Episode 311: Raquel Welch

Fozzie goes to group therapy to become more assertive. He says he won't do his monologue, because he doesn't need to use humor to buy friends anymore. When Kermit tells the audience that there won't be a monologue, Fozzie misinterprets their cheers as a sign that they love him, and he goes on anyway. Later, Raquel tells him that he's very sexy, and she sings him a song that boosts his confidence, to the point that he decides to write "the world's funniest joke".

Songs/Sketches

 * Raquel sings "Baby It's Me" with a Giant Spider
 * Gonzo sings "Jamboree"
 * At the Dance
 * UK Spot: Kermit interviews Marvin Suggs and The Muppaphone
 * Raquel sings "Confide in Me" to Fozzie
 * The Swedish Chef: chicken in a basket
 * Miss Piggy, jealous of Raquel's "sex symbol" status, inserts herself into Raquel's final number, "I'm a Woman".

Trivia

 * Behind the scenes making of this episode was prominent during the interview for the CBS series 60 Minutes airing March 17th, 1979, including the on-stage opening dialogue between Kermit and Piggy, the Swedish Chef sketch and the numbers for "Jamboree", "Confide in Me" and "I'm a Woman".
 * Outside the ending, Statler and Waldorf do not make any critical comments, not even in the cold opening. (Beuregard gets the joke this time. This is the second time this has happened since the Candice Bergan episode.

Cast
Muppets:
 * Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Statler and Waldorf, Floyd Pepper, Animal, Gladys, Fleet Scribbler, Pigs, Whatnots, Marvin Suggs, The Muppaphone, The Swedish Chef

Background Muppets:
 * Dr. Teeth, Quongo the Wild Mountain Gorilla, Green Frackle, Beauregard, Forcryingoutloud Bird, Green Heap, Giant Spider, Ronald Duck, Mickey Moose, Afghan Hound, Chopped Liver, Harold, Koozebanian Phoob, Chickens, Cow, Winky Pinkerton, Rats

Performers

 * Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Waldorf, the Swedish Chef, and Dr. Teeth
 * Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Animal, and Marvin Suggs
 * Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper, Fleet Scribbler, Chicken, and Muppaphones
 * Richard Hunt as Scooter, Statler, Gladys, Muppaphones, and Pigs
 * Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Muppaphones, and the Monks
 * Louise Gold as others
 * Steve Whitmire as others
 * Graham Fletcher as The Spider