The Muppets and Lady Gaga in new Christmas special November 28 on ABC

[galagr]

I'll save my personal thoughts about this for later. However...

If they DON'T make a joke about "Little Monsters" with Sweetums, Thog, or other Muppet monsters, I will be severely disappointed.

The opportunity is there, guys. All you have to do is take it.

 

[jvcarroll]

On that topic, I actually think this is not a Muppet special, but rather a Lady Gaga one that the Muppets were just invited to (much like last years Cee-Lo's Magic Moment). There's no way that these cameos would be Disney's first choices, I just can't see it.

This is billed as a joint-special so it wont be like Cee-Lo's Magic Moment. There will likely be songs with the Muppets and no Gaga and vice-versa. No worries.

As for the cameos, I do think people like Elton John would be at the top of Disney's list and the others aren't strangers to Disney either.

• Elton John wrote the music for Disney's The Lion King, Gnomeo & Juliet and they produced his musical Aida.
• Lady Gaga has a part in Disney's Muppets Most Wanted and provided a song for Disney's Gnomeo & Juliet.
• Kristin Bell lends her voice to a character in Disney's Frozen this Christmas.
• Justin Gordon Levitt lent his voice performance to Disney's Treasure Planet a decade back and also appeared in Disney's Angels in the Outfield many years ago.
• RuPaul has lent her talents to several episodes of Disney produced television series including Hercules, Ugly Betty and Sister, Sister.

While these artists don't represent the Disney Channel's tween stars, they have represented Disney before. This is Disney's eclectic grown-up table where the Muppets should have been seated in the first place. Times have changed and there are more young stars than ever before, but 99% of cameos and guest stars during Jim's era of the Muppets were established performers of adult age. This special seems to be getting things back on the classic track.

 

[Slackbot]

Honestly, if I could have my pick of who the Muppets should work with, somehow I'd rather see Cee-Lo Green again. That dude's a Muppet himself.

I am still wondering why we haven't seen Weird Al Yankovic on the same stage as the Muppets. Seriously, why? C'mon, it's destined to happen.

 

[The Count]

Yeah... The only Weird Al+Muppets anything was the interview held between him and Fozzie as an article in an issue of Muppet Magazine, which was included in the hardcover book titled Muppets! Muppets! Muppets! The Best of Muppet Magazine.

We need an actual performance interaction between the Muppets and Weird Al al-ready.

 

[Drtooth]

On that topic, I actually think this is not a Muppet special, but rather a Lady Gaga one that the Muppets were just invited to (much like last years Cee-Lo's Magic Moment). There's no way that these cameos would be Disney's first choices, I just can't see it.

Kinda what I've been trying to say all along.

I am still wondering why we haven't seen Weird Al Yankovic on the same stage as the Muppets. Seriously, why? C'mon, it's destined to happen.

Weird Al has been doing a LOT of voice work recently. Wreck-Gar on Transformers Animated, Himself on Batman Brave and the Bold, and Banana Man on Adventure Time among others. He was on The Simpsons twice, too. I really hope that he becomes a Word of the Day celebrity guest on Sesame Street at least.

 

[minor muppetz]

On the other hand, Elton John has remarked about being so high that he didn't even remember being on the Muppet Show.

Really? He didn't remember having to fly all the way to England?

If you're going to shock people in an offensive way, have a legitimate message to go along with it. That's my two cents.

Would "wanting to fight censorship" (or at least ridiculous censorship) be a legitimate enough reason to be shockingly offensive?

On another note, I wonder just who most people here were hoping to have instead of Gaga? I'd like to see the fan lists. Who do you guys think would have been better choices for this primetime holiday special?

Well, we didn't know about this special until we heard that the Muppets were doing a special with Lady Gaga, so I doubt it was possible for any of us to hope for a different star. But better stars in my opinion include Weird Al Yankovic, Steve Carrell, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, Jim Carrey... That's all for now.

I wasn't aware of that, but hey, as I mentioned earlier, some people here had bees in their boxers over Ricky Gervais being the lead of MWW, all because he's an atheist.

