Hi there! I’m Ellie, and welcome to a fun journey into the world of the Muppets! Did you know that Kermit the Frog has his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? That’s just one of the many cool facts we’re going to explore today, with some help from our special guests: Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy!
Kermit: Hello, everyone! I’m so excited to be here with you on YouTube! Let’s dive into some Muppet history. The first time the word “Muppet” appeared in a newspaper was in the Washington Post back in 1955. Some of us, including me, first appeared on a show called “Sam and Friends,” which aired in Washington, D.C., from 1955 to 1961. In 1962, Rowlf the Dog starred in Purina Dog Chow commercials and later became the first Muppet to have a starring role on national TV as a sidekick on “The Jimmy Dean Show.”
Ellie: That’s so interesting!
Kermit: In 1975, a group of Muppets called the Land of Gorch appeared on the first season of “Saturday Night Live.” They were only there for a year, but other Muppets often appeared as guest stars on the show.
Ellie: And in 1976, you got your own show, “The Muppet Show,” right?
Kermit: Yes! “The Muppet Show” was famous for its amazing guest stars, but none of them appeared more than once. In 1979, I even hosted “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and in 1994, I guest-hosted “Larry King Live,” where I interviewed Hulk Hogan.
Miss Piggy: Kermit, you’re not the only one with fabulous guest appearances! I was a judge on “Project Runway All Stars” in 2012.
Kermit: Moving on! The Swedish Chef has a name, but we just can’t understand it.
Statler: Hey, can we share the next fact?
Waldorf: Sure! We were both named after hotels in New York City. The Statler Hotel is now called the Hotel Pennsylvania, but the Waldorf Hotel is still the Waldorf.
Kermit: Speaking of names, my famous song “Rainbow Connection” was first featured in “The Muppet Movie” in 1979. Many musicians, like The Carpenters and Justin Timberlake, have covered it. The song was even nominated for an Oscar!
Miss Piggy: In 2006, I wrote a self-help book titled “Miss Piggy’s Guide to Life.”
Kermit: Oh, I’ve heard about that!
Miss Piggy: Yes, it’s a classic!
Kermit: Fozzie Bear’s catchphrase “waka waka” is used for any joke that doesn’t go over well.
Miss Piggy: Poor Fozzie, he never gives up!
Kermit: The first movie where we played characters other than ourselves was “The Muppet Christmas Carol” in 1992. I played Bob Cratchit, and Miss Piggy played Mrs. Cratchit.
Miss Piggy: Yes, and Animal made an appearance as the drummer at a party!
Kermit: Fun fact: Animal has pretty big biceps!
Ellie: To film the final scene of the 2011 movie “The Muppets,” the crew had to shut down Hollywood Boulevard for two days.
Kermit: Yes, and Elliott was in that movie!
Ellie: I was an editor at Vogue Paris, which means I got to wear custom Marc Jacobs!
Kermit: Wow, that sounds amazing!
Ellie: And the next year, I wore a Zac Posen dress to the Oscars!
Kermit: Incredible!
Ellie: Finally, in the 1980s, the Swedish Chef had a cereal brand known as Crunchy Stars.
Kermit: Thank you for joining us on this Muppet adventure! Remember, you’re all awesome!
Miss Piggy: Yes, you’re all fabulous!
Kermit: Let’s grab some coffee or lunch sometime!
Create Your Own Muppet: Imagine you are a Muppet creator! Design your own Muppet character using craft supplies like paper, markers, and glue. Think about what your Muppet’s name would be, what they like to do, and what makes them special. Share your Muppet with your family or friends and tell them all about your character’s adventures!
Muppet Music Time: Kermit’s song “Rainbow Connection” is very famous. Listen to the song and think about what it means to you. Then, try writing your own short song or poem about something you love, just like Kermit sings about rainbows. You can even perform it for your family or friends!
Muppet History Hunt: With a parent or guardian, look up more about the history of the Muppets online or in books. Find out who created the Muppets and how they became so popular. Share one new fact you learned with your class or family. You might even discover something surprising!
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Hi, I’m Ellie, and this is Mental Floss on YouTube! We’re here at YouTube Space LA. Did you know that Kermit the Frog has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? That’s just the first of many facts about the Muppets I’m going to share with you today, with the help of some very special guests: Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy!
Kermit: Hi, everyone! There are millions of fans out there watching. I love you all, and I’m thrilled to be visiting with you personally via YouTube!
Ellie: Okay, let’s get started!
Kermit: Sure! A little Muppet history: the first newspaper to print the word “Muppet” was the Washington Post in 1955. A few of the Muppets, including myself, made our first appearances on a show called “Sam and Friends,” which aired on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., between 1955 and 1961. In 1962, Rowlf starred in some Purina Dog Chow commercials, and the next year, he became the first Muppet with a starring role on national TV as the sidekick on “The Jimmy Dean Show.”
Ellie: That’s fascinating!
Kermit: A few years later, in 1975, a group of Muppets called the Land of Gorch were part of the first season cast of “Saturday Night Live.” They were gone after a year, but the other Muppets became frequent guest stars on the show.
Ellie: And then in 1976, you got your own show, “The Muppet Show,” right?
Kermit: That’s right! The show was known for its amazing guest stars, but none of them ever appeared more than once. A few years later, in 1979, I hosted “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and in 1994, I guest-hosted “Larry King Live,” where I interviewed Hulk Hogan.
Miss Piggy: Oh, Kermit, you’re not the only one with fabulous guest appearances! I was a judge on “Project Runway All Stars” in 2012.
Kermit: Moving on! The Swedish Chef has a name, but we just can’t understand it.
Statler: Hey, can we take a quick break and share the next fact?
Waldorf: Sure! We were both named after hotels in New York City. The Statler Hotel is now called the Hotel Pennsylvania, but the Waldorf Hotel is still the Waldorf.
Kermit: Speaking of names, my famous song “Rainbow Connection” was first featured in “The Muppet Movie” in 1979. It has since been covered by many musicians, including The Carpenters, Willie Nelson, and even Justin Timberlake. The song was nominated for an Oscar!
Miss Piggy: Kermit, in 2006, I wrote a self-help book titled “Miss Piggy’s Guide to Life.”
Kermit: Oh, I’ve heard about that!
Miss Piggy: Yes, it’s a classic!
Kermit: Fozzie Bear’s catchphrase “waka waka” has come to mean any bad joke that doesn’t land well.
Miss Piggy: Poor Fozzie, he never gives up!
Kermit: The first movie where we all played characters other than ourselves was “The Muppet Christmas Carol” in 1992. I played Bob Cratchit, and Miss Piggy played Mrs. Cratchit.
Miss Piggy: Yes, and Animal made an appearance as the drummer at a party!
Kermit: Fun fact: Animal has pretty big biceps!
Ellie: In order to film the final scene of the 2011 movie “The Muppets,” the crew had to shut down Hollywood Boulevard for two days.
Kermit: Yes, and Elliott was in that movie!
Ellie: I was an editor at Vogue Paris, which means I got to wear custom Marc Jacobs!
Kermit: Wow, that sounds amazing!
Ellie: And the next year, I wore a Zac Posen dress to the Oscars!
Kermit: Incredible!
Ellie: Finally, in the 1980s, the Swedish Chef had a cereal brand known as Crunchy Stars.
Kermit: Thank you for watching Mental Floss on YouTube, made with the help of the Muppets! Don’t forget to be awesome!
Miss Piggy: Yes, you’re all awesome!
Kermit: Let’s grab some coffee or lunch sometime!
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This version removes any inappropriate or unclear content while maintaining the essence of the original transcript.
