Gonzo, also known as The Great Gonzo or Gonzo the Great, is a
Muppet
The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an surreal humor, absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential humor, self-referential style of Variety show, variety-sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are ...
. Aside from his trademark enthusiasm for
performance art
Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...
, another defining trait of Gonzo is the ambiguity of his
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
, which has become a
running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...
in the franchise. He has been considered to be of various origins, including a
Frackle, in his debut appearance in ''
The Great Santa Claus Switch
''The Great Santa Claus Switch'' is a musical Christmas special featuring Jim Henson's Muppets. It first aired on CBS on December 20, 1970, as an episode of ''The Ed Sullivan Show''. It was directed by John Moffitt, written by Jerry Juhl, with ...
'';
extraterrestrial in ''
Muppets from Space
''Muppets from Space'' is a 1999 American science-fiction film, science-fiction comedy film directed by Tim Hill (director), Tim Hill (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut) and written by Jerry Juhl, Joey Mazzarino, Jo ...
''; or
avian
Avian may refer to:
*Birds or Aves, winged animals
*Avian (given name) (russian: Авиа́н, link=no), a male forename
Aviation
*Avro Avian, a series of light aircraft made by Avro in the 1920s and 1930s
*Avian Limited, a hang glider manufacture ...
creature.
Developed and performed by
Dave Goelz
David Charles Goelz (; born July 16, 1946) is an American puppeteer and puppet builder known for his work with the Muppets. As part of the Muppets' performing cast, Goelz performs Gonzo the Great, as well as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Waldorf (after ...
,
Gonzo made his first appearance in the 1970 special ''The Great Santa Claus Switch'', as the "Cigar Box Frackle".
Originally a minor figure in ''
The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...
'', he soon evolved into one of the franchise's primary characters. Gonzo has appeared in every Muppet film, including ''
The Muppet Christmas Carol
''The Muppet Christmas Carol'' is a 1992 American Christmas musical comedy drama film directed by Brian Henson (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Jerry Juhl. Adapted from the 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol'' by Charles Dic ...
'', where he portrayed author
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
and developed a
double act
A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act. Pairings are typically long-term, in some cases f ...
with
Rizzo the Rat
Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet character, created and originally performed by Steve Whitmire. He is a fictional rat who appeared on '' The Muppet Show'' and numerous films, with a starring role in the 1992 film '' The Muppet Christmas Carol''.
The ch ...
.
History
The prototype of Gonzo appeared in ''The Great Santa Claus Switch'', "as a generic gruff baddie".
Jim Henson
James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...
selected this Frackle as the basis for Gonzo, and gave the character to puppeteer
Dave Goelz
David Charles Goelz (; born July 16, 1946) is an American puppeteer and puppet builder known for his work with the Muppets. As part of the Muppets' performing cast, Goelz performs Gonzo the Great, as well as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Waldorf (after ...
. Gonzo was created as a character with low self-esteem,
as written by
Jerry Juhl
Jerome Ravn Juhl (July 27, 1938 – September 27, 2005) was an American television and film writer, best known for his work with The Muppets.
Biography
Juhl was born in St. Paul, Minnesota; his family moved to Menlo Park, California, when ...
, with Goelz acknowledging he put himself into that interpretation.
Later, with Jim Henson's approval, they reworked the eyes to allow the character to convey more excitement, and a "zany, bombastic appreciation for life".
Gonzo has several memorable performances such as his 1979 song from ''
The Muppet Movie
''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'', "
I'm Going to Go Back There Someday
''The Muppet Movie: Original Soundtrack Recording'' is the soundtrack album from the 1979 film, ''The Muppet Movie'', featuring the songs and select score written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. Originally released on LP by Atlantic Reco ...
". He became known for his stunts as acts within ''The Muppet Show'' and beyond, with the famous quote "I shall now eat a rubber tire to the music of ''
The Flight of the Bumblebee''...music, maestro!"
In 1992, he played the part of
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
in ''
The Muppet Christmas Carol
''The Muppet Christmas Carol'' is a 1992 American Christmas musical comedy drama film directed by Brian Henson (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Jerry Juhl. Adapted from the 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol'' by Charles Dic ...
'', as director
Brian Henson
Brian Henson (born November 3, 1963) is an American puppeteer, director, producer, voice actor and the chairman of The Jim Henson Company. He is the son of puppeteers Jim and Jane Henson.
