Gonzo's stunts

The stunts of The Great Gonzo frequently attempted to combine bizarre performance art with high culture on The Muppet Show. They are terrible acts, but Gonzo considers them artistic. Dave Goelz, performer of Gonzo, recalled that Jack Burns, the show's original head writer, who during an early meeting suggested Gonzo perform "these crazy acts like eating a tire to 'Flight of the Bumblebee!'Plume, Ken. Muppet Central Interview with Dave Goelz. 
==Sketches==
===The Muppet Show Season 1===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description
center 	Gonzo Eats a Rubber TireEpisode 101: Juliet Prowse 	Gonzo eats a rubber tire to the music of "Flight of the Bumblebee," and gets booed off the stage after a few bites.
center 	Gonzo Grows a Tomato PlantEpisode 102: Connie Stevens 	Gonzo grows a tomato plant to the tune of the "1812 Overture." The plant later captures Hilda, Scooter, and himself.
 	Gonzo Demolishes an AutomobileEpisode 103: Joel Grey 	Gonzo demolishes an automobile to the tune of the "Anvil Chorus."
 	Gonzo Does a Rock ActEpisode 109: Charles Aznavour 	Gonzo does a rock act: hitting a rock with a mallet.
 	Gonzo Impersonates a FemaleEpisode 109: Charles Aznavour	Gonzo dresses as a little girl.
 	Gonzo Does a Balloon ActEpisode 111: Lena Horne 	Gonzo has planned a balloon act, but Animal ruins it.
===The Muppet Show Season 2===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description
center 	Gonzo Wrestles a BrickEpisode 207: Edgar Bergen 	Gonzo, blindfolded, wrestles a brick.
 	Gonzo Fiddles While George BurnsEpisode 210: George Burns 	Gonzo fiddles while George burns.
 	Gonzo Plays the Bagpipes Atop a FlagpoleEpisode 217: Julie Andrews 	Gonzo performs "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" on the bagpipes while sitting atop a flagpole. A beaver chews the flagpole down, ending Gonzo's act.
 	Gonzo Plays a Solo Trumpet to "Flight of the Bumblebee"Episode 218: Jaye P. Morgan	Backed by Rowlf on the piano, Gonzo plays "Flight of the Bumblebee" on his trumpet while Animal chases the bumblebee.
 	Gonzo Does a Knife-Throwing ActEpisode 219: Peter Sellers 	Gonzo throws knives at Peter Sellers in character as Inspector Jacques Clouseau.
 	Gonzo Recites Shakespeare While Hanging by His NoseEpisode 222: Teresa Brewer 	Gonzo recites Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice while hanging by his nose from a feather boa nine-feet in the air, but sneezes in the middle of it.
 	Gonzo Catches a CannonballEpisode 223: John Cleese 	Gonzo catches a cannonball with his bare hand.
===The Muppet Show Season 3===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description
 	Gonzo Recites the Seven Times TableEpisode 301: Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge 	Gonzo attempts to recite the seven-times tables while standing on a hammock and balancing a piano.
 	Gonzo Yodels While Riding a Motorized Pogo StickEpisode 303: Roy Clark 	Gonzo yodels Rimsky-Korsakov while riding on a motorized pogo-stick. The pogo-stick goes out of control, acting as a jack hammer through the floor.
 	Gonzo Rides a Motorcycle into Statler and Waldorf's BalconyEpisode 315: Lesley Ann Warren	After a failed attempt, Gonzo rides his motorcycle into Statler and Waldorf's theater box.
 	Gonzo Hypnotizes HimselfEpisode 324: Cheryl Ladd 	Gonzo hypnotizes himself into holding up a 5000-pound weight with one arm. He snaps his fingers and becomes crushed by the weight.
===The Muppet Show Season 4===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description
 	Gonzo Recites Poetry While Defusing a BombEpisode 407: Dudley Moore	Gonzo recites the works of Percy Bysshe Shelley while defusing a bomb.
 	Gonzo Shoots Himself from a CatapultEpisode 410: Kenny Rogers 	Gonzo shoots himself from a catapult to sky-write the "Hallelujah Chorus" but ends up sending Kermit and Miss Piggy flying into Statler and Waldorf's theater box.
