Why can't penguins talk anymore?

[MWoO]

It was said during the commentary of The Muppets that they wanted to give the penguins a line in lifes a happy song but were told penguins can't talk in the muppet universe. This has been accepted for some time now. However when watching older productions like the muppet show and the muppets go to the movies the penguins were always talking and singing in fully pronounced words. Even as late as muppets tonight the penguins could sing in the martin short episode. So what the heck? And it didn't start with The Muppets either. But why and when did this trend start?

 

[Misskermie]

I think this all the time.
"How come frogs, dogs, pigs, and bears can talk, and yet, chickens and penguins can't?"

 

[Vincent L]

The penguins doesn't talk in The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppets from Space, and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. I'm not sure about the others, though.

 

[Misskermie]

And TMTM.

 

[MWoO]

In MTM they sand the line "they're finally getting married now" right before piggy enters the wedding scene. They sing it clear and not in the penguin speak we now know. Also I believe Dave played a penguin looking for a job at Pete's right after the rats got hired. Again, clear as day he said "do you have any jobs available?" followed by "well excuse us for living!".

It's very odd that at some point after Jim died all penguins got silenced. What's the reason?

 

[MWoO]

Also they sang stepping out with my baby in the Martin Short episode. So at some point they could still speak after Jim passed away but it seems more often than not after 1990 penguins couldn't speak and it has now become a rule if sorts.

 

[Beauregard]

I think they are similar to chickens, sheep and Beaker. They probably know HOW to speak, but its no doubt hard for them (being more accurate to animal shape Puppets, they probably have more accurate to animal anatomy as well, voice boxes, etc.) Chickens, sheep and penguins have all spoken at some point, but more often just quack/cluck/baa. I guess the "rule" is that they can speak if its really funny.

"Do you have any jobs available!?" was hilarious.

Or maybe their voice was dubbed...

 

[Hubert]

The penguins doesn't talk in The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppets from Space, and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. I'm not sure about the others, though.

They actually did sorta speak in MCC, I think they are the ones that are the first to start singing the Scrooge song. As said, they also talked in TMTM and MT...you know, if that's the case I bet that along the line after MT, the penguins never really had much in the way of roles, so since they hadn't been used much, they began to misremember and think that they couldn't talk.

This probably deserves its own thread, but now I'm curious...how often has Camilla ever talked? I think she's said "Gonzo" on a few occasions, and on the Music, Mayhem, and More album they recorder her voice to put on in place of Madeline Kahn.

 

[Vincent L]

No, they did not sing in MCC. I watched the movie 14 times.
Kermit: "It's the penguin's Christmas skating party!"
Penguins: "quack, quack, quack..."

 

[dwmckim]

I don't consider the chicken on "Wishing Song" to be Camilla since the album was recorded during season 2 of TMS before Gonzo met Camilla.

Whether or not a penguin or a chicken can talk probably has to do with their background and education. Some are fortunate enough to be bilingual.

The current way the penguins are used with their penquin speak is funny. It makes me laugh every time. But i don't know if funny always = better...cause remember a lot of the function of Muppet penguins (besides being thrown in the air) has traditionally been as production number chorus members (since they have natural tuxedos, they tend to lend an air of class) and obviously they can sing perfectly fine in that scenario so i can't 100% support losing that element. Maybe it comes down to the species of penguin...