Least Favorite Muppets?

[TravellingMatt]

We all know why we love Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, and Scooter. Believe it or not, though, there are some Muppets that I'm not too crazy about.

Of all the Muppets ever made, I think I like Marvin Suggs the least. You may have noticed that he's not in too many outlines I've written, and the one I DID put him in (the one with Bob McGrath), he was booed offstage, got bit in the behind by Animal, and ended up as a Veterinarian's Hospital patient in a later rewrite.

Why? You wanna know why? =)

Well...for a long time, I thought his schtick was funny. However, as the years passed, it got annoying. For one thing, one can only go so far with his one joke (whacking cute little fluffballs on the head with mallets). The two clinchers, though, were the following:

The UK spot on the Raquel Welch ep (which I have on DVD) was one of the main factors. Suggs is truly a tyrant when it comes to handling the Muppaphones. In that skit his character dimension truly was revealed as the Muppaphones were extremely scared of him, and despite the fact that they cover up their true feelings about them, he uses them for croquet practice.

The other thing was reading Frank Oz's views on the character in the liner notes to the Muppet Show CD that came out this year. (Yes, I do read the liner notes.) He said that he pictured Marvin as a guy who lived in a trailer park with a submissive wife, and as someone who kept the Muppaphones in the cage and beat them regularly (outside of his act). Not a character who exudes Muppet-like qualities. Even the more intimidating Muppets are only intimidating when they have to be (case in point--Sweetums). Sweetums is an example of a big guy who only acts scary when he needs to be scary. (such as in "The Frog Prince"--he disclosed that he only acted that way because it was all in the interest of a paycheck.) Marvin Suggs is just a jerk.

Does anyone else have Muppets that they're not crazy about?

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by TravellingMatt

Does anyone else have Muppets that they're not crazy about?

I'm not to keen ont he more generic boring Muppets. Like you said Marvin Suggs. Or Wayne and Wanda. I like most the humanoid characters, but some are just so banal...I guess I am more into abstract characters.

But it is funny, I cant think of too many characters I cant stand. Heck everyone's poster boy of dislike, Clifford...is one of my all time favorites(love the urban cat fish schtick)

Oh, the one I cannot stand...err the 'version' I dont find all that appealing: pre 80's Miss Piggy. Especially early seasons of TMS...the word horrifically grotesque comes to mind. Especially that Piggy in the Jim Frawley screen test...looks like something out of Meet the Feebles. But wow, modern Piggy...night and day!

 

[ryhoyarbie]

got one majority of the people hate: elmo......yeesh, can some one kill this guy off. not to be mean or anything but elmo is just so annoying, over used, and is boring. the other day i was watching sesame street with my 1 year old cousin and they did the last 15 or so minutes of elmos world. elmos world had elmo doing nothing except trying to act cute. wish the character was either 1. not invented or 2. was not used a whole lot. elmo, baby bear, zoe......they're not funny and are really annoying......

ryan

 

[Thijs]

Like many MC-members, I totally dislike Clifford. I get sick when I think of him. I have to admit I HATE rap and hip-hop, and Clifford is a rapper. Most annoying guest star ever: Coolio! But I do like Elmo, it`s just Clifford I hate. So not funny.

And now muppets I like wich other people dislike:

- Wayne and Wanda: like them both, but the act disappeared just in time, before it would got boring. I love all of Hunt`s characters, so Wayne too. The melodramas are hilarious.

- Marvin Suggs: don`t make a problem of Marvin! He appeared in 3 episodes, and that`s enough to make him funny.

- Elmo: You are right he gets to much attention, but he remains a cute little monster, and when he laughs, I laugh too.

- Old Miss Piggy: to be honest, I`ve always liked the old Miss. Piggy more then the new one, and that goes for Gonzo too! (NOT for Janice).

 

[Salmoto]

I don't see Clfford as a rapper, I saw him as a person who has a lot of soul. Unfortunately he was put in the role of an Arsenio-style talkshow host which is why people are so upset with this character. I liked him better in his JHH days when he wore sunglasses and sang funky songs.

Well personally I like both Elmo and Clifford, but the Muppet that really makes me go "rrrggh" is Mr. Poodlepants. To think what Steve Whitmire could've been doing on Muppets Tonight besides playing this lukewarm werido. Thankfully he seems to be keeping out of spotlight.

