Episode 101: Michelle Pfeiffer

Muppets Tonight
Air Date	March 8, 1996
Written by	Dick Blasucci, Paul Flaherty, Darin Henry, Jim Lewis, Kirk Thatcher and Patric Verrone
Director	Gary Halvorson
Prod. no.	101
(TRANSCRIPT)

Gonzo goes over the KMUP line-ups.

Michelle offers to guest-star on the first show.

Piggy and Michelle find out that both of them have been hired to guest-star.

Kermit the Frog has a meeting with the other Muppets to talk about the Muppets' new television studio, KMUP-TV. Gonzo talks about the schedule, and points out that right now the station is broadcasting "TBA", which Kermit realises means "to be announced...", which means that there isn't a show on the air. Kermit decides to put on a show, and when he asks the others who would like to volunteer to host this new show, everybody runs out of the room, with the exception of Clifford, who is busy talking on his cellphone, and ends up being the host.

The new show, Muppets Tonight, begins, and when Clifford introduces the show, he asks Rizzo the Rat what is supposed to open the show. Rizzo informs Clifford that they don't have an opening act, and also lack a middle or closing act. However, Gonzo has found an opening act, Francois Fromage and his Dancing Cheeses, who soon melt during their act, due to the lights.

Backstage, Clifford and Rizzo discuss the show, and decide that what the show needs is a celebrity guest star. Miss Piggy then shows up and offers to be the guest star on one condition: Clifford must give Piggy's dim-witted nephews, Andy and Randy Pig, a job on the show. After talking with them, Clifford figures that he'll probably regret hiring them.

Kermit soon shows up and tells Clifford that Michelle Pfeiffer has agreed to be the show's guest star. Rizzo tries to remind Clifford that Miss Piggy was just hired to be the guest, but Clifford refuses to listen until after he lets Michelle be the guest. Clifford and Rizzo then try to make sure that Piggy and Michelle don't run into each other, but Michelle soon sees Miss Piggy, and the two realize that they are both guest starring on the same show, and are playing the same role in the closing number, a Sound of Music medley.

Piggy and Michelle compete during the closing number, offering treats to their co-stars, sending people to attack each other (Piggy sends Foo-Foo to attack Michelle, and Michelle sends Animal to attack Foo-Foo), and they shoot cannons at each other. But after the number, they have made up, and agree that the whole mix-up was really Clifford's fault.

Skit Highlights

• Francois Fromage and his Dancing Cheeses
• Bay of Pigswatch
• At the Bar
• Muppet Match-up
• Great Moments in Elvis History: The Declaration of Independence
• UK Spot: Swift Wits
• "Do-Re-Mi" sung by Michelle and Piggy

Notes

• A different celebrity guest star was originally booked instead of Pfeiffer, but just a few days before shooting, they backed out. Henry Kissinger had also agreed to make an appearance alongside the guest star in the episode's cold open, but backed out as well.

• The KMUP station line-up chart spoofs an assortment of TV show titles.

• In the original airing of the episode, Waldorf is performed by Kevin Clash instead of Dave Goelz. International airings have Goelz's voice dubbed over.

• Bill Barretta performs Bunsen in the 'Muppet Match-Up' scene.

• Muppets who appear in the board room at the beginning of this episode include Kermit the Frog, The Great Gonzo, Clifford, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Animal, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Zoot, Crazy Harry, The Swedish Chef, Bean Bunny, Bobo the Bear, a banana, and Lew Zealand.

• This is the only episode where the opening begins with a wide shot of the station before Kermit announces the guest star.

• When Piggy enters the station, a picture of Scooter appears on the wall, the first glimpse of him since the death of Richard Hunt.

Performers

Bill Barretta as David Hogsellhoff, one of the Elvis', Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (for Muppet Match Up), Clueless Morgan, Big Mean Carl, Snookie Blyer

Kevin Clash as Clifford, Waldorf, Shark, J.P. Grosse, Philo Zilfinger, Polly Lobster

Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo, Randy Pig, Extreme, Miss Piggy's assistant

Brian Henson as Nigel the Director, one of the Elvis'

Jerry Nelson as Statler, A. Ligator, one of the Elvis', Lew Zealand

Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog, Andy Pig, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Foo Foo, George the Janitor

Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Animal, Stagehand

Leslie Carrara as Spamela Hamderson

Greg Ballora

Phil Baron

Pat Brymer

Thomas Fountain

John Kennedy

Bruce Lanoil as François Fromage

Len Levitt

Drew Massey

Joe Selph

Allan Trautman

Cast

Muppets:

Clifford, Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Gonzo, Andy and Randy Pig, Nigel, Statler and Waldorf, Spamela Hamderson, David Hoggselhoff, A. Ligator, The Elvises, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Animal, Foo-Foo, J.P. Grosse, George the Janitor, The Extremes, Sharks, Snookie Blyer, Philo Zilfinger, Big Mean Carl, Polly Lobster, Clueless Morgan, François Fromage and his Dancing Cheeses, Stagehand

Background Muppets:

Lew Zealand, Droop, Crazy Harry, Bean Bunny, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Zoot, The Swedish Chef, Pops, Louis Kazagger, Baskerville the Hound, Inkspot, a Fazoob, Quongo, Mr. Poodlepants, Bananas, The Barbershop Cactus Quartet

Sources

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(first)	Garth Brooks