here to Stay" from Fraggle Rock
Brace yourselves, we've got four songs from Fraggle Rock in Part 3. Blame the shuffling iTunes! Anyway, "Fun is Here to Stay" is both an exceptionally accurate title for the song and a magnificent motto for Fraggle Rock as a whole. Led by Boober's alter-ego Sidebottom as he manipulates Junior Gorg into thinking he's a Fraggle, the four other Fraggles join in as well. It's rollicking and joyful and uplifting and great. Favorite lyrics: "Fraggles come for fun from near and far/Fraggles know that fun is what they are!/No one could be dumb enough to say/Fun could come in any other way/Any Fraggle's brave enough to say--Fun is here to stay!"

33.   "Petals of the Rose" from Fraggle Rock
This song is so incredibly beautiful. With this song alone, Jerry Nelson shows unequivocally that he is the greatest singer the Muppets ever had. Gobo's heart-wrenching lyrics and the melodic ups and downs of his voice are just pure perfection. This is the song that made me cry the first time I listened to it after Jerry passed away last year. It's so fitting and it will break your heart every single time. I still tear up listening to it. I probably always will. Favorite lyrics: "Ain't it just the way it seems/We pull the petals off our dreams/Our hearts can say we're here to stay/But we always say goodbye/We always say goodbye..." 

34.   "Wemblin' Fool" from Fraggle Rock
(Please ignore the odd YouTube video.) Another one of Gobo's best songs also happens to be one of Wembley's best too. This is a personal favorite--maybe in my top ten Muppet songs--and it was one of Jim Henson's as well. Jerry Nelson and Steve Whitmire sang this song at Jim's public memorial. The song is bouncy and lively and fun as heck. Wembley's trademark grunts are fantastic, Gobo's scatting is great, and the entire song plays perfectly every time you listen to it. Favorite lyrics: "When we're wemblin' south/We stick our feet in our mouth/And we just wemble, wemble, wemble as we ride!"

35.   "Sing After Me" from Sesame Street
If there is a more hysterical Grover sketch out there, someone please let me know. My favorite blue monster's antics and banter with Madeline Kahn in this song are top notch. Frank Oz was truly at the apex of his powers here, even cracking up a seasoned pro like Kahn. But Madeline was no straight-woman, she gives it back to Grover just as much and just as hilariously. The lyrics are sort of nonsense, but the performance makes it a true classic. My favorite lyrics actually aren't lyrics, they're just a line spoken near the end by Grover, who says, "You've got to be putting me on!" after Madeline hits an amazing note.

36.   "It's Hard to Be Humble" from The Muppet Show
This may be the most random song choice in the entire list, but this song performed by Mac Davis and Link Hogthrob on The Muppet Show is another of my favorites. The duo sings about how difficult it is to remain humble when one is as handsome and perfect as they are. It's such a defining song for Link to sing and Jim handles it deftly. For the final chorus, a bunch of Muppets join in. It's fairly ironic for Lew Zealand to sing "I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better lookin' each day," but I love it. Favorite lyrics: "To know me is to love me/I must be a hell of a man/Oh lord, it's hard to be humble/But we're doin' the best that we can."

37.   "Dance Myself to Sleep" from Sesame Street
One of the greatest Ernie and Bert songs ever. It defines their relationship perfectly. Bert is sound asleep, but Ernie fall asleep. What does he do? A soft-shoe tap dance around his bed while playing the bugle and enjoying the company of the Boogie Woogie Sheep. This wakes Bert up, and he is just completely baffled by the whole thing. Eventually he's taken out of the room by the sheep and left outside. It's funny, it's fun, and it allows Bert to ask the immortal question, "When did sheep get tap shoes?" Favorite lyrics: "Well I'm gettin' kinda drowsy so the moment has come/To grab my Rubber Duckie while the sheep take my chum/Time to shuffle off to dream-land, got a date to keep/I'll dance myself to sleep!"

38.   "New York State of Mind" from The Muppet Show
Right now I cannot come up with a Jerry Nelson/Floyd Pepper song that I enjoy more. I truly believe that this is far and away the best version of this song ever performed--and I adore this song. Floyd sings with such soul and such longing that it is incredibly difficult to match. I'll give a shout out to Rowlf's version from Old Brown Ears is Back, but Floyd is still king. Jerry owns this song completely when he performs it. Pure perfection. Favorite lyrics: "Come down to reality and it's fine with me 'cause I let it slide/Don't care if it's Chinatown or rounded riverside/I don't have any reasons, left them all behind/I'm in a New York state of mind."

39.   "Ode to Joy" from YouTube
The new-age Beaker classic that first brought attention back to the Muppets with their hugely popular viral videos. This 2008 piece of brilliance might be Beaker's best vocal work (but don't worry, "Feelings" is coming later on the list). His obvious dedication to performing properly is a really interesting aspect to Beaker's character. He longs to be a great singer but at the end of the day he's just a squeaky red head with awful luck... and we wouldn't have it any other way. Favorite lyrics: "Mee me mee me/Me mee me mee/Me me me me mee me me."

