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Episode 221: Bob Hope

The Muppet Show
Guest Starring	Bob Hope
Production Dates	November 22-24, 1977
Home Video	Season Two Best of the Muppet Show

Kermit suggests that Animal take up a hobby to calm his nerves, so he tries out a few -- alligator wrestling, bowling overhand, and hunting bunny rabbits with a tank gun.

Meanwhile, hard-working Bob Hope runs back and forth between The Muppet Show and a number of benefits, including ones for the Flying Zucchini Brothers and the Japanese Pole Vaulters Retirement Fund. Kermit keeps trying to keep Hope in the theater long enough to deliver one of his famous monologues, but when the guest star is finally ready to fulfill his obligation to the Muppets, Kermit refuses to cancel Gonzo's bread impersonation act to make space for his monologue. Instead, he offers Hope a spot in the lousy cowboy sketch.

1 Songs/Sketches
2 Notes
3 Episode
4 Edits
5 Cast
6 Performers

Songs/SketchesEdit

NotesEdit

According to Of Muppets and Men, Christopher Reeve, a close friend of Jim Henson's, puppeteered a background pole-vaulter for this show.
While taping this episode, the Muppets and Bob Hope also recorded a skit for The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special.
Audio from Kermit's theme intro appears in The Muppets when they first set foot in the dilapidated Muppet Theater.

EpisodeEdit

Picture	Description
	Cold Open: Gonzo tells guest star Bob Hope that he is a comic genius! But then he adds, "If your nose weren't so small you'd probably be a big star like me."
	"The Muppet Show Theme": Crazy Harry blows up Gonzo. (Repeated from episode 218)
	Animal is overly excited to learn who the guest star is, even though he's never even heard of him. Kermit, tired of Animal bugging him, suggests that he find a hobby to calm him down.
	It's Calypso time! Miss Piggy and the pigs sing "Pig Calypso," and then invite Kermit onstage to give his take on the number.
	Backstage, Fozzie has discovered that Bob Hope isn't in his dressing room. Kermit explains that he's across town doing a benefit. He is the busiest man in show business, after all. But he'll be back in time to do something for the show. In his pursuit of a hobby, Animal has taken up alligator wrestling
	Kermit goes onstage to introduce Bob Hope, but Fozzie informs him that Bob still isn't there yet. Kermit tries to stall with a long introduction until he finally arrives. Bob comes onstage only to tell Kermit that he is on a tight schedule and has to leave. Kermit objects, "You didn't even say, 'Hi, this is Bob Happy-to-be-on-the-Muppet-Show Hope!' Not even one 'But I wanna tell ya.' Or even 'Seriously, folks!'" And with that, Kermit has performed Bob's entire act. Bob explains that he'll be back soon, but that he's already canceled one benefit to be there. It was for The Flying Zucchini Brothers, and they are mad about the cancellation. Statler and Waldorf comment on Bob's departure: "It's what I've always said about this show. There's no hope."
	An Opossum and the Woodland Animals sing "For What It's Worth" as a group of hunters invade their woods.
	Muppet News Flash: The Newsman reports on the opening of fishing season.
	Scooter tells Kermit that the Flying Zucchini Brothers are going to send Bob back... by cannon. Bob says that he loves traveling by cannon ball as he's a high caliber performer. Kermit is all set to listen to one of Bob's monologues, but there's no time. Bob is already late for a benefit for the Japanese Pole Vaulters retirement fund.
	The Swedish Chef tries to prepare pressed duck. The duck, however, flies off, stealing the "duck presser," and drops it on the Chef's head, knocking him unconscious.
	Muppet News Flash: The opening night of the opera season is cut short by a hunter who took the term out of context.
	Rowlf performs Beethoven's "Pathétique," but Scooter tells him he must cut it short.
	UK Spot: J. P. Grosse joins Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Rowlf, Scooter, Robin, Floyd, Baskerville, and the Afghan Hound for a medley which includes the songs "Long, Long Ago," "Aura Lee," "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms," and "Sweet Genevieve."
	Muppet Labs: Dr. Bunsen Honeydew has Beaker feed an Automatic Wastebasket. The wastebasket turns out to have an insatiable appetite, and tries to devour Beaker.
	Bob returns, ready to perform his monologue. Except now there is no time for the monologue as Gonzo is on next to impersonate bread. Kermit offers Bob the cowboy sketch at the end of the show instead, talking it up as a terrific sketch. Bob agrees to do it just as Gonzo races on to announce that his bread impersonations are canceled. His poppy seeds were never delivered, and he refuses to perform naked. However, Gonzo tells Kermit that just because his act is canceled, he won't be talked into doing that awful cowboy sketch.
	Animal has given up the "easy" sport of alligator wrestling. Instead he's taking up bowling. Only Animal bowls overhand.
	Rowlf performs "Nola." During the complicated number, he grows another hand to complete it.
	Bob Hope, riding along on a two-bit horse (he bit Bob twice). Bob and Paul Revere sing "Don't Fence Me In."
	At the closing, the Flying Zucchini Brothers and the Japanese Pole Vaulters run away from Animal, who has given up overhanded bowling and taken up hunting. Bob swears this isn't happening, he's only hung over.