The Ten Worst Muppets


muppets

Even the best shows on television have bad characters. And like anything on the internet, this list has been made before (shocker, I know). However, those other lists include characters such as Miss Piggy, Sam the Eagle, Animal (one of the BEST Muppets), and even Kermit! Blasphemy. So here is the real list of Muppets who suck.

10

Scooter

Scooter1
The backstage ‘gofer’ was only good for the ‘15 seconds to curtain!’ gag that he did for virtually every guest star. Other than that, he was just an orange waste of space.


9

Wayne and Wanda

Wayne_and_Wanda
The gag started as a good idea, as Muppet Wiki explains:

Wayne and Wanda are a singing duo who performed regularly during the first season of The Muppet Show, often introduced by Sam the Eagle, who approved of their “wholesome, uplifting, and decent” act but was constantly frustrated by their inability to get past the first verse of any song. While their sketches began as mellow and classy, they always ended in disaster, seemingly foretold by the title of their chosen song.

But even Kermit got sick of them, fired them, got tricked into rehiring them, and fired them again.


8

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

BunsenHoneydew
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, who looks like a yellow bowling ball with glasses, is the resident scientist and host of Muppet Labs. He worked alone in Season One of the Muppet Show. It wasn’t good. Fortunately, for Season Two, he hired an assistant, Beaker (check out Gunaxin’s Tribute to Beaker), one of the funniest Muppets, and Honeydew became bearable only because Beaker was always there to provide actual comedy.

This just doesn’t work without Beaker:


7

Mr. Poodlepants

300px-Mr_poodlepants
An over-the-top character on Muppets Tonight who I would never leave alone with my kids. He looks like the Child Molester Muppet.


6

The Bears

800px-Bears
The Muppets already had Fozzie Bear, but that wasn’t enough. So they hired more bear-looking bears. Why stop there? Why not hire more frog-looking frogs, or pig-looking pigs? There was little point to these bears.


5

Janice

Janice-MuppetsTV
Named for Janis Joplin and designed to bare the frame of Mick Jagger, Janice the Muppet is the valley girl guitar player in the band Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem. She is freaky looking, not funny, and not the stereotypical guitar player that the band could have hired in her place. Imagine, instead, a Keith Richards-inspired Muppet instead of this blonde talentless airhead.


4

Waldo C. Graphic

Waldocgraphic
This is a computer-generated character, who appeared in Jim Henson’s MuppetVision 3D and The Jim Henson Hour. Yeah, that’s why we watch the Muppets – for this guy.


3

Clifford

Clifford
From The Jim Henson Hour and Muppets Tonight, I think Clifford is supposed to be the token smooth-talking black Muppet who is really cool and hip, but instead he made people not wanna watch. He once appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show and revealed that he enjoys being spanked. Creepy. Only Gonzo could have gotten away with that.


2

Robin

Robin
Once one of the top social parody shows on television, The Muppet Show actually was awful when Kermit’s nephew came on screen. Robin would have been fine for Sesame Street and the Elmo-loving crowd, but there was no reason to shove this little ‘lovable’ amphibian down our throats on The Muppet Show.


1

Pepe the Prawn

ySY-3158903
What in the hell is this? He’s scary looking, that’s all, and he makes me not want to watch. UPDATE: Vote on whether Pepe the King Prawn is cool.

  • Mike
    well, this guy managed to put two of my top five muppets on this list (scooter and Janice, why would a more stereotypical guitarist be better?) And I've never been that annoyed by Robin seeing how he's used so little and Pepe is definitely growing on me. His youtube video with Rowlf skateboarding is pretty funny.
  • superfan
    did you see that new nike ad on tv? both kobe bryant, and le bron james are muppets!
  • Bob
    As a HUGE Muppet fan myself, I have to disagree on some of the choices, but not all. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect that. Personally, any of the Muppets that were introduced later in the show's run or in the series that followed (I just HATED Muppets tonight in general) were never going to be as good as the original. Personally I have my own stable of favs that I do voices for when I sing "The Rainbow Connection" at Karaoke. Check it out from my blog if you want some cheap entertainment.
  • superfan
    i think they should bring back the muppets on the disney channel. besides jim henson's creations (now inherited by brian henson) there are other "muppet" knockoffs like the "crank yankers" cast, jeff dumham's show, and another puppeteer whose name i forgot but he has dvds.
  • bjooks
    Janice was friggin' AWESOME. I don't mind you putting her on your list, 'cause it's yours and all, but it's your explanation that got me. The fact you'd rather replace her with some generic rock stereotype is the real blasphamy here.
  • Erin
    I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on some of those.

