One Little Star.

[redBoobergurl]

Thanks... Sara gets another nod when we get to that part, there's a sketch in between numbers.

And I didn't make up the character of Clifford's Mom. Through ongoing conversations with MuppetDude for the Muppet Listing, Clifford's Mom appeared in a non-vocal cameo in the last episode of Muppets Tonight, the Mother's Day episode with Darryl and Page Hannah.
Hope this helps.

That's cool! I never saw that episode of Muppets Tonight. You learn something new everyday!

 

[The Count]

Part 16...

The next act went onstage... The curtains lifted to show four Muppets round the table...
Scooter, sitting in Jim's chair: "Your move Cliff."
Clifford, sitting in his own chair: "Naw man, the bet's to the rat."
Rizzo, standing across from the purple catfish-looking Muppet: "C'mon Pepe... Call it."
Pepe, standing across from Scooter: "Si, I gots the good hand hokay... Just need the moneys hokay?"

Rizzo: "We go through this every time... Bet's to you Scoot."
Scooter: "I told you guys only my sister gets to call me that."
Clifford: "Yeah, like I told you that too Scoot."
Pepe: "Hey Ritzo, ju remember to take down dat sexy woman's number?"
Rizzo: "Yeah, she said she wanted to invite you to a barbecue."

Clifford: "OK, man, this hand's whack."
Rizzo: "Hey Pepe, you ever consider computer dating?"
Pepe: "Si, but personally I don't find computers to be dat attractive ju kno?"
Scooter: "You got a date with Skeeter after the show Clifford?"
Clifford, reaching to draw another crd: "Yeah man... Come on Rizzo, lay down your cards."

Rizzo: "Nah... Shrimpy here's got the draw now."
Pepe: "How many times I gotta remind ju I'm a king prawn, not a shrimp hokay!"
Scooter: "I call... Time to put up or shut up."

The four Muppets revealed their hands...
Beauregard, watching from offstage: "But what cover do their hands have now?"

Scooter held four mackerels; Clifford three crabs and two shrimps; Rizzo had four alligators; and Pepe had a kingfisher, a penguin, a shrimp, and two goldfishes.
Clifford: "So who won?"
Pepe: "I took da moneys hokay?"
Rizzo: "Hold it there fish-face..."
Scooter: "Guys, guys..."

A couple of penguins then walked in carrying a couple of martini glasses on a tray.
Penguins: "Your drinks sirs."
Scooter: "Thanks."
Clifford: "Now if only we had a way to end this sketch."
Rizzo: "Well, we could always..."
Pepe: "Si, is very Muppety hokay?"
Clifford: "Hit it Crazy Harry!"
The echoes of a bomb blast could be heard as the two hapless penguins shot into the air, landing on their feet and on their tailfeathers.

The audience howled with laughter, thus proving that old Muppet maxim.

Statler: "Any chance of this show getting better?"
Waldorf: "I wouldn't bet on it."

Statler: "Oh yeah? Put me down for $5 on the frog actually making it."
Waldorf: "That's a sucker's bet."
"Yeah, and you're the sucker I bet will lose!" said the heckler before laughing to himself.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Great chapter Ed! I loved the interaction with Clifford, Scooter, Pepe and Rizzo! You've got the characters down pretty well! It was really funny too! Keep up the good work, looking forward to more.

 

[ReneeLouvier]

I really liked this skit, Ed!! Really halarious!

 

[The Count]

*Thanks to Sara and Kyle once again.

Part 17...

The backstage crew hurried to get the next set on the wooden floor of the theater before the curtains went up again. This set had been loaned to them by Eduardo, a replica of a dungeon lounge from his Counting Castle master diarama. There was a deep pit in the center, and twelve less deeper circular pits around the center cavity. An L-shaped bar area was tucked into the rear left corner, a skeletical elevator shaft dominated the rear center portion of the wall, a bony framed window was set into the far right wall, and a scale model of the Count's classical bat-organ was placed against the rest of the far right wall. Uncle Deadly walked out, placed Yorick on the armrest next to him on the organ, and took his seat flexing the clawed fingers of his scaly dragon hands.

Uncle Deadly, addressing the crowd: "Good evening... And now, a song to chill the bone and send shivers up your spines."
The organ was in tune, as he played a snatch of classic monster movie to start off with.

Uncle Deadly, in his spooky singing voice: "Just an old fashioned love song.
Playing on the radio.
And wrapped around the music.
Is the sound of someone promising they'll never ghost."

A quick frightful flourish issued from the organ's pipes.
Uncle Deadly: "You swear you've heard it before.
As it slowly rambles on.
No need in bringin' 'em back.
'Cause they're never really gone."

Yorick and the Bust of Beethoven Rowlf had left there took up the chorus.
Chorus: "Just an old fashioned love song.
One I'm sure they wrote for you and me.
Just an old fashioned love song.
Comin' down in three-part harmony."

After slowing down the tempo back to its moody melody, Uncle Deadly took the lead once more.
Uncle Deadly: "To weave our dreams upon and listen.
To each evenin' when the lights are low.
To underscore our love affair.
With tenderness and feeling that we've come to know.

