Muppophobia?

[travellingpat]

Leo Mcgarry was afraid of the muppets when they guest starred on The West Wing

 

[muppeteer]

I was mortified of the Count. It may have had something to do with the atmosphere around him early on or the fact that we had bats in our house when I was little. The way that he looked was very frightning to me. I am still a little uneasy when I see those early sketches. I mean you would think that all those teachers and child psychotrists at the children's television workshop would maybe possibly see that a character that is based on a vampire on a show thats meant for preschoolers was maybe not such a good idea. I understand the word play involved with his name but I;m very surprised that they went along with the idea. I will never be the same again.

 

[muppeteer]

I was mortified of the Count. It may have had something to do with the atmosphere around him early on or the fact that we had bats in our house when I was little. The way that he looked was very frightning to me. I am still a little uneasy when I see those early sketches. I mean you would think that all those teachers and child psychotrists at the children's television workshop would maybe possibly see that a character that is based on a vampire on a show thats meant for preschoolers was maybe not such a good idea. I understand the word play involved with his name but I'm very surprised that they went along with the idea. I will never be the same again.

 

[GuyGadoir]

RE:

Interingly enough I actually used to be afraid of some of the posters from Muppet Magazine

I'm thankful to say that I never felt afraid of any of these wonderful critters (if you call the Count a wonderful critter), but I retain to this day a reticence toward the photographic doubles, when I look at them too long they seem empty; Kermit most of all. And that is something very deep in my psyche somewhere. I am deeply sorrowful for all who have found Muppet characters threatening in any way.

The extent of my spooky feelings to do with the Muppets is when I was three or four years old I felt like Fat Blue was gonna sneak into my room and tickle me while I slept. That's weird, though.

 

[peyjenk]

As a little kid, I had exactly one episode of TMS on video: Alice Cooper. Possibly the creepiest episode of the whole series.

I remember wanting to watch the Muppets, so I'd watch it, but I'd be pretty freaked out by the talking stalagtites, the crazy bird thing Miss Piggy turns into, and Alice's devil costume at the end.

EDIT: Oh, yeah, and that ultra-freaky Pigs in Space segment! Cuh-reeeeepy!

EDIT AGAIN: Which makes me wonder, how did they do that Pigs in Space thing anyway? Now that I'm an adult, the technical aspects intrigue me.

 

[JJandJanice]

You would be amazed at what people are freaked out by, it's crazy. I was wacthing this thing on youube where this girl was scared to death of pickles. Pickles! .

 

[TogetherAgain]

I used to have a friend who "hated" the Muppets because the Muppeteers creeped him out. I forget how he worded it exactly, but he was convinced that any grown man who played with felt and foam dolls for a living had to be crazy.

My reaction to that was, of course, "...Well, duh they're crazy... but in a good way!" ...I don't think he bought it, but I did convince him to watch The Great Muppet Caper on my sixteenth birthday.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I used to have a friend who "hated" the Muppets because the Muppeteers creeped him out. I forget how he worded it exactly, but he was convinced that any grown man who played with felt and foam dolls for a living had to be crazy.

Lol, well you know, it's not for everyone. But if you can make money doing something you enjoy, then go for it! Avoiding your passion, that would be crazy.

 

[Mr Devco]

if you watch Muppet Family christmas there is alot of speciest stuff in it. I don't know if that has anything to do with puppet phobia. I first discoverd it in the article on Tough Pigs (BTW if any of you post here I'd love to chat). "No Sproket I didn't know I'd be renting from a BEAR!" lol

 

[RedPiggy]

I'm typically frightened of humanoid dolls over Barbie size (really). Had one of those 4ft-tall girl dolls once ... parents had to throw her away because one night she threatened to kill me ... and she was inanimate, no voice box either.

Muppet-wise, hmm... the only memory that really stands out is on Sesame Street where Ernie is singing in a pyramid or museum or something and his Pharoah double starts goofing off. I was absolutey terrified of that. I guess it touched a nerve ... something weird happens and no one believes you.

I admire the Muppet Show and Sesame Street for helping me realize, growing up, that just because something is a "monster" doesn't make it bad. Kind of like how the same theme was used on Buffy/Angel ... in the sense that not all demons/vamps were bad.

EDIT:

if you watch Muppet Family christmas there is alot of speciest stuff in it. I don't know if that has anything to do with puppet phobia.

I realized that too. It wasn't just Doc, though. Even at the end, Fozzie's mom still calls them "weirdos". The turkey gripes that Gonzo shouldn't be with Camilla because he's not a bird.