Your Thoughts: Kermit and the Muppets on Jimmy Kimmel Live

[Super Scooter]

Finally, I lost a lot of respect for Frank Oz when I heard he would make Yoda curse people out on the set of Episode I.

See, there's another thing. Yoda IS NOT a Muppet. And Jim has had Kermit say "What the ----?" He's had Rowlf say "Son of a -----!" It's not just the lack of Jim that these things come up. Jim used them himself, but it's what people perceive that's the problem. Many feel the Muppets are strictly for childreen, and while I'm sure that's not how you feel, it's how many do feel, and find it shocking to hear a Muppet act like any real person. There were several times on Kimmel where Kermit held back, too.

I don't often swear, I use euphamisms plenty, unfortunately, so I understand what your prolem with it is.

 

[frogboy4]

To be honest. part of the problem is the post Jim branding of the Muppets as "family entertainment." I really hate that term. It's like "family values." Why does everything have to be about families? The Muppets have always been more inclusive than that. The Muppet Show was for everybody. It was pretty out-there, but we don't see just what a revolutionary show it was because we just see it as classic television.

The classic Muppets were never blue, but they weren't saints. The biggest modern day reference I can use is the Simpsons. It's not a great comparison. The Muppets are not as jaded and have a lot more heart, but they also have teeth. Teeth I found lacking in MCC and MTI. Those films just seemed a little on the kid-friendly side to me. Kids are sharp. They'll pick up what's good and sly humor easily goes over their heads. I'm not saying that those were kid films, but they seemed a little more kid marketed. I kind of blame Disney for that.

That era is over and Kermit has a little more wit, Pepe likes the ladies and Fozzie is no longer mentally challenged. That really bugged me in particular. He turned into a crazy person for a little while,

The only crazy ones should be Harry and Gonzo.

 

[Robin]

The Muppets have always reflected the times. They got stuck in a retro rut back in the 90s, but it's good to see they're coming back into the mainstream.

Yes, I think the potential is there for a great Muppet comeback!!! I think the Henson Company has been trying very hard to do this for years and have failed. It's so sad its in Master Card comercials, and smutty late night TV.

The Muppets need to invent a show like "The Great Gonzo Experience" and have it be a reality show with 7 real folks, and they have to interact with Gonzo , Pepe, and Rizzo. The catch is they have to live in a Space shuttle for three weeks or a submarine. They can only use new muppets or classic muppets whose originator is still the muppeteer.

Gonzo, Rizzo and Pepe. Right now are the BEST Muppets and the great hope for the franchise. They are the only Muppets I feel are strong enough at this point character wise to pull off the comeback. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie need to take a back seat until I can't tell if Frank came out of retirement and Jim has returned from the grave!!!!!!

PS
Congrats Arnold!!!!!!

 

[frogboy4]

Many fans would disagree with that. They tried it with Muppets Tonight with quite a few criticisms from fans and the public at large. When they see Muppets, they want to see Kermit, Piggy and Fozzie Bear. i think their performers do a fantastic job. Even Entertainment Weekly thought that was Frank's performance in the Christmas special. You've got to think about the general auds as well as fans. They want to see the classics in big positions. New stuff is just as necessary. It's about balance. not exclusion.

 

[thefozz]

I'm not suprised by some of the "controversy" Kermit's apperances on the Kimmell show brought up last week.

Kimmell's is a very adult-oriented show. As previously mentioned, his humor is very crude, low-brow, and often tasteless. And this is what his audience enjoys and expects out of him.

Having seen most of the episodes last week, what I noticed is that Kermit pretty much played it straight off the start. He kept his jokes and references clean. But I noticed that his humor wasn't drawing many laughs from the audience (no surpise -- not necesarilly because Kermit wasn't being funny, but moreso because of the audience he was performing for). As the week went on, it seemed like Kermit did slip in more "adult" gags, probably because he was feeling the pressure to draw laughs out of a crowd that was obviously not going to laugh at your normal Kermit humor.

Additionally, as also has been mentioned in this thread, when Kermit's "clean" jokes were bombing with the audience, Kimmell appeared to try and distance himself from this "unhip" and "unfunny" (again, these are not my views, but I'm looking at it from the manner in which the audience treated the situation) co-host by making fun of Kermit and the situation. I think this all added pressure to have Kermit spice it up a bit and try to fit in.

