Should we credit Kermit as a guest star

[Muppet Frog]

Is it all right if we credit Kermit as a guest star? Because Ernie credited him as one on This Way to Sesame Street, The cover of Sesame Disco credits him as a special guest and the box of the Magic Talking Kermit honored him as the number 1 guest star of Sesame Street.

 

[minor muppetz]

That is a good question. There was also a promo for The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street which referred to him as such. I think of him as a regular character. While there are many guest stars who would make multiple appearances in a single season (likely shot on the same day in the same session), Kermit was used more regularly, had his own recurring segment, had plenty of material every year (except maybe season 2) until season 21, and was available to be used frequently.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Wow. I'd never noticed that he was credited as a guest star. I suppose--and maybe it's just me--that Kermit is a "special guest star" that SS should have on more often.

Other guest stars I'd like to see on SS are Grover, Cookie, Bert, Ernie, Oscar, Big Bird, Count...

Did you get my sarcasm there? Other SS characters we don't get enough of are basically guest stars now.

 

[dwmckim]

Hey, if Heather Locklear could have been in all seven seasons of the original Melrose Place as a main character (many would say The Star) and be credited as a "Special Guest Star" throughout her entire run, Kermit can carry the title for Sesame Street. Just so long as he doesn't start wearing miniskirts and no psychopathic redhead tries to blow up 123.

 

[Drtooth]

Sure... NOW.

I find it pretty tricky, and I never liked him being called a guest star , though he did have 2 pieces of official merchandise that dubbed him as such- the aforementioned video and the Magic Singing Kermit plush ... and he could very well be considered that, since Jim considered taking Kermit out of the show when he started appearing in commercials (but that was only for one season). Other than that, he was always a cast member to me. He appeared more frequently than most of the official cast members, and even is more recognized than some of the smaller, minor characters. Kermit got his real national start on Sesame Street as I see it, the fairy tale movies came later (Hey Cinderella aired in Canada first).

Now I would consider him a guest star, even though he rarely appears as one. other than Elmo's World Frogs.

 

[D'Snowth]

I thought one of the main reasons Jim wanted to take Kermit off SST was because of TMS, and wanted to avoid people mixing/confusing the two shows because of his crossover appearances.

We even ended up with that character Herbert Birdsfoot, who was intended to be his "replacement", as far as lectures that end up giving Grover more than he bargained for when he asks to help are concerned.

Personally, I never really considered Kermit to be a "guest star" on SST... I'd consider him one of those characters that you see on a lot of shows that start out as part of the regular cast, appearing regularly, then after a little while the actor has his contract changed to limit his appearances on the show due to other commitments or because of personal issues, then eventually leaving the show altogether.

 

[Newton Gimmick]

Sure if you think so.

 

[LamangoNumber2]

He was a resident, he lived in several appartments there, six houses, and one pound. I think he's a civilian. Of course...Most of the houses where wrecked.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I thought one of the main reasons Jim wanted to take Kermit off SST was because of TMS, and wanted to avoid people mixing/confusing the two shows because of his crossover appearances.

I know for a fact that your description was the reason of the difference between Mahna Mahna and Bip Bipadotta.

I think Kermit stayed on the show for years and years up until the EM.TV sale to (then) Children's Television Workshop and made a few appearances through the years thereafter but not many.

I also know the difference between why SS characters appeared on TMS and never TMS on SS was to keep the two seperated but connected (that was clear as mud, wasn't it?).

I would love to see Kermit on the show more often; but, come to think of it, I would love to just see the show. It shows later in the morning here than it used to (while I'm at work).

 

[Drtooth]

I know for a fact that your description was the reason of the difference between Mahna Mahna and Bip Bipadotta.

I think Kermit stayed on the show for years and years up until the EM.TV sale to (then) Children's Television Workshop and made a few appearances through the years thereafter but not many.

I also know the difference between why SS characters appeared on TMS and never TMS on SS was to keep the two seperated but connected (that was clear as mud, wasn't it?).

Muppet Wiki to the rescue:

Interestingly enough, in 1970, Kermit the Frog was intended to be dropped from Sesame Street, only to be shown in the second season in existing segments. "When the new season starts November 9, expect changes. There will be no more know-it-all frog, since Kermit, the one Muppet who is not exclusive to Sesame Street, is opting out to do commercials" (Look, Sept. 22, 1970). Time Magazine reported with slightly more detail: "Kermit the Frog is being canned for commercialism. When Sesame Street was just a glint in Joan Ganz Cooney's eye, Kermit taped a special in Canada. When it was given a network airing, the frog was compromised. Or so Henson decided. .... He is being phased out of the show. He will be replaced by such Muppets as Herbert Birdsfoot and Sherlock Hemlock" (Time, November 23, 1970).

However, Kermit made one sketch during the second season on a lecture about "between", and ultimately, of course, that did not turn out to be the case, as Kermit reappeared as a Sesame Street character in the third season (1971).

That's the only reason they considered Kermit's departure from the show (during Henson's life of course)... same reason that Rowlf wasn't a regular character on the series past that pilot, and his only appearance is in Baker #9.