From: F1.RCP@isumvs.iastate.edu (BOB PEDERSEN)
Subject: FAQ 1.0 (at last!)
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 18:40:17 GMT


ALT.TV.MUPPETS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS VERSION 1.0
Assembled and edited in December, 1992, by Bob Pedersen with help
from many others.

Since this is the first posted version, I anticipate that updates will come
frequently for a while.  Mail your comments to me (Bob Pedersen) at
f1.rcp@iastate.edu; however, those submitting questions unaccompanied by
attempts at answers are in danger of becoming an assistant to Dr. Bunson
Honeydew.  We wouldn't want _that_, would we? ;^)

Note: I do not plan on issuing updates to reflect additions to the cast
lists unless I've forgotten someone on the order of, say, Grover.

Have fun!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Acknowledgments
Q1. Is Ernie dying? (Abstract: NO.)
Q2. Which muppeteer played ...?
Q3. What are some favorite episodes of the Muppet News Flash?
Q4. What is the name of that character on Sesame Street or the
Muppet Show?

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to alt.tv.muppets, the place where you can take a break from
your life of insane solemnity and engage in some serious zaniness!

This frequently asked questions file exists to serve two purposes:
one, to answer some questions often posed by persons new to the
group, and two, to give its readership a few minutes of fun.

This FAQ is archived at cathouse.aiss.uiuc.edu.  Also at that site
are William Sherman's wonderful Muppetography (occasionally posted
to alt.tv.muppets) and a file of song lyrics.

Although it is already recommended in the Muppetography, I want to
strongly urge you to check your local library for the following
book:
     Finch, Christopher.  Of Muppets and Men: The Making of the Muppet
     Show. c.1981 by Henson Associates, Inc.  Alfred A Knopf.


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The following persons are made honorary members of the Electric Mayhem for
their important contributions to this FAQ prior to the announced deadline.
May I be sat on by Sweetums if I left anyone out.

Jerry Alexandros
Devjani Mishra
Simon Rooney
Chris Beck
Rebecca Alice Metz
Steven Newman
Charles Evans
Bryan Van Blaricom
Brian J. Stokes
Nicolle (Born to Recal)
Sean P. Donahue
Christopher Robin
Philip N. Whiteman
Andrew Wolf
Jean-o
Max Ziff
P. J. Geraghty
Angela I.
Davina Tung
Kriss A. Hougland
Steven Newman
Laura Wasko
Lore A. Guilmartin


Thanks are also due to William Sherman for arranging for this site and the
periodic posting of this file.


Q1.  IS ERNIE DYING? [Abstract: No.]

Several times a year, this group receives a panic-stricken posting
from a new reader who has heard the rumor that the beloved Sesame
Street character Ernie is dying.  It is even rumored that Jim
Henson's will requires that Ernie no longer be used after his death.
This is not the case: several members of this group have gone so
far as to contact Henson Productions and Children's Television
Workshop, and been ABSOLUTELY ASSURED that this is not the case.

For those of you who need it from a published source, here is a
quote from "Surely, no one believes the rat in the soda bottle
story," written by Rachel Jones of Knight-Ridder Newspapers.  (Des
Moines [Iowa] Register, Dec.1, 1992, p.3T.  Thanks to Lore
Guilmartin for sending it along.)  The story concerns 'urban
legends,' stories that spread like wildfire with little or no basis
in fact.

        ...But some rumors are just too bizarre to figure.
        One of the most recent urban myths is one claiming
        that Ernie, Bert's roommate on "Sesame Street", is
        dying of leukemia.

        "Oh no, not again," groaned Ellen Morgenstern,
        spokeswoman for Children's Television Workshop in
        New York, when asked about Ernie's health.  "Ernie
        is not dying of AIDS; he's not dying of leukemia.
        Ernie is a puppet."  The Ernie stories have
        circulated for the past year, Morgenstern says.  But
        the furor is sort of flattering.

        "It's amazing that a rumor like this could send
        shock waves throughout the country,"  Morgenstern
        says.  "It's an indication of how much Ernie is
        loved.

So, no: ERNIE IS NOT DYING!




