Cursing Muppets

The use of profanity, foul language, vulgarities and swearing is not commonplace in the generally family-friendly productions of the Muppets, however the characters have used expletives on occasion.


 * Frank cries out, "What the hell!," during The Country Trio's performance of "Mama Don't Allow" on The Dick Cavett Show.


 * Kermit the Frog comes on screen and comments "What the hell was that all about?" at the conclusion of The Muppet Show Pitch Reel.


 * In Labyrinth, the Hat asks "would you listen to this crap?"


 * When Rowlf the Dog was a guest on The Arsenio Hall Show he pointed to Arsenio and remarked, "Son of a bitch!" After the audience's hysterics died down, Rowlf added, "Coming from a dog, that's a compliment."


 * In the series Dinosaurs, Earl Sinclair occasionally used the word "damn," such as in the pilot when he tells Fran "I mean this with all love and everything, but... I don't give a damn about your day" (the line was cut from syndication airings).


 * The film Muppet Treasure Island features several pirates using the exclamation "bloody." In the UK, where the phase is considered a more harsh profanity, the lines were redubbed and the word "bloody" being replaced with "bloomin'" or "blasted."


 * In the pitch reel for The Muppets Present, Pepe the King Prawn boasts that the new show will be hip and edgy, and they will swear. Kermit protests, but not before exclaiming that the Muppets don't say "ass".

Euphemisms and implied expletives

 * Throughout the years many Muppets, including Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy on multiple occasions, have used the "softer" euphemisms of "what the heck," "what the hey," or simply "what the..." in place of actually saying "what the hell."


 * In The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Miss Piggy (as The Wicked Witch of the West) exclaims "looks like somebody's about to get witch-slapped!" (a play on the phrase "bitch-slapped").

Honorable mentions

 * During a 2005 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live guest Ozzy Osbourne was sitting next to Fozzie, and complained "What am I doing, talking to a fucking glove puppet for?" Fozzie appeared quite insulted - both for Osbournes foul language and for being called a puppet.