Is Gonzo Being phased out?

[Drtooth]

I think we're calling panic again here.

In the last 8 Muppet projects, Gonzo had as much, if not more screen time than Kermit in at least 6 of them. Gonzo was the star of Muppets from Space, but he was also the star of Letters to Santa in 2008. He was the one that wanted to go to the North Pole, Kermit and Fozzie decided to go with him. Not to mention the host of MCC and Kermit didn't come into MTI for quite some time, when Gonzo and Rizzo were the only major Muppets for a good chunk of the movie.

Sure, Gonzo didn't have too much a presence in the last movie (still more than Scooter and Rowlf combined... not to mention a huge scene with Gonzo was cut for time), but it seems it was equal to or just less than TMM or MTM. Hopefully he sees a bigger role next go around, but I don't think he's going anywhere.

 

[Scooterforever]

I have to agree with Tooth; Gonzo was pretty much the star Muppet of MCC, MTI, and MFS, and I think he still had a big role in The Muppets, but they cut some of his screen time to give more to characters who had been out of the spotlight in the last few films, such as Scooter and Rowlf.

 

[Drtooth]

Of course, keeping in mind Scooter and Rowlf never had major roles in films. Not minor roles, but certainly no where near the main Kermit/Piggy/Fozzie/Gonzo focus the films usually have. And you won't believe how many people were shocked Bunsen and Beaker had such a small role in the last movie, considering the first movie, they came right near the end for all of less than five minutes.

 

[jvcarroll]

This could be a case of Dave Goelz taking it easy. He is now the elder Muppet man.

 

[BobThePizzaBoy]

I've just been assuming Dave wasn't around the day/week they needed him. James is right, Dave is the elder Muppet man but he's usually consistent that he's there when they need him. But, on another hand, realize Dave does lead a fairly normal life when he's not working with the Muppets, for all we know he could have just had some dilemma in his own life around that time or a family vacation or something that he just couldn't be there and the Good Luck, Charlie writers didn't see it worth putting Gonzo in there if Dave wasn't going to be there.

 

[muppetlover123]

I've just been assuming Dave wasn't around the day/week they needed him. James is right, Dave is the elder Muppet man but he's usually consistent that he's there when they need him. But, on another hand, realize Dave does lead a fairly normal life when he's not working with the Muppets, for all we know he could have just had some dilemma in his own life around that time or a family vacation or something that he just couldn't be there and the Good Luck, Charlie writers didn't see it worth putting Gonzo in there if Dave wasn't going to be there.

Well Dave might have been there since they had like 6 to 7 chickens in a scene.

 

[Oscarfan]

Well Dave might have been there since they had like 6 to 7 chickens in a scene.

...Or, they got some misc. puppeteers because anyone can play a chicken. Steve and Eric were probably the only main guys, which explains why Fozzie, Piggy and Animal could be used instead of someone like Gonzo.

 

[snichols1973]

Among the characters Dave Goelz "Muppeteered" in TM: Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Beauregard, Waldorf, Kermit Moopet, and the voice of an unseen reporter Whatnot....
Goelz has Muppeteered Waldorf since 1992, starting with The Muppet Christmas Carol, since Jim Henson died in 1990, and the Rainbow Connection number in TM featured Beauregard and Bunsen in the chorus background.

Gonzo appears next to Scooter in the finale version of "Life's a Happy Song" during the "And we'll keep giving the world the third greatest gift...." line; after Marvin Suggs and the Muppaphones' cameo, Beauregard appears with Rizzo and his rat friends, Zoot with the Electric Mayhem, Waldorf stands next to Statler, and the finale would have to be filmed a little bit at a time for Goelz to switch between so many characters in such a short time....

Notice the transitions from 0:55 to 1:00, 1:13 to 1:15, and 2:00 to 2:04 (Gonzo makes a brief chorus appearance at the 2 minute mark); I'm not sure, but I think they must have had some extra Muppeteers working behind the scenes....




The Muppets Movie - Life A Happy Song Finale - YouTube

 

[mupcollector1]

well i really hope he dosnt retire him and steve are the only original muppeteers to exsist other then clash and carrol on SS and frank oz in directing

I was thinking that too. Steve Whitmire and Dave Golez are are only original Muppeteers from the original The Muppet Show that's still performing. Plus Frank who doesn't perform anymore with the exception of a few new Sesame Street segments a year. And yeah Caroll Spinney though is Big Bird and Oscar on Sesame as much now a days?

 

[mupcollector1]

I'm one of those who believe that they perfected the look of Gonzo, especially in LTS, and the latest incarnation almost looks like a fan-created puppet. He's always had overlapping lid issues of one sort or another, but the recent solution looks misshapen, less expressive and bland to me. I hope they refine him.

Gonzo Now / Gonzo Then​

Gonzo Then / Gonzo Now​

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The Wiki has a great feature on Gonzo through the years.
I mean if they're not gonna go with this Gonzo:

I'd rather them go classic TMM instead of the recent film's puppet...

Yeah I couldn't agree more.