Painful Moments

[Frogster]

I love The Muppet Show. Always have. But there's moments on that show are just too painful to watch again. And I thought this'd be a good time to point out some real 'ouch' scenes they've done over the course of 5 years. First off, close to half of the first season is somewhat painful, but you can't really point out a whole lot since they're just starting. But in the second season, there was something in the Rich Little episode I didn't like... and that was when he was impersonating Fozzie Bear, Statler, Kermit and Piggy. When I went to watch that a second time, I fast-fowarded it. Another moment in TMS history that I can't watch is most of the Star Wars episode (except for Six String Orchestra) but the most painful part of that was the 'gargling' of Mark and Angus. A third episode I'd like to point out is the Diana Ross episode, but that is really because of Ross' acting abilities; and yeah, I get it, she's a singer. But she just looked so uncomfortable with the Muppets. And fourth... Brooke Shields. Granted, she's been insulted already by Tom Cruise for other things, but that's not why here. Yes she is young, but she couldn't sing her way out of warm jello, and like Ross, she didn't fit well with the Muppets. And finally, Gene Kelly. Something about him talking to the Muppets made it seem like he did NOT want to be there... as if he's too good for the Muppets. IDK... What do you guys think? Any episodes or sketches you find un able?

 

[BeakerSqueedom]

I know how you feel buddy.

I get those moments too.
For instance, when Madeline Khan seemed to not take it seriously to work in the Muppet Show. I have to review the episodes that are posted on youtube as I do not have them on video--there are ALOT of painful moments. For a second I thought I was the only one who had a pang of hurt watching certain things!

Guess it's a fan thing.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I actually didn't agree with any of those (except maybe Diana Ross, she's not really an actor after all). But to each his or her own. There were other moments I found painful!

Let's see...when Scooter decides to team up with his Uncle to wreck the theater, I could definitely never see that again, lol.

The whole "fat" theme of the Teresa Brewer episode. I don't entirely blame them, no one was thinking about eating disorders and body image back then. But nowadays those jokes are painful to hear. Still, at least Piggy got back at them in the end! And at least they advertised exercise, rather than starving yourself.

That Scribbler character, I can see why they wanted to get rid of him so fast! lol

 

[peyjenk]

But in the second season, there was something in the Rich Little episode I didn't like... and that was when he was impersonating Fozzie Bear, Statler, Kermit and Piggy. When I went to watch that a second time, I fast-fowarded it.

I am glad someone else thought this was pretty bad, too! He sounds nothing like any of 'em. It's really kinda sad.

I also cringe several times during the Nureyev episode. He just doesn't seem to get it. It's almost like he is just saying the dialogue without understanding the jokes or characters one bit.

And the gladiator bit in Sylvester Stallone's episode is a little ridiculous, too. It doesn't cause me pain, per se, but it does make me roll my eyes.

I know there are more, but I can't really think of them right now... I'd have to think about it for a while and go over some of the episodes again.

 

[Drtooth]

Like everyone else who said he was a bad Guest star...

I really hated the Bruce Forsythe episode. He was just out of place, didn't need to be there, and he was just a huge phoney. Plus the Cynthia Birdly character was like every single 40 year old Jewish woman stereotype I've ever seen.

Another moment in TMS history that I can't watch is most of the Star Wars episode (except for Six String Orchestra) but the most painful part of that was the 'gargling' of Mark and Angus.

Am I the only one that loved that episode? Mark Hamil actually is a hammy person outside of Star wars. of course the only times his hamminess really worked well were his appearence in the Simpsons, and his role as the Joker in Batman TAS.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Am I the only one that loved that episode? Mark Hamil actually is a hammy person outside of Star wars. of course the only times his hamminess really worked well were his appearence in the Simpsons, and his role as the Joker in Batman TAS.

Nope, I adore that episode! Though a lot of people seem to hate it. But I really enjoyed seeing Mark Hamill demonstrate his off-beat silliness, something he was not able to do with Luke. Did you know he and Richard Hunt ended up being good friends after this episode?

"I have been watching them [the Muppets] since they were on The Ed Sullivan Show. And I got a lifelong friend, Richard Hunt, from them who has since passed away. He became one of the best friends my family has ever had. And we all miss him every day."

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Mark_Hamill

 

[erniebert1234ss]

Ya know, the most painful moment for me was Muppets Wizard of Oz.

Fozzie should sound like Fozzie, not like BERT!

BJ

 

[Winslow Leach]

I am glad someone else thought this was pretty bad, too! He sounds nothing like any of 'em. It's really kinda sad.

Even when I saw this episode when I was younger, I felt the impressions of the Muppets were way off.

But Rich Little is actually one of my favorite impressionists. He's a brilliant mimic. If you ever catch a clip of him on Ed Sullivan, he's really at the top of his game. I saw a Sullivan clip show once where he did dead-on impersonations of Adam West and Burt Ward in Batman.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah his Muppet impression were a little off (though not that bad), maybe he needed more time to develop them. Or he could have been thrown off by the whole puppet variable. But besides that I thought his other impressions were dead on. That's a great talent he has. As a person who somewhat dabbles in impressions herself I really admire that, hehe. It's too bad there aren't as many venues for impressionists these days (with the lack of variety shows etc.)

 

[Winslow Leach]

In 1978, Rich Little made a 60-minute videotaped special for the CBC called Rich Little's Christmas Carol. It later aired frequently on HBO, where I saw it several times. I haven't seen it in years, but I remember it quite well. Rich Little was the only actor to appear in the special, which had a laugh track. This was a great spoof of the Dickens classic, and surprisingly faithful to its source material. But the real treat was seeing Little play a multitude of famous celebrities.

Scrooge....W.C. Fields
Bob Cratchit....Paul Lynde
Jacob Marley....Richard Nixon (bound not in chains, but by the Watergate tapes)
Ghost of Christmas Past....Humphrey Bogart
Ghost of Christmas Present....Peter Falk
Ghost of Christmas Future....Peter Sellers
Scrooge's Nephew Fred....Johnny Carson
Mrs. Cratchit....Jean Stapleton as Edith Bunker
Tiny Tim....Truman Capote
Charity Collectors....Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy
Fezziwig....Groucho Marx
Dick Wilkins, co-worker of Scrooge....Jimmy Stewart
Businessman....John Wayne
Businessman....James Mason
Businessman....George Burns
Boy on Christmas Morning....Jack Benny