How Drug Culture Influenced the Muppets

[@ModernMouse]

Due to the subject matter, this video may get flagged so it'd be great if you shared this video if you enjoyed it.

[@Ryan-zt4kd]

I don't have any friends, but I did like the video 👍

[@CyrusCageSCWS]

No way it'll get banned or censored. KZbin is cool with drugs. If he spouted any views that were too conservative however, different story.

[@Cherri_Stars]

I was shocked and delighted that Disney+ let Muppets Mayhem make an episode where the plot was that the band basically does LSD in the desert. It felt so in line with the origins of the Muppets and The Muppet Show

[@ModernMouse]

I feel the same way. I'm shocked anything slightly controversial ends up on Disney+ but this was clearly a "bad trip" and despite my shock, I really enjoyed the show. It's the best thing I think they've done in a long time.

[@DaddyDan77]

I too thought "Muppets Mayhem" was a good direction for the Muppets but Disney ruthlessly cancelled the series after one season because it didn't meet their expectations. Disney proves once again that it has no idea what to do with the Muppets. (Or more generally that they go around buying things with no idea WHY they might want to possess a given piece of intellectual property.

[@TheFangirlWatches]

You are way better than the views you get, Josh!

[@ModernMouse]

You are too kind! Thank you. Luckily the channel isn't my only source of income, but I do always try to put my heart and soul into videos as if it is. Hopefully it pays off down the road.

[@daniexists6]

I come from this, both being a Muppet fan and being someone in one of the states where it's legal. And I couldn't have put it better. I think Muppets Mayhem for sure (if you'll excuse the accidental pun) allowed a lot more of the edgier, stoner comedy of the seventies era be on full display just on the grounds of who these characters are and their inspirations, like Keith Moon, Mick Jagger and especially The Beatles and Pink Floyd. Which is why I think it was the most blunt of all the franchise's stuff about the drug culture aspect. Even in the 2015 series, one of the first lines was Zoot thinking he was in an AA meeting, after all.

[@ModernMouse]

As soon as I saw AA meeting joke in the 2015 show I knew I'd like it and I knew that some people would probably not be interested in it. What I've come to find is that there isn't one type of Muppets fan. Depending on your entry point into the Muppets, they are either very tame and nice, or they are absolute chaos.

[@jessicaaddams8890]

Back when season one ended you asked for feedback on the new format, the ongoing story, and I gave my thoughts on it. I worried I was a little harsh, because even while I complimented you for trying something new I was critical of how you incorporated the story elements, interrupting the flow of each episode's main topic with segments that those of us who didn't watch every episode couldn't easily follow. I just caught up with the start of season two last night and, at the risk of giving a backhanded compliment, I think there's been a notable and very positive change in how you've worked the story parts into each episode. They're worked into the flow of the episode better, or at least the breaks in analysis and whatnot aren't as jarring. Good job.

[@ModernMouse]

I appreciate that. Joe and I really did want the feedback, even if it was harsh, because we wanted to improve the narrative videos. I'm glad you spoke up because it helped focus in on issues we had.

[@CyrusCageSCWS]

Great video man. I've been pointing out the various drug stereotypes in muppets mayhem to my wife for months now. Sad to hear you were brainwashed by the government about this topic but glad you're growing out of it 🤙

[@ModernMouse]

Appreciate the comment. I've never been 100% against it but living in Colorado and then California as marijuana was legalized was eye opening. It felt like everything I was told during my childhood was all fear mongering.

[@speeta]

You were introduced to the Cheech & Chong duo kind of late. I recall their coming into some fame with a few record albums performing audio comedy sketches with drug culture themes, which had remained illegal but became mainstream hip & cool through the 1970s.

[@ModernMouse]

I'm unsure of what exactly you mean as I was born after Cheech and Chong already has a successful career. In terms of me jumping into the films, rather than starting with the recorded live performances, I wanted to emphasize the Hays Code and its importance to them coming into film.

[@alienfrograbbit5310]

I know this video is just about The Muppets and not any other of Jim Henson's properties, but I am sorta surprised you didn't mention Skekgra and Urgoh from Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. They are prominently shown doing drugs and are even supposed to be directly based of the characters from Fear and Loathing. They seem to fit in with the tropes you mentioned, being a buddy comedy duo who hates the government. Still, great video!

[@ModernMouse]

The Dark Crystal series on Netflix is actually a blind spot for me. I dropped Netflix for a period of time right as it came out and just never got around to it. I appreciate the contribution here. I guess now I have to go and check it out and make a video!

[@PuppetNerd]

Or did the Muppets influence Stoner Comedy….

[@ModernMouse]

A little bit of both honestly!

[@disneymagiczack]

This was such an in depth look and it makes sense! Amazing points and I loved the drug sequence and the intro 😂

[@ModernMouse]

We probably had a bit too much fun shooting the beginning and drug sequence, but I'm glad you enjoyed it because we enjoyed putting that together.

[@disneymagiczack]

@ModernMouse honestly, it was so good! An amazing piece of cinematograpy and editing Well done for sure

[@firerun777]

Thanks for the suggestion. I really liked it and the history of stoner comedies.

[@ModernMouse]

Glad you enjoyed this one. I know it wasn't exactly the part 2 to the Animal video, but there are some connections. Appreciate you taking the time to watch my videos!

