Pepe Hate

[Gonzo14]

I'm mixed on the issue. He's not my favorite character, but I think he has his moments when he's funny. I think the reason that a lot of people (myself included at first) disliked Pepe in the late 90s/early 2000s is that he started to be used too much. I remember being worried that he was going to get the "Elmo" treatment and overshadow everybody, but luckily they've toned him down a bit. I think that in TM2011 and MWW Pepe was used perfectly. They brought him in for a joke, but he didn't overshadow Rowlf, Scooter, the EM, etc. I also think that out of all the Muppets introduced in Muppets Tonight, Pepe and Bobo were the best, and they're the only ones currently being used.

 

[D'Snowth]

Don't we already have more than a couple of anti-Pepe threads?

Either way, I think many people automatically hate Pepe simply for being new to the group, there's even a trope for that: Shoo Out the New Guy; some people just don't like when new characters are introduced to an already firmly established cast of characters.

I find Pepe to be a funny character, and I think he adds a certain amount of edge that Jim would have liked: I many how many Muppet characters can you think of who can't commit himself to just one woman and yet has fathered thousands of babies?

 

[Oscarfan]

I think Pepe's "womanizer" schtick has gotten old. His 1999-2003 stuff is gold and I wish he'd be more like that.

I also don't like that black outfit/chain necklace look for him. I miss his sweaters.

 

[Gonzo14]

Sorry if this is in an old thread. My presence on the forum has been spotty the last few years, so I'm not surprised that this happened.

Anyways, I agree that it's a bit of the "shun the new guy" stuff, and I hope that doesn't happen with Walter, since I see a lot of potential with Walter. I really like Pepe, and his quirky mannerisms, like mispronouncing names "Fonzie instead of Fozzie" I actually wrote a little of his name mispronouncing into my FanFic.

 

[D'Snowth]

I think they're trying to make him look as if he's a fad or too behind as far as fashion trends go.

EDIT: Ziffeled.

 

[dwayne1115]

I like Pepe! I think he really found his place with the Muppets in A Very Merry Muppet Christmas movie. His story line was solid, he was funny charming, and seemed to learn his lesson at the end.
Then when the web video's came out he was really funny in those, and really started gelling more with Kermit, Fozzie and others.
In Letters to Santa, and Oz I think the writing for not just Pepe, but everyone was off, so I don't really pay to much attention to them.
I also think that he really stole the show in The Muppets, but in Most Wanted not so much.
Overall I like Pepe, to me he is like the Oscar the Grouch for the Muppet Show Muppets. Just like Oscar can say and do things most of the rest of the SS Muppets can't. I think Pepe is slowly getting to be that way.

 

[beatnikchick300]

I remember I did used to hate him, but I've grown to...tolerate him since they stopped shilling him so much (Muppets Most Wanted used him about right, and even though I did dislike The Muppets, it did, too).

 

[Muppet Master]

Pepe is a really good character, but not the best. He was as funny as ever in MT, MFS, and VMX though he got a bit annoying in MWoO, but now I miss him, he is a background character now. He did next to nothing in TM'11 and MMW, and the most they have given him is a role in Disney Drive On. I feel the hate tiowards him is that he is the most prominent non-Henson made muppet, and people are way too bias on that, he serves as the sleazy womanizer of the muppets, and every group needs one.

 

[DerpSandwich]

Bill Baretta is hilarious and I think that Pepe has a lot of really really funny moments. (What he says when the egg ship lands in Muppets From Space just kills me.) The problem is that, as people have already said, he was overused. Something about accents is really funny to kids, so Disney started to stick Pepe in everything and all he had to do was go "ogaaay" a bunch. That's annoying. And I do agree that his schtick is a little old, but I'll always love the character, again just because Bill is so darn funny.

Basically I can understand the hate, though I don't share in it. Even when Pepe's getting a whole lot of exposure and it's all the same humor and it's really anti-Muppets (his role in A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie--yikes), I blame Disney and the writers, not the character. As a puppet character he's phenomenal.