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| The Muppet Show | |
| Guest | Paul Williams |
| Production | June 22-24, 1976 |
| Releases | Season One |
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Scooter talks Fozzie into doing "the telephone pole bit," and Fozzie practices dutifully until he finds out what the bit is: Fozzie dresses up as a telephone pole, and Scooter asks what his name is. "Mike Oznowiczki," Fozzie says, and Scooter exclaims, "Oh, so you're the telephone Pole!" Fozzie is convinced that they will die on stage. They do.
Songs/Sketches
- A monster sings "All of Me" as he gives himself away to his lover, part by part.
- Paul sings "An Old Fashioned Love Song," with a pair of Paul Williams Muppets.
- Muppet Labs: All-Purpose Tenderizer
- A Poem by Rowlf: "Silence," with many loud interruptions
- Blackout: The Tallest Person on the Show
- At the Dance
- UK Spot: Mary Louise and a chorus of frogs sing "I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog."
- Talk Spot: Kermit and Paul discuss famous short people.
- Paul, as a travel agent, sends Beautiful Day Monster to Pittsburgh.
- Talking Houses: The Church
- Wayne and Wanda: "You Do Something to Me"
- Muppet News Flash: An Amazing Story
- Fozzie's Comedy Act: Scooter joins Fozzie as they perform the Telephone Pole bit.
- Paul sings "Sad Song"
Summary
The Frog Chorus, singing "I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog"
Behind the scenes of The Frog Chorus
Kermit opens the show by mentioning that Paul Williams is their guest, and informs the audience that they will not make any jokes about Paul's size, but adds that "he's such a cute little fellow that we're gonna make him an honorary Muppet". He then introduces the opening number, "All of Me", featuring a monster who removes all of his body parts. Backstage, Fozzie is having trouble preparing for his act, and Scooter suggests to Fozzie that he do "The Telephone Pole Bit", telling Fozzie that it's a classic. Scooter is about to tell Fozzie what's supposed to happen, and when he mentions that they would be on stage together, Fozzie points out that he works alone. But Scooter informs him that he doesn't tell jokes in the telephone pole bit, because he is the telephone pole.
Kermit then introduces Paul Williams' first number, "Old Fashioned Love Song", in which Paul is joined by two caricatures of himself and The Gogolala Jubilee Jugband. Then, in Muppet Labs, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew shows off his latest invention, the All-Purpose Tenderizer, which can make anything softer. This sketch is followed by a poem by Rowlf, titled "Silence".
Backstage, Fozzie practices to be a telephone pole. Hilda watches him but says that nobody would believe that he's a telephone pole. She then changes her mind when a lineman puts a power line on Fozzie's nose. Paul then tells the audience that one of the reasons he chose to be on the show was so he could finally be the tallest person on a television show... but then meets Sweetums, Thog, and a Mutation. At the Dance then follows this sketch. In the UK spot, Mary Louise leads the frogs in a performance of "I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog". Then, during the talk spot, Kermit and Paul talk about famous short people.
Backstage, while Fozzie pretends to be a telephone pole, a woodpecker pecks at him. Paul then stars in a sketch as a travel agent, whose customer, Beautiful Day Monster, wants to go to Pittsburgh, and keeps wanting to know if he has any cheaper forms of transportation. One of the Houses reveals that she has a very religious mother... she's a church. Wayne saws Wanda as Wanda sings "You Do Something to Me". In Muppet News, The Newsman interviews a man (Paul Williams) with a supposedly unusual story.
Backstage, Fozzie finds out what the telephone pole bit is, and tells Scooter that he will not do it. But Scooter gets him to do the act anyway. Waldorf comments that Fozzie has never been better, Statler says that Fozzie also hasn't been shorter, but Waldorf says "Same difference". The show closes with Paul and the cast singing "A Sad Song".
Notes
- The telephone pole's name is a takeoff on Frank Oz's father, puppeteer Mike Oznowicz.
- This is the first episode featuring Muppet Labs.
- This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series.
- The UK Sketch is one of two Fran Brill appearances on the show in back-to-back episodes.
- This is the first appearance of Robin the Frog, as seen in the "I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog" number.
Edits
- When released on The Muppet Show: Season One, the opening number, "All of Me," is cut. Part of the first backstage sequence is also cut to remove a reference to the opening number.
- The Muppet Labs segment was cut on Nickelodeon.
Cast
Muppets:
- Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Scooter, Rowlf the Dog, Statler and Waldorf, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Paul Williams Muppet, Whatnot, George the Janitor, Mildred Huxtetter, Zoot, Janice, Hilda, Beautiful Day Monster, Talking Houses, Sam the Eagle, Wayne, Wanda, The Newsman, Mary Louise, Shouting Lady, Sexy Muppet, Miss Kitty, Whatnot Monster, Sweetums, Thog, Mutation
Background Muppets:
- Ohboy Bird, The Gogolala Jubilee Jugband, Jerry Nelson Muppet, Zelda Rose, Nigel, Red-Haired Woman, Frogs, Robin the Frog, Frackles, Animal, Floyd Pepper, Brewster, Gonzo
Performers
- Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Rowlf, Waldorf and the Newsman
- Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Animal, George the Janitor, Mildred and Sam the Eagle
- Jerry Nelson as Monster, Shouting Lady, Shouting Lady's dancing partner, Paul 1, Lineman, Frogs and one of the Houses
- Richard Hunt as Scooter, Statler, Beautiful Day Monster, Ohboy Bird, Miss Piggy, Miss Piggy's dancing partner and Frogs
- Dave Goelz as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Paul 2 and Zoot
- Eren Ozker as Hilda, Janice, Wanda and Animal's Dancing Partner
- Fran Brill as Mary Louise
- John Lovelady as Frogs and one of the Houses
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