The Great Seal of the United States



The Great Seal of The United States is a design that is used symbolically to represent the United States of America. According to official statements from the Federal Government, the seal appears in diverse forms "on coins, postage stamps, stationery, publications, flags, military uniforms, public monuments, public buildings, passports, and other items the U.S. government has issued, owns, or uses. The Seal can be affixed only by an officer of the Department of State, under the authority of its custodian, the Secretary of State." Several variants of The Seal exist, but all show an an American bald eagle with its wings spread, supporting a shield, or escutcheon, and clutching an olive branch and a bundle of 13 arrows, "denoting the power of peace, which is exclusively vested in congress."

The Great Seal has been parodied many times in Muppet media, mostly in sketches and references involving Sam the Eagle. For example, when Sam delivered his editorials, he stood at a lectern with a spoof of The Great Seal hanging on the wall in the background. This image also made its way in nearly identical form into The Muppet Show Book.

In The Comic Muppet Book, Sam envisions himself being photographed in a context reminiscent of both his editorials and of The Great Seal.

Finally, The Muppet Show Fan Club Newsletter volume 1, number 1 is "stamped" in several places with a light green "Great Seal of Disapproval" bearing a dour image of Sam.