MySpace



The Rocketman



Last Updated: 11/16/2009

Send Message
Instant Message
Email to a Friend
Subscribe

Gender: Male
Age: 33
Sign: Scorpio

Friday, August 25, 2006 

Category: Blogging
As you are all aware, I am on vacation this week. In my stead I have asked a group of my favorite bloggers (whom you may or may not know but Im sure youll enjoy) to contribute postings for the week. I hope you will enjoy these few days of respite from my onslaught of vocabulary, overwrought descriptives, and links to exclusive posts on Pointless Banter. The intended result is that we will all come back refreshed and happy to be together again on the 28th. So, without further adieu . . .

We can thank SecondHandMuse for facilitating my introduction to todays guest blogger. Algernon is the proverbial enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in some variety of eco-spiritual environmentally friendly sushi roll. His thoughtful humor, practical spirituality, and use of vocabulary have had my attention for quite some time.

With regard to sampling all the fruits of Algernons blogs, you have a long journey ahead of you; however, if youre into the variety of humor you read here today, please remember to click over to his page, meditate a bit, and see if you can hit the subscribe button with your mind. (You probably wont get it on the first try, so keep your mouse handy.)
- - - - - - - - - -

It is an honor to be a guest blogger for Rocketman and I thank you all for stopping by and reading this piece today.


Rocket and I both belong to a generation that was enthralled and delighted by the Muppets, especially on their old variety show, THE MUPPET SHOW (1976-1981). Considering our closeness in age, our political orientation, and Rocket's success as a screenwriter, I thought I would contribute a fanciful teleplay entitled


DICK CHENEY MEETS THE MUPPETS

(with apologies to Jim Henson and his family)

(The episode opens with a knock on a dressing room door. It opens, and SCOOTER pokes his head in.)

SCOOTER: Ten seconds to curtain, Mr. Vice-President.

There is the sound of a gun shot. SCOOTER's face is blasted with buckshot. He yelps and trembles, his face smoking.

SCOOTER: Um. Whenever. You're ready. Of course. Sorry.

(CUT TO: the "O" in the "Muppet Show" marquee. KERMIT makes the opening announcement, accompanied by timpani.)

KERMIT: It's the Muppet Show !! With our very special guest star, Vice-President Dick Cheney! Yaaaaaay!!!

(CUE the MUPPET SHOW theme. "It's time to play the music" At the end, Gonzo appears in the "O" to blow the final note on his trumpet. As he draws breath to play, he is tackled by a SECRET SERVICE AGENT. Cut to commercial.)

(Commercial ends. Onstage, with red curtain drawn. Audience applauds. KERMIT enters and acknowledges applause.)

KERMIT: Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight our very special guest is Vice-President of the United States Dick Cheney.

(Applause.)

KERMIT: Because the Vice-President is with us this week, you may notice we have to take some extra securitee measures.

(SECRET SERVICE muppet agents appear in background, in front of red curtain. KERMIT eyes them and returns his attention to the audience.)

KERMIT: Um. So just try to ignore them and we'll continue with the uh

(The head of a S.S. AGENT muppet appears from below, near KERMIT, looks around slowly.)

KERMIT: uh, we'll just continue with the show as normal here. In honor of the Vice-President, we now present our national anthem.

(Applause. The curtain is drawn to reveal FOZZIE BEAR.)

FOZZIE BEAR (removing his hat): Aaaaaaaah, ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the national anthem.

(The Muppet audience is shown standing up by their seats.)

(FOZZIE BEAR sings 'The Star Spangled Banner.')

(The MUPPET AUDIENCE, applauding, sits down unleashing a loud chorus of whoopee cushions.)

FOZZIE BEAR: Aaaaaah!! Wacka wacka wacka!!

(CUT TO: Backstage. FOZZIE and musicians are departing from the stage, KERMIT is looking around.)

KERMIT: Well done, Fozzie. Uh, Scooter, would you please go get the Vice-President? He's due on stage.

(CUT TO: Hallway outside the dressing room. SCOOTER approaches the door to knock, springs a trap that hoists him up by his leg and hangs him upside down.)

SCOOTER: Aaaaaaaauuuggghh!!!!

(CUT TO: Stage. MISS PIGGY enters in a smokin' form-fitting sequined dress.)

MISS PIGGY: Bon soir, mes amies, bon soir! I have un petit chantoose in honor of Mr. Cheney's birth-day.

(ROWLF THE DOG starts playing the piano. MISS PIGGY sings, breathlessly.)

MISS PIGGY: Happy.birthday.Mr. Vice-President. Happy.birthday.

(COMMERCIAL)

(CUT TO: Dressing room. KERMIT knocks on the door.)

