If the previous paragraph seemed a little silly to you, either a) you haven't been reading this blog for long, or b) you are unaware of the effect The Muppets have on kids of all ages (not just me).For five years (from 1975 until 1980) Jim Henson's felt and foam and funfur coterie infected their syndicated corner of television with a riotous, anarchic energy. Aided by guest hosts, The Muppet Show assayed vaudeville and popular music with an aplomb seldom seen before or since.
Season 2 features such classic guest stars as Don Knotts, Milton Berle, Madeline Kahn, Bernadette Peters, Elton John, and John Cleese, among 18 others, and is loaded with special features besides.
But wait, that's not even the best part. Turns out the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational show of my childhood is even better than I remember it, mostly because now I get all the jokes.
My favorite character is the Swedish Chef. "Hershka burden ferden derden."
ReplyDeleteOh, and I like the hecklers up in their box seats, too!
I never used to like the Swedish Chef, but having learned some of the story behind the character I've come to respect him a little more.
ReplyDelete(Listen to me: respect. Feh! It's a piece of foam!)
The Swedish Chef was the performer's favourite character. He was performed by Jim Henson. His sketches are the most likely to feature live laughter, and less likely to use the canned stuff as a result.
Henson has said that his goal in each of the Chef's sketches was to try and break something on the wall behind him.