Similarities between Tony Randall and Linda Ronstadt episodes

[Pug Lover]

Did anyone ever notice any simularity between Tony Randall,s episode and Linda Ronstadt,s episode?Miss Piggy visits Tony Randall in his dressing room.He happens to be reading a book on magic spells.While sharing them with Miss Piggy,he comes to magic words'zark zark chungle,clark clark chungle'which instantly turns Miss Piggy into a stone sculpture.An instant crisis that goes on throughout the remainder of the episode,as he cannot find any way to change her back to normal.Miss Piggy is heard angrily whimpering through the stone that she,s stuck in.The'Pigs In Space'segment had Link Hogthrob and Professor Strangepork enjoying peace and quite,with First Mate Piggy still a stone sculpture.Until one of them pulls a lever that manages to bring Miss Piggy back to normal.But not for long,as she makes all kinds of violent threats.So Strangepork or Hogthrob pulls the lever back down,turning Miss Piggy back into stone.Finally Tony Randall does some kind of monologue,with the stone Piggy in the background.Scooter then approaches him,having discovered a magic word that will turn a statue into a pig.The word is'pig skin'.Having said it,Miss Piggy is back to normal,for good this time,giving Tony Randall one of her famous karate chops.During the closing scene,after Tony Randall apologises to Kermit for everything,Kermit asks him how it had happened in the first place.When Tony Randall explains it to him and repeats the magic words,Kermit instantly turns into a stone sculpture,leaving Gonzo to do the honners of saying'we,ll see you next time on The Muppet Show'.When Linda Ronstadt guest starred,Miss Piggy finds Kermit all dressed up in a fancy white tuxedo.He is dying to meet Linda Ronstadt,saying she,s his kind of woman.Meanwhile,a big trunk full of fungus is left backstage.Miss Piggy,in instant jealousy,throws Kermit in the trunk and locks it.Soon after,Linda Ronstadt comes upon the trunk and hears Kermit calling for help inside.She opens the trunk,and the two of them finally get to meet eachother face to face.After she sings'I,ve Got A Crush On You'to Kermit,and walks upstairs to her dressing room,Miss Piggy slams the trunk shut,leaving Kermit locked up in it for the rest of the episode.After Linda Ronstadt discovers what,s going on,she questions Miss Piggy,who breaks down,saying she desperatly loves her frog.In warm sympathy,Linda Ronstadt decides to dedicate her closing musical number to Kermit and Miss Piggy.They then both release Kermit from the trunk.Somehow during the closing scene,Miss Piggy is then locked in the trunk.Both episodes share the same basic idea.Only a the trunk was used in place of the stone turning magic spell. !

 

[Gorgon Heap]

They were also taped back-to-back. Look at the props in the backstage set, specifically the banner with the red dragons on it.

One little nitpick tho, I had a hard time trying to follow your post, since it has no breaks between lines.

I had never thought about that before, how the characters are indisposed like that for the duration of the episode and trying to break free from being helpless.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole