The Muppet Show | |
Guest | Leo Sayer |
Production | February 21-23, 1978 |
Premiere | UK: March 26, 1978 NYC: December 04, 1978 |
Releases | Season 3 |
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Miss Piggy is furious when Kermit hires a new girl pig singer, Annie Sue, especially when he introduces her as "the Muppets' delightful little lady of song." To make Piggy feel better, Kermit lets her do the dramatic recitation she's always wanted to do, William Wordsworth's "Daffodils," but the flowers on the set are filled with sneezing powder. Later, Piggy sees Kermit peck Annie Sue on the cheek, and she launches a vicious karate chop at him.
Songs/Sketches[]
- "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing"
- "Carbon Paper"
- "The Daffodils"
- "The Show Must Go On"
- UK Spot: "She Was One of the Early Birds"
- Fozzie's Monologue: Memory Act
- "When I Need You"
Notes[]
- Frank Oz performed Annie Sue during the "Carbon Paper" number, to Louise Gold's vocals. Gold had had no experience with puppets prior to joining the Muppets a year earlier, and didn't feel that she had enough experience to puppeteer that number.[1]
- Annie Sue appeared already in the Canteen in episode 301, and was nicknamed "Annabelle" by Miss Piggy.
Episode[]
Picture | Description |
---|---|
Cold Open: Leo Sayer tells the audience that he doesn't believe he's really on The Muppet Show. "It's so quiet in here," he whispers, "you could almost hear a pin drop." He soon changes his mind when he is bombarded with numerous bowling pins and a bowling ball, delivered by two bowling monsters (Luncheon Counter Monster and Behemoth). | |
"The Muppet Show Theme": When Gonzo blows his trumpet, his teeth fly out. | |
Kermit the Frog expresses his excitement to have Leo Sayer on the show, as it's not often they have some really good rock on. A rock then arrives to express his distaste in that fact, to which Kermit says they've been taking the rocks for "granite." | |
Leo dances with Fletcher Bird and several other Bird Dancers as he sings "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing." | |
Backstage, Miss Piggy questions Kermit about the upcoming number, which Kermit explains will be performed by a "girl singer." Miss Piggy seems to be okay with this, after all, she is a "woman" singer. However, when she learns that the singer is also a pig, she becomes insanely jealous of this other "girl pig singer." Kermit explains that she is nothing like Piggy. "She's very young," he says, the very worst thing to say. Though this girl singer, Annie Sue, is excited to be meeting Piggy, she could not be less excited. Miss Piggy goes to her dressing room, where we hear much destruction taking place from inside. | |
Annie Sue, "one of the Muppets' delightful little ladies of song," sings and tap dances to "Carbon Paper." | |
Backstage, Kermit stops Annie Sue to tell her how terrific and wonderful she was. The nervous young singer, very pleased to hear Kermit praise her, kisses him on the cheek and runs off. Kermit, in an effort to make it up to Miss Piggy, has set the stage so that she can perform a dramatic recitation she's always wanted to do. Piggy kisses him on the other cheek. | |
Miss Piggy recites William Wordsworth's "The Daffodils" upon a stage filled with daffodils as Rowlf backs her on piano. Unfortunately, both are allergic to the flowers. One of Piggy's sneezes sends Rowlf and his piano offstage. Likewise, the audience sneezes, sending Miss Piggy flying. | |
Miss Piggy storms backstage, demanding to know who put the sneezing powder in the flowers. She confronts Kermit, asking, "What do you have to say for yourself?" Kermit only sneezes. | |
Leo, with Animal on drums and Bobby Benson on banjo, sings "The Show Must Go On." In an edited shot, Leo, as a mime, surprises Leo during his dance interlude. | |
UK Spot: Gonzo sings "She Was One of the Early Birds" to a Canary sitting onstage. Gonzo is joined by a group of other birds who, when Gonzo refers to himself as "one of the worms," begin to peck at him. | |
Dr. Teeth shows up in Leo's dressing room to compliment him on his last number. Leo mentions that the song didn't follow the arrangements that he had sent the band. Dr. Teeth explains that Animal ate them. He then explains, "When Animal gets anything, he either hits it or eats it. No third alternative." When Leo requests to meet Animal, he is warned to stand behind a white line. It is a line indicating how far Animal's chain reaches; it is the only thing that keeps Animal from reaching Leo in his rush. | |
The star-struck Annie Sue goes to Miss Piggy's dressing room. She cannot believe she's actually near her! Close enough to touch her! When Miss Piggy shoots her a threatening look, she agrees not to, of course. She then continues on about how she's always admired Miss Piggy, ever since she was just a little baby. The comment does not sit well with Piggy, who kicks her out. | |
Fozzie's Comedy Acts: Fozzie Bear performs a memory act with the help of Annie Sue. Unfortunately, he forgets his entire act. Eventually he figures it out. He closes his eyes and has Annie Sue describe someone in the theater so that he can tell where that person is sitting. She describes Fozzie, and he only accidentally stumbles upon the correct answer. | |
Backstage, Fozzie talks with Kermit about his embarrassment that he forgot his act. Kermit assures Fozzie that they loved his assistant, but he's already forgotten who that was. Annie Sue believes she didn't do much for Fozzie's act, but Kermit tells her that she has actually saved it! He then gives her a kiss on the cheek. He is then the victim of an aerial attack from Miss Piggy. | |
Leo performs "When I Need You" from a tree while being menaced by Billy the Bear below him. The bear eventually arranges to have Crazy Harry blow up the tree, knocking it down to his level. He and other Woodland Animals join Leo in finishing the song. | |
At the closing, Miss Piggy tries to compliment Leo Sayer, but he's much more interested in meeting Annie Sue. |
Cast[]
Muppets:
- Kermit the Frog, Annie Sue, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Rowlf the Dog, Statler and Waldorf, Scooter, Dr. Teeth, Animal, Fletcher Bird, Crazy Harry, Gonzo, Billy the Bear, Bird Dancers, Behemoth, Luncheon Counter Monster, Harold, Harrison Fox, Beaver, Weasel, Rock, Canary
Background Muppets:
- Zoot, Janice, Floyd Pepper, Doris, Shirley, Harvey, Mel, Duke, Clyde, Mickey Moose, Bobby Benson
Performers[]
- Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Dr. Teeth, Rowlf and Waldorf
- Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Animal
- Jerry Nelson as Crazy Harry
- Richard Hunt as Scooter and Statler
- Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Luncheon Counter Monster and Rock
- Louise Gold as Annie Sue Pig
- Peter Friedman as others
- Graham Fletcher as Fletcher Bird
Gallery[]
Sources[]
- ↑ Personal communication, Emma Shane and Louise Gold, November 2001.
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