The Muppets and Lady Gaga in new Christmas special November 28 on ABC

[minor muppetz]

But seriously, the cameos in MFS were clumsy. Even the Hulk Hogan thing could have worked, but it just comes off a BLAM. It's almost campy, but doesn't achieve it. And I cannot say enough terrible things about Rob Schneider.

I was thinking about those cameos (in part because it was mentioned here). To think, would we have been complaining about a Hulk Hogan cameo if it had happened around 1984-1993, when he was a good guy and pretty much the face of wrestling?

And it's ironic about Rob Schneider, as his star power seems to have gone significantly up shortly after this movie (even though many online seem to hate him), with him having cameos and major supporting roles in Adam Sandler movies and starring in a number of hit films (though most were produced by Adam Sandler... I wonder if he could star in a film without Sandler's help). And now it seems like he's not the big star he was in the early 2000s.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I was thinking about those cameos (in part because it was mentioned here). To think, would we have been complaining about a Hulk Hogan cameo if it had happened around 1984-1993, when he was a good guy and pretty much the face of wrestling?

Exactly. We the audience go along with this sick clique mentality of who is "in" and who is "out."

 

[jvcarroll]

Exactly. We the audience go along with this sick clique mentality of who is "in" and who is "out."

That's not entirely fair. It's easy to gripe about public tastes, but you and I are the public. We're part of it. All of us. Sure, there are hipsters and contrarians who decide to like the opposite of what's popular, but they're feeding into it by reacting to it. Trends have driven fashion, literature, art, media and politics since time began. It is not a new thing. There always has to be some sort of measuring bar. That's a fact of life. What's done with that is up to each individual. Personally, I like who I like regardless of popularity. I hate Titanic because it's a terrible film, not because it's popular. I think a lot of people are that way. Just don't think for a minute that many of the choices we make are manipulated by marketers. They are. Every single one of us is guilty of that every day. There is no us-or-them. They are us, we are them. At least on some level.

Again, my comment referred to what the Muppets deserve, not who they have to work with. The Muppets deserve A-listers. Has-beens and D-listers are fine too. In fact, that could make for some very amusing situations. Still, if there's going to be one Muppet event of the year, I prefer they be paired with the A-list. It's good exposure. I'm sure Weird Al's Muppet Jamboree on the Hub Network would make a lot of people happy, but they deserve to have Lady Gaga & the Muppets Holiday Spectacular airing on ABC primetime this Thanksgiving.

On another note, Glee will be airing an all-puppet episode opposite this special. DVR set, but who's going to watch the cover when they've got the real thing with real music artists?

 

[CensoredAlso]

That's not entirely fair. It's easy to gripe about public tastes, but you and I are the public. We're part of it. All of us.

Don't remind me, lol.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this clique mentality didn't exist in years past. Did you read the Jim Henson biography yet? Before I go further I want to make sure I'm not giving anything away.

 

[Drtooth]

On another note, Glee will be airing an all-puppet episode opposite this special. DVR set, but who's going to watch the cover when they've got the real thing with real music artists?

Pfft. I'm sure even the fans gave up on that show. It should have been a 3 season miniseries at best. besides, Community already did the all Puppet episode. Kinda disappointing, though.

 

[minor muppetz]

Again, my comment referred to what the Muppets deserve, not who they have to work with. The Muppets deserve A-listers. Has-beens and D-listers are fine too. In fact, that could make for some very amusing situations. Still, if there's going to be one Muppet event of the year, I prefer they be paired with the A-list. It's good exposure. I'm sure Weird Al's Muppet Jamboree on the Hub Network would make a lot of people happy, but they deserve to have Lady Gaga & the Muppets Holiday Spectacular airing on ABC primetime this Thanksgiving.

But wouldn't it be great if they appeared with "has-beens" or "D-listers" not because they have to, but because they want to help certain celebrities become popular again? Meaning it'd be the Muppets getting exposure for celebrities the current public isn't familiar with? Hmm, I wonder if that was the case with the celebrities in Muppets from Space and we all just saw it as them being too cheap (nahhhh......).

And I wouldn't want "Weird Al's Muppet Jambouree" (I know that's just a made-up special) on the Hub Network. Don't have that channel (even though I'd most likely be able to see it online or on DVD shortly afterwards).

