Gonzo fans would also recognise this quote: "I shall now eat a rubber tire to the music of [[The Flight of the Bumblebee]]...music, maestro!" Another famous performance is best summed up by his quote, "I shall now defuse this highly explosive bomb while simultaneously, and at the same time, reciting from the works of Percy Bysshe Shelley." Other acts include: dancing "Top Hat" in a vat of oatmeal, hypnotizing chickens and being hammered feet first into a railway tie by two American Gladiators.
Gonzo fans would also recognise this quote: "I shall now eat a rubber tire to the music of [[The Flight of the Bumblebee]]...music, maestro!" Another famous performance is best summed up by his quote, "I shall now defuse this highly explosive bomb while simultaneously, and at the same time, reciting from the works of Percy Bysshe Shelley." Other acts include: dancing "Top Hat" in a vat of oatmeal, hypnotizing chickens and being hammered feet first into a railway tie by two American Gladiators.
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==What is Gonzo?==
==What is Gonzo?==
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[[image:Gonzo.JPG|frame]]
A long-running gag related to Gonzo is that it's not clear what species he is supposed to be, though some say he resembles a buzzard. [[John Cleese]], in his appearance on the show, referred to him as "the ugly, disgusting little blue creature who catches cannonballs." In the film [[The Great Muppet Caper]], he is shipped to England in a crate labeled "Whatever" (while [[Kermit the Frog]] and [[Fozzie Bear]] are respectively labeled "Frog" and "Bear"). In the 1999 film [[Muppets From Space]], it was revealed that Gonzo is an alien.
A long-running gag related to Gonzo is that it's not clear what species he is supposed to be, though some say he resembles a buzzard. [[John Cleese]], in his appearance on the show, referred to him as "the ugly, disgusting little blue creature who catches cannonballs." In the film [[The Great Muppet Caper]], he is shipped to England in a crate labeled "Whatever" (while [[Kermit the Frog]] and [[Fozzie Bear]] are respectively labeled "Frog" and "Bear"). In the 1999 film [[Muppets From Space]], it was revealed that Gonzo is an alien.
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In the first season of ''The Muppet Show'', the character was underplayed with a permanently sad look. The producers noticed that he worked better in a more energetic form, so Dave Goelz modified the eyes to have movable eyelids which helped make him a more active character. As such, he became one of the principal characters in the series.
In the first season of ''The Muppet Show'', the character was underplayed with a permanently sad look. The producers noticed that he worked better in a more energetic form, so Dave Goelz modified the eyes to have movable eyelids which helped make him a more active character. As such, he became one of the principal characters in the series.
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According to [[Jerry Juhl]] on many occasions, Gonzo was his favorite character to write for and develop. He said he had a special connection with the blue weirdo.
Gonzo the Great is The Muppet Show's daredevil performance artist. He's an odd looking, unclassifiable creature -- with blue fur, bug eyes and a long hooked nose. He takes pride in his uniqueness, and he enjoys everything that he does -- no matter how painful or ill-advised it may be.
His most well-known running gag is playing the final trumpet note of the opening Muppet Show theme and having some strange thing happen--the bell of the instrument explodes, sprays water, has an inflating balloon in it, et cetera. In the first season, Gonzo did not use a trumpet, but instead attempted to hit the white space within the "O" in the "Muppet Show" sign like a gong, usually with bad results.
Gonzo fans would also recognise this quote: "I shall now eat a rubber tire to the music of The Flight of the Bumblebee...music, maestro!" Another famous performance is best summed up by his quote, "I shall now defuse this highly explosive bomb while simultaneously, and at the same time, reciting from the works of Percy Bysshe Shelley." Other acts include: dancing "Top Hat" in a vat of oatmeal, hypnotizing chickens and being hammered feet first into a railway tie by two American Gladiators.
A long-running gag related to Gonzo is that it's not clear what species he is supposed to be, though some say he resembles a buzzard. John Cleese, in his appearance on the show, referred to him as "the ugly, disgusting little blue creature who catches cannonballs." In the film The Great Muppet Caper, he is shipped to England in a crate labeled "Whatever" (while Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear are respectively labeled "Frog" and "Bear"). In the 1999 film Muppets From Space, it was revealed that Gonzo is an alien.
In the first season of The Muppet Show, the character was underplayed with a permanently sad look. The producers noticed that he worked better in a more energetic form, so Dave Goelz modified the eyes to have movable eyelids which helped make him a more active character. As such, he became one of the principal characters in the series.
According to Jerry Juhl on many occasions, Gonzo was his favorite character to write for and develop. He said he had a special connection with the blue weirdo.
Added by Toughpigs
