Inside jokes (Muppet Babies)

Muppet Babies mentioning names of performers, employees, different productions, and other pieces of inside information.

Muppet Babies

Picture	Description
	In "What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?," footage of the red carpet crowd in The Muppets Go Hollywood is used as Baby Piggy and Baby Kermit imagine a famous lifestyle. The same footage re-appears in "Eight Flags Over the Nursery" as the babies ride through the Movie Studio section of Babyland.
	In "Close Encounters of the Frog Kind," a brief shot from The Muppet Movie, of Kermit's legs exiting Bunsen's laboratory, is used during the Western scene between Baby Kermit and Baby Gonzo.
	In "Once Upon an Egg Timer," when Baby Skeeter as a police officer is chasing after Baby Piggy for taking Baby Rowlf's voice, she calls on the radio for a roadblock on Henson and Frith Street.
	As the curtain rises on Baby Piggy in "Musical Muppets," the college auditorium audience scene from the beginning of The Muppets Take Manhattan is used as a backdrop for the animated characters.
	In "When You Wish Upon a Muppet", after Baby Kermit wishes that the Muppets stay together and make movies and TV shows when they grow up, a clip from The Great Muppet Caper is shown.
	In "The Daily Muppet," a clip featuring Oscar the Grouch is shown during the title song.
	In "Fine Feathered Enemies" when Scooter and Skeeter get angry with each other and "divorce" one another from being siblings, they are told to become the siblings of two other people. They turn out to be two Skeksis (SkekAyuk and SkekEkt), who flee from them; one of them screeches, "Gelflings were bad enough, but this is gross!" The shot was originally used in The Dark Crystal when the two Skeksis scream in horror and run from Kira.
	"The Incredible Shrinking Weirdo" features a scene where a live-action adult Kermit interacts with an animated Baby Gonzo. A clip from The Muppet Show (Episode 223: John Cleese) was used, with Frank Welker dubbing new lines for Kermit and with Baby Gonzo matted into the scene. This fantasy sequence also featured a shot of the audience that was frequently used on The Muppet Show.
	At the beginning of "This Little Piggy Went to Hollywood", the babies watch a TV special on Hollywood that showcased still photo of stars including Bert and Ernie, as well as a photo of Jim Henson. Later in the episode, a marquee reads "Henson's Biggest Little Pig."
	In "Muppets Not Included," a live-action Dr. Teeth appears as one of the hundreds of celebrities in Baby Piggy's game show, "Celebrity Circles."
	In "Junkyard Muppets," Baby Fozzie attempts to open a cave with the phrase "Open Sesame Street!"
	In "Bug-Busting Babies" the babies become bug exterminators and set out to recruit members for the team. Their first recruit is Kermit the Frog, who they find working at a diner off of Sesame Street.
	"Babes in Troyland," features clips from Labyrinth and The StoryTeller: Greek Myths. During the Minotaur's maze, scene clips include the Illusionary maze and the Labyrinth.
	In "Muppet Babies: The Next Generation", when the other babies think that Rowlf is playing charades, one of Piggy's guesses is "The Muppets Clean Manhattan".
	In "Quoth the Weirdo," Gonzo and Bean encounter two Skeksis from The Dark Crystal.
	"Gonzee's Playhouse Channel" features a parody of Sesame Street, called "Sesame Seed Boulevard". Highlights include Kermit's attempts to teach viewers about the letter B, Fozzie in the role of "Big Joke", Animal appearing in a trashcan like Oscar the Grouch, and Kermit and Scooter using paper bags in the respective roles of Kert and Bernie.
	In "Get Me to the Perch on Time," as Baby Kermit and Piggy fly in a plane, they pass Mount Rushmore, as seen in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, with dubbed dialogue. Later, Gonzo and Fozzie are trying to find a missing penguin in the arctic. They decide to put his picture up on their blimp board, but Fozzie includes an image of Big Bird instead.
	"Nice to Have Gnome You" features clips from both Labyrinth and The Witches. Several of the Babies appear as characters from the former, intercut with footage of the actual Creatures, including Gonzo as Hoggle, Animal as Ludo, Scooter as The Worm, and Rowlf and Fozzie as The Four Guards.

Merchandise

Picture	Description
	The storybook Baby Piggy's Night at the Ball features illustrated cameos of costumes from the Henson Company Masquerade Balls.
	In the framing sequences of the home video Yes, I Can, Robin's bedroom features posters using photos and film parodies previously released as trading cards and at Muppet*Vision 3D ― including Star Chores, Krissed Krossed, The Bride of Froggen-Schwein, Beach Blanket Beaker, The Ricky Rat Show and Surfin' Like an Animal!. His cluttered closet also includes a Rubber Duckie.

