References to being puppets

References by The Muppets and other Jim Henson creations to actually being puppets, as well as times when those characters made references that suggest that they are not puppets.

The Muppet Show

 * Episode 101: Juliet Prowse: Kermit is drinking milk through a straw, he looks at the camera and says "think about it folks" refering to the fact that he is a puppet and can't really be doing what he appears to be doing.
 * Episode 122: Ethel Merman: Kermit the Frog begins his introduction to Richard Bradshaw's puppet act by saying, "We at The Muppet Show are big fans of puppets, for some reason."
 * Episode 124: Mummenschanz: When Waldorf comments that the Mummenschanz are a lot like puppets, Statler says that he's always hated puppets.
 * Episode 318: Leslie Uggams: When Big Bird tells Miss Piggy that he's from Sesame Street, Miss Piggy asks, "Isn't that that children's television show with puppets?"
 * Episode 413: Dizzy Gillespie: When Scooter sees Dizzy Gillespie playing with a marionette, he tells Dizzy that Kermit only has one rule: There are no puppets allowed.
 * Episode 508: Señor Wences: This episode features several references and inside jokes about the Muppets being puppets, including:
 * Kermit telling the audience that the show will have a change of pace and be a puppet show.
 * Gonzo asking Kermit and Fozzie Bear what a puppet is, and after Kermit and Fozzie have difficulty explaining to Gonzo what puppets are, Gonzo remarks that it's such a stupid idea that he wouldn't even do such an act. After he leaves, Kermit says, "I didn't have the heart to tell him."

Sesame Street

 * In a Global Grover sketch, Grover plays with a marionette, remarking that it must be great to be a puppet.

Fraggle Rock

 * In a postcard segment (seen in "Episode 112: The Finger of Light"), Traveling Matt encounters a marionette and mentions getting a feeling of family resemblance.

Dinosaurs

 * Episode 210: How to Pick Up Girls: Earl and the Baby enjoy a puppet show, while Fran insists to Earl that puppets are just for kids, prompting Earl to (unsuccessfully) try to convince Fran that adults can enjoy puppets as well.
 * Episode 320: We Are Not Alone: After Fran finds out that Robbie had tricked Earl into recycling and spreading enviromental messgaes on television, Fran tells Robbie that he can't just manipulate Earl like some puppet on national television.
 * Episode 414*: Georgie Must Die: Earl tells Roy Hess that Georgie isn't a real hippo, just a guy in a suit, "and a very bad one at that".

The Jim Henson Hour

 * "Episode 110: Secrets of the Muppets ": When the camera pans out revealing the Muppet performers under the Muppets, they freak out especially Gonzo and Bean. However once the camera pulls back in to again hide the performers the Muppets look down and the performers have now "disappeared", and everything is back to normal.

Specials

 * The Muppets Valentine Show: During the song "Love is a Simple Thing", Kermit questions George the Janitor's line that love is "more fun than a puppet show".
 * The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson: At one point, the Muppets notice that there are "guys" underneath them, following them around -- and when the Muppets move, so do the guys. After a few seconds of this, Fozzie says "Stop looking at them, even -- it's too weird."  The Muppets then ignore their puppeteers for the rest of the show, just as they always have.

Movies

 * The Muppets' Wizard of Oz: When talking to Dorothy, Uncle Henry refers to the Muppets as "the world's most famous puppets".