Another puff of ghostly smoke rose from the organ pipes after a second frightful flourish.
Uncle Deadly, dreaming of his recent happiness: "You swear you've heard it before.
As it slowly rambles on.
No need in bringin' 'em back.
'Cause they're never really gone."

A few Muppet Ghosts glided into view, their bases sloted into grooves along the floor so it appeared as if they mere slid across the room joined the chorus.
Chorus: "Just an old fashioned love song.
Comin' down in three-part harmony.
Just an old fashioned love song.
One I'm sure they wrote for you and me."

Uncle Deadly, pausing for a moment: "To weave our dreams upon and listen to the song."

Then the old dragon broke into song, the others accompanying at varying intervals.
Uncle Deadly: "Just an old song comin' down..."
Chorus: "Just an old song."
Both: "One I'm sure they wrote for you and me."
Uncle Deadly: "Just an old song comin' down..."
Chorus: "Just an old song."
Both: "One I'm sure they wrote for you and me."
The song played on for a few more refrains of the final chorus before fading out into a final frightful flourish from the bat-organ.

Uncle Deadly got up from his seat and took a few bows before departing into the shadows beyond the stage's wings.
Eleanor was weeping a few soft tears of joy after witnessing her old dragon's performance with such ghoulish glee.
Sadie: "Are you all right Auntie Eleanor?"
Eleanor: "Yes... *Sigh* That number was boo-tiful, as always... Used to be our song."
The dragonness was lost in a fog of her own thoughts, oblivious to the fact that the next act was soon to begin.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Oh I loved that! I did not see this coming when you were looking for those lyrics, I never pictured Uncle Deadly being the one to perform it! And very touching at the end with Auntie Eleanor talking about how that was "their song" Very nice, I really liked it.

 

[theprawncracker]

Wow Ed!!! This is grrrrreat!! I love it!! Cannot wait for more of such a fabulous tribute to Palisades!!

 

[ReneeLouvier]

I love this act, Ed. Very sweet! I'm SO happy you've used Auntie Eleanor!!!

 

[BEAR]

Interesting chapter.

 

[The Count]

Brief commentary... Chose Uncle Deadly to sing the song "Just An Old-Fashioned Love Song", because if you've ever heard it, you'll know why the lead singer sounds a little ghostly. Anyway...


Part 18...

"Oh Kermie..." Miss Piggy called as she leaned over the Backstage's upper railing, before majestically descending down the staircase.
Kermit, to himself: "Oh boy, what've I done now..."
Piggy: "Kermie dear..."
The frog, standing at his desk, knew it was dangerous whenever she talked with a firm cooing in her voice.
Kermit, reluctantly: "Yes Piggy?"
Piggy: "You do know that moi am the star of this little show?"
Kermit: "well... Yes..."
Piggy, leaning in closer: "It has come to moi's atención that I haven't yet graced the stage."
Kermit, shuffling some papers on Scooter's clipboard piece: "Well Piggy... We've had a lot of acts to..."
Piggy, closer now and dropping the niceties: "Either you get me on stage now frog or you'll taste my knuckle sandwich."
Kermit, gulping: "Yes Piggy."
The amphibian MC left to plan something that would get him out of this hot water.
Piggy, looking straight at the camera: "You have to be tough with the ones you love."

Kermit, still a little nervous popped up in front of the curtains: "And now ladies and gentlemen... A classic song performed by the star of the Muppet Show... (In lower tones): And her own mind..."
Piggy, behind the curtains: "I heard that frog!"
Kermit: "Uh... Miss Piggy!"

The curtains lifted showing Miss Piggy in her signature gown standing in front of a simple garden backdrop.
Lips was sitting down on Zoot's sax case to the far right playing some music on his trumpets, Animal on a spare base drum, and Janice on her guitar next to him. Camilla and Bernice, two of Gonzo's chickens, flocked near Piggy to do backups for her song. When the music started, Piggy knew that was her cue.

Piggy: There is a rose in Spanish Harlem.
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem."

Lips played a whistling riff between Piggy's lines now, joining her in time with the next part of the song.
Piggy: "It is a special one.
It's never seen the sun.
It only comes out when the moon is on the run.
And all the stars are fading..."

A brief pause...
Piggy: "It's growing there in the street.
Right up through the concrete.
But soft and sweet...
And waiting."

The chickens clucked along with the music provided by the band as Piggy got ready for the second verse.
Piggy: "There is a rose in Spanish Harlem.
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem."

Lips kept up his trumpet's pace with the porky singer just as he did before.
Piggy: "With eyes as black as coal.
They stare down in my soul.
It starts a fire burning there and I lose control then.
And if I beg your pardon..."

Another brief musical pause...
Piggy: "I'm going to take that rose.
And watch it as it grows...
In my garden."

After Piggy finished her verse, the band went into full swing regailing everybody with their musical prowess.
Janice's guitar came first in lue of the violins, followed by Animal on the drums in the backdrop, and a nice chunk of time for Lips near the end of the instrumental interlude.
When the band slowed down, Piggy sang the last few lines of the song.
Piggy: "And if I beg your pardon...
I'm going to take that rose.
And watch it as it grows...
In my garden."
The chickens clucked in time with the band, while Janice sang the lasting refrain of "There's like a rose in Spanish Harlem..."
Piggy, enwraptured with herself took a bow before leaving the stage to the applause of the crowd.