Episode 410: Kenny Rogers

The Muppet Show
Guest	Kenny Rogers
Production	July 3-5, 1979
Premiere	UK: November 30, 1979 US: October 18, 1979
Releases	Best of the Muppet Show
(TRANSCRIPT)

Scooter's uncle sells the mineral rights for Kenny's dressing room to Arabs, who start drilling for oil. Meanwhile, Kermit falls in a trapeze number and hurts his flipper. Later, he's flung from a bed, pushed down the stairs, hit by a light fixture, and shot by a catapult into Statler and Waldorf's box.

Songs/Sketches

• "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze."
• "Coconut"
• Muppet News Flash: Hospital Beds Made From Pop-Up Toaster Parts.
• "The Gambler"
• UK Spot: "Knees Up Mother Brown"
• Veterinarian's Hospital (Kermit the Frog)
• Muppet News Flash: Light Fixtures
• Gonzo's stunts: Gonzo tries to shoot himself from a catapult and sky-write the Hallelujah Chorus, but ends up sending Kermit and Piggy careening into Statler and Waldorf's box.
• "Love Lifted Me"

Episode

Picture	Description
	Cold Open: Guest star Kenny Rogers discovers that Scooter's uncle has sold the mineral rights for his dressing room to Arabs. Arab: "Before we start drilling, where should we park the camels?"
	"The Muppet Show Theme": The note Gonzo plays falls flat. "What were you expecting, Rachmaninov?" Statler and Waldorf sing an extra verse of the song: "Why don't they make things funny?"
	Kermit the Frog has agreed to appear in the opening number, so Miss Piggy introduces the show.
	Miss Piggy sings "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze." Kermit is the trapeze artist. Beauregard: "You ready, Kermit?" Kermit: "Yeah. Just don't push me hard." Beauregard: "What?" Kermit: "Push me hard!" Beauregard: "Okay!" Kermit flies across the stage, falls and hurts himself. Gonzo: "Wow! What a terrific act! You want a partner?"
	Fozzie Bear, desperate to help Kermit, calls out to the audience, "Is there a doctor in the house?" One responds. Fozzie: "Are you a real doctor?" Doctor: "Of course I'm a real doctor. You want to see my bank balance?"
	Kermit reveals that his foot is only sprained and asks Kenny Rogers if he'll find someone to help stall the show until they can get things going again. Kenny sends Zoot to play something onstage (he plays "Perdido"). The Doctor announces that Kermit will soon be hopping around, good as new. Kermit notices Beaker with a hospital bed, and gets an idea for the next number.
	Zoot is onstage playing a few riffs to keep the audience occupied as instructed. When Fozzie sends him off, he sends a few sax blats the bear's way.
	A wounded Kermit performs "Coconut" from his hospital bed, attended by the Doctor and two nurses. Slowly things begin to change. First the nurses change, then the doctor turns into The Witch Doctor! The room becomes a jungle filled with animals, dancing around Kermit's bed. As the song ends, everything returns to normal and all is calm... but only for a moment. All the animals reappear in Kermit's room.
	Kenny complains to one of the Arabs that their camel has stepped on his guitar. He is told, "Do not worry about your guitar, we will buy you a new one!" Scooter arrives to tell Kenny that Kermit still isn't feeling well. They are told, "Do not worry about the frog, we will buy you a new one!" Scooter informs Kenny that they'll have to delay his opening number, so he should just stay in the dressing room and relax. It proves difficult to relax, though, while the Arabs are drilling for oil.
	Muppet News Flash: The Newsman announces the recall of hospital beds made on assembly lines formerly used to make pop-up toaster parts.
	Kermit gets sent backstage in a wheelchair, and ends up crashing down the stairs while trying to avoid Foo-Foo.
	Robin the Frog takes over hosting duties, announcing that Kermit keeps "falling down on the job." It seemed only natural for Robin to take over as "heir apparent."
	Kenny sings his classic "The Gambler" on a train accompanied by three old men Muppets. The gambler himself relates part of the song and chorus, offering Kenny his advice. Soon, though, the gambler dies, and dances around the cabin as a ghost.
	UK Spot: "Knees Up Mother Brown" performed by Fozzie and others in a bar, while Fozzie's mother dances, kicking her knees up. Fozzie is very peturbed by the lyrics of the last chorus.
	Veterinarian's Hospital (Kermit the Frog): Nurse Piggy overacts as the nurse whose lover has had a tragic accident. Nurse Piggy: "I will never leave your side until you have taken your last breath! Do you think he heard me?" Dr. Bob: "He must have. His pulse has stopped." Piggy promises Kermit that he is safe in Vet's Hospital... and then a light fixture falls on his head.
	By now, most of the backstage area has been taken over by oil equipment. Kenny notices Kermit rubbing his neck and asks if he is alright. Kermit responds, "If I can survive that last bit, I can survive anything." Kenny describes Kermit as a very durable frog.
	Muppet News Flash: Makers of the light fixture from Veterinarian's Hospital have announced a recall on all of their hospital lights. "All manufacturing of that light fixture has been dropped."
	Kermit bravely hobbles onstage on crutches. Piggy races to his side for support. She regrets it as soon as she hears what the next act is.
	Gonzo's stunts: Gonzo, in an effort to defy death and good taste, tries to shoot himself from a catapult and sky-write the Hallelujah Chorus, but ends up sending Kermit and Piggy careening into Statler and Waldorf's box.
	In a moment of relative calm, Kenny & the Muppets sing "Love Lifted Me".
	During the closing number, the Arabs finally struck oil. At the closing, Kenny tells Kermit that he was able to make a good deal on some gasoline, in return teaching the Arabs how to sing.

Cast

Muppets:

Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Beaker, Beauregard, Rowlf the Dog, Janice, Zoot, Robin the Frog, the Newsman, Statler and Waldorf, Doctor, Nurses, The Gambler, The Old Men, Foo-Foo, Arabs, Emily Bear, Whatnots

Background Muppets:

Butch, Eric the Parrot, Sopwith the Camel, Quongo, Snakes, Crocodiles, Lou, Winny, Lew Zealand, Whaddayasay Bird, Ohreally Bird, Ohboy Bird, Geri and the Atrics Guitar Player, Floyd Pepper

Performers

Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Rowlf, the Newsman and Waldorf

Frank Oz as Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear

Jerry Nelson as Robin the Frog, Doctor, the Gambler, Arab, Cowboy and the Announcer

Richard Hunt as Scooter, Janice, Beaker, Arab and Statler

Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Zoot and Beauregard

Louise Gold as Nurse

Kathy Mullen as Nurse

Steve Whitmire as Foo-Foo

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