Your Thoughts: Kermit and the Muppets on Jimmy Kimmel Live

[NikZane]

NikZane:
Do you know who was working Kermit's right arm rod? If you don't know her/his name, can you describe what they looked like?

For the first segment whilst Kermit was in the main guest's chair next to Jimmy's desk, Steve was lying on the floor in front of the chairs, clearly visible to the audience. He was operating Kermit alone and had both arm rods in his left hand, with his right operating Kermit's main body and head. I was quite amazed at how well he was seemingly so able to do this - I can barely rub my tummy and pat my head at the same time . I had never seen a live Muppeteer before and was sure that there would be at least two of them, but there was not. What a talented and coordinated guy.

After Kermit made way for the human guests and moved to the other seats, Steve also moved, to behind the seats and out of view from the audience. I do not know if whether he was joined by another Muppeteer or not, but am assuming he continued to operated both arms himself.

 

[Zack the Dog]

Off on a semi-tangent, I had a similar experience of offence outside the El Capitan whilst waiting to go inside the studio. There was a guy behind us who had really only just walked by and joined the line for the heck of it. He had no idea who the guests were and when he enquired as to who the co-host was for the week, he was informed that it was Kermit. "What?? Kermit the Frog? You're kidding right, man I feel ripped off! I want it to be someone cool!", was his reply. Someone cool?? Dude, who is cooler than Kermit the Frog?? At first I wanted to tell him to go home, but then quickly realized that I should feel pity for him, that his lack of imagination has obviously prevented him from enjoying Muppet magic, like the rest of us dreamers. He was 21 and I wondered if perhaps he was too young to appreciate the Muppets (is that an oxymoronic statement?), then I realized that my girlfriend is only 22 and she adores them as much as I do.i]

Hi again NikZane, I just have to correct you for my own sake as others too,even though you did correct yourself It doesn't matter what age you are to appreciate the Muppets, i'm 20 and I have always loved them! I will agree that some of it is lost in the children today but there are younger kids who love the Muppets, it all depends what you watch. Sesame Street and Bear in the Big Blue House help that kids now. I know some people here say The Muppet Show was made for adults, yet think if back to when they first saw the show they were younger or teenage kids! Kids that loved the show and grew to adults and that loved the show as well as adults loving the show...what did I just say? LOL! but like that person you just discribe..well some people are just ingnorant. The Muppets are for everyone and shouldn't focus just on adults or just on children but everyone for that matter.

Zack,

 

[Crazy Harry]

Well, the original S&W never would have used the word 'retarded'.

He said 'RETIRED'.

I wish Jimmy Kimmel was more like Johnny Carson.
You mean charismatic?
No, retired.

 

[sarah_yzma]

but I think Kermit felt odd

well he IS made of felt!

ok....I'll admit...it was a bad joke...

 

[jediX]

He said 'RETIRED'.

Oh, sorry....sure sounded like he said it though. Guess I need to switch from the cheap tapes back to the Sony ones...

 

[NikZane]

Hi again NikZane, I just have to correct you for my own sake as others too,even though you did correct yourself It doesn't matter what age you are to appreciate the Muppets, i'm 20 and I have always loved them!

Oh, I agree totally and I do hope that the Muppets are ageless/timeless and able to be appreciated by all generations.

It was a quick off the cuff thought, and I was thinking in reference to when I was kid that the Muppets were on TV regularly but as I grew older they seemed to be on less and less. I wondered briefly if that was the case everywhere and perhaps this guy, being 8yrs my junior, didn't have the same opportunity to grow up with the Muppets as I did. It was not his age per se, but his era or generation, that I thought perhaps simply missed out on Muppet magic.

I will agree that some of it is lost in the children today but there are younger kids who love the Muppets, it all depends what you watch. Sesame Street and Bear in the Big Blue House help that kids now.

I often wonder with todays slick CGI animated cartoons, Playstation and XBox, home computer prevalency etc., if a furry hand-held puppet with arms on rods still has the same appeal with the 8yr olds of today. I guess I'll have to have kids of my own to find out.

