The Rainbow Connection

When I heard that the Muppets were coming back in a movie this year, a flutter of the past came to life. I recalled staying up once a week to watch The Muppet Show, a lively comedy that made us all laugh. It was clean, family friendly and always had a good moral.

In 2011, the pick of shows is much greater, but none match the simple, pure quality of the Muppets. Every week, a new guest star dazzled us all with their talent, and for many kids, it was the first time they ever saw some of the celebrity hosts. Presented in a way that kids would understand, the Muppets imbued morals and humor every week.

My favorite character of all time was Kermit the frog. He was the most humble of all the Muppets.  Whether it was running around trying to get everyone on stage or fumbling for words because he was flustered, Kermit spoke to me. On the opposite end, I heartily disliked Miss Piggy because she was always concerned with herself and treated Kermit badly. He was just a modest frog who loved her and she always rejected him. For me, being the kid that always got picked on, I longed for a Kermit to understand me.

One person I know closely identifies with Animal, the crazy drummer.  He feels that Animal represents all the people in the world (like him) who marches to their own drum beat, regardless of what is customary. And in pure Muppet fashion, Animal is never shunned. Lesson: Sometimes you need a little discordance from people in your life to improve as a person.

I see a Rolf the pianist in my nephew, who sings all the time. If he isn't singing, there is something wrong. My niece is often like Miss Piggy with her fancy costumes and aspirations of being a princess. (Luckily, she does not show the vain qualities that are also part and parcel of the classical theatre diva.)

As an adult, I see the lesson of diversity in the Muppets. This is a hard concept to explain to children, as it has so many meanings. Diversity can be defined in a cultural context mostly, but you would be surprised at what many children would say when asked what the word means.  Some will mention language. Others go deeper and reference ethnic markers. For me, the Muppets were as diverse as any group of people with their varying animal types, colors and appearance.

Think about your favorite shows as a kid, no matter how old you are. What characters spoke to you? What characters mad you want to hide under the couch or snuggle in mom’s arms until they went away? Allow them to guide you in life, because those are lessons that are unforgettable.