Singing Christmas Kermit & Piggy at Walgreen's

[Drtooth]

They DID. They DID marry them off. Jim admitted it, the 30th anniversary (and other personal appearances) confirmed it--there were pictures and magazine articles and pictures of Kermit's fuzzy slippers beneath Piggy's bed. I know today that people don't pay much attention to whose, um, slippers are where, but back then it was different. Piggy didn't want "a relationship" with Kermie--i.e., a hook-up. She wanted Kermit to love her and want to spend the rest of his life with her, and Kermit gave every indication that that's where this relationship was heading.

Didn't you see, though? It was all a dream. Piggy woke up to find Patrick Duffy in her shower, and he said it never happened!

I explained this somewhere else. I don't blame the new puppeters, I blame the direction. Someone is telling someone else to play up the Kermit Piggy caustic relationship, and it feels like the public only remembers a Flanderized version of the two, complete with Hi Yaahs! This has been going on for a while now.

You know how when an old favorite character or story is remade (Superman, Batman, Sherlock Holmes, Star Trek--ugh) and the new creative people feel compelled to make them oh different (unAmerican, anal-retentive, an ignorant *** and, well, I can't say what I want to say about the new ST). You can "re-create" history all day--but only in Hollywood.

I'd almost agree if not for references to comic book characters and Sherlock Holmes. Comic book characters have been open to adaption for some time. The difference between 1960's Batman and Frank Miller's Dark Night Returns are as different as day and night. Different comics employ different writers, and different writers employ different visions. Not even getting into the television/cartoon/or movie adaptions. Would you imagine the 60's Adam West Batman vengefully mourning over the loss of his parents he can't get over? No.. the 60's Batman took the lighter, wackier side of super heroes. And, other than the comics, Batman was wacky in cartoon form for years (see Super Friends) until Tim Burton's darker movies came out. Then we got the Darkest main stream Batman (until the Dark Knight movies) Batman TAS. I defy someone who grew up watching TAS to watch the Filmation 1960's cartoon where the Riddler talks like he has a stroke, and he fights the Pie Man. And let's not forget the clown prince of crime. In the comics, he WAS quite vicious. On the other hand, before Mark Hammil and the perfect balance of crazy and murderous, Caesar Romero and Larry Storch gave us some clowny clowns. And don't get me started on Ninja Turtles. Everyone remembers the Cowabunga when not a cow was bunga-ed in the dark 1984 comics.

As for Sherlock... what people don't know about the character and only remember the caricature from the movies. Do they remember his apartment was a total mess, how disorganized he was, or how he actually was a drug additct? Nope, that's not some edgy adult reimagined Sherlock... that's the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle work. But we only remember Baisl Rathbone-ish caricatures saying "Elementary, My Dear Watson!" which joins "Play it again, Sam" and "Can you say _______? I knew you could" as famous quotes they never actually said (at least in Sherlock's case, he never said them in the books... I'm surprised how much detail they took into the Muppet Sherlock Holmes comics).

As for Star Trek.. I love the movie for one simple reason. It ticked the heck off of old school trekkies that didn't like the bulk of the actual movies with the original cast, yet everyone else in the world loved it. I say they stopped focusing on trying to make a good Star Trek movie and focused on making a good action movie. And trust me, that's a field of trash right there. To see something with dialogue is amazing.

 

[Ruahnna]

Just FYI--I am a life-long Sherlock Holmes fan, and I am JUST NOW seeing the Basil Rathbone series, so no, my impressions of Sherlock Holmes were based off--don't faint now--the original version. I do not agree that all interpretations of a character--even a comic book character--are equally valid. They may serve different audiences, or different purposes, but that does not change the character as perceived by the author, or as a collaboration between the creator (a writer, for example) and an actor who portrays that character.
I am baffled by the attempt to somehow lay all of this, "caustic-ness" (does this word have some muppet significance that I haven't been introduced to? Because I'm seeing it a LOT) at Jim's feet. The relationship between Kermit and Piggy was contentious--they are both strong-willed, talented and opinionated characters/people--but intact when Jim died. I don't know what more to say than that.
Piggy was Kermit's girl. That pretty much covers it without over-defining it. That was Kermit's understanding and that was Piggy's understanding. They could fight all century over the details--and probably will. But things between Kermit and Piggy changed when Jim left and Kermit stayed. That's not my impression--that's just the truth, but what that truth means can also be debated.
I don't know where "the blame" lies--I'm not really interested in assessing blame. I'm interested in seeing the relationship restored to something that isn't icky or mean.
Kermit's a nice guy--at least I've always thought so. I want to see a little more of that in action when it comes to the way he treats Piggy in a relationship, or I'd like to see Piggy find someone who isn't cruel to her. Gonzo's looking pretty good to me about now....

