Ruth Buzzi
Although we were not a-buzz about this episode (sorry), there’s still a lot to talk about, including some delightful puppetry, classic Statler & Waldorf, some boys from Jersey, and fame in the 70s. This episode also, fittingly, gives us Piggy’s first karate chop, as we metaphorically beat up some fat-shaming writers and diet culture.
Miscellaneous Muppeturgy
Rita Moreno continues giving Muppet interviews and being delightful. In Vulture’s 25 Essential Episodes of The Muppet Show (which also happens to be a pretty good list, though we’re sure we could quibble), she shares some details about her big dance number and shooting “Fever,” and sheds some light on her creative involvement behind the scenes:
“The Apache number was an idea that I had. Jim just loved it. He loved cartoon violence, and when I told him what an Apache was, he said, ‘Oh my God, we have to do that.’ On ‘Fever,’ if you look very carefully, my nostrils are flaring, and the expression is not as it should be for someone who has just smashed somebody with cymbals. That’s me desperately trying not to laugh. What I love about ‘Fever’ is that the character I’m playing is taking herself so seriously. She’s very vain — look how sexy I am — and she gets completely ruined every time with the drumbeat. Animal steals the show; he was just hilarious. It’s my kind of comedy. I was having the time of my life.”
And she doesn’t quite say it outright but heavily implies in The New Yorker that her vocals on “Fever” were live and the bass and drums were recorded, which answers one of our other questions from that episode!
List of The Muppet Show episodes at Muppet Wiki (sortable in various ways!)
Our word of the day is…
Bouncing Baby GIFs
Our Very Special Guest Star
Ruth Buzzi is absolutely funnier on Twitter in 2021 than she was allowed to be on this episode of The Muppet Show.
Gladys Ormphby, including with Muppets!
Ruth could sing much better than this episode would have us believe.
Sisyphus. For kids!
No this isn’t a mistake, Ruth is heavily featured in this too! (Yes, you’ll see it again in the Sandy Duncan show notes.)
At The Dance
This week’s songs took us to some weird places.
Maybe none weirder than that we never mentioned Jersey Boys. That little thing.
Again, not a mistake. We know Jim Nabors is next week.
