The Best of Kermit is a 1998 Sesame Street direct-to-video special, in which Grover hosts a tribute to Kermit. The program features Steve Whitmire as Kermit in the framing story and Frank Oz as Grover, surrounding clips of Kermit as performed by Jim Henson. The special features appearances by The Three Little Pigs and The Big Bad Wolf, as well as new segments in which Grover talks to real-life kids about Kermit.
Image | Segment | Description |
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Grover is backstage, explaining to the viewer that he's about to present The Frog of the Year Award to Kermit, and has prepared a poem for the occasion. Then the Three Little Pigs enter, saying that they are there because they are friends of Kermit's ("He's talked to us twice on Sesame Street News.") They say that they will bring Kermit the award, "the biggest prize a frog can get", and they will do whatever else they want. Grover presumes that this may mean trouble, but the Big Bad Wolf shows up and compels the pigs to behave. He tells Grover that if they bother him, just yell "Pig Patrol!" | ||
An announcer introduces the show (presented by the American Frog Institute), and Grover goes onstage to read his poem for Kermit, "What is a Frog?" He says a few things about frogs, including the fact that they love their elbows. | ||
Kermit sings "I Love My Elbows." (EKA: Episode 2614) Closing edited | ||
Grover tells a girl that he did not know that frogs had elbows, and asks her if she knew. She says she did, because she knows a lot of frogs. | ||
"Caribbean Amphibian" (EKA: Episode 2494) | ||
Continuing his poem, Grover claims that "A frog also has big ears and a long nose. And teeth, lovely white teeth". Grover shows clips on the video screen. | ||
After those clips, Grover is convinced that frogs don't have those things, but states that they do have calmness, and never get angry. However, all of the clips shown show Kermit getting angry. Clips of Kermit being angry include:
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"African Alphabet" (EKA: Episode 2404) | ||
Kermit and Joey recite the alphabet. (EKA: Episode 0536) | ||
Kermit sings "Do-Op Hop." (EKA: Episode 2484) Ending edited | ||
Continuing his poem, Grover states that when a frog is sad, he doesn't get the blues -- He gets the greens. | ||
Kermit sings "Bein' Green." (remake) (EKA: Episode 3140) | ||
Grover asks a girl what kind of weather frogs like. She doesn't think that frogs like snow, and explains why. "So maybe they like sunshine", says Grover. | ||
Grover attempts to sell a weather machine to Kermit. (EKA: Episode 0848) New sound effects added | ||
The pigs have tied up Grover and attempt to take over reading the poem: "What is a frog? Someone green and smooth with no snout or curly tail...who started out as a tiny wriggly tadpole..." But Grover yells "Pig Patrol" and the wolf chases them away. | ||
Grover and a girl discuss Kermit's award. | ||
Kermit sings to the titular tadpole about the life awaiting it when it grows up to be a frog, but tells it to take its time growing up. (EKA: Episode 2483) Ending edited | ||
Grover asks a girl if she knows what job Kermit does on Sesame Street. She knows that Kermit's a news person, but doesn't know what he says as a news person, so Grover whispers "Hi ho, Kermit the Frog here". | ||
A montage of Sesame Street News Flash segments, including scenes from...
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Grover continues his poem and says that Kermit is not a monster. He is a friendly animal with a collar, but no shirt. Grover says more about Kermit's appearance and concludes that he is proud the way Kermit is. | ||
Kermit sings "This Frog." (EKA: Episode 1075) First few seconds cut and new music added | ||
Everyone gets teary-eyed as the award is presented. Kermit comes up to get his award. He is about to take the small golden statue and make an acceptance speech, but Grover tells Kermit that he can't give it to Kermit, because that's not his prize. When Kermit asks where the real prize is, the pigs give him a very big statue of Kermit. As Kermit struggles to carry it around, Grover sings "Frog of the Year", and tells the audience that "Froggy wanted to thank his mommy and daddy, and Sesame Street News, the frogs in the glen, the little people behind the scenes, the big people behind the scenes, and someone called Jim". |
Cast
- Frank Oz as Grover
- Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog (framing material) and one of the Three Little Pigs
- Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog (inserts)
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Credits
- Executive Producer: Nancy Kanter
- Producer: Karin Young Shiel
- Director: John Chiappardi
- Segment Directors: Emily Squires, Jon Stone, David Heeley
- Writer: Tony Geiss
- Segment Writers: Judy Freudberg, Cathi Rosenberg-Turow, Tom Dunsmuir
- Child Talent: Megan Ng, Katie Scharf and Joey Calvan
- Music Director: Robby Merkin
- Additional Music: Dick Lieb
- Music Supervisor: Dave Conner
- Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
- Songs by: David Axlerod, Christopher Cerf, Dave Conner, Sarah Durkee, Tony Geiss, Paul Jacobs, Jeff Moss, Sam Pottle, Joe Raposo, Mark Saltzman, Norman Stiles
- Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop: Mark Zeszotek, Lara MacLean, James Chai, Stephen Rotondaro, Carlo Yanuzzi
- Production Designer: Stephen Hendrickson
- Associate Director: Ken Diego
- Cameras: Frank Biondo, Bobby Delrusso
- Control Room P.A.: Carol-Lynn Parente
- Special Thanks to: Cheryl Henson, Dulcy Singer, Amy Baroch Benedetta Campisi, Ellen Goldfader, Ted Green, Nan Halperin, Marjorie Kalins, Wendy Moss, Chuck Nankivell, Jodi Nussbaum, John Phillips, Katrin van Dam