[@55twintv39]

11:43, 29:25 The Muppet Show (1976-1981)

[@glazdarklee1683]

As one who grew up with Muppets, I was at first kinda put off by this, but after seeing this video I think you make an excellent argument. I guess I didn't really process this before because I have always fully embraced this kind of humor without ever having done drugs. (OK, there was that one bong hit in college, but in my defense I was pretty drunk.)

[@kandigloss6438]

Huh, it's interesting to find out that there where kids where the "just say no" campaign actually worked. Maybe it was regional but where I lived no kid I knew took it seriously and it was pretty much regarded as a big joke, we could kinda see how over the top and unrealistic it was even back then.

[@ModernMouse]

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I definitely believed that smoking marijuana would turn you into a brainless zombie for a long time. Probably up until my high school days, but then the people I hung out with also never did drugs so I never experimented or tried anything so I had no real way of knowing if the campaign ads were true or not.

[@kandigloss6438]

@@ModernMouse Ah, when you put it that way I agree, I don't know why but I I was thinking more preteen/early highschool age, I'm pretty sick right now and feel like I'm on drugs myself even though I'm not, lol.

[@ModernMouse]

@@kandigloss6438 so really what you are saying is that you are in a perfect state to watch this video!

[@muppetism]

Awesome video

[@ModernMouse]

Thank you so much! I didn't know how Muppet fans would react. Glad everyone I've heard from has really liked this video as I put a lot of my heart and soul into it.

[@BnRstudios4912]

I mean, it makes sense in the 2011 muppets movie as well. They even got Jack Black for it lol.

[@ModernMouse]

Truth!

[@55twintv39]

5:56 Paul Rubbish’s Pee-Wee Herman. RIP 🪦

[@55twintv39]

2:39 Mid-1950s actually

[@chad9186]

I'd say there's a huge difference between marijuana and drugs

[@ModernMouse]

I'd argue that the Muppets were also influenced by acid and other hallucinogenic drugs

[@chad9186]

@@ModernMouse I just don't find those things to be laughing matters . They ruin lives

[@ModernMouse]

Oh I'm not saying if it is or isn't funny since that's all relative to your own taste, but it's definitely a major part of the 70s when it comes to art, and the Muppets have continued on with that tradition. If you've seen the Muppets Mayhem show on Disney+ then you know that the "bad trip" piece of stoner comedy still exists.

[@chad9186]

@@ModernMouse I tried to watch Muppets Mayhem but I found it kinda boring . I'm sorry

[@ModernMouse]

@@chad9186 No need to be sorry. I can see where you are coming from. It's not some people's cup of tea.

[@davidfitzpatrick6535]

Josh Josh Josh rule number 1 for using Marijuana.... BUY FROM RELIABLE SOURCES AND NOT THE STREET.

[@ModernMouse]

Always do

[@davidfitzpatrick6535]

@@ModernMouse lol Josh buying from Barry ur friend on the street corner doesnt count jk.😁

[@ModernMouse]

Dang it! LOL

[@volzschlittseyxavierkoopa9287]

💚 Good!

[@ModernMouse]

No, great

[@theshooterkm]

weed

[@ModernMouse]

As promised on the community board, there was some of that in the video.

[@muppetfan77show26]

Interesting🤔

[@ModernMouse]

Hope you enjoyed!

[@theshooterkm]

weed

[@ModernMouse]

I can not confirm or deny the drug of choice

[@AlanTheOlive]

loooool

[@ModernMouse]

Glad you enjoyed this! Hope you got around to watching Muppets Mayhem.

[@briantidlundpp-dc9uy]

😂😅

[@joeybaseball7352]

I used to like the muppets. But the toxic muppet fanbase steered me away them.

[@ModernMouse]

What I've found is that there are toxic people in every fanbase. They suck the joy out of things, but really, you just have to tune them out.

[@joeybaseball7352]

@@ModernMouse yeah, but it's kinda hard when Frank Oz is leading that charge on toxicity. I was attacked by full grown adults in the 90's for liking Elmo (not physically). These Muppet fans hated Elmo with a passion. And what was Elmo's horrible crime that caused all of this hatred? He had a toy that giggled. That was Elmo's horrible sin, that made all these toxic muppet fans hate Elmo. He had a popular toy. And they also attacked Barney. And these toxic muppet fans also hated Barney. There's a documentary on peacock you should watch called "I Hate You, You Hate Me" that explores the evil that these toxic people did to Barney. They literally had organized events where you could kill Barney. You could shoot him, burn him, chop him up, decapitate him. Keep in mind, these are full grown adults, in the 90s, doing this. And what were Barney's crimes against humanity? Being a purple dinosaur that told kids that they were special, and that they mattered, and were important, and that he loved them. And Barney was also popular. That's Barney's major sin. I know of one guy, born in the 70's, who actually wrote to Mister Rogers expressing his hate for Barney. Keep in mind, he was an adult when he wrote this letter. And Mister Rogers actually wrote back to him, and said that that Barney did nothing wrong, and there was no need to have hostility towards him. And that there are things in life you won't like, but if they aren't causing any harm to anyone, you need to just ignore them, and not let them bother you. That is what Fred Rogers literally said to an adult. It's unclear if Fred knew he was writing to an adult or not.