Was TMS shot in front of a live audience?

[MrsPepper]

You're absolutely correct, Beau. That song is on that episode (I just watched it the other day. That song makes me giggle hardcore). And the laughter sounds like this one guy with a really honking laugh is louder than everyone else. ^^

 

[dpurves]

I was in 1st or 2nd grade when TMM first came on TV, and I remember desperately wanting my parents to take me to be a part of that audience.

 

[Vic Romano]

...But the laughter is actually the laughter of the cast and crew. Since there is no audience in the episode, there is no laugh track! Cool, eh?

Actually, this is one of my least favorite episodes for this very reason. Someone has this bigger than life "Haw-haw-haw-haw-haw" which sounds so forced to me that I find it very annoying.

On a side note; Brian Henson mentions at how surprised Jim was at how many people thought that not only was TMS filmed in front of a live studio audience, but that it was actually aired live too!

 

[D'Snowth]

If feel so smart now that I've finally gotten to see The Muppet Show...now I understand so many jokes that are going like, like the time Beauregard kept mentioning "The Banana Sketch", or when TA said that "I'm my own grandpa", or the fact that MrsPepper's "anklin'"!

 

[minor muppetz]

Also, everyone is nervous that they will be replaced, so everyone tried to stop acts that would be their 'replacements' from finishing their acts.

Fozzie was the only one who was nervous about being replaced. Kermit and Miss Piggy also stopped certain acts from being finished, but I don't think they were nervous about being replaced.

 

[MrsPepper]

Nitpicking really makes a difference, minor muppetz.
Piggy pulls all the female acts offstage with a cane, and Gonzo harasses Kermit about auditioning a new act for himself. If it really matters, I interpreted that as nerves.

And Vic, some people do laugh like that (unfortunately!). You're right, that one guy sticks out though. It doesn't bother me too much.

Yay, DS! You should feel smart. ^^

 

[D'Snowth]

Yay, DS! You should feel smart. ^^

When I really think about it....I do!!!

 

[Beauregard]

Actually, this is one of my least favorite episodes for this very reason. Someone has this bigger than life "Haw-haw-haw-haw-haw" which sounds so forced to me that I find it very annoying.

On a side note; Brian Henson mentions at how surprised Jim was at how many people thought that not only was TMS filmed in front of a live studio audience, but that it was actually aired live too!

On the other hand, I found the laughter some of the most authentic in this. It was a little, polite businessmanish laughter, but still real.

 

[D'Snowth]

I now have some more questions...about the pilot episode this time...

1. Who performed Janice in the pilot?
2. I noticed in the "At the Dance" scenes, Bert was dancing around with a girl almost exactly like Ernie. There was also a blue monster with red lips and a large purple nose dancing around. Was he supposed to be the "Grover" at the dance?
3. Did Jerry Nelson play Statler?
4. Did anyone notice the Muppeteers in the background of the bird skit?
5. Who performered Brewsters?
6. Was it me, or did it sound like Richard Hunt played Crazy Harry?
7. Who else thought it was cool during the closing credits when they zoomed out and showed them performing the muppets?

 

[minor muppetz]

1. Who performed Janice in the pilot?
Fran Brill did.

2. I noticed in the "At the Dance" scenes, Bert was dancing around with a girl almost exactly like Ernie. There was also a blue monster with red lips and a large purple nose dancing around. Was he supposed to be the "Grover" at the dance?
That monster first appeared in a skit on The Ed Sullivan Show where he was called Thudge. That same skit featured the first appearance of the Grover puppet, who was called Gleet in that skit. Actually, most of the monsters in that skit looked like Grover.

3. Did Jerry Nelson play Statler?
Yes.

4. Did anyone notice the Muppeteers in the background of the bird skit?
I noticed a little bit, but not much.

5. Who performered Brewsters?
Dave Goelz.

6. Was it me, or did it sound like Richard Hunt played Crazy Harry?
Richard Hunt did perform Crazy Harry in the pilot. If you watch the ending, you can see Richard performing him. I don't know why Richard Hunt performed Crazy Harry. John Lovelady had previously performed Crazy Harry in The Muppet Valentine Show, and he would regularly perform Crazy Harry during the first season of The Muppet Show, and John Lovelady did perform in this special.

7. Who else thought it was cool during the closing credits when they zoomed out and showed them performing the muppets?
I thought it was cool. If ABC picked up the show, and/ or if the show was broadcast in the format that this special had, I wonder if every epsiode would have ended like that.