Early life
Henson was born on November 3, 1963, in New ...
said Gonzo was the most improbable Muppet to do so.
Here, he developed a double act with
Rizzo the Rat
Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet character, created and originally performed by Steve Whitmire. He is a fictional rat who appeared on '' The Muppet Show'' and numerous films, with a starring role in the 1992 film '' The Muppet Christmas Carol''.
The ch ...
, narrating and breaking the
fourth wall
The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...
, with Rizzo challenging Gonzo's claims to be Dickens. The Gonzo and Rizzo partnership was continued in ''
Muppet Treasure Island
''Muppet Treasure Island'' is a 1996 American musical swashbuckler comedy film directed by Brian Henson. It is the fifth theatrical film in ''The Muppets'' franchise.
Adapted from the 1883 novel ''Treasure Island'' by Robert Louis Stevenson, s ...
'' (1996) and ''
Muppets from Space
''Muppets from Space'' is a 1999 American science-fiction film, science-fiction comedy film directed by Tim Hill (director), Tim Hill (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut) and written by Jerry Juhl, Joey Mazzarino, Jo ...
'' (1999). Along with Kermit and Rizzo, Gonzo gave an
audio commentary
An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...
for the ''Muppets from Space''
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
.
In ''
The Muppets
The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety- sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...
'', it was revealed that he had become a powerful plumbing magnate since the Muppets split up. In the 2015 television series ''
The Muppets
The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety- sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...
'', Gonzo is a major character and the head writer of
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases in ...
's late night talk show, ''Up Late with Miss Piggy''.
Character
Gonzo is not a puppet version of a human or a recognizable animal. He has an awkward, non animal-like appearance, which includes purple-blue fur, purple feathers on his head, bug-eyes, and a long, hooked nose, referred to as a "beak". In ''
The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...
'' and ''
The Muppet Movie
''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'', he performed as a
performance art
Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...
ist,
stunt double
In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes FOR another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...
and
daredevil under the name "The Great Gonzo" (or "Gonzo the Great").
Gonzo is good friends with all of the Muppets, but performed a
double act
A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act. Pairings are typically long-term, in some cases f ...
with
Rizzo the Rat
Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet character, created and originally performed by Steve Whitmire. He is a fictional rat who appeared on '' The Muppet Show'' and numerous films, with a starring role in the 1992 film '' The Muppet Christmas Carol''.
The ch ...
since ''The Muppet Christmas Carol''. Gonzo has a long-standing romantic relationship with
Camilla the Chicken, whom he first courted in the
Leslie Uggams
Leslie Marian Uggams (born May 25, 1943) is an American actress and singer. Beginning her career as a child in the early 1950s, Uggams is recognized for portraying Kizzy Reynolds in the television miniseries ''Roots'' (1977), earning Golden Glob ...
episode of ''The Muppet Show'', and directed Camilla and the other chickens in 2008
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
videos.
Species
A
running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...
related to Gonzo is that it is not clear what species he is supposed to be. Gonzo's
self-identity
In the psychology of self, one's self-concept (also called self-construction, self-identity, self-perspective or self-structure) is a collection of beliefs about oneself. Generally, self-concept embodies the answer to the question ''"Who am I? ...
is a "whatever". In ''
The Muppet Movie
''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'',
Kermit, while conversing with his inner self, says "And a thing, whatever Gonzo is. He's a little like a turkey", to which his inner self replies "but not much". In the film ''
The Great Muppet Caper
''The Great Muppet Caper'' is a 1981 British-American musical heist comedy film directed by Jim Henson (in his feature directorial debut). It is the second theatrical film in ''The Muppets'' franchise. In addition to the Muppet performers, the ...
'', he is shipped to England in a crate labeled "Whatever" (while Kermit the Frog and
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet character best known as the insecure and comedically fruitless stand-up comic on ''The Muppet Show.'' Fozzie is an orange-brown bear who often wears a brown pork pie hat and a pink and white polka dot necktie. The charac ...
are respectively labeled "Frog" and "Bear"). Not long afterward, the three land in a pond in front of
Robert Morley
Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who enjoyed a lengthy career in both Britain and the United States. He was frequently cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment, of ...
who ponders if it's raining cats and dogs; Kermit and Fozzie respectively reply, "Actually, we're bears and frogs." "And Gonzos." In ''A Muppet Family Christmas'', when Gonzo states to the Christmas Turkey that Camilla is his girlfriend, the Christmas Turkey says "You're not even a bird!" In the ''Muppet Treasure Island CD-ROM Game'', Gonzo and
Rizzo the Rat
Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet character, created and originally performed by Steve Whitmire. He is a fictional rat who appeared on '' The Muppet Show'' and numerous films, with a starring role in the 1992 film '' The Muppet Christmas Carol''.