 	Gonzo Tap Dances in OatmealEpisode 411: Lola Falana 	Gonzo sings "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" while tap-dancing in oatmeal.
 	Gonzo Does an Indescribable ActEpisode 424: Diana Ross 	The curtain opens for Gonzo, onstage with a swinging rubber tire, a flaming torch, and a cow (she replaced the typewriter). The act goes no further and he is pelted with vegetables.
===The Muppet Show Season 5===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description
 	Gonzo conducts Liebesträume and battles a crabEpisode 504: Shirley Bassey	Gonzo conducts Liebesträume and battles Buster the crab and the violinist.
 	Gonzo Wrestles a Wild Mountain GorillaEpisode 509: Debbie Harry 	Gonzo planned a wrestling match with Quongo the Wild Mountain Gorilla, but he canceled the match when Quongo got stuck in traffic. Kermit announces the precision drill team from the Okefenokee Pack 12 of the Frog Scouts of America as a replacement. As the scouts go through their drills, Quongo enters expecting to wrestle Gonzo. Instead, the confused gorilla is trampled by the marching frogs.
===Muppets Tonight===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description
 	Gonzo's inverted, suborbital, rocket-powered, anti-gravity bungee jumpEpisode 102: Garth Brooks	Garth Brooks participate in Gonzo's stunt act of inverted, suborbital, rocket-powered, anti-gravity bungee jump.
 	Gonzo and his Misguided Missiles of DeathEpisode 106: Tony Bennett 	Gonzo's rocket stunt sends him all around the Earth until he crashed in a living room of a retirement home where Statler and Waldorf are watching the show on TV.
 	Gonzo Shoots CannonballsEpisode 206: Paula Abdul 	To the music of the "1812 Overture," Gonzo shoots The Refined Young Cannonballs from a cannon. Unfortunately, the act knocked much of the cast and himself.
 	Gonzo Gets Hammered into a railway tie.Episode 210: The Gary Cahuenga Episode 	Lori Fetrick as the Gladiator Ice and Raye Hollitt as the Gladiator Zap, members of American Gladiators, hammered Gonzo feet first into a railway tie.
===Muppets.com===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description 	
 	Dancin' With Danger 	Gonzo tap-dances on tapioca pudding and thumbtacks. 	Gonzo tap-dances on tapioca pudding and thumbtacks.
 	Going Up? 	 	
 	Intermural Skydiving	Gonzo explains the ins and outs of skydiving only to discover he forgot his parachute.	Gonzo explains the ins and outs of skydiving only to discover he forgot his parachute.
 	Me and the Alligator	Gonzo explains how to butter an alligator. 	Gonzo explains how to butter an alligator.
===The Muppets===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description
 	Shot out of a cannon into Niagra FallsEpisode 107: Pig's in a Blackout 	Gonzo mentions that he once was a stunt man and was shot out of a cannon straight into Niagara Falls (Although, technically, he was supposed to go over Niagara Falls). Later he tells the documentary crew that the stunt taught him not to be afraid to ask for help (and to learn French in case the wind carries you to the Canadian side.)
 	The Great Gonzo brought to you by Piggy WaterEpisode 109: Going, Going, Gonzo	Gonzo returns to performing stunts and shoots himself out of a cannon in a pool of Piggy Water in a stunt for Up Late with Miss Piggy.
===Additional Stunts===
Picture	Theme / Episode 	Description
 	Gonzo's aquacade actThe Muppets Take Manhattan 	"I will first make a death-defying leap from the looped-de-looped ramp, spinning and hurtling my body though flaming circle of doom and landing comfortably in the imitation-leather easy chair; while my chickens do their impression of Tony Bennett singing "The William Tell Oveture."
 	Rollerblade across the contiguous United StatesMuppetisms	Gonzo attempts to rollerblade across the contiguous United States, pulled by a nitro fueled funnycar attached only to his nose, while balancing a teacup filled with nitro glycerin on his head, BACKWARDS!
