This One’s About The Muppets
A list of stars who should hang out with the Muppets.
Last week, Disney dropped The Muppet Show, a revival of the late 70s/early 80s sketch comedy show featuring … well, the Muppets, of course. This one-off special is presumably a backdoor pilot to (hopefully) a full season of The Muppet Show, and things are looking pretty good for more episodes.
It’s a delightful 30 minutes—starring Sabrina Carpenter, Kermit and some phenomenal bits—and is one of the best things I’ve watched so far this year. In fact, I actually got to see it in theaters at the Museum of Moving Image, along with some people who worked on the special and an icon who brought his own Muppets.
Now, Aerial Shot is a movie newsletter, and we’re just going to fudge the truth here and count it—mainly so I can write about The Muppet Show and not feel any shame. Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter is a perfect special guest for this type of program, from her Disney Channel over-the-top comedic timing to being 1.3 Kermits tall, and I wanted to write out a list of fellow stars who should be in the mix if/when the show gets greenlit.
To be a proper Muppets guest, you need to treat the Muppets as if they’re real, which they are, of course. No winking at the camera, no acting like you’re above the mishegas and sometimes you’ll have to take a backseat to Miss Piggy. That’s just how this all works.
So, without further ado, here’s who I think should pop up over a potential 10-episode season:
Bad Bunny
The Super Bowl1 was on Sunday, and I don’t think I’ve seen a highlight from the game since then. To be fair, it was mostly lowlights. What I have seen is All-22-esque breakdowns of the Bad Bunny halftime show, which featured a performance for the ages and Jessica Alba.
Bad Bunny has the comedic chops to hang with Kermit, Miss Piggy and the gang, as well as the musical background and off-kilter timing. This would obviously be a hell of a get for the show in its first (well, first in this iteration) season. Plus, you know Bad Bunny and Rizzo the Rat would get up to some hijinks.
Daniel Craig/Benoit Blanc and Josh O’Connor
You’re telling me you wouldn’t watch the Muppets try to get their sketch show on track as a murder mystery is occurring behind the scenes? Don’t lie to yourself. In this episode, Daniel Craig and Josh O’Connor show up as themselves, but a death prompts the Muppets to ask Craig to go full Benoit Blanc. We already know that Craig and O’Connor have insane chemistry, and O’Connor already has those Muppet ears ready to go. Also, we have proof that Craig can bust out a showtune when the time is right…
Rachel Zegler
If we’re casting guest stars on pure singing, Rachel Zegler is the immediate No. 1 choice. She has the starpower: She’s survived the Hunger Games, the “hierarchy of power within the DC Universe” and even acting opposite Gal Gadot. Plus, she’s 5’2”, so they can just keep all of the sets from the Sabrina Carpenter performances. It’s almost too obvious and easy a casting, but someone’s gotta say it. It’d be a mistake to leave her out.
Martin & Francesca Scorsese
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This one’s a bit of a curveball, but Marty Scorsese and his daughter Francesca would be a welcome addition to the Muppets chaos. You know Miss Piggy is going to want to audition for a Scorsese Picture, and the elder Scorsese is underrated as a comedic actor. We know he has the Seth Rogen connection, as evidenced by his Emmy nomination for The Studio. And this would be a good way to have multiple generations connect with the Muppets. Scorsese already kind of looks like Statler and Waldorf.
Tyler, The CreatorA musician extraordinaire, budding actor and fashion maven, it only seems right that Tyler, The Creator pop up on the Muppets. There’s no way he doesn’t immediately hit it off with Animal, and Tyler can bust out the deadpan comedy that always works on this type of show. He’s musical and has a bit of an edge, which fits in with this outlandish gang. Plus, he loves to play a character of his own, so he may be pitching some ideas Kermit and Scooter’s way.
Ayo Edebiri & Rachel Sennott
I mean, come on. If we’re only getting one season of The Muppet Show, we’ve got to make sure Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott get a chance to interact with the cavalcade of characters. It’s Shiva Baby, but even more anxiety-inducing behind the scenes. The two obviously have comedic chops and may get into a full-on fist fight with Miss Piggy. I feel like Ayo and Rowlf the Dog would get along; same with Rachel and Beaker. I’d love to see them jump on a cooking segment with Swedish Chef.
Eva Victor w/ Julia Roberts Cameo
I think I’m going to mention Eva Victor’s dramedy Sorry, Baby once a month for as long as Aerial Shot continues. And this is yet another opportunity for the eventual star to continue her meteoric rise. We know she has ideal comedic timing, and she just feels like an ideal Muppets guest. Also, Julia Roberts (Eva's No. 1 fan) might pop in and see how her protégée is doing. Julia’s already met a Muppets close family member, so she’s in their good graces.
Steve Martin & Martin Short
Both Steve Martin and Martin Short have been on The Muppet Show before, and it only makes sense to have two of the best comedians (of all time) to pop up. SM plays the banjo, and that’ll certainly come into play. MS can play Jiminy Glick, who’s as close to a real-life Muppet as a human can get. Sometimes, it’s almost too easy, but this would be a classic waiting to happen.
John Mulaney
There’s a reason John Mulaney has become an annual SNL staple. The man’s a comedy genius, loves a bizarre sketch and is a musical-theater obsessive. And now he’s not doing drugs anymore, so he can hang out with the Muppets. There’s a good chance he’ll bring along Richard Kind or even fellow comedy compatriots Andy Samberg, Bill Hader and/or Seth Meyers. Samberg and Gonzo the Great trying to out-stunt one another feels right.
Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence & Cole Escola
Word on the street is that Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence are working on a Miss Piggy movie, written by Cole Escola, which is one of my Dream Mad Libs. The Oh, Mary Tony winner is a match made in heaven for a Muppets movie, as are the Oscar winners and good friends Stone and Lawrence. Stone was asked about the upcoming movie and *scoffs * if she’ll play Miss Piggy. This is what she had to say:
First of all, that is the biggest insult to Miss Piggy I’ve ever heard, and I will not have her name dragged through the mud like that. Why would I play a literal star? She’s the greatest.
Of course I’m not playing Miss Piggy. And neither is Jen. We pale in comparison. Are you out of your mind? Miss Piggy is playing Miss Piggy. She would be storming out right now at the mere suggestion.
The movies are back.
Other Ideas on the Cutting-Room Floor:
Hayley Williams
Jordan Peele
Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Elle Fanning+Dakota Fanning
All of the Skarsgårds
Liam Neeson
Kirsten Dunst & Jesse Plemons
Oscar Isaac
Jane Krakowski
Jon Hamm
Aubrey Plaza
Sofia Coppola & Romy Mars
A$AP Rocky
HAIM
James Acaster + Taskmaster (Greg Davies & Alex Horne)
Weird Al
Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
Amanda Seyfried
Wagner Moura
Me
fuck the Patriots