An All New Muppet Video

November 24, 2009 8:50 AM

The Muppets Cover QueenAn all-new, original Muppet video. (SLYT)
posted by Optamystic (134 comments total)

*literally explodes with joy*
posted by The Whelk at 8:51 AM on November 24, 2009 [4 favorites]

Awesome. Although odd...isn't this song about STDs? "Easy come, easy go....pulled my trigger, now he's dead, etc"

Also, Gonzo's nose.
posted by DU at 8:56 AM on November 24, 2009

Man, I freakin' love the Muppets. This was wonderful, thanks for sharing.

A couple of things:

1- I don't like it when Animal is sad and looking for his Momma and Daddy.
2- There are 2 left-handers in Dr. Teeth's band. That seems odd.
posted by elmer benson at 8:57 AM on November 24, 2009

meep meep meep
posted by The Whelk at 8:58 AM on November 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

It's things like this that make me wish they ran reruns of The Muppet Show.
posted by flatluigi at 8:59 AM on November 24, 2009

bock bock bock boooock boooock...
bock bock bock bock bock-bock...
posted by rusty at 8:59 AM on November 24, 2009

Awesome. Although odd...isn't this song about STDs? "Easy come, easy go....pulled my trigger, now he's dead, etc"

You *can* read it as a song about STDs and many of the lyrics have an eerie poignancy considering Freddie Mercury's later years, but I believe he's on record as saying it was supposed to be a mock-opera, with tons of little in-jokes and references and not really about anything.

I think.


also OMGMUPPETS
posted by The Whelk at 9:02 AM on November 24, 2009

Mah-na, mah-na! Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo...
posted by uncleozzy at 9:03 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Awesome. I love Kermit.
posted by Pantengliopoli at 9:06 AM on November 24, 2009

Perfect. This is actually perfect.
posted by Jofus at 9:10 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

"Please let me joke"
"We don't like your jokes!"
"Please let me joke"
"We don't like your jokes!"

Brilliant.

(I was a bit worried Animal was going to say he had killed a man. Phew.)
posted by lucia__is__dada at 9:12 AM on November 24, 2009 [3 favorites]

YES YES YES YES YES!!!

I loves me some Muppets, loves me some Queen, loves me some Bohemian Rhapsody... Jeez. It's like my brain just had a fake fur orgasm all over my eyes and ears.

Oh, thank you SO much for posting this! This may be on repeat all day.

(Why do Muppets have the ability to make me cry so damn easily? Christ, how embarrassing.)

Awesome. Although odd...isn't this song about STDs? "Easy come, easy go....pulled my trigger, now he's dead, etc"

However, when the band released a Greatest Hits cassette in Iran, a leaflet in Persian was included with translation and explanations (refers to a book published in Iran called "The March of the black Queen" by "Sarah Sefati" & "Farhad Arkani", which included the whole biography of the band & complete lyrics with Persian translation [2000]). In the explanation, Queen states that "Bohemian Rhapsody" is about a young man who has accidentally killed someone and, like Faust, sold his soul to the devil. On the night before his execution, he calls for God in Arabic, "Bismillah" (Basmala), and with the help of angels, regains his soul from Shaitan.

Considering it was recorded in 1975, the chances of it being about fatal STDs is very very slim.
posted by hippybear at 9:13 AM on November 24, 2009 [10 favorites]

Dear lord, that was awesome.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:20 AM on November 24, 2009

The Electric Mayhem definitely do the heavy part justice.
posted by Space Coyote at 9:24 AM on November 24, 2009 [3 favorites]

I still like Kermit singing Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime" bestest.

It helps that I do a mean Kermit impression.
posted by longbaugh at 9:26 AM on November 24, 2009 [8 favorites]

Oh, and... MUPPETS IN 1080p!!! Startlingly good.
posted by hippybear at 9:27 AM on November 24, 2009

lucia_is_dada I too was very glad to see how well they worked around the more unpleasant lyrics and made it all fun.

Also, OMGMUPPETS!
posted by djfiander at 9:30 AM on November 24, 2009

The Electric Mayhem definitely do the heavy part justice.