Q2.  WHO WAS THE VOICE BEHIND ... ? (a massively incomplete list)
(Source: Of Muppets and Men: The Making of the Muppet Show)

Jim Henson -- Kermit, Waldorf, Ernie, Rowlf

Frank Oz -- Animal, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Burt, Grover, Cookie
   Monster, Marvin Suggs

Richard Hunt -- Scooter, Beaker, Sweetums, Statler, Janice, Sully,
   Don Music

Dave Goelz -- Gonzo, Camilla the Chicken, Beauregard, J.P. Grosse,
   Zoot, Bunson Honeydew, Muppy

Jerry Nelson -- The Count, Harry Monster, Biff, Snuffleupagus,
   Sherlock Hemlock, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Dr. Julius
   Strangepork, Pops

Carroll Spinney -- Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch

The Chef was run by Henson and Oz together.



Q3. WHAT ARE SOME FAVORITE EPISODES OF THE "MUPPET NEWS FLASH?"
(mostly contributed by Max Ziff)

The Old Lady who Lived in a Shoe

Kermit sets out to interview her, but first talks to a young lady who
lives in a glove ("Does this look like a shoe to you?"), who also has
a rhyme: "There was a young lady who lived in a glove, if you came to
her door, she'd give you a shove!  Now get out of here, frog!"
Kermit then speaks to an old man who lives in a hat ("He could bark
like a dog, and meow like a cat").  He eventually meets the old
lady, who makes him take care of her children.

Humpty Dumpty

Kermit begins by interviewing one of the King's horses (played,
essentially, by Buster), who feeds him a load of puns, which Kermit
jots down on his notepad: "Well, he's a good egg." "Uh huh, good
egg." "Not what you'd call hard-boiled." "Uh-huh, not hard-boiled."
He then interviews Humpty Dumpty, who's safely on top of his wall.
Eventually, Kermit gives him a hearty congratulatory slap on the
back,and, of course, he falls off.  Sirens go off, horses and men show up,
and there's a lot of talking and confusion.  We hear the voice of the
horse from earlier talking with a man: "What happened?" "It was the
frog that did it."  "Somebody get the frog out of here!"

Old MacDonald had a Farm

Old MacDonald (terrific Scottish accent), has become wealthy and
famous from his song, and in order to repay the animals who made him
what he is, has converted the Farm into a health club.  I remember two
aristocratic pigs, "I'll meet you down by the pool, Muffy."  They do a
version of the song with a stretch, stretch here and a jump, jump
there, and Kermit becomes exhausted (I believe -- can anyone help me
on this?).

Jack be Nimble, Jack be Quick

An exploration of prepositions: Jack goes under the candlestick, around the
candlestick, everything but over. I believe Kermit ends up going over the
candlestick.

Peter Piper

Kermit goes to Piper's pickle patch and meets Papa Piper, Piper Piper, all
sorts of Pipers except Peter.  Eventually Kermit is covered with peppers.

There's also one from the Muppet Show where he broadcasts from the
planet Koozbane, with the Koozbanian Foob, the most sought after food on the
planet.  Kermit's asking him how they survive.  The answer is
"evolution", as the Foob turns more and more into a Kermit look-alike,
and it ends in a fight between who's the real one. (Thanks to Rebecca Alice
Metz.)


Q4.  WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT CHARACTER ON SESAME STREET OR THE
MUPPET SHOW?

The Sesame Street lists included here were compiled by Charles Evans
out of the responses to a list posted by Bob Pedersen.  Many people
offered suggestions: most of these contributors are listed in the
introduction to this FAQ.

These lists are not complete, nor do I intend them to be.  Mr. Evans
IS attempting a complete list -- see the newsgroup.   [I, personally,
would rather take over for Sisyphus, although I suspect Gonzo would
find that role rather amusing. 8^)]  This list is the first
posted version of Mr. Evans' list, with some minor modifications.

SESAME STREET CHARACTERS
---------------------------

HUMANS
---------

Bob                              : Music teacher
Buffy                            : Past; played by Buffy St. Marie
David                            : Deceased
Fanny                            : Old SS kid, Kermit interview
Gina                             : Teenager
Gordon                           : Married to Susan
Hiroshi                          : Artist
John-John                        : Frequently used child
Koty                             : Child of Buffy and Sheldon
Linda                            : Deaf; Librarian; owns Barkley
Luis                             : Married to Maria
Maria                            : Married to Luis
Miles                            : Adopted son of Susan and Gordon
Miscellaneous kids               : Been many
Mr. Mcintosh                     : Past; owned fruit stand on wheels
Mr.Hanford                       : Currently own's Hooper's store
Mr.Hooper                        : Deceased; ran grocery store
Nina the Nice                    : Oscar's alter ego in a n'hood of
                                   grouches
Sabian                           : Teenager
Shawla                           : Old SS kid, Kermit interview
Sheldon                          : Married to Buffy
Susan                            : Married to Gordon
Wanda the Word Fairy             : New, in a few skits

