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Joel Grey - Episode 3Taping
Dates: May 18-20, 1976 GENERIC INTRO: THE GREAT GONZO Brian Henson: "Hi, I'm Brian Henson. The Great Gonzo is one of our most popular characters. He's also one of our weirdest. My father first built the original Gonzo for a special called The Great Santa Claus Switch. They called him Cigar Box Frackle because he lived in a cigar box." "When The Muppet Show started, performer Dave Goelz turned this puppet into The Great Gonzo, a daredevil obsessed with both art and danger. But throughout the first season, Gonzo's drooping eyelids tended to made him look sad. So Dave Goelz rebuilt the puppet himself with moving eyelids, so that he could be the artistic maverick he was meant to be. From that point on the character literally took off. Here he is, The Great Gonzo and The Muppet Show." OPENING THEME This is the only episode of The Muppet Show that contained an extra verse in the theme. Kermit sings, "Our show tonight will feature some stuff that looks like this." Curtain reveals some shots from the opening number, "Comedy Tonight". Fozzie's joke: "In our house we use paper plates and every night after dinner my wife erases the dishes." Gonzo's
gong: Gonzo misses the "O" and falls.
STAGE CURTAIN Kermit announces that Joel Grey is the guest, who's just as exciting as 4000 woodpeckers doing an aerial ballet and 87 gorillas and 2 dozen elephants performing the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Kermit then introduces... OPENING NUMBER - "COMEDY TONIGHT"
Amongst a gloomy set with a haunted looking house and arches, a group of villains, monsters (including Boppity, Gloat, Droop, Miss Kitty, Gorgon Heap, Beautiful Day Monster, Scoff, and Lenny Lizard) sing while clubbing each other, dodging bullets, arrows, and Crazy Harry's explosions. A clown and young girl Mary Louise try to escape the mayhem.
BACKSTAGE Fozzie irritates Kermit as he cracks jokes having to do with whatever Kermit says. He announces he's practicing for his new act, "Jokes On Any Subject."
Kermit encourages Fozzie to work on it some more alone. Fozzie struggles to think of a joke having to do with "alone." AT THE DANCE
After the usual round of "Laugh-In" style jokes, the sketch ends with Mildred's head getting stuck in the chandelier. [This may or may not have actually been scripted!] NEWSMAN He reports on the unfortunate demise of Boffo the human cannonball. STAGE CURTAIN A tuxedoed Kermit introduces Joel Grey. SONG - "WILKOMMIN"
Joel reprises his role as the Cabaret emcee (sans makeup) as he sings "Wilkommin" to (and with) a nightclub of Muppets (including Dr. Teeth, Gloat, Wayne & Wanda, Zoot, Janice, Mildred, Gonzo, Jerry, Kermit, and Droop.) Some gags incorporating the original lines from Cabaret with Muppet sight gags ("Have you ever seen such a beautiful orchestra?" revealing a canine band. "Even the [pig] dancers are beautiful... if your standards aren't too high").
[PUPPETEER SPOTTING: During the end of the "Cabaret" number, we can see the tip of Dave's head under Zoot's and Janice's waist.] BACKSTAGE
Hilda can't find her glasses (They're on top of her head.) Of course, rather than help Hilda find them, Fozzie continues his Jokes on Request. ("I knew a minister once who was so religious, when he read the Bible, he wore stained glasses!") TALK SPOT Kermit rattles off Joel's theatrical and personal accomplishments leaving Joel nothing to discuss. (Kermit: "Boy...what a dull guest.")
SONG - "PACHALAFAKA" Hashim, a tourist enamored with Turkey sings of this word that a beautiful lady whispers in his ear, even though he has no idea what it means. At the end of the song, the dancer removes her veil to reveal massive facial hair! [This song appeared on the UK version of the original Muppet Show soundtrack (1977), Silly Songs (1984), as well as Muppet Hits 2 (1994).] STAGE CURTAIN Sam Eagle introduces Wayne & Wanda [this intro can be heard on the original Muppet Show soundtrack (1977), Muppet Hits (1993), and The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem and More (2002).] WAYNE & WANDA [debut] - "STORMY WEATHER" Wayne starts to sing "Stormy Weather" but is interrupted by a thunderstorm.
BACKSTAGE Hilda, Miss Piggy, and George complain to Kermit about Fozzie, so he suggests the silent treatment.
[Watch Kermit's reaction when Fozzie cracks his first joke!] ONSTAGE Gonzo asks Joel why he's wearing a hat to which Joel explains is because of his new car. When Joel asks Gonzo to go for a spin, he spins around in circles. Joel assures Gonzo he was speaking figuratively offering other examples...
STAGE CURTAIN Kermit introduces Fozzie's new request act. FOZZIE'S COMEDY SPOT [debut] Statler and Waldorf call out "amoeba" which flabbergasts Fozzie.
Afraid of being labeled a fake, Fozzie pleases the crowd with "Two amoeba walk out of a bar. One amoeba says to the other, 'hey is that the sun or the moon?' The other amoeba says, 'I don't know, I don't live around here'."
CURTAIN Kermit introduces the Muppet Players. UK SKIT: SKETCH - SHERLOCK HOLMES Rowlf
plays Sherlock with Baskerville the Hound (a skinny dog in glasses
who originated from dog food commercials done with Rowlf) as Watson.
Gorgon Heap plays the butler who eats all the evidence and murder
suspects (including Watson).
NEWSMAN Retired bus driver holds the state of New York hostage until he receives $50 million in cash. STAGE CURTAIN Kermit introduces The Great Gonzo
Joel rescues Gonzo from the audience's jeers by singing "Razzle Dazzle" [A backing chorus of Muppets accompany Joel and it's obvious that at this early stage, the characters were still being fleshed out and that only so many puppets had been built - along with the expected choices of characters, a sedate Animal and Crazy Harry offer a rare tuxedoed behaved choral contribution.] BALCONY
STAGE CURTAIN Kermit
in tux says goodnight and advises Joel to keep working on his
German accent; This is the first episode that featured various Muppets coming out for a curtain call along with the guest star rather than having Kermit alone on stage presenting the guest with their Muppet likeness. CLOSING THEME
Guide
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