The Muppet Show (1976–1981): Season 2, Episode 1 - Episode #2.1 - full transcript

- [knock on door]
- Don Knotts. Don Knotts.

Twenty-five seconds to curtain,
Mr. Knotts.

What are you doing
hiding there behind the table?

Listen, nobody told me I had
to share a dressing room.

- Didn't they
tell you about her? - Her?

What's the matter, sweetie?
You don't like chorus girls?

[drumroll]

It's The Muppet Show,

with our very special
guest star, Mr. Don Knotts.

[applause and whistles]

♪ It's time to play the music
It's time to light the light ♪



♪ It's time to meet the Muppets
on The Muppet Show tonight ♪

♪ It's time to put on makeup
It's time to dress up right ♪

♪ It's time to
get things started ♪

♪ It's time to
get things started ♪

♪ On the most sensational
Inspirational ♪

♪ Celebrational
Muppetational ♪

♪ This is what we call
The Muppet Show! ♪

[high-pitch squeak]

Sorry.

Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you, thank you,

and welcome again
to The Muppet Show.

Listen, our guest star tonight
is the slightly nervous,

but very funny, Mr. Don Knotts.
But first, just for fun,

here is a ginger-flavored
opening number.



[applause]

[♪ Sweet Gingerbread Man]

[applause]

- I know what's wrong
with this show. - What?

- It's the theater.
- What's wrong with it?

- The seats face the stage.
- [both chuckling]

Thank you. Hi. Hiya, hiya.

Hey, hey, hey. Listen.

Kermit is letting me
help plan tonight's show.

Uh, that's true,
folks.

He plans his parts,
and I plan the good parts.

- Kermit!
- I'm just kidding, Fozzie.

- Go ahead, make
your introduction. - Oh, OK.

Moving right along, we take
you now for a trip into...

[echoing] ...inner space.

I'm very relaxed.

I'm terribly calm and tranquil,

and very, very relaxed indeed.

On the outside,
but on the inside...

[♪ Windmills Of Your Mind]

[singing faster]

[accelerated singing]

But on the outside
I'm very calm.

[screams]

Well, how'd you
like that opening number?

Hmm? Oh,
I didn't notice it.

Didn't notice it?
How is that possible?

It was loud and raucous with
a screaming thing running amok.

[sighs] How could
you not notice it?

Well, in the future
I'll try to be more observant.

[screaming]

- Would you do that, please?
- [crashing]

This is fun.
I really want to thank you

for letting me help plan
tonight's show, Kermit.

I wish we planned something
calmer for the opening spot.

He looks
calm enough to me.

OK, green thing,

the band has asked me
to have a word with you.

Yeah?

I refer, specifically,
to the closing number.

Oh, boy.

Uh, well, I tell you, this
is not my fault this time.

See, Fozzie Bear
helped me plan tonight's show,

and he was the one
that wanted the band to play

Lullaby of Birdland.
That was Fozzie.

- [growls]
- So this is the bear's doing, huh?

- You bet.
- Oh, hi, Floyd.

Uh, isn't Lullaby of Birdland
all right?

All right?
Hey, it's terrific!

- It is?
- It is?

Yeah. Lullaby of Birdland
is a jazz classic.

At last we got some
decent music in this gig.

- [scoffs]
- Yeah. Lullaby of Birdland.

Why isn't the bear
running things around here?

Yeah! Why isn't the bear
running things around here?

Yeah, why isn't the frog
auditioning new comedians?

Why isn't the bear
keeping his mouth shut?

- [fanfare]
- OK, right now it's time

for something good to happen,

and that something is tonight's
very funny guest star.

Welcome, please,
the very relaxed Mr. Don Knotts.

[applause]

Thank you, boys and girls,

and welcome to
Beast of the Week.

The program that presents
the most hideous, repulsive

and disgusting animals
in the world

just to amuse you
sweet little kiddies.

Tonight's creature
was just discovered,

so it doesn't even
have a name yet.

Shall we? [chuckles]

[clears throat]

[soft growling]

[Knotts] Oh,
cute little fella, isn't it?

Uh, this is the first one
ever born in captivity,

and it's also
the first time

we've had it away
from its mother.

[soft growling]

So I don't know what
to expect myself,

so maybe we'll just
learn together, huh?