KERMIT (from outside): Uh, Mr. Vice-President? (knocks again) Mr. Cheney, can I come in? It's Kermit! Kermit-deee-Frog here

CHENEY: Step slowly through the metal detector as you come in please.

(KERMIT opens the door, steps through a metal detector that glows and makes spooky laboratory sounds. KERMIT makes his disgruntled face.)

KERMIT: Hey, Mr. Vice-President, we are so very honored to have you on our show.

CHENEY: I'm pleased to be here, Kermit. You represent a very important constituency the future voters of our Republic. Although your show receives its funding from producers in London, we consider Great Britain a good close friend of the United States.

KERMIT: Uh, well, Mr. Cheney, the American networks wouldn't touch our show so we had to go to the London producer.

CHENEY: Kermit, can you please confirm the identity of this person who seems to have been shadowing me?

(CAMERA moves to SCOOTER, head covered with a black hood. A SECRET SERVICE muppet removes the hood to reveal SCOOTER, looking shell-shocked.)

KERMIT: Awk! That's Scooter! This is our Stage Manager! Please let him go. We need him!

(CHENEY regards SCOOTER with suspicion. SCOOTER regards him fearfully.)

CHENEY: Okay, boys. I guess he checks out. Get that dog out of here.

(A SECRET SERVICE muppet walks past camera, leading off an enormous Muppet Dog who barks and growls ferociously. KERMIT makes his disgusted face.)

(CUT TO: Stage. A scary-looking screen and black curtain cordons off some enormous object. The timpani begins to roll, and GONZO enters, wearing a cape.)

GONZO: Ladies and gentlemen, I THE GREAT GONZO!! will now disarm this WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION that was found by our liberating forces in Baghdad!

(The audience gasps.)

GONZO: Ladies and gentlemen, I must have absolute quiet for this dangerous act. Please.

(The drum roll intensifies. There is a hush. GONZO dramatically approaches the curtain. He pulls it back with a flourish and there is nothing there.)

GONZO: Huh? Wait a minute!!

(CUT TO: The dressing room. MISS PIGGY, CHENEY and KERMIT are here, with SECRET SERVICE muppets in the background.)

MISS PIGGY: A loyalty oath? You're making me sign a loyalty oath?

CHENEY: If you have nothing to hide, there really is nothing to be upset about.

KERMIT: I'm sorry, Piggy, but the Vice-President has noted that you speak a lot of French.

MISS PIGGY: Moi? I mean, me? No no, that's just an affectuation. I love my country.

CHENEY: It's just a precaution. Before I go on stage, and bring the seal of the United States to the stage of your theatre.

MISS PIGGY: Listen, you creepy VeePee, I'm not signing a piece of paper proving I'm a loyal American.

KERMIT: Piggy?

MISS PIGGY: Stuff it, Frog.

CHENEY: Miss Piggy, if you sign this paper, I am in position to send you on a very special mission.

MISS PIGGY: Moi is listening I mean what is it?

CHENEY: We have liberators deployed all over the world, Miss Piggy. Good, handsome, strong, American boys all over Arabia. An entertainer like you could, shall we say, perk up their spirits?

MISS PIGGY: Mmmmm. Arabia.princestreasure on second thought, Mr. Vice-President, I am proud to sign an oath swearing that moi is a true American!

(CUT TO: SWEDISH CHEF sketch in which he demonstrates how to make "Freedom Fries," or as he puts it "der foodum flies." The sketch ends when he ends up falling into the frier and disappearing.)

(CUT TO: KERMIT on stage.)

KERMIT: Well, we have already reached the end of our show and I am pleased to announce a very special surprise guest ladies and gentlemen, the PRESIDENT of the United States!

(Applause. A podium with the presidential seal is rolled on, and a muppet version of BUSH appears.)

BUSH MUPPET: heh heh heh Thanks for havin' me Nice to be here. My fellow Americans.

KERMIT: Um. Um. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

BUSH MUPPET: Yes?

KERMIT: This is not the president, this is a puppet!

(CHENEY's head emerges from below, near the podium.)

CHENEY: Ssssh! This IS the President!

KERMIT: Good grief!

(ENTER MISS PIGGY)

MISS PIGGY (outraged voice): Hold on, Dick. This ticket is for not for Arabia, it's for Pyongyang! I'm not ending up in anybody's bulgogi! You double-crossed me! Hiiiiii-YAAH!!!!

(She proceeds to beat up CHENEY. The BUSH PUPPET goes flying. SECRET SERVICE muppets try to intervene and are soon airborne as CHENEY sinks below camera range, trying to defend himself.)

KERMIT: Start the music! Start the music!MISS PIGGY: You chicken hawk draft dodger!!

(GONZO'S CHICKENS enter, outraged, and start pecking at CHENEY.)

