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Revision as of 15:29, 15 June 2006 editToughpigs (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users72,917 edits →External links← Previous edit Latest revision as of 16:41, 24 December 2024 edit undoJedi94 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, File movers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers42,502 edits Not an important defining component of these characters since its a younger animated version. Also misleading since the puppeteer/performer also voices the character in almost all other media and appearances. Moving such information elsewhere where its more pertinent.Tag: 2017 wikitext editor 
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{{Short description|Muppet character}}
]]] ]]]
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
'''Miss Piggy''' is a ] character primarily played by ]. In ], ] began performing her, although Oz has not been officially replaced. In the ] episode of ], ] briefly reveals that Miss Piggy's second name is Lee, a homage to the actress and singer ]. (Incidently, in another episode of The Muppet Show she revealed her first name to be Pigathia) However, this is the only time (apart from various magazine articles and a Muppet book) that a character calls her Piggy Lee. Furthermore, in the ] episode, Miss Piggy "allows" Avery to call her by her real name "Pigathius". Thus, Miss Piggy's real full name is ''Pigathius Lee''.
{{Infobox character
| name = Miss Piggy
| series = ]
| image = MissPiggy.jpg
| caption =
| first = ''Herb Alpert and the TJB'' (1974)<ref name=MuppetBook>{{cite book|last1=Shemin|first1=Craig|title=Disney's The Muppets Character Encyclopedia|date=2014|page=129|publisher=]|location=New York|isbn=9781465417480}}</ref>
| last =
| creator = ] (designer)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-woman-behind-miss-piggy-11290861|title=The Woman Behind Miss Piggy|work=Smithsonian Magazine|first=Anika |last=Gupta|date= October 2008 |department=Arts & Culture}}</ref><br/>] (characterization)
| lbl1 = Performed by
| data1 = {{unbulleted list|] (1976–2002)<ref name=VarMojo/>||] (2001–present)<ref name=VarMojo/>}}<!--PRIMARY PERFORMERS ONLY. ANY SECONDARY OR ALTERNATE PERFORMERS SHOULD BE MENTIONED IN THE APPROPRIATE SECTION-->
| alias =
| species = Muppet ]
| gender = Female
| occupation = {{unbulleted list|Actress|Magazine editor|Singer|Talk show host|Martial artist|Icon}}
| title =
| family = Andy and Randy Pig (nephews)
| significant_other = ] (1976–2015, on-and-off since)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2015/08/04/miss-piggy-kermit-relationship-timeline/|title=Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog: A timeline of Muppet love|author=Kimberly Truong|date=August 4, 2015|work=Mashable}}</ref>
| relatives =
| religion =
| nationality = American
}}
'''Miss Piggy''' is a ] character known for her ] in the ] television series '']''. She is notable for her temperamental ] ] personality, her tendency to use ] phrases in her speech, and practicing ].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Swansburg|first1=John|title=Muppet Man|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/books/review/jim-henson-the-biography-by-brian-jay-jones.html?_r=0|access-date=September 28, 2015|work=The New York Times|date=December 6, 2013}}</ref> The character is also known for her ] relationship with ] which never ends permanently.<ref name=LATBreakup>{{cite news|last1=Villarreal|first1=Yvonne|title= Love really is dead – Miss Piggy and Kermit break up|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-miss-piggy-and-kermit-break-up-but-keep-it-together-for-work-20150804-story.html|access-date=August 4, 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 4, 2015}}</ref> ] performed the character from 1976 to 2002 and was succeeded by ] in 2001.<ref name=VarMojo/>


Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been a ] fixture in international pop culture, with a distinguished career in film, television, fashion, recording, and publishing. She has been widely identified as a ].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lind |first=Dara |date=June 5, 2015 |title=Miss Piggy explains why she's the perfect feminist icon for 2015 |work=] |url=https://www.vox.com/2015/6/4/8730099/miss-piggy-feminism |access-date=April 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 4, 2015 |title=Miss Piggy: Why I Am a Feminist Pig |magazine=] |author=] |url=https://time.com/3908787/miss-piggy-feminist/ |access-date=April 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Moyer |first=Justin |date=June 5, 2015 |title=Miss Piggy gets feminist award from Gloria Steinem |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/06/05/miss-piggy-an-inanimate-puppet-frequently-voiced-by-men-receives-feminist-award-from-gloria-steinem/ |access-date=April 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Diebel |first=Matthew |date=June 4, 2015 |title=Frog-chasing moi?! Miss Piggy gets feminism award |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/06/04/miss-piggy--collect-major-feminism-award--ceremony--new-york-city/28468789/ |access-date=April 15, 2023}}</ref> In 1996, '']'' ranked her number 23 on its 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list.<ref>{{cite book|title=TV Guide Guide to TV|year=2004|publisher=Barnes and Noble|isbn=0-7607-5634-1|page=|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780760756348}}</ref> In a 2001 ] poll in the UK, Miss Piggy was ranked 29th on their list of the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/tv_characters/results.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531160558/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/tv_characters/results.html |archive-date=May 31, 2009 |title=100 Greatest TV Characters |access-date=May 26, 2019 |publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itnsource.com/en/shotlist/ITVProgs/2001/05/05/Y22090001/ |title=100 Greatest ... (100 Greatest TV Characters (Part 1)) |publisher=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221233837/http://www.itnsource.com/en/shotlist/ITVProgs/2001/05/05/Y22090001/ |archive-date=February 21, 2015 |access-date=May 13, 2019}}</ref> In 1996, a cook book entitled ''In the Kitchen With Miss Piggy: Fabulous Recipes from My Famous Celebrity Friends by Moi'' was released. In 2015, she was honored by the ]'s ] for her achievements and contributions to breaking ]s in the entertainment industry.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Dorbush |first1=Jonathon |date=April 28, 2015 |title='Performer, actor, writer, and icon' Miss Piggy to receive Brooklyn Museum award |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/28/miss-piggy-receive-brooklyn-museum-award |access-date=April 29, 2015}}</ref>
Miss Piggy was reportedly inspired by the actress ].


A ]-inspired Miss Piggy statue stands as the centerpiece of a fountain in front of ]'s PizzeRizzo restaurant at ]. Miss Piggy has a collective star on the ] as a member of ], which they received on March 20, 2012 in the category of Motion Pictures. The star is located at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard.
She began as a minor character in '']'' TV series, but ] into one of the central characters of the show.


==Characterization==
She is a pig who is absolutely convinced she is destined for stardom and nothing is going to stand in her way. Her public face tries to be the soul of feminine charm, but can instantly fly into a violent rage whenever she thinks she's insulted or thwarted. Kermit the Frog has learned this all too well since he is the usual target for her karate chops. When she isn't sending him flying through the air, she is often smothering him in (unwanted) kisses.
]


===Origins and description===
The first draft of the puppet was a blonde, beady-eyed pig who appeared briefly in the 1975 pilot special, "The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence," in a sketch called "Return to Beneath the Planet of the Pigs." She was unnamed in that show, but by the time "The Muppet Show" began in 1976, she was recognizably Miss Piggy -- sporting large blue eyes, wearing a flowing white gown, and jumping on Kermit, the love of her life. The fact that she was intended to be a bit player is reflected in her formulaic name, which was patterned after Miss Mousey, Kermit's love interest in the 1974 special "The Muppet Valentine Show."
In a 1979 interview with '']'', performer ] outlined Piggy's biography: "She grew up in a small town (most likely ]); her father died when she was young and her mother wasn't that nice to her. She had to enter ] to survive. She has a lot of vulnerability which she has to hide, because of her need to be a superstar".<ref>{{cite news|last=Culhane|first=John|author-link=John Culhane|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/06/10/archives/the-muppets-in-movieland-muppets-moving-muppets.html|title=The Muppets in Movieland|work=The New York Times|date=June 10, 1979|access-date=May 15, 2020}}</ref> During development of ''The Muppet Show'', Oz assigned a hook for each Muppet he performed; Miss Piggy's hook was a "truck driver wanting to be a woman". Oz has also stated that while ] is a two-dimensional character and ] has no dimensions, Miss Piggy is one of the few Muppet characters to be fully realized in three dimensions.


Piggy, truly a diva in a class of her own, is convinced she is destined for stardom, and nothing will stand in her way. She has a capricious nature, at times determined to (and often succeeding in) conveying an image of feminine charm, but suddenly flying into a violent rage (accompanied by her trademark karate chop and "]!") whenever she thinks someone has insulted or thwarted her. ] has learned this all too well; when she is not smothering him in kisses, she is sending him flying through the air with a karate chop.
Miss Piggy soon developed into a major character, as the Muppet creators recognized that a lovelorn pig could be more than a one-note running gag. Frank Oz has said that while ] is a two-dimensional character, and Animal has no dimensions, Miss Piggy is one of the few Muppets to be fully realized in three dimensions.


