Free Republic

Backstage on the new special, “The Muppet Show,” Sabrina Carpenter excitedly greets Miss Piggy, in whom she recognizes a kindred spirit. “I grew up watching you,” Carpenter says. “My parents grew up watching you. Their parents grew up watching——” The joke, of course, is that Carpenter ends up offending the diva by implying that she’s old. But there’s a truth to it, too: Since the madcap critters lit the lights on the comedy-variety “Muppet Show” in the 1970s, every generation has gotten its own Muppet ...The premise for “The Muppet Show” of 2026, a (for now) single-episode special premiering on...

Play the music, light the lights… and slap on the disclaimer? Select episodes of The Muppet Show — which began streaming on Disney+ on Friday, Feb. 19 — have been hit with a disclaimer citing “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures.” “These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now,” the disclaimer reads. “Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.” The warning message continues: “Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity...