TMS outline- Jack Benny!

[Princeton]

The Muppet Show with Jack Benny
STYLE- FIRST SEASON(CIRCA HARVEY KORMAN EP)

Opening Number- Rowlf sings "Autumn Leaves".

Backstage- Jack asks Kermit if Jack can play his violin during the At The Dance sketch. Kermit is reluctant because Jack isn't really the best violin player. Jack gives Kermit his trademark "Well!" and Kermit gives in.

At The Dance- Jack starts playing his violin; naturally it is off-key and it is a song that nobody recognizes. Then come the jokes:

WAYNE(to Wanda)- "I've heard better music coming out of a car muffler that's full of holes."

ZOOT(to Janice)- "Sounds like he's using screech cat guts on that violin".

HILDA(to Mahna Mahna)- "That man is tone deaf; I wish I was plain deaf".

Backstage- Bunsen offers to use Muppet Labs' All-Purpose Tuner on Jack's violin to make it sound better. Jack laughs and says "That's just part of my act; I actually play the violin very well".

Wayne and Wanda- They are on the top of a mountain. Wayne starts singing "I Am A Rock" and Wanda falls off.

UK Skit- Floyd and Zoot play "Fooled Around And Fell In Love".

Panel- The topic is the "decline of music". The panel consists of Kermit, Gonzo, Piggy, and "accomplished" violinist Mischa Nelson(played by Jack).

Kermit- "Tell me, Mr. Nelson, when did you take up playing the violin?"
Jack- "Age 5".
Piggy- "Well, it's about time you gave it back".
Gonzo- "All right, my turn. What's the best part of being a musician?"
Jack- "Getting paid".
Kermit(frowns)- "Oh, sheesh".
Piggy- "All right, I got one for ya, slick. What's the WORST part of being a musician?"
Jack- "Being on a panel discussion with 3 stuffed socks".

Closing Number- Jack and various Muppets sing "Mona Lisa".

Closing Theme

 

[JaniceFerSure]

Pretty cute fan fic Brian,well written.What is your avatar of? BTW hiya!!

 

[Princeton]

My avatar is of the classic SNL sketch where Will Ferrell plays the cowbell in a Blue Oyster Cult recording session.

 

[JaniceFerSure]

My avatar is of the classic SNL sketch where Will Ferrell plays the cowbell in a Blue Oyster Cult recording session.

Thanks for the clear-up.

 

[TogetherAgain]

LOVELY outline! Positively LOVELY!
I love the panel discussion. hee hee. "being on a panel discussion with three stuffed socks". That's great!

 

[Gorgon Heap]

This is great stuff, Princeton, but I do have one suggestion- there are only six sketches in this fanfic, and if I recall, the smallest number of sketches in any Season One episode is 8 (the Ethel Merman episode), the most 14 (Paul Williams and I believe Harvey Korman episodes), usually there were at least 10. There were only 7 episodes in the series that had 6 acts (the smallest number of acts per episode): John Denver, Dyan Cannon, Victor Borge, Beverly Sills, Loretta Swit, James Coburn, and Johnny Cash- all Season Four and Five. That's my only criticism- I'd say otherwise this outline is golden.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Is Wayne & Wanda's "I Am a Rock" the same as the Simon & Garfunkel song?

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Princeton]

Is Wayne & Wanda's "I Am a Rock" the same as the Simon & Garfunkel song?

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

You betcha, Dave!

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Would W & W really sing folk rock tho? They only ever sang old standards and showtunes, never any of that "shameless rock n' roll" music as Sam would call it. Something to consider, you could use the same gag easily enough with a different song, like "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from "The Sound of Music".

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Gorgon Heap]

How about making some additions to the outline, make it longer? You could add a Vet's Hospital, Muppet News (maybe with Jack?), a Talk Spot with Kermit & Jack, perhaps interrupted by Fozzie, or maybe bring that in later by having Fozzie do his monologue and get some help from Jack. There's other stuff too, like those onstage bits (Juliet Prowse and Zoot, Vincent Price and Sweetums), the Talking Houses, and maybe another song or two. All this one really needs to be is longer. That's my number one piece of advice for ya.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole