The RHLC!

[Muppet Newsgirl]

It does - and you know, seeing as we now know Richard had a paper route as a kid, it's perhaps a little appropriate that in several photos he's seen wearing a newsboy cap (in addition to reading the paper at any available moment).

I mentioned this elsewhere, but newspapers seem to be a fairly common symbol in Richard's life.

Mine's also dark brown - just had to get a new one because my old one fell off my head in the dining hall, and I think someone picked it up and walked off with it. (groan) But there's an upside: in the ad, my new one's officially referred to as a "scooter cap." Hmmm...

 

[CensoredAlso]

Wow! What do you know, it IS called a Scooter cap! That's so interesting!

I just recalled an intriguing episode of The Fairly Odd Parents. Timmy wishes he had the perfect older brother. The older brother Tommy called Timmy all sorts of cute little brother names throughout the episode, like "sport", "champ"...and "Scooter"!

Oh my gosh...apparently this is Don Music's final sketch...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bTeBmzHtuGo

You know what's missing here, right? Kermit's not there to bounce off of.

"Hoopers Hoopers Hoopers, it's where Big Bird buys his seed!" Lol

We knew you could do it too, Don!

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

Of course he could - after all, look at who was performing him.

And so that was Don's swansong on SS...apparently not too long before Richard's swansong on the stage of life. (sigh) Poor Richie.

And on that note: you know, I could never picture Richard being called, for short, "Rick" or "Ricky" or anything with a hard C. None of those seem to ring true. But I can see him being called "Richie." Seems to be a pattern within the ranks of the Muppet crew - Dave Goelz is often referred to as "Davey," Steve Whitmire becomes "Stevie," and Richard once referred to Jane Henson as "Janie."

 

[The Count]

So... What are you getting at Erinny? *Hee.

 

[MeepBorkMeep]

So naturally there must be a Jimmy and Frankie and Billy and JERRY and Kev..y.

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

So... What are you getting at Erinny? *Hee.

Nothing, Eddie.

As for the others, we don't know if they had diminutives of their names. I guess it works for some names and not really for others. And let's not forget such nicknames as "that (deleted) from Chicago." (I wonder if David Rudman ever came up with a suitable comeback for that?)

And of course, according to Amanda, the family frequently referred to Richard as "King Richard the Perfectly Terrible."

 

[The Count]

Yeah... But I like Richie's new nickname. Which one? The one we got from Martin Baker. Yes, the Pied Piper.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah nicknames are tricky that way, there's no real rules to set down. I love the Pied Piper one because I think that really fits. The same was said of John Lennon once, hehe. Some people do have that ability to lead and get people to listen.

I'm reminded of a parable I once heard about Heaven. I may be off on some of the details, but here's the basic idea. A bunch of insects lived together in the water under the grass, and were always trying to climb up the grass shoots. Once and awhile one of the group would manage to get all the way up to the top, but they were never seen again. The insects assumed their friends had passed away.

One day an insect decided he would climb to the top and send a message back to the others about what happened to him. Eventually he arrived at the top, only to find he'd changed. He had sprouted wings and was now a Dragonfly! He was thrilled with his new found abilities, and wanted to go back and tell his friends. But he realized it was impossible. There was no way to go back down, and even if he could, his friends would no longer recognize him. Until, of course, they too arrive at the top.

 

[ReneeLouvier]

Oh, that's a lovely parable heralde! Such a neat lesson and kinda cute too. Gets the point across very well.

 

[Skeeter Muppet]

I've always liked the parable of the dragonfly (fyi, dragonfly larvae are called 'nymphs' or 'naiads'). I first heard it when my great-grandmother passed away and my mom gave me a booklet that had that story in it.

And let's not forget such nicknames as "that (deleted) from Chicago." (I wonder if David Rudman ever came up with a suitable comeback for that?)

If he did, I'm sure it took him a while. He'd have to recover from the surprise that Richard had actually recognized him first (I know I would!).

-Kim (and the first person to call me 'Kimmy' gets smacked)