Your Thoughts: Lady Gaga and The Muppets Holiday Spectacular on ABC

Phillip

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 11, 2002
Messages
8,247
Reaction score
3,401
Thanksgiving night, watch the "Lady Gaga and The Muppets Holiday Spectacular" on ABC. The Muppets will ring in the holiday season in this 90-minute special. The special begins at 9:30 eastern, 8:30 central. Find out all about the special here.



If you saw the Lady Gaga and the Muppets special, please "like" this message and share your thoughts below.
 

Ruahnna

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2003
Messages
1,913
Reaction score
1,149
Wow. I really never appreciated the fact that holiday specials were scripted until now. We know The Muppets are talented—no argument there. And we know that Lady Gaga is talented—no question about her raw talent. So how can there be just...nothing going on on stage? The interactions between and among the actors were amazing stiff and awkward--the only exception was "Baby It's Cold Outside."

This was just...odd. Weird and disjointed and totally like The Muppets and Lady Gaga have nothing at all in common. Nothing. (Well, maybe Beauregard, who likes both of them.) And the songs, while interesting to watch, were just sort of strung together with no introduction. The Muppets participation in the songs was irrelevant—they added nothing. They weren't bad or embarrassing or anything—they just didn't have any more to do with the song or with LG than a fan dancing in their own living room in front of the television. The could have been smurfs or minions or little ponies for all the uniqueness they brought to the song.

There was a huge missed opportunity here—two of the world's biggest divas are in the same room, on the same special and we got over halfway into the show before they even interacted. In the first scene together, other than an off-hand “Oh, hello Piggy,” Gaga didn't acknowledge that Piggy was even there. Let's be blunt—there isn't a diva in the world who hasn't channeled Miss Piggy at one time or another—and to waste this opportunity to have two larger-than-life superstars who could be playing off each other, singing with/against each other—it's just flat out a travesty.

I'm hoping that this isn't an indication of the reboot of The Muppets franchise. It's unworthy of them.

The duet: Kermit should not be talking about how big the stage is, then how small the world is. His ad-libbing—and I am assuming that it's adlibbed because it would be embarrassing if this were scripted and were still this lame—was neither unique or interesting. And Kermit is singing “Gypsy” instead of Piggy? Couldn't Piggy have come out dressed in something old-style gypsy—scarves and gold hoop earrings, etc., and then, when they correct her mistake, transform into an incredible big-haired show-stopper to sing along with Gaga? Really? When Kermit sang, “I don't want to be alone forever”--no Piggy arrived at his side as though beckoned? And she wasn't there to sing, “I can't be denied.” This could have been an amazing part of the show with this song—it is a song that would have worked remarkably well. The Muppets know—as well as any performer anywhere—that the life of an entertainer is often a life on the road, with holiday in hotels and filming schedules that keep you from spending time with family. This could have been a poignant song, a moving song—but Kermit just chuckled his way through the whole thing like a total goofball. I am at a loss to explain it.

The scenes where they asked groups of muppets (including The Electric Mayhem and the chickens and Gonzo-and-Rizzo [who were the high point]) were really lame. Was there NOONE who could come up with some funny, witty lines for the Mayhem? Although it was nice to hear them all talk, it would have been better if they'd actually had something to say. (The shots of Dr. Teeth playing the keyboard in the first song were cruelly enticing—a promise of something to come that never arrived.)

I am just...wow, totally sad and bummed by the mess this special was. I cannot believe I'm saying this—truly I can't—but I liked Gaga better impromptu in the Kermit-dress—it was at least unexpected and interesting.

Bring back Cirque du soLamé. And while you're at it, please bring back The Muppets—the real muppets, please.

I am beginning to be VERY WORRIED about the new movie....


Ruefully, Ru
 

LamangoNumber2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2008
Messages
662
Reaction score
195
Lips got decent screen time due to poor camera work. And seeing Mo Frackle again was nice. Poor Walter barely got any time. Rizzo complaining about how he hasn't gotten a name drop in years was a riot.
 

Oscarfan

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 2, 2008
Messages
7,604
Reaction score
3,949
That wasn't too bad. The musical numbers were fine; "Venus" seemed like something MT! would've done, until everyone but Mayhem left.

Most of the backstage scenes seemed very awkward, like there was barely even a script. But, hey, some funny Zoot lines, Big Mean Carl and Piggy not being a complete b-*-t-c-h is cool. And Rizzo! Yay!
 

