Television personality Dick Clark, known for hosting game shows, counting down popular songs, and celebrating New Year’s Eve, has passed away at the age of 82.
While other websites will be spotlighting his long career of bandstanding and Auld Lang Syning, we’ll be taking a look at his connection to the Muppets. It’s the ToughPigs way.
In 1984, Clark met Kermit the Frog, as he presented Kermit with a special American Music Award (the Amphibian American Music Achievement Award) for his contributions to popular music, of which we know there are many.
In 1994, Clark hung out with the Muppets again, appearing briefly in the celebrity-laden music video for “She Drives Me Crazy”.
The Muppets made appearances on TV shows that Clark hosted and produced. The most famous of which was the inclusion of Muppet Christmas Carol outtakes in TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes. Kermit and Piggy also appeared on his show, The Funniest Joke I Ever Heard, attempting to tell what must have once been a very funny joke.
Clark appeared (via archive footage) in an episode of Muppet Babies, in which the kiddies find themselves on The 25,000 Dollhouse Pyramid, hosted by Dick Clark. (Baby Kermit remarks that they must have wandered onto the set of American Bandstand.)
Finally, in 2005, Dick Clark received the ultimate compliment: A Sesame Street Muppet parody. When Elmo and Zoe debate whether or not to eat some fruit as a snack, they become contestants on “American Fruit Stand”, featuring host “Duck Clark“. You can’t make this stuff up, folks.
Dick Clark will be remembered fondly for his long career of quality work, as well as his many connections to the Muppets.
Thanks to the Muppet Wiki for their help with this article. Click here to help us remember Dick Clark on the ToughPigs forum!
by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