This is my favorite version of Tenderly.
posted by The Whelk at 9:33 AM on November 24, 2009

Meep meep meep meep meep meep meep
posted by The Whelk at 9:36 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

The first time I watched this, I could've sworn Fozzie's third "Let me joke!" was "Let me choke!" ... while he was holding up a chicken. Upon further review, I think I just need to get my mind out of the gutter.
posted by GeekAnimator at 9:40 AM on November 24, 2009

Beaker's part was totally unexpected and made me laugh pretty hard.
posted by lilac girl at 9:41 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

for meee, for meee, for MEEEEEEEEEEP!!! oh man. I can't possibly have a bad day now.

2- There are 2 left-handers in Dr. Teeth's band. That seems odd.
Most muppets are left handed, because the puppeteer's right hand controls the head, and the left hand controls the stick to which the hand is attached. When both hands are needed, a second puppeteer is used to control the other arm. Muppets like Rowlf and the Sweedish Chef are two-person muppets where the arms are actually human arms inserted into "gloves" that are the puppets, with a second person controlling the head.
posted by Jon_Evil at 9:47 AM on November 24, 2009 [11 favorites]

I am going to watch this far too many times today, I can tell. Awesome.
posted by Aversion Therapy at 9:48 AM on November 24, 2009

Furry Happy Monsters (Sesame Street, but still Muppets)
posted by hippybear at 9:49 AM on November 24, 2009

I especially liked the triumphant return of manamana man.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 9:49 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

2- There are 2 left-handers in Dr. Teeth's band. That seems odd.

The proportion of left-handers among people involved in things that are awesome is significantly higher than the proportion of left-handers among the general population (p < 0.001).
posted by gurple at 9:49 AM on November 24, 2009 [3 favorites]

Nothing really matters.........but MOIIIIIIIIIII
posted by cmgonzalez at 9:50 AM on November 24, 2009

Wow, watching this in 1080p is weird. Seeing individual hairs on Gonzo's nose is a bit... disturbing.
posted by Malor at 9:51 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

The Fozzie-Statler & Waldorf and Beaker parts were my favorites though.

And um, I'm kind of surprised Rizzo & company never came back (that I noticed).
posted by cmgonzalez at 9:51 AM on November 24, 2009

*rocks out with sock puppet out*
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 9:52 AM on November 24, 2009

YES ! YES! A THOUSAND TIMES YES!

At some point some fool is going to attempt to make a heirarchy of all things which are cool in the universe, and they will discover soon thereafter that there is literally nothing cooler than the muppets, and that the rest of the project is kind of a pretentious waste of time.

Oh why will I have to be in class all afternoon insetad of watching this over and over again?
posted by Navelgazer at 9:54 AM on November 24, 2009

She Drives Me Crazy (not good resolution)
posted by hippybear at 9:56 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I kept waiting for Kermit! I was a teeny bit disappointed, but not much.

I so needed the laughs today. Thanks!
posted by lysdexic at 9:57 AM on November 24, 2009

a bunch of official new Muppets videos, Muppets on DWTS, Muppets at the Gene Siskel Film Center ... what's going on, Muppet invasion?
posted by mrgrimm at 9:59 AM on November 24, 2009

what's going on, Muppet invasion?

Ever since Disney bought The Muppets, there have been more projects involving them. Disney also owns ABC so the DWTS appearance is related.

A new Muppet movie is being made, and the Muppets are headlining the "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" ad campaign for Disney Parks in 2010 (the campaign already kicked off). Volunteer for a day of service at certain organizations and get a free one-day park ticket.
posted by cmgonzalez at 10:05 AM on November 24, 2009

A new Muppet movie is being made

It'd better be a damn sight better than Muppets In Space. I had to resort to hypnotherapy to remove that from my memory so I could continue to love them, reputation unsullied by that travesty against all that is wonderful about the Muppets.
posted by hippybear at 10:11 AM on November 24, 2009

Does anyone understand what Dr. Teeth is singing?

So they tell us . . . . fly
All I know is we're not . . .

