Minor TV Mentions

The following is a list of Muppet Mentions made in TV shows outside of the Henson/Sesame fold, all of which are too brief or minor to constitute having their own page in the TV Mentions category. See also: Minor Movie Mentions.

6teen
An animated Canadian sitcom set in the fictional "Galleria Shopping Mall", and follows an ensemble cast of six sixteen-year-old friends as they explore their first part-time jobs and lives as teenagers.

In episode, "Boo, Dude," Jen Masterson dress up as a pig for Halloween and two guys call her "Miss Piggy."

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
In the episode, "Sneaky Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas," a giant parrot laments the Koopas using its giant cage to capture Mario's companions: "My whole life was in that cage! My Big Bird poster, my 'Worms From Outer Space' comics..."

The Amazing Race
Gay couple Joe and Bill, from the program's first season, were nicknamed Team Guido, but were often referred to by other teams as Bert and Ernie.

Baby Looney Tunes
Warner Bros. animated series featuring infantilized versions of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and other classic Looney Tunes characters. The setting of the show, with the characters in a nursery under the watchful eye of Granny, is very similar to Muppet Babies.

Episode Unknown: When the TV breaks down, the babies use a cardboard box to make their own TV and shows. One of the shows, "Caraway Street," is a parody of Sesame Street. Bugs dresses as a character named "Shmo" (a parody of Elmo), Tweety is a character named "Bird" (a parody of Big Bird), and Taz is a character named "The Grump" (a parody of Oscar the Grouch) who lives in a crate. The show is sponsored by the letter "scribble" and the number "1,000,000,000,000,000,000." ("The other show took all the others.")


 * Connections
 * Rick Lyon puppeteered Baby Bugs in a Baby Looney Tunes puppet video pilot.

The Bob Newhart Show
The second season episode "The Last TV Show" deals with psychologist Robert Hartley appearing on a public television show. His neighbor Howard Borden says, "Oh, I love public television. They have such interesting people on: William F. Buckley, David Susskind, The Muppets."


 * Connections
 * Peter Bonerz played Jerry Robinson
 * H. B. Haggerty played the Hammer in "Ex-Con Job"
 * Raul Julia played Greg Robinson in "Oh, Brother!"
 * Bruce Kirby played Dr. Klein in "Fit, Fat and Forty One"
 * Penny Marshall played a stewardess in "Fly the Unfriendly Skies" and Miss Larson (1972-1973)
 * Pat Morita played the bartender in "Bob and Emily and Howard and Carol and Jerry"
 * Howard Morris played Shorty Vance in "Jerry's Retirement"
 * Bob Newhart played Dr. Robert Hartley
 * Tom Patchett wrote several episodes, served as executive producer and story consultant from the third season onward, and appeared as David Robbins in "Mister Emily Hartley" and Dave Death in "If Death Be My Destiny."
 * John Ritter played Dave in "Sorry, Wrong Mother"
 * Richard Schaal played Chuck Brock in "Goodnight Nancy" and Don in "By the Way.... You're Fired" and "Life Is a Hamburger"
 * Jay Tarses wrote several episodes, served as executive producer and story consultant from the third season onward, and appeared as a waiter in "Mister Emily Hartley" and "Enter Mrs. Peeper"
 * Fred Willard played John Tobin in "Tobin's Back in Town"
 * Henry Winkler played Miles Lascoe in "Clink Shrink"

Boston Legal
In the season two episode "Stick It," Paul Lewiston's daughter Rachel can be seen cleaning up her daughter's toys. Clearly visible in one shot is The Sesame Street Treasury Volume 8.


 * Connections
 * Candice Bergen plays Shirley Schmidt
 * Corbin Bernsen played Eli Granger in "...There's Fire!"
 * Phyllis Diller played herself in "Brotherly Love"
 * Michael J. Fox played Daniel Post (2005-2006)
 * Heather Locklear played Kelly Nolan in "The Black Widow" and "Schadenfreude"
 * Michael McKean played Dwight Biddle in "Truly, Madly, Deeply"
 * Jenny O'Hara played Judge Kimberly Ohlund in "Squid Pro Quo"
 * Bernadette Peters played Judge Marianna Folger in "Guantanamo by the Bay"
 * Richard Portnow played Judge Peter Harding in four episodes
 * Tom Selleck played Ivan Tiggs (
 * William Shatner plays Denny Crane
 * Nicole Sullivan played Joan Rubin in "...There's Fire!"
 * Lisa Waltz played Dorothy Scanlon in "Trial of the Century"

Chuck
On the third episode of Chuck, the title character's best friend and sister discuss Chuck's future:
 * Morgan: You don't understand. He is a fragile little gelding. You know? Still trying to find his legs. The real world will crush him.
 * Ellie: Do you know what a gelding is?
 * Morgan: [scoff] It's that weird creature from The Dark Crystal. "Smells like gelding"... that guy.



Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns
Satirical animated limited series aired on PBS in 2008 loosely inspired by Car Talk and featuring numerous jokes about public television and radio. In one episode, Big Bird and Cookie Monster beat up Click and Clack after their station fails to meet its fundraising goals.

In the episode "Campaign," Sal gambles away Click and Clack's fundraising money on a bet on whether or not the number of the day on Sesame Street will be even. After she discovers it is even (4), she angrily comments, "The Count is killing me this month!"

Corner Gas
Corner Gas is a TV show set in Dog River, Saskatchewan. It airs on CTV.

On the Episode "TV Free Dog River", Dog River is competing against another town for who survives not watching TV for one week. However, Oscar offers to people "You want some Muppets? Or how about The Flintstones?

The Critic
The Critic is an animated series that ran on ABC and FOX from 1994 to 1995 about a movie critic named Jay Sherman (voiced by Jon Lovitz). In an episode guest starring Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert as themselves, Sherman is seduced by the two for a position as their co-host on their own TV show. As Ebert thumbs through a photo album, he points out a picture of he and Siskel from the year they went as Ernie and Bert for Halloween.

Curb Your Enthusiasm
An HBO comedy starring Larry David, executive producer of Seinfeld, playing a fictional version of himself, his life following the successful series, and the odd situations he gets himself into, often due to his social awkwardness.

“The Nanny From Hell” (Season 3, episode 4)

Martine (Cheri Oteri), the nanny in the title, divulges she knows the secret from Susie Greene. (Susie Essman)


 * Martine: Hey congratulations!
 * Susie: Congratulations on what, dear?
 * Martine: (whispers) On the baby. Congratulations.
 * Susie: How did you know about that?
 * Martine: (motions to Larry) Big Bird told me.

“The Grand Opening” (Season 3, episode 10)

Larry has inadvertently broken both thumbs of food critic Andy Portico (Paul Wilson). Now both his hands are in casts.
 * Portico: I look like a fuckin’ Muppet.

“The Lefty Call” (Season 6, episode 4)

Larry and Richard Lewis (himself) argue over a couple wanting more children.
 * Richard: Who are you to them how many kids to have?
 * Larry: She’s got nine kids. C’mon, that’s plenty!
 * Richard: She wants more children!
 * Larry: How many does she need?”
 * Richard: Who the fuck are you, the Messiah? The Count?

The Dame Edna Experience
In the sixth episode of the first series (1987), Rudolf Nureyev appeared as a guest. He had this exchange with the hostess:
 * Dame Edna: Tell me your favorite partner. Who's your favorite partner, Rudolf?
 * Rudolf: Really, Miss Piggy.
 * Dame Edna: Miss Piggy? Well I've never really much seen the point of the Muppets. Is that silly of me? Perhaps it is. Call me old-fashioned! But I did love you on that show.

Degrassi: The Next Generation
In the episode "Ghost in the Machine, Pt. 2", Ashley Kerwin and Craig Manning are having a discussion about their rock band and fellow bandmembers.
 * Ashley: You know, you guys should try going a little more post-Emo. Still punk, but less mopey.
 * Craig: I don't think the other guys even know what regular Emo is. Spinner probably thinks it's a Muppet.

In the episode "Ladies' Night", Anya tricks Holly J. Sinclair into devouring a double chocolate chip cookie during a fast for charity, during which Holly is also secretly videotaped and shown to an auditorium. Later when Holly J. comes to speak in the auditorium, Anya introduces her as: "It's the Cookie Monster!" A student in the audience taunts in a gruff monstery voice, "Holly J. hungry!"

Dharma and Greg
In the season 4 episode "Sleepless in San Francisco," Pete mentions his dad's favorite movie is The Muppets Take Manhattan.


 * Connections
 * Mimi Kennedy played Abigail "Abby" Kathleen O'Neil
 * Yeardley Smith played Marlene

Diff'rent Strokes
In the episode "Arnold's Hero", when Arnold's father (Conrad Baines) informs Arnold (Gary Coleman) that he won't be able to meet Muhammad Ali as promised, he says that he'll make it up to him by taking him "to see the Muppet film, for the twelfth time".


