Ben and Pete find themselves curiously in sync: enjoying the same moments, speaking in unison, and finding aspects of the episode wholesomely enjoyable — is this a spooky fraternal synchronicity or are they merely following Fozzie's exhortations to find something nice in the show? https://audioboom.com/posts/8936205 Sources and References: Ben begins by saying that, as of … Continue reading Guest-starring Alice Cooper!
Episodes
Guest-Starring Loretta Lynn!
When last we left Pete and Ben, they recorded an extra-long examination of an episode with unusual structure, and asked trivia questions based on a cinematic biopic. It's all happening again! Is this the new normal for both the show and the podcast? Does the House of Leaves situation extend to train platforms now? Tune … Continue reading Guest-Starring Loretta Lynn!
Guest-Starring Liberace!
Ben and Pete are astonished by the unconventional structure of this episode, in which Liberace gets the lion's share of the running time to perform a concert "for the birds". Will a performer doing schtick ruffle Pete's feathers, or will he be hypnotized by Liberace's glitz and glamour? A larger than normal episode to encompass … Continue reading Guest-Starring Liberace!
10 March 1971: What’s Up, Doc?
Anna and Ben sit down to visit the third most successful film of 1972, the slapstick comedy "What's Up, Doc?" They discuss how the film compares to its obvious antecedents and whether Streisand's character is more manipulative and callous than either Hepburn in "Bringing Up Baby" or any of Groucho's schemers, and whether Bugs Bunny's … Continue reading 10 March 1971: What’s Up, Doc?
Guest-starring Judy Collins!
Ben and Pete clash over what comes off more poorly in this episode: the newly corporeal figure of of Scooter's uncle or the folk music stylings of the guest-star. They also guess what segment of the show was produced months after filming and engage in a truly gross pun run. https://audioboom.com/posts/8243776-henson-perspective-guest-starring-judy-collins Sources and References: ERRATA: … Continue reading Guest-starring Judy Collins!
Guest-starring Rudolf Nureyev!
Pete and Ben discuss the legacy, potency, and popularity of the Soviet Union's premiere cultural defector, and consider how he's objectified by the episode, whether Statler and Waldorf should sing along to the theme song, and how big Robin's hat should be. They also determine a head-canon for the Muppet Show warm-up comedian and that … Continue reading Guest-starring Rudolf Nureyev!
Guest-starring Zero Mostel!
Ben and Pete look at the posthumous release of the Muppet Show episode featuring Zero Mostel, discussing his maximalist performance, dissecting the show's spec script origins, and digressing into the depths of wordplay "betta" left unplumbed. https://audioboom.com/posts/8221726-henson-perspective-guest-starring-zero-mostel Sources and References: Despite talking about how Jared Brown in Zero Mostel: a Biography, spends time on "almost … Continue reading Guest-starring Zero Mostel!
Guest-starring John Cleese!
Pete and Ben investigate how well the Fawlty John Cleese of 1977 matches up with the potentially more cloth-eared John Cleese of 2022, and what the term "cloth-eared" means, anyway. They also investigate the height of the Muppet theatre, where Frank Oz was during this episode, and why both local fireworks and Siri seem to … Continue reading Guest-starring John Cleese!
Guest-starring Don Knotts!
Ben and Pete get lost in a circle in a spiral, in a wheel within a wheel, as they talks about the strange edits that Disney has imposed upon their hosting of the Don Knotts episode of The Muppet Show. They also warily wander the circumference of the topics of relatives, the proper reaction to … Continue reading Guest-starring Don Knotts!
Guest-starring Teresa Brewer!
Pete and Ben find themselves pulled between critical poles on this episode, enjoying the charisma of the guest-star but lamenting her musical choices, and also finding that while the backstage runner has aged poorly, the UK Spot might be the greatest musical secret the Muppet Show has ever concealed from American audiences. https://audioboom.com/posts/8205014-henson-perspective-guest-starring-teresa-brewer Sources and … Continue reading Guest-starring Teresa Brewer!
Farced Perspective 