There were many fun and informative panels for Disney fans to enjoy at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. For Muppets fan, the panel that could not be missed was The Muppets 70: A Glamorous Miss Piggy Retrospective. This was a look at The Muppets through the lens of the Walt Disney Archives. The panel included Walt Disney Archives director Becky Cline and Dani Iglesias from The Muppets Studio. It was hosted by Yvette Nicole Brown, who appeared in Muppets Haunted Mansion.
The panel took a look at the history of The Muppets with some incredible artifacts that have been given to the Walt Disney Archives by The Muppets Studios. As the artifacts were shown, both guests on the floor and the panelists on the stage geeked out about them. There were also some fun things shown about the presenters as well, including Becky Cline’s longtime fandom of the Muppets and the Whatnot that was made of her!
Team Daps Magic captured this incredible panel, including a special virtual appearance by Miss Piggy. Check out the video below and then check out what artifacts were shared during this Muppetational panel.
Miss Bogen County Sash
The sash worn by Miss Piggy in The Muppet Movie in 1979. This was what Piggy was wearing the moment she saw Kermit the Frog for the very first time in Muppets lore.
Miss Piggy’s Bicycle
The next artifact that was shown was a beautifully restored bicycle that was Miss Piggy’s in 1981’s The Great Muppet Caper. Becky Cline shared how this bike needed significant restoration when it was donated to the archives. It appears that the teams at the Disney shop did a beautiful job.
Miss Piggy’s Benjamina Gunn Costume
Miss Piggy’s Benjamina Gunn costume was the next item to be shown. This came from Muppet Treasure Island in 1996. In this film, Piggy took on the role of Ben Gunn and turned it into Benjamina Gunn. The details on this costume looked to be pretty incredible.
Foo-Foo
Foo-Foo the dog was the next treasure that was shown. Muppet fans will recognize Foo-Foo as Miss Piggy’s dog on The Muppet Show from 1976-1981. This was the original puppet from the show and really is a treasure!
Miss Piggy’s Engagement Ring
The next treasure was Miss Piggy’s engagement ring from Muppets Most Wanted in 2014. This was given to Miss Piggy by Constantine who was pretending to be Kermit the Frog. This incredible artifact was dark and beautiful, perhaps like the love that Constantine was purporting to be offering.
Miss Piggy’s Kermit the Frog Halloween Costume
In Muppets Haunted Mansion, Miss Piggy could be seen in a Kermit the Frog Halloween costume. This costume was shown to fans. It was also the first time that Yvette Nicole Brown saw it up close.
Q&A
There was also a Q&A section in the panel. This portion of the panel included a wide range of questions. One person asked how to get a job at the Walt Disney Archives, after listing her resume. Another person asked how to care for her puppet that had feathers on its head. It turns out the feathers were from Miss Piggy’s boa! There were also some other questions asked that can be seen in the full video above.
Disney Legend Jodi Benson
To close out the panel, Disney Legend Jodi Benson was brought on stage to sing the song that Miss Piggy sang in The Muppet Movie, Never Before, Never Again. She sang it beautifully and it was a perfect end cap to this look at 70 years of the Muppets but mostly Miss Piggy.
The panel really kicked off the Muppets 70th anniversary. More news about the start of this celebration has been shared by The Muppet Studio since this panel. During D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Muppet performer, director, and actor Frank Oz was also honored by being inducted as a Disney Legend. During his acceptance speech he shared how he wished his friend Jim Henson were there with him.
What did you think of this Muppet panel at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event? What was your favorite artifact? What was your favorite moment? Share your thoughts an dopinions in the comments below!