I enjoyed seeing Kermit on TV for a whole week, especially with something that will expose him to the now generation. But I don't think the Jimmy Kimmell Show was a great setting for him.

That's my take.

 

[NikZane]

That little skater kid was great tho, being a skateboard myself, I really enjoyed his segment.

lol... ok, so my fiancé has been reading my posts and kindly pointing out my typos... in this one, I'm a skateboard. Heh.

 

[WiGgY]

Yes, I think the potential is there for a great Muppet comeback!!! I think the Henson Company has been trying very hard to do this for years and have failed. It's so sad its in Master Card comercials, and smutty late night TV.

The Muppets need to invent a show like "The Great Gonzo Experience" and have it be a reality show with 7 real folks, and they have to interact with Gonzo , Pepe, and Rizzo. The catch is they have to live in a Space shuttle for three weeks or a submarine. They can only use new muppets or classic muppets whose originator is still the muppeteer.

Gonzo, Rizzo and Pepe. Right now are the BEST Muppets and the great hope for the franchise. They are the only Muppets I feel are strong enough at this point character wise to pull off the comeback. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie need to take a back seat until I can't tell if Frank came out of retirement and Jim has returned from the grave!!!!!!

PS
Congrats Arnold!!!!!!

You're nuts.

I think too much pressure has been put on the muppets by the fans since Jim Henson's death. It's like everything has to be gold. I've seen a lot of the old stuff and it's not all fantastic. People complain about MCC and MTI, but they were pretty funny movies. MTI had a lot of humor that wasn't just for the family. Besides, who doesn't love an action adventure muppet movie? Also, MCC and MTI made just as much money as MTM or GMC only TMM was a HUGE success.

Anyway, the muppets have been drunk, the muppets have talked about sex, the muppets have cursed, and the muppets have done a lot of other adult oriented stuff. Nothin Kermit did was horrible. He didn't say he got high and banged Piggy, he didn't say he busted a cap in some mo' fo's ***, and he didn't kill anyone! Leave the frog alone! I doubt the JHC would want to do anymore appearences if each one got torn apart.

 

[Robin]

You're nuts.

Yes, that would be correct! So is everyone else on this web site!!! lol lol

The muppets should do a movie about Kermit running against Bush for president as the "Green Party" Candidtate in 04.

The Muppets shoud do a movie about Gonzo and Rizzo's frantic search for Camilla at the Buffalo NY Chicken Wing Fest.

The Muppets should do a movie about Pepe being lost and other Muppets hear rumors that he ended up in a shrimp cocktail.

In horror and disbelief the Muppets set out to New Orleans to find him. When they get there, they discover Pepe at a Shrimp "Cocktail party", and he is in a smoking jacket holding a martini Relaxing with many others of his kind.

"This is not a shrimp cocktail party okay. This is a King Prong Cocktail party okay!!!!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Originally Posted by WiGgY
You're nuts.

Yes, that would be correct! So is everyone else on this web site!!! lol

I'm not nuts! I'm just crazy!!

 

[Mark Filton]

Kimmel is a LOUSY show right from the start

All you have to do is watch it for a week to find out. Kermit was largely ignored by the other guests, the other guests and Kimmel spoke dirty sometimes, one guest said something about "couldn't you get the Lost in Space Robot?' which was not nice at all, and somebody else had to give a description of Whitmire while performing, which spoils the Muppet magic completely

It was a stupid decision for the Henson company, and there were certainly no serious fans of the Muppets on the Kimmel show, and no special care was taken to avoid the ugliness of things like having our beloved Kermit sitting next to masturbation jokes, and having a dork pointing out Whitmire.

Go for Letterman or Leno. Go for some CLASS or don't throw the MOST IMPORTANT MUPPET into a stupid unfunny and filthy show

I'll remember the good times of Henson Kermit on the Tonight Show with Carson. Flush Whitmire Kermit with Kimmel into the commode where it belongs.

Henson company should go with class. Whitmire and Letterman or Leno would be good.

Incredible stupidity from the people who own Kermit.

AS USUAL!!!!!