It is crazy, I have even called Disney and wrote sevral e mails about it and no one can tell me anything.
I can totally relate. Every time I talked to Disney, they would say "Thank You, we'll bring it up in our next meeting" and they said this a few times. Though a DVD company I've been fighting with Network DVD who produces the DVDs of this British political satire show called "Spitting Image" which was from the 80s and 90s. It's my 3rd favorite TV show. The Muppet Show being my #1 and Ren & Stimpy being #2 (I even got to meet Billy West and I told him this when I meet him and he seemed surprised that anyone still remembers the show lol) But anyway, similar situation like The Muppet Show. They are getting clearance for songs and probably legal stuff that happened to them and all this jazz. Network DVD released series (season in Britian) 1 Uncut but the rest had stuff missing from them. Including a song that got ripped out of one of the episodes. What's ridiculous is if the episodes can rerun, why can't they be released if the company owns the show. If shows were made today they would get clearance on airings and DVD, digital release distribution. Though I think the problem was that back in the 70s, 80s and 90s, technology with media distribution and even home video wasn't the best and full seasons were rarely released at all. Full episodes even. So it wouldn't have been in the original clearance contracts. Though it's ridiculous of the wait. Why would a company who owns a song say no, you can't release it to DVD? That's like saying no to an extra royalty check in business terms. It's terrible. Even poor Walter of the New Muppet Movie spoke out about Seasons 4 and 5. lol
But yeah the thing with Network DVD and Spitting Image was that they told me that they needed to get clearance. But what was so ridiculous was they released 8 DVDs, Practicably all the episodes from the 1980s, each season set had ONLY 6 EPISODES. ITV told me that it's nearly impossible. Ridiculous, they released 8 DVDs and now they said they can't do it? I went so far to contact some of the show's original creators and they told me they don't have the authority to do anything about it, ITV owns it. So it's back and forth with ITV distribution and Network DVD. And not only they haven't released a DVD since 2009 but they are just bland menus, no special features. Which is bad because Spitting Image in it's hay day was one of the top most popular, most watched shows in the UK. They did TONS of TV appearances, at least 5 documentaries, and Loads of commercials. Even alternative TV shows made by their brand Spitting Image Productions. Even doing this stuff two years before the company had to shut down and go out of business. And I haven't even mentioned the loads of TV Specials and Three Special / American pilots for NBC which never manifested into an American version of the show. Though DC Follies was made shortly after which was a more of a kinder, gentler, rip-off of the show. The only thing America knows about Spits is the Genesis music video "Land of Confusion" which was made as an alternative settlement to Phil Collins threatening to sue the show for mocking him. lol Anyway the point I wanted to make was recently I finally wrote hand written letters featuring fan art which I thought was hilarious. The first letter I just took a piece of paper and drew the Spitting Image logo with markers and then wrote my letter. The other one I liked the best. I wrote "The John Major and Tony Blair years (the 1990s episodes) haven't been released yet on DVD. The last DVD was released way back in (the date) 2009) Then I drew the Spitting Image versions of the Prime Ministers with John Major saying his famous quote "Oh Dear." with his hand near his mouth in a surprised look. lol I was laughing when I made it. Then I sent it out. I get an email back and they told me they seen the artwork and said that this was the most creative thing they ever released by mail but they must stress again that blah blah blah, I need to wait until the dvds appear on their page. And they said they appreciated the feedback. But of course I already knew they totally hate me for bugging them about supply and demand and just long emails about fandom. lol
Though I think fans still need to contact them like crazy so they can release it. At least seasons 2 and 3 of The Muppet Show are uncut unlike Season 1. I don't see why they can't just re-release Season 1 uncut. I want to see Kermit swear like he did in the end of The Muppet Show pitch tape. I seen that at MuppetFest both shocked and full of laughter. I was so excited when I got the DVD, but so disappointed it was chopped out. For what reason? The CBS logo? Or Kermit saying the H word? If it's the H word, then what's going to happen when the Mac Davis episode comes out where him and The Muppets sing "Oh lord it's hard to be humble"? lol