 

[jvcarroll]

But wouldn't it be great if they appeared with "has-beens" or "D-listers" not because they have to, but because they want to help certain celebrities become popular again? Meaning it'd be the Muppets getting exposure for celebrities the current public isn't familiar with? Hmm, I wonder if that was the case with the celebrities in Muppets from Space and we all just saw it as them being too cheap (nahhhh......).

And I wouldn't want "Weird Al's Muppet Jambouree" (I know that's just a made-up special) on the Hub Network. Don't have that channel (even though I'd most likely be able to see it online or on DVD shortly afterwards).

It would be great for the Muppets to help rehabilitate the reputations of once great performers once they have landed back on top. Until then, I hope they keep the D-listers far, faaaaar away from my furry felt friends. The Muppets have been wading through Hollywood purgatory for years waiting to rub elbows with entertainment's heavy-hitters. Let's just be happy that's happening for now.

Honestly, I don't have the Hub either, but Al would be lucky to land a special on a fourth-tier cable network. He has a faithful following, but he's a niche performer whose time has come and gone. That's how it goes. However, if there's ever a televised Muppet Show with 22 episodes a year, I hope he gets a call. As a footnote, I can never really enjoy UHF the same way again after hearing Victoria Jackson's bigoted rants. It just makes me terribly sad.

Pfft. I'm sure even the fans gave up on that show. It should have been a 3 season miniseries at best. besides, Community already did the all Puppet episode. Kinda disappointing, though.

I'm gonna stick up for Glee. They still explore some groundbreaking territory, with a unique irreverence, that other shows are afraid to touch. It is still a trailblazer. As for the stories, they have been treading water for quite some time. They'll get one more season after this before calling it quits. I'd rather this be its last year so they could just go wild with everything without any more dilution. Oh, and the puppets look great.

Don't remind me, lol.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this clique mentality didn't exist in years past. Did you read the Jim Henson biography yet? Before I go further I want to make sure I'm not giving anything away.

I'm still reading it.

 

[Drtooth]

Honestly, I don't have the Hub either, but Al would be lucky to land a special on a fourth-tier cable network. He has a faithful following, but he's a niche performer whose time has come and gone. That's how it goes. However, if there's ever a televised Muppet Show with 22 episodes a year, I hope he gets a call. As a footnote, I can never really enjoy UHF the same way again after hearing Victoria Jackson's bigoted rants. It just makes me terribly sad.

Al has found a nice little side career as a voice actor appearing in everything from Transformers Animated to Adventure Time to Word Girl. That's a nice fit for him, as they always give him the weirdest characters to play, aside from himself. I just wish they'd make at least one more Word Girl with The Learnerer (his character). But I'll give him this... he may be a niche performer, but his career lasted much longer than most of the artists he parodied. That's not saying much, but especially the 1980's albums... you'd think he wrote those songs he was parodying. Only time I ever heard "Who's Johnny" was an episode of Reading Rainbow.

Yeah, I'm really wishing that Ellen DeGeneres would have played the love interest. Jackson wasn't so bad until she went politically frag nuts. Then again, she seems to be one of those "I found religion, so I can be a complete d-bag to everyone" types. And it is always sad to see someone before they became so polarizing.

I'm gonna stick up for Glee. They still explore some groundbreaking territory, with a unique irreverence, that other shows are afraid to touch. It is still a trailblazer. As for the stories, they have been treading water for quite some time. They'll get one more season after this before calling it quits. I'd rather this be its last year so they could just go wild with everything without any more dilution. Oh, and the puppets look great.
I'm still reading it.

The problem with these instantly popular shows is trying to maintain what made them popular in the first place. They come off as is off the bat, and unfortunately devolve instead of evolve. You look at Seinfeld, The Simpsons, stuff like that... they have weird first seasons where they don't know what they're doing and slowly gain ground. Can't say I was ever huge into Glee... when the story was good, the music got in the way, when the music was good, the story got in the way...but it seems that it had a strong opening, but just doesn't know where its at now. Also, I tend to notice that some of these shows with teenage characters who graduate, they desperately want them to fail college and bring them back into the cast. Modern Family did it and it looks like The Middle wants to do it. But that's wildly off topic.

 

[MuppetGuy75]

I'm so excited about this! Gaga and Muppets together will be a Holiday special to remember for sure!

 

[FrackleFan2012]

I'm so excited about this! Gaga and Muppets together will be a Holiday special to remember for sure!

Yeah!