Episode 107: Sandra Bullock

Muppets Tonight
Air Date	June 23, 1996
Written by	Dick Blasucci, Paul Flaherty, Darin Henry, Jim Lewis, Kirk Thatcher and Patric Verrone
Director	Gary Halvorson
Prod. no.	108
(TRANSCRIPT)

Sandra Bullock performs The "Phenomena" sketch with The Snowths.

File:Muppets Tonight Episode 107 - Sandra Bullock

Clifford introduces the show by bringing out Sandra Bullock, who is very nervous about being on the show, and is afraid that she will mess things up so badly that she won't be invited back. She then introduces a clip from her upcoming film, "While You Were Slapping". In the lobby, Bobo the Bear gets a call from a Mad Bomber, who tries to give Bobo some very important information, but due to Bobo's stupidity, asks to talk to somebody else. Bobo gives the phone to Clifford, who is informed that there is a bomb in the studio, set to explode if the ratings go below fifty.

Backstage, everybody tries to figure out what to do about the situation. Sandra soon figures out what is going on (since it's similar to the plot of one of her movies, Speed) and starts giving orders. She tells Andy and Randy Pig to trace the phone call (which they do by pulling the phone cord out the walls), and instructs Clifford to put on the one thing that the audience has been wanting on the show: go-go dancing.

The ratings go up, but then start going down when Spamela Hamderson starts to get tired. Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat put on many acts, constantly replacing them as the ratings slip. Eventually, Andy and Randy have found where the Mad Bomber is, and leads them to a closet. Clifford breaks down the door, and the Mad Bomber is revealed to be Sandra in a disguise. It turns out that there is no bomb. She was just afraid that she'd be so bad that she wouldn't be invited back, and made up the bomb threat so that the show would get better ratings. However, Clifford tells her that she could do anything and people would watch. After being told she can do anything, she goes on stage as a one-woman band, singing "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt", making Clifford regret telling her she can do anything (but does tell her she can come back anytime). Sandra continues her number long after the show ends, prompting Beauregard to give her the keys so she can lock up when she's done.

Skit Highlights

• Cold Open: Andy and Randy give up a prize of millions of dollars ... and that was for Clifford.
• While You Were Slapping
• The Psychiatrist's Office slot (with "Phenomena")
• The Tubmans of Porksmith
• Anvil Chorus
• Wall Street Wonderings with Ernest Pleth
• Seinfeld Babies
• Sid Knishes and his Mosh Pit-tatoes
• Frankie Yakovic and his Polka Dots
• "Mack the Knife" sung by Johnny Fiama
• Bill the Bubble Guy does "Flight of the Bumblebee"
• Pepe & Seymour's Comedy Act: El-if-i-know
• Sandra's One-Woman Band ("Alexander's Ragtime Band" / "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt")

Notes

• This episode was originally set to air on April 19, 1996. However, ABC executives became aware that April 19 marked the one-year anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing and felt the plot (involving a mad bomber's threats to blow up the studio) was inappropriate. A Boy Meets World rerun aired in it's stead, as executives had planned to replace the show in the TGIF line-up the following week regardless. Muppets Tonight was placed on hiatus for two months, and the episode finally aired in June.

• Inside jokes: When Bobo puts the mad bomber on hold, the song that plays is "The Rainbow Connection," while Gonzo suggests playing an episode of Muppet Babies

• This episode was production number 108.

• Bobo says that Sandra Bullock isn't his type because she doesn't have enough fat on her, yet he was in love with Cindy Crawford.

• Although Seymour and Pepe had made a few appearances before, this episode introduces them proper.

Performers

Kevin Clash as Clifford and Animal

Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Waldorf, Randy Pig, Beauregard, Bill the Bubble Guy, and Baby George

Bill Barretta as Bobo, Pepe, Johnny Fiama, Baby Kramer, Zippety Zap, Doglion, and Howard Tubman (UK skit only)

Jerry Nelson as The Mad Bomber, Statler, Ernest Pleth, and Baby Jerry

Brian Henson as Sid Knishes, Sal, Nigel, and Seymour

Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Andy Pig, and Mr. Poodlepants

Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Spamela Hamderson, Baby Elaine

Len Levitt

Drew Massey

Joe Selph

Allan Trautman as Doctor (UK skit)

Cast

Muppets:

Clifford, Rizzo the Rat, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Andy and Randy Pig, The Mad Bomber, Nigel (Muppets Tonight), Seymour, Pepe the King Prawn, Sid Knishes and his Mosh-Pit Tatos, Frankie Yakovic, Seinfeld Babies, Gonzo, Spamela Hamderson, Ernest Pleth, Johnny Fiama, Sal Minella, Kermit the Frog, The Snowths, Doglion, Statler and Waldorf, Beauregard, Animal, Shark

Background Muppet:

J.P. Grosse, Muppets Tonight Band

Audience Muppets:

Begoony, Big Mean Carl, Blustering Bellowpane Monster, Buster Bergman, Butch, Chickens, Chip, Crocodile, Frackles, Gnu, Large Marvin Fraggle, a Monkey, Ohreally Bird, Pigs, Rats, Quongo, The Newsman, Youknow Bird

Sources

Template:Ep-nav