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Kermit the Frog

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Kermit singing "It's Not Easy Bein' Green"
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Kermit in an early Sesame Street skit.

Kermit the Frog is a fictional character, a Muppet and one of puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous creations. Kermit was performed by Henson until his death in 1990. Since then, he has been performed by puppeteer Steve Whitmire.

An early version of Kermit appeared in 1955, in a 5-minute puppet show for WRC-TV Sam and Friends. The prototype Kermit was created from a green ladies' coat that Henson's mother had thrown in the trash can, and two ping-pong balls for eyes. The early Kermit was a sort of lizard-like creature; Kermit's first appearance as a frog was in the television special Hey Cinderella in 1969, and he's been a frog ever since.

Kermit had his big break later in 1969, with frequent appearances on Sesame Street, often as a news reporter interviewing nursery rhyme characters. One of his most memorable works was the song "Bein' Green" from this series. Although closely identified with Sesame Street, Kermit was always considered a "guest star" rather than a member of the show's regular Muppet contingent. Kermit's song "The Rainbow Connection" was also a big hit from The Muppet Movie and has become the signature song of The Jim Henson Company (it is also the only movie song sung by a "frog" to be nominated for an Academy Award).

In 1979, Kermit and creator Henson spoke at ventriloquist Edgar Bergen's funeral. Kermit published One Frog Can Make A Difference, Kermit's Guide to Life in 1993 in hardcover with Pocket Books. In 1996, he gave a commencement speech at Southampton College in which he came out as an environmentalist. In 2001 he appeared in the TV show Hollywood Squares.

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Kermit as the Jim Henson Company mascot

Kermit also served as the mascot for The Jim Henson Company, until the sale of the Muppet characters to The Walt Disney Company.

Biography

Kermit's earliest incarnation on Sam and Friends

On Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, he commented to Ty Pennington that "You know, as a tadpole in the swamp, I had 3,265 brothers and sisters!" More of his childhood was chronicled in Kermit's Swamp Years, including that, at the age of 12, he was the first of his siblings to leave the swamp, and one of the first frogs to talk to humans. He also encountered a 12-year-old Jim Henson (played by Christian Kebbel) for the first time.

After this, Kermit returned to the swamp, although he had picked up an interest in show business from watching movies. According to The Muppet Movie (which Kermit described as "sort of approximately how it happened"), a passing agent noted he had talent and, thus inspired, he headed to Hollywood, encountering the rest of the Muppets along the way. Together, they were given a standard "rich and famous" contract by Lew Lord of Wide World Studios (a play on Lord Lew Grade, who commissioned the Muppet Show in reality), and began their showbiz careers.

In The Muppet Show television series, Kermit was frontman and the long-suffering stage manager of the fictitious theatre show. He continually struggled to produce a quality program, for a sparse and disaffected audience. Kermit also appeared in several Muppet movies and spin-off series, including Muppets Tonight.

As a running joke in the shows, Kermit was pursued by leading lady Miss Piggy. He is close friends with Fozzie Bear and has a nephew, Robin.

In 1984, Kermit and Piggy may have been married on the set of The Muppets Take Manhattan. The minister who officiates at the ceremony in the movie is a genuine minister. Kermit insists that this was not a real marriage, although Piggy has said otherwise.

Kermit's official birthday is May 9, 1955.

Kermit was awarded an honorary doctorate of Amphibious Letters on May 19, 1996 at Southampton College, where he also gave a commencement speech.

As a television personality

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Kermit has a TV star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.
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Kermit (here with Grover) appeared specially often in the early episodes of Sesame Street.

Kermit has made a number of guest appearances on other shows. In 1979, Kermit was a guest host for the Tonight Show, substituting for Johnny Carson. He continued to make appearances long after The Muppet Show ended in 1981.

In 1987, Kermit and other Muppet characters co-hosted an ABC News special which attempted to explain the stock market and the potentially disquieting events of the Black Monday stock price decline in a manner that both informed and entertained the audience about the complex subject.

Kermit was also given the great honor of being the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade in 1996.

In 2000, he also appeared in the audience on a celebrity edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Such was his popularity in the UK that in 2000 he hosted the "1976" episode of the BBC's nostalgia series I Love the 70s (amongst other things, he recalled the phenomenon Mahna Mahna, punk rock, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and, naturally, The Muppet Movie) and even joined fellow American Ruby Wax for a couple of between-band links at the Queen's Golden Jubilee concert in 2002.

In 2001, Kermit appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

In 2001 Kermit had to disappear from Sesame Street after German media company EM.TV & Merchandising AG bought the Jim Henson Company, which held the rights to the Muppet characters, including Kermit.

As an April Fool's joke, Kermit hosted CNN's Larry King Live in 1994.

In 2005, he was the star of a BMW commercial.

In January 2006, in a commercial for the Ford Escape Hybrid premiering during the Super Bowl, Kermit was featured singing "Bein' Green". He also has co-stared alongside Miss Piggy and Jessica Simpson in Pizza Hut commercials.

In April 2006, Kermit appeared on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to take over as crew leader for that episode.

On May 10, 2006, he was featured in a music video for the American Idols in season 5.

On June 28, 2006, Kermit made a surprise appearance on Good Morning America for Charlie Gibson's last appearance as co-anchor of the program. Referring to a picture of Gibson and his family posing with Kermit from a few years earlier that had been shown on the air, Gibson affectionately referred to Kermit as his "adopted son", to which the famed frog began this exchange with Gibson:

Kermit: Dad, can I borrow the car tonight?

Gibson: OK, but stay out of the back seat.

Kermit: With my luck, I'll probably end up in the trunk.

Kermit reappeared at the end of the show, sitting on Gibson's shoulder.

Filmography


Quotes

International

Sesame Street is localized for some different markets, and Kermit is often renamed. In Portugal, he's Cócas, o Sapo (sapo means frog/toad). In Latin America his name is la rana René. In Spain Kermit is named Gustavo. In Brazil his name is Caco,o Sapo.

Trivia

  • Puppeteer Jim Henson chose Kermit as his signature character because the puppet was the lightest in weight, and thus the most comfortable to use for extended periods of time.
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A sculpture of Maryland mascot Testudo with a Kermit the Frog design, displayed inside Adele H. Stamp Student Union in College Park, Maryland
  • In 2006, the University of Maryland, College Park, introduced 50 statues of their school mascot, Testudo the Terrapin, with varying designs (chosen by different sponsoring groups). Among them was a statue designed to look like Kermit the Frog, called Kermudo.
  • In October 2005, Kermit embarked on a tour visiting 50 "incredibly fun - and some just plain strange - places around the world to celebrate my 50th year in showbusiness." His first stop was Kermit, Texas.
  • During the first season of The Muppet Show, Kermit was just normal and not too enthusiastic. But later on, during the rest of the seasons (sometime during the second season), Kermit became excited and more and more energetic.
  • Henson once claimed that Kermit's job on the Muppet Show is much like his own: "trying to get a bunch of crazies to actually get the job done."
  • Kermit is the only amphibian to have the honor of addressing the Oxford Union.
  • In the music video for Keep Fishin' by the band Weezer, most of the Muppets Tonight Muppets made an appearance. Miss Piggy kidnaps Pat, the drummer. Kermit was also featured on two shirts the band issued; one with a spin on the famous "it's not easy being green" statement, changed to "it's not easy being weez" and one featuring Kermit holding a Flying V guitar in front of the =w= Weezer symbol . Kermit also appeared on the cover of the "Keep Fishin'" single .

See also

  • Kermit (the computer communications and file-transfer protocol)

External links

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