Muppet Babies (2018)

Picture	Description
	Several books on the shelves in the playroom feature photos of Beaker, Sam the Eagle, Janice, Pepe, and the Swedish Chef on the spines.
	A picture on the wall of the playroom features Baby Scooter and Skeeter playing on a seesaw.
	Pictures hanging on the wall of Miss Nanny's house feature baby versions of other Muppet characters. Portraits in early episodes included characters such as Bunsen and Beaker, Scooter and Skeeter, Rowlf, Sweetums, Sam Eagle, and the Swedish Chef who would eventually become characters on the show in later seasons. Other pictures hanging on the walls include younger versions of Lew Zealand and a fish, Pepe the King Prawn, Mahna Mahna and the Snowths, Bean Bunny, Link Hogthrob and Dr. Julius Strangepork, Uncle Deadly, Bobo the Bear, Beauregard, and Dr. Teeth, Zoot, Janice, and Floyd Pepper. Muppet Portraits Bean Beauregard Bobo Bunsen & Beaker Chef Electric Mayhem Lew Zealand Link & Strangepork Mahna Mahna & Snowths Pepe Rowlf Sam Scooter & Skeeter Sweetums & Sam Uncle Deadly
	The babies and chicks appear in what resembles the Muppet Show arches in their Muppet Babies: Show and Tell short "The Great Muppet (Short) Musical".
	One of the patches on the makeshift stage curtains is the wallpaper pattern used in the "I'm Gonna Always Love You" sequence from The Muppets Take Manhattan.
	Mr. Statler and Waldorf's yard features 2D sculptures of Big Mean Carl and Luncheon Counter Monster. 3D-rendered sculptures of the two later appear in the episode "Animal and the Magic Mummy," and variants in altered poses reappear in "The Legend of El Tomahto," and "Summer's Disaster-Piece." The statue of Luncheon Counter Monster holds an Easter egg in "Kermit and Fozzie's Eggcellent Adventure".
	In "Hatastrophe," statues of Sweetums, Behemoth and Blue Frackle are seen in the babies' burglary fantasy.
	In "The Great Muppet Sport-A-Thon," the stadium features trophies topped with figures of Blue Frackle, Big Mean Carl, Thog, Sweetums, Lew Zealand, and The Swedish Chef.
	In "Piggy's Time Machine," the babies zip around space and time. At one point, they witness their future selves (using stock footage from "The Muppet Show Theme" in The Muppets), where Baby Fozzie asks who all those people are.
	"Piggy's Time Machine" also includes various minor inside references such as Sam the Eagle on an Egyptian pot, Beaker's likeness in place of The Sphinx (which later reappears in "Friend-a-versary"), and Muppet icons on The Nursery's Scribble Screen.
	"Playground Pirates" includes a scene with a tiki head suspiciously resembling Sam the Eagle. The item reappears sporadically throughout the series, in episodes such as "My Brother Vinny" and "Animal and the Magic Mummy."
	"You Ought to Be in Pictures" features yet another statue of Blue Frackle during a scene parodying Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The statue can again be seen in the same spot in the museum, in the episode "Animal and the Magic Mummy."
	An adult live-action Dr. Teeth appears in "Muppet Rock" as the leader of Animal's favorite band. This marks the second time that the live-action character has had a guest spot on the Muppet Babies franchise; he was previously featured on the original Muppet Babies episode "Muppets Not Included." Muppet performer Bill Barretta, who performed Dr. Teeth in the appearance, admits that he doesn't quite understand how it works if the other Muppets are babies but he's an adult. (YouTube)
	Baby Fozzie appears behind a cardboard cutout of Lew Zealand in "No Laughing Matter". In the same manner, he also gives Miss Nanny a face for the first time since the character's introduction.
	"Finders Keepers" includes a scene with hieroglyphics resembling Sam the Eagle painted on the pot of golden eggs, originally from "Piggy's Time Machine." The pot can again be seen in the museum, in the episode "Animal and the Magic Mummy."
	"My Brother Vinny" establishes a new set for the show, a recreation of The Muppet Theatre, including the Muppet Theater Auditorium, the Backstage set, and Statler and Waldorf's Box (albeit on the other side of the stage).
	In "When You Wish Upon a Rizzo," Baby Piggy draws a picture of a dog resembling Foo-Foo, and drowns it in glitter.
	"Wocka by Fozzie" shows a flashback, during which Miss Nanny is seen with a slightly smaller Baby Fozzie, donning an approximation of the classic, striped tights that the original Nanny wore on the original Muppet Babies series from 1984. For the rest of the episode, she is seen wearing her typically themed tights.
	"Wocka by Fozzie" also shows a silhouette of Baby Fozzie imagining himself growing up while riding a bicycle (play animation).
	Again in "Wocka by Fozzie," Ma Bear appears in the imagined nighttime sky to both Baby Fozzie and Baby Kermit.