MUPPETS
----------

Adeline                          : In the Count's classroom
Alice Snuffleupagus              : Mr. Snuffleupagus's sister
Amazing Mumford                  : Magician; Grover often volunteered
Angry Guy                        : Sherlock Hemlock lookalike
Annie Sue                        : Pig
Assorted Cows                    : Often used a backup singers
Baby Martian
Barkley                          : Large dog: owned by Linda
Bart                             : Bert's brother
Ben                              : In the Count's classroom
Bert
Biff                             : Construction worker: partner of
                                   Sully
Big Bird
Black Man Muppet                 : With Roosevelt Franklin, looked
                                   like David
Black Woman Muppet               : With Roosevelt Franklin, looked
                                   like Susan
Boris                            : In the Count's classroom
Boss                             : Lefty's boss with the Golden "An"
Brad                             : Bert's nephew
Bruno                            : Carries Oscar's can
Buster                           : Forgetful Jones' horse
Captain Vegetable                : Guy Smiley lookalike
Charlie                          : as in "Hey, Charlie, a number 4!"
Cinderella                       :
Clementine                       : Forgetful Jones' girlfriend
Cookie Monster
Cookie's cousin                  : Name??
Count's Girlfriend               : Name???
Don Music
Dr. Noble Price                  : Scientist
Elmo
Eloise                           : In the Count's classroom
Ernie
Ferlengheti                      : Beat Poet
Flo Bear
Forgetful Jones                  : Cowboy; lives up to name
Fran                             : Panalist on "Name that Part"
Frank and Stein                  : The two-headed monster
Gina                             : Muppet; "Gina play"
Gladys                           : Cow
Gregory                          : In the Count's classroom
Grover
Grover's Mommy
Grungetta                        : Oscar's girlfriend
Guy Smiley                       : What was his real name again? Lennie ...
Guy from Alphabet Chat           : Name???
Guy with lonnng nose             : In the skit "Show me a square"
Harry Monster
Harvey Kneeslapper               : Practical girlfriend
Herbert Birdsfoot
Hoots the Owl                    : Plays saxophone
How Now Brown Cow and The Moo Wave : Cow singing group
Humpty Dumpty                    : News Flash! star
Igor                             : In the Count's classroom
Jack and Jill                    :
Jack be Nimble, Jack be Quick    :
Jackman Wolf                     : Guy with yellow hair and glasses, sung
Jane                             : In the Count's classroom
Juliet
Kermit the Frog
Large Blue Wolf                  : In most scenes with the wolf
Lefty                            : Shady guy: sells things to Ernie
Little Bird
Little Boy who lost a red box    :
Little Jerry and the Monotones   : "Telephone Rock"
Little Old Lady                  : Who lives in a shoe
Little Red Riding Hood           : Red is liberated or non-traditional
Lost and Found Clerk             : Little boy lost a red-striped box
Marvin Suggs                     : And his Amazing Muppaphone.
Merryl Sheep
Miss Muffett                     : News Flash! star
Mr. Snuffleupagus
Mrs. Suffleupagus                : Mr. S's mother
Old MacDonald                    : Had a Farm
Oscar the Grouch
Oscar's little niece
Pat Sajak lookalike              : America's _Second_ Favorite Game Show Host
Peter Piper                      :
Pied Piper                       : Really groovy, looked like Jim Henson
Placido Flamingo                 : Opera singer
Polly Darton                     : Country Singer
Prarie Dawn
Prince Charming                  :
Princess and the Pea             :
Purple Guy                       : In the skit with the guy with long nose
Rapunzel                         :
Red Monster with Tongue stuck out
Roosevelt Franklin
Rumpelstiltskin                  :
Sad Guy                          : Interviewing for a position as one of
Shaggy Singer and 2 backups who sing "Near, Far" and "Ball Tall Fall Wall"
Sherlock Hemlock                 : The World's Greatest Detective
Singing pigs
Sleeping Beauty                  :
Slimey                           : Oscar's pet worm
Small Green Wolf                 : Accused of a crime
Solid Citizen                    : Lady on stage with Mumford
Spider of Miss Muffett           : News Flash! star
Sue                              : In the Count's classroom
Sully                            : Construction worker; Biff's partner
Teacher                          : Teacher of Count's 1st Grade class
Telly Monster
The Amazing Mumford
The Beetles                      : They sing "Letter B"
The Count von Count
The Dingers
The Honkers
The Martians
The Three Little Pigs            : Various skits
Theodore                         : In the Count's classroom
Turtle                           : Name???
Twiddle Bugs                     : At least four; live in Ernie's flowerbox
Vanna White lookalike            : Name???
Very Large Grayish-Blue Wolf     : Blew Kermit off the screen and screen white
Vincent Twice, Vincent Twice     : Armchair announcer
Wicked Stepsister #1             :
Wicked Stepsister #2             :
Wicked Stepsister #3             :
Witches in a cave that COOPERATED to make some chicken soup?
ZZ Top Lookalikes                : Cool =)
the guy who can make noises with his mouth
The guy at Grover's restaurants


