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Big Mean Carl is a shaggy monster who continued the proud tradition of Muppet characters with voracious appetites.
Although Carl made his first appearance in the 1992 Muppet Meeting Film "Think Bigger," in which he was called Chairman Budget and performed by Dave Goelz, he is best known for his role on Muppets Tonight, where he received the name Carl and his new performer, Bill Barretta.
On Muppets Tonight, Carl's stage name would change slightly from appearance to appearance, always starting with "Carl the Big Mean" but usually ending with a different appellation depending on what kind of act he was performing. But the acts, which ranged from Bagpipe-Eater to Ventriloquist, were usually just a cover for Carl's real intentions: to eat another character. Always a performer, though, Carl would usually end the with a triumphant "Thank you!"
He made six such appearances on Muppets Tonight:
- Episode 104: Carl the Big Mean Bagpipe-Eater
- Episode 106: Carl the Big Mean Bunny
- Episode 109: Carl the Big Mean Ventriloquist
- Episode 201: Carl the Big Mean Bubble Guy
- Episode 206: Carl the Big Mean Porcupine-Eater
- Episode 211: Carl the Big Mean Psychic
Carl also appeared regularly in one the show's recurring UK Spots, the game show Swift Wits, in which he always ate the contestants. He also performed with the Smashing Pumpkins in episode 210 and was visited by his mother, Carla the Big Mean Mom, in episode 212.
A modified version of the puppet appeared as "The Grox" (performed by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph) in The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss episode, "There Is Nothing To Fear In Here."
In a more recent appearance, Carl played the "boss," lording it over the director Pokey and a control room full of rats on the November 13, 2008 broadcast of Today, in which the Muppets took over the show to promote the newly opened Whatnot Workshop. He also appeared in A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa and "Bohemian Rhapsody" and starred in the viral video "Stand By Me".
Filmography
- Muppet Meeting Films
- Muppets Tonight
- "Muppets Tonight Theme"
- Episode 102: Garth Brooks
- Episode 104: John Goodman
- Episode 105: Cindy Crawford
- Episode 106: Tony Bennett
- Episode 109: Whoopi Goldberg
- Episode 110: Martin Short
- Episode 201: The Artist Formerly Known as Prince
- Episode 203: Heather Locklear
- Episode 204: Pierce Brosnan
- Episode 206: Paula Abdul
- Episode 209: The Best of Muppets Tonight
- Episode 210: The Gary Cahuenga Episode
- Episode 211: Andie MacDowell
- Episode 212: Johnny Fiama Leaves Home
- Today
- A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
- Disney Xtreme Digital
- Haunted Holidays
- Virmup
- Lost Slapdown
- AMC Movie Theater Policy Trailer
- The Muppets