One thing I find subtly hilarious is that while so many people were freaking out about Gonzo wearing a dress, NOBODY seems to even NOTICE that Rizzo, as the "fairy rat-father," is wearing a frilly skirt. It doesn't look half bad on him either. ^_^
I remember falling in love with Gonzo's beautiful, vulnerable, and longing "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday," and then watching the character go on to love exploration and expression in absurd creativity. They were early lessons that art is not a lofty or exclusive term; it can be messy and experimental and simple and silly and sweet, and there's potential for great joy in being open to trying new things without stopping to ask if you're the kind that gets to.
This is one of the most beautiful and eloquently worded comments I've ever gotten! Part of me regrets not talking about this song in detail in my analysis
@@aidanelizabeth I think the song is one great final thing to mention because of the line "there's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met" it can be interpreted in a lot of different ways but a lot trans and nonbinary people share similar stories and experiences and tend to gravitate towards each other and are able to connect with each other, sometimes on pretty deep level, because of it, even if they've only known each other for a short period of time
The only legitimate criticism of this that I could see is that gonzo is such a, well, a gonzo that he would probably have wanted to have turned up dressed as a tree or a castle or an astronaut. For artistic reasons.
haha agreed! he'd probably be equally comfortable* dressed as any of those things. just like he's been genuinely attracted to a huge variety of sentient beings (i think he's only into sentient beings...) -- chickens, human women, human men, Big Bird, pigs, frogs... the list goes on. Gonzo seems to feel that life is a banquet and he's here to taste everything he can. * I do know that Gonzo is a fictional character. Promise. Even though I know I didn't write my reply that way lol.
Well, Muppet Babies are a little bit less esotheric than the original Muppets, so it makes sense for that show to play it safer when it comes to Gonzo's over the top personality
@@kevinibarra7259 Except there's precedent in gonzo wearing dresses in previous muppet baby material. It's the quickest way to tell when that side is tying their own panties in a bunch over nothing.
It is kinda stupid that people are saying that this is Trans panic, even though other children's characters have crossdressed before, whether as a gag, joke, or plot point.
Gonzo is heavily implied to fuck chickens. Conservatives: I mean, who doesn't? Also, he's possibly into polygamy or at the very least polyamory, because he's rarely seen with just _one_ chicken. Conservatives: Can't fault him for that. In this one cartoon he puts on a dress-- Conservatives: Shit their pants in rage! (Yes, as mentioned, he has cross-dressed before, but they never seem to complain about that part?)
@@yosefdemby8792 Early on there were different chickens, like Camilla, and Nellie, and maybe some others. During and interview, Dave Goelz revealed that no one on set could remember which chicken puppet was which, so the story goes that Gonzo would just assume that whatever chicken was with him was Camilla. Sooo... uh, it may be specist, but it has been confirmed by the creators, so make of that what you will.
Saw your tiktok about this, and am stoked to watch it. I'm only 2 mins in, but I'm here for this because 1. I love the Muppets 2. I am queer 3. I am obsessed with niche UA-cam video essays 4. Character integrity and history are my favorite topics 5. Your voice sounds like a cartoon character and I am incredibly comforted by this.
Hello I am also queer and obsessed with niche youtube video essays, do you happen to have any good recommendations for video essays you've enjoyed recently (I dont care what topic it's on, I'll watch basically anything plus I suspect we have similar taste)? My supply has run dry lol
I, I, I, me, me, me...It doesn't always have to be about you people. Settle yourselves down the world does not revolve around you people believe it or not.
@@Conker204 Jesus dude, people can express themselves without it affecting you, take a look in the mirror. You're getting upset over some queer people sharing their identities and interests amongst each other. "The world doesn't revolve around you" sounds like projection to me. Are we supposed to understand that it revolves around cis and straight people? I'm legitimately asking, because I can't piece together why someone would be so upset by such a nice comment. And we get called the sensitive ones...our community has been silenced for centuries, and if you don't like that we're loud and proud about our identities now, well then too bad, because there's nothing you can do about it.
@@beesknees4003 same here! I do have a recommendation of the video essay about how historically accurate the muppet Christmas Carol was within the costuming and I found it very entertaining. (I think if you look up historically accurate costuming in muppet Christmas carol it should be the top one). I also recommend youtuber Kaz Rowe
I always related to Gonzo. I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD as a kid (may be autistic as well), and I never fit male or female roles, questioning my gender as young as age 4 or 5, before I started school. So me being an outcast on multiple levels, I think Gonzo is really cool