Statler & Waldorf
Encyclopedia
Statler and Waldorf are a pair of Muppet
characters. They are two ornery, disagreeable old men who first appeared in the television series
The Muppet Show
heckling
the rest of the cast from their balcony seats. They appeared in every episode of the show, except for one. (In one episode, Waldorf appeared alone at the beginning, explaining
that Statler was sick, and that Waldorf's wife would substitute. Her name turned out to be "Astoria." She looked remarkably like Statler wearing a dress.) In The Muppet Show, the two were always trashing Fozzie Bear
's poor jokes, except for one occasion where Fozzie, with help from Bruce Forsyth
, heckled them back. In contrast, they found themselves vastly entertaining and inevitably burst into mutual laughter at their own witticisms. It is later revealed in the Muppet Family Christmas
special that the two hecklers were friends with Fozzie's mother, Emily Bear. Despite constantly complaining about the show and how terrible some acts were, they would always be back the following week in the best seats in the house. As to why, the original version of The Muppet Show theme song had Statler admitting, "I guess we'll never know."
They also had a penchant for breaking the fourth wall
. At the end of one episode, they looked at the camera and asked "Why do you watch it?", and in another one, Waldorf stated that he didn't care for puppets, not finding them believable. Statler responded with "I don't believe you!"
Statler and Waldorf are named after two New York City
hotels, The Statler Hilton
and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
and Jim Henson
; subsequently they were performed by Richard Hunt
and Jim Henson
. Beginning with The Muppet Christmas Carol
(1992), they were performed by Jerry Nelson
and Dave Goelz
. When Jerry Nelson left the Muppets citing health reasons, muppeteer Steve Whitmire
(also a puppeteer for Sesame Street) took over adding yet another new role to his credits; his first two were that of Kermit the Frog
(Jim Henson
) and Beaker
(Richard Hunt
).
, based around a television show rather than a theatre, Statler and Waldorf were shown watching the show at an assisted living
facility, but still making disparaging comments.
Statler and Waldorf also appeared (as adults) in the Saturday morning animated television series Jim Henson's Muppet Babies. Both characters were voiced by Dave Coulier
. Unlike all other adults who visit the nursery in that series, Statler and Waldorf's faces are shown. The two were more friendly and jovial, and only occasionally grumpy, compared to their appearances on The Muppet Show.
A joke was made about the duo's nature in The Muppet Christmas Carol
, where they played the ghosts of Jacob
and Robert Marley. When Ebenezer Scrooge
accuses them of always criticizing him, they reply "We were always heckling you." "It's good to be heckling again." "It's good to be doing anything again!" During multiple sequences there is a shop called "Statler and Waldorf". In a nod to their role on The Muppet Show, when Scrooge chalks their appearance up to indigestion-- "There's more of gravy than the grave about you"- they retort with "What a terrible pun!" and "Leave comedy to the bears, Ebenezer!"
In one episode of The Muppet Show they started heckling the opening number before it even started. Kermit decided to cancel it when Waldorf (sarcastically) guessed what it was: a Chinese gorilla dancing ballet. They were then allowed to perform an opening number of their own. After performing it, they were suddenly sitting on their usual balcony. Waldorf then asked "Why can't they do numbers like that?" When Kermit remarked that they just did, the duo started to criticize it.
In Muppet Treasure Island
, they were the figurehead
s of The Hispaniola. Their role in the film was about as minimal as one would expect given this, except near the very end when they save Miss Piggy
's life in a comic deus ex machina
(she falls off a cliff, and they just happen to be underneath her).
The duo are featured characters at both of Disney's Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney's Hollywood Studios
and Disney California Adventure Park as audio-animatronic Muppets helping Bean Bunny
escape the theater and, of course, heckling the show. They also make a cameo appearance in Pixar
's 2008 short film Presto
, where they can be seen in their theater box.
The Muppet Newsflash: A Jim Henson News Blog announced on Sept. 17, 2009, that Statler and Waldorf will release a book titled From the Balcony in 2010.
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
characters. They are two ornery, disagreeable old men who first appeared in the television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
heckling
Heckler
A heckler is a person who harass and try to disconcert others with questions, challenges, or gibes.Hecklers are often known to shout disparaging comments at a performance or event, or interrupts set-piece speeches, for example at a political meeting, with intent to disturb its performers or...
the rest of the cast from their balcony seats. They appeared in every episode of the show, except for one. (In one episode, Waldorf appeared alone at the beginning, explaining
that Statler was sick, and that Waldorf's wife would substitute. Her name turned out to be "Astoria." She looked remarkably like Statler wearing a dress.) In The Muppet Show, the two were always trashing Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
's poor jokes, except for one occasion where Fozzie, with help from Bruce Forsyth
Bruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
, heckled them back. In contrast, they found themselves vastly entertaining and inevitably burst into mutual laughter at their own witticisms. It is later revealed in the Muppet Family Christmas
A Muppet Family Christmas
A Muppet Family Christmas is a 1987 Christmas television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets.This is one of the very few Muppet productions to feature Muppets associated with all four of the major Muppet franchises: The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies...
special that the two hecklers were friends with Fozzie's mother, Emily Bear. Despite constantly complaining about the show and how terrible some acts were, they would always be back the following week in the best seats in the house. As to why, the original version of The Muppet Show theme song had Statler admitting, "I guess we'll never know."
