The Best Musicians to Host ‘The Muppet Show’
Over The Muppet Show’s five-season run, it played host to a number of of the biggest entertainers of the ‘70s, from Broadway stars to actors and, of course, musicians, who were well-suited for the variety-show format and performed some of their biggest hits. The show featured musicians from all genres, from rock to country, playing along with the Muppets while showcasing their talents. Here are the ones you absolutely don’t want to skip.
Elton John
The show’s second season featured Elton John, their first big-name musician, whose onstage persona and ostentatious costumes made him a perfect fit — and which partially inspired Muppet musician Dr. Teeth — and his songs were wonderfully worked into the world of the Muppets. On a show known for puppet versions of animals, among other creatures, “Crocodile Rock” was an obvious choice, and John lived up to his flashy reputation with a wonderful peacock costume, the first of many over-the-top costumes he dons over the course of the half-hour. A later segment featured duet “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart” with Miss Piggy in place of Kiki Dee, who appears on the recorded version, and while these performances were wonderfully staged to fit into the world of the Muppets, the show also gave John the opportunity to perform without any gags. While the Muppets sing backup on “Bennie and the Jets” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” both songs largely stand on their own, without any gags or gimmicks. The episode is very much quintessential Muppets with the recurring sketches the show had become known for, but in many ways, it’s also a simple, straightforward showcase of John’s talent and greatest hits, equal parts concert and comedy.
Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge
For the premiere of season three, The Muppet Show brought in musical power couple Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge to host. Miss Piggy, who normally chases after Kermit, sets her sights on Kristofferson instead and can barely contain herself as the two duet “Help Me Make It Through the Night” — and Kristofferson’s chuckles as he sings only make it that much more fun to watch. As for Coolidge, she delivers a beautiful rendition of “We’re All Alone,” and while each of them shines on their own, there’s nothing quite like watching them sing together. Their chemistry in live performances was often palpable, and their duet on “Song I’d Like to Sing” is no different, with Coolidge in particular gazing at Kristofferson in such a way that leaves no doubt as to how much she loved him.
Alice Cooper
“Welcome to my nightmare, Alice Cooper sings as he rises out of coffin and onto a set adorned with skeletons, fog, and backing band the Vile Bunch. It’s a performance perfectly befitting the rocker and the original air date just after Halloween 1978, as are the more monstrous muppets and the running gag that Cooper can offer the Muppets wealth and fame in exchange for their souls. The singer recently admitted he had some reservations about appearing on the show. “I balked at first,” he said. “I went, ‘Oh man, I’ve been spending all this time building this villain image. Is this just going to water it down?’ I said, ‘Who’s going to be on it?’ And they said Christopher Lee, Vincent Price [who’d done previous Muppet Show Halloween guest spots]. And I went, ‘I’m in!’ I didn’t even have to think about it. I went, ‘I’m in. If those guys can do it, I am privileged to do it.’” In the midst of the dark elements, though, is a surprising and almost out-of-place bright spot, were it not for the way it was introduced — Robin the Frog singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by a pond.
Harry Belafonte
Singer Harry Belafonte’s turn hosting The Muppet Show is widely regarded as one of the best in the series and a fan-favorite, thanks in no small part to his beautiful performances. His first song is perhaps his most famous to date, “Banana Boat (Day-O),” with quintessential Muppet gags peppered throughout, and the drum-off between Belafonte and Animal is a joy to watch. Unlike most other Muppet Show guests, Belafonte worked closely with the show’s writers, leading to moments like uplifting closing number “Turn the World Around” featuring African masks, and later the full Muppet cast — one of the best performances of the entire series. “Sometimes a star can make a big contribution to the script,” Jim Henson later explained. “Harry Belafonte was enthusiastic about doing the show, but he wanted to be sure it was worthwhile, and he worked very closely with us, which led to some wonderful things like the piece with the African masks.” Belaftone later performed the song at Henson’s funeral and wrote the introduction to Jim Henson: The Works.
Johnny Cash
We have Johnny Cash’s son John Carter Cash to thank for the country icon’s appearance on The Muppet Show. His wife June remarked, “John Carter picks all his father’s shows. When Johnny said he’d been invited to do The Muppet Show, John Carter was absolutely adamant: he had to do it. We’re all fans of the show, but John Carter is devoted.” His performances include “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” which had been a number-one hit two years prior in 1979. While Cash delivers it wonderfully, the staging is unfortunate, and, in fact, the episode is among those which now includes a disclaimer. A Confederate flag is tacked to the barn wall behind Cash, clearly meant as a symbol associated with country music rather than a racist one, but when Muppets take the stage draped in white sheets — meant to be ghosts, of course — it does give one pause, particularly with the political and social movements we’re experiencing now nearly 40 years later. Where the episode really shines is closing number “Jackson,” an obvious opportunity to pair Cash with Miss Piggy and reportedly one of the few times Cash performed the song without June.
The Muppet Show is streaming now on Disney+.