    Scooter is one of my favorites, and as another user commented, he kept a lot of the backstage action moving when Kermit wasn't around.
    As for Robin - he's not what I'd call overly cute. In fact, on one show, he said that he didn't like "cute and yucky" stuff.
  • xvbones
    you are incorrect on all counts, sir.

    bunsen honeydew and janice? are you serious? were you NEVER a child?
  • Frogboy James
    It's good that this included explanations, but they seem from someone technically knowledgeable, but hasn't watched a lot of the programs. Most of the observations are superficial with only a minimal sense of history and context. Nonetheless I'm glad this person took such a Muppet interest to write such a blurb.

    Scooter wasn't just an opening sequence Muppet, he was the frog's right hand man. Without him the show couldn't have made it and he also had aspirations of breaking into showbiz that sometimes came to fruition. I also like his singing voice.

    Wayne and Wanda were very short-lived. They served their purpose and moved on.

    Bunsen is funny in his own right and predates Beaker. Anyone with an adequate memory of the Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight can remember a few really cool Bunsen-driven moments.

    I have to admit to hating Mr. Poodlepants. What exactly were those inflated bits comprised from? I'm just sayin'.

    I like the bears and the Muppets have shown frog and other animals of more realistic varieties. Watch some shows!

    Woah, they really don't get Janice. Her personality really sparkled once Richard Hunt took her over. Most people like that character and remember her more than Zoot or Floyd. What's more stereotypical than a band's stoner chick? But why does she need to be stereotypical anyway? I'm so glad she lost her ponytail...finally!

    Waldo was an experiment in technology. He wasn't much of a character and once Jim passed so did Waldo. Sure, Steve performed the character, but Waldo is the precursor to performance capture technology decades ahead of its time!

    Clifford is okay, but his placement as Muppets Tonight leader was an epic mistake. The frog should have been at the helm with Clifford in a more Scooter-type capacity. He's the real JarJar of the Muppets, not Pepe. The puppet design is also very attractive - with or without eyeballs.

    How the Frog can anyone hate Robin? Comparing him to modern day Elmo is just incorrect. He is a sentimental character, but with the syrupy bits in just the right spot. Jerry Nelson had the best singing voice of all the performers. Robin rocks.

    Pepe has suffered from overexposure, but he's been the primary character to bridge the gap that connects a modern audience to the Muppet gang. He's one of my new faves, yet I can understand why he might rub others the wrong way. His design is in the same classic tradition of the simple "stick-controlled" Muppet rats. The author of this article should go back and watch classic Muppet Shows to see what the rats used to look like. Viva Pepe!

    So basically this article is 1 for 10. Mr. Poodlepants sucks, but I think that was the point. As for others...well Miss Mousey always rubbed me the wrong way, but apparently Kermit had a thing for her early on.
  • Kate
    oh you can't say Bunsen is one of the worst. sure he's not cool without Beaker, but they're a team. splitting them up is like splitting up Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Castillo. i like Robin, i think he's cute and sweet, but i respect your list. and i saw Pepe coming as #1, he's lacking in personality. i'm surprised the rats didn't make this list, Rizzo is the only good one the rest need to be fed to a cat.
  • Joe
    This is crap! Pepe is cool. So is Honeydew.
  • Lauren Glenn
    Pepe was OK, but I agree that Bonson Honeydew was only good with Beeker.... he kind of reminds me of the "PC" guy from the Mac ads.

