The Muppets – Making Legless Pratfalls Look Easy

Checking the status of Matt – erstwhile traveling companion and party to a “Best Man at Each Other’s Wedding” contractual agreement – on Facebook today, I noticed that he had changed his photo to the Swedish Chef. Matt and I share a mild obsession with the Muppets, as do many of our friends. Not only is there great nostaligic value, but the writing is sharp and clever.

We appreciate good writing. Puns, word play, witty repartee… we eat that stuff up. Anything we can quote. And when you have nothing but free time in college to hang out and watch well written movies – I’m looking at you, Godfather and Swingers – you get a lot of quotes.

But the Muppets have a strange pull. Not as inherently quotable as a Caddyshack, not as substantial as West Wing, they are hysterical and memorable for reasons unique among the content that I’m attracted to. As I stated above, the writing is great, filled with wonderful dialogue (“Bear right.” “Frog left.”), brilliant musical numbers, and laugh out loud slapstick comedy. But the players are essentially talking socks. That presents some challenges in terms of connecting with the audience.

For example, the Muppets depend greatly on physical comedy – Miss Piggy knocking people around, characters throwing their arms in the air and running away, dances to the music of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. But the physicality is a bit odd, if you think about it. Classic physical comedians – Charlie Chaplin, the Three Stooges, Daffy Duck, etc. – have an advantage over the Muppets: full bodies. The physics of a pratfall favor people with legs. But the Muppets nail the weird slapstick every time.

Growing up, this was actually a problem for my mom. One of her more ridiculous maternal proclamations was to forbid me from watching the Muppets when I was 5. She felt Miss Piggy was too violent. Mom – she’s a talking sock. I admit that little kids mimic some forms of violence, but as a parent you have to trust your ability to teach your kids the difference between media and life.

So ironically, I think 5 is just about the perfect age to experience the Muppets. The colorful characters and goofy appearances of Kermit and company catch their attention. The well executed, if strange, physical comedy will delight them and keep them tuned in while they absorb the cultural references and witty dialogue. I consider that the most important part of introducing the Muppets at this age: by exposing Dream Weaver to this level of writing while young, I hope that some of it will sink in. As s/he grows older, s/he will subconsciously look for writing of an equal caliber. The Muppets at this age is an investment in Dream Weaver’s content future.

It’s a future that I hope includes Dream Weaver and me watching some old Muppets episodes with Matt and his kids.

Be content,John