 * Connections
 * Dabney Coleman played Fred Tanner in "Arnold's Girlfriend"
 * Edie McClurg played Betty in "Arnold the Entrepeneur"
 * Charlotte Rae played Mrs. Edna Garrett (1978-1979)

Dr. Katz Professional Therapist
In the episode "Pretzelkins" Ben is shown laying on his bed, watching "Sesame Street". The clip is very brief, showing Bert and Ernie on the television screen.

Drawn Together
In the episode "Little Orphan Hero," Foxxy Love, Princess Clara, Spanky Ham and Ling Ling gather around the telephone, going "Yip yip yip yip yip...", like the Yip Yips from Sesame Street. In the scene, all the characters have strange triangular mouths. Episode director Peter Avanzino, who was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1997, confirmed this on the Yahoo Group where he found the clip.

The episode "Drawn Together Babies" spoofs Muppet Babies by telling the story of the characters as they were babies living together in a nursery. The opening theme is replaced with a direct spoof of the Muppet Babies opening sequence and portions of the episode cut to old black and white stock footage (ala the live-action cutaways on Muppet Babies).

Eek! the Cat
In the episode "Eek vs. The Flying Saucers," Eek begs a race of aliens not to blow up the Earth, listing a large amount of reasons, including the Muppets.

Everwood
A television drama that ran on the WB network from 2002 to 2006.

In the episode "The Great Doctor Brown," Amy Abbott reveals to Ephram Brown the origin of her unusual nickname.


 * Amy: Grover.
 * Ephram: Grover?
 * Amy: It's my nickname. I always loved Grover as a kid. I know for most kids it's all Winnie the Pooh and Hello Kitty, occasionally Strawberry Shortcake, but for me, life was about a little blue Muppet named Grover.
 * Ephram: Well, Grover was a very underrated Muppet.

In the episode "The Reflex," Hannah Rogers and Dr. Harold Abbott comment on a picture in the Abbott family photo album.


 * Hannah: Is that Bright wearing Muppet slippers?
 * Dr. Abbott: Ah, yes. Bright was oddly bewitched by Miss Piggy. And Amy simply would not remove her Fozzie Bears for all the tea in China.

Everybody Hates Chris
Everybody Hates Chris is a sitcom narrated by and loosely based on the life of Chris Rock.

In episode 4.08 (entitled "Everybody Hates Big Bird"), Chris (played by former Sesame Street kid Tyler James Williams) begins dating a tall girl in class who has been dubbed "Big Bird" by others at school. The episode includes background music similar to the Sesame Street theme, and a scene in which members of the football team mock the couple:


 * Football Player #1: Hey, it's Big Bird!
 * Football Player #2: Hey, where's Bert and Ernie?
 * FP #1: (to Chris) I guess that makes you . . . Snuffleupagus?
 * FP #2: No, it makes him Roosevelt Franklin!
 * FP #1: Cookie?
 * Both: COOKIE!

When she breaks up with him, the narrator says "Tonight's episode was brought to you by the letters D, A, M and N!"

Extras
A British sitcom about film extras, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.

In episode 2.4, Darren Lamb and Barry discuss Crazy Frog.


 * Darren: I'd have thought he's probably the second-richest frog in the world, after Kermit.
 * Barry: Kermit, yeah! There was his nephew, Robin...
 * Darren: Ah, Robin was good.
 * Barry: Looked set to take over the empire for a while, didn't he.
 * Darren: Oh yeah, he was a very good actor, and singer.
 * Barry: "Halfway Up the Stairs".
 * Darren: Good song.

The Fairly Oddparents
An animated series shown on Nickelodeon.

In the made-for-TV movie "Channel Chasers" one of the TV show parodies is of Sesame Street. A puppet version of Vicky walks up to a brick wall and says "Today's show is brought to you by the letter 'V'." (She holds up a letter 'V' ) She runs into a fake TV and jumps through the screen. Then, puppets of Timmy, his adult form, Cosmo, and Wanda walk up to the wall. Timmy and his adult form walk towards the TV. Cosmo looks at Wanda and blurts out, "I've never felt more alive. Get it? Felt!" They all jump through the TV.

Fish Police
In the first episode of this short-lived 1992 prime-time cartoon, Inspector Gil tells waitress Pearl "You know how I feel about you" and winds up repeating "How..." when at a loss for words. Pearl asks why he talks like that, and Gil retorts that "all the great couples talk like that... uh, Fred and Wilma, Kermit and Miss Piggy, Rocky and Bullwinkle..."


