The Muppets attack Fox News

January 30, 2012 9:22 AM

Back in December, Fox News attacked the Muppets for the supposed "anti-coprorate" and "anti-capitalist" themes they saw in the movie The Muppets. Kermit and Miss Piggy are, finally, fighting back.
posted by cerebus19 (61 comments total)

Er... "corporate," that is. I can spell, really I can.
posted by cerebus19 at 9:23 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

It would be awesome to see Fox take on Wonder Showzen.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:24 AM on January 30 [11 favorites]

If I had a tumor I would name it Rupert.
posted by entropicamericana at 9:27 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

I'd name mine Rumer.
posted by jonmc at 9:28 AM on January 30

Im so lost on how anything made by Disney is anti corporate.
posted by Felex at 9:28 AM on January 30 [8 favorites]

Cute.

Im so lost on how anything made by Disney is anti corporate.

Well, it's really just whoever happened to be animating* Miss Piggy at the moment. You can see "Kermet" is actually kind of shocked, he says "Boy that's going to be all over the internet"

Kind of sucks to see Disney sucking up every aspect of culture this way, first Marvel comics and now the Muppets. On the other hand, they obviously have a lot more resources to poor into them, thus the recent movie and lots more promotion.

_{(*or whatever the term is for operating a puppet is)}
posted by delmoi at 9:36 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Goddamn Brits and their socialist agendas.
posted by seanyboy at 9:38 AM on January 30

WE SHALL STRIKE THEM WITH OUR FLOPPY FELT FISTS
posted by The Whelk at 9:39 AM on January 30 [25 favorites]

I'm so lost on how anything made by Disney is anti corporate.

Not to defend the crazies, but: corporations have a long history of co-opting all kinds of movements (e.g. "greenwashing") and anti-corporate feelings is only one of them.
posted by DU at 9:39 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Well, it's really just whoever happened to be animating* Miss Piggy at the moment.

Eric Jacobson.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:40 AM on January 30

Well, it's really just whoever happened to be animating* Miss Piggy at the moment

what do you mean animating the muppets are real you guys
posted by The Whelk at 9:40 AM on January 30 [22 favorites]

Not to defend the crazies, but: corporations have a long history of co-opting all kinds of movements (e.g. "greenwashing") and anti-corporate feelings is only one of them.

Plus simply using an anti-corporate message to sell things. See Urban Outfitters, which is actually owned by a right-wing nut. Or Jay-Z selling Occupy All the Streets t-shirts, without doing nothing to support OWS.
posted by delmoi at 9:42 AM on January 30 [4 favorites]

Yeah its co-opting the anti capitalism movement that we have seen recently. However once Disney says it, its no longer anti corporate, it is Disney's new marketing ideology.
posted by Felex at 9:43 AM on January 30

"the muppets are real, you guys"

Well, of course they are! For God's sake, haven't you people watched Greg the Bunny?
posted by Naberius at 9:44 AM on January 30 [2 favorites]

On a related question - anyone know why a copy of Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger was used for a sight gag in Muppet Treasure Island?
posted by Artw at 9:47 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

This kind of annoys me, to be honest. The Muppets are sacred. They don't need to stoop to answering idiotic criticisms from buffoons.
posted by koeselitz at 9:48 AM on January 30 [4 favorites]

Sure, a corporation can co-opt anti-corporate messages, which just makes Fox's reaction weirder. You'd think that the gang at Fox would be sophisticated enough about propaganda and co-opting messages to have recognized it for what this is and then concluded that there was essentially zero chance of this gaining any traction as an actual anti-corporate message.

Many of the people at Fox are so inept that they can't even recognize signals from their own side.
posted by oddman at 9:49 AM on January 30 [3 favorites]

Miss Piggy regarding the accusation that the Muppets push a dangerous, liberal agenda: It's almost as laughable as Fox News being accused of being news.
posted by three blind mice at 9:50 AM on January 30 [2 favorites]

See Urban Outfitters, which is actually owned by a right-wing nut.

Aw, damnit. But I like their fake nostalgia and kitsch! (No really, I do.) Is this true?
posted by Celsius1414 at 9:51 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

If nothing else UO steals designs and undercuts designers. They're like Wal-mart.
posted by The Whelk at 9:52 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Ok, so Eric Jacobson is an artist? And that makes him a liberal by the usual reasoning no? But because he has a job (at Disney?)he's a right wing puppet?

Having a job makes you a capitalist pig?

Or perhaps it was scripted in which case Eric is the innocent tool of right wing scriptwriters? (since long ago scriptwriters have been cast out by liberal creatives as capitalist shills...or at least the employed ones?)
posted by fistynuts at 9:53 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Is this true?

yup

he liberal tone of Free People and Urban Outfitters is a reflection of his more liberal early roots.[1] However, Richard Hayne is now a "conservative capitalist entrepreneur."[1] Republican former senator Rick Santorum has been among Hayne's beneficiaries

Not even the "I like lower taxes" kind of conservative.
posted by delmoi at 9:56 AM on January 30 [4 favorites]

Well, if nothing else the owner/chairman Richard Hayne is firmly ensconced in the 1%.
posted by Celsius1414 at 9:58 AM on January 30

I'm almost positive that muppet skin is a petroleum-based textile. FOLLOW THE MONEY, SHEEPLE.
posted by reverend cuttle at 10:01 AM on January 30 [3 favorites]

Shortly after that interview, the puppeteer was beaten to death in a parking garage...

with a nerf bat.
posted by R. Schlock at 10:02 AM on January 30

Truth be told, I have been there in a few years, but was just thinking of going by recently. Glad I heard about this now. To the thrift stores!*

* Except for the Salvation Army. Those guys are assholes.
posted by Celsius1414 at 10:03 AM on January 30 [4 favorites]

Er... "corporate," that is. I can spell, really I can.

Actually, "coprorate" is not a bad neologism; the only problem is that it looks like a typo.
posted by kurumi at 10:04 AM on January 30

have been haven't been
posted by Celsius1414 at 10:05 AM on January 30

he liberal tone of Free People and Urban Outfitters is a reflection of his more liberal early roots.[1] However, Richard Hayne is now a "conservative capitalist entrepreneur."

You know, I didn't know the owner was a right wing nut but I have to say I'm not at all surprised. UO used to be cool, and I'm not saying that as some jaded hipster. As a high schooler, it used to be THE place to stop by in downtown San Francisco after you ate your pizza slice from Blondies in front of the entrance. In the height of the grunge/vintage trend it was just so effortlessly cool and it really felt edited.

Nowadays, they are monsterously big, with crap practically falling off the shelves. The products have become stupidly overpriced for the quality, not to mention the scandals over ripping off other designers. It's H&M crap at 3x the price.
posted by like_neon at 10:07 AM on January 30 [2 favorites]

On a related question - anyone know why a copy of Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger was used for a sight gag in Muppet Treasure Island?

Ha! Other than Statler and Waldorf being figureheads on the ship, that gag is just about all I remember from that movie. So random.
posted by brundlefly at 10:09 AM on January 30

"Many of the people at Fox are so inept that they can't even recognize signals from their own side."

It's echo-chamber feedback. The inbreeding of ideas.
posted by Xoebe at 10:15 AM on January 30 [2 favorites]

I've interviewed a fair amount of muppets, but, my God, what I would do for a chance to go to a Muppet press conference.
posted by quarsan at 10:24 AM on January 30 [3 favorites]

Who said Fox and Disney are 'on the same side'? Just because they're both members of MPAA? They're competitors for your media consuming dollars and other corporations' ad dollars. Seeding the idea that Disney is 'anti-corporate' helps News Corp get a larger percentage of the 'pro-corporate' market, and that IS where the most money is. I thought it was just smart marketing.
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:25 AM on January 30

As a high schooler, it used to be THE place to stop by in downtown San Francisco after you ate your pizza slice from Blondies in front of the entrance. In the height of the grunge/vintage trend it was just so effortlessly cool and it really felt edited.

Perhaps, like_neon, it is you who have changed.
posted by Jon_Evil at 10:25 AM on January 30

For God's sake, haven't you people watched Greg the Bunny?

No, for almost all values of "people."
posted by Navelgazer at 10:26 AM on January 30 [3 favorites]

coprorate

Er... "corporate," that is. I can spell, really I can.

I'm all for bringing "coprorate" into actual usage. Corporate + coprophilia = coprorate = shit-loving corporations.
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:29 AM on January 30 [5 favorites]

For God's sake, haven't you people watched Greg the Bunny?

No, for almost all values of "people."