She loves wearing ]; ], who used to wear them, once said, "Miss Piggy stole the gloves idea from me”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwd.com/eye/people/disney-plus-muppets-now-miss-piggy-1203698258/|title=Miss Piggy Talks 'Muppets Now,' Pandemic Fashion and Giving Kermit a Makeover|first1=Booth|last1=Moore|date=August 13, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20050801/hildegardeobit01/cabaret-singer-hildegarde-is-dead-at-99 |title=Cabaret singer Hildegarde is dead at 99 |date=August 1, 2005 |agency=] |newspaper=] |access-date=January 31, 2013}}</ref> Miss Piggy was also inspired by jazz singer ].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Anika |title=The Woman Behind Miss Piggy |language=en |work=Smithsonian |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-woman-behind-miss-piggy-11290861/?no-ist}}</ref>
In an interview with the '']'' in 1979, Frank Oz outlined Piggy's biography: "She grew up in a small town; her father died when she was young and her mother wasn't that nice to her. She had to enter beauty contests to survive, as many single women do. She has a lot of vulnerability which she has to hide, because of her need to be a superstar."


===Relationship with Kermit===
In '']'' she has just won such a contest (Miss Bogen County) when she first meets Kermit and joins the Muppets.
],'' 2010.]]
Since the debut of ''The Muppet Show'', the ] between Miss Piggy and ] has been subject to substantial coverage and commentary by the media. Throughout ''The Muppet Show''<nowiki/>'s run, Miss Piggy's romantic pursuit for Kermit was consistently expressed. Kermit, however, constantly rebuffed Piggy's feelings. Eventually, in the films, Kermit began returning her affections and even (unwittingly) marries her in '']''. However, subsequent events suggest that the marriage was simply fictional. It is mentioned by Miss Piggy, however, in '']'' (1986) that Kermit was a happily married frog. This marriage isn't referenced in '']''.


Miss Piggy and Kermit formally ended their romantic relationship on May 10, 1990.<ref name="FirstBreakup" /> The decision was made by ] and a publicity campaign titled "The Pig of the Nineties" was scheduled to follow. An autobiography of Piggy was expected to be published as part of the effort.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Goldberg|first1=Lesley|title='The Muppets' Co-Creator on ABC's More Adult Series, Kermit and Piggy's Media Blitz|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/muppets-kermit-piggy-media-blitz-826303|access-date=October 1, 2015|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=September 22, 2015}}</ref> However, shortly after the announcement on May 16, ] died and the campaign was dropped altogether.<ref name="FirstBreakup">{{cite news|last1=Wagmeister|first1=Elizabeth|title=Jim Henson 'Would Have Been Thrilled to See The Muppets Getting So Much Attention'|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/the-muppets-backlash-miss-piggy-kermit-jim-henson-interview-1201600148/|access-date=September 28, 2015|work=Variety|date=September 22, 2015}}</ref> The two eventually resumed their relationship.
Eventually in the films, Kermit started returning her affections and (unwittingly) married her in '']''&mdash;although subsequent events suggest that it was only their characters in the movie that married, and that their relationship is really the same as ever.


In 2015, Miss Piggy and Kermit ended their romantic relationship for a second time.<ref name="LATBreakup" /><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Snetiker|first1=Marc|title=Kermit and Piggy announce breakup at press conference|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/08/04/muppets-kermit-piggy-split-break-up-tca|access-date=August 4, 2015|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=August 4, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/realmisspiggy/status/628621787979489280|title=Miss Piggy on Twitter|work=Twitter}}</ref>
Miss Piggy has a pet poodle, ].


===Performers===
Miss Piggy recently starred in the TV-movie "]," appearing as all four witches.
] was Miss Piggy's principal performer from her early appearances on '']'' until his departure from the cast in 2000;<ref name="VarMojo" /> his last known performance as Piggy was an appearance on '']''. Oz's earliest known performance as Piggy was actually in a 1974 appearance on '']''. ] occasionally performed Miss Piggy during the first season of '']'', alternating with Oz. In 2002, ] was cast as the new performer of Miss Piggy, and his first public debut as the character was performed via satellite at the 2001 ''MuppetFest''. Jacobson has remained Piggy's principal performer since then, openly describing the role as "one of the most famous ] in the business."<ref name="VarMojo">{{cite news|last=Setoodeh|first=Ramin|title=How Kermit and the Muppets Got Their Mojo Back|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/the-muppets-talk-about-comebacks-and-their-relationship-with-disney-1201128921/|access-date=March 12, 2014|newspaper=Variety|date=March 11, 2014}}</ref>

