Paul Simon brings his music to The Muppet Show, and Gonzo is inspired to be a song-writer himself. Too bad Gonzo's lyrics are just as weird as he is.
Songs and Sketches
- "Scarborough Fair", sung by Paul Simon.
- "Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover", sung by Floyd and Janice.
- "Long Long Day", sung by Paul.
- UK Spot: Veterinarian's Hospital: Gonzo
- UK Spot: Muppet News Flash: Overdue Library Books
- Gonzo's Act: Gonzo sings "El Condor Pasa" wrong until Paul steals his chickens.
- "Baby Driver", sung by Bobby Benson's Baby Band.
- "Loves Me Like a Rock", sung by Paul.
This episode has examples of
- The Cloud Cuckoolander Was Right: Gonzo thinks he can get asparagus from eggs. The minute Kermit tells him otherwise, the eggs hatch.
- Dreadful Musician: Gonzo is treated as one, with Kermit trying to refuse to let him sing at all. It's slightly strange, considering that most of the time, Gonzo is perfectly capable of singing.
- Et Tu, Brute?: Paul manages to convince the chickens to abandon Gonzo, Camilla included, much to Gonzo's upset.
- Exact Words: Paul promises not to play his guitar unless it's to play one of Gonzo's songs. He then smashes it to pieces.
- Imprinting: Done for a gag. After Gonzo decides that chickens are too fickle for him and that asparagus is going to be his new obsession, he shows Kermit a nest of "asparagus eggs". Kermit points out that asparagus don't come from eggs, to Gonzo's shock. After the latter leaves, the eggs do hatch into baby asparagus, which then follow Kermit on stage, calling him "daddy", until he shoos them off. After the final number, they return as some of the many characters gathering on the stage for the end credits.
- Kids Driving Cars: Exaggerated. "Baby Driver" has Bobby Benson conducting the babies in a moving, motorized baby carriage, which one of them drives while singing the song.
- Pie in the Face: During "Scarborough Fair", Fozzie offers Paul a pie, which Paul then splatters all over the bear's face.
- Running Gag: The various puns on Paul's song, "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover". First, he helps Pops with a stuck lever, quipping that he knows "fifty ways to love your lever". This pun returns during the performance proper of the song, where Rowlf interrupts to double check that the song's name isn't in fact "Fifty Ways to Love Your Lever". Finally, at the end of the Veterinarian's Hospital sketch, Dr. Bob announces that he's "going to remove one of [Gonzo's] vital organs a great many times, whilst mentioning" the Paul Simon song "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Liver".
- Stylistic Suck: Gonzo's songs. It takes talent to write lyrics that stupid.Gonzo: For you, I'd wash my hair with stinky glue
I'd fry my legs and eat them too
I'd put a spider in my shoe, for you
[speaking] That was the first verse. Would you like to hear the other 28? - Subverted Catchphrase: Instead of Kermit doing his usual "Yaaaaaay!" and manic arm-flailing, his introduction for Gonzo has him peter out mid-exclamation.
- Trap Door: In the reception area, Paul arrives to find Pops struggling to fix a lever that's supposed to open one of these. Paul tries it, dropping Pops through the door.Paul: [to camera] I love it. But of course, I know fifty ways to love your lever.
- Statler: [wakes Waldorf] Hey, you old fool! You slept through the show!
Waldorf: Who's a fool? You watched it! [laughs]
