Phyllis George is the guest star, but instead of a typical show, she's the hostess for the First Annual Muppet Awards! Who will win the "Fred" for Performer of the Year?
Songs and Sketches
- "Yes, We Have No Bananas", sung by the Swedish Chef and his Singing Food.
- Pigs In Space: Nomination For Best Sketch.
- "Carbon Paper", sung by Phyllis George.
- UK Spot: Louis Kazagger interviews the Flying Zuccini Brothers.
- "You And I And George", sung by Rowlf.
- The nominations for Best Guest Star sung to the tune of "I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General", sung by Scooter.
- Veterinarian's Hospital: Nomination for Best Sketch.
- "There's No Business Like Show Business", sung by the cast.
This episode has examples of
- Amusing Injuries: Piggy figures the "Pigs in Space" episode that'll win them the award is the one where Link was injured and she saved everyone. Link doesn't recall it, so she... "reminds" him. Twice.
- Assumed Win:
- Fozzie figures he'll be the winner for Best Comedy Performance by a Bear... and he still loses.
- Piggy figures she's the shoo-in for Performer of the Year... or else.
- She also assumes she’ll win Best Sketch… only for no award to be given.
- Award Show: The episode has the show throwing an awards show for itself. This being the Muppet Show, categories include "Best Performance by an Inanimate Object or Group of Inanimate Objects" and "Best Comedy Performance by a Bear".
- Bad Vibrations: When the Dancing Mountains win Best Talking Object, they start approaching the theater to accept the award. Kermit stops them by saying the award will be mailed out to them.
- Continuity Nod: "You and I and George" is a near shot-for-shot recreation of the first time Rowlf sung it on the show.
- Continuity Snarl: Scooter mentions Señor Wences in the Best Guest Star song, but he wouldn't be a guest star until next season, and the photo they use is of Charles Aznavour. note
- Irony: After spending the episode complaining about the different format and awards shows in general, the one to win the Performer of the Year is Kermit.
- Major General Song: Best Guest Star is sung to the tune, with Scooter getting faster as the song goes on.
- My Friends... and Zoidberg: Scooter caps off the list of all the guests with a special note for the late Zero Mostel.
- Overly Narrow Superlative: One of the awards is for Best Comedy Performance by a Bear, which the comedy-impaired Fozzie is just about the only person to qualify for. Keyword being "just about"; he still ends up losing to bit character Billy the Bear.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Kermit refuses to host the awards show and has their special guest do it so he can take the night off. He's talked back in for Performer of the Year.
- Sore Loser: Miss Piggy assumes she'll be the winner of Performer of the Year, but when Kermit gets it instead, she nearly attacks him. Kermit manages to mollify her slightly by thanking her, but she still sulks through the closing number and most of the credits.
- Waldorf: I can't believe those rats were responsible for this show.
Statler: Why not? They were also responsible for the bubonic plague!
