The Complete History of Mahna Mahna and his alter ego Bip Bipadotta

[scarecroe]

I realize there are a good number of threads dedicated to Mahna Mahna and his appearances, but there are some aspects to Mahna Mahna/Bip Bipadotta that elude me.

First of all, this is the version that appeared on Ed Sullivan and perfoemed the song "Mahna Mahna." He has blinking socket eyes.

Second, this is the most famous version who appeared on the Juliet Prowse epsiode of The Muppet Show and performed the song "Mahna Mahna" with two Snowths just like he did on Sullivan (and probably the same or similar one that Bill Barretta performed in The Muppet Show Live). He has blinking socket eyes, but longer facial hair than the Ed Sullivan version.

This pupil eyed version appeared on Sesame Street and sang the song "Fat Scat Cat."

He sang "Give Me Lots of Air" on Seseame Street wearing shades like this after I believe he was renamed to Bip Bipadotta.

I wonder then, who is this, who performed the song "Mahna Mahna" on Sesame Street?

Also, my "Jim Henson: A Sesame Street Celebration" CD credits the song "Air" (different than the one I mentioned above... it's the one that goes "Air, air, air, come for your suply today. Air, air, air, from Maine to Monterey) to Guy Smiley. I seem to remember MC Radio once crediting this song to Bip Bipadotta. Was this an error, or is there another version?

Feel free to add any instances of other variants of Mahna Mahna/Bip Bipadotta.

 

[jeffkjoe]

This character (was he supposed to be a hippie?) also performed "Mahna Mahna" in the 1969-1970 season of SESAME.

However, he did it with two Anything Muppet girls and not cows.

He also wore a striped purple shirt, and no shades.

 

[scarecroe]

So do you know when this guy performed it on Sesame Street and what his name is?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

WOW! Scott!!

You did some amazing research there, bud. The one I'm making of Mahna Mahna is based on the Juliet Prowse episode of TMS; I am NOT making the othrs! LOL!! They're ugly, especially the giraffe necked one from "Gimme Lotsa Air" or whatever the song was.

Doing the studies of the character, these are the colors we have determined so that I can make him

Fuscia toned 'skin'
Bright orange ostrich feather hair
Red mouth interior with black throat and pink tongue
Pink nose
Yellow-green 'lashes' around orange (ext) black (int) eyes
Emerald Green Fur body vest
Orange fur (hairline and beard

Soon, I'll begin making a second Mahna Mahna to auction off (except NOT under that name). I lack orange fur (which Anders is sending some) and emerald green fur.

 

[scarecroe]

You finished your first one? Where are the pictures?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Sorry, I didn't mean it's finished. I still need the orange and emerald green furs to get it completed. Right now it's the body, nose and eyes, and I've not even got the feather hair down on it yet, not til I get the orange fur. I'm just going to begin working on the second one and have it ready for when the time comes to get it done.

BUT! It (so far) looks superb, if I do say so myself!

The orange feather hair won't be as long as it is on the show, but it will look super anyhow. I can't WAIT for it to be done so everyone can see it.

FOZ

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I'd also love to see Mahna Mahna (the name I prefer to give him, to heck with Bip Bippwhatever) from the Sex and Violence sketch with Zoot.

I think he was just a recurring anything muppet. Looks like he could have also been Roosevelt Franklin? Just different eyes and hair etc attached to him.

Hmm...Roosevelt Franklin. I could do that...

 

[Splurge]

Originally posted by scarecroe
So do you know when this guy performed it on Sesame Street and what his name is?

Just a speculation, but probably just an Anything Muppet who didn't have a name. If he did have a name, he was probably just called "Mahna Mahna".

He's kind of scary - but a cool kind of scary.

 

[BlueFrackle]

Guys,

Take note of the Giant Manha Manha from The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years !

They couldnt find the original Puppet, So they rebuilt him and made him very large.


see ya

 

[scarecroe]

So they must have built a new one for The Muppet Show Live? I thought it was old because one of the eyes started to come off during the performance!

Henson.com says he also appeared in the Sandra Bullock episode of Muppets Tonight, but I've only seen the clips with the Snowths, Kermit and Sandra.