You know, I really wanted to make that joke, but it would have been in bad faith, since I have, in fact, watched Greg the Bunny.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:40 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

DU : Not to defend the crazies, but: corporations have a long history of co-opting all kinds of movements (e.g. "greenwashing") and anti-corporate feelings is only one of them.

The always-relevant Bill Hicks on corporations coopting other's messages...
posted by IAmBroom at 10:43 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

It's echo-chamber feedback. The inbreeding of ideas.

When you want to push a certain agenda, and you hire right wing hacks because their ideas are simple and lopsided and predictably partisan — along with a smattering of valueless intellectuals who will say anything for a paycheck to help you pretend you are legitimate — what you get is Fox News.

I'm not that angry at people like Hannity and O'Reilly. They just don't know any better. I'm mad at anyone within that organization that knows "Fair and Balanced" is an outright lie and continues to take a paycheck. Fox pushes to get religion back in school under the pretense of restoring morality to society, but when anyone other than Jesus tries to teach children the value of sharing, or taking care of the planet, or simply doing the right thing, they call it socialism. The imaginary lines are so obviously drawn by the GOP that I am as shocked as Miss Piggy is every time I hear someone claim they are a news organization.
posted by deanklear at 10:44 AM on January 30 [5 favorites]

Now that I think about it, Miss Piggy was kind of wearing the "pretty, blonde Fox News personality" look at that conference, wasn't she?
posted by EmGeeJay at 10:45 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Like Nabokov said about the word "reality," the phrase Fox News "personality" must always include quotation marks.
posted by Celsius1414 at 10:46 AM on January 30 [2 favorites]

What does Kermit say to Miss Piggy after "Boy, that's going to be all over the internet," before her awesome comeback?
posted by blurker at 11:00 AM on January 30

I see I am not the the first one with this idea!
posted by Xoebe at 11:09 AM on January 30

Plus simply using an anti-corporate message to sell things. See Urban Outfitters

Serious question: what anti-corporate messages does Urban Outfitters send? I thought they were just a clothing store; the one in my city is next to a Payless and Adidas and Puma branded stores. I never got an anti-corporate vibe from it.
posted by Hoopo at 11:14 AM on January 30

"What does Kermit say to Miss Piggy after "Boy, that's going to be all over the internet," before her awesome comeback?"

It sounds like "Boy you are in such deep water" or perhaps "such big trouble."
posted by oddman at 11:26 AM on January 30

@deanklear: I paradoxically find solace in the belief that they are completely and thoroughly cynical.

It's like watching a TV preacher; I cannot comprehend that they actually believe what they are saying, particularly hateful things. I have no choice but to believe they are total and complete charlatans. Oddly, once I came to that realization, I was able to watch and admire what they do. Masters of the dark art of the grift. There is a form of integrity, even. Like watching a character actor stay in character, like Colbert, Sasha Baron-Cohen, or Kaufman (if you think he was sane).

As for the people who believe, the faithful who watch - they aren't really listening. They certainly aren't applying a great deal of critical thought. The TV validates them and makes them feel good about themselves - "see? I was right!". That's why they watch.

Of course a strong appeal to fear and cultivating a persecution complex helps. It feeds the addiction, creates a sense of "knowing".

That feeds the frustration of the Right. "Why aren't they doing anything about this horrible situation????" When the reality is, the situation isn't dire at all. The recent debt limit fight is a good example of that.

To make a long story short, don't let yourself get frustrated. You'll get angry and depressed. Fight the long game. And remember that the Right, despite themselves - really serve a vital function - and that's to keep the crazies on the Left in check. It's our responsibility as mature adults to keep both sides at bay, maintain balance, and keep the ship on course as best we can.
posted by Xoebe at 11:27 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Xoebe, I was right there with you up until

the Right, despite themselves - really serve a vital function - and that's to keep the crazies on the Left in check. It's our responsibility as mature adults to keep both sides at bay, maintain balance, and keep the ship on course as best we can.

The virulent, hatemongering, fact-despising Right isn't a necessary evil. Their attitudes weren't mainstream in the days of Reagan, yet ultra-liberal nutjobs didn't run roughshod over the country.

They're just an evil.
posted by IAmBroom at 11:41 AM on January 30 [10 favorites]

Corporations have a long history of co-opting all kinds of movements (e.g. "greenwashing") and anti-corporate feelings is only one of them.

Columbia records ad slogans, circa 1969:
"The revolutionaries are on Columbia."
"The man can't bust our music."