 * Connections
 * Edward Asner voiced Chief Abalone
 * Tim Curry voiced Sharkster
 * Buddy Hackett voiced Crabby the cabbie
 * Don Knotts voiced Mr. Lichen in "The Two Gils"
 * Megan Mullally voiced Pearl
 * Rob Paulsen voiced Richie in "No Way to Treat a Fillet'dy"
 * John Ritter voiced Inspector Gil
 * Sally Struthers voiced Shelly in "Beauty's Only Fin Deep"
 * Frank Welker voiced Mussles Marinara and Doc Croaker
 * Jonathan Winters voiced Mayor Cod

The Flight of the Conchords
In the episode "Bowie", Bret has visions in which he receives advice from various incarnations of David Bowie. The third and final Bowie is Jareth from Labyrinth.

Frasier
In the third season episode "Look Before You Leap," Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and his producer Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin) are volunteering at a PBS pledge driver. Roz, who is answering telephones, remarks (apparently to a small child) "No, Lamb Chop's not here. Big Bird isn't here either.  What are you doing up so late?  Oh.  Do you have your mommy's credit card handy?"

Fringe
In the first season episode "Unleashed," Walter Bishop describes the animal characteristics that might have been involved in the death of an activist. His son Peter, attuned to his father's eccentricities, quips to investigating agent Olivia Dunham that they're looking for Big Bird.


 * Connections
 * Carlo Alban played an FBI tech in "The Dreamscape"
 * Michael Giacchino scores the series
 * Joshua Jackson plays Peter Bishop
 * Leonard Nimoy plays William Bell

Ghostwriter
Ghostwriter was a CTW show which aired on PBS. Focusing on a group of young detectives who work with a ghost (who manifests by rearranging words and writing), most stories were serialized in four or five parts.

In the first season story "Building Bridges", the Sesame Street theme can be heard in the background when Rob visits Victor's home.

The Golden Palace
The spin-off series of the sitcom, The Golden Girls, which aired on CBS from 1992–1993. The series featured the three characters from The Golden Girls, Rose Nylund, Blanche Devereaux, and Sophia Petrillo, who now operate an upscale hotel called The Golden Palace.

In the episode "Tad," Blanche's mentally disabled brother, Tad, visits the hotel. As Rose and Tad are folding napkins, Rose ask what he does for fun and he replies that he likes to watch cartoons. He mentions that his favorite cartoons are Scooby-Doo, Tiny Toons, and Muppet Babies. Rose Nylund replies that she also loves Muppet Babies and watches that show with her grand kids.


 * Connections
 * Jack Black played the cab driver in "Seems Like Old Times Part 2."
 * George Burns guest star in "Say Goodbye, Rose."
 * Cheech Marin played Chuy Castillos.
 * Margaret Cho played Dr. Fong in "One Old Lady to Go."

Growing Pains
A sitcom that ran on ABC from 1985-1992.

In the episode "Feet of Clay", Ben Seaver finds out that his favorite rock star isn't such a nice guy after meeting him, and decides to stop being a fan. At one point, his father, Jason compares this to the time when Ben learned that Kermit the Frog isn't real. Ben said that because of that he couldn't get himself to watch Sesame Street for awhile.


 * Connections
 * Jeremy Miller played Ben Seaver.

Heroes
When Claire researches her birth parents in the first season episode "The Fix," she and her friend Zach find a newspaper article from Kermit, Texas. When Zach wonders why that sounds so familiar, Claire replies, "`Cuz of the frog?"


 * Connections
 * Eugene Byrd played Nathan's campaign manager in four episodes
 * Jesse Corti played the LAPD police captain in "The Fix"
 * Stan Lee played the bus driver in "Unexpected"
 * Eric Roberts played Thompson in five episodes
 * Richard Roundtree played Charles Deveaux in four episodes
 * George Takei plays Kaito Nakamura

Histeria!
In the episode "Megalomaniacs", after Froggo introduces Julius Caesar for the "Word of the Day" sketch, Caesar responds to his introduction by saying "Thanks, Kermit."

Hustle
The fourth episode of the BBC series features Robert Vaughn's character standing in front of a store with a Tutter doll in the window display.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
In the season one episode "The Gang Gives Back", Dee (Kaitlin Olson) wears a yellow pantsuit, and her friend Mac tells her she looks like Big Bird.

In the season three episode "Mac is a Serial Killer" a pimp named Pepper Jack mistakes Dee for one of his prostitutes. Her brother Dennis offers to buy her back for seven dollars and a Fraggle Rock thermos. Pepper Jack agrees, enthusiastically saying he loves the show.

