The Earth Day Special

The Earth Day Special aired on ABC on April 22, 1990. Sponsored by Time Warner, the two hour special featured an all-star cast to address concerns over global warming, deforestation, and other ills. The episodic narrative focused on an ill Mother Earth (played by Bette Midler). One segment included the Muppets. Kermit the Frog and Robin, surrounded by other frogs and animals in a devastated Swamp, watch the broadcast, and discuss how environmental ills lead to extinction and harm animal life. Puppeteers were Jim Henson (Kermit), Jerry Nelson (Robin), [{Dave Goelz]] (as an elderly frog), and David Rudman (as an iguana). Bill Prady wrote the skit.

Also in the cast were Candice Bergen (as Murphy Brown), Bugs Bunny, Chevy Chase, Bill Cosby, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Danson, Danny DeVito, E.T., Morgan Freeman, Neil Patrick Harris (as Doogie Howser), Dustin Hoffman (as Every Lawyer), Christopher Lloyd (as Doc Brown), Rhea Perlman, Harold Ramis (as a Wastebuster), Dr. Carl Sagan (explaining the practical science of the situation), Martin Short (as his SNL character, sleazy lawyer Nathan Thurm), Alex Trebek, and Robin Williams (as Everyman), and the full casts of Cheers, The Cosby Show, Golden Girls (discussing polystyrene foam), and Married... with Children.