“There used to be a me”: Peter Sellers on the Muppet Show

Let’s face it. The Muppet Show is not as funny as I remembered it being. It is less anarchic, frenetic and witty than I remember it, and the limp gags that may or may not be a deliberate parody of stale variety acts are just a little flat. Actually, I don’t remember laughing at it a lot when I was a kid, but I was fascinated by the solid colours, the endless stream of distinctive characters, and the sheer joy of not knowing what was coming next. I was scared of Uncle Deadly, and felt a wrenching sadness for the fate of the perpetually abused lab rat Beaker. I fancied Janice a bit, and wanted Fozzie Bear to be my friend, and Rowlf to be my uncle. I still have some of the songs etched on my brain. It was the best thing on TV when Batman wasn’t on. Watching it again in one of those “I-guess-I-could-call-it-research” moments, I don’t feel nostalgic – it’s too distant for that – but it is interesting to note what I missed first time round.