The ch ...
land in a bucket of
molasses
Molasses () is a viscous substance resulting from refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, method of extraction and age of the plant. Sugarcane molasses is primarily used to sweeten and flavour foods ...
, following the dialogue of a carriage driver saying "It's raining rats and... whatevers". In ''
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' is a 2005 musical fantasy television film directed by Kirk R. Thatcher. It is the second film to be made for television in ''The Muppets'' franchise. The film stars Ashanti, Jeffrey Tambor, Quentin Tarantino, David ...
'', Gonzo played a
Tin Man-ish character primarily known as the "Tin Thing". In ''
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies
''Jim Henson's Muppet Babies'', commonly known by the shortened title ''Muppet Babies'', is an American animated television series produced by Marvel Productions and Henson Associates. The show aired from September 15, 1984, to November 2, 1991, as ...
'', Gonzo (voice of
Russi Taylor) is simply referred to, most often by Baby Piggy, as a "weirdo" or "blue weirdo".
In ''
Muppets from Space
''Muppets from Space'' is a 1999 American science-fiction film, science-fiction comedy film directed by Tim Hill (director), Tim Hill (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut) and written by Jerry Juhl, Joey Mazzarino, Jo ...
'', Gonzo has a starring role. In the film, he is revealed to be an
alien
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
, and his alien family tracks him down with the intention of welcoming him back into his long-lost community; before their departure, they ask him to return to space with them. Gonzo says a sad farewell to the Muppets, but soon realizes that he would be abandoning the friends who have been like his family all along, prompting him to decline the aliens' offer.
Gender
In a 1984 ''Muppets'' comic strip, Gonzo is seen passing by the gendered bathroom options of "Women" and "Men", and instead walking through a door labeled "Whatever", which some members of the LGBTQ+ community have interpreted to mean that Gonzo is non-binary.
On a 2021 episode of ''
Muppet Babies'' parodying
Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
, Gonzo puts on the glass slipper and transforms into "Gonzorella". Gonzo later admits to his fellow Muppets that "the princess who came to your ball tonight... was me." When
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases in ...
asks why Gonzo did not tell them, Gonzo replies, "Because you all expected me to look a certain way. I don't want you to be upset with me... but I don't want to do things just because that's the way they've been done, either. I wanna be me." When asked about the episode producer
Tom Warburton
Thomas Edward "Tom" Warburton (born July 23, 1968), better known as Mr. Warburton, is an American animator, producer, writer, and character designer. He is best known for creating the animated television series '' Codename: Kids Next Door''. He ...
said that early on the plan was to make Gonzo appear in a skirt as if it were no big deal, because "Gonzo is always 200 percent Gonzo 347 percent of the time", but the writing team decided to take it further with the Cinderella arc. Warburton remarked that "It was just SO wonderfully Gonzo. We hope he inspires kids watching to be 347% of themselves in their own way, too."
Filmography
* ''
The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...
'' (1976–1981) (TV)
* ''
The Muppet Movie
''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'' (1979)
* ''
The Great Muppet Caper
''The Great Muppet Caper'' is a 1981 British-American musical heist comedy film directed by Jim Henson (in his feature directorial debut). It is the second theatrical film in ''The Muppets'' franchise. In addition to the Muppet performers, the ...
'' (1981)
* ''
The Muppets Take Manhattan
''The Muppets Take Manhattan'' is a 1984 American musical comedy drama film directed by Frank Oz. It is the third theatrical film in ''The Muppets'' franchise. In addition to the Muppet performance, the film features special appearances by Art ...
'' (1984)
* ''
Muppet Babies'' (1984–1991) (TV)
* ''
The Muppet Christmas Carol
''The Muppet Christmas Carol'' is a 1992 American Christmas musical comedy drama film directed by Brian Henson (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Jerry Juhl. Adapted from the 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol'' by Charles Dic ...
'' (1992) as
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
* ''
Muppet Treasure Island
''Muppet Treasure Island'' is a 1996 American musical swashbuckler comedy film directed by Brian Henson. It is the fifth theatrical film in ''The Muppets'' franchise.