 

[The Flying Sheep]

I'm not a big fan of Dr. Teeth. (duck from tomatos) You see, he's unessacary character. We already have a piano player (Rowlf) and a super cool guy (Flyod,JAnice and Zoot), both roles he unessacarly fills. He's used mainly as a non-speaking character on TMS, and in the films his only major roles were in TMM, which could have been given to Flyod) and Singing "You can't take no for an answar" in TMTM which could have been sung by Rowlf. They SHould have just called it Flyod Pepper and the Electric Mayhem. It seemed like they just wanted to give Jim yet another character.

Clifford was better on JHH than on MT, were they should have stuck with Kermit as Host.


JUnoir Gorg. He's just annoying.

I do, however, love Marvin Suggs. Sure, he's a jerk, but you're not supossed to take him seriously. He's a madman, not a sadist. He's abosulty out of his tiny little mind. He's bonkers. He's an escapee of the looney bin. DOn't take him seriously.


I'm not crazy about Elmo, but I don't dislike him. He's supposed to be a three year old kid without a clear understanding of the world. His purporse is to be cute. He is aware that's he's cute, but he dosn't broadcast it (Bean Bunny and Grover, both of who I love, are a differant story)

 

[beaker]

I feel real bad for Kevin Clash...his two main characters despised by a lot. I will admit, in xmas of 96 with the whole Elmo mania thing...well it did more harm than good to put so much focus on him. I think he soured the notion of Sesame for a lot of adults.

But seeing him in person, I gained new respect for the little guy.

And hey, Clifford rocks. He's hip, he's cool...and well he debuted in the last great era of the Muppets(1989)

Sure, he's a purple catfish, but I think people see this BLACK character that some how troubles them...maybe it is a percieved connection to hip hop culture, etc. But he is the only Muppet in decades to be pretty much a African American character...I think deep down that somehow is connected with 'yo wassup mtv in da hizzyhouse' and just annoys people.

I dont like rap either...as Spike Lee says it is the mentral show for the new millennium.

But I strongly place Clifford in my top five fave characters of all time, and really hope JHC brings him back in full force.

 

[punkNpuppets]

Elmo's wicked awesome! so is Clifford! i dont think of him as a RAPPER, he's more a reggae-guy.

 

[Aerosmith]

Pepe he was funny at first but then just got to annoying.

 

[frogboy4]

Hey, I love Pepe! I totally disagree there. That's what makes this interesting I suppose. I also like Miss Piggy's 80s look better than the present one (except for the terrible perm stage).

That would have to be my least favorite Muppet - Permed Piggy. Just looked clownish. Ever since then she's been looking more and more matronly (until the last special).

I also don't like Miss Mousey and nondescript-looking Muppet characters that should never have emerged with names. Sal was one of those at first, but Brian's performance transcends the puppet (which has since been greatly improved). Bobby Benson and the Babies annoyed me. It was a one joke thing that seemed to get out of control. Ick. Aside from that, I really loved all the Muppet Show characters.

Clifford isn't bad. He was the first in a line of ethnic-type Muppets and had a tough time. People hated him due to over-exposure and replacing Kermit. They didn't have time to like him before he was thrust upon the audience. Clash is a great performer. It just shows that the best characters can't simply be created in a vacuum. They must have time to evolve. The audience really chooses what characters are popular, not the writers. Just bad timing for poor Clifford. And they should never have tried to replace the Mayhem on Muppets Tonight. Absolute heresy. But we got Zippity Zap out of it so it's not a total loss.

Elmo's another story. I still think he speaks down to children in a baby voice and I don't like it. I find it a cop-out. (Baby Sinclair was the right use for the voice.) But I can't see him with any other voice now and he can be entertaining so I don't mind him anymore. Just not my fave. Hoots is much cooler!

Ernie and Oscar are my SS faves. Just a good balance of the extremes. Herry has always been special for me too. Grover used to make me mad because I felt he was stealing time from Herry. Funny how kids think.

Boober is a fave from Fraggle Rock. Never much liked Mokey when I was little, but I learned to love her later on. There's always one in the bunch that takes screen time away from your faves. I guess that's how it works.