Beloved by all age groups, Jim Henson’s Muppets are a staple in North American pop culture. But according to The Muppet Show alum Frank Oz (Star Wars), the characters — at least in his mind — were never meant for children.
“Some people think The Muppets are for children,” Oz wrote via Twitter. “Nope. I never once had the kids in mind when I performed. I mean, what’s the difference between performing for kids and performing for adults, anyway? We were adults and we had fun performing as adults. And the kids got it.”
Oz voiced several characters on The Muppet Show — most famously, Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear. He also contributes to Sesame Street (which is clearly aimed at children).
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The Emmy Award-winning late-’70s/early-’80s variety series The Muppet Show was a clear homage of Vaudeville that consistently boasted jokes aimed at an older demographic that would be more familiar with the art form it was spoofing. For longtime fans of the series, it shouldn’t be too shocking to hear that Oz didn’t necessarily think of kids when he performed.
Oz, who of course voices Yoda in various Star Wars films and TV series, recently reprised the role for Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi.