Muppets Do Reality...seriously
 

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...6&cs=1&s=h&p=0

The Muppets are plotting a return to primetime while looking for their next great character.

ABC has ordered a script and five script outlines for "America's Next Muppet," a reality TV parody in which viewers may actually get a chance to pick Kermit and Miss Piggy's latest colleague.

ABC and Disney remain tight-lipped on the project, although word of the project first leaked last month to several Muppets fan Web sites. But it appears that the new Muppet project would borrow from shows like "American Idol" and "America's Next Top Model" as judges (Kermit? Statler and Waldorf? Animal?) comb through several new characters to select a major Muppet.

Since acquiring rights to the Muppet characters in 2004, Disney has been pursuing various ways to relaunch the popular brand as part of an overall corporate goal. Alphabet webAlphabet web last May aired telepictelepic "The Muppets Wizard of Oz," which performed solidly (7.8 million viewers), particularly with adults 18-34, teens and kids.

"America's Next Muppet" would reprep the first Muppets TV program since "Muppets Tonight," which briefly aired on ABC in 1996 (moving with additional episodes to the Disney Channel for one more year). That show also parodied the TV bizbiz, as the Muppets ran a variety show on "KMUP-TV."

The original "Muppet Show" ran in syndication for 120 episodes between 1976 and 1981

Raph's Girl note: Oh they just GOTTA have a Muppet version of Simon...they already have a muppet version of Randy Jackson in Clifford. :lol: But seriously..only Disney would think this stuff up. :roll:

Well I guess it mighjt be worth watching.. Even for the muppets.. It would be great to see em again..

I sure missed those great episodes of the muppet show..

I'll say it now and forever more, I'm a big muppet fan. lolz a muppet Simon would be so great. I'll end up seeing

I dont know why they have to fix what isn't broken seriously...just bring the muppet show back with new guest stars hell bring old ones back to....throw in some new characters and old ones we havnt seen in a long time and bam great show. BUT & this is a BIG BUTT haha they must have british writters for this new show to do well...see they don't realize thats what missing...
-Putrescent

Finally, some confirmation of the rumors. I can't wait to see it! Yeah, they can always bring back the Muppet Show, Putrescent, but this is a reality show parody, so it could be a load of fun! I'd bet they'd probably have "behind the scenes" skits and guest stars like the Muppet Show did.

Statler and Waldorf have been out-Simoning Simon for decades! :) But they're MUCH better as audience hecklers than they could ever be on a panel of judges... too stifling.

I'm sure this will be fun I didn't say it wouldn't it would would be great if it atleast took place in the old muppet theator and had characters like kermit piggy dr. teeth gonzo etc. judging. heck it would even be a great chance to try and bring back old characters that haven't been used in ages....shame this is only like a 5 episode show or whatever...
btw I'm even bigger muppet fan then I am turtles jim henons work is my first obession lol...just so happens the turtles are connected to him to...funny how life is hu?
the thing that bothers me is no one will just let the muppets be the freakin muppets....they always have to be playing other characters anymore or mocking this or that....just give them there own lives and show back....it will work they just need good writters thats why muppet tonight failed...well besides the fact it was on a friday night who really watches tv on a friday night haha...but hell I wish nothing but the best for this show if it happens now....allot of changes have happend at disney and the man in charge of the muppet chris curtan got the axe before christmas so allot of muppet things have either been put on hold or got the axe themselves.....to be honest I'll be happy as long as we get every season of the muppet show on dvd.
-Putrescent

YEEEEES.:evilgrin:

Bring on the muppets!

I didn't even notice how old that Variety article was. News to me, I guess. I'd heard rumors floating for months. :)
I see where you're coming from, Putrescent. For me, I love it when the muppets play characters because they've got got this general "real persona" thing going on. It's like, they're actors and you only see them either acting or doing interviews. It's kind of good to forget they're not real, yeah? And yet even when they're playing characters they're still themselves. I dunno if you saw "Muppets In Space" but it has some great Gonzo scenes that are kind of personal to him, as well as being part of the movie.

Hopefully we'll get to see some of the muppets being themselves on this show. That's what I meant by "behind the scenes" skits.... :)

However I would agree that I don't like the way the Muppets are handled sometimes. I kind of don't like when they make Kermit make snide comments during interviews. And I really really really don't like to see them getting pimped to hawk some lame product.

Hopefully we'll be seeing some adds for this show soon. ATM tho expect to see several Superbowl promos they're doing (pigskin jokes start.....now! :lol: ).

The Next Muppet will be premiering sometime within the next couple months according to all the websites (Toughpigs.com, Muppetcentral.com, ect).

Meanwhile tho Tough Pigs.com has started up the Muppet version of Wikipedia:
http://muppet.wikicities.com/wiki/Main_Page

The stupidity of Amercia never ceases to amaze me.

I've never seen that before. I like it! Although the actual Wikipedia would do just as well for this info.

:goof: Yes they think superheroes live in their sewers.

Yeah, stupid "Amercia."

Being a stupendous Muppet Fan (my name is Dr. Tooth, singular version of Dr. Teeth, BTW), you'd think I'd say somerthing better for a Muppet TV comeback... FUDGE'EM!!!! This si definately a sign of the Disney Muppet show character buyout (The only own Muppet show characters and Bear in the Big Blue house, BTW).

I heard about this news about a year ago, I was praying and praying it wouldn't see the light of day, and they'd just make a show like the beginning "Muppet central" half of the Jim Henson Hour. It sucks that such a classic troupe has to buckle under the annoying, ceaseless reality competition fad. Too bad they never made this edgy Fox show that never made it... that would have been MUCH better.