This article, “The Performance of Nonconformity On The Muppet Show-Or, How Kermit made Me Queer”, by Jordan Schildcrout, was aimed to an audience familiar to The Muppets Show, which ran its first episode in 1976 and remained on the air until 1981(2008). The Muppets appealed to both young and old, with more sophisticated shows than that of Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock, which had a similar concept. This was supposed to be a show without a point, and was not trying to educate our children; although it failed in that sense, because it taught us valuable lessons on ignoring the norms of our society. The Muppets taught us it’s okay to look past the labels and stereotypes we are given, to be what we want and whom we want to be, regardless of whether anyone is doing the same: don’t be a follower, be your own leader.
The Muppets lifted the boundaries of male and female typecasting, plus the boundaries of color discrimination, mostly by putting the characters in all sorts of bodies, colors, and objects which we could not regularly label as we normally would. “In television everyone feels their racial or ethnic group is underrepresented, or should be portrayed as they want the world to perceive them” says Gene Mater, senior vice president of CBS (Petrracca, Socapure, 2008.). The Muppets were able to do this with a variety of races, ethnicities, and characters that could not be categorized. That being said, Mater also states “…no popular entertainment form, can or should be an accurate reflection on society (2008.)” Sometimes the show would put a typical male in a female role, or vice versa; but it was done innocently, not to draw attention that would shock or upset the viewer, like we see today on television. This was rarely questioned because the Muppets did it in a very non-confrontational, sort of accidental way.
The Muppet Show was to be a program that brought the finer things in life to its viewers. Ballet, the arts, cooking demonstration, science fiction, medical dramas, it was a variety show at its finest. The guests of the show were always the minority, because they were the only humans on the show, the only ones who were not puppets. This show broke many barriers: that women should not be aggressors; that men had to be manly; that everything had to have a definite sex label; and that men could sing and dance and not be weak for doing it. The Muppets embraced not conforming to the normal expectations of everyday. This nonconformity, always wondering what was next, was the basis for its popularity.
The biggest celebrities of The Muppets were both male and female: Kermit and Miss Piggy. Sexuality was shown from every angle, in Miss Piggy’s love for Kermit, groups adoring the music stars that came on the show, and Gonzo’s love for anything male or female. This taught the viewers there are different people in the world, and we should accept them for who they are, no matter what they are. This is a life lesson on diversity and acceptance that leads to a happy and healthy society in whole. Society without acceptance of others who are different will have issues with discrimination, racism, and hate crimes of all sorts. Everyone is different, and this was the foundation for this show. Learning this lesson is an important part for us to be adaptable as adults in our society.
In this article, Miss Piggy was defined as a sort of drag queen male. I disagree with this viewpoint. I believe Miss Piggy was a strong-willed, pushy woman who knew what she wanted and did everything possible to get it. I don’t think that the general audience would have ever perceived her as a drag queen. If being an aggressive woman makes a female a drag queen, then the author of this article misinterprets the idea of a strong female. Kermit was sensitive and liked to sing and dance, and did not love miss Piggy back; did this make him gay? I don’t think so. Gonzo was neither male nor female as far as we knew. He loved women and men, but what does questioning his or her sexuality say about us? Do we have to label everything, to make it more or less in comparison to ourselves? This broke the norms in society, because we assign a sex to everything.
The Muppet Show was one of the first to invite controversial guest stars, and it helped boost ratings for the show. We wanted to see, would they do something obnoxious? Is that person just like us and normal in everyday life? Bringing Elton John on the show did not turn any viewer gay, the thought of that is laughable. Yes, he was admittedly a gay man, but first was a performer. He preformed and acted, and that was all.
I don’t believe that any show ever made, including the Muppets, can turn a person queer, gay, or alter their sexual preferences in anyway. Sexual orientation is much more complicated than that. It is hardwired into our being, not just a random change of mind for people. Nothing can change the things that makeup the personal preferences we have regarding what we like or don’t like sexually, least of all television.
This show proved that it is possible for people to be true to what they are, and what they like. We are not all the same. The Muppets taught us to be true to ourselves, and this is why we loved them. We can do what we want with our lives and others should not judge for it. The Muppets helped us to be better people for this. It lifted the labels and lost the traditional stereotypes. Every different person and thing on the show was treated equally and accepted just the same. We could all learn that lesson, and it would make for healthy relationships, friendships, and environments in general.
The Muppets crossed generations with its popularity. Young and old could sit down together to enjoy watching this show. All of these things added up to what made this show so special to us when we were young, and is why many of us bought the tapes or DVDs of the show for our own children today. For a show that was not trying to teach us anything, it did a pretty good job of teaching us acceptance.