During Oz's tenure as the character, other performers would step in. ] performed Piggy in 1974 for a brief appearance on '']''. ] performed Piggy for '']'', a pilot for '']''. ] and ] puppeteered Piggy for most of the filming of '']'' and '']'', respectively, with Oz ] Piggy's voice in post-production. ] briefly performed Piggy in ''Muppets Ahoy!'', a 2006 stage show for the ]. In '']'', Piggy's voice was provided by voice actress ]. Voice actor ] provided her voice for a short-lived spin-off series, '']''. Melanie Harrison voices Baby Piggy on the 2018 reboot of '']''.

==History==
The first known appearance of Miss Piggy was on the ] television special ''Herb Alpert and the TJB'', broadcast on October 13, 1974, on ]. Miss Piggy's voice was noticeably more demure and soft, singing with Herb, "I Can't Give You Anything but Love." The first draft of the puppet was an unnamed blonde, beady-eyed pig who appeared briefly in the 1975 pilot special '']'', in a sketch called "Return to Beneath the Planet of the Pigs." She was unnamed in that show, but by the time ''The Muppet Show'' began in 1976, she had assumed something resembling her classic look—a pig with large blue eyes, a flowing silver gown, satin white ], blue sheer shawl, and a hopelessly romantic persona.

===''The Muppet Show''===
Miss Piggy began as a minor chorus pig on '']'' but ] into one of the central characters of the series,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lynch|first1=Jason|title=Inside The Muppets' Decade-Long Journey Back to Prime-Time TV ABC places its biggest fall bet on Kermit and Miss Piggy|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/television/inside-muppets-decade-long-journey-back-prime-time-tv-167031|access-date=October 1, 2015|work=Adweek|date=September 20, 2015}}</ref> as the writers and producers of ''The Muppet Show'' recognized that a lovelorn pig could be more than a one-note ]. She spawned a huge fad during the late 1970s and early 1980s and eclipsed Kermit and the other Muppets in popularity at that time, selling far more merchandise and writing a book entitled ''Miss Piggy's Guide to Life'' that, unlike any of Kermit's books, wound up on top of the ].

===Films and television series===
Miss Piggy has appeared in all the Muppet films and television series following ''The Muppet Show''. In '']'' (1979), she has just won a beauty contest when she first meets Kermit and joins the Muppets. In '']'' (1981), Miss Piggy plays an aspiring fashion model who gets caught up in a screwball-comedy misunderstanding involving a gang of jewel thieves.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jones |first1=Brian Jay |title=Jim Henson: The Biography |date=2013 |publisher=Ballantine Books |pages=312–313}}</ref> 1984's '']'' ends with a climactic wedding between Kermit and Miss Piggy.<ref>Siskel, Gene (July 13, 1984). . ''Chicago Tribune''. Section 5, p. 1. Retrieved July 27, 2021 – via ]. {{Open access}}</ref> In 1992's '']'', Miss Piggy plays Mrs. Cratchit to Kermit's ].<ref>{{cite news| last= Carroll| first= Kathleen| date= December 11, 1992| title= Kermit & Miss Piggy Get Scrooged| url= https://nydailynews.newspapers.com/article/daily-news/136792402/| work= ]| location= New York, New York| access-date= December 13, 2023}}</ref> Miss Piggy takes on the gender-flipped role of ] in '']'' (1996), and she plays an eager news reporter in '']'' (1999).<ref>{{cite news|title=Joy, Plot Restored in 'Muppets From Space'|work=]|date=July 14, 1999|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jul-14-ca-55989-story.html|access-date=February 3, 2023|first=Robin|last=Rauzi}}</ref>

In '']'' (2011), Miss Piggy is shown to be residing in ], having become the plus-size editor for '']'' after the Muppets disbanded, and after she left Kermit in Los Angeles.<ref name="NYT">{{cite news|last=Cieply|first=Michael|title=It's Time for Your Face-Lift, Miss Piggy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/10/business/10muppets.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=September 18, 2011|newspaper=]|date=April 9, 2011|archive-date=November 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117225504/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/10/business/10muppets.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref> In '']'' (2014), having rejoined the Muppets on a global tour, she nearly marries ] in ], after he poses as Kermit.

In the TV series '']'', Miss Piggy hosts the ] ''Up Late with Miss Piggy''.