 

[The Count]

So... Is the version of Santa Baby that Piggy sings the shortened version from VMMC or the full version from the Green & Red Christmas album?

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if this duo gets submitted for toughpigs' annual Parade of Ugly Toys.

 

[Drtooth]

Just FYI--I am a life-long Sherlock Holmes fan, and I am JUST NOW seeing the Basil Rathbone series, so no, my impressions of Sherlock Holmes were based off--don't faint now--the original version. I do not agree that all interpretations of a character--even a comic book character--are equally valid. They may serve different audiences, or different purposes, but that does not change the character as perceived by the author, or as a collaboration between the creator (a writer, for example) and an actor who portrays that character.

I see what you're saying. My point is that one particular thing or one particular version of a thing is the one people generally remember and have problems with when it's re-interpreted. Like the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movies. The Tim Burton one wasn't a remake, so much as a retelling of the same book with nods to the original film here and there. And as I've said often times, they can both burn in a fire... I'll take the book over the H.R. Puffenstuff or Nightmare Before Christmas movie versions anyday.

I am baffled by the attempt to somehow lay all of this, "caustic-ness" (does this word have some muppet significance that I haven't been introduced to? Because I'm seeing it a LOT) at Jim's feet. The relationship between Kermit and Piggy was contentious--they are both strong-willed, talented and opinionated characters/people--but intact when Jim died. I don't know what more to say than that.
Piggy was Kermit's girl. That pretty much covers it without over-defining it. That was Kermit's understanding and that was Piggy's understanding. They could fight all century over the details--and probably will. But things between Kermit and Piggy changed when Jim left and Kermit stayed. That's not my impression--that's just the truth, but what that truth means can also be debated.
I don't know where "the blame" lies--I'm not really interested in assessing blame. I'm interested in seeing the relationship restored to something that isn't icky or mean.

It's Flanderization. We know what Simpsons character that was named after, and we know for what reason. While I do think the Kermit/Piggy relationship evolved from the Muppet Show to the Muppet movies, and sometimes what works better for the show doesn't work for the films, somehow, somewhere someone wanted to take it into a Flanderized version of their The Muppet Show relationship (over emphasizing details, streamlining subtlety) , rather than the more loving movie relationships. And that's what we get out of public appearances and merchandise and some of the projects.

My take is that the only reason Kermit's spooked by Piggy's advances is that she is both very emotional about things, taking everything to an extreme (sorta like Telly in cases... when she's happy, she's ecstatic, when she's angry, she's a destructive machine) and also that she's far too forward and almost clingy. Something like she gets jealous when Kermit's talking to a pretty guest star and she realizes that she has more in common with that star than she thought... meanwhile, she gets crushes on guests too, sometimes saying "forget the frog" when deep down, she does want to be with them. Seems like they both really genuinely care about each other, but Kermit's laid back, yet with a hair trigger personality and Piggy's in your faceness cause problems. Ones they got over in time, but personal baggage that stumbles around in the relationship.

So... Is the version of Santa Baby that Piggy sings the shortened version from VMMC or the full version from the Green & Red Christmas album?

Seems like a sound-a-like rerecording of the song... which, in Kermit's case, I understand since it's an original song... but in Piggy's case, they had 2 prior recordings to work from.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

was going to post it in another thread but someone brought it here so here it is...this Kermit is the non singing one thats at walgreens( this walgreens is in walking distance of me)...he is a decent looking plush for 8 bucks

 

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

thos are cute...the gf & I will have to pick these up for the kids (niece & nephews) for christmas...and MYSELF! hehe

 

[Drtooth]

Say... those are quite good. Heh. Much better than singing ones. I like my plush toys NOT to talk. Mainly because I bought a King Julian...what do you call those bean bag dolls that make sounds upon impact?... uh... one of those, and it NEVER shuts up.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

i have a stand alone pic of one too took pics of the damage around town so ill put it up once i upload all the pics

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

Here is a better pic of Kermit

 

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

i do like him! Kermie with the scarf reminds me of him singing "I belive in Santa Claus" the 1st time he sang it in the Macys Thanksgiving parade in '08.