40.   "One Small Voice" from Sesame Street
One of the most beautiful and touching songs written for Sesame Street. It has been performed a handful of times over the years, but my favorite is from Elmopalooza sung by Kenny Loggins, joined in by the kids and, more importantly, Big Bird. The lyrics are indescribably great, singing the importance of both music itself and knowing you can do anything. The music video for the song (which you can see above) makes my spirit soar every time I watch it. I dare you not to feel totally moved when Big Bird says, "Alex, you did great!" and Alex replies, so honestly, "Thanks Big Bird, I had fun!" Favorite lyrics: "No tune is too simple/No voice can be wrong/Music can come from any heart/And anyone's voice can lead the song."

41.   "Imagination" from Sesame Street
Another classic Bert and Ernie song. This beautiful tune is all about finding comfort and happiness by retreating into your own imagination and I think that's a wonderful notion. What I think makes this song truly special is that it is Bert, not Ernie, who first sings of the power of an imagination. One would think Ernie would be in touch with his imagination already, but I love that it is Bert who puts him in touch with it by singing him this song. Also... "I like big balloons!" is a line that is delivered perfectly. Favorite lyrics: "Here in the middle of imagination/Right in the middle of my mind/I close my eyes and the night isn't dark/And the things that I lose, I find."

42.   "Together Again" from The Muppets Take Manhattan
I wish that I could whistle well, if only so I could whistle the opening to this lovely tune. It's fun and pretty free-wheeling. I love the colorful vests the Muppets wear in the movie when they sing this. But mostly, this song works as a perfect reminder of the fact that the Muppets will always get back together. This is easily proven by my favorite lyrics: "I just can't imagine that you've ever been gone/It's not starting over, it's just going on./Together again, now we're here and there's no need remembering when."

43.   "Convincing John" from Fraggle Rock
It's strange to think that Convincing John was only on Fraggle Rock three times. The amount of energy and fun that Jim Henson poured into the character makes it seem like he was there constantly. John was never better than when he sang his titular song. It's fast, it's lively, it's erratic, and it's just plain awesome. Jim performed this song incredibly well and I can't imagine what a strain it must've put on his voice to sing it. And what would the song be without the Fragglettes providing back-up? I absolutely love it. Favorite lyrics: "C'mon listen to me Fraggles/With your Fraggle mouths a'waggle/You can chew a Doozer tower till you're blue/But there's a mighty day a'comin'/When the food'll hit your tummy/And you'll know that what I'm tellin' you is true!"

44.   "What's the Name of That Song?" from Sesame Street
How am I supposed to talk about this song? It just says "What's the Name of That Song?" If we don't even know the name of that song, how am I supposed to know which song to talk about?! It's confusion like this that makes this song so delightfully wicked and incredibly fun. In fact, the entire 35th anniversary DVD special What's the Name of That Song? is based around this confusion. My favorite version of this Sesame classic is probably from Bert & Ernie Sing-Along with the whole cast, but I also love the more recent version that Bert and Ernie sing. Favorite lyrics: "I've heard it said with words and music, a fella can't go wrong/So la de da de dum, la de da de dum... What's the name of that song?"

45.   "Just a Dream Away" from Fraggle Rock 
This is one of the few songs on this list that is sung by a one-shot character. In this case, it's the Mudbunny, who appears to Wembley in an episode of Fraggle Rock. Performed by Richard Hunt, this creature had a very interesting life cycle that played out in the episode. Before all that, however, the Mudbunny sings this gorgeous, much too short song. Richard Hunt's voice has never sounded better than it does here. He sings with such mystery and even some omnipotence. It's gorgeous. Favorite lyrics: "Once I wasn't here and then I suddenly appeared/And now I seem to be at home in earth and air/Just like water flowing, I know where I'm going/Look beneath your boots and I'll be there."

Well that's it for today, Muppet fans! Check back next week, same time, same place, for 15 more tunes on our countdown of 120 Awesome Muppet Songs!





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

Passion and Purpose: The Characters of Jerry Nelson

Ryan Dosier - We've all be thinking so much about Jerry Nelson over the past few days. Personally, I've been listening to his music almost nonstop and reading testimonies and seeing pictures of my hero Jerry Nelson all over the place. But one thing that I avoided doing until just last night was watching my favorite of Jerry's performances. I didn't know if I could watch Floyd Pepper or Count von Count or Gobo Fraggle or any of the other hundreds of characters that were and are Jerry. But I am so glad that I did.

Put in any episode of any season of The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, or Fraggle Rock... watch any Muppet film, TV special, or project that Jerry worked on, and you're treated to something magical. You'll discover just how omnipresent Jerry Nelson was. No, none of his characters ever reached the heights of Fozzie Bear or Animal, but the sheer number of characters that he performed--and performed incredibly powerfully--is mind boggling. For instance, in the Madeline Kahn episode of The Muppet Show alone, Jerry performs a yodeling clam, a lobster bandito, Dr. Strangepork, Doglion, and Floyd. You can't overstate how incredible that range is.

What amazes me the most isn't the quantity that Jerry performed, but the unbelievable quality of life which he breathed into any character he was given. Take, for example, one of The Muppet Show's most random characters: Lew Zealand. As a boomerang fish thrower, this clown of a character could have easily been used for one episode and never reused, much like countless other characters before and after Lew Zealand were. Instead, Jerry Nelson performed with such verve and hilarious passion that Lew Zealand continued to appear throughout the run of The Muppet Show and has appeared in a speaking part in every single Muppet feature film, always with a boomerang fish and a goofy laugh.

In a way, the same story applies to Jerry's most popular and well-known character, Count von Count. The Count was written for Sesame Street as a new character in Season 4, but it was obviously because of Jerry that he sprang to popularity. Whether it be the passionate way which he counted everything or the legendary "Ah! Ah! Ah!" that accompanied each count, Jerry's performance brought the Street another glorious character. Again, the Count never became as popular as wildly popular as Elmo or Cookie Monster, but because Jerry imbued him with life for 40 years, the Count remains one of the greatest characters on the show. Not only does he teach millions of children their numbers, but he does it with a passion and pride that makes children want to count with the Count.

This is what Jerry Nelson gave to his characters: purpose for the viewer to enjoy the character and purpose for the character's life. Look at Marjory the Trash Heap, Jerry Nelson's hilarious and brilliant oracle character on Fraggle Rock. Undeterred by being literally a pile of junk, Marjory still exploded with passion in every scene she was in. To the viewer, she was an all-knowing giver of valuable advice such as "Do stuff you've always done before," "Don't cry over spilled milk," "Go with the flow," and, of course, "You cannot leave the magic." But Marjory herself had purpose as a character thanks to Jerry, whose performances exuded such pride in her work that it was clear that Marjory enjoyed helping Fraggles with their troubles, pain, and woe. Plus, her singing voice is dynamite, as with all of Jerry's characters.

Gobo Fraggle was Jerry's first lead character on a series, and he took the role with as much greatness as you would expect. Gobo was smart, stubborn, proud, meek, caring, selfish, and everything in between. Jerry gave such emotion to Gobo in so many different performances. Songs like "Shine on Me," "Petals of the Rose," and "Once Upon a Time I Knew My Name" show Gobo's somber, tender side. "Get Goin'," "I Knew I Was Good," and "Catch the Tail by the Tiger" display Gobo at his most proud. Perhaps my favorite Gobo episode is "The Bells of Fraggle Rock." In this perfect piece of television, Gobo knows that he is right about the existence of an actual Bell of Fraggle Rock, even when Cantus implores otherwise. Gobo is wrong, of course, which makes him realize that he has doomed his friends. The beauty of Jerry's performance when Gobo sees his frozen friends is unmatched as he shows Gobo go from cocky to heart broken in a matter of minutes.

This is why Jerry was chosen so often to perform so many characters. He imbibed them with more than heart... he gave them soul and purpose and meaning. Whether through Herry Monster's tough exterior but gentle demeanor, Sherlock Hemlock's undying commitment to solve mysteries (no matter how inept he was), Emmet Otter's love of his Ma and his reluctance to put a hole in that washtub, Crazy Harry's explosive reflexes, Pa Gorg's love for Ma, Angus McGonagle's goal of spreading the art of gargling Gershwin, Robin the Frog's desire to be seen and to be taken seriously ("They Call the Wind Maria," anyone?), Mr. Johnson's refusal to eat at any other restaurant... Jerry's characters were all real and existed for everyone who watched them on screen.

No other character explains Jerry Nelson's brilliance at giving life to a puppet than my personal favorite, Floyd Pepper. Floyd does not need anything more in his life than music. He's hip and smart and understated while still being an over the top Muppet. Watch how Jerry makes Floyd react to things while around other characters and you'll be amazed at how alive he truly is. The episode where he is charged with babysitting Miss Piggy's dog, Foo-Foo, is not only hysterical but speaks volumes about the character. Fed up with the pampered pooch, Floyd stuffs Foo-Foo in a drawer with that perfect raspy laugh. This isn't to say that Floyd doesn't care about other people, he just thinks that people who care too much are funny. That's why he laughs at Gonzo's stunts, Fozzie's attempts at assertiveness, and everything Miss Piggy does.

Interesting that Floyd should laugh, however, because it can be argued that he cares the most about what he loves. His music is an act of passion always. The soulful way he performs his greatest pieces such as "New York State of Mind," "Blackbird," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" show us that Floyd (and Jerry) is at his most passionate when he is alone with his bass and simply emoting through the music. Everything you need to know about Floyd can be appreciated in the album version of "New York State of Mind." Before the song, Floyd states, "Hey, the frog is not around. Time to lay down some serious sound." Floyd enjoys messing with people, like the frog, but he is always looking for an outlet to play his music and express himself so powerfully.

Jerry's characters stand out for so many reasons. They are funny, they are fun, they are crazy, they are loud, they are soft, they are giant piles of trash, they throw boomerang fish, they cause explosions... but to me, the reason Jerry Nelson's characters stand out is because they are all so fully realized and dynamic. Jerry Nelson brought versatility, personality, and passion to his characters every time that he performed, leaving the world with countless hours of some of the best character acting work of all time.

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