Episode 501: Gene Kelly

Gene is under the impression that he's a "guest" -- that is, he's going to sit and watch, but not perform onstage. Frantic, Kermit tricks him into performing by asking him to give him a dance lesson on-stage. Kermit plans a surprise closing number, "Singing in The Rain", Gene refuses, saying that he doesn't think he'll ever sing the song as good as he did in the movie, but he does eventually sing it backstage. Meanwhile, Scooter uses his Tarot cards to predict that the world is coming to an end. Beauregard believes him, and tries to convince the rest of the cast the apocalypse is near.

Songs/Sketches

 * "Jambalaya", sung by baby seals and penguins
 * Gene teaches Kermit to tap dance.
 * Veterinarian's Hospital (Beauregard): Beauregard is still insisting that the world is coming to an end.
 * UK Spot: "Fit as a Fiddle" (Dogs)
 * Gene sings "You Wonderful You" to Piggy -- but in the middle of the song, she's called onstage, and Gonzo takes her place on Gene's lap.
 * Pigs in Space (The End of the Universe): The crew of the Swinetrek reach the end of the Universe, where they will be told the meaning and purpose of life -- but the dinner gong sounds, and they have to choose between hearing the meaning of life or swill stroganoff.
 * Muppet News Flash
 * "Cool Water" (Lubbock Lou and His Jughuggers) on the set for "Singing in the Rain".
 * Rowlf repeatedly plays the opening vamp for "Singing in the Rain", while Gene keeps turning it into other songs from his movies, including "For Me and My Gal". At the end Gene sings "Singing in the Rain" on a recreation of the original set.

Summary
Gene Kelly enters the Reception area, asking Pops if this is where he has to buy his ticket. Pops informs Gene Kelly that he doesn't need a ticket because he is the guest star, but Gene thought he was just invited to watch the show, and points out that when one is invited over for dinner that he doesn't have to cook ("Is that an offer? We could use a good cook around here", says Pops, who quickly gets hit on the head by The Swedish Chef).

When Kermit introduces the show, Gene Kelly informs Kermit that he is only going to watch the show, and doesn't intend to perform. Kermit introduces the opening number, "Jambalaya", which is performed by baby seals and penguins. Backstage, Scooter decides to use some Tarrot cards to predict Beauregard's future, and he reveals that it's going to be the end of the world.

Kermit tries to talk Gene into performing, explaining that if Gene doesn't go on, Kermit will, and adds that he can't dance his way out of jello. Gene offers to teach Kermitt o dance, explaining that he used to be a dance teacher. Kermit asks him to give him his dance lesson on-stage, tricking Gene into performing. After the performance, Kermit goes backstage, when Beauregard tells Kermit that there was soem guy sitting in the wings. Kermit says that the guy was Gene Kelly, and Beauregard reveals that he gave Gene his sponge mop, and that he's giving away all of his things, due to the world comming to an end. He says that he's worried sick, and Dr. Bob says that's good, because he needs a patient for Veterinarian's Hospital. In "Veterinarian's Hospital", Beauregard informs the cast that the wordl is comming to an end, and states that he thinks something that has never happened before will happen. As the announcer signs off, he falls from the sky.

In the UK spot, two dogs serenade a female dog with "Fit as a Fiddle".

In the reception, Miss Piggy tells Gene that he's been doing a wonderful job on the show, but Gene points out that he hasn't doen anything. Gene sings "You Wonderful You" to Piggy, but Gonzo interrupts the performance to tell Miss Piggy that she has to go on-stage for "Pigs in Space". Gene finishes the song by serenading Gonzo.

In "Pigs in Space", Dr. Strangepork points out that they are about to get to the end of the universe, and once there, they will learn the meaning and purpose of life. He sets a timer that counts down how much longer it will be. Before they get to the end of the universe, the dinner bell goes off, and Link decides to go have dinner instead. Dr. Strangepork and Piggy try to stay for the meaning of life, but quickly leave for dinner. Piggy tells the viewer to wait for the meaning and purpose of life, but just as it's about to be revealed, a Muppet News Flash interrupts the sketch to reveal the meaning of life, only for The Newsman to misplace his papers. Back to "Pigs in Space", the crew is upset over missing out on the meaning of life, but The Announcer informs them that he knows, teasing them about knowing something they don't know. But Piggy also knows something that he doesn't know, and pulls down a lever which makes The Announcer fall from the sky again.

Lobbock Lou and his Jughuggers ask Kermit to let them perform a number, but Kermit gives them the bad news that there is no room for a jugband number in tonight's show. Meanwhile, Kermit and Scooter mention that the surprise closing number for Gene Kelly -- a performance of "Singing in the Rain" complete with an exact replica of the set from the movie -- and Gene overhears them talking, saying that he hopes they aren't expecting him to perform, especially not even for "Singing in the Rain". Kermit assures Gene that the numbers not for him, and asks Scooter to get the jugband. The Jugband performs "Cool Water", while rain pours on them.

Backstage, Gene realises that Kermit did expect him to sing "Singing in the Rain", and tells Kermit that after he sang that song in the movie, he sang it everywhere, but then he finally realised that he would never sing it as well as he did the first time, and therefore doesn't plan on singing it again. However, Rowlf starts playing the song and asks Gene if the music makes him feel like singing. Gene does feel like singing, but he sings a different song. Rowlf kees trying to tell Gene that he's trying to play a different song, but each time leads to Gene singing something else. Rowlf gives up, stating that the opening music was used for a lot of songs. Gene agrees, and then tells them that there is another song that it opens, and finally sings "Singing in the Rain", backstage.

At the end of the show, Gene tells Kermit that he had a great time. Beauregard wonders how he can say that, because the world is comming to an end. Gene tells Beauregard that he had been studying tarrot cards, and Scooter made a mistake, telling Beauregard what the cards really meant. However, Beauregard thinks that Gene was just saying that to make him feel better. Beauregard says that he knows the end is neart, but Kermit says that the end is now.

Cast
Muppets:
 * Kermit the Frog, Beauregard, Scooter, The Great Gonzo, Rowlf, Janice, Miss Piggy, Link Hogthrob, Dr. Strangepork, The Announcer, The Newsman, Lubbock Lou, Slim Wilson, Zeke, Pops, Statler, Waldorf, The Endangered Species Chorus Line, Dogs, Wolfhound The Swedish Chef

Background Muppets:
 * Floyd Pepper, Lyle the Dog, Rizzo the Rat, Angus McGonagle, Catgut, Bubba, Gramps, Mulch, Annie Sue Pig, Foo-Foo, Fozzie Bear, Lonnie Lemon, Lew Zealand, Penguins

Performers

 * Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Link Hogthrob, the Swedish Chef, Waldorf, the Newsman and Rowlf
 * Frank Oz as Miss Piggy
 * Jerry Nelson as Dr. Julius Strangepork, the Announcer, Dog, Pops and Slim Wilson
 * Dave Goelz as Gonzo and Beauregard
 * Richard Hunt as Scooter, Statler, Janice, Lubbock Lou and Dog
 * Steve Whitmire as Jugband member and Rizzo the Rat
 * Louise Gold as Annie Sue Pig
 * Kathy Mullen as others
 * Karen Prell as others

Video releases

 * The Best of the Muppet Show

Edits

 * Nickelodeon: All scenes regarding Chris Rudolph and his invisible cheeseburger; Gene Kelly thanking Beauregard for the sponge mop; Kermit telling Lubbock Lou that there's no room for a Jugband number in this show.
 * CTS: The UK spot "Fit as a Fiddle" was cut.