The Muppaphone

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Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphone

The Muppaphone is a musical instrument made up of living balls of fluff. Marvin Suggs plays music by smacking the creatures with mallets; their cries of pain form the tune.

Marvin Suggs and the Muppaphone first appeared in The Muppet Show Episode 105, playing "Lady of Spain." In Episode 208, Marvin auditioned with an All-Food Glee Club, singing "Yes, We Have No Bananas." He was back with the Muppaphone in Episode 304, singing "Witch Doctor."

In Episode 311, Kermit interviewed Marvin in a Talk Spot that appeared as a UK Spot. Kermit tells Marvin that he wants to ask him the question that most people ask, and Marvin tells him that the answer is, "Nuture, love, and respect."

Kermit asks the Muppaphone the question that most people ask: "Does it hurt?" Since Marvin Suggs is right behind them, they nervously answer, "No." When asked if they are the original Muppaphones, Marvin says that he has to replace them every three or four months, since they easily go flat. Marvin then plays croquet with them.

In Episode 315, guest star Lesley Ann Warren was horrified to learn that Marvin was the accompanist in one of her numbers. She accused him of being cruel, because he makes music by hitting live creatures. "Of course they're alive!" he answered. "You can't make music by hitting dead creatures!"

Individual Muppaphone creatures appeared in Episode 117, in Ben Vereen's "Imagination" number. Kermit and Fozzie found one of them in the Muppet Theater's attic in the Playhouse Video The Muppet Revue. A few of them were used in one of the Macy's windows in 2002.