I honestly thought that there couldn’t be a better — and, more to the point, more depressing — remix music video of Nine Inch Nails’ "Hurt" than the one Johnny Cash did shortly before he passed away. That is, until I saw Kermit’s version. Yes, Kermit the Frog. Be warned: This is decidedly not for the kiddies — it’ll probably disturb the bejesus out of most adults for that matter. In fact, it’s kinda all with the NSFW (what Kermit does to Rowlf… my God…), so I’m just gonna give you the link and let you quiver underneath your computer after watching it on your own time.
Before you go, perhaps some background will put things into (limited) perspective: The video is the product of a website called SadKermit.com, which houses audio clips of Kermie’s takes on other depressing songs, like Radiohead’s "Creep" — "I am greeeeen" instead of "I’m a creeeeep" — and NIN’s "Something I Can Never Have" with a cameo by Fozzie Bear. The songs (which you can also stream at Sad Kermit’s MySpace page) were apparently cut after Jim Henson’s untimely death sent Kermit into a spiral of "drugs, alcohol and sex."
Sure, it’s funny in an oh-so-sick-and-wrong way, but exactly how Sad Kermit can get away with all this — including peddling "not for profit" merch — without copyright lawyers breathing down his droopy felt collar is beyond me. Maybe Meet the Feebles and Avenue Q have (lovingly) pissed all over this ground so thoroughly that Sad Kermit’s melancholy splat at rock bottom barely registered. In any event, has there been a more disturbing "re-imagining" of a beloved childhood character? Because I’m hard pressed to think of one.
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Really?
No words. I’ll just be scrubbing my brain with bleach now.
Hurt is a deeply moving song when sung by an eighty year old man facing the end. When it is sung by a piece of felt, even a famous one, it’s just silly.
Adam, there has indeed been at least one as disturbing. In this comic book compilation of adult toons that came out a few years ago (by fantagraphix I think), there was a strip where a woman had sex with a dude in a mickey mouse costume. Very Disturbing.
Also “Cherry” by Larry Welz features artwork that takes a very clear page out of Archie comics. They even had a “paper doll” ad featuring Veronica and Betty in some less than respectful outfits. Not as disturbing (Archie was always a little bit innuendo laden, especially the pre-comics code issues from the late 1940’s and early 1950’s), but definitely a different take on a classic comic.
Oh, and has anyone seen those living dead dolls? The idea of taking dolls and making them into zombies seems like it might be worth an honorable mention…
NIN’s version of Hurt is ok, Johnny Cash’s was really moving, but this one…my god.
That is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time. I was in tears for the wrong reason listening this song. OMG, that is so wrong, yet so damn funny.
Whoa, that’s disturbing. Clever, but disturbing.
Does anyone else remember that TV Funhouse on SNL that had Anna Nicole as Smurfette. Not quite as funny now, but strangley accurate.
http://www.pistolwimp.com/media/36051/
A classic from the early days of internet video…Winnie the Pooh worshipping the devil
(you may need to register with YouTube to view)
This is pretty darn disturbing, even more so than the sexually graphic depictions of the Disney princesses and their guys that someone sent me a while back. Eek.
Kermit the Frog is the furry, felty icon of friendliness. Like Mr. Rogers as a puppet (I wonder why they never worked together..) And one of my personal heroes. This video scars everyone deeply. The lovers, the dreamers…. and me.
This makes me think of the Life Magazine cover of Kermit after Jim Henson passed away, one that I’ll never forget. Funny how this video here kind of follows up on that!
I thought this was dark humor at its finest.
It just goes to show you what a great actor Kermit is. How many other frogs can get to that emotional state on cue.
I’ll be able to sleep as long as I tell myself it was just a roll…
Stupid. Starts out kinda clever/funny, but frankly get gratuitous there w/ Rowlf and whatever. They should know better.
Thanks to whomever posted the Winnie the Pooh worshipping Satan clip. I had forgotten about it. It is still hilarious years later. “yak’s blood, yak’s blood…yummy, yummy yak’s blood!” ROTFLMAO.
The Kermit thing was hilarious and disturbing. The thing with Rowlf…that was just wrong.
Random question: did anybody else think that Rowlf was black when you were a kid or was that just me?
So this is the what my generation’s creative collective comes up with, huh? Depressing and disturbing…even if a bit funny.
SadKermit is the funniest video I have seen in a long time. It’s great that there are still people in our society who are capable of understanding that humor can be just that. No need to be disturbed folks, it’s just humor. Laugh, it’s good for you.
I cannot speak for everyone else, but I was being mostly facetious. Maybe that doesn’t translate well in a blog. I don’t know.
Jen, I always thought Rouwlf was a brother too. I also had a crush on the cute woman muppet who plays with Animal’s band. No hating, I was 5 at the time!
And Laurie, I LOVED that clip! Hadn’t seen it in years which made it that much funnier.
Ep, the chick in Dr. Teeth’s band was named Janice. I’m a little ashamed that I remember that…
I can’t watch. This is not the Kermie I want to remember.
NIN’s version isn’t a version people its the original!! Everything after that is consindered a version. That’s just rude to the original artist to call it a version.
I’d like to see how it would be if a parody was done to turn Kermie into Morrissey. To be honest, Jim Henson’s gang did musical parodies before. Perhaps it was not intentional but the ideas were recognizable. When I was a kid they had a muppet with frizzy hair and glasses. He looked like Ian Hunter of “Mott The Hoople” (“All the Young Dudes”). Dr. Teeth-The Glam Rock period, and the hat? Total give away- either the lead singer of “Slade” or the lead singer of “The Sweet” (“Little Willie”) wore a hat similar to Dr. Teeths. It is a puppet parody cycle.
Oh, Steph, I’m sure that they named Janice after JANIS Joplin. Even though that muppet was a damn sight hotter, wasn’t she, Ep?
Speaking of muppet parodies, what about Louis Kazagar (sp?) – the parody of Howard Cosell?
Royal, it probably was named after Janis Joplin. Janis Ian would have been waay too creepy.
that was sooo baaaaddd, but so funny! and omg, i checked out the winnie the pooh link someone provided, i though i was going to pee my pants! and i’m in my cube trying to be quiet! awesome!
that was disturbing. what happened to the rainbow loving kermie of my day?
I know I’m late as far as the comments go, but seriously – we obviously cannot blame Kermit for this. He’s just an innocent vehicle for someone’s weird fantasy.
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