I will not be able to move on with my life until I know.
posted by Dojie at 10:12 AM on November 24, 2009

"So they tell us this video really will fly... All I know is we're not getting paid tonight."
posted by hippybear at 10:14 AM on November 24, 2009

Strange question, but what is Kermit running on his desktop? The toolbars looks like a mishmash of Vista, OS X and KDE.
posted by Loudmax at 10:15 AM on November 24, 2009

This was amazing, thank you!
posted by MaritaCov at 10:18 AM on November 24, 2009

My take:

So they tell us this video is going to fly
All I know is we're not getting paid tonight
ohhh, baby
Can't do this to me baby
just gotta get out
just gotta get right out of here
(let's go)
posted by KirkJobSluder at 10:18 AM on November 24, 2009

In other Muppet news, Netflix does not carry The Muppet Christmas Carol. WTF Netflix?

Strange question, but what is Kermit running on his desktop? The toolbars looks like a mishmash of Vista, OS X and KDE.

Looks like Windows 7 with, appropriately, a green theme.
posted by jedicus at 10:19 AM on November 24, 2009

This is the most amazing thing ever. Ever. Like, in all of history. There will never be a better cover of this song. If Muppets were a religion, this video would have converted me to it.

I think it's pretty safe to say in this instance that Jim Henson would be proud.
posted by perilous at 10:21 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

mrgrimm: what's going on, Muppet invasion?

oh god what if they're planning a new Muppet Show

I want to be watching that right the fuck now.
posted by flatluigi at 10:23 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

A few details about the upcoming film here . Jason Segel has a few quotes floating around about what a Muppets fan he is, so I think he and Stoller can pull something good off.
posted by cmgonzalez at 10:25 AM on November 24, 2009

cmgonzalez: A new Muppet movie is being made

hippybear: "It'd better be a damn sight better than Muppets In Space. I had to resort to hypnotherapy to remove that from my memory so I could continue to love them, reputation unsullied by that travesty against all that is wonderful about the Muppets."

It's actually being written by actor/writer Jason Segel (Freaks and Geeks, How I Met Your Mother, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nick Stoller. His character in Sarah Marshall loved puppets so much that he made a puppet musical about Dracula, and that love of puppets/ muppets is genuine.

"Jason Segel: All I can say is that we are trying to bring it back to the early '80s movies where it's not Muppets in the Sahara or Muppets Underwater"
posted by sharkfu at 10:25 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Ah, nuts. I type too slow.
posted by sharkfu at 10:27 AM on November 24, 2009

I was so glad to see my beloved Piggy at the end. Wonderful! I think we'll be pulling out the Muppet Show box set for the post-turkey coma on Thursday.

According to the puppeteer who plays Piggy, he and Joan Rivers got a little drunk for this scene. It's still my favorite muppet scene of all time.
posted by Monsters at 10:29 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

OH HELLS YEAH.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 10:30 AM on November 24, 2009

It'd better be a damn sight better than Muppets In Space. I had to resort to hypnotherapy to remove that from my memory so I could continue to love them, reputation unsullied by that travesty against all that is wonderful about the Muppets.

Why are you so wrong?
posted by Navelgazer at 10:34 AM on November 24, 2009 [4 favorites]

Why are you so wrong?

Yeah, seriously. Muppets from Space was good fun.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 10:36 AM on November 24, 2009

According to the puppeteer who plays Piggy

The inimitable Frank Oz, you mean? He of Fozzy Bear and Yoda fame? Damn, I've love to get drunk with him and Joan Rivers. Sounds like a great start to a fabulous weekend!
posted by hippybear at 10:36 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

That...

was...

AWESOME!!11

Ahem. Back to work.
posted by clvrmnky at 10:37 AM on November 24, 2009

This is probably the first time in Metafilter history where an entire thread universally agreed on the awesomeness of whatever it was that was linked to. It gives me hope.
posted by bondcliff at 10:55 AM on November 24, 2009 [3 favorites]

In other Muppet news, Netflix does not carry The Muppet Christmas Carol. WTF Netflix?

"If you like Christmas shows so much, you need to get yourself a copy of A Muppet Family Christmas and see how the real Kermit celebrates it. Or Christmas Eve On Sesame Street. Or the transcendent Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. Or even John Denver And The Muppets: A Christmas Together. Anything but The Muppet Christmas Carol, for God's sake."
posted by mrgrimm at 10:56 AM on November 24, 2009

bondcliff: I came here to express both my happiness at the cover and my frustration at the cover.

