Statler and Waldorf's first names?

[MartyMuppets]

I've seen on Wikipedia under their pages on Muppet characters that our two old friendly heckler's full names are Jerry Statler and Conrad Waldorf. Here's the link below.

I was wondering if anybody can confirm whether this information is officially accurate? As far as I can recall their first names have never been mentioned. It's always just been Statler and Waldorf although occasionally they have been called Mr. Statler and Mr. Waldorf.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statler_and_Waldorf

 

[Drtooth]

I really don't think this is accurate. Wikipedia vs. Muppet Wiki. Any idiot can add info to a wiki article, and if it goes unchallenged false information can stay on articles for years. Muppet Wiki has rigorous standards if any strange info comes to light.

Now Muppet Wiki DOES refer to "Conrad Waldorf" appearing in Des O' Conner Entertains. So that could very well be true... the Jerry Statler thing has no confirmation anywhere on that site.

So either is new info that just popped up, or an odd wiki edit.

 

[MartyMuppets]

Yes I was wondering about that. I know that wikipedia is only as factually accurate as the people who contribute to it. I theorized that the Jerry might have been in subtle reference to either Nelson or Juhl but couldn't think where Conrad would come from.

Thank you DrTooth.

 

[Drtooth]

Well, all it takes is a quick Muppet Wiki search.... I'm fortunate to have added it to the search options on Firefox, so I don't even have to type in the address to look it up.

Conrad seems to be confirmed, Jerry not so much.

That said, i always thought Statler and Waldorf WERE their first names.

 

[MartyMuppets]

That's true for the most part I always honestly thought the same although the rare times when they were referred to as Mr. did seem to imply otherwise.

 

[dwmckim]

I have no idea where Jerry Statler came from but wow - a quick google search shows that a lot of people have been spreading the false info about those names all over the place!

Actually, in regards to Statler's full name, it was revealed in the script for the Valerie Harper episode of the Muppet Show during the end when he introduces himself to Valerie...that was a trivia tidbit i was saving for a series i was planning for Muppet Freak where i would have covered material from Muppet scripts that didn't make their way into final productions. But since i've stopped Muppet Freak, and those articles won't be forthcoming, i can go ahead and reveal it now...or at least when i get out my copy since i don't remember it off the top of my head...

...but Statler IS the first not the last name...

ETA: According to the shooting script for the Valerie Harper episode, Statler introduces himself to Valerie as Statler Van Essex.

 

[MartyMuppets]

That is very interesting dwmckim.

 

[Drtooth]

I wonder... does it really count if something is either very obscure (like Conrad Waldorf) or doesn't technically exist out of a script (Statler's last name).

Guy Smiley said his real name was Bernie Liederkrantz that one time... and during the "First time me had Cookie" song, Cookie says "Me think me name was Sid."

Somehow I always felt that Cookie wasn't Cookie Monster's real name. Something about the fact that he eats something his name is, and that kinda predisposes him as something... I dunno... I still think he was named after a skit (Like Beautiful Day Monster or Luncheon Counter Monster), and somehow it stuck.

Which brings to point... is it also fan canon to accept something that was revealed for the sake of a rhyme?

 

[dwmckim]

I'd say both can be used as examples of their full names for trivia purposes until something comes along from a more official source (ie their full names being revealed in the new movie) but it's not good enough reason to all of a sudden start referring to them everywhere as Conrad Waldorf and Statler Van Essex.

If a character doesn't have its name revealed anywhere else EXCEPT in a script, i'd say that also counts as the character's name until it is named elsewhere (such as the case with the backstage female whatnot from Muppets Tonight - but i have to go look to remember what she was called)

The case with Cookie could also be a thing noted as trivia but not a good reason to start referring to Cookie as Sid all of a sudden...for one thing according to that song, that was his name BEFORE he discovered cookies and second since he says he THINKS his name was Sid, by his own admission he's an unreliable narrator due to unclear memory. (It should also be noted that in a season 1 sketch before he had the name Cookie Monster and was just being referred to by everyone as Monster that in a conversation with his mommy on the phone, he was being called Tiny)

 

[Dominicboo1]

That's true for the most part I always honestly thought the same although the rare times when they were referred to as Mr. did seem to imply otherwise.

Yeah I remember Sam called him Mr. Statler in an episode.