In the 2020 ] series, '']'', Miss Piggy hosted a segment called ''Lifesty(le) with Miss Piggy''.

===Other appearances===
Miss Piggy has made multiple appearances in various ] ceremonies. In 1980, Miss Piggy and ] introduced the performance of ] nominee "]" from ''].'' In 1982, Miss Piggy and Kermit performed the nominated song, "The First Time It Happens" from ''],'' during the ]

Miss Piggy had a spoof luxury brand featured on ], "Moi by Miss Piggy".<ref>, ''Elle''</ref> The name had previously been used by a perfume released in 1998.<ref>, ''People'', June 8, 1999</ref> She also appeared as a presenter at the ] and ], in 1996 and 2012, respectively.

On Friday, March 15, 2013, Miss Piggy appeared on the UK telethon ] to reveal the cash total and introduce boy band ]. She was in Dream House 2013. On December 6, 2013, she performed ']' alongside ] at the London Palladium. In 2015, Miss Piggy received a Sackler Center First Award from the ] at the ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/06/05/miss-piggy-an-inanimate-puppet-frequently-voiced-by-men-receives-feminist-award-from-gloria-steinem/|title=Miss Piggy gets feminist award from Gloria Steinem|author=Justin Wm. Moyer|date=June 5, 2015|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> An essay was subsequently released by ] (in the guise of Miss Piggy) for '']'' magazine, titled "Why I Am a Feminist Pig", explaining why she deserved the award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://time.com/3908787/miss-piggy-feminist/|title=Miss Piggy: Why I Am a Feminist Pig|author=Miss Piggy|date=June 4, 2015|work=]}}</ref>

On May 7, 2023, Miss Piggy and Kermit were invited to the ] of ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stars including Take That and Kermit the Frog put on a night to remember at spectacular Coronation Concert |url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/bbcstudios/2023/bbc.com/mediacentre/bbcstudios/2023/stars-including-take-that-and-kermit-the-frog-put-on-a-night-to-remember-at-spectacular-coronation-concert/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She flirted with the host ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bashforth |first=Emily |date=2023-05-07 |title=King Charles cracks up as Miss Piggy gets flirty at Coronation Concert |url=https://metro.co.uk/2023/05/07/king-charles-cracks-up-as-miss-piggy-gets-flirty-at-coronation-concert-18744278/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=Metro |language=en}}</ref>

She was interviewed by Michelle Miller on CBS Saturday Morning on May 25, 2024.

=== Albums ===
{{div col}}
*'']'' (1979)
*'']'' (1981)
*''Miss Piggy's Aerobique Exercise Workout Album'' (1982)
*'']'' (1984)
*'']'' (1992)
*'']'' (1996)
*'']'' (2002)
*'']'' (2005)
*'']'' (2008)
*'']'' (2011)
*'']'' (2014)
{{div col end}}

===Filmography===
{{div col}}
* '']'' (1976–1981) (TV)
* '']'' (1979)
* '']'' (1981)
* '']'' (1982) (TV)
* '']'' (1984)
* '']'' (1984–1991) (TV) (voiced by ])
* '']'' (1992) – Appearance as Emily Cratchit
* '']'' (1996) – Appearance as Benjamina Gunn
* '']'' (1996–1998) (TV)
* '']'' (1999)
* '']'' (2002) (TV)
* '']'' (2005) (TV) – Appearance as Herself and the ], ], ], ]
* '']'' (2008) (TV)
* '']'' (2008) (TV)
* '']'' (2011)
* '']'' (2013) (TV)
* '']'' (2014)
* '']'' (2015–2016) (TV)
* '']'' (2018–2022) (TV) (voiced by Melanie Harrison))
* '']'' (2020) (]) (TV)
* '']'' (2021) (]) (TV)
* '']'' (2022) (Disney+) (TV)
* '']'' (2022) (Special Guest Appearance)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
* ] {{Wikiquote|The Muppet Show|Miss Piggy}}
*{{Official website|http://muppets.disney.com/muppets-most-wanted/characters/miss-piggy|name=Miss Piggy's character profile}} at ]
*
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128114544/http://www.toughpigs.com/anthcontents.htm |date=November 28, 2017 }}
* {{Muppets}}


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Latest revision as of 16:41, 24 December 2024

Muppet character

Fictional character
Miss Piggy
The Muppets character
First appearanceHerb Alpert and the TJB (1974)
Created byBonnie Erickson (designer)
Frank Oz (characterization)
Performed by
In-universe information
SpeciesMuppet pig
GenderFemale
Occupation
  • Actress
  • Magazine editor
  • Singer
  • Talk show host
  • Martial artist
  • Icon
FamilyAndy and Randy Pig (nephews)
Significant otherKermit the Frog (1976–2015, on-and-off since)
NationalityAmerican

Miss Piggy is a Muppet character known for her breakout role in the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show. She is notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, her tendency to use French phrases in her speech, and practicing karate. The character is also known for her on-again/off-again relationship with Kermit the Frog which never ends permanently. Frank Oz performed the character from 1976 to 2002 and was succeeded by Eric Jacobson in 2001.

Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been a celebrity fixture in international pop culture, with a distinguished career in film, television, fashion, recording, and publishing. She has been widely identified as a feminist icon. In 1996, TV Guide ranked her number 23 on its 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list. In a 2001 Channel 4 poll in the UK, Miss Piggy was ranked 29th on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters. In 1996, a cook book entitled In the Kitchen With Miss Piggy: Fabulous Recipes from My Famous Celebrity Friends by Moi was released. In 2015, she was honored by the Brooklyn Museum's Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art for her achievements and contributions to breaking gender roles in the entertainment industry.

A Lady Liberty-inspired Miss Piggy statue stands as the centerpiece of a fountain in front of Rizzo the Rat's PizzeRizzo restaurant at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Miss Piggy has a collective star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a member of the Muppets, which they received on March 20, 2012 in the category of Motion Pictures. The star is located at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard.

Characterization

Jim Henson with a Miss Piggy puppet and Fozzie Bear puppet in 1979.

Origins and description

In a 1979 interview with The New York Times, performer Frank Oz outlined Piggy's biography: "She grew up in a small town (most likely Keystone, Iowa); her father died when she was young and her mother wasn't that nice to her. She had to enter beauty contests to survive. She has a lot of vulnerability which she has to hide, because of her need to be a superstar". During development of The Muppet Show, Oz assigned a hook for each Muppet he performed; Miss Piggy's hook was a "truck driver wanting to be a woman". Oz has also stated that while Fozzie Bear is a two-dimensional character and Animal has no dimensions, Miss Piggy is one of the few Muppet characters to be fully realized in three dimensions.

Piggy, truly a diva in a class of her own, is convinced she is destined for stardom, and nothing will stand in her way. She has a capricious nature, at times determined to (and often succeeding in) conveying an image of feminine charm, but suddenly flying into a violent rage (accompanied by her trademark karate chop and "hi-yah!") whenever she thinks someone has insulted or thwarted her. Kermit the Frog has learned this all too well; when she is not smothering him in kisses, she is sending him flying through the air with a karate chop.

She loves wearing long gloves; Hildegarde, who used to wear them, once said, "Miss Piggy stole the gloves idea from me”. Miss Piggy was also inspired by jazz singer Peggy Lee.

Relationship with Kermit

Miss Piggy in the wedding dress from The Muppets Take Manhattan, 2010.

Since the debut of The Muppet Show, the romantic relationship between Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog has been subject to substantial coverage and commentary by the media. Throughout The Muppet Show's run, Miss Piggy's romantic pursuit for Kermit was consistently expressed. Kermit, however, constantly rebuffed Piggy's feelings. Eventually, in the films, Kermit began returning her affections and even (unwittingly) marries her in The Muppets Take Manhattan. However, subsequent events suggest that the marriage was simply fictional. It is mentioned by Miss Piggy, however, in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years (1986) that Kermit was a happily married frog. This marriage isn't referenced in Muppets Most Wanted.

Miss Piggy and Kermit formally ended their romantic relationship on May 10, 1990. The decision was made by Jim Henson Productions and a publicity campaign titled "The Pig of the Nineties" was scheduled to follow. An autobiography of Piggy was expected to be published as part of the effort. However, shortly after the announcement on May 16, Jim Henson died and the campaign was dropped altogether. The two eventually resumed their relationship.

In 2015, Miss Piggy and Kermit ended their romantic relationship for a second time.

Performers

Frank Oz was Miss Piggy's principal performer from her early appearances on The Muppet Show until his departure from the cast in 2000; his last known performance as Piggy was an appearance on The Today Show. Oz's earliest known performance as Piggy was actually in a 1974 appearance on The Tonight Show. Richard Hunt occasionally performed Miss Piggy during the first season of The Muppet Show, alternating with Oz. In 2002, Eric Jacobson was cast as the new performer of Miss Piggy, and his first public debut as the character was performed via satellite at the 2001 MuppetFest. Jacobson has remained Piggy's principal performer since then, openly describing the role as "one of the most famous drag acts in the business."

During Oz's tenure as the character, other performers would step in. Jerry Nelson performed Piggy in 1974 for a brief appearance on Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. Fran Brill performed Piggy for The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, a pilot for The Muppet Show. Kevin Clash and Peter Linz puppeteered Piggy for most of the filming of Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets from Space, respectively, with Oz dubbing Piggy's voice in post-production. Victor Yerrid briefly performed Piggy in Muppets Ahoy!, a 2006 stage show for the Disney Cruise Line. In Muppet Babies, Piggy's voice was provided by voice actress Laurie O'Brien. Voice actor Hal Rayle provided her voice for a short-lived spin-off series, Little Muppet Monsters. Melanie Harrison voices Baby Piggy on the 2018 reboot of Muppet Babies.

History

The first known appearance of Miss Piggy was on the Herb Alpert television special Herb Alpert and the TJB, broadcast on October 13, 1974, on ABC. Miss Piggy's voice was noticeably more demure and soft, singing with Herb, "I Can't Give You Anything but Love." The first draft of the puppet was an unnamed blonde, beady-eyed pig who appeared briefly in the 1975 pilot special The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, in a sketch called "Return to Beneath the Planet of the Pigs." She was unnamed in that show, but by the time The Muppet Show began in 1976, she had assumed something resembling her classic look—a pig with large blue eyes, a flowing silver gown, satin white long gloves, blue sheer shawl, and a hopelessly romantic persona.

The Muppet Show

Miss Piggy began as a minor chorus pig on The Muppet Show but gradually developed into one of the central characters of the series, as the writers and producers of The Muppet Show recognized that a lovelorn pig could be more than a one-note running gag. She spawned a huge fad during the late 1970s and early 1980s and eclipsed Kermit and the other Muppets in popularity at that time, selling far more merchandise and writing a book entitled Miss Piggy's Guide to Life that, unlike any of Kermit's books, wound up on top of the New York Times Bestseller List.

Films and television series

Miss Piggy has appeared in all the Muppet films and television series following The Muppet Show. In The Muppet Movie (1979), she has just won a beauty contest when she first meets Kermit and joins the Muppets. In The Great Muppet Caper (1981), Miss Piggy plays an aspiring fashion model who gets caught up in a screwball-comedy misunderstanding involving a gang of jewel thieves. 1984's The Muppets Take Manhattan ends with a climactic wedding between Kermit and Miss Piggy. In 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol, Miss Piggy plays Mrs. Cratchit to Kermit's Bob Cratchit. Miss Piggy takes on the gender-flipped role of Benjamina Gunn in Muppet Treasure Island (1996), and she plays an eager news reporter in Muppets From Space (1999).

In The Muppets (2011), Miss Piggy is shown to be residing in Paris, having become the plus-size editor for Vogue after the Muppets disbanded, and after she left Kermit in Los Angeles. In Muppets Most Wanted (2014), having rejoined the Muppets on a global tour, she nearly marries Constantine in London, after he poses as Kermit.

In the TV series The Muppets, Miss Piggy hosts the late-night talk show Up Late with Miss Piggy.

In the 2020 Disney+ series, Muppets Now, Miss Piggy hosted a segment called Lifesty(le) with Miss Piggy.

Other appearances

Miss Piggy has made multiple appearances in various Academy Awards ceremonies. In 1980, Miss Piggy and Johnny Carson introduced the performance of Best Original Song nominee "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie. In 1982, Miss Piggy and Kermit performed the nominated song, "The First Time It Happens" from The Great Muppet Caper, during the 54th Academy Awards

Miss Piggy had a spoof luxury brand featured on QVC, "Moi by Miss Piggy". The name had previously been used by a perfume released in 1998. She also appeared as a presenter at the 68th and 84th Academy Awards, in 1996 and 2012, respectively.

On Friday, March 15, 2013, Miss Piggy appeared on the UK telethon Comic Relief to reveal the cash total and introduce boy band One Direction. She was in Dream House 2013. On December 6, 2013, she performed 'Somethin' Stupid' alongside Robbie Williams at the London Palladium. In 2015, Miss Piggy received a Sackler Center First Award from the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum. An essay was subsequently released by The Muppets Studio (in the guise of Miss Piggy) for Time magazine, titled "Why I Am a Feminist Pig", explaining why she deserved the award.