    One good vote for Pepe: "What do you get when you mix a Elefant and a Rhino....."
  • Jenni
    The point of Waldo C Graphic is he was basically WAY WAY ahead of the technology of the day. The Jim Henson company went so far beyond just Muppetry and developed some seriously mind blowing technologies. Just take a gander at Farscape to get an idea of even what son Brian has shown he's capable of.
    Pepe is hysterical, and Robin has always been my favorite, especially when paired with Sweetums.
    Finally - clearly whoever wrote the article is ignorant, there ARE pig muppets that look more like pigs. They're all over, and especially - DUH - PIGS. IN. SPACE.
  • Howie
    Gotta say you have it 50% way off - Love Scotter, Bunsen, Janice, Robin and PEPE!!!
  • lauren5137
    Pepe rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • lauren5137
    hi its lauren5137 again i just went on the web page `is pepe the king prawn cool` and gunaxin said if we said that pepe is cool were retarded. But watch the videos carefully, you will realise that he is the real retarded person
  • lauren5137
    10# i completely agree They dont really need scooter.
    9# I really agree they both get on my last nerve!
    8#I agree but there might be no beaker without him and i love beaker!
    7# You are so right he is so annoying
    6# I like the bears but they are not my favourite.
    5# No way! Janice is epic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    4# I have never heard of this charactor so i agree.
    3#Correct he is like a pink flamingo, so freaky.
    2# Not alot of people like robin but i adore him i love the kermit family!
    1# Are you having a laugh? Pepe rules i love his accent and he is not scary looking so get ur facts right
  • superfan
    i have a copy of the elmo movie on dvd i'll check to see if he's in that one. also see if he ever appeared in the big bird movie "follow that bird"
  • lauren5137
    but i admire u for being a fan
  • lauren5137
    I love robin and no one can change my mind
  • Sally from NeW Mexico
    I don't agree with the selection of Janice and Dr. Honeydoo! I remeber the original Muppet show and the 1st Muppet movie. They are all great. As far as the prawn, what do expect from a shrimp!
  • superfan
    shimp are smaller than prawns remenber when sesame street made the jump to going bi-lingual? if you notice the "prawn" is speaking with a hispanic accent.
  • Jason
    Been a fan of the muppets forever. How anyone could put Pepe on a bad list is beyond me. Easily the best new muppet and probably in the top 10 for all muppets. Jim Henson would be proud...
  • superfan
    i would love to see him on sesame street.....crashing at bert and ernie's appartment LOL!!!
  • JBaer
    Apparently, someone over at Gunaxin had too much time on his hands...
  • jaydawg125
    I couldn't agree with you more! Pepe is like a walking bad stereotype!
  • Mo
    You blashphemer! There's no such thing as a "bad" Muppet, let alone a "worst"Muppet!
  • Erica
    I must say I really do hate Waldo. I've seen the 3d movie at Disney World many times since I worked there, and he really really does piss me (not to mention a lot of other people) off. He's just not funny. You have to admit that Robin was cute as Tiny Tim in "Muppet Christmas Carol"
  • ithilien
    elmo was without a doubt the worst muppet, be it the muppet show or sesame street.
    thanks for not axing beaker
  • superfan
    let's send pepe to sesame street! they've always got some celebrities on there, why not pepe?! besides kermit, he'll fit "right at home" with grover, elmo, big bird, cookie monster, bert and ernie, and especially oscar the grouch!
  • xxxx
    There is no such thing as a bad muppet.
  • superfan
    those muppet rejects (miss piggy too) shoud've had guest spots on jeff dunham's show....but his show got axed!
  • GOParty
    YOU FOOL! The clip shown alone proves that Scooter was no waste of space.
    Wayne & Wanda - no opinion.
    Bunsen - not supposed to be all that funny, he's straight man to Beaker!
    Mr Poodlepants - rather disposable, I admit.
    The Bears - well, Fozzie did need some of his own kind to play off. and anyone who watched Muppets Tonight could see that Renfro was hilarious(Have a good day, sir!)! Besides, they were originally part of a musical scene in "Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree". Which TV should show again!
    Janice - Keith Richards can't sing, she can. And she was always funny during Veteranarian's Hospital.
    Waldo C. Graphic - No opinion.
    Clifford - XLNT host for Muppets Tonight. And he was supposed to be a sendup of Arsenio, would you have complained if he talked like a white guy and parodied Leno or Letterman!?
    Robin - get off your soapbox, he was adorable, especially when they paired him up with Sweetums. NTM, in "The Muppet Christmas Carol", who did you want playing Tiny Tim, Rizzo The Rat!?
    Pepe The Prawn - OK, not very funny, not even with Seymour the Elephant to play off of.

    But if you really wanted to name the worst Muppets, why did you leave out Andy & Randy, Miss Piggy's nephews? There was no one more irritating than the Muppets's answer to Beavis & Butthead. Grow a brain and rewrite this!
  • Lauren Glenn
    There's one for the list: Rizzo..... he deserves to be on there more than Pepe.
  • lauren5137
    i totally agree with you about robin he is adorable!
  • Elvis Q
    This list sucks. Anything from Muppets Tonight I agree with, Especially Clifford.
  • Deniro
    Pepe is funny. He actually makes me wish he was in the prior muppet movies and shows because he would add a lot of humor to them.
  • fantastic
    pepe is amazing.
  • John
    I'd like to make my case for Janice being essential, as she is one-third of my my favourite Muppet bit, "Veterinarian's Hospital", and without her Valley Girl delivery (not counting Series 1), VH just isn't the same. Actually, if I might be a bit blasphemous, I'd add Gonzo to this list. Never been a big Gonzo fan.
  • a11stephens
    #10 completely disagree, Scooter was the butt of a lot of good jokes
    #9 agreed
    #8 completely disagree because without the doctor there would be no Beeker
    #7 agreed
    #6 nothing memerable here so I'll agree
    #5 completely disagree, you could never even tell if janice was a girl or a really stoned dude. Electric mayhem = awesome
    #4 don't even know this one so agreed
    #3 agreed, and he looks like the pink flamingo things from Labirynth and they were lame too!
    #2 agreed, and arguably the #1, though I knew they'd go after Pepe for #1
    #1 agreed
  • collectedanimal
    Janice totally could have been played off as a really stoned dude. Which made her badass. And it's pretty essential to have a female in the band anyway... that clip is an awesome example of the band working well together
  • whosurdaddy
    I dunno Ben, I can agree with some of your selections for the ten worst. But I disagree with a couple, sorry dude. Some of those ones were the coolest ever. The Dr., come on now he was the one blowing up the assistant beaker. And i think ur just jealous you don't have an assistant like scooter, he would kick ur a$$
  • yllas
    Hey! Pepe had a major part in the Muppet Christmas Movie I watched the other day. Yeah, he was a creepy little thing, but you couldn't take your eyes off him! Much like Justin Timberlake or Danny DeVito. Someone has too much time on their hands, making lists of muppets.
  • muffinfluffer
    this asshole needs a brain transplant.
  • Matt
    I agree with you wholeheartedly with Pepe. The new breed of Muppets just never cut the mustard for me (i.e. Clifford, at #3). They always came off more irritating to me than anything. I hate that Pepe is all over the newer Muppet movies. To me, he's just a poor man's version of (the far superior) Rizzo the Rat!

