There have been some fun entertainment-industry beefs, but it doesn’t get much better than the Muppets taking shots at Fox News.
In “The Muppets,” oil tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) nefariously plans to tear down the Muppet Theater. When Fox News and Fox Business Network anchor Eric Bolling caught wind of the film, he accused it of “liberals brainwashing children against capitalism” for its portrayal of Richman. In a press conference Thursday ahead of the film’s release in the United Kingdom, the Muppets responded to the allegations.
“That’s categorically not true,” Kermit the Frog said of Bolling’s accusations. “And besides, if we had a problem with oil companies, why would we have spent the entire film driving around in a gas-guzzling Rolls Royce?”
Miss Piggy also scoffed at the accusation.
“It’s almost as laughable as accusing Fox News of, you know, being news,” Miss Piggy said.
Ouch. Fox takes a big “L” there, and rightfully so. Bolling’s argument is full of holes, and can really only be justified if he either had a closed-head injury or likes to wear tin-foil hats.
“The Muppets” isn’t some subversive commentary on the evils of capitalism. Richman’s character isn’t even a representation of a specific industry. In fact, he is more of a caricature of a stereotypical villain more so than any kind of capitalism-hating goon trying to brainwash America’s youth.
Fox also likes to shove the notion down our throats that “family values” are virtually nonexistent these days. If Fox is seriously that upset that our society has turned into one big Satan-worshipping orgy, it should appreciate “The Muppets” for being the kind of Disney fare that Walt Disney himself (who was a Republican) has made family-friendly for decades.
I suppose this all comes down to Fox doing the same kind of sensationalizing it always has, which has undoubtedly helped it become the most-viewed cable news network, for better or worse (but mostly for worse). But making fun of the Muppets, who have become a timeless example of good-natured family fun?
Oh no you didn’t. (“Z” snap.)
There have been plenty of instances of the parties representing the many sides Fox has villainized over the years addressing Fox and getting the one-up. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have done it to Bill O’Reilly. Now, the Muppets have done the same.
Fox: You lost to puppets.
