Snoop Doggy Dog (The Degenerate)

[beaker]

1) While I find any cameo by a hasbeen rapper like Snoop quite an embarassing snafu on the part of the JHC, I feel that various outspoke groups who wanted Snoop edited out have inadvertently and most likely gotten cut quite a few potentially
great and golden Muppet moments.

2) DO NOT be fooled...these outspoken groups are by no means fans of the Muppets...what they want to do is to make a big stink over what they feel is moral and just. Trust me, if JHC truly had a problem with a guest they wouldnt have he or she come on.
Thes eoutspoken critics could give a hoot, much less know or care who the electric mayhem are or any of the characters in the film.

3) Sorry for my existential rant on religion and faith. I know this is the deepest of personal subjects for people all over, such is why I carefully word things to be general and factual. Were all on here for one reason anyways(besides Emmy's online nano-muffins)

4) potheads, potheads, rolly polly potheads. While I have never even smoked a ciggarette in my life...I can understand that smoking pot isnt the worst durg one can do. Let's just say I wouldnt believe for a second during the classic muppeteer days things werent exactly 100% straight edge. While I am vehemntly opposed to drugs(hey, Im a product of late 80's propaganda!)
I will say that the use of pot should be ignored if its by otherwise responsible or artistic or more important people who need it for pain relief purposes. I am however extremely against ecstacy and other posion youth around the world kill themselves on.

5) Monty Python...Not a fan of British humour by any stretch of the imagination...but when it comes to British music that's a different story! (Oh how Ive been weened on New York Metropolitain situation comedy)

 

[frogboy4]

Couldn't really say it better myself. Those who label The Muppet Show characters as "kid's entertainment" are not true fans of the show or its characters in my eyes. Not to say they don't enjoy them, of course. But it's not like they'd set their Tivo to tape the special.

 

[sidcrowe]

Sure, a heckuva lot of the guests that have been involved with the Muppets over the years have been less than perfect, but gangs murder people for no good reason at all. From what I've learned here by finally reading it all, Snoop was a member of the Crips. I'm not aware of him making a strong effort to denounce gangs as evil stupidity. He dresses like a gangster. He dresses like a pimp. He's involved with real porn.

If he just wrote ABOUT gang stuff and dressed like one as a way of commenting on that portion of society, then maybe I wouldn't care. But he was REALLY a member of a murderous organization, which means he's trading on an image of something despicable and evil that he was REALLY a part of.

So, to he (ll) with him.

There's a difference between dressing up like Hitler for a joke, like Mel Brooks did, and actually being a Nazi.

Moreover, there's the porn industry connection.

Who can say who is 100% correct?

I'm going with my gut, and I don't think Jim Henson would want a porno hound involved with his projects.

 

[grail]

Originally posted by Skeeter Muppet
*snorts* In two words....probably not.

i was willing to defend her right to her opinion...until that post...now i just don't care. she also sent me some email that i honestly couldn't make sense of. i LIKE getting email...makes me feel important, but jeez...complete a thought...rant over.

Aw, grail...now you made me all embarrassed and stuff!

yes, well...how would YOU describe someone who likes: Muppets, Monty Python, They Might Be Giants, Digimon, etc...usually, it's just the most hard-core of the geeks, with nary a female in the bunch (with the exception of Muppets, maybe).

 

[Cantus' Ghost]

Re: Concluding.

Originally posted by Patty E.

Those who affixed labels such as "religious nut," did so, in attempt to dismiss the gravity of the controversy.

Patty E.



If this is a controversy- as it is to that urban music scholar, Bill O'Reilly- then, may I suggest getting some REAL problems to worry about....

P.S. No bad blood with you, Patty, or anyone else.

 

[Patty E.]

C.Ghost-

What I make my business should be of no concern to you.

Patty E.

 

[petrieboy]

The "Christian" Way

I am a Christian, so this response is targeted to other Christians, in case they are some of those who are upset over Snoop and the Muppets.
Jesus befriended prostitutes, thieves, and all sorts of people who (some literally in flesh and bone) were "falling apart." We were created in God's likeness, and a major goal in our lives is supposed to be to live as closely as possible to the same principles that Jesus upheld.
When I first posted on this subject, I mentioned that I had no problem with Snoop appearing on a Muppets show. In fact, I welcomed it. I had a problem with the Muppets appearing in the film "An American Werewolf in London" because the film involved an extended sequence inside a porno theater and also a television cameo by Kermit and Miss Piggy, who also appeared in the credits. Why did I mind this? Because the Muppets were lending themselves and their name to a very questionable project. But all that would be happening with Snoop on board is that *he* would be lending his name to a Muppet's project, which by essence is almost always good natured and family oriented. I have a feeling that, much more than any child being led astray by his presence, there is a chance that Snoop would be uplifted by the show, and working with the Muppets.
We so often outcast everyone we believe to be "wicked" before giving them a chance to redeem themselves or to get to know them, and how they got to where they are. For everything Snoop may have done wrong, he did something right by agreeing to a Muppets Christmas Special. Jesus never lent his heart to a sin, but he surely allowed any sinner to lend his heart to Jesus. And so, let the Muppets follow suit.

 

[towels]

Originally posted by Patty E.
C.Ghost-

What I make my business should be of no concern to you.

Patty E.

When your business is deciding what other people can and can not watch, it is a concern. You're not my mom so keep your hands off my TV.

 

[frogboy4]

I always felt that Snoop was a poor choice to begin with for several reasons. Some have been mentioned here. Mainly because he's not that popular and kind of an empty shell of an entertainer. No real charisma to him. Puffy, P. Ditty or whatever the heck his name is these days - would have been a better choice. He's had one controversy (that he was cleared of) and his music is rather benign. He's also still popular in the R&B/Rap community. His sense of humor can be seen in some of his videos and he is a much better fit with the Muppets. Not my favorite guy, but it just makes sense.

I still think it was a bad idea to cut the footage out after it was shot. Maybe they could have edited it down to make his part smaller, but to cut him out entirely is suspicious. But that's why they make the big bucks and we do not. I trust they know what they are doing and hope the footage will be released on a DVD or something.

 

[Luke]

I was actually very suprised they didn't get Sisqo - not that i think he is the bee's knee's but he has some kind of production or development deal with NBC does he not ? I thought that their guest booking was being done on the assumption that they were to get as many NBC related people in there as possible. Maybe there's something i don't know about Snoop Dog and his NBC connections cos it's wierd. Yes, if there had to be a rapper Puff Diddy as Jamie said would probably be the best one to have gotten if it really came down to it. All rappers are involved in controversy though - otherwise there would be nothing for the publicists to work with and they wouldn't get record deals.

Again i want to stress - do not worry so much about this 30 minute cut. I do this biz for a living folks and it is so not the done thing to have a press release for making a cut in the movie - in normal everyday media life it doesn't make sense because you would be creating negative publicity around yourself. When they shoot a two hour movie they end up with much more footage and there are so often scenes cut out that never make it in. The press release doesn't give an altered runtime for the movie which makes me think the cuts they are talking about are ones that would happen anyway as a matter of due course in the edit room. I really think the announcement of cuts is just an excuse made up between the Henson press office and Snoop's press people to get him out of the project with as little fuss as possible - it just makes no sense to me otherwise. It's not like Snoop would have had a big part anyway so unless NBC have specifically asked for a shorter duration for scheduling i think it's just a press thing.