Today

The Today Show is a daily morning news and talk program on NBC.

The Muppets were frequent guests on The Today Show in the early 1960s, doing local cut-ins for the show from Washington, D.C. Muppets making appearances included Sam from Sam and Friends and an early Kermit the Frog. Jim Henson and Jane Henson (who performed the numbers) were also interviewed occasionally.

Current co-host Matt Lauer and weatherman Al Roker have both appeared on Sesame Street. Former Today co-host Bryant Gumbel contributed a recipe for Miss Piggy's 1996 cookbook, In the Kitchen with Miss Piggy.

In episode 103 of The Jim Henson Hour, Fozzie Bear visited The Today Show and met Willard Scott and Jane Pauley.

List of appearances

 * June 5, 1961 with host Dave Garroway, performing "Yes, We Have No Bananas" and "Old Black Magic."


 * Weekly appearances in 1962 and 1963 with host Hugh Downs.


 * July 1984 -- Willard Scott introduces Gene Shalit's interview with Jim Henson, which starts with Henson throwing out a nod to Scott about having begun his career working with him at WRC-TV. Henson is promoting the company's new film, The Muppets Take Manhattan, which Shalit says is a refreshing break from the summer's crop of terrible movies. This launches into a discussion about violence on the screen in contemporary cinema. Later, Kermit stops in for an interview (he's even miked on his collar), and receives the usual volley of questions about the rumors concerning a marriage and on-again/off-again relationship with Miss Piggy.


 * November 14, 1988 -- Big Bird assists Willard Scott with the weather; Meryl Sheep and Count von Count take over for regular anchors Jane Pauley and Bryant Gumbel.


 * January 1, 1998 -- The morning after New Year's Eve, Miss Piggy breaks up with her New Year's date, Matt Lauer.


 * 1999 -- Roscoe Orman and Elmo appear to promote "Art From the Fuzzy and Famous".


 * January 14, 2002 -- Kermit and Miss Piggy appear for the show's 50th anniversary celebration. This is the last known appearance of Frank Oz as Piggy.


 * September 21, 2005 -- Cheryl Henson and Kevin Clash talk with Matt Lauer to promote the new book It's Not Easy Being Green.


 * December 28, 2005 -- Big Bird (Matt Vogel) appears with Rosemarie Truglio to promote Episode 4107 and Episode 4108, the "Adventures of Little Big Bird" two-parter.


 * May 2006 -- With the announced departure of Katie Couric, assorted celebrities tape segments offering their farewells. Miss Piggy and Kermit appear on May 16, and Piggy takes offense at Kermit's sign: "Hey Matt, want a pig?" On May 25, Elmo shows up to offer his own goodbyes, following General Norman Schwarzkopf.


 * August 14, 2006 -- Leslie Carrara performs Abby Caddaby in an introduction of the character to the general populus. Note: This appearance was originally scheduled for Friday, August 11th.


 * September 6, 2006 -- Kevin Clash and Elmo appear together to promote Kevin's book My Life as a Furry Red Monster.


 * September 14, 2006 -- Miss Piggy thinks that she's the new co-host, and not Meredith Vieira. And if that wasn't enough, the poor pig also has to deal with bacon breath.


 * January 5, 2007 -- Miss Piggy pops out of the roughly four-foot-tall cake and sings "Happy Anchorversary" to Matt Lauer, in celebration of Lauer's 10th anniversary on the program.


 * February 7, 2007 -- The cast of Sesame Street LIVE: Elmo's Coloring Book performs on the plaza to promote their run at Madison Square Garden.


 * May 10, 2007 -- After a retrospective video looking at Ann Curry's 10 years on The Today Show, Elmo appears in a live segment from Italy wishing Ann well. The cast escort Curry to a short wall, from which Cookie Monster pops out from in behind. Cookie pulls out a plate of cookies, presents Ann with a bouquet of flowers, then calls in "Lou" to bring a case with an engraved necklace. As Ann hugs her co-hosts, Cookie starts to chow down on his cookies, before being hugged mid-eat by Ann.


 * August 7, 2007 -- Miss Piggy appears behind the set's couch to talk to Al, Meredith, and Matt about The Muppet Show: Season Two DVD.


 * August 10, 2007 -- Elmo promotes season 38 of Sesame Street.


 * December 25, 2007 -- "Abby and the Sesame Street gang" scheduled to appear on the show, according to an email by Leslie Carrara.


 * November 13, 2008 -- "The Muppets Take Over Today" -- Muppet characters appear to promote The Muppet Whatnot Workshop, taking over the program for a full half hour, 8:00 to 8:30 am EST, and scattered appearances later. Appearances by Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and others, with Christopher Meloni, and Harry Connick Jr. as guests.

