Nobody loves a good pop culture list more than us listamaniacs here at Entertainment Weekly, so kudos to the folks at Gunaxin Media for concocting this clever and certainly controversial compendium of the 10 worst Muppets. “Controversial,” because some of their picks seems flat out WRONG to me. Janice the guitar player from Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem?! At No. 5 on the list?!?! I reject this totally! Those big lips and that dopey voice never fail to make me chuckle. And think about all the little girls who’ve been inspired to pick up a guitar and become super-hot rock chicks because of her example!
And don’t get me started on the inclusion of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, which Gunaxin criticizes for looking like “a yellow bowling ball with glasses.” That’s a problem? Nay! I say it’s a very clever point of visual distinction in a cast overpopulated with hairy monsters and cutesy animals! Besides, you need the straight-man that is Honeydew to best appreciate the comic brilliance of Beaker, which Gunaxin rightly hails as “one of the funniest Muppets.” But would we feel the same way without Honeydew serving as Beaker’s beleagered foil? The list also suffers fom some easy cheap shots, like Clifford at No. 3. If you’re asking yourself “Who’s Clifford?”, you’ve gleaned the essence of my objection. But some of the picks are spot on, including the cutesy abomination that is Robin, Kermit’s little nephew, which landed at at No. 2. As for No. 1… well, I won’t spoil Gunaxin’s entire list. But I do wish they had dared to go after bigger game. For example, my pick for worst puppet is — sorry, Ausiello — Miss Piggy. Never understood what Kermit saw in that screechy felt sow.
What’s your most loathed Muppet? Start the debate below!
Loathed Muppet? Talk about a contradiction in terms. No can do.
AGREED! how can you hate a muppet?! Gonzo is just pure awesomness… Janice rocks cause she’s stoned & miss piggy is the resident diva/b!tch… what is NOT to love????
agreed! and pepe was hilarious!
Yeah! The Muppets are all cuddly and awesome!
Love them all. Started with Rowlf the piano-playing dog, continued through my kids Sesame Street years, and is ongoing with their YouTube appearances.
I absolutely detest Robin. He never fails to make me cringe. Watching “The Muppet Christmas Carol” and “A Muppet Family Christmas” over the past few weeks has only reinforced what a contrived little so-and-so he is.
Miss Piggy. NO CONTEST.
I too have issues with Miss Piggy and have never liked her..especially in an evening gown.
That giant hairy monster guy with the vaguely phallic nose. He is in the car dealership in the Muppet Movie. Scary as hell. Actually, having recently watched the Muppet’s Bohemian Rhapsody I remembered that actually ALL of the Muppets except Kermit are scary as hell!
Could I say “actually” one more time? Sorry, didn’t proofread that one.
SWEETUMS!! No way, he rocks.
I agree–*love* Sweetums.
what a bogus list. It was so wrong. And honestly, Pepe the Prawn is my favorite muppet of all time. What was funnier in Muppets from Space than Pepe jumping out in the pink tutu.
I didn’t even know about Pepe until watching the Christmas special this year, but I think he’s a great example of the creative talent that is still behind the Muppets. A mobbed up shrimp with gold chains? He’s just what Rizzo needed. Love him.
Pepe would be the first to remind you, he’s a king prawn. Ha! I love Pepe.
I totally concur, Tiffany. He fricking rocks.
I loved the part where he conned Gonzo into putting in a hottub “Field Of Dreams”-style when he was trying to communicate with the aliens. “Build a jacuzzi, okay”
or when he yelled “I am not a shrimp, I am a KING PRAWN” rofl!
okay! also loved Muppets From Space…”if you build it they will come”…”build a jacuzzi and they will come, okay?”
these people have way too much time on their hands. Plus, their list is messed up Pepe the prawn is hilarious and was a very fresh addition and beaker does not work without honeydew. lame list. very lame
wait…these people got paid to make this list and they have too much time on their hands and not the people who sit and comment on it for free??
I actually thought Lew Zealand the boomerang fish thrower was rather pointless. I definitely don’t think Janice or Bunsen should be on the list.
I agree on the boomerang fish guy. Never got him.
agree…if I was making a list of the five most pointless muppets it would include Lew, along with the computer generated fish, the janitor, and the two male pigs from “Pigs in Space”
Some of the muppets on the list I am not completely familiar with. I agree with others posts, Pepe was the best. I was never a big fan of Gonzo. Something about him always annoyed me.
You better find a church and pray, because you might end up in hell for saying that about Gonzo.
I love gonzo and Pepe….
There are no bad Muppets.
Ditto.
I absolutely LOVE the muppets and am thrilled that my two year old likes to watch the muppet show on dvd with me (mainly for Kermit). Aso for me least favorite? It has to be that shrimp/prawn thing (whatever it’s name is).
OMG! We haven’t had a best of/worst of list that’s divided opinions this much since the last time a list was published.
I think Kermit, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Ernie and Blarpo the Blue-Haired Eel are the worst Muppets. (Don’t we all have something better to do? What a stupid list.)
Cookie Monster? really…I’m 37 and still find myself humming to C is for Cookie, that’s good enough for me (I also babysit frequently, though that could be it as well)
I agree, I love Cookie Monster.
I love Pepe this is so wrong
Oh come on! Bunsen, Janice, and Pepe? Pepe is one of my favorites–he’s hilarious. I like that they recognize the absolute genius that is Beaker, but you’re right, Beaker wouldn’t be nearly as fabulous without Bunsen torturing him.
Though I’m almost on the side of the “no such thing as a bad Muppet” posters, I have to agree that Robin is sort of the Andy Keaton of the Muppets–brought in for no other reason than to be cute.
And I heard he too was arrested in Colorado for assult on his swamp mate.
he was convicted of first degree toadslaughter…unattentional but deadly use of slime…he also lost custody of the tadpoles and sees them only every other weekend when they come by the lilypad to play on the FLEE system and enjoy take out fly-izza….:p
while I agree that there is no “bad” muppet…I do kinda agree with Janice being on the list…not so much that there is anything wrong with “her”…just that if she was no longer part of the muppets, I don’t think the character would be missed