I'm honestly kinda sick of Bohemian Rhapsody.
posted by LSK at 11:09 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Well, so much for hope.
posted by bondcliff at 11:19 AM on November 24, 2009 [7 favorites]

"Jason Segel: All I can say is that we are trying to bring it back to the early '80s movies where it's not Muppets in the Sahara or Muppets Underwater"

I initially read that as Muppets Underwear and I was wondering who could have problem with Muppet underwear. It seems like such a good idea.

Then I did some Googling and found this and I wasn't sure I was on board with it anymore. Then, I saw the back and changed my mind again. That is six kinds of awesome.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:26 AM on November 24, 2009

It starts slow, and like some Beaker driven Katamari Damacy object, it slowly accretes awesomeness until it is an unstoppable ball of FUCK YEAH, with awesome sprinkles on top. And a cherry. Made of solid gold WIN.

Or, if you will, I liked it. It was good.
posted by eriko at 11:32 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Hippybear, it is indeed Frank Oz. Here's the interview (which I was too lazy to post with my last comment). It's well worth the ten minutes to listen for his reflections on Miss Piggy's inner psyche.
posted by Monsters at 11:34 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Animal, Animal, he's ma man! Want to see more of him and less of that ham!!
posted by eatdonuts at 11:37 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

It was great to see some long-forgotten Muppets. I mean, when was the last time the Newsman was dug out of storage?
posted by evilcolonel at 11:51 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Here's the interview (which I was too lazy to post with my last comment).

In addition to his work on Sesame Street, Oz is also known for his voice and puppet work as Yoda, the Jedi sage in the Star Wars series. He also directed Little Shop of Horrors, The Score and Death at a Funeral.

Oz directed Death At A Funeral? Oh, groovy. No wonder I like that movie so much!
posted by hippybear at 11:52 AM on November 24, 2009

I'm glad they've got someone who can do a decent Kermit now. Is that Billy West?
posted by lore at 11:52 AM on November 24, 2009

FUCK YEAH.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 11:53 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I liked that a lot better than I thought I would; I thought Frank Oz had stopped doing muppet voices a while ago (but maybe that was just for Sesame Street.) And it seems they've finally found someone who can pull off Kermit's voice without making me cringe - but I'm still glad he didn't feature prominently... it's not Kermit without Jim Henson.
posted by usonian at 11:56 AM on November 24, 2009

Awesome.

"Muppet Studios head Lylle Breier stated at a 2009 D23 presentation that more viral videos were planned for 2010 - including "Dust in the Wind", "American Woman", "Popcorn", "Carol of the Bells" and "Stand By Me". "
posted by cmgonzalez at 11:57 AM on November 24, 2009 [3 favorites]

I mostly thought that was just sort of alright. Some of the sections (like Animal's) didn't seem to work to me, until we got to 'I see a little silhouette of a clam', and then Beaker's 'me's. I mean, any appearance from Pepe is just a great thing anyway.

I'm seriously going to have to make a point of watching the Muppets Christmas Carol this year. I shall have two days of christmas festivities, and one of them will be centred around that towering work of genius!
posted by opsin at 12:12 PM on November 24, 2009

BEST. COVER. EVAR.
posted by dorgla at 12:13 PM on November 24, 2009

I thought it got better as it went on (the first appearance of the penguins was the first time I was properly laughing rather than chuckling, although I did love Animal's part). The Electric Mayhem really do know how to rock.

Given that I've just come here from the sad videos thread, which has a number of Muppets videos in it, this little factoid seems appropriate - the reason Rowlf doesn't speak in this video (and rarely gets any lines at all) is that he was temporarily retired shortly after Jim Henson's death. Jim was Rowlf's usual puppeteer, and the cast apparently thought that Rowlf and Jim were very similar in temperament, which made it too difficult for them to replace him for several years.

