What are YOUR ideas of headcannons for Lips??

[LipsGF4Life]

I often thought of Lips as someone who's really shy unless he's playing the trumpet, which explains his silence (though in most instances of him talking, he seems to talk with wild confidence). He kinda looks a bit shy when he's shown without his trumpet. And there's also the fact that people who worked with him have said that Steve Whitmire is or was shy (I don't think I've actually seen any mention of his shyness in the last decade, so maybe Whitmire overcame it by now. Of course most interviews I've seen where they say he was shy were talking about what he was like during the days of The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock, so maybe he'd even overcame it before those interviews). In fact the writer of Muppet Snow White cited this as why Lips was a perfect casting choice for Bashful.

Then again, with Whitmire being more confident with giving the character a voice in recent years, he doesn't really seem so shy anymore, even when we see him not talking or playing the trumpet. Could it be that it was in the puppet used (since he was recently rebuilt for maybe the first time ever)? Or when looking at him in those group/crowd scenes when he's not playing, I'm wondering if it should be shyness or just him not feeling like interacting with others.

As a backstory, I like to think that he was a fan of The Electric Mayhem, maybe especially a big fan of Zoot, and wanted to join the band. I also like to think maybe he had a crush on Trumpet Girl (since they both play the same instruments) and joined the orchestra to get closer to her, or maybe they did start dating and she arranged for him to be in the orchestra, agreeing to take up a different instrument, and his own skills led to him becoming part of The Electric Mayhem as well as the orchestra.

I see that. When you say Lips is a fan of the band, I can kinda see how Lips would spoil the band rotten. Not for attention, but like cause he's a really good friend. I always thought Lips would be the kinda guy that spoils friends, family, or spouses like crazy.

 

[LittleJerry92]

#whydowealwayshavetousehashtagsforeverysinglething

Because hamburgers.

 

[minor muppetz]

Thinking of a bit more backstory for Lips (as well as Trumpet Girl)....

Lips was often shy and took trumpet lessons as a way of overcoming shyness. He met Trumpet Girl at some kind of horn instrument get-together, maybe it was trumpeteer camp, maybe it was a jazz night, maybe it was something else, but they hit it off and decided to date a little.

While Trumpet Girl wasn't exactly shy, she didn't see the others at the Muppet Theater as friends like everybody else did. She played trumpet in the orchestra for money but didn't really form real friendships or have a big desire to be a big-time musician. She actually came to the theater wanting to be a chorus girl, but figured since she could play the trumpet she might as well play at the theater, and Nigel saw enough potential in her to offer her a regular job in the orchestra, even if Kermit never thought she was good enough for solo numbers. But not too long after, Trumpet Girl decided that she didn't like the experience of being a chorus girl, and was content to stay in the orchestra. Perhaps it was the fact that her original goal wasn't to play trumpet in the orchestra combined with her bad experience in the chorus line that she lacked a desire to be a big-time musician.

But after dating, she decided to talk Nigel into hiring Lips into the band. While he impressed everyone, Nigel didn't really want two musicians in the orchestra playing the same instrument (never mind the fact that the orchestra has occasionally had two whatnots playing the trumpet together), but since she did know how to play the trombone as well while Lips couldn't play any other instruments (or didn't like other instruments as much), she agreed to start playing the trombone.

Shortly after, The Electric Mayhem became impressed enough with his skills to ask him to be part of The Electric Mayhem. Trumpet Girl was never upset that they never asked her while they asked this new guy - after all, she didn't want to be a big time musician, she wasn't a big fan of rock and roll, and the band never considered her because she seemed so square - while Lips had that great rock star look while also playing the trumpet a lot better than she did. But they did break up shortly after this. Perhaps she was a little envious (suddenly wanting what she didn't really want just because somebody close to her had it), or maybe she was worried that she'd be too in the spotlight dating a member of The Electric Mayhem. But the break-up didn't really lead to much resentment from them, they just interacted with each other less than before - about as much as anybody communicated with either. And with Trumpet Girl not really hanging out with the other Muppets outside of theater gigs (at least until 2011, though most of that was at the theater), we just saw more of Lips than of her.