References
Petracca, M. & Sorapure, M. (2008.) Common Culture. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Schildcrout, J. (2008). The Performance of Nonconformity On The Muppet Show-Or, How Kermit made Me Queer. The Journal of Popular Culture. 41(5), 823-835.
Picture.
The Muppets lifted the boundaries of male and female typecasting, plus the boundaries of color discrimination, mostly by putting the characters in all sorts of bodies, colors, and objects which we could not regularly label as we normally would. “In television everyone feels their racial or ethnic group is underrepresented, or should be portrayed as they want the world to perceive them” says Gene Mater, senior vice president of CBS (Petrracca, Socapure, 2008.). The Muppets were able to do this with a variety of races, ethnicities, and characters that could not be categorized. That being said, Mater also states “…no popular entertainment form, can or should be an accurate reflection on society (2008.)” Sometimes the show would put a typical male in a female role, or vice versa; but it was done innocently, not to draw attention that would shock or upset the viewer, like we see today on television. This was rarely questioned because the Muppets did it in a very non-confrontational, sort of accidental way.
The Muppet Show was to be a program that brought the finer things in life to its viewers. Ballet, the arts, cooking demonstration, science fiction, medical dramas, it was a variety show at its finest. The guests of the show were always the minority, because they were the only humans on the show, the only ones who were not puppets. This show broke many barriers: that women should not be aggressors; that men had to be manly; that everything had to have a definite sex label; and that men could sing and dance and not be weak for doing it. The Muppets embraced not conforming to the normal expectations of everyday. This nonconformity, always wondering what was next, was the basis for its popularity.
The biggest celebrities of The Muppets were both male and female: Kermit and Miss Piggy. Sexuality was shown from every angle, in Miss Piggy’s love for Kermit, groups adoring the music stars that came on the show, and Gonzo’s love for anything male or female. This taught the viewers there are different people in the world, and we should accept them for who they are, no matter what they are. This is a life lesson on diversity and acceptance that leads to a happy and healthy society in whole. Society without acceptance of others who are different will have issues with discrimination, racism, and hate crimes of all sorts. Everyone is different, and this was the foundation for this show. Learning this lesson is an important part for us to be adaptable as adults in our society.
In this article, Miss Piggy was defined as a sort of drag queen male. I disagree with this viewpoint. I believe Miss Piggy was a strong-willed, pushy woman who knew what she wanted and did everything possible to get it. I don’t think that the general audience would have ever perceived her as a drag queen. If being an aggressive woman makes a female a drag queen, then the author of this article misinterprets the idea of a strong female. Kermit was sensitive and liked to sing and dance, and did not love miss Piggy back; did this make him gay? I don’t think so. Gonzo was neither male nor female as far as we knew. He loved women and men, but what does questioning his or her sexuality say about us? Do we have to label everything, to make it more or less in comparison to ourselves? This broke the norms in society, because we assign a sex to everything.
The Muppet Show was one of the first to invite controversial guest stars, and it helped boost ratings for the show. We wanted to see, would they do something obnoxious? Is that person just like us and normal in everyday life? Bringing Elton John on the show did not turn any viewer gay, the thought of that is laughable. Yes, he was admittedly a gay man, but first was a performer. He preformed and acted, and that was all.
I don’t believe that any show ever made, including the Muppets, can turn a person queer, gay, or alter their sexual preferences in anyway. Sexual orientation is much more complicated than that. It is hardwired into our being, not just a random change of mind for people. Nothing can change the things that makeup the personal preferences we have regarding what we like or don’t like sexually, least of all television.
This show proved that it is possible for people to be true to what they are, and what they like. We are not all the same. The Muppets taught us to be true to ourselves, and this is why we loved them. We can do what we want with our lives and others should not judge for it. The Muppets helped us to be better people for this. It lifted the labels and lost the traditional stereotypes. Every different person and thing on the show was treated equally and accepted just the same. We could all learn that lesson, and it would make for healthy relationships, friendships, and environments in general.
The Muppets crossed generations with its popularity. Young and old could sit down together to enjoy watching this show. All of these things added up to what made this show so special to us when we were young, and is why many of us bought the tapes or DVDs of the show for our own children today. For a show that was not trying to teach us anything, it did a pretty good job of teaching us acceptance.
References
Petracca, M. & Sorapure, M. (2008.) Common Culture. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Schildcrout, J. (2008). The Performance of Nonconformity On The Muppet Show-Or, How Kermit made Me Queer. The Journal of Popular Culture. 41(5), 823-835.