Kids in the Hall
In one sketch from Season 5, a little boy is waiting for the Chicken Lady (Mark McKinney) to finish riding a quarter horse at the mall. He asks "Are you Big Bird?" and the Chicken Lady replies, "No, but I want to meet him, 'cause the Bearded Lady says they call him Big Bird 'cause he's got a really big--" at which point the boy's mother prevents the Chicken Lady from finishing the sentence.

Like Fraggle Rock, this show was produced for HBO and CBC. As a result, several of the Fraggle Rock crew members also worked on this show.
 * Connections

King of the Hill

 * "Plastic White Female" - Hank and Peggy are arguing over whose fault it is for how their son Bobby turned out. Hank accuses Peggy of letting Bobby watch "all them Muppets! ... They got frogs kissin' pigs - what the hell did they think was gonna happen?"
 * "Goodbye Normal Jeans" - Peggy overhears Hank watching a Thanksgiving Day parade on TV with Bobby. She hears Hank say to Bobby, "That Miss Piggy balloon has the same hairdo as your mother."
 * "Stressed for Success" - In a discussion about the presence of pop culture in academics, Boomhauer points out that Oberlin College has a course on the Muppets.
 * "Edu-macating Lucky" - Lucky comments on Luanne's sense of humor: "I'm datin' a regular Fozzie Bear."
 * One episode was titled It's Not Easy Being Green.


 * Connections
 * Snoop Dogg played Alabaster Jones in "Ho, Yeah!" (2001)
 * Sally Field played Junie Harper in "Hilloween" (1997)
 * Brendan Fraser played David Kalaiki-Alii in "Peggy Makes the Big Leagues" (2000) and Irv Bennett/Jimmy Beardon in "Gone with the Windstorm" (2005)
 * John Goodman played Tommy in "Serpunt" (2007)
 * Vince Gill played Assistant Pastor Larry in "Peggy's Fan Fair" (2000) and Boomhauer's Singing Voice in "The Bluegrass Is Always Greener" (2002)
 * Jeff Goldblum played Dr. Vayzosa in "The Substitute Spanish Prisoner" (2002)
 * Michael Keaton played Trip Larsen in "Pigmalion" (2003)
 * Heather Locklear played Ms. Donovan in "Old Glory" (2000)
 * Mary Tyler Moore played Reverend Karen Stroup in "Revenge of the Lutefisk" (1999)
 * Kathy Najimy plays Peggy Hill
 * Willie Nelson played himself in "Hank's Got the Willies" (1997)
 * Alan Rickman played King Philip in "Joust Like a Woman" (2002)
 * John Ritter played Eugene Grandy in "The Son That Got Away" (1997), "What Makes Bobby Run?" (2000), and "Witches of East Arlen" (2003)
 * Chris Rock played Roger 'Booda' Sack in "Traffic Jam" (1998)
 * Ben Stiller played Rich in "That's What She Said" (2004)
 * Meryl Streep played Aunt Esme Dauterive in "A Beer Can Named Desire" (1999)
 * Randy Travis played himself in "Peggy's Fan Fair" (2000)
 * Fred Willard played a voice in "Lupe's Revenge (2001)", Officer Brown in "New Cowboy on the Block" (2003), Ranger Bradley/Reclining Hippie in "Phish and Wildlife" (2004), and Officer Brown in "Doggone Crazy" (2008) and "The Accidental Terrorist" (2008)
 * Henry Winkler played himself in "A Rover Runs Through It"

The King of Queens

 * "Secret Garden": When Carrie sees Spence in his bathing get-up (a shower cap, blue robe and large scrub brush), she claims "[he] look[s] like Ernie, from Sesame Street."


 * Connections
 * Kevin James plays Doug Heffernan
 * Jerry Stiller plays Arthur Spooner

The Knights Of Prosperity

 * "Pilot" - When Eugene wants to enter the building to find out which key fits Mick Jagger's appartment, Esperanza has to distract the doorman that stays behind, while the other doorman goes for a cup of coffee. When he leaves the building, this is referred to as "Big Bird has left its nest."

Last Comic Standing
Season 6:
 * In the "international audition" episode, an Israeli prop-comic does an imitation of Grover by placing a blue wig on his head and wiggling around.
 * In episode #9, the comics have to look for props for a prop comedy routine. Marcus finds a blue dishwashing glove, and remarks, "This is what happens when Cookie Monster was lonely and he didn't listen to his parents ..."

Little Britain

 * In the pilot episode, Marjories Dawes was asking a fat kid what names the bullies at school call him (suggesting the names in a mocking tone), she asked him if they called him "Pigs in Space."
 * In Season 3 episode 6, Linda insultingly described a group of multi-ethnic or physically diverse students as "the cast of Fraggle Rock."