That's Columbia records: home of "Sing along with Mitch" Miller; who as head of Columbia A&R (until 1965) passed on signing Elvis, Buddy Holly, and the Beatles; who said, "Rock 'n' roll is musical baby food: it is the worship of mediocrity, brought about by a passion for conformity."

"The revolutionaries are on Columbia."

That which is old is new again.
 
posted by Herodios at 11:48 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]

This kind of annoys me, to be honest. The Muppets are sacred. They don't need to stoop to answering idiotic criticisms from buffoons.

...uhh...maybe you tell Miss Piggy who she's allowed to rant about. I'm not gonna tell her. No sir.
posted by straight at 12:05 PM on January 30 [4 favorites]

On a related question - anyone know why a copy of Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger was used for a sight gag in Muppet Treasure Island?

Don't know exactly why, but I bet it's the same reason why the oil-baron villain in the new movie finds out the Muppets are mounting a reunion in The Economist. (Which was damn near my favourite gag in the whole movie.)
posted by gompa at 1:12 PM on January 30

i have seen, and loved, greg the bunny.
posted by nadawi at 1:16 PM on January 30

IAmBroom, Xoebe, I can agree with both as long as we're demonstrating the knowledge of the difference between a conservative and a neoconservative. I consider myself conservative on a lot of issues — I'm a non-interventionist, I believe in low taxes for the middle and working classes, and I believe in small government and sensible regulations.

The only thing that is truly evil is ignorance sold as reality, like partisan ideology that isn't based on any rational set of principles. When you start decrying the Muppets as socialist infiltration, you're jumping the shark in a monster truck.
posted by deanklear at 1:31 PM on January 30 [1 favorite]

They're just an evil.

The true face of evil: Mr. Rogers.
posted by homunculus at 1:32 PM on January 30

Mr. Rogers would have them sing a song that would rob them of their power.
posted by Artw at 1:45 PM on January 30

I was recently informed that I am a socio-conservative. Term coined here in the Netherlands to refer to folks who want to keep our version of socialism alive (national healthcare, living wage, unemployment benefits, job protection, rent control, etc.). Never thought I'd be proud to be labeled a conservative of any stripe...
posted by likeso at 2:20 PM on January 30 [1 favorite]

anyone know why a copy of Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger was used for a sight gag in Muppet Treasure Island?

Jerry Juhl thought Kissinger made for good comedy, perhaps? The original draft of The Muppet Movie featured Kissinger in a running gag.
posted by Spatch at 2:35 PM on January 30 [2 favorites]

Many of the people at Fox are so inept that they can't even recognize signals from their own side.

OK, look. FOX corp and Disney corp are, in a pragmatic sense, "on the same side", but FOX on-air reality is that Disney is part of Hollywood, and Hollywood is communist and un-American and has usurped this country with its subliminal anti-business agenda, leading to ruin, waste, and fluoridation.

There is nothing schizophrenic or inept in this messaging whatsoever. Call it a dog-whistle, but it's pretty out in the open here.
posted by dhartung at 2:53 PM on January 30

You know, every single time I think that I can't possibly love the Muppets more than I already do, they find some way to prove me absolutely wrong.
posted by BrianJ at 5:02 PM on January 30

Fox News attacked the Muppets

H.G. Wells pushed the Eloi vs the Morlocks too far into the future.
posted by Twang at 5:12 PM on January 30

This post should have been about all the bits of this interview, most of which can be found in the sidebar on the YouTube page.

It's a pretty great interview all around (I have NO idea what order the bits go in). I love when Muppet performers get to improvise in character.

Elmo on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon has been great every time, and certainly not something to share with your kids.
posted by hippybear at 5:58 PM on January 30

Agreed. My favorite might be this one in which Kermit is asked whether he misses being a reporter and then they discuss the Murdoch hacking scandal.

Or a minute into this one when a reporter asks whether Kermit sees Shrek as a latter-day rival (since both are green), and Kermit hems and haws a bit and says "Well, you know, you'll have to ask him yourself -- but of course you CAN'T" and then looks around for approval of his well-received joke.

There's also one where Kermit looks down below the table and says something like "You would not beLIEVE how much there is going on down there" and then Miss Piggy starts looking down below her waist and gasps and the whole bit is very charming, but I can't find it now.
posted by nobody at 1:13 AM on January 31 [1 favorite]