Even after he was reintroduced, Rowlf didn't speak until Muppets Tonight aired, making it six years of silence. Or thirty-two, in dog years.
posted by ZsigE at 12:16 PM on November 24, 2009 [6 favorites]

This is OK, but I was hoping to see a not-amused Queen Elizabeth II getting mobbed by Muppets, which would be totally awesome to watch.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:18 PM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I think this is the best of the short videos I've seen so far, and really what makes this awesome is that most of the brief appearances support long-standing character development and gags, in contrast to The Habanera which is still good but leaves me scratching my head as to what the Chef and Beaker are up to. Bohemian Rhapsody doesn't have any new gags, but it manages to pull over a dozen familiar ones and match them to the music and sometimes the lyrics in ways that make sense. "Let me throw/joke" nicely summarizes the entire running gag of Lew and Fozzie, two performers who are so incompetent that they usually fail even the low bar of the Muppet Show.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:31 PM on November 24, 2009

I've never seen Animal in a more moving performance.
Such pathos.
posted by Kabanos at 12:45 PM on November 24, 2009

That was just perfect.
posted by cazoo at 12:47 PM on November 24, 2009

You know, rather than repeating all the praise that's already been heaped, I'll just say that holy hell has America needed something to cheer itself up, and thank God we still have the Muppets.
posted by WCityMike at 12:56 PM on November 24, 2009

This is probably the first time in Metafilter history where an entire thread universally agreed on the awesomeness of whatever it was that was linked to. It gives me hope.

not only that but the YT comments.. the YT comments don't actually make me despair for humanity... *gasp*
posted by edgeways at 12:57 PM on November 24, 2009

I love that they dusted off the mad bomber and Lew Zealand.

Ever since I heard Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time, in my imagination it was performed by Henson creatures like out of Labyrinth and Dark Crystal in my own little private nerdmovie. So to have it done with Real Live Muppets is pretty neat.

I have the same sort of nerdmovie in my head with The Mariner's Revenge animated by Kate Beaton. If only.
posted by Lou Stuells at 1:00 PM on November 24, 2009

the reason Rowlf doesn't speak in this video (and rarely gets any lines at all) is that he was temporarily retired shortly after Jim Henson's death. Jim was Rowlf's usual puppeteer, and the cast apparently thought that Rowlf and Jim were very similar in temperament, which made it too difficult for them to replace him for several years.

Music blog post of Ol' Brown Ears Is Back, Henson's album as Rowlf.
posted by hippybear at 1:10 PM on November 24, 2009

By the way, RSS feed for the Muppets YouTube channel. Just sayin'.
posted by WCityMike at 1:12 PM on November 24, 2009

WCityMike: By the way, RSS feed for the Muppets YouTube channel. Just sayin'.

Hm. Or at least, it used to be.
posted by WCityMike at 1:13 PM on November 24, 2009

It'd better be a damn sight better than Muppets In Space. I had to resort to hypnotherapy to remove that from my memory so I could continue to love them, reputation unsullied by that travesty against all that is wonderful about the Muppets.

So true. Problem number one? Gonzo isn't an alien. Seriously, people. He's the last dodo.
posted by Amanojaku at 1:13 PM on November 24, 2009

Since nobody else has posted it, and to further my enthusiastic praise of Muppet from Space, here is Brick House.
posted by Navelgazer at 1:15 PM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I was really impressed by how many different characters they managed to work into it.

I loves me some fish tossing.
posted by oddman at 1:19 PM on November 24, 2009

Awesome. Here's some more Queen, just because.
posted by maxwelton at 1:33 PM on November 24, 2009

"Mama ... Mama ... Mama? Mama!"

I have always loved Animal. This was more true to the original Muppets than anything I've seen since Henson died.

I think I've figured out what my favorite 5-year-old needs for Christmas. My kids really missed out by not having anything remotely as entertaining and family-friendly as The Muppet Show on the air in the last couple of decades.
posted by notashroom at 1:51 PM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm sorry I wasn't the first to say it, but:

LEW ZEALAND

Lew Zealand and his Boomerang Fish Act.

There is no better name for anything, anywhere.

So glad to see him getting work again.
posted by PlusDistance at 1:57 PM on November 24, 2009

I'm burning all of you with jealous mind fire right now because I'm at work and can not watch this.

Do you feel it? The heat in your brain? That's me.
posted by quin at 2:00 PM on November 24, 2009

Hey, I know a bunch of those guys!
posted by Guy Smiley at 2:28 PM on November 24, 2009 [4 favorites]

Quin: No one should put off watching this at work! Blast it on all puters simultaneously. Everyone must dance.

The world can finally wallow in warm and fuzzy again.

(I told my grandkids that it is no coincidence that this was released for my birthday.)