They also had a penchant for breaking the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
. At the end of one episode, they looked at the camera and asked "Why do you watch it?", and in another one, Waldorf stated that he didn't care for puppets, not finding them believable. Statler responded with "I don't believe you!"
Statler and Waldorf are named after two New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
hotels, The Statler Hilton
Hotel Pennsylvania
The Hotel Pennsylvania is a hotel located at 401 7th Avenue in Manhattan, across the street from Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden in New York City.- History :...
and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
Performers
In the pilot episode of The Muppet Show, Statler and Waldorf were performed by Jerry NelsonJerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
and Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
; subsequently they were performed by Richard Hunt
Richard Hunt (puppeteer)
Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
and Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
. Beginning with The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 musical comedy film adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, starring Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, directed by Brian Henson, produced by The Jim Henson Company, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
(1992), they were performed by Jerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
and Dave Goelz
Dave Goelz
Dave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
. When Jerry Nelson left the Muppets citing health reasons, muppeteer Steve Whitmire
Steve Whitmire
Steven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
(also a puppeteer for Sesame Street) took over adding yet another new role to his credits; his first two were that of Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
(Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
) and Beaker
Beaker (Muppet)
Beaker is a Muppet character from The Muppet Show. He is the shy, long-suffering assistant of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and is likewise named for a piece of laboratory equipment, although his shape more closely resembles an Erlenmeyer flask....
(Richard Hunt
Richard Hunt (puppeteer)
Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
).
Later appearances
In the 1996 series Muppets TonightMuppets Tonight
Muppets Tonight is a live-action/puppet television series created by Jim Henson Productions and featuring The Muppets. Much like the "MuppeTelevision" segment of The Jim Henson Hour, Muppets Tonight was a continuation of The Muppet Show, set in a television studio, rather than a theater.-Format:The...
, based around a television show rather than a theatre, Statler and Waldorf were shown watching the show at an assisted living
Assisted living
Assisted living residences or assisted living facilities provide supervision or assistance with activities of daily living ; coordination of services by outside health care providers; and monitoring of resident activities to help to ensure their health, safety, and well-being.Assistance may...
facility, but still making disparaging comments.
Statler and Waldorf also appeared (as adults) in the Saturday morning animated television series Jim Henson's Muppet Babies. Both characters were voiced by Dave Coulier
Dave Coulier
David Alan "Dave" Coulier is an American stand-up comedian, impressionist, television and voice actor, and television host. He is well-known for his role as Joey Gladstone on the ABC sitcom Full House, which ran from 1987 to 1995....
. Unlike all other adults who visit the nursery in that series, Statler and Waldorf's faces are shown. The two were more friendly and jovial, and only occasionally grumpy, compared to their appearances on The Muppet Show.
A joke was made about the duo's nature in The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 musical comedy film adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, starring Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, directed by Brian Henson, produced by The Jim Henson Company, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
, where they played the ghosts of Jacob
Jacob Marley
Jacob Marley is a fictional character who appears in Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol.- Relationship with Scrooge:In life, Marley was the business partner of Ebenezer Scrooge. As teenagers, both men had been apprenticed in business and met as clerks in another business...
and Robert Marley. When Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge is the principal character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness...
accuses them of always criticizing him, they reply "We were always heckling you." "It's good to be heckling again." "It's good to be doing anything again!" During multiple sequences there is a shop called "Statler and Waldorf". In a nod to their role on The Muppet Show, when Scrooge chalks their appearance up to indigestion-- "There's more of gravy than the grave about you"- they retort with "What a terrible pun!" and "Leave comedy to the bears, Ebenezer!"
In one episode of The Muppet Show they started heckling the opening number before it even started. Kermit decided to cancel it when Waldorf (sarcastically) guessed what it was: a Chinese gorilla dancing ballet. They were then allowed to perform an opening number of their own. After performing it, they were suddenly sitting on their usual balcony. Waldorf then asked "Why can't they do numbers like that?" When Kermit remarked that they just did, the duo started to criticize it.
In Muppet Treasure Island
Muppet Treasure Island
Muppet Treasure Island is a 1996 American musical film based on Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. It is the fifth feature film to star The Muppets and was directed by Jim Henson's son Brian Henson....
, they were the figurehead
Figurehead
A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and 19th century.-History:Although earlier ships had often had some form of bow ornamentation A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and...
s of The Hispaniola. Their role in the film was about as minimal as one would expect given this, except near the very end when they save Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
's life in a comic deus ex machina
Deus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
(she falls off a cliff, and they just happen to be underneath her).
