John Cleese - Episode 47

JOHN CLEESE INTRO

Brian Henson: "Hi, I'm Brian Henson. This episode of The Muppet Show stars John Cleese. John particularly became very close with The Muppets and he immediately created a bond with the writers of The Muppet Show and he wanted to get involved in the writing. So together they came up with this ridiculous concept where John doesn't want to be on the show so the great thing is this whole Muppet Show is about The Muppets trying to get John to be on the show but John's trying to get off the show. One great scene to watch for is where John tries to fix Gonzo's arms and ends up stretching them six feet long and ends up knotting his arms all around his body. But the more he hurts Gonzo of course the more Gonzo loves it and here's the episode; I hope you love it."

DRESSING ROOM

John appears to be tied into doing the show.

OPENING

The balcony: Statler says "They'll never get this started."

Gonzo's horn: Gonzo surprises himself when he blows his horn successfully.

CURTAIN

Kermit gets a note from the stagehands apologizing for the weights they dropped from the rafters...before they actually fall to the floor.

OPENING NUMBER - "SOMEBODY STOLE MY GAL"

Lubbock Lou and his Jug Huggers open the show.

BALCONY

CURTAIN

Gonzo catches a cannonball with his bare hand. He actually performs the stunt successfully but ends up with a five feet long arm as a result.

BALCONY

BACKSTAGE

Floyd and Fozzie exchange wisecracks about Gonzo's long arm. John Cleese complains that the show is infested with pigs and he has a "No Pigs" clause in his contract.

NEWS FLASH

Dr. WIlliam Edgar helps aid the food crisis by fashioning Italian dinners out of wool.

ROWLF'S PIANO

Rowlf shares a duet with one of the musical chickens who departs from the norm.

PIGS IN SPACE

Co-written by John Cleese, the guest star appears as a pirate who boards the wrong kind of "ship".

[This is the only Pigs in Space episode that features a solo adventure of Captain Link.]

BACKSTAGE

BACKSTAGE

Fozzie and Gonzo have differing ideas for his arm.

AT THE DANCE

A series of fly-in-the-soup jokes.

UK SKIT: MUSICAL NUMBER - "WAITING AT THE CHURCH"

Kermit joins Miss Piggy for a duet as she appears as a jilted bride complete with wedding dress and huge bulge. The duo argue over real-life marital plans (or lack thereof) during the instrumental.

[This song appeared on the Muppet Music Hall EP.]

CURTAIN

Gonzo won't do his duet with Robin while his arm is huge but the frog informs his uncle he found another partner.

MUSICAL NUMBER - "WE GOT EACH OTHER"

The diminutive Robin sings with nine-foot-tall Sweetums.

BACKSTAGE

Fozzie and Floyd continue to share some laughs at Gonzo's expense.

DRESSING ROOM

Gonzo seeks help from John who recalls some of his Himalayan teachings as he stretches Gonzo's other arm out to where they're both the same long length. When Gonzo complains, he stretches out his legs which gets Gonzo's arms back to normal but this still doesn't quite work ("I can't tie my shoes!")

KOOZBANE

Kermit once again conducts an interview with a unique Koozebanian alien, the Spooble who's made up almost entirely of liquid inside of a clear jar.

BALCONY

CLOSING NUMBER - "IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"

Kermit introduces John Cleese who has absolutely no idea what's going on when the curtain opens. When the frog explains he refuses to sing show tunes. The curtains close and when they reopen, John is dressed in a viking outfit as Sweetums attempts to duet with him in Wagnerian opera.

This doesn't meet the guest's approval either so they try putting him in a cheesy Marvin Suggs-ish Mexican costume for a Maraca number. When John gripes he won't do a solo, the pigs and monsters he didn't want to work with are brought out on stage.

CURTAIN

Thrilled with the audience's reception to his reluctant musical number, John takes a moment to plug his new vocal album.

BALCONY