[deep breath]

[gasps]

Well, one thing
we've just learned:

It can get out of a cage,

which I was told was
absolutely escape-proof.

- Uh...
- [growls]

I better get him to...

[soft growling]

Oh, look at that.

He's found something
shaped like himself.

I believe he thinks
they're related.

Isn't that cute, boys and girls?
He's trying to make friends.

[angry growl]

Not, uh...
Not trying to make friends.

He's... I'll just,
uh, get the globe.

- [snarling]
- Aaah!

[snarling]

I could use some helpers.

[creature snarling]

[gasping]

[grunts, groans]

Where'd it go?

- Where'd...?
- [creature growling softly]

This is where my years of
training as a zookeeper pay off.

You notice I don't make
any sudden moves.

[gentle growling]

[chuckles] He's getting
less frightened of me.

I guess it likes me.

- [slurping]
- [laughing] Stop it!

- That tickles.
- [blowing]

It's blowing in my ear.
[chuckles]

- [growling softly]
- [groans]

Ooh, ooh! [chuckles]

Gotcha.

Well, boys and girls,

uh, that about wraps up
tonight's Beast of the Week.

We've got to get
this little fella

back to its mother
before she wakes up.

You see, the mother is very
possessive of its offspring.

And if she should
discover it missing,

she could get very upset.

[loud growling]

- What's that?
- Mama.

Mother? How could that be?

She's in the cage.
It's escape-proof.

[snarling]

Well, that Don Knotts
is one great performer.

He certainly is.
When is he gonna be on?

- He was just on.
- Oh. Did I like him?

- Yeah, you laughed like crazy.
- Oh, good. [chuckles]

He's got a great sense of humor,
but a terrible memory.

Fozzie, my main bear.

Mmm. What it is?

You know everybody in the band
is so blown away

by the fact
that you suggested

we do Lullaby of Birdland
on the show.

Blown away?
Is that good?

- Good?
- Yes?

Fozzie, you're so hip
you make us flip.

In fact,
we just took a vote

and made you a bona fide
registered Hip Dude.

- You have won your shades.
- My shades!

Yeah.
Now these are the official

"Charlie Parker lives"
supercool sunglasses.

- Thank you!
- Welcome to Groovydom.

Oh! Will you please tell
the band how honored I am!

Oh, boy, I can't wait
to tell Kermit. Kermit!

[male announcer] And now,
Veterinarian's Hospital,

the continuing story of a quack

who's gone to the dogs.

Well, let's take a look
at our next patient.

What seems to be his problem?

I think he has
flat feet, Dr. Bob.

Looks more like
a flat tire to me.

I think it's a case
of three left feet.

[all laughing]

Three feet, Dr. Bob.
What do you make of that?

- Oh, about a yard.
- [rimshot plays]

But is it serious,
Dr. Bob?

Let's face it, this bird
has one foot in the grave.

But he has three feet
on the table.

That's nothing.
I left two feet in Cincinnati.

That's six feet, Dr. Bob.
What do you make of that?

- Oh, about a fathom.
- [rimshot plays]

I certainly can't
fathom any of this.

[announcer] And so Dr. Bob

has performed another
amazing medical feat.

Tune in next week when
we'll hear Nurse Piggy say...

Shall we call in
a specialist, Dr. Bob?

No, just call a tow truck.

- [all laughing]
- That tickles!

[applause]

[♪ Burlington Bertie from Bow]

[song ends]

[cheering, whistling]

Hmm. Strange.

Fozzie told me to meet him here
and we could chat for a while.

[crashing]

[Fozzie groaning]
Sorry, lady.

Oh, boy.
Oh, boy, oh, boy.

- Hi, Fozzie.
- Aaah!

Oh, hello, Don.
Good to see you.

[yelps]

Oh. Oh, hi, Don.
Didn't see you.

Why don't you
take off the sunglasses?

I couldn't do that.

The band gave me these
because they think I am so hip.

Oh, I see.

Confidentially, uh,
I always wanted to be hip.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.

Personally, I've never had
that problem. [sniffles]

- Yeah!
- You know how it is.

When you've got it,
you've got it.

I mean, when
you're hip, you're hip.

Yeah.

Uh, Don, if you're so hip,
where are your shades?

Shades? You want shades,
I'll show you shades.

Look at that.
Huh? How's that?

- How about that, huh?
- Yeah!

- Good to see ya!
- That's my man!