Little Britain USA

 * In Season 1, episode 6, Ellie-Grace who, while sharing love sentiments with her mother before parting with her for a short time, tells her mother that she loves her more then "Sesame Street"
 * In Season 1, episode 6, Marjorie Dawes asked her fat-fighters groups about nicknames they get called, she asked if they get called "Pigs In Space" (and she said it with the echoing sound effect the Narrator usually said it with)


 * Connections
 * Rosie O'Donnell played herself in season 1, episode 1

Malcolm in the Middle

 * Malcolm's Girlfriend - After recently breaking up with a cute girl, Malcolm decides to "go back" and play in the moon bouncer at the birthday party for his little brother Dewey's new friend. As he does, the Sesame Street Theme plays (the 1998-2001 version), and then suddenly stops when Malcolm wrecks the moon bouncer.


 * Cheerleader - A subplot involves little Dewey wanting a Tickle Me Elmo-type doll called Sleepy-Time Herbie, a blue aardvark. They are very expensive and can be ordered by a special TV offer, and Dewey hallucinates the Herbie talking directly to him from the TV. Once he gets the Herbie, he imagines it saying "Break me."


 * Connections
 * Jason Alexander played Leonard in "Future Malcolm" (2003)
 * Dakota Fanning played Emily in "New Neighbors" (2001)
 * Cloris Leachman played Grandma Ida
 * Christopher Lloyd played Walter in "Family Reunion" (2002)
 * Andy Richter played Dr. Kennedy in "Clip Show" (2002)
 * Susan Sarandon played Meg in "Company Picnic" (2002)
 * Florence Stanley played Mrs. Griffin in "Old Mrs. Old" (2001)

Meet the Press
In the October 21, 2007 episode of Meet the Press, Tim Russert interviewed Stephen Colbert regarding his run for the presidency. Russert asked Colbert why he pronounces his name "Col-bare" as opposed to "Col-bert," and brought out a Bert doll to help illustrate the difference.

After Russert's death in June 2008, this segment was used on The Colbert Report as part of a tribute to the journalist.


 * Connections
 * John Williams wrote the "Meet the Press" theme music.

Mr. Show with Bob and David
In a sketch from the first episode, co-creator/actor David Cross breaks character to complain about the sketch, claiming that "HBO spent more money on Fraggle Rock."


 * Connections
 * Tom Kenny was a regular on the show during the first 3 seasons.

MythBusters
An August 27, 2008 episode of the Discovery Channel's series using the scientific method to test the validity of a number of urban legends and myths, takes on the long-rumored NASA moon landing hoax. In one segment, Grant Imahara constructs a reproduction of the rod-framed American flag placed on the moon by astronauts during the Apollo missions. As he prepares to place the rig inside a vacuum tube, Kari Byron asks "is this your first riiiiig iiiin spaaaace?," placing an emphasis on the words mimicking Jerry Nelson's voice-over in The Muppet Show’s Pigs in Space segment. The MythBusters announcer echoes Kari's joke with the same playful expression.

Newhart
A sitcom about a middle-aged couple who run an inn in Vermont. It ran on CBS from 1982 to 1990.

In the episode "Dick the Kid," Dick Loudon spends a week at a Western ranch. On movie night, while the other residents want to watch High Noon, a tough resident wants to watch The Muppets Take Manhattan, and he almost gets his way until Dick takes a stand for the others.


 * Connections
 * Jason Alexander guest starred in the episode "Courtin' Disaster".
 * Johnny Carson guest starred in the episode "Malling in Love Again".
 * Merv Griffin guest starred in the episode "Hi, Society".
 * Brandon Maggart guest starred in the episode "The Boy Who Cried Goat".
 * Bob Newhart played Dick Loudon
 * Don Rickles guest starred in the episode "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Loudon".

NOVA scienceNOW

 * The November 21, 2006 episode of the PBS documentary series NOVA scienceNOW featured a segment on the development of sociable robots. One robot in particular, "Leonardo" developed by Cynthia Breazeal, is used in an on-camera study of recognition behavior. The tools used are an Elmo doll and a Cookie Monster puppet, which are presented to Leonardo and vocally asked to find the character by name. After a simple demonstration, the technician holds up Cookie Monster and asks Leonardo to find Elmo, but the robot cannot be tricked. (video)


 * The June 25, 2008 episode featured a segment about dark matter. As experts study what dark matter is, host Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses the ambiguity surrounding what the scientific community uses to describe the material that makes up 85% of the universe. The term has been applied ambiguously because the material is unobservable with current methods. Because of this, the label could just as easily have been called Ernie and Bert. (video) (The episode also features Wikia founder Jimmy Wales in a segment about statistics).

