Your Favorite Romantic Muppet Moment

beaker

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I agree--your use of language is lovely. But, I want to add a comment or two and make cautionary statement about assuming things about characters based on what we know about the actor. Often, fans think they know an actor because they know so much about a character, but, as Miss Piggy would say, "It's called acting, sweetie!" (Famous example: David Duchovny is a total non-believer in the supernatural.) A good actor can be convincing in any role if they take the time necessary to prepare their understanding of the character. I know that Richard was gay--yes--but that doesn't necessarily mean that Scooter is, too. (It doesn't necessarily mean that he's not, either.) It is insulting to actors and to gay people to suggest that only a gay person could play a gay character, or only a straight person could play a straight person. As Beaker said above, Richard's characterization of Beaker was VERY different from even what Richard was like. Whatever Richard's intentions about Scooter, they were not portrayed openly enough to be conclusive about his sexual identity.

Also, since Scooter's, um, handler has changed, you have to look at the whole history of his behavior--not just who the character was when Richard was portraying him. In IAVMMC, Scooter is obviously trying to chat up the unimpressed chorus girls (with a lampshade on his head, no less.) It is implied that he is slightly tipsy (lampshade) so one can assume he's acting in a somewhat more uninhibited way than normal. However, later in the Kermitless world, Scooter is portrayed as a sexy (well...sortof) cage dancer. Though I have heard some say that this was an obvious reference to Scooter's orientation, I don't see it. (And what are we saying if it is--that Scooter would have been gay if Kermit had never been born? That makes no sense.) I thought (and think) it was simply a reference to the way the muppets had become victimized and morally corrupted (doing whatever necessary to make a living) by never having the positive influence of Kermit and his wholesomeness.

I always admired George Takei for not trying to commandeer the character of Sulu once George came out of the closet. Sulu was obviously heterosexual. George is openly gay. But George went out of his way to be true to the character that he once portrayed instead of trying to say, "Oh, well, I was gay portraying Sulu so Sulu must have been secretly gay all that time." George made a distinction between who HE was playing a role and the character that he portrayed, which is what a skilled actor does. Is is considered an insult to say about an actor, "Oh--he always plays himself." It implys that there is no acting skill involved--just showing up.

Last little quibble: I am going to take issue just a smidge with the comment that "Richard's sexual orientation was a deep part of his identity." Neither gays nor straights can claim that their sexual identity is more a part of their identity than the other group--to suggest other wise is to suggest that one group has a superior right or claim which is, itself, a biased attitude.

What I always loved about Richard's characters was their sweetness and openness to life, and that legacy will remain long after Richard has left us.
George Tekei did not create the character of Sulu. Hunt created Scooter, and stated several times Scooter represented how he felt as an awkward teenager in high school. So just saying it's different than the character of Sulu. According to the official Muppet style guide, Scooter is around 14 years old...often the time any teen kid feels awkward. The new film The Sitter deals with a 13 year barely coming to terms with his sexuality. The only real time we get anything in the Muppet Show that could point to something is Scooter fawning over Stallone with all the fangirls backstage. I mean he reallllly likes Stallone, even if it's a mere fanboy thing. Anyways, regarding "alternate universe" in VMX, the Twin Towers still stand in NYC during a scene with Kermit and Piggy, so who knows what is to be gleaned from those scenes.

All I'm saying, is that I could see an argument for Scooter possibly being gay much more than the "Bert and Ernie are gay" argument regardless of the true nature of the character. Then again, in another interview Hunt said he based Scooter off a school yard friend of his...so who knows.
 

beaker

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Hmm... my fav "romantic" Muppet moment is from Muppets at Disney World where Gonzo sings "Love in a Laundromat" to Camilla. I loved that special as a kid, and the song was pretty good.
AMAZING! Love that song...another reason why M@WDW remains one of my TOP fave Muppet productions ever
 

CensoredAlso

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George Tekei did not create the character of Sulu. Hunt created Scooter, and stated several times Scooter represented how he felt as an awkward teenager in high school.
Well it's likely one of the writers created Scooter and that Richard contributed his own experiences to the character's personality.
 

bingboingcutie

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Er... We do already have :smirk:, if that helps.

BTW: A moment I like is when Linder Rönstadt sings I've Got A Crush to Kermit.
We do? I always thought he was a "smirk". Oh well; Link'll have to be "proud".

Wow, that's such a sweet moment. I've never seen that episode before. :super:
Definitely one of the cutest moments I've seen. I also like Gina's song with Big Bird on the day of the wedding. Not romantic, per say, but very cute.
 

The Count

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Doesn't Fozzie have Beth who snuggled with him in the co-ed caves in Maine? Or Dora from the last issue of Family Reunion from the Muppet comics? Oh well, to each their own. :coy:
 

beaker

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Well it's likely one of the writers created Scooter and that Richard contributed his own experiences to the character's personality.
Yeah that's what I meant...that's the dynamic used for so many of the beloved characters...that and the ol "um, uh...here, youre going to be this guy"(Kevin Clash's Elmo) I wish there was a documentary that went into Bonnie Erickson, Don Sahlin, etc
 

LinkLady77

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AMAZING! Love that song...another reason why M@WDW remains one of my TOP fave Muppet productions ever
I loved that song, too! btw, where is this official Muppet style guide? I'd love to read it.
 

bingboingcutie

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Doesn't Fozzie have Beth who snuggled with him in the co-ed caves in Maine? Or Dora from the last issue of Family Reunion from the Muppet comics? Oh well, to each their own. :coy:
Yeah, Dora and Fozzie does sound sweet, though I've never read that comic. But I think Fozzie'd rather not have Beth. Now he sees what Kermit's been going through with Piggy this whole time.
 
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