Divorce (or the dissolution of marriage) is the termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties. The legal process of divorce may also involve issues of child custody.
The topic of divorce has been explored in several Muppet productions:
- In 1992, Sesame Workshop attempted to tackle the issue of divorce in an episode where Snuffy's parents get a divorce. The episode was not well received by test audiences and did not air.
- "The Bird Family" is a Sesame Street song first sung in a News Flash sketch by a small bird in the park. The song is about how the bird's parents live in separate trees but they both still love her. The song was sung by a male bird and Abby Cadabby in Little Children, Big Challenges: Divorce.
- The Dinosaurs episode "Unmarried... with Children" satirically explored the issue of divorce when Monica DeVertebrae, the first divorced female in history, shows Fran that the single life has possibilities.
- The subject of divorce was tackled by Sesame Street through the perspective of Abby Cadabby whose parents are divorced with the production of the educational resource video Little Children, Big Challenges: Divorce which debuted online in December 2012.
- In the 1996 Muppet Kids storybook "Fozzie's Big Worry", Fozzie's mom and dad have a big argument, and Fozzie leaps to the conclusion that they will be getting a divorce.
- In a Muppet News Flash segment of episode 120 of The Muppet Show, Mrs. Klinger (Valerie Harper) explains that her husband Gus has transformed into a rug, with fringe, over the last few months. She plans to divorce him because he doesn't match the curtains.
- Kermit the Frog, Marlo Thomas and the Muppets sang the song "Something for Everyone" which describes the varieties of extended or differently structured families, including divorced parents and stepfamilies.
- In the Muppet Babies episode "Fine Feathered Enemies," Scooter and Skeeter get angry with each other and "divorce" each other from being siblings.
- In an appearance on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Waldorf implied that he and Astoria are divorced.
- While reminiscing during "It Was a Very Good Year," Statler states he's had three wives; the third one returning a few years following their split. In episode 205, he remarks that seeing Judy Collins makes him glad he left his wife...at home.
- Sam Eagle revealed in the UK spot of The Muppet Show episode 422 that he and his wife had separated; later appearances explained that the couple subsequently divorced.
- Robin the Frog visits his uncle Kermit shortly after his parents divorce in The Muppets episode "Little Green Lie". His mom likes quiet nights in, and his dad likes his teacher.