The duo are featured characters at both of Disney's Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
and Disney California Adventure Park as audio-animatronic Muppets helping Bean Bunny
Bean Bunny
Bean Bunny is one of the Muppets. His first appearance was in the HBO special The Tale of the Bunny Picnic. He is performed by Steve Whitmire...
escape the theater and, of course, heckling the show. They also make a cameo appearance in Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
's 2008 short film Presto
Presto (film)
Presto is a 2008 American Pixar computer-animated short film shown in theaters before their feature length film WALL-E. The short is about a magician trying to perform a show with his uncooperative rabbit and is a gag-filled homage to classic cartoons such as Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes...
, where they can be seen in their theater box.
The Muppet Newsflash: A Jim Henson News Blog announced on Sept. 17, 2009, that Statler and Waldorf will release a book titled From the Balcony in 2010.
Other appearances
- Both made an appearance in Marvel Team-UpMarvel Team-UpMarvel Team-Up is the name of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story...
#74. In this issue, Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
teams up with the cast of Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
to battle the Silver SamuraiSilver SamuraiThe Silver Samurai is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' universe, occasionally a superhero and more often a supervillain. His first appearance was in Daredevil #111...
. Statler and Waldorf appear in typical style as hecklers on a balcony.
- They appear at the end of Weezer'sWeezerWeezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
video for the song "'Keep Fishin'Keep Fishin'"Keep Fishin" is a song by the American alternative rock band Weezer. It is the second single off the band's fourth album, Maladroit. It peaked at #15 on the US alternative charts.-Music video:...
". They comment that the performance wasn't half bad, before adding that it was all bad.
- In the Teen Titans episode "Bunny Raven", the Titans are trapped in Mumbo's hat in a theater filled with Mumbo look-alikes. Among them are two elderly men sitting in a lodge who, like Statler and Waldorf, make fun of certain features of the show.
- On the song "The Black Hole" by HORSE the bandHORSE the bandHorse the Band is a band from Lake Forest, California who are best known for their 8-bit Nintendo-influenced sound combined with metalcore. Frontman Nathan Winneke once described their sound as "Nintendocore".-Biography:...
, the track ends with Statler and Waldorf celebrating the song and then talking themselves into decrying it as "terrible".
- In the animated television show Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, Statler and Waldorf appear in the episode "PetergeistPetergeist"Petergeist" is an episode from season four of Fox animated series Family Guy. Peter decides to build a multiplex to top Joe's new home theater, but comes across an Indian skull in his backyard and desecrates it...
". They watch LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
with PeterPeter GriffinPeter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
and LoisLois GriffinLois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
from a balcony. After Peter comments on the great episode they just watched, Waldorf says "Well, at least the show's got the right name." Statler replies "Yeah, I couldn't follow any of it!" and the two burst into laughter. Peter then remarks that "they don't care for most things."
- On September 18, 2009, Statler and Waldorf were shown in a routine on The Tonight Show with Conan O'BrienThe Tonight Show with Conan O'BrienThe Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show that featured Conan O'Brien as host from June 1, 2009 to January 22, 2010 as part of NBC's long-running Tonight Show franchise...
called "Statler and Waldorf Heckle Obama", consisting of a video recording of President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
at a health care rally, with old Muppet Show clips of Statler and Waldorf interspersed within it.
- The LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
distribution called Crunchbang added the codename Statler to one of their releases and he regularly appears on the screen delivering a comical message to the user.
- In an episode of "The Cosby ShowThe Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
", Statler is seated beside an elderly gentleman (Bill CosbyBill CosbyWilliam Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
), who has replaced Waldorf, mustache and all. The two heckle an act that includes Cliff (also played by Cosby) and other Muppets. The sequence is part of a dream caused by Cliff's poor eating habits. Several Muppets appear throughout Cliff's dream.
- Statler and Waldorf have a cameo appearence in the 2008 PixarPixarPixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
short, PrestoPresto (film)Presto is a 2008 American Pixar computer-animated short film shown in theaters before their feature length film WALL-E. The short is about a magician trying to perform a show with his uncooperative rabbit and is a gag-filled homage to classic cartoons such as Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes...
. Both are viewing a magic show from a balcony, similar to their role on The Muppet Show.
- During The Lord of the Rings Online 2010 winter festival, "Statdor" and "Waldo", "critics", are featured in the customary places at the theater, offering running commentary of the player's performances.
- Statler and Waldorf are featured characters in the 2011 muppet movie, The MuppetsThe Muppets (film)The Muppets is a 2011 American musical and comedy film, and the first Muppets theatrical release in 12 years, as well as the first Disney-produced Muppets film since 1996's Muppet Treasure Island...
. To promote the film they also appeared with several other Muppets on the 2011 HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
episode of WWE RawWWE RAWWWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, with the duo offering their usual commentary from a skyboxLuxury boxA Luxury box is a special seating section located within stadiums, arenas and other sporting and entertainment venues. They are typically located in the midsection of a stadium grandstand, usually providing the best views of the event...
.