But while Lips proved a great asset to the band, his shyness complicated things. He loved playing the trumpet with the band and getting his solos, but he was always afraid to do his own trumpet number, and turned down offers to appear in Gonzo's trumpet gags. Lips was often set to perform at big gigs for the band, only to have shyness attacks at the last minute and chicken out. He'd often be afraid to pose for photos or and always turned down opportunities for interviews (all three of them, actually!), and his habit of not going on at the last minute led to the band refusing to acknowledge him in interviews and promotion, not wanting to risk saying that he'd be there only to be proven wrong later.

And he'd go through periods in shyness therapy, keeping him out of the band and other Muppet projects, with his biggest therapy period being from 1992-2009. He also entered therapy halfway through production of Muppets Most Wanted, which explains why he seems to be seen quite a bit in the first hour but by the end seems to have just disappeared (aside from being in the orchestra) for the rest of the film (not even being at the wedding or in the closing number). In fact he also spent a few sudden days in therapy during production of The Great Muppet Caper, which explains why he's absent from a few group scenes that otherwise include all the primary characters (I've often noticed that when they get to the Mallory Gallery he seems to disappear and reappear from the group).

But his last shyness therapy sessions have improved greatly, now he's talking a lot more (even if it's just an hour a day) and he's gone 40 days without canceling an appearance at the last minute (an all-time high for him - and he's only had one gig during this time).

 

[LipsGF4Life]

Thinking of a bit more backstory for Lips (as well as Trumpet Girl)....

Lips was often shy and took trumpet lessons as a way of overcoming shyness. He met Trumpet Girl at some kind of horn instrument get-together, maybe it was trumpeteer camp, maybe it was a jazz night, maybe it was something else, but they hit it off and decided to date a little.

While Trumpet Girl wasn't exactly shy, she didn't see the others at the Muppet Theater as friends like everybody else did. She played trumpet in the orchestra for money but didn't really form real friendships or have a big desire to be a big-time musician. She actually came to the theater wanting to be a chorus girl, but figured since she could play the trumpet she might as well play at the theater, and Nigel saw enough potential in her to offer her a regular job in the orchestra, even if Kermit never thought she was good enough for solo numbers. But not too long after, Trumpet Girl decided that she didn't like the experience of being a chorus girl, and was content to stay in the orchestra. Perhaps it was the fact that her original goal wasn't to play trumpet in the orchestra combined with her bad experience in the chorus line that she lacked a desire to be a big-time musician.

But after dating, she decided to talk Nigel into hiring Lips into the band. While he impressed everyone, Nigel didn't really want two musicians in the orchestra playing the same instrument (never mind the fact that the orchestra has occasionally had two whatnots playing the trumpet together), but since she did know how to play the trombone as well while Lips couldn't play any other instruments (or didn't like other instruments as much), she agreed to start playing the trombone.

Shortly after, The Electric Mayhem became impressed enough with his skills to ask him to be part of The Electric Mayhem. Trumpet Girl was never upset that they never asked her while they asked this new guy - after all, she didn't want to be a big time musician, she wasn't a big fan of rock and roll, and the band never considered her because she seemed so square - while Lips had that great rock star look while also playing the trumpet a lot better than she did. But they did break up shortly after this. Perhaps she was a little envious (suddenly wanting what she didn't really want just because somebody close to her had it), or maybe she was worried that she'd be too in the spotlight dating a member of The Electric Mayhem. But the break-up didn't really lead to much resentment from them, they just interacted with each other less than before - about as much as anybody communicated with either. And with Trumpet Girl not really hanging out with the other Muppets outside of theater gigs (at least until 2011, though most of that was at the theater), we just saw more of Lips than of her.

But while Lips proved a great asset to the band, his shyness complicated things. He loved playing the trumpet with the band and getting his solos, but he was always afraid to do his own trumpet number, and turned down offers to appear in Gonzo's trumpet gags. Lips was often set to perform at big gigs for the band, only to have shyness attacks at the last minute and chicken out. He'd often be afraid to pose for photos or and always turned down opportunities for interviews (all three of them, actually!), and his habit of not going on at the last minute led to the band refusing to acknowledge him in interviews and promotion, not wanting to risk saying that he'd be there only to be proven wrong later.