	Jim from The Country Trio can be seen in the Muppet Theatre audience in "Win a Twin". The character can later be spotted again, as part of a crowd of parade onlookers in "Friend-a-versary."
	In a visual reference to a scene from The Muppet Movie, a giant Animal appears in Fozzie, Gonzo, and Rizzo's imagination in "Oh Brother."
	In "Summer's Disaster-Piece," paintings are seen of grown-up Muppet characters including Janice, Floyd Pepper, Beautiful Day Monster, Rowlf the Dog, Beauregard, Lew Zealand, Link Hogthrob, Miss Piggy, Pops, Thog, Sam the Eagle (as Samuel Arrow), Yorick, and Louis Kazagger. Kazagger's painting even has a photo of himself and Gonzo from one of the Good Morning America sketches from 1992. The painting of Rowlf briefly reappears in the episode "The Copy Cub."
	In "The Copy Cub," Fozzie and Rozzie (as well as two identical copies) appear at the characters' imagined Muppet Theatre to perform a comedy act in front of a backdrop reminiscent of adult Fozzie's comedy act. The backdrop reappears in episodes such as "Gonzo's Bubble Trouble."
	In "Muppet Space Camp," the babies stay up to watch for Henson's Comet.
	In "The Best Best Friend Beach Day," Waldo C. Graphic is seen on Miss Nanny's keychain.
	In "Best Pals Pizza Delivery," Kermit uses his imagination to appear on his and Fozzie's favorite cartoon show, Wacky Alpaca Pals. The scenes in Alpacaville are 2D-animated, and feature Kermit in his classic Muppet Babies design from the 1980s, from his white-and-blue sailor outfit, down to the catchlights used in his eyes on the original.
	The episode "A Very Sticker Situation," introduces Jill (the frog from The Muppets Take Manhattan) as a young girl, albeit a bit older than the rest of the Muppet Babies. Her doll, Lady Sparkle, is based on Janice.
	Also in "A Very Sticker Situation," the baby version of Link Hogthrob that had previously appeared in a photo on the Playroom's wall makes a 2D-animated appearance on a sticker inside a rocket ship, all within the other characters' imagination.
	In "No Takesies Backsies," Kermit appears as a younger version of his Reporter Kermit alter ego. A Sesame Street News Flash parody logo appears at the onset of the scene, and Kermit talks to someone off-camera before starting his report.
	In the episode "Sam and the Skyscraper", instead of a post office, Fozzie and Summer create the Museum of Modern Jokes. Amongst the exhibits are an image of Dr. Bob, Nurse Janice, and Nurse Piggy examining Robin in a set similar to Veterinarian's Hospital from The Muppet Show.
	In the episode "Rozzie and the Big Bad Sound," the Sky Giant that explains what thunder actually is wears an outfit similar to Sweetums from his original appearance.
	In the episode "Muppets of the Carribbean," Animal finds a baby bonnet on the Island of Lost Toys, and puts it on (a callback to the character's original series design). When the episode ends, Animal is still wearing the bonnet; he looks to the camera and says, "Go bye-bye!" in reference to the oft-repeated sting that closed many episodes of the original Muppet Babies.
	Pepe appears as a computer game avatar in "Scooter MVP."
	"The Muppet Babies Show" features a prop of The Electric Mayhem Bus.
	The opening of "The Muppet Babies Show" features a rendition of "The Muppet Show Theme" sung as "The Muppet Babies Show" with a recreation of the original show's staging and set pieces.
	The same episode features recreations of Veterinarian's Hospital, The Swedish Chef, and Muppet Labs segments from The Muppet Show.
	The finale in "The Muppet Babies Show" is reminiscent in its staging and set design to the "Rainbow Connection" finale in The Muppet Movie.
	The bus that the babies get onto at the end of "The Muppet Babies Show" is painted like The Electric Mayhem Bus.

Honorary mentions

Picture	Description
	While technically a Muppet film inside joke, this is the first inside joke to ever involve the Muppet Babies: In The Muppets Take Manhattan during the song "I'm Gonna Always Love You," Baby Rowlf plays doctor with a plush doll of Big Bird. For the scene, a rubber duckie can be seen sitting on a shelf behind him.
	After first appearing in mobile puppet form in A Muppet Family Christmas, this iteration of Baby Animal made another brief appearance on the Lipton "Be More Tea" commercials, otherwise surrounded by a frog, a pig, and an entire world's population of adult Animals.
	While technically a Muppet TV series inside joke, the Muppet Babies were yet again referenced in the adult Muppets' world: Beginning with the Muppets Now episode "Due Date," whilst sharing his computer screen, adult Scooter's desktop image can be glimpsed behind an unorganized slew of files and folders, revealing a (new) baby photo of his younger self.