Hollywood has done it again...

Well the bottom line should be good actors, whether they are stars or unknowns. Just whether they can do the job.

It's just that it seems like the landscape is so small lately; you just keep seeing the same big stars over and over.

Another problem too is all these crappy comedy movies where would-be comedians write the scripts, then cast themselves as the leads on the notion of, "Well, I wrote this as if I was so-and-so having to deal with this-and-that with who-and-who." Jason Segel is notorious for that, which is one reason the new Muppet movie is bound to fail (in addition to his filthy sense of humor).

I know that's something that's been around for eons, like back in the day of Gene Wilder and such, but those guys were genuinely funny and talented.

I am very concerned about the state of comedy. It's like we're all too polite to point out that most of the people around now are simply not that funny. Or maybe they could be, but they're going along with the trends instead of being individuals.

I'm very concerned about the state of entertainment as a whole, in general.

Comedy today is let's see how many crotches we can kick before someone cries like a girl.

Drama today is let's see how many people we can get in bed with how many other people.

Conflict today is let's see which girl we can make pregnant, and figure out what she's going to do about it, and how the "father" will react.

I mean, just go to YouTube, look at clips from classic shows and movies, and read through the countless comments frome people of just about all generations saying things like "Why can't they make 'em like this anymore?" "When are we going to have stuff like this again?" "How did we go from this to fart humor?", etc.

i think its a little unfair to say the new Muppet movie will fail just because Segal is in it or involved, we know he is a fan and his his heart set in this project, and just because some of his other movies are adult oriented doesn't mean he cant do a light Comedy either. i myself have a dark side of comedy but i love the muppets to death

and even my Superhero comic book dips into some dark stuff, doesnt mean my puppet stuff will fail because of my other work, or any other Project, Whats Your Number? the movie i did in june that's coming out this September is Rated R, and yea its puppet poop jokes but my work shouldn't be judged based on that

remember if it wasn't for him we wouldn't even have a new movie to talk/love/complain about, and everyone would be complaining about how there is no new muppet stuff

if anything Segals presence is going to bring those who would just pass off the Muppets as the next dumb kids movie

Well, there's a big difference between being dark, and being just plain vulgar.

I dont find his work Vulger...outside of showing up naked twice in one movie

there really isnt anything that makes his work different than other comedy films out there, swears are the common thing just as sex jokes, its the world we live in

I'm not that familiar with his work honestly. I do agree that just because he does one kind of genre doesn't mean he can't do others. But obviously I won't really know until I see the final product.

From what we've heard, the film doesn't sound like a typical-Segal movie. He wrote it with people like us in mind. Just give it a chance.

We have *shudder* fart *shudder* humor because someone out there decided that all kids, or even adults, are perpetually 4 and giggle at anything gross. "Teehee, they said poop! Teehee, they farted. Teehee..."

I will be honest, I was a bit disheartened to see the whole "fart shoes" thing in the muppets trailer. I dont want to belive that was put in there because of the whole mandatory fart joke per movie to attract an audience thing but...

Yeah that was a bit troubling to me; I'll really have to wait for the fan reviews before I see the film.

Indeed. Anyone thinking it will be exactly like his other movies (which, really? is that a bad thing? They're more brilliant than any other adult comedy and the romantic bits are a million times more organic than half the chick flick garbage out there), is out of their minds. Sure, you can see unique brands of his humor here and there (mainly the 1980's references), but other than one fart joke... and not even a real one, I just don't see a problem. And let's not forget... if not for Segal we wouldn't even have a Muppet movie at all... and even if we did, they'd probably have hired Simpsons writers again, making 100 dated pop culture references per second. Much as I love VMX, most of the jokes were unnecessary (did we need the Crock hunter and the refernces to poorly dubbed Kung Fu movies at the end?) and very much a product of their times.

Which brings me to humor... well, we all have to realize that humor evolves over time. And we'd better be thankful they have, or we'd still laugh at cheap stereotypes of Asians (You don't know how many 1960's cartoons thought they were being funny by adding random pigeon talking characters that needn't be there. Even in some of my favorite shows, like Mighty Heroes). They aren't funny by any stretch, except for ironic reasons, and just make me feel uncomfortable. It took me forever to get new humor... but I was greatly rewarded when I did. Not that I don't like the classic stuff too (in cases of the timeless stuff and certain things that can't be replicated).

As far as a Muppet movie goes, I never think we'll ever get back to the level of the first three. That's like expecting Taz-Mania to be exactly like classic LT shorts (though, frankly, I think modern Taz was a huge step up from the original and Jim did a better job than even Mel did). I just want something higher quality than Oz. A Muppet movie would have to be pretty rank to be worse than Oz for me to not recommend it. Other than the fact I've still yet to see Swamp Years, I've enjoyed most modern Muppet projects. Worst case scenario, the movie is enjoyable C+ type stuff...

Gotta agree with Drtooth, people are blowing that Fart joke way out of proportion

But back to the Hong Kong Phooey movie, you gotta wonder.

Will Eddie Murphy actually do this? Will he actually be the final voice cast for the character? Seems like every single time we get word of one of these kinds of films, they say X is going to be in it, and they never actually are.

Mike Meyers was supposedly going to be Shaggy in Scooby-Doo, we got Mathew Lillard (the official voice of Shaggy now, can you believe it?)

The Chippettes were originally going to be voiced by tween pop idols, but we got comediennes instead.

Will Ferrel was going to be Ranger Smith, before they got that guy from a bad show from the 90's... shoulda went with Ferrel.....

And Brainy Smurf was going to be Quentin Tarantino... I wish he directed. Papa Smurf cutting off Gargamel's ear?

We shall see. I'm personally embarrassed and disapointed that it exists to be discussed at all. But regarding the whole movie, I'll just have to see.

It's not something I'm feeling easy about, but I see exactly where the joke comes from. Pepe fiddling with Tin Gonzo's "nipples," even though that WAS an improved aside, was much more disturbing. Heck, the inclusion of Kelly Osborne and the "most powerful Puppets in Hollywood" line were both more disturbing.

If someone actually does fart, I'll walk out.

Well its not like I'm going to let one joke make or break a movie for me. I'll still see it, even if everyone else hates it, so I can make my own opinion. But given how common the jokes are, its hard to say if they thought it was someting Fozzie would really come up with or its just there for cheap laughs...of course, we also dont see the cause and effect either

That's why it's been debated so heavily. I mean, Fozzie has always been about cheap laughs and idiotic props. Joy buzzers, rubber chickens, and ESPECIALLY Whoopie Cushions. And let's face it, that's what Whoopie Cushions are... something for someone to sit on to make everyone else in the room think they farted.

it's just that word.... it carries so much needlessness... I mean, anyone see the Hoodwinked 2 Trailer where the Grandmother jumps around those tracking lasers, and they added a fart joke to imply something that wasn't there for cheap laughs so idiot kids would go and see the movie (yeah, looking at the movie's BO, it was a brilliant strategy!)... then the second Chipmunks movie with that ghastly and COMPLETELY COMPLETELY unnecessary dutch oven joke? It has become a staple of terrible kids movies. It's like, when someone first did it it was so incredibly shocking... and now it's like a 4 year old that learned a swear word and doesn't know what it means.

But this joke in the movie is purely verbal. Still, Whoopie Shoes would have worked just as well.

Yeah but it's a question of execution. You have a whoopie cushion and the noise, and it's funny and there's no need to say anything else. That's the kind of comedy the Muppets always did very well and that's what should have been done there.

Here's one remake we don't have to worry about/look forward to