Picture.
The Muppet Show.(2008). Photo Gallery. Retrieved May 27,2009 from
http://www.starpulse.com/Television/Muppet_Show,_The/ .
http://www.starpulse.com/Television/Muppet_Show,_The/ .
Most certainly, the different faces on the puppet show is indeed a representation of the different people living in America. We are a nation interwoven with people from all over the globe. And it is important that we learn how to live, work, and socialise with each other. Some things are only registered when we "see them" with our eyes. Seeing all those funny looking faces in different color bodies, will certainly bring it home to all, that the show is definitely a representation of the society we live, work and socialise in. Certainly, we need to do that for the common good of all.
ReplyDeleteThose same "fine things" in life will take us a long way. Children especially, are very much influenced by what they see on tv. And those excellent "copy cats" we have as children, will adapt and be influenced by what those characters do. I think the sole purpose of those shows is to present society as they see it, and never to change anyone's personality.
First of all, Great analysis Beth!
ReplyDeleteThe muppet puppet have inspired many other puppet and cartoon movies and television shows that are popular today! Culturally, the characters tolerated people of all colors, shapes, and preferences (sexual and otherwise).
It seems that they weren't ruled by common sense or reality itself. As far as the general assumption of societal norms, the show emphasized, in my opinion, that virtues come from within one's own self rather than the norms of society.
Nice job!
~ Jo
I as well don’t think Miss Piggy was a drag queen, but that is a different way to look at her (also a good laugh!!). I just thought of her as some obnoxious overweight pig, and that her personality was derived from her compensating for other shortcomings. Now Kermit, there is something wrong with that frog. Gay, not sure, but something just isn’t right with him. Did the show present unique characters? Yes. Did it teach us acceptance, I don’t know if I can say for sure or not. I haven’t seen the show in years and my kids never wanted to watch them. So for the moment, I’ll trust your review.
ReplyDeleteBethany,
ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job explaining yourself in this analysis. I agree that Miss Piggy being a strong and aggressive female does not make her a drag queen. I feel that she was a unique character that went for the things she wanted. Although she was a little extreme at times, this quality of knowing what you want and going for it should be an admirable one, not labeled as a drag queen. Labeling her a drag queen is just an example of the obsession society has with labels. The Muppet Show turning people hmosexual, how ridiculous! As you said, it is more complicated than that. How many other people who watched The Muppet Show and grew up to become homosexual blame The Muppet Show? I'm sure the majority of men who watched the Muppets are not "queer" today. I think people today want someone or something else to blame for how they turn out or for the troubles in their life. Society longs to label things and The Muppet show went against this concept.
-Kimberly V
Wow, all of this in the muppets? I did not think any of this was going on. I was shocked after hearing all of the backstage happenings on the brady buch, my innocent childhood memories are ruined! :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't believe Ms. Piggy was a male dressed in drag and Gonzo was a bi-sexual. They were cutie animals who sang and danced for our entertainment. This article reminds me of when the teletubbies were gay because one of them dressed in purple. The argument that a television show can make a person gay is absolutely ridiculas!
Are you kidding me? Why anyone could think that a TV show would make them grow up to be queer is so ridiculous. It's a television show for kids with a lot of quirky characters that make you laugh
ReplyDeleteBethany,
ReplyDeleteI remember watching the Muppet Show and I never realized there were so many hidden agendas. Of course, I was young so I guess I wouldn't have noticed anyway. Very interesting article. I think you did a great job. I don't believe that Muppet Show is responsible for turning people into homosexuals. Many of the things mentioned in this article could be argued. I think Miss Piggy was a diva but I don't think she was anything else. If anything I think that this showed America that many women are strong willed and this is ok. I think that many TV shows could be evauluated and people might believe that they had other intentions. The problem is that this is opinion and not fact. I think we have to distinguish between reality and fantasy. This show was intended to be family entertainment. People are entitled to their opinions but I believe this show is not responsible for people's sexuality. If our society is that easily influenced that we should ban television all together.
Let’s face it when we get older we lose that innocence of being young. We suspect everyone of some kind of motive. When we watched shows like this, we didn’t think about all of these “hidden agendas”. Come on, we didn’t even know they existed. All we cared about was the entertainment and laughter. As parents, we just have to remember what our duties are and explain things to our kids. Kids are going to see “agendas” no matter if it’s on TV or not. The exposure is everywhere. Sometimes, we just need to sit down with our kids and take the time to help them along as they grow.
ReplyDelete