And he'd go through periods in shyness therapy, keeping him out of the band and other Muppet projects, with his biggest therapy period being from 1992-2009. He also entered therapy halfway through production of Muppets Most Wanted, which explains why he seems to be seen quite a bit in the first hour but by the end seems to have just disappeared (aside from being in the orchestra) for the rest of the film (not even being at the wedding or in the closing number). In fact he also spent a few sudden days in therapy during production of The Great Muppet Caper, which explains why he's absent from a few group scenes that otherwise include all the primary characters (I've often noticed that when they get to the Mallory Gallery he seems to disappear and reappear from the group).

But his last shyness therapy sessions have improved greatly, now he's talking a lot more (even if it's just an hour a day) and he's gone 40 days without canceling an appearance at the last minute (an all-time high for him - and he's only had one gig during this time).

wow! I think that's cool too!

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

Here's how I think he came.

Lips was in 4th or 5th grade and couldn't figure out what instrument he wanted to play. So he met this girl named Cindy who was a human, and decided to try hanging out together.

Then, Cindy invited Lips to her music recital and that's when he decided that the trumpet was right for him.

And The Electric Mayhem was waiting for Lips right after that.

 

[LipsGF4Life]

Here's how I think he came.

Lips was in 4th or 5th grade and couldn't figure out what instrument he wanted to play. So he met this girl named Cindy who was a human, and decided to try hanging out together.

Then, Cindy invited Lips to her music recital and that's when he decided that the trumpet was right for him.

And The Electric Mayhem was waiting for Lips right after that.

I like that

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

I like that

I'm glad you do.

 

[minor muppetz]

And he'd go through periods in shyness therapy, keeping him out of the band and other Muppet projects, with his biggest therapy period being from 1992-2009.

I might have to change this part.

Okay, so during that time, The Electric Mayhem went through a semi-retirement period, only performing when Kermit really needed them, and due to Lips' habit of not showing up due to shyness attacks, they simply didn't bother to ask him whenever they would perform. Lips then spent a great deal of time in therapy for his shyness, lasting about ten years, then when he got out he decided to call Dr. Teeth and let him know... Only his shyness prevented him from calling for three years, and after the band found out he was ready to perform, they continued to not even ask, out of fear that he would cancel. Lips just happened to be hanging out around Rockefellar Center when the band was to perform in 2009, he asked if he could join them, and they just said, "why not?"

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

Here's another backstory.

So when Lips got invited to join The Electric Mayhem, he bought his new human friend Cindy who wanted to audition as Trumpet Girl because there was no puppet at the time. So the other members (Zoot, Janice, etc.) allowed her in, but only temporary until they waited for a final result.

Later, she ended up becoming a member of the Muppet Orchestra along with Lips, Zoot, Janice, and the rest of the gang.

 

[minor muppetz]

There's also a backstory that was mentioned in The Muppets Character Encyclopedia, in which Lips got his nickname after practicing outdoors on a snowy day and getting his lips stuck, and that he was hired when The Electric Mayhem decided they needed a brass section and a sixth member to divide expenses with.

I'd like to add a little bit more head canon.....

Outside of the Muppets, he is/has been close friends with Jason David Frank (Tommy from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers), Robbie Risk (Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch), Joe Besser, Lori Loughlin )Becky from Fully House), Scott Baio, Harry Shearer (the last SNL cast member to be a regular alongside the original cast), Reuben Valtero (Weird Al Yankovic's keyboard player), and Scrappy Doo (though they don't communicate anymore).

Lips had a very close chance to become the "fifth Beatle". Just before John Lennon's unfortunate death, the band was planning to reunite, they decided that they needed a trumpet player and thought Lips would be perfect (not just because of how cool his skills were, but also because he was part of The Electric Mayhem and they knew they could get him for a cheap price). Lennon's aforementioned death put an end to possibilities of a reunion and put an end to Lips being part of that band before he could even get started.