Kermit the Frog – with his relentless altruism – and his crazy mob of Muppets are just the comfort blanket we need during a global pandemic
Jim and Jane Henson’s ludicrous puppets have embodied joy and wonder ever since they debuted in 1969. The Muppet Show, running for five seasons from 1976, became a multi-award winning classic and is still held in the highest regard now. Not to mention a slew of Hollywood hits, starting with The Muppet Movie in 1979 and most recently Muppets Most Wanted in 2014. Then, of course, you have The Muppets Christmas Carol, an undisputed festive classic if there ever was one. Plenty of people have new ideas for how the Muppets can continue to make classic stories their own (Muppets Les Misérables is my partner’s suggestion). The Muppets have survived for as long as they have because they manage to mean different things to different people, as well as remaining a source of light entertainment for adults and children alike. Now, the Muppets are needed more than ever.
Watching The Muppet Movie one lazy Sunday evening, a stirring sense of glee builds deep inside my heart as Kermit the Frog unassumingly starts plucking away at his banjo. He drifts gently into his defining musical number, The Rainbow Connection – a song that since its release has been covered more than three dozen times, by everyone from the Carpenters to Gwen Stefani, and which was revived by Kermit himself last month to provide a badly needed moment of serenity. Kermit’s song is a reassuring pat on the shoulder. An iconic amphibian is effectively telling you that there are always some bright moments in even the darkest days – what’s not to love about that?
Continue reading...from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2UFGZ9t