On May 7, 2023, Miss Piggy and Kermit were invited to the Coronation Concert of King Charles III. She flirted with the host Hugh Bonneville.

She was interviewed by Michelle Miller on CBS Saturday Morning on May 25, 2024.

Albums

Filmography

References

  1. Shemin, Craig (2014). Disney's The Muppets Character Encyclopedia. New York: DK Publishing. p. 129. ISBN 9781465417480.
  2. Gupta, Anika (October 2008). "The Woman Behind Miss Piggy". Arts & Culture. Smithsonian Magazine.
  3. ^ Setoodeh, Ramin (March 11, 2014). "How Kermit and the Muppets Got Their Mojo Back". Variety. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  4. Kimberly Truong (August 4, 2015). "Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog: A timeline of Muppet love". Mashable.
  5. Swansburg, John (December 6, 2013). "Muppet Man". The New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  6. ^ Villarreal, Yvonne (August 4, 2015). "Love really is dead – Miss Piggy and Kermit break up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  7. Lind, Dara (June 5, 2015). "Miss Piggy explains why she's the perfect feminist icon for 2015". Vox Media. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  8. The Muppets Studio (June 4, 2015). "Miss Piggy: Why I Am a Feminist Pig". Time. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  9. Moyer, Justin (June 5, 2015). "Miss Piggy gets feminist award from Gloria Steinem". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  10. Diebel, Matthew (June 4, 2015). "Frog-chasing moi?! Miss Piggy gets feminism award". USA Today. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  11. TV Guide Guide to TV. Barnes and Noble. 2004. p. 596. ISBN 0-7607-5634-1.
  12. "100 Greatest TV Characters". Channel 4. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  13. "100 Greatest ... (100 Greatest TV Characters (Part 1))". ITN Source. Archived from the original on February 21, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  14. Dorbush, Jonathon (April 28, 2015). "'Performer, actor, writer, and icon' Miss Piggy to receive Brooklyn Museum award". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  15. Culhane, John (June 10, 1979). "The Muppets in Movieland". The New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  16. Moore, Booth (August 13, 2020). "Miss Piggy Talks 'Muppets Now,' Pandemic Fashion and Giving Kermit a Makeover".
  17. "Cabaret singer Hildegarde is dead at 99". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. August 1, 2005. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  18. Gupta, Anika. "The Woman Behind Miss Piggy". Smithsonian.
  19. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (September 22, 2015). "Jim Henson 'Would Have Been Thrilled to See The Muppets Getting So Much Attention'". Variety. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  20. Goldberg, Lesley (September 22, 2015). "'The Muppets' Co-Creator on ABC's More Adult Series, Kermit and Piggy's Media Blitz". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  21. Snetiker, Marc (August 4, 2015). "Kermit and Piggy announce breakup at press conference". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  22. "Miss Piggy on Twitter". Twitter.
  23. Lynch, Jason (September 20, 2015). "Inside The Muppets' Decade-Long Journey Back to Prime-Time TV ABC places its biggest fall bet on Kermit and Miss Piggy". Adweek. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  24. Jones, Brian Jay (2013). Jim Henson: The Biography. Ballantine Books. pp. 312–313.
  25. Siskel, Gene (July 13, 1984). "'Muppets Take Manhattan' ... fans, too". Chicago Tribune. Section 5, p. 1. Retrieved July 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  26. Carroll, Kathleen (December 11, 1992). "Kermit & Miss Piggy Get Scrooged". Daily News. New York, New York. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  27. Rauzi, Robin (July 14, 1999). "Joy, Plot Restored in 'Muppets From Space'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  28. Cieply, Michael (April 9, 2011). "It's Time for Your Face-Lift, Miss Piggy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 17, 2011. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
  29. Moi by Miss Piggy, Elle
  30. Miss Piggy Really Smells, People, June 8, 1999
  31. Justin Wm. Moyer (June 5, 2015). "Miss Piggy gets feminist award from Gloria Steinem". Washington Post.
  32. Miss Piggy (June 4, 2015). "Miss Piggy: Why I Am a Feminist Pig". Time.
  33. "Stars including Take That and Kermit the Frog put on a night to remember at spectacular Coronation Concert". www.bbc.com. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  34. Bashforth, Emily (May 7, 2023). "King Charles cracks up as Miss Piggy gets flirty at Coronation Concert". Metro. Retrieved May 8, 2023.

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