NON-ANIMALS/PERSONS MUPPETS
------------------------------

Apple                            : An apple is mansana..
Asparagus                        : In Cookie's "Healthy Food" Rap
Baby boy Basketball              : Tried to buy a hat to fit
Baker                            : Who cooked Loaf of Bread
Banana
Basketball                       : Gave Kermit a hard time
Cloud                            : "Here is Your Life" star for Oak Tree
Dentist                          : "Here is Your Life" star for Tooth
Farmer Brown                     : Who grew the wheat for someone
Fred Chair                       : "Here is Your Life" star for Oak Tree
Glass of Milk                    :
House                            : 4710 Pleasant Street
Loaf of Bread                    : "Here is Your Life" honoree
Nose                             : On Name That Part
Oak Tree                         : "Here is Your Life" honoree
Pasty the ToothPaste             : "Here is Your Life" star for Tooth
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches : "HIYL" honoree From Tuscaloosa, AL
Pineapple                        : Pineapple pina
Sneaker                          :
Spider of Miss Muffett           : News Flash! star
Sun                              : "Here is Your Life" star for ???
Tooth                            : "Here is Your Life" honoree
Toothbrush                       : "Here is Your Life" star for Tooth
Wilma Table                      : "HIYL" star for Oak Tree


ETC
------

Guy who kicked over Bert's sandcastle and then "wanted
to see him" so he could give him an ice cream cone to make amends?
And on the subject of ice cream,
Ice Cream Vendor                    : Sold Ernie a cone with 10 scoops
Songs:  are there names attached to the muppets who sang "As I Was Walking
to St. Ives," and the song where the singer keeps removing parts of
his beloved's face ("Oh, I wanna hold your eyes, I wanna hold your nose...")?


THE MUPPET SHOW CHARACTERS
--------------------------

Kermit
Miss Piggy
Statler
Waldorf
Fozzie Bear
Crazy Harry (likes explosions)
Lew Zealand (throws fish)
Scooter
J.P. Grosse (Scooter's uncle who owns the theatre)
Bobby Benson and his Baby Band
Tom, Dick, and Harry, the 3-headed creature
Annie Sue (Miss Piggy's rival)
Timmy Monster
Thog
George the Janitor
Rowlf
The Great Gonzo
Sam the American Eagle
Swedish Chef
Link Hogthrob
Camella the Chicken
Dr. Julius Strangepork
The Muppet News Reporter
Sweetums
Nigel the conductor (wrote theme music)
Showered Rosell (sports anouncer)
Muppy
Foo-foo
Robin
Andre the Artist
Hilda (from Wardrobe)
Dr. Bunson Honeydew
Beaker
Annie Sue
The Gargling Gargoyl
Marvin Suggs and his Amazing Muppephone
(Also, M.S. and his All-Food Glee Club)
Beauregard
Clifford (Jim Henson's last creation -- never appeared)
Ma-nah-ma-nah
Wayne and Wanda
Rizzo and various other rats

Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
    Dr. Teeth -- keyboards
    Sgt. Floyd Pepper -- guitar
    Zoot -- saxophone
    Janis -- guitar, vocals
    Animal -- drums

Veterinarian's Hospital
    Dr. Bob (Rowlf)
    Nurse Piggy
    Nurse Janice

Pigs in Space
    The Swinetrek
    Captain Link Hogthrob
    Dr. Julius Strangepork
    First Mate Piggy



I hope everyone has been entertained.

Bob Pedersen
--
Bob Pedersen
Soon to be University of Iowa Library Science Student
Snail: 211 S. Hyland, Ames, IA 50010
"I have a room for life at the Home for the Chronically Groovy!"
                                -- Sgt. Floyd Pepper
Newsgroups: alt.tv.muppets