"Hugga Wugga" (also known as "Buggy Mugger") evolved from a longtime favorite Jim Henson sketch originally titled "Sclrap Flyapp." Henson's love of jazz is evident in the performance of "Hugga Wugga," in which he played with the idea of combining eerie music, visual imagery, and special effects.

In the sketch, a nasty, gravel-voiced creature marches through an alien swamp, chanting "Hugga Wugga!" When he finds creatures that sing different songs, he blasts them with steam. This bully is infuriated when he meets a creature who sings "You Are My Sunshine." Hugga Wugga blasts him, but the happy creature turns the tables on his aggressor.

The sketch was first performed as part of Nancy Sinatra's Las Vegas stage show, Movin' with Nancy: Nice 'n' Easy, in 1971. In 1976, it was performed in episode 118 of The Muppet Show. In Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff, it's revealed that this is Gonzo and Camilla's song (though they refer to it as "Hugga Wugga Buggy Mugger").

Releases

Audio

• The Muppet Show (album) (1977, international releases only)

Video

• Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff (1985)

Book

• The Muppet Show Book (1978)

Characters

• Hugga Wugga - This purple creature has a funnel nose used to blast creatures that don't chant what he's chanting. He has eyes that move. Performed by Frank Oz. This character, sporting red fur instead of purple, would later make a cameo in The Muppet Show Comic Book issue #4.
  • The Muppets director James Bobin named Hugga Wugga during the Muppets' Google+ Hangout as one of his favorite characters of all time.
• Iggy Wiggy - This green bird-like creature has purple feathers on top of his head and has googly eyes. He is the only creature that didn't evolve from a creature from "Sclrap Flyapp". Performed by John Lovelady.
• Happy Yellow Creature - This creature has eyes at the top of his skinny head. He sings, "You are My Sunshine." Performed by Jerry Nelson. This character has popped up occasionally, though miscolored pink, in The Muppet Show Comic Book, appearing in issues #1, 3, and 4. His design is similar to the creatures who sang the "Business" number in The Ed Sullivan Show.

Notes

• The Hugga Wugga and Happy Yellow Creature appear in the background of The Muppet Show Comic Book: Pigs in Space.

See also

• Sclrap Flyapp