Blissing out.
posted by Surfurrus at 2:32 PM on November 24, 2009

The Muppetteers quite scrupulously included as many characters as possible while preserving their images/personalities as much as possible. Bravo. When they so adeptly avoided having Animal sing "I killed a man", I knew they were on the right track. This is now my favorite version of Bohemian Rhapsody, beating out Weird Al's.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:45 PM on November 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

And um, I'm kind of surprised Rizzo & company never came back (that I noticed).

They reappear, twice... once during a bunch of quickcuts during the "opera" section of the piece before the Electric Mayhem appear, and again in the closing assembly of windows for the video conferene.
posted by hippybear at 2:55 PM on November 24, 2009

I think I just realized that I've watched this too many times now.
posted by hippybear at 3:08 PM on November 24, 2009

Muppets do Metafilter.
posted by HuronBob at 3:12 PM on November 24, 2009

Seconding LSK. Even before reading the comments or watching the video, I knew it would be Bohemian Rhapsody.

I mean, I watched it, and it's awesome, but...

I'll just go grumble in the corner over here.
posted by rifflesby at 3:15 PM on November 24, 2009

Muppets and Queen?

It's like a unicorn just pooped rainbows into my brain.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 3:48 PM on November 24, 2009 [6 favorites]

So, yeah, I hadn't realized my day year had a Muppet-shaped-gap in it until now. Thanks!
posted by Pronoiac at 4:08 PM on November 24, 2009

What I love most about this is how perfectly on-pitch all of the lyrics substitutions are, particularly Animal's "Mama..."

Also I just love Sam the Eagle - "No, No, No, No, No, No, No!"
posted by heyforfour at 4:44 PM on November 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

It does kinda bother me that the Disney-owned muppets can't say ANYTHING that might be construed as not 100% kid-safe. Viewing it now, the first season of the Muppet Show was actually pretty raunchy in parts, like the Veterinarians' Hospital sketch where they all get fucked up on nitrous oxide and lose the patient, or the Dr. Teeth song that's has the lyrics "I'm gonna 'splode an atom bomb/and blast a tunnel to your heart." That subversiveness is part of what makes them great, and Henson was very much into being counterculture.
posted by Jon_Evil at 4:58 PM on November 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

Not to be a downer but today happens to be the 18th anniversary of Freddie Mercury's death.
posted by plastic_animals at 5:00 PM on November 24, 2009

That Janice is lookin' pretty fine for an aging rock chick.
posted by Sparx at 5:16 PM on November 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

That was the best thing ever.
posted by mygothlaundry at 5:20 PM on November 24, 2009

Does anyone doubt that once, in Reno, Animal DIDN'T kill a man, just to see him die?
posted by jenkinsEar at 5:25 PM on November 24, 2009

I think Animal might have killed a man in Reno because he was hungry.
posted by Jon_Evil at 5:29 PM on November 24, 2009 [5 favorites]

I'm honestly kinda sick of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Coulda been worse. Coulda been Downfall.
posted by lysdexic at 5:35 PM on November 24, 2009

That? That was full of win. But whilst we're sharing our favourite covers... this is pretty win too.
posted by coriolisdave at 5:43 PM on November 24, 2009

Ok, I've now seen the video and you can consider your brains safe. I apologize for anyone who may have suffered cranial incineration in the interim.

What is about Beaker that speaks to me so? I sometimes feel like he's the only one who really gets me.
posted by quin at 6:23 PM on November 24, 2009

If I am ever trapped in the explosion of a gamma ray bomb and transformed into a monstrous, destructive creature consumed by my own rage, I want you to capture me and force me to watch Muppets videos. That's quite possibly the only thing that will bring peace to my soul and restore me to human form.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:28 PM on November 24, 2009 [7 favorites]

Did Janice always have that crazy uvula?
posted by tristeza at 7:16 PM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I don't have the link, and don't want to get in trouble for posting it --- but if you search the torrent sites for Bohemian Rhapsody, you can find the 24trk split-track Pro Tools file, which of course lets you hear each part individually. Man, is that some fun shit to play with.
posted by fungible at 7:22 PM on November 24, 2009

Man, between this and Cårven Der Pümpkîn, whomever is in charge of keeping the Muppet Show humor so consistent and funny should get a raise and a medal.
posted by ShawnStruck at 7:31 PM on November 24, 2009

Yay, Muppets!