Adapted from the 1883 novel ''Treasure Island'' by Robert Louis Stevenson, s ...
'' (1996)
* ''
Muppets Tonight
''Muppets Tonight'' is an American live-action/ puppet family-oriented television series created by Jim Henson Productions and featuring The Muppets. Much like the "MuppeTelevision" segment of ''The Jim Henson Hour'' (1989), the show was a conti ...
'' (1996–2000) (TV)
* ''
Muppets from Space
''Muppets from Space'' is a 1999 American science-fiction film, science-fiction comedy film directed by Tim Hill (director), Tim Hill (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut) and written by Jerry Juhl, Joey Mazzarino, Jo ...
'' (1999)
* ''
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
''It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie'' is a 2002 American musical fantasy comedy television film directed by Kirk R. Thatcher and written by Tom Martin and Jim Lewis. The film premiered November 29, 2002 on NBC and the first film to be ...
'' (2002) (TV)
* ''
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' is a 2005 musical fantasy television film directed by Kirk R. Thatcher. It is the second film to be made for television in ''The Muppets'' franchise. The film stars Ashanti, Jeffrey Tambor, Quentin Tarantino, David ...
'' (2005) (TV) as Himself and the
Tin Thing
* ''
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa'' (2008) (TV)
* ''
Studio DC: Almost Live'' (2008) (TV)
* ''
The Muppets
The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety- sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...
'' (2011)
* ''
Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular
''Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular'' is a Thanksgiving television special with American singer Lady Gaga and the Muppets. The 90-minute program aired on ABC on November 28, 2013, with guest stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elton John an ...
'' (2013) (TV)
* ''
Muppets Most Wanted
''Muppets Most Wanted'' is a 2014 American musical crime comedy film and the eighth theatrical film featuring the Muppets. Directed by James Bobin and written by Bobin and Nicholas Stoller, the film is a sequel to ''The Muppets'' (2011) and sta ...
'' (2014)
* ''
The Muppets
The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety- sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...
'' (2015–2016) (TV)
* ''
Muppet Babies'' (2018–2022) (TV)
* ''
Muppets Now
''Muppets Now'' is an American television series produced by The Muppets Studio for the streaming service Disney+. Directed by Kirk Thatcher, the series is an improvisational comedy based on ''The Muppets'' franchise by Jim Henson. It premiere ...
'' (2020) (
Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
)
* ''
Muppets Haunted Mansion
''Muppets Haunted Mansion'' is a 2021 American puppet supernatural comedy Halloween special based on the Disney properties The Muppets and The Haunted Mansion. It was released on October 8, 2021, via Disney+. It is the Muppets' first Halloween s ...
'' (2021) (Disney+)
Cultural impact
Though primarily performed by Dave Goelz, he has also been voiced in animated form by
Hal Rayle
Hal Rayle (born January 4, 1955) is an American voice actor. He has done many roles for both animated series and live action movies.
Career
Rayle has had a number of voice acting jobs over his career. Rayle's animated series roles include Miss Pi ...
in ''
Little Muppet Monsters
''Little Muppet Monsters'' is a Saturday morning television series featuring the Muppets that aired three episodes on CBS in 1985. The first season of '' Muppet Babies'' did so well in the ratings, that CBS decided to expand the series from a h ...
''. Brett O'Quinn performed Gonzo in ''Muppets Ahoy!'', a 2006
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line operation that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Limited, through the first vessel, ''Disney Magic'' and is domiciled in London, England ...
show. An infant-aged version of Gonzo appeared as a regular character in the animated
spin-off television series ''
Muppet Babies'', voiced by
Russi Taylor, alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy, and other central ''Muppet Show'' figures. Baby Gonzo is one of the cartoon characters featured in ''
Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue
''Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue'' is a 1990 American animated television film starring many characters from several animated television series at the time of its release. Financed by McDonald's, Ronald McDonald Children's Charities, it was or ...
''. Baby Gonzo later returned in the
2018 ''Muppet Babies'' series, voiced by
Benjamin Diskin
Benjamin Isaac Diskin (born August 25, 1982) is an American actor who was affiliated in Studiopolis, Bang Zoom!, SDI Media, Funimation, VSI Los Angeles, and NYAV Post.
Early life
Diskin was born in Los Angeles County, California to a Jewish fa ...
.