    However, I am very sorry to see Dr. Bunsen Honeydew on this list. I think you're way off on that one. True, Beaker was the best part of their act, but you NEEDED Honeydew to be the straight man! It's comedy 101! Beaker is a riot, but we would have nothing to laugh at were Honeydew not there.

    And as for Janice & Scooter, true, I'd be hard-pressed to call them "strong" Muppet characters, but poor Richard Hunt. I know he loved to play those characters dearly. What a great puppeteer he was. (Oh well-- at least you admire his Beaker character!)
  • squirrel
    CLIFFORD LOOKS LIKE A RASTAFARIAN CATFISH!!
  • GOParty
    And sounds like a Muppet version of Arsenio, which is hilarious!
  • Craig
    It's "Janis" Joplin. Not "Janice," but "Janis". "Janice" is a muppet. "Janis" is a musical icon. That is all.
  • Rachel
    Pepe is basically the BEST muppet to come along in a while...
  • The person who compiled this list starts off by obnoxiously dismissing every previous "worst Muppet" list, citing his as the final word. But it stinks. Pepe rules.
  • Gonzo
    You mean Bunsen looks like a honeydew with glasses, ass.
  • J/Z
    This is the most pathetic article I have ever wasted my time reading. Really, the writer(s) are clearly bored or have no understanding of Dr. Honeydew or JANICE?!?!?
  • MD
    Pepe is easily the best of the new-school Muppets. This list is bogus.
  • Tbiza
    pepe was hilarious you need to get your facts straight
  • Rennie
    2 through 10... I'm down with...

    BUT YOU ARE SO WRONG with Pepe. He's funny and just plain friggin' awesome.

    You lost me dude.

    "I'm not a shrimp, I'm a King Prawn, okay?" Classic.
  • Pepe is the best thing to come out of Muppets Tonight. You clearly don't get him. "Scary looking?" If that were sufficient, then you'd have to include Sweetums for crying out loud. Watch Muppets from Space and enjoy his lines. Here's some of his best:

    http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000720/quotes
  • Jestophile
    You are wrong. Pepe rules, okay.
  • ichachan
    I agree with you :( the prawn stinks
  • dkhan
    Pepe is a good #1, but Janice? Come on, Janice is hot.
  • S jacka
    You, my friend, are wrong! This is not a list of the worst Muppets it is a list of LIES!!
    Except Waldo... that guys terrible.
  • JBes
    Although I dislike some of the popular muppets, these are definitely the ones I can easily do without.
  • jr1ch
    Bunson is the straight man! That's the bit! I can't believe I should even have to defend any of these. The writer clearly hates the Muppets.
  • You clearly don't know the author, as he certainly love the Muppets, and has written about them several times. This one probably most clearly shows his affections : http://humor.gunaxin.com/i-bought-the-muppets/1...
  • muffinfluffer
    are you two guys married?
  • #2 ~ Robin the Frog. Don't you know that ANY time you introduce the next 'kid' generation on a long running show that you are out of ideas and 'jumping the shark'? Think "Cousin Oliver" on The Brady Bunch ... in fact, I just found out it's CALLED the "Cousin Oliver Syndrome" (how funny!). http://www.fact-archive.com/encyclopedia/Cousin...
  • frogboyjames
    Robin the Frog was introduced in the Muppet Show's first season. The character originates in a 1971 television special - long before the program. Your post is funny, but completely inaccurate. Check the Wikia http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Robin_the_Frog
  • kithica
    Despite the fact that I find it vaguely sacreligious to dis the muppets in any way... I kind of agree with you. I was prepared to argue on behalf of Dr. Bunson Honeydew, but realised that I do mainly love him for Beaker's sake. Janice I defend only because there weren't enough female muppets on the show. But yes, she really was annoying. And Scooter... well, I have his job, out in the real world, so there's a soft spot. *g*
  • Scooter deserves better.
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