ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 9, 1996 TAG: 9603130010
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: S-10 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: HOLLYWOOD
SOURCE: SUSAN KING LOS ANGELES TIMES
Witnessing the Muppets coming to life before one's eyes is an amazing experience.
On the Hollywood set of the new ABC comedy-variety series ``Muppets Tonight!'' the puppeteers are about to start rehearsals on ``Tales From the Vet,'' one of the recurring segments on the show, which premiered Friday as part of ABC's popular ``TGIF'' lineup (at 8:30 p.m. on WSET-Channel 13).
Several Muppets are lying on a table - just lifeless pieces of felt and foam rubber. The puppeteers take their places and suddenly a mangy mutt that had been a furry clump in a cage starts looking around and growling. Another bizarre creature begins to sway back and forth in its cage. Performer Brian Henson, son of the late Muppet creator Jim Henson and executive producer of ``Muppets Tonight!'' transforms the new character, Dr. Phil Van Neuter, into a crazy goofball just by putting his hand inside the head.
The Muppets have so much personality, it's easy to become oblivious to the puppeteers.
``When Frank Oz is here, you see Miss Piggy just lying there on one of those stands,'' says another executive producer, Dick Blasucci, Emmy Award-winning veteran of ``SCTV,'' ``The Tracey Ullman Show'' and ``The Larry Sanders Show.'' ``Suddenly, it comes alive, and then you start talking to the puppet basically. You don't talk to the puppeteer, you are looking at the puppet constantly.''
Like the classic syndicated 1976-81 ``The Muppet Show,'' the new series features comedy, music and a different human guest star each week. But whereas the old series was set in a vaudeville theater, the new show finds the Muppets operating their own rickety TV station, KMUP, and putting on a ``live'' show.
Besides having such guests as Billy Crystal, Garth Brooks and Martin Short, the series features the segments ``Tales From the Vet''; ``Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine! The Next Generation of ... Pigs in Space''; ``E-I-E-O-/R,'' a medical drama introducing the Ed Wynn-ish Mister Poodlepants; and ``Bay of Pigs Watch,'' starring that new babe boar, Spamela Hamderson.
Muppet superstars Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Rizzo are also on hand, along with the show's new host, the supercool Clifford, and Randy and Andy - a.k.a. ``two stupid pigs,'' who are Miss Piggy's nephews.
Henson, who is president of Jim Henson Productions, Inc., says he thought the time was right for ``Muppets Tonight!''
``We have talked about doing the next Muppet series for quite a while,'' says Henson, who also directed the gang's new hit film, ``Muppet Treasure Island,'' and is overseeing another TV series, ``Aliens in the Family,'' that premieres after ``Muppets Tonight!'' this Friday.
``It felt like we could come back with a variety format,'' Henson explains. ``For a while it didn't feel like variety was working out very well, and it might still not. There just seems to be an upswing in more intelligent but absurd comedy, and that's when our type of stuff works the best.''
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Country singer Garth Brooks guest stars in ``Muppetsby CNBTonight!'' airing Friday at 8:30 p.m. on WSET-Channel 13.