News on the Muppets!!!

It was in 1996 that 'Muppet's Tonight!' was first aired, and Kermit handed over the hosting responsibilities to Clifford (yeah, the purplish rastafarian muppet). I think that was a serious bad move, because if you go back and watch the earlier episodes of the original muppet show a good portion of it was based on kermits interaction relationships with the cast behind stage and with the guest for that episode. I just don't think they ever got that going with Clifford.

Here's a link to Disney Inc's thoughts on the Return of the Muppets.

A new version of the show should be brought back because people want it back, not because they can make it into a commercially viable product again (I am assuming that is what they are refering to when they say 'viable commodity'). My utopian vision would include a new version of the muppet show returning to fulfill a purpose, e.g. to fill in much needed quality tv spots already taken over with..ummm...*loosens tie*...rubbish shows.

It also scares me a comment on the page linked to by Disney CEO Michael Eisner "'They'll stay away from politics and religion,'' Mr. Eisner says. "The Muppets have a certain modicum of innuendo. They're not gratuitous.'" This was in reference to recent 'puppet' movies, such as Team America. But how far does this go? Will they be able to bring back Sam the American Eagle (who to me represented the 'Right' on the show at the time, or maybe he represented severe media regulations?). Or will they still be able to sing songs with lyrics such as '...the nation rising as one, to send their honoured son, to the whitehouse (the nation's only whitehouse) to voice their discontent, unto the president, upon the burning question that has swept this continent', (Ignore the fact the question was 'Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?') that was from episode 14, Jan 17, 1977. Will they not even be able to mention the President, or anything political? This...troubles me.