When did fans get tired of Pepe?

[Ruahnna]

(Looking around cautiously in case the King Prawn is listening)
Ru: Hi. My name is Ru, and I'm a muppet fan.
Group: Hi Ru!
Facilitator: Welcome, Ru. What would you like to share with us today?
Ru: Um, well, um, I've been a muppet fan for a long time. (clears throat) Sorry--I'm a little nervous.
Faciliator: It's okay. Every is a little nervous at first.
Ru: (plunging on) Well, I, um, started out with Sesame Street when I was very little, but I quickly moved on to other stuff. More, um, grown up stuff--like The Muppet Show.
Group: Yeah. I feel you. Yup--been there. For sure.
Ru: And, you know, I've been doing pretty good for, gosh, over 20 years now.
Group: That's great. Good job. Way to go.
Ru: But, well, a few years back--um, about 15, I sortof fell off the wagon, so to speak. (The room is very quiet.) I, um, started watching Muppets Tonight. That's when I, um, (looks nervously over shoulder), when I became...a Pepe fan.
Group: (gasps) Oh! Oh no! Bless you, honey. It's okay. We've all been there a some time.
Ru: And, well, I guess I've accepted that part of me now. I know I can change some things about myself, but...but I just can't see myself not craving that little Prawn.
Anonymous group member: You can fight it! You don't have to give in!
Ru: No. No--it's okay. I want to. I...no. It's okay. I want to give in. I love Pepe--even though he's annoying and sortof saps the energy I want to use to love other muppets, I still can't imagine my life without him. I--that's, um, that's all I want to say.
Facilitator: Thanks for sharing, Ru. I know that was hard. Anybody else?

 

[Drtooth]

I know when some fans got tired of him = "Muppets Wizard of Oz". That's when he allegedly usurped Rowlf's role as Toto. Barretta performs both characters and Pepe was chosen as the more popular star to handle that part. I can see both sides of the argument. Pepe appeals to younger people and his humor is more biting. I won't call it cynical, sleazy or unmuppety.

Well, I could say Muppet Oz completely sucked lemons, but from me, that's a redundant statement. Honestly, I feel Pepe saved MFS (Bobo did too) and Oz to an extent along with the other newer characters. I seriously doubt Rowlf would have worked as Toto anyway (I'd think Foo Foo would be a better choice). At least. in the film they were going for.

To me, characters like Johnny, Sal, Bobo, VanNeuter, Pepe and Big Mean Carl were gems in a rough patch of an uneven TV show that were thankfully resurrected. Unfortunately, we lost Sal and VanNeuter when Brian left the Disney owned Muppets (a shame). I wish that there was some way to keep on Polly Lobster (but Kevin's too busy with Elmo) and Clueless Morgan on too. I notice they've taken to having some of the pirates from MTI reused lately as well.

 

[Gonz21]

I don't exactly hate him. I just don't like him. I can handle him in, like others have said, small doses and for me a little (Ha! Get it?) of him goes a long way.

 

[TheVoiceGuy]

I think Pepe is pretty funny! what made people start hating him?

 

[CensoredAlso]

I like Pepe sometimes, but too many of his jokes are just cheap laughs.

 

[Drtooth]

Still think the worst characters from that era have been abandoned. Other than that one Muppets Kitchen segment with Andy and Randy and like, a video game appearance (I don't count the comics) you never see them anymore. Thank Frogness. They were only really good in the John Goodman episode. And they were the BETTER pigs in that series. Hasslehog and Spamella were flat parodies. I'm surprised that they made her work in Muppet Snow White (now I'm counting the comics).

Still, makes you wonder what happened to Seymore, though I just don't see where he'd fit in exactly.

 

[LamangoNumber2]

He was poached.

Pepe is fine. Bill wasn't comfortable preforming Rowlf and Dr. Teeth before, and only just recently, got into the roles. I think his shining Rowlf was the skateboard video. And his Dr.Teeth was the Bohemian video. Pepe and Bobo where his babysteps into having characters.

My big concern is that Walter is going to push back Pepe and Rizzo, being the gang's new tiny muppet.

 

[Drtooth]

Walter depends on the success of the movie or at least the polt. Of course, I think BTL is done for good, and Peter Linz would be more available to perform the character, so that's always an option.

 

[beatnikchick300]

Honestly, Pepe did not really annoy me at first. I saw him in MFS when I was 13, and thought he was pretty funny. It was only as I got older and saw him as a scene-stealer whose shtick involved little more than random pop culture references and saying things are sexy that he started to annoy me. I mean, REALLY annoy me. I miss Johnny (he is my avatar, after all), but I guess they really don't know what to do with him without Sal. They should do what I did in my fanfics and give him a girlfriend, or something.

But back to Pepe. He does get on my nerves, but is tolerable in small doses.

 

[Drtooth]

I mean, REALLY annoy me. I miss Johnny (he is my avatar, after all), but I guess they really don't know what to do with him without Sal. They should do what I did in my fanfics and give him a girlfriend, or something.

While Pepe is one of my favorite new characters, Johnny (a close second) is just a little more fleshed out as a character. I think he could work alright without Sal, but I want to see either Brian come back or have Sal recast (I think Tyler could do a decent job). It's bad enough only Johnny got an action figure...