Showbiz is notoriously harsh. It’s really no place for a kindhearted frog and his joke-cracking bear sidekick. But Kermit The Frog and Fozzie Bear are born entertainers, so they must contend with the bitter realities of ratings and profits and schedules and network politics. Recently, their promising but under-loved mockumentary series, The Muppets, was given the boot by ABC after only one season. Kermit knew this in advance when he appeared at 2016’s just-concluded Vulture Festival in New York City for a panel with New York editor Chris Bonanos. Fozzie, however, did not. In fact, the delusional comedian seemed to have already spent the money he was planning to make from the show’s never-to-be second season. It was up to Kermit to let his friend know the unhappy news. It’s typically Muppets-esque that this awkward conversation should transpire in front of an audience.
Kermit seems to have made peace with the end of The Muppets. “It happens,” he says. What choice does he have? Fozzie, on the other hand, is in full-on panic mode. In fact, he seems to be going through several stages of grief simultaneously, including denial, anger, fear, and depression. “This can’t happen! Not to me!” he laments. “I just ordered three dozen new rubber chickens!” Ever the optimist, Kermit sees even the bright side of this: “Well, at least you’ll have rubber eggs for breakfast.” Bittersweet as it is, the video is nevertheless a testament to the enduring spirit of the Muppet troupe. Movies and TV shows may come and go, some more quickly than expected, but their camaraderie will endure, no matter what.