Penn and Teller: Bullshit!
On a fourth season episode of the Showtime documentary show entitled "Numbers," interviews are shown with two Washington, D.C. think-tank consultants. They are introduced by name and narrator Penn says "We asked them why there are so many songs about rainbows. They had no idea. They did know something about the national debt though."

The Proud Family
Animated series that aired on the Disney Channel from September 2001 - August 2005. The show centered around an African-American teenager, Penny, her family, and her friends. Basically an animated sitcom in format, it was geared towards a pre-teen and teen audience.

Episode 214: Pulp Boot Camp: Penny's family sends her to boot camp because they fear she is becoming a bully, and she steals cookies from a little girl there. The sergeant catches her and says "Well, well. We have ourselves a little Cookie Monster."


 * Connections
 * Soleil Moon Frye voiced Zoey
 * Kyla Pratt voiced Penny Proud
 * Tara Strong voiced Bebe Proud and Fluff

The Rotten Tomatoes Show
In an episode covering "Miss March", "Race to Witch Mountain" and "Sunshine Cleaning", they list the top 5 greatest romantic, road-trip movies. In the number 4 slot is The Muppet Movie.

Rugrats
Animated television show that first aired on Nickelodeon in 1991. This series focuses on the point of view of a group of babies, including Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster, Phil and Lil, and Angelica Pickles.

In the episode "Toys in the Attic," Tommy and Angelica's grandparents, Boris and Minka, argue over which one of them will turn on the "Sesame Seed," an obvious reference to Sesame Street.


 * Connections


 * Craig Bartlett was a writer on the series during the show's initial 1991-1993 run
 * Dan Castellaneta voiced a lawyer in "Pickles vs Pickles" and Jonathan in "Jonathan Babysits"
 * Christine Cavanaugh voiced Chuckie Finster
 * E.G. Daily voiced Tommy Pickles
 * Tara Strong provided the voices of Dil Pickles and Timmy McNulty
 * Cree Summer voiced Susie Carmichael

Samurai Pizza Cats
On Saban's English dub of Samurai Pizza Cats, an episode features a giant Buddha statue that has a bird's face. One of the characters remarks, "A Big Bird? Go back to public television! We don't want your kind here!"

The Secret Lives of Vampires
A 2005 documentary produced for television by NBC studios looks at vampire culture and the history of such characters as Dracula. Examples include Count Chocula cereal, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sesame Street’s Count von Count. Video footage of the sketch with the Count counting his mail is featured, as well as a photo of a stage version of the character.

The Smoking Room
A British comedy first aired on BBC Three in 2004, focusing on the conversations of characters while on their smoke breaks, all shot inside their office's smoking room.

In episode 3, "Paintball," the manager's assistant Janet is trying to get other employees to sign up for a company paintballing event:


 * Janet: No, what I was getting at is - I hope [the sign-up sheet] doesn’t end up covered in jokey names. According to the one downstairs, the only people planning to go paintballing are Marge Simpson, Osama Bin Laden, Barbara Windsor and The Bear in the Big Blue House.

Sports Night
In the episode "The Apology," Casey asks Dan if the Muppets are cool. Dan replies that they are.


 * Connections
 * Josh Charles as Dan Rydell
 * William H. Macy as Sam Donovan
 * Yeardley Smith as Malory Moss
 * Meredith Vieira as herself

Still Standing
Judy Miller, one of the show's lead characters, is sometimes seen wearing Sesame Street T-shirts.


 * Connections
 * Mark Addy played Bill Miller
 * Justine Bateman played Terry
 * Tim Doyle was a writer and executive producer of the show.
 * Richard Kind played Dr. Nathan Gerber
 * Tom Martin was a writer and supervising producer of the show.
 * Kevin Nealon played Ned Halverson
 * Sally Struthers played Louise Miller

Supernatural
A fourth season episode of the CW series was titled "The Monster At the End of This Book."

Taxi
A sitcom about New York City cab drivers, which ran on ABC from 1978 to 1982, and on NBC from 1982 to 1983.

In the episode "The Great Race", Alex picks up two nuns who are fighting over what movie to see. One of them wants to see The Muppet Movie, and the other one wants to see The Sound of Music. One of the nuns says, "I can't stand that little frog!"