I know some people here say The Muppet Show was made for adults, yet think if back to when they first saw the show they were younger or teenage kids!

Like the Simpsons, there are elements in The Muppet Show that are geared towards kids, and elements geared towards adults. I don't really think either show is made for any one age group. My guess is Jim's original intention was to make a kids show that appealed to wider age group than Sesame Street, that could also be enjoyed by adults. Watching the Muppet today allows me to "get" a lot of jokes that went straight over my head when I was a kid.

Kids that loved the show and grew to adults and that loved the show as well as adults loving the show...what did I just say? LOL!

Ouch! I hurt my brain trying decipher that sentence LOL indeed

 

[Mark Filton]

Ah, I don't know if I like it too much

The comedian was not very funny and had to talk about Kermit like an old robot. Then he had to say that our soldiers are masturbating to cloud formations in Iraq because they don't have enough porn.

I hated to see my beloved Muppet friend in the middle of all the rubbish.

Steve Whitmire can't improvise very well.

Better to be on Letterman or Leno and have some CLASS!

Thumbs down for me all the way

Who needs it

 

[jediX]

Off on a semi-tangent, I had a similar experience of offence outside the El Capitan whilst waiting to go inside the studio. There was a guy behind us who had really only just walked by and joined the line for the heck of it. He had no idea who the guests were and when he enquired as to who the co-host was for the week, he was informed that it was Kermit. "What?? Kermit the Frog? You're kidding right, man I feel ripped off! I want it to be someone cool!", was his reply. Someone cool?? Dude, who is cooler than Kermit the Frog?? At first I wanted to tell him to go home, but then quickly realized that I should feel pity for him, that his lack of imagination has obviously prevented him from enjoying Muppet magic, like the rest of us dreamers. He was 21 and I wondered if perhaps he was too young to appreciate the Muppets (is that an oxymoronic statement?), then I realized that my girlfriend is only 22 and she adores them as much as I do.

Then again, since when have Jimmy's co-hosts been "cool people". Anyway.

Like the Simpsons, there are elements in The Muppet Show that are geared towards kids, and elements geared towards adults. I don't really think either show is made for any one age group. My guess is Jim's original intention was to make a kids show that appealed to wider age group than Sesame Street, that could also be enjoyed by adults. Watching the Muppet today allows me to "get" a lot of jokes that went straight over my head when I was a kid.

Not just Muppets, either. I was a HUGE Ghostbusters fan when I was little and LOVED the movie. Anyway I was watching it on DVD the other day and picked up numerous dirty jokes I NEVER would have gotten otherwise. Heck, I've picked up on some on SS before. None were as crude as what Kermit's been doing this week, though.

I hated to see my beloved Muppet friend in the middle of all the rubbish.

Meh, its going to be alright in the end. Usually theres just dead air comedians on that show anyway. Even Conan O'Brien gets bigger guests Making out with a nun? Yea...that's sure...uh...ok? After all, look how long our pals have been around compared to this stuff. Let's just hope Kermit never does a guest spot on Crank Yankers (although that show is sometimes pretty good).

 

[Convincing John]

Animal is on! He's sitting in with the band! So far he's just said "KIMMEL! KIMMEL!" I don't know who's performing him, though. His drum set is a 60's style design with "The Electric Mayhem" printed on it.

Hey, there's a bear...whoops...false alarm. It's not ...a bear on a trampoline?

And there was a little mini-commercial for tonight's show on a little while ago. It starred Kermit singing "Can you tell me how to get, how to get out of here?" Maybe Kermit's a little fed up with Jimmy's comments...stay tuned, folks!

Convincing John

 

[jediX]

OMG!!!

Just saw Animal... whoever is voicing him now is pathetic!! It doesn't even sound close! Gaaaah.

Gosh, even I can do a better animal than that and I'm not a voice actor. Want a demo? I'll record it tomorrow morning.

Let's hope for the sake of the future of Muppets they can fix that..... Anyone know what the deal with him is?