So, what do we call Gonzo now?

[frogboy4]

Gonzo was indeed carved by Jim and meant to be a Muppet monster at first - specifically one of the Frackles (they were made for the 1970 Great Santa Claus Switch special where most of the Muppets that would become Muppet Show monsters originated including Thog, Droop, Boppity, Gloat, Miss Kitty and more). Once they started The Muppet Show they dropped the monster/frackle idea and he just became this weird unidentifiable creature.

Personally, i don't feel the revelation of Gonzo being an alien in MFS changes his "whatever" status. They never did find out the name of Gonzo's species or name of his planet so no one here on earth still quite know what he is. "Alien" just means he came from somewhere besides Earth - that just tells us "where" (and even then we don't know - we only know where he *didn't* come from) not "what". He still remains a "Whatever" - an alien whatever, but still a Whatever.

I always felt like Gonzo's MFS "alien" family could have lived in the basement of a Pizza Hut three blocks down as much as they could have lived in space. I don't hold MFS as a standard for anything except as the creative low point that eventually inspired the Muppets to get back to their roots. I know some folk like the film. I just saw it as ripe with unfulfilled potential - and that's the director's doing. He *tried* to boost the mundane and diffuse the interesting bits we now know about. But that's in the past.

My opinions on Gonzo's origin are:
A - MFS was just a movie and the real truth is still out there
B - If MFS is being used, then the original ending applies and the aliens were fans in Gonzo masks instead of family.
C - The last three decades or so have been Gonzo's dream while he's fast asleep in a cigar box.

 

[Drtooth]

B - If MFS is being used, then the original ending applies and the aliens were fans in Gonzo masks instead of family.

That's my opinion as well. Seems like the director killed a great O. Henry-esque twist, and saying "Gonzo is an alien" is like that episode of the Simpsons with Xena in it where she said "anytime you notice something like that, a wizard did it!" A cheap little explanation that seems like they're talking to a child and not caring about what any real depth or interest in the character.

But even if he's known as an alien now officially, which I hope not, they still didn't reveal his true species name...

Personally, I like calling him a weirdo more than a whatever... but that's just me.

 

[dmoss]

I just always assumed he was meant to be a "weirdo"...that's the only thing they referred to him as on The Muppet Babies...

 

[dwmckim]

Then before they used the "Whatever" and "Weirdo" schtick, they frequently refered to him as a "Geek"

Of course if one was to ask Gonzo himself what to call him, he would no doubt say "You can call me Al" as he breaks into a musical number.

 

[Gelfling Girl]

Then before they used the "Whatever" and "Weirdo" schtick, they frequently refered to him as a "Geek"

"Geek"? ROTFLOL.

Of course if one was to ask Gonzo himself what to call him, he would no doubt say "You can call me Al" as he breaks into a musical number.

Oddly, I have imagined him singing that song before. (Yes, I have a bit of an odd mind.)

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I wrote this a long time ago:

http://forum.muppetcentral.com/showthread.php?t=15965

I opined that although they explain Gonzo is an alien, they never give a species; we consider his beginnings as a Frackle, but what does that mean exactly? So, on all accounts he is still a Whatever, as well as any nicknames such as buzzard beak, geek, turkey...

 

[frogboy4]

I wrote this a long time ago:

http://forum.muppetcentral.com/showthread.php?t=15965

I opined that although they explain Gonzo is an alien, they never give a species; we consider his beginnings as a Frackle, but what does that mean exactly? So, on all accounts he is still a Whatever, as well as any nicknames such as buzzard beak, geek, turkey...

Wow! I forgot about that. You summed everything up so perfectly. And I mean everything. That took some time.

 

[bazooka_beak]

To me, he will always be The Great Gonzo or Gonzo. And sometimes by the nicknames he had in the Muppet Babies, like Bazooka Beak and Torpedo Nose

 

[Gonzo's Hobbit]

I remember those nicknames. Those were always fun.

 

[ryhoyarbie]

I'll top that, what the heck is Animal? Some science experiment gone wrong?