Top Ten Tuesday: Special Edition THE MUPPETS Hall of Fame

Once upon a time not long ago, in a living room not so far away, was a television set that opened up a magical, comical, crazy world filled with fuzzy, funny make-believe characters too great to simply be called puppets. No, these were The Muppets, and we loved them completely. Great thanks goes out to Jason Segel for making his dream of a Muppets return come true this Wednesday, but most importantly, boundless thanks should be given to Jim Henson himself, creator of The Muppets, on the holiday of gratitude. We Are Movie Geeks would like to extend our own thanks, and in doing so, presents out Top Ten MUPPETS Hall of Fame.

10. Dr. Teeth & the Electric Mayhem

Led by front-Muppet Dr. Teeth on keyboards and vocals, this groovy band added some rock & roll to The Muppet Show. Janice rocked the guitar and Sgt. Floyd Pepper laid down the bass line, Zoot would toot his saxophone and Animal destroyed the drums. Rarely the basis of many sketched, Electric Mayhem iss to The Muppet Show what Paul Shaffer is to the Late Show with David Letterman… only, cooler.

09. Dr. Bunsen & Beaker

Few characters have taken the repeated abuse that Beaker endures. Part assistant and part lab rat to the seemingly blind Dr. Bunsen, Beaker has harnessed the power of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton with his accident-prone physical antics, despite being his limited dialogue of “meeps.” Dr. Bunsen and Beaker are two peas in a pod, inseparable like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. In a British poll, Dr. Bunsen and Beaker even beat out Mr. Spock on the list of their favorite cinematic scientists. Whether Beaker is being electrocuted, beaten, or blown up, he takes his punishment from Dr. Bunsen in good humor.

08. Statler & Waldorf

Affectionately likened to The Odd Couple, Statler & Waldorf are the Grumpy Old Men of The Muppets. They have always provided that cynical, sarcastic edge to balance out all the upbeat, positive humor. Perched high up in their private theater box, they watch The Muppet Show, separate but still part of the experience, commentating on the performances. They’re jokes may be stale, but the segues they provide between Muppet segments are priceless.

07. The Swedish Chef

The Julia Child of the Muppet-verse, The Swedish Chef is uniquely enough a Muppet with human hands. The Chef’s trademark line “Bork! Bork! Bork!” was followed by the throwing of spoons over his shoulder to crash into the pots and pans behind him. Who doesn’t love this gibberish speaking Swede who employs tennis rackets as a utensil? Best known for his epic kitchen battles with such culinary foes as the “Japanese Cake” and “Lobster Banditos,” the funniest was with an unwilling tortoise not too keen on becoming “Turtle Soup.” A Food Network channel could do with this “trained professional” among its lineup of chefs.

06. Rowlf the Dog

Although this big, furry, friendly dog has been more of a supporting player in the Muppet Show TV universe (usually playing the piano for a guest star), Rowlf was the first to really get major name recognition. In the mid sixties the Muppets were becoming famous via some national commercials and appearances on the Ed Sullivan show. Then the fledgling, struggling ABC TV network decided to present a new variety show starring country singer Jimmie Dean (perhaps now best known for his line of breakfast sausages, but then coming off the hit record “Big, Bad John”). While most variety show hosts would have a stand-up comic as part of the regular cast, the producers called on Jim Henson to create a Muppet for Dean to interact with. And so Rowlf was born. At least once an episode Dean would sit next to the big canine (voiced by Henson) and relate funny stories, tell jokes, and often team up for a tune. As a youngster watching, I was entranced. When Rowlf toys became available, I made sure to put him on my list for Santa. He was a treasured plaything even though he didn’t quite move like on TV. He was one of the first two-man Muppets (one Muppeteer worked the mouth and left hand while another worked the right hand). I was so delighted to see Rowlf show up on the syndicated TV show more than a decade later. It was like seeing an old childhood pal as everyone was being introduced to so many new characters who would become our new friends.

05. Gonzo

Gonzo, or “Gonzo The Great” is a weird dude. No, really! He’s a weirdo! A distant alien from space, Gonzo is a strange step above the rest. Always positive, and a bit of an intellectual, Gonzo seeks any opportunity he can to put on a show. His love for Camilla the Chicken has been going strong for decades. Whether it’s the Tap-Dancing Top Hat act, catching cannonballs, or riding his motorcycle into super-stardom, Gonzo loves the spotlight. Hey, his daredevil stunts are rarely successful, but he is still one respectable Muppet!

04. Fozzie Bear

“Wocka, Wocka, Wocka” (cue the thrown tomatoes). Kermit’s best friend is the fuzzy bear with the polka-dot bow-tie known as Fozzie. He longs to be a stand-up comic though his jokes usually fall flat and he’s constantly heckled by the likes of Statler and Waldorf. His failure to win over an audience provokes more embarrassment than sympathy but he tries so darn hard you gotta love him. Kermit and Fozzie have frequently been paired together in countless movies, books, and specials. In the MUPPET MOVIE (1979), Fozzie was the first Muppet Kermit met on his journey.

03. Animal

In comedies one of the more popular characters are ones that represent the unbridled, uninhibited id: the wild thing. Going back to the thirties there was Harpo Marx chasing after the girls. In the seventies it was John Belushi as “Bluto” in ANIMAL HOUSE. On the tube about the same time there was Animal on “The Muppet Show.” Starting out as the drummer for The Electric Mayhem (perhaps inspired by The Who’s legendary wild man drummer Keith Moon) he soon broke through as one the most popular cast members. He could be considered one of the “wuzzit” creatures one the show (like Gonzo), Animal does have a feral quality with his pointy teeth and furry, frizzed hair. And of course his uniquie fashion sense is best showcased by his spiked collar and chain leash. In the Muppet movies he becomes a force for good as he helps tackle the bad guys (he even grows to giant proportions in one film). Most recently Animal further established his drumming mastery by sitting in with The Roots on Jimmie Fallon’s talk show. When he’s not chasing the ladies or on a destructive whim, he’s a manic, musical force of nature. And with Frank Oz providing that guttural grunt of a voice, Animal is the wild card in the Muppet ensemble.

02. Miss Piggy

Miss Piggy is a Prima donna pig convinced she is destined to be a great star and will let nothing stand in her way. She presents a public face which is the essence of feminine charm, but can instantly fly into a violent rage whenever she thinks she has been insulted or thwarted. Poor Kermit is often the target of her anger and when she isn’t sending him flying through the air, she’s often smothering him with unwanted kisses. Miss Piggy does not seem to be aware that she’s overweight — she dresses as if she’s 30 pounds lighter. She has a lot of fantasies but she did actually make the cover of People Magazine in 1979 and had her own perfume called Moi!

01. Kermit the Frog

It’s not easy being green… or, the first frog that can actually talk to humans! Making his debut in 1955, Kermit eventually returned to the swamp when an agent passing through (Dom DeLuise) inspired him to try out Hollywood, where he encountered the rest of the Muppets along the way. Not necessarily one to crave the spotlight, Kermit has been the star of The Muppets since the beginning (Shhh, don’t tell Miss Piggy). Kermit inst just a talent on stage though! He’s also a chart topper! His song “The Rainbow Connection” reached #25 on the Billboard Top 100. Although he has thousands of siblings, Kermit stands out among them all! It’s no wonder why Kermit always remained Jim Henson’s favorite Muppet.

Contest Winner! Anita Says: “Kermit of course. All of the Muppet characters are great but I think it will come down to a 2 way race between Kermit and Miss Piggy, so I’m voting for Kermit because he is the only green icon I know.”