As you may have heard, activist group “One Million Moms” is petitioning ABC to cancel The Muppets, due to the “obscene” nature of some ads created for its promotion. The “Moms” object to the adult ads because of captions like: “Finally, a network TV show with full frontal nudity,” featuring Kermit wearing a scarf.
The group feels the family-friendly Muppets of the 70’s and 80’s are gone and that Disney should be doing more to uphold “family” values. But Jim Henson created the Muppet Show, and subsequent films, for everybody, not just one age group. The name of the Muppet Show pilot episode was “Sex and Violence,” and people protested then, until they realized after airing that the show was about topics other than sex and violence, and in fact featured only veiled suggestions and cartoon-style violence.
“You’re lost? Have you tried Hare Krishna?” This type of adult humor is littered throughout The Muppet Show, Muppets Tonight, and the films. Jim’s idea was to not only differentiate his work from the world of little kids, but from any other show on television.
Jim wanted to show that puppets could make socially relevant points and jokes for adults just as easily as for children. And boy did they! Were Jim’s TV shows appropriate for children? Usually, but they were made with an adult audience in mind. There were many lessons to be learned through, and the Muppets changed the world for the better as Jim had hoped. But it was, first and foremost, all about entertainment.
Disney and ABC have Henson’s intentions in mind. Jim trusted Walt’s company to continue his legacy and vision, which is why he wanted to sell it to Disney just before his sudden death.
“Kids don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”
– Jim Henson.
If we are so worried about what is on television, we’ll forget the values and morals we could be teaching children ourselves, through example. Yes, we want to raise our children in certain ways, and there’s no problem with that, but why not give the show a chance before judging it?
Here’s my advice, Moms: If you really are that easily offended, turn off the TV, gather your kids, and pick up a good book. I recommend something fun like The Muppets Make Puppets.
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