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Reference the Muppet Movie (1979).

A conceit of the film is that it tells the story “more or less” about how the Muppets got to Hollywood. Consequently, it has a present bookend narrative in which the Muppets’ “The Muppets Movie” gets screened. And in fact, most of the The Muppets Movie (1979) then is the flashback adventure of the in-universe Muppets’ movie.

Many of the cars in the Muppets’ movie appear to be appropriate for the year filmed — it does not appear to be much of a “period piece.” On their travel, Kermit & Fozzie encounter a hitch-hiking Big Bird who has not yet started his Sesame Street career.

What year was the Muppets’ “the Muppet Movie” set within the Muppets’ universe?

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  • 6
    But the Muppets are not just anthropomorphic animals. They at least include monsters, aliens, fantastic creatures, as well as human caricatures. Sweetums is a large ogre Muppet, and certainly ogres are fantasy enough even if one doesn’t think Muppets are. Dr. Bunsen and Beaker include mad-science, which comprises the film’s climax — certainly growth super-science is sci-fi enough elements. Their “growth pills” are literally science fiction in the form manifested by Animal’s super-sizing.
    – Silly but True
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 15:10
  • 5
    I’m voting to close this question because this isn't about a science fiction or fantasy aspect of the show.
    – DavidW
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 15:32
  • 4
    So now a question about a sci-fi/fantasy film has to also include a sci-fi/fantasy hook to it? That doesn’t seem right?
    – Silly but True
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 15:34
  • 7
    The universe is on-topic, so this question surely should be on-topic as well
    – fez
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 16:16
  • 4
    Wait, wha—? Why wouldn’t Popeye be considered fantasy? scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/174921/…
    – Silly but True
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 16:47

1 Answer 1

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13

Likely, in 1978. That was when the movie started filming, and Mean Mama is seen reading a copy of Variety discussing Holocaust sweeping the Emmy nominations, which happened in 1978.

Mean Mama reading Variety Click to enlarge

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7
  • So the in-universe Muppets’ film canon takes place about a decade later than real world, or it’s similar but for Sesame Street debuting a decade later?!? 😲
    – Silly but True
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 14:50
  • 3
    @SillybutTrue: We've discussed Sesame Street-Muppets canonicity before, but Muppets canon has always been very loose.
    – FuzzyBoots
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 14:57
  • 6
    So... a real loose canon, eh?
    – Lexible
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 17:14
  • 9
    @SillybutTrue I think you meant “Wakka wakka”
    – SethMMorton
    Commented Dec 20, 2021 at 18:09
  • 1
    Well I just watched it and he actually talks about being his dream of getting into public television, so I don’t think that can be any headcanon fix for 1979 Big Bird; also, if Sesame Street had been going strong for any amount of years before a break, Kermit & Fozzy would probably have recognized him?
    – Silly but True
    Commented Dec 21, 2021 at 1:06

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