Eat your heart out

Piggy addresses Kiki Dee on The Muppet Show

"Eat your heart out" is a phrase, usually delivered in jest, which derived from a poetic metaphor for grief and misery. Dating at least as far back as the 16th century English translations of The Illiad, it had a dramatic and romantic meaning, often stated in first person ("I eat my heart out...") That usage continued into the early 20th century in writings by John Galsworthy and others.

By at least the 1950s, however, it had shifted into a way to humorously imply something (usually superiority in talent or skill) has roused the envy of a famed practitioner. The most common form would have a celebrity or institution after the phrase. Sometimes for added humor, only the first or last name is used.

The Muppets, no strangers to eating each other or even themselves, have frequently urged a wide range of public figures to eat their hearts out.

References

• Rowlf the Dog, in his days on The Jimmy Dean Show, exhorted various notables to eat their hearts out: Rock Hudson, when flattering Jimmy Dean in the January 9, 1964 broadcast; Count Basie in contrast to the canine's piano skills on the following week's show; Ray Bolger, over Rowlf's dancing on April 2, 1964; and Ann-Margret, when inevitably extolling the beauty that is Lassie on December 17, 1965.

• A scripted gag from Sesame Street Episode 0602, cut from the final aired version, has Count Von Count assert that he can read as well, with "Eat your heart out, Easy Reader!"

• Oscar the Grouch conducts a chorus group of street residents in Episode 0698 by *not* pointing his baton at them. When the result is silence: "Eat your heart out, John Cage" (referring to the avant-garde composer of the piece "4′33," which instructs the musicians not to play for the entire duration).

• Big Bird gives Luis a woolen conga drum in Sesame Street Episode 0713. Luis, impressed by the unique instrument, says, "Eat your heart out, Eddie Palmieri!" (referencing the noted bandleader known for his conga and mambo numbers).

• While singing "The Transylvania Polka," during an interlude between slow and upbeat parts of the song, Count von Count quips, "Bobby Vinton, eat your heart out."

• When Julie Andrews sings "Song for Kermit" to him in the special Julie: My Favorite Things, a proud Kermit the Frog advises Robert Redford to eat his heart out.

• Oscar the Grouch smashes his guitar in Episode 0927 and triumphantly tells Pete Townshend to eat his heart out.

• Bob Hope, while earlier pointing out the speed of the supersonic Concorde jet, changes his tune in The Muppet Show episode 221, when delivered by cannon thanks to The Flying Zucchini Brothers: "Eat your heart out, Concorde!"

• The script for Sesame Street Episode 1154 calls for Bert to advise Sonja Henie to eat her heart out, during his presentation of "Pigeons on Ice."

• Oscar, when trying his hand at inventing in Episode 1173 and Episode 1397, says Edison can eat his heart out.

• Miss Piggy, while performing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Elton John in The Muppet Show episode 214, exhorts Kiki Dee, who recorded the song with Elton, thusly: "Eat your heart out, Kiki!"

• Miss Piggy as Wonder Pig in episode 419 suggests guest Lynda Carter (off-stage for that sketch) eat her heart out.

• Gonzo, during his opening trumpet note for The Muppet Show episode 510, says, "Eat your heart out, Gillespie!"

• Othmar the Grouch, after talking about "sailing through the stars, across the vast universe," encourages Carl Sagan to eat his heart out in Sesame Street Episode 1570.

• Big Bird, as editor of the Daily Bird in Sesame Street Episode 1676, suggests heart consumption to The Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee.

• Oscar the Grouch, pleased with the noise the Sloppy Jalopy makes, suggests race car driver Mario Andretti eat his heart out in Episode 1823.

• Later in the same episode, Oscar has the kids collect the ping pong balls he scattered. Referencing the ping pong ball dropping habits of a Captain Kangaroo co-star, Oscar quips, "Mr. Moose, eat your heart out."

• Gladys the Cow pretends to be a frog in Episode 1829. Pleased with her imitation, she adds, "Eat your heart out, Kermit!"

• After concluding his play about trash in Episode 1879, Oscar comments, "Tommy Tune, eat your heart out!"

• In a Sesame Street season 15 segment (First: Episode 1904), Oscar narrates as the sharply-dressed Gordon, David, Bob, and Slimey participate in a game of "One of These Things." When concluding that the others aren't as talented as Slimey, the worm wriggles away as Oscar comments, "Okay guys, just eat your hearts out. Heh-heh-heh!"

• Oscar exclaims the phrase when showing Bob and Susan his Grandpa Grouch's joke machine in Episode 1975.

• Luis, after performing "Broken Arm Guitar" in Episode 2004, says country guitarist Merle Haggard can eat his heart out.

• Forgetful Jones, proud of writing his first book, exclaims "Eat your heart out, Marcel Proust!" in Sesame Street Episode 2051.

• During an "Alphabet Chat" episode on the letter H, Mr. Chatterly comments, "Geraldo, eat your heart out!"

• Leading a workout video in a season 25 sketch, Grover finds an opportunity between breaths to exclaim, "Jane Fonda, eat your heart out!"

• Clueless Morgan, complimenting Mr. Callahan on his violet contact lenses in Muppets Tonight episode 105: "Well, eat your heart out, Liz Taylor."

• Before leading his band in a performance of "Rubber Duckie" in Sesame Street Episode 3961, Ernie tells Harold Hill of The Music Man to eat his heart out.

• In a Letter of the Day segment, Cookie Monster protects the letter cookie by placing it in a safe and exhorts Houdini to eat his heart out.

• Elmo is impressed by the dance skills of Slimey in "Elmo's World: Getting Dressed": "Fred Astaire, eat your heart out!"

• While recording a promo for Hollywood Squares during the week of October 27, 2003, Bear cozies up with Susan Lucci and punctuates the bit, "Eat your heart out, Winnie the Pooh!"

• Mr. Snuffleupagus advises Albert Einstein to devour his heart, as a compliment to Big Bird's genius in Sesame Street Episode 4069.

• Global Grover praises a penguin's artwork by saying Jackson Pollock can eat his heart out. (First: Episode 4110)

• The Construction Lady, singing about hammers in "Elmo's World: Building Things," says, "Hammerstein, eat your heart out!"

• The Count at the Nascount races in Episode 4154: "Kyle Busch, eat your heart out!"

• In the Farscape comic book issue "The Binds that Tie," Aeryn Sun has become infected with a virus. In order to give her the cure, John Crichton shrinks down into her bloodstream. He exclaims that Donald Pleasence can consume his own heart (referencing the actor's role in Fantastic Voyage).

• Scooter, after beatboxing in a 2020 President's Day web video: "Eat your heart out, Lin-Manuel!"