Gonzo was featured on the #28 Havoline Ford of
Ricky Rudd
Richard Lee Rudd (born September 12, 1956), nicknamed "The Rooster", is an American former racing driver. He is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and former NASCAR Busch Series driver Jason Rudd. He retired in 2007 with 23 career wins. He was named ...
in the 2002 Tropicana 400 in an advertising campaign in which Gonzo and his fellow Muppets were featured on a select few
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
Nextel Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971 ...
race cars. Gonzo also appeared alongside Gonzo's fellow Muppets on the Halloween 2011 episode of ''
WWE Raw
''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television show, television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time Zone, ET on the USA Networ ...
''.
Gonzo was announced as the
Grand marshal
Grand marshal is a ceremonial, military rank, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "marshal" with the first usage of the term "grand marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders. ...
for the
Auto Club 400
The Pala Casino 400 is a 400-mile (643.737 km) NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. It is the second race of the Cup Series season (after the Daytona 500) and has been since 2022 as well as f ...
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
Sprint Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971 ...
race at
Auto Club Speedway
Auto Club Speedway, originally opened as California Speedway, is a , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in unincorporated San Bernardino County, California, near Fontana. It has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. It was also previ ...
in
Fontana, Ca. to give the famous command of "Drivers, Start your engines". Gonzo fulfilled his duty on March 23, 2014.
![Fly00496 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Fly00496_-_Flickr_-_NOAA_Photo_Library.jpg)
Gonzo is also the namesake to the CT-142
Bombardier Dash 8
The De Havilland Canada DHC-8, commonly known as the Dash 8, is a series of turboprop-powered regional airliners, introduced by de Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984. DHC was later bought by Boeing in 1988, then by Bombardier in 1992; then by ...
used by the Canadian Armed Forces for
Air Combat Systems Officer training due to the blue paint job and elongated nose housing a specialized radar. A similar flying example is the
Gulfstream IV
The Gulfstream IV (or G-IV or GIV) and derivatives are a family of twinjet aircraft, mainly for private or business use. They were designed and built by Gulfstream Aerospace, a General Dynamics company based in Savannah, Georgia, United State ...
light jetliner bearing US registration ''N49RF'', flown for
severe weather research by the US Federal
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
, and i
also named for Gonzoas portside
nose art
Nose art is a decorative painting or design on the fuselage of an aircraft, usually on the front fuselage.
While begun for practical reasons of identifying friendly units, the practice evolved to express the individuality often constrained by ...
.
Reception
Reviewing ''
Muppets from Space
''Muppets from Space'' is a 1999 American science-fiction film, science-fiction comedy film directed by Tim Hill (director), Tim Hill (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut) and written by Jerry Juhl, Joey Mazzarino, Jo ...
'' in 1999,
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
found the most humorous part to be Gonzo being denied entry in
Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark ( he, תיבת נח; Biblical Hebrew: ''Tevat Noaḥ'')The word "ark" in modern English comes from Old English ''aerca'', meaning a chest or box. (See Cresswell 2010, p.22) The Hebrew word for the vessel, ''teva'', occurs twice in t ...
for not having a second member of his species, and expressed sympathy for his loneliness as an extraterrestrial, stranded since the
Roswell UFO incident
The Roswell incident was an event that occurred in 1947, pertaining to the recovery of mundane metallic and rubber debris from a military balloon that crashed near Corona, New Mexico by United States Army Air Forces officers from Roswell Army ...
, adding "Poor guy (or whatever he is)". In 2012, ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''s Lizzy Dening, reviewing the Muppet films, identified Gonzo as a favorite. That year, ''
The Daily Beast
''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008.
It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' wrote about appreciation for the Muppets in the
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is a ...
community, calling Gonzo "the queerest Muppet of all".
In 2015,
Today.com
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It wa ...
, in reviewing the Humpty Dance
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
video, referred to Gonzo himself as a "classic Muppet". That year, ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' identified Gonzo as a popular Muppet, saying to his fans, "People just don't GET you" adding "And nothing would ever be the same without you."
References
Bibliography
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External links
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Disney.com
disney.com is a website operated by Disney Digital Network, a division of The Walt Disney Company, that promotes various Disney properties such as films, television shows, and theme park resorts, and offers entertainment content intended for child ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzo, The Great
Television characters introduced in 1970
Fictional characters who break the fourth wall
Fictional extraterrestrial characters
Fictional plumbers
Fictional proboscideans
Fictional stunt performers
Fictional writers
The Muppets characters
de:Die Muppet Show#Gonzo