 * Connections
 * Danny DeVito played Louie DePalma
 * Andy Kaufman played Latka Gravas
 * Carol Kane played Simka Gravas
 * Tony Danza played Tony Banta
 * Christopher Lloyd played "Reverend" Jim Ignatowski



Teen Titans
In the season three episode, "Bunny Raven... or... How to Make A Titananimal Disappear," this animated DC Comics spin-off series features two elderly characters who sit in a theatre box and make wisecracks about the mock variety show being performed on stage. The manner in which they laugh at their particular flavor of jokes is reminiscent of, and likely a direct reference to, Statler and Waldorf. Most of the episode's third act is a homage to The Muppet Show, complete with a spoof of the theme music and a parody of Scooter.

Terrifying Times
The Daily Show correspondent John Oliver's television special of his stand-up comedy act premiered on Comedy Central on April 21, 2008. He opens the show citing a disclaimer about his nationality; "Primarily, I've gathered you here this evening to tell you this: that, it's not easy being British... as Kermit so nearly sang."

TV's Most Censored Moments
The program, an original presentation of the now-defunct Trio Channel, briefly touches on Sesame Street's state-wide banning from broadcast in the state of Mississippi for one month during 1970, due to its integrated neighborhood.

Unfabulous
In one episode, the main character, Addie Singer's brother Ben is sick. Their mom says his favorite film as a kid was "The Muppets Take Manhattan."

Unhappily Ever After
A sitcom created by Ron Leavitt, who also created Married with Children, that aired on the WB from 1995 to 1999 starring Geoffrey Pierson as Jack Malloy, the father of a dysfunctional family, and his best friend, a stuffed animal rabbit named Mr. Floppy voiced by Bob Goldthwait.

In one episode, "High and Dry," Jack Malloy and his wife, Jennifer Malloy, suspected that their son, Ryan, is doing drugs, when they find some white powder in his car and on the towel of his bed. Since they are not smart enough on how to parent their children, Jenny said they have to go to the video store and also said, "Sesame Street taught them to read, Barney taught them to hug. Surely there's got to be some hip happening puppet out there with more parenting skills than we have."


 * Connections
 * Allan Trautman puppeteered Mr. Floppy and also played Mr. Dunn (four episodes) and other teachers.

The Vicar of Dibley
In the Easter Special of 1996, (sometimes entitled "Easter Bunny") the vicar is explaining the truth behind the Easter Bunny to Alice. The vicar (while trying to break it gently to her) says: "Now at 10 your mother sat you down, and she told you that Kermit was really just an old windsock..."

In a sketch entitled "Celebrity Party", aired as part of a Comic Relief (UK) special in 1999, the Vicar and Alice prepare for their party with Johnny Depp.
 * Vicar: Johnny's spent his whole life being surrounded by exotic birds.
 * Alice: Yeah, like Paris and Britney and Big Bird from "Sesame Street".


 * Connections
 * John Bluthal played Frank Pickle
 * Dawn French played the Rev. Geraldine Kennedy
 * Trevor Peacock played Jim Trott
 * Liz Smith played Letitia Cropley

Video On Trial
A Canadian show where 5 people pick music videos and make harsh (yet funny) comments on them and at the end they make verdicts of whether the singer(s) is guilty or not.
 * In "Video On Trial: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Hump de Bump," Boomer Phillips said he was waiting for Oscar the Grouch to pop out of a garbage can.
 * In "Video On Trial: The Killers - Read My Mind," Fraser Young's verdict was for having sex with a "Muppet" and sentenced them to maintain a distance not less then 100 feet from Miss Piggy.

WKRP in Cincinnati
Sitcom centered around a rock-and-roll radio station, which ran from 1978 until 1982. In the first season episode "A Commercial Break," from 1979, Venus Flytrap and Herb Tarlek are auditioning jingle singers for an in-house commercial, and trying to coax shy Bailey Quarters into singing.


 * Venus: '' Come on, sing. Sing a song!
 * Herb: Sing out loud! Sing out strong! Sing of good things...


 * Connections
 * Loni Anderson played Jennifer Marlowe
 * George Gaynes played Henri in the episode "Jennifer's Home for Christmas."
 * Edie McClurg played Lucille Tarlek in three episodes.
 * Julie Payne played Buffy Denver in the two-part episode "For Love or Money."

Wonderfalls
In the episode "Muffin Buffalo," lead character Jaye is playing Pictionary with her family and her friend Pat. While Jaye's sister draws frantically, Pat shouts out guesses as to what she's drawing: "It's a frog! He's singing! 'Rainbow Connection!'