The half hour

 * As the Muppet half hour begins, while Matt Lauer, Al Roker, and Meredith Vieira pound on the door to be let back on, the camera cuts to Muppet Meredith and Muppet Matt on the couch, mentioning what's coming up on the broadcast, including two of Washington, DC's leading political pundits giving their take on President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet picks, Christopher Meloni discussing how he makes his work relationships work on- and off-the-job, and Harry Connick Jr. is set to play a song from his Christmas album. They then throw to news, after which Lester Holt (filling in for Ann Curry) throws to Al for the weather. Muppet Al asks an audience member where they're from, asking "What you're name ma'am?", then stating "That's a great name", without giving her time to talk. He throws to local weather. Afterwards, Muppet Willard presents the Smuckers 100th birthdays, with pictures of four Muppets.


 * Back in New York, the real Matt, Meredith and Al argue with Bobo the bear, who is working security. Bobo reads Matt's personal ID, asking "Is this your current address, Mr. Lawyer?" The hosts correct him, saying "Lauer". Bobo continues to mispronounce the name, saying it in a progressively lower voice, until cracking at them. In Studio 1A, the set of the show, the Muppet hosts throw to Muppet Ann, who is supposed to be in a "far flung" place, for their Ends of the Earth series on Today. Muppet Ann is in Dean & Deluca Coffee and Tea, a shop visible from the Today plaza. She explains that Bobo told her that Lenny needed a pumpkin spice latte.


 * After a commercial break, the segment begins in the control room, with mostly rats at the switches. The hosts are asked to remove their shoes, as Meredith is frisked by Bobo's wand. She flirts with him, but he catches on, and forces her up against the wall. Muppet Ann arrives with the coffee, and is asked to pick up cupcakes. Statler and Waldorf present a "Picks for Obama's Cabinet" segment, offering their two cents, "which is exactly how much change we have left in our retirement accounts." Their picks:
 * Attorney General: Judge Judy
 * Secretary of Treasury: the Deal or No Deal girls, not Howie Mandel (who is also shown)
 * Secretary of the Interior: Martha Stewart
 * Secretary of the Inferior: Fozzie Bear
 * For the rest of the cabinet, the hosts of The View
 * The Muppet hosts do a teaser for Christopher Meloni (Law and Order: SVU) and Miss Piggy (Law and Order: E-I-E-I-O). Cut to a dressing room, where Meloni says he's glad to meet her, but unsure why the two of them would be on together to discuss relationships; Piggy tells Meloni about how she feels he lusts over her. Cut back to the Muppet hosts, unsure what's taking Meloni and Piggy so long. Cut back to Piggy, who has wrapped Meloni in crime scene tape. Cut to the actual hosts, including Al, who tackles Bobo so they can enter the studio. Cut back to the Muppet hosts, who tease Connick's segment, and throw to break.


 * After commercial, the hosts meet up with Kermit backstage, who says that he's been waiting for them for a half hour. The Muppet director (the Mr. Easy Peasy puppet), signaling for Connick's segment, says "Take five". The rats interpret this to mean to take a break, and scurry off. The director remarks, "there goes my Emmy." Cut to Connick and the Muppet hosts; Connick is sure something is different from normal, but can't identify what it would be. He starts to play "Winter Wonderland" from his Christmas CD What a Night. The hosts and Kermit enter after one verse, and Kermit eventually explains that the Muppet hosts are Whatnots, and how as supporting players, they couldn't resist being in the spotlight. The hosts head to a Whatnot Workshop in the studio, where they meet three featureless but moving Whatnots. Kermit describes Meredith's creation as a "Marty Feldman Whatnot", due to its outward pointing eyes.) The three Muppet hosts on the couch throw to break, but there is still time left. The hosts fill time by changing the Whatnots appearances, before the Muppet hosts throw to break again.

After the half hour

 * A yellow Whatnot, which Meredith suggested was a caricature of Lenny (a frequent audience member on the plaza), appeared behind the barricades. Meredith mentioned her tradition of kissing Lenny as being the first thing she does on entering the plaza, and proceeded to kiss him, then the Muppet.


 * Willard Scott, appearing to present the 100+ birthdays, mentioned how he did commercials for Schindler's peanut butter, giving Kermit spoonfuls of the product.

Birthday Muppets
Muppet Willard's 100th birthday tributes:

Ida uses the same pattern as the Geri and the Atrics drummer, and Zeke is a reworked Gramps.