 	Head bowlingThe Muppets 	Gonzo attempts to hit a bowling pin off the head of an unwilling Jack Black, but his arm keeps winding up until the end credits, where it finally hits Tex Richman.
 	Gonzo's Stunt SpectacularKermit's Party 	Gonzo balance a pole with a bucket of a great white shark swimming in finger paint on his head.
 	Cirque du PouletJust for Laughs 	The Great Gonzo debuts Cirque du Poulet - an act that attempts to make chickens fly (using rocket technology and gun powder); however Crazy Harry gets carried away and blows the chickens up.
 	Indoor Running-Of-The-BullsMuppets Most Wanted 	Gonzo and Salma Hayek both wear a leotard with a target on the front as running of the bulls chase them.
 	Magic ActThe Muppets Take the Bowl 	Using the power of his mind, Gonzo levitates himself and Kermit. He then tries to travel through physical space and swap places, but only manages to swap their heads.
 	Time Travel Magic ActThe Muppets Take the O2 	Gonzo performs a magic act with his chicken assistants. He intends on sending the entire arena back in time using only the power of his mind. The trick works as the Kermit delivers his opening intro, realizing something is amiss. The Doctor returns and fixes everything. Kermit segues to the next act, which will take the audience back in time in a different way.
 	Surviving the Wilderness Muppets Now 	Gonzo tries to survive in the wilderness with only a salad fork.
===The Muppet Show Comic Book===
*Cannon-Shooting Act #1 (Gonzo's Story)
:Gonzo assures a nervous Osbert J. Smedley that his act is risk-free, and offers to let Smedley test out his act, which would involve Smedley getting inside a cannon. A frightened Smedley then claims that there was an error and that the insurance company owes the theater thirty-two cents, and rushes off just before the big finale, which ends up sending Gonzo to the hospital.
*Cannon-Shooting Act #2 (The Muppet Show Comic Book: Family Reunion Issue #4)
:Skeeter agrees to help Gonzo with his cannon-shooting act, but when Gonzo trips over an anvil, Skeeter has to go on in his place. She flies form the cannon and lands safely into a vat of tapioca pudding.
*Diving into a Swimming Pool full of Custard (The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Four Seasons: Summer)
:Gonzo prepares to dive into a swimming pool full of custard. When a snowstorm cause the custard to become frozen and Gonzo smash his head on the icy dessert. 
==Stunt gear and attire==
Gonzofeatherboa.png|Episodes 207, 222, 223 (with a silver cape instead of red)
Gonzo-pinkblue.jpg|The Muppet Show episode 301
Gonzo big-cut.png|The Muppets (minor variation of previous)
407-14.jpg| Episode 407
gonzo-stunt-motorcycle.jpg|Episodes 315, 410, 424
Gonzo-stunt.jpg|Promotional photo for Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff and other merchandise
Gonzo Daredevil Camp.jpg|Daredevil Camp promotional photo
Gonzo.png|The Muppets Take Manhattan, Muppet Madness, Muppetism, Extreme Makeover, GAD.GADD., WWE and Orange.
RudyCoby02.jpg|Rudy Coby: The Coolest Magician on Earth
Kermit'sParty-Episode2-GonzoStuntSpectacular!-(2012-03-20).jpg|Muppets Tonight Episode 102, Kermit's Party
Gonzo logo.jpg| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Muppets-com58.png| Disney Xtreme Digital short
Gonzofigure.jpg| Stuntman Gonzo Action Figure
Crashhelmetgonzo.jpg| Crash Helmet Gonzo Action Figure
TF1-MuppetsTV-PhotoGallery-10-FozzieEtGonzo.jpg|Muppets TV
Muppet show comic 3a.jpg| The Muppet Show Comicseveral similar outfits, counting variant covers
MMW Gonzo stunt gear.png|Muppets Most Wanted
Piggy Water 03.jpg|The Muppets 109
MuppetsNow-S01E02-AnimatedGonzo-StuntOutfit.png|Animated Gonzo's gear on a Muppets Now segment
==Sources==
==See also==
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Category: Muppet Show Recurring Sketches