Miss Piggy's weight

Piggy tips the scale.

Piggy's weight shifts the Swinetrek.

Commander Piggy, unaffected by weightlessness.

A running gag throughout the duration of Miss Piggy's existence regards her weight. It is often employed through others cracking jokes at her expense, her weight having improbable impacts on her situation and attributing her weight to her consuming large doses of unhealthy foods. These instances are typically met with a dose of physical punishment to those around calling attention to it.

References

The Muppet Show

• In the panel discussion of "Does travel broaden the mind?" in episode 115, Mildred Huxtetter quips that Piggy, despite having never traveled far, is the broadest of all the panel members. She later remarks that Piggy's size threatens to knock her off the panel, to which Piggy threatens to knock her out of the theater.

• Piggy's weight was the focal point of episode 222, where Kermit informs Scooter that Piggy's upcoming ballet number will be cut due to her being unable to fit in her outfit. She spends the episode trying to lose weight, struggling to starve herself and exercise. Her efforts prove fruitless, as she winds up busting the scale by setting on it.

• Episode 301 sees Piggy ordering an appearance-keeping, healthy meal from the Canteen; Gladys refers to her order as the "Fatso Special." Piggy reacts negatively, especially when the much more petite Annie Sue orders some junk food.

• An edition of "Pigs in Space" in episode 420 shows the Swinetrek severely balanced to one side. Link Hogthrob and Dr. Julius Strangepork soon find that the ship shifts to whatever side First Mate Piggy happens to be on. Piggy insists it's merely a coincidence.

• Loretta Swit fills in for Nurse Piggy in the "Veterinarian's Hospital" sketch in episode 502. Upon hearing this, Dr. Bob replies, "If you're here to fill in for Nurse Piggy, you'd better fill out!"

• Piggy causes The Muppet Theatre-turned-pirate ship to rock back and forth as she passes through in episode 507, proving problematic as Shakey Sanchez performs his bomb-balancing act.

Muppets Tonight

• Spamela Hamderson mistakes Piggy for a baby whale in the "Bay of Pigswatch" sketch in episode 101.

• In a spoof of When Harry Met Sally in episode 103, Piggy, on a date with Harry, places a ridiculously large order.

• Martin Short gains several pounds after consuming jar after jar of Mama Fiama's pasta sause in episode 110. As Piggy joins him for the closing number ("Steppin' Out with My Baby"), Nigel comments that his enormous weight makes Piggy look thin by comparison. "Come off it, he's not that big," replies Rizzo.

• In the "Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine" sketch in episode 206, Piggy's weight causes her to be the sole member of the Swinetrek to not be affected by a sudden loss of gravity. A similar situation occurs in a "Pigs in Space" web video, "The Gravity of the Situation."

• Mimicking Courteney Cox's role in Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" music video in episode 211, Piggy attempts to join Kermit onstage, but he is unable to move her. Further attempts made by the crew using ropes and even a crane proof unsuccessful as well.

The Muppets

• During the morning meeting in "Pig Girls Don't Cry," Kermit discusses a failed production piece involving Piggy flying on a cable, which was unable to support her weight. Bobo is surprised, as the cable was one used typically for wrecking balls.

• According to Uncle Deadly in "Hostile Makeover", he's "woven such a cocoon of lies" that Piggy doesn't know her size, weight, or even how old she is.

• Due to the cancelation of Patrick Dempsey for Up Late with Miss Piggy in "Pig's in a Blackout," the writing team (Gonzo, Pepe and Rizzo) alter their sketch to account for his replacement - a large stick of butter. The sketch ends up being Piggy dreaming about making out with the butter, which Pepe considers much more realistic.

• Deadly tells Kermit that Piggy wants him to give the doctors Piggy's weight in stone so it's indecipherable in "Generally Inhospitable".

Films

• In Muppet Treasure Island, following "Love Led Us Here," Captain Smollett saves Benjamina Gunn from a high fall and is visibly suffering trying to keep her in his grasp.

• While under the effects of the Muppet Labs invisibility spray in Muppets from Space, Piggy is shown downing a bag of potato chips.

• In The Muppets, Piggy is shown apparently making decisions in her Paris office regarding some fashionable outfits. It turns out to instead be in regards to her plate of donuts, which she eats all of.

Books

• In Muppet Robin Hood, Piggy as Maid Marian remarks on how Guy of Gisbourne's questions about a giant plant are spoiling her appetite. Mildred then quips, "and THAT'S not easy."

• Later on in the same book, when Prince John is trying to think of something to "dangle before Robin to make him come running", Sal Minella suggests Marian and then adds, "though I don't think we can dangle her. Not without a crane, at least."

Other

• One of the tracks on Miss Piggy's Aerobique Exercise Workout Album, "Snackcercise," is all about snacking one's way to health.

• In Rocky Mountain Holiday, John Denver talks about the wonderful time he and Piggy once had horseback riding, and Floyd Pepper quips, "that's not what the horse said!"

• Miss Piggy spends the course of The Kermit and Piggy Story ordering multiple, course meals on a night out with Kermit, who is stuck with a large bill while Piggy goes out for a pizza.

• Rowlf the Dog, introducing Piggy in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years, refers to her as "one of the biggies, no matter how tight we lace her corset."

• In Muppet Classic Theater, Rizzo scoffs at the idea of Piggy playing one of the Three Little Pigs. Later in the story, the Big Bad Wolf acknowledges her brick house. Piggy, believing he's instead referring to her, responds, "You're no 'Junior Petite', yourself."

• Piggy tells Clive James on The Clive James Show that, concerning her role in Muppet Treasure Island, there are no small parts, only small actors. Kermit adds, "and in Miss Piggy's dressing room, there are no small costumes."

• Miss Piggy appeared in a series of commercials for Baked Lays chips, which are all based around her hogging all the chips for herself.

• In an episode of Donna's Day, Kermit tries finding a guest for Donna Erickson's party. He phones Piggy's residence, where butler Faversham informs him that she's out at a "symposium on health and nutrition." Kermit immediately recognizes this as her "Friends of Fudge" convention.

• In the hidden treasure section of the audio commentary for the Muppet Treasure Island DVD, the topic of how big Piggy's dressing room is comes up. Rizzo jokes that this has to be the case or else she wouldn't be able to fit into it.

• In It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, Miss Piggy threatens to kick Rachel Bitterman's "skinny banking butt", to which Rachel replies, "ooh, skinny, huh? Thank you. Too bad I can't say the same for you, Miss Porky!"

• Miss Piggy and Kermit watch a blooper from "Santa Baby" from the above TV movie in NBC's Funniest Outtakes 2, where Piggy is dropped to the floor by accident. Piggy threatens a "fat lip" to whoever makes a fat joke.

• In Muppets Party Cruise, one of Piggy's stock phrases employed during the "Long Cruise" game has her getting enraged at someone making a "whale watching" remark toward her.

• In the online Pigs in Space episode "The Gravity of the Situation," First Mate Piggy enters the doomed Swinetrek then notices that there's no gravity and wonders why she's not weightless, to which the ship's computer laughs at her. Later as she resigns to her fate the ghost of her dead lover Matt Kewaterski points out reasons she'd like to stay on the ship, one being that she weighs less. The ship then announces, "Five seconds until the fat lady sings."