MuppetsRule

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2002
Messages
2,658
Reaction score
1,758
Wow. I really never appreciated the fact that holiday specials were scripted until now. We know The Muppets are talented—no argument there. And we know that Lady Gaga is talented—no question about her raw talent. So how can there be just...nothing going on on stage? The interactions between and among the actors were amazing stiff and awkward--the only exception was "Baby It's Cold Outside."

This was just...odd. Weird and disjointed and totally like The Muppets and Lady Gaga have nothing at all in common. Nothing. (Well, maybe Beauregard, who likes both of them.) And the songs, while interesting to watch, were just sort of strung together with no introduction. The Muppets participation in the songs was irrelevant—they added nothing. They weren't bad or embarrassing or anything—they just didn't have any more to do with the song or with LG than a fan dancing in their own living room in front of the television. The could have been smurfs or minions or little ponies for all the uniqueness they brought to the song.

There was a huge missed opportunity here—two of the world's biggest divas are in the same room, on the same special and we got over halfway into the show before they even interacted. In the first scene together, other than an off-hand “Oh, hello Piggy,” Gaga didn't acknowledge that Piggy was even there. Let's be blunt—there isn't a diva in the world who hasn't channeled Miss Piggy at one time or another—and to waste this opportunity to have two larger-than-life superstars who could be playing off each other, singing with/against each other—it's just flat out a travesty.

I'm hoping that this isn't an indication of the reboot of The Muppets franchise. It's unworthy of them.

The duet: Kermit should not be talking about how big the stage is, then how small the world is. His ad-libbing—and I am assuming that it's adlibbed because it would be embarrassing if this were scripted and were still this lame—was neither unique or interesting. And Kermit is singing “Gypsy” instead of Piggy? Couldn't Piggy have come out dressed in something old-style gypsy—scarves and gold hoop earrings, etc., and then, when they correct her mistake, transform into an incredible big-haired show-stopper to sing along with Gaga? Really? When Kermit sang, “I don't want to be alone forever”--no Piggy arrived at his side as though beckoned? And she wasn't there to sing, “I can't be denied.” This could have been an amazing part of the show with this song—it is a song that would have worked remarkably well. The Muppets know—as well as any performer anywhere—that the life of an entertainer is often a life on the road, with holiday in hotels and filming schedules that keep you from spending time with family. This could have been a poignant song, a moving song—but Kermit just chuckled his way through the whole thing like a total goofball. I am at a loss to explain it.

The scenes where they asked groups of muppets (including The Electric Mayhem and the chickens and Gonzo-and-Rizzo [who were the high point]) were really lame. Was there NOONE who could come up with some funny, witty lines for the Mayhem? Although it was nice to hear them all talk, it would have been better if they'd actually had something to say. (The shots of Dr. Teeth playing the keyboard in the first song were cruelly enticing—a promise of something to come that never arrived.)

I am just...wow, totally sad and bummed by the mess this special was. I cannot believe I'm saying this—truly I can't—but I liked Gaga better impromptu in the Kermit-dress—it was at least unexpected and interesting.

Bring back Cirque du soLamé. And while you're at it, please bring back The Muppets—the real muppets, please.

I am beginning to be VERY WORRIED about the new movie....


Ruefully, Ru
Very well said and spot on. Amazing how bad this was.
 

LamangoNumber2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2008
Messages
662
Reaction score
195
Very well said and spot on. Amazing how bad this was.
It's Gaga's first Christmas special, give her a break.

Although, the Muppets coming onstage to say hi to Elton like old friends would have been cool.
 

fragglerockr

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2002
Messages
120
Reaction score
11
Ummm. Actually it's her second holiday special. It felt too much like New Year's Rocking Eve with Lady Gaga and Muppet bumpers thrown in. It just didn't gel.
 

MUPPETMONKEY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2002
Messages
213
Reaction score
85
THIS MADE NO SENSE AT ALL!
There...I said it...
I think Lady Gaga was lying on her couch as her agents listened to her babble: "What if I made a special and the Muppets are in it as if I was their guest"
And that's precisely what she got. A special with the Muppets in it. Nothing else!!!
No script, no sequence...no logic...NOTHING!
 

ploobis

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
1,596
Reaction score
533
The Muppets were GREAT in the Gaga special!!! :smile:
 
Top