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Lola Falana calls Bernie.
Bernie, the talent agent to the Muppets, has represented characters from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and other productions. He has even represented the guest stars. His most famous (and demanding) client, however, is Miss Piggy.
Bernie is never seen, however, and his "appearances" consist of characters talking to him on the telephone or shouting to him on the set, where he is always just off camera.
In The Muppet Movie, Dom DeLuise played a character named Bernie the Agent, who discovered Kermit singing "The Rainbow Connection" and encouraged him to audition for Lew Lord in Hollywood. It is unclear whether there is any relationship between the two characters -- or, for that matter, whether any of the Bernies are the same Bernie. Maybe every agent is named Bernie. Except for Marty.
The name Bernie is a reference to Bernie Brillstein, Jim Henson's close friend and longtime manager.
"Appearances"
- Lola Falana talks to Bernie in the opening to The Muppet Show episode 411, asking him to get her off the show.
- Kermit the Frog tells Bernie he doesn't want to play Las Vegas in a sketch on Sesame Street.
- Boober Fraggle calls Bernie, in the Fraggle Rock wrap party film, announcing his availability for the male romantic lead in the new Meryl Streep film.
- In the outtakes from Episode 21 of From the Balcony, Statler calls to his off-camera accountant, Bernie.
- Miss Piggy has mentioned her agent as Bernie in A Christmas Together, in a Muppetism short, and in Best Ever Muppet Moments.
- Grover, in a "Singin' in the Rain" segment, yells to Bernie offstage if he wants to go to lunch.
- In his Into the Night cameo, Jim Henson speaks on the phone with Bernie.