I still remember when they introduced me to the mellow joys of the Beach Boys with their awesome Kokomo cover. It warms my heart to think that their rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" will be someone's introduction to the wonders of Queen.
posted by cobwebberies at 7:32 PM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm with Sparx. Needs more Janice. (Still magnificent, though.)

And I can never see the word uvula without reading it as vulva. I don't even want to know what sort of fetish that would have to be...
posted by Limiter at 7:34 PM on November 24, 2009

I suppose this is as good a time as ever to mention that I rediscovered Janice when trying to figure out why Mary Travers reminded me of a muppet. Weird to find out that she's actually based on Mick Jagger.
posted by hue at 7:46 PM on November 24, 2009

The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew: "FUCK YEAH.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 1:53 PM on November 24"

Decorum, little science dude, you're breaking character..
posted by Hardcore Poser at 7:52 PM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

this is the most winningest thing ever!
posted by gursky at 8:09 PM on November 24, 2009

Loved it.
posted by Bageena at 8:09 PM on November 24, 2009

AWESOME!!
posted by TooFewShoes at 8:18 PM on November 24, 2009

Sam! Newscaster Guy! Lew Zealand! Awesome!

About all that was missing in terms of semi-obscure Muppets I love was Jack ("not name, jack job!") and Link Heartthrob. That was a great mix of old and new Muppets.
posted by EvaDestruction at 8:21 PM on November 24, 2009

Yeah, that was good.
posted by krinklyfig at 8:24 PM on November 24, 2009

I can never see the word uvula without reading it as vulva. I don't even want to know what sort of fetish that would have to be...

Someone made a movie sort of to that effect some years ago.
posted by hippybear at 8:38 PM on November 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

After watching this video roughly 40 million times in the space of maybe nine hours, I have to say this comes as close to a perfect thing as I've ever seen.

I can think of no finer tribute to the miracle that was Freddie Mercury. After 18 years, I still can't listen to Queen without breaking up halfway through the first song.

I just can't get over how amazing this thing is in virtually every way. Wow.
posted by perilous at 9:17 PM on November 24, 2009

All this time, for my whole life, there was a hole in my soul shaped exactly like the muppets covering Bohemian Rhapsody. Who knew.
posted by The Loch Ness Monster at 9:59 PM on November 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

Little late to the party here, I don't know if this is the best thing on the internet ever, but it is definitely the best thing this month.
posted by marxchivist at 4:38 AM on November 25, 2009

I got shivers at the last "any way the wind blows". I wasn't expecting how well done this turned out to be.
posted by Spatch at 6:01 AM on November 25, 2009

If ever there was a SLYT post that qualified as best of the web, this is it.
posted by howling fantods at 8:46 AM on November 25, 2009

A viral "memememe" meme?!
posted by markkraft at 10:33 AM on November 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is possibly the best thing ever in the history of things. It is a deliquescent confection of astounding. Beaker! Swedish Chef! Manamanaguy! The only way the Muppets might conceivably top this is if they covered "Prisencolinensinainciusol." (Bawk bawk!)
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:30 PM on November 25, 2009

The Whelk actually already linked this upthread, but I didn't catch it till youtube recommended it to me.

Beaker - Ode to Joy
posted by quin at 6:54 PM on November 25, 2009

This is probably the first time in Metafilter history where an entire thread universally agreed on the awesomeness of whatever it was that was linked to. It gives me hope.

We also like Mister Rogers.
posted by flaterik at 9:12 PM on November 26, 2009 [3 favorites]

YAAAAAYYYYY!
<flapping hands around like Kermit>
posted by not_on_display at 10:44 PM on November 28, 2009

I must - and shall - waste my first comment ever on the Blue: "this makes me very, very, very happy."
posted by kugelmass at 3:54 PM on November 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

Sam the Eagle is my favorite muppet. He did not seem nearly sufficiently outraged by this video.
posted by that girl at 9:21 PM on November 29, 2009

I must - and shall - waste my first comment ever on the Blue

kugelmass, I look forward what you find important enough to designate as the home for your first comment in AskMe and Music.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 12:23 AM on November 30, 2009

Sam the Eagle is my favorite muppet. He did not seem nearly sufficiently outraged by this video.

I assume nobody told him what the song was about.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:01 AM on November 30, 2009