(CUE ending theme and credits. When the music sustains near the end, cut to STATLER and WALDORF in their box.)

STATLER: Isn't it terrible the way they treat those prisoners at Guantanamo Bay?

WALDORF: Could be worse.

STATLER: How??

WALDORF: They could make them watch this show with us!

STATLER and WALDORF: Waaaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha.!

(The music finishes. END OF SHOW)

-- Sharing a mint julep with Hope on the first day of summer ... this and other tales at my peculiar blog, "Notes From A Burning House," clickable at: http://algernon.blogs.friendster.com
Previous Post: ants marching | Back to Blog List | Next Post: A very nice blog
Barbcue

 

Beautiful.

You managed to perfectly capture each of the characters.  I managed to "watch" the entire show, simply by reading.

Except Cheney was just sorta' this grey, shadowy blob.  I guess I because I've never really seen him (nor has anybody else, lately).


 
Posted by Barbcue on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 7:08 PM
[Reply to this
Algernon

 
He's in a non-disclosed location, of course; someplace quiet, dark, uninhabited, and difficult to find.  You know: the White House library.
 
Posted by Algernon on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 10:08 PM
[Reply to this
Tayandy

 
I LIKED this.
Course also a huge fan of the Muppets.
Good job. :)
 
Posted by Tayandy on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 7:12 PM
[Reply to this
Marion uses FACEBOOK

 
My favorite so far of the guest blogging this week.  :)
 
Posted by Marion uses FACEBOOK on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 7:30 PM
[Reply to this
Cath

 

This was fabulous!!

I have to say that one of the most surreal moments of my life, was looking out of my office window and seeing Miss Piggy and Gonzo sword fighting in the car park below....  a memory I treasure....


 
Posted by Cath on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 9:25 PM
[Reply to this
The Kevinator
Kevin Deevey

 

This is excellent, Algernon!  You captured the spirit of the show perfectly...and I really laughed.  Kudos!

--Muppetly, KEVIN


 
Posted by The Kevinator on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 11:01 PM
[Reply to this
Damian

 
This needs to be put into production immediately. It was brilliant.
 
Posted by Damian on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 12:30 AM
[Reply to this
Ragu

 
This was a great read.  And it was almost as good as the Star Wars Muppet show.  By the way...to me that means that it was really good.
 
Posted by Ragu on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 12:50 AM
[Reply to this
Teacher With a 'Tude

 
Brilliant.
 
Posted by Teacher With a 'Tude on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 1:57 AM
[Reply to this
Capricorn Sister

 

A puppet Bush hits a bit close to home - frightening!

I'd like to get me some of them there Secret Security muppet agents! 


 
Posted by Capricorn Sister on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 2:05 AM
[Reply to this
danni

 

all you'd need is vincent price and john denver. you could have a big party in grandma's feather bed... (my kids love the dvds as much as i loved the show. i used to have to go to bed right after the sax landed its last note. damned if i didn't fight for that note.)

very cool.


 
Posted by danni on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 3:33 AM
[Reply to this
Tina - because it's my name AKA: Lazarus

 

This is just brilliant.

I could hear each and every comment and moment and see it in almost live time in my brain.  You, my friend, win the best blog I've read today prize.  It's coveted, you know.


 
Posted by Tina - because it's my name AKA: Lazarus on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 4:10 AM
[Reply to this
My Morning §ong

 
Nice work.

As one who was weened on THE MUPPET SHOW, I think you nailed it.  I could pictue the set throughout.  The only thing I missed was the dance number with Cheney and Sweetums.

 
Posted by My Morning §ong on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 5:01 AM
[Reply to this
Algernon

 
Yes!  And Cheney's heart-to-heart with Sam the Eagle. 
 
Posted by Algernon on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 1:44 PM
[Reply to this
Cat Zen Space

 
Wonderful! From the spelling of "securitee" to indicate Kermit's pronuncition to all of the other little details that made this so dead-on it hurts--my applause to you!
 
Posted by Cat Zen Space on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 2:00 PM
[Reply to this
Sil-E-Sil
Sil Nessa

 
*giggles profusely*  Yay!
 
Posted by Sil-E-Sil on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 2:49 PM
[Reply to this
Gregger
Greg Teghtmeyer

 

AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

That's brilliant!!!!

 

 


 
Posted by Gregger on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 3:11 PM
[Reply to this
Pheirser

 
*LMFAO* I will be checkig that link out.

I've been a stealth reader of your blogs... they are usually too long for my short attention span to get through.. but I thoroughly enjoyed this act *giggles*... too funny

Kudos dude... be reading to the end more often
 
Posted by Pheirser on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 4:42 PM
[Reply to this
Previous Post: ants marching | Back to Blog List | Next Post: A very nice blog