- That's my bear! Gimme five!
- Whatever! All right! Yeah!

- Yeah.
- [crashing]

- Don! Don, Don, Don!
- [Don groaning]

[♪ What a Wonderful World]

[song ends]

Hey, sounded lovely,
sounded wonderful.

Wish I knew how it looked.

- Hey, Fozzie, my main fuzzy.
- Oh, Floyd.

Yeah. Listen, one of
the dudes in the band

is so turned on
by the fact that

you suggested we do
Lullaby of Birdland,

he would like to
shake your hand personally.

- Hey, out of sight!
- OK.

[growling] Thank you!

No, Animal! You promised!
Hey, man! Heel, heel!

[groaning]

I didn't know it hurt to be hip.

[singing in mock Swedish]

[rattling]

[mumbling] ...a fishy chowder.

And for the fishy chowder
we have the fishy fish.

Fishy fishy. [humming]

[mumbling indistinctly]

[pot rattling on floor]

[gurgling]

[groaning]

What's wrong with you?

[groans] It's either
this show or indigestion.

- I hope it's indigestion.
- Why?

It'll get better
in a little while.

Oh.

- Fozzie, my fuzzy.
- Hey!

Hey, everything
is everything.

- Whatever! Hey!
- Mm-hmm.

- I was just wonderin'...
- Yes!

...how you were enjoying your
new title as Official Hip Dude.

Oh, I love it.
I love the title.

Just wish it came
with a flashlight.

Floyd, Floyd, it's time
to do Lullaby of Birdland.

Ooh, yeah.
Speaking of which, uh,

since I'm playing vibes
in this number,

we're gonna need another
player for the bass.

Floyd, how can I find
a bass player now? You're on.

Hey, Kermit,
no problem!

I have already found
the perfect bass player.

Floyd, you just go out there
and start cookin', baby!

Ah, yeah, my bear.
I knew you were a gas.

Yes! All right!

And I will
introduce this number

for my hip brothers,
green stuff.

Hey, hey!

The, uh, bear has wigged out.

Hey! All right!

All you hip dudes and
swinging sisters out...

Hey! All right!

All you hip dudes and
swinging sisters out there,

time for a great golden goodie

from Fozzie's
Wiggie Wonder World.

Here is Lullaby of Birdland.

Search no more, my man.
You must be the bass player.

- How'd you guess?
- Oh, a shot in the dark.

OK, I'm cool.

We're gonna lay down

a little Lullaby of Birdland
on this cornball show.

- Can you dig it?
- Can I dig it?

I got the music right here.

Sheet music. I haven't seen
that stuff for years.

Look at that, the cat
can follow the dots.

All right. Now,
Lullaby of Birdland.

Uno, dos, tres...

[♪ Lullaby of Birdland]

- Wait a minute!
- Hey, hey! Hold it!

What in the pluperfect
past tense was that?

The Lullaby of Birdland, man.

Oh, yeah? Well, it
sounds like the bird died.

- You better lose the bow, baby.
- I knew something was wrong.

- Yeah.
- All right, here we go, guys.

Eins, zwei, drei...

[♪ Lullaby of Birdland]

Faster, man.
This ain't no wedding.

Faster, man, faster.

[Floyd] Take it, Don.

All right!

- [Animal] Yeah!
- [Floyd] All right, do it!

Here we go!

[explosion]

Ah. I loved it!

Well, that's it
for another show.

I'd like to thank the guy

who helped me plan
tonight's merriment,

- good ol' Fozzie Bear.
- Uh, hoo-ha, hello?

Ha... Hello? Hello, hello?

- [screams]
- [crashing]

You went too far, Fozzie.

Anyhow, and, of course,
our very special guest star,

- the wonderful Mr. Don Knotts.
- [applause]

Thank you.
Thank you, Kermit...

...wherever you are.

Hey, hey! Me and the band
just took another vote

because of what happened
in the Birdland number.

- Yeah?
- You have been officially

and permanently
de-shaded.

- Take off your peepholes.
- Oh, no.

Oh, don't worry, Fozzie.
Always remember...

...square is beautiful.

You bet!

I'll see that bet
and raise you five.

That's it for tonight.

We'll see you all next time
on The Muppet Show!

- [cheering]
- [applause]

- This show is awful.
- Terrible.

- Disgusting.
- See you next week?

Of course.