I thought people were complaining more because he normally stars in R-rated movies, even though a lot of R-rated stars have appeared in Muppet movies. I think I even saw a thread about it, where somebody was worried that Muppets Most Wanted would be rated R just because Ricky Gervais was going to be in it.

• RuPaul has lent her talents to several episodes of Disney produced television series including Hercules, Ugly Betty and Sister, Sister.

Her? I had thought RuPaul was a man (maybe I should do some online research myself, all I know about RuPaul comes from this thread). I know, drag queens tend to be called "she" when in drag (even when not performing), but I thought RuPaul was the persons real stage name, not its on-stage drag personae.

You know, if Lady Gaga is going to be in the new movie, I bet that her clip will be in the sneak preview shown.

 

[Slackbot]

Her? I had thought RuPaul was a man (maybe I should do some online research myself, all I know about RuPaul comes from this thread). I know, drag queens tend to be called "she" when in drag (even when not performing), but I thought RuPaul was the persons real stage name, not its on-stage drag personae.

When you're speaking of a drag performer's persona, it's polite to use the assumed gender. When discussing RuPaul as a drag queen, "she" would be appropriate. When discussing his non-drag performances, for example Counselor Mike in But I'm a Cheerleader, then "he" would be proper.

However, RuPaul has expressed indifference on the issue, saying "You can call me he. You can call me she. You can call me Regis and Kathie Lee; I don't care! Just as long as you call me."

 

[minor muppetz]

But is RuPaul the personae or the person? I assumed that this special would have the real person, as opposed to the real person on drag.

 

[jvcarroll]

Really? He didn't remember having to fly all the way to England?

You do know that Elton is British, right?

Would "wanting to fight censorship" (or at least ridiculous censorship) be a legitimate enough reason to be shockingly offensive?

There's nothing wrong with pushing buttons, but I think it's done best if there's a thoughtful reason for doing so. So many entertainers do things without really thinking them through. Gaga's usually good about that, but not always.

Well, we didn't know about this special until we heard that the Muppets were doing a special with Lady Gaga, so I doubt it was possible for any of us to hope for a different star. But better stars in my opinion include Weird Al Yankovic, Steve Carrell, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, Jim Carrey... That's all for now.

I don't see much of a difference between Katy Perry and Gaga. They're both known for outrageous costumes and antics. Apples and oranges. I guess Gaga's the bigger draw. NPH would be great too. I'm most pleased with the reunion with Elton.

I thought people were complaining more because he normally stars in R-rated movies, even though a lot of R-rated stars have appeared in Muppet movies. I think I even saw a thread about it, where somebody was worried that Muppets Most Wanted would be rated R just because Ricky Gervais was going to be in it.

Ricky Gervais is usually in PG-13 rated movies, but most movies are PG-13 so that's normal. There's no way MMW will be rated anything other than PG. Disney would not let that happen. However, I'm sure there are outtakes that we will never see!

Her? I had thought RuPaul was a man (maybe I should do some online research myself, all I know about RuPaul comes from this thread). I know, drag queens tend to be called "she" when in drag (even when not performing), but I thought RuPaul was the persons real stage name, not its on-stage drag personae.

Pronoun trouble. Here's a rule of thumb that will help everybody in their lives:
When a performer, such as a drag queen or female impersonator, is in full dress you are supposed to use "she." Otherwise, you go with whatever pronoun makes that person feel most comfortable. Beyond that, you can usually pick-up the cues of transgender people in person before asking. If you're unsure it's most respectful to simply ask. I'd suggest asking it in the same way you'd ask someone whether they'd like to be called their given name or their nickname. Easy peasy.

You know, if Lady Gaga is going to be in the new movie, I bet that her clip will be in the sneak preview shown.

I'm excited.

 

[Muppet fan 123]

Ricky Gervais is usually in PG-13 rated movies, but most movies are PG-13 so that's normal. There's no way MMW will be rated anything other than PG. Disney would not let that happen. However, I'm sure there are outtakes that we will never see!
I'm excited.

It was already rated by the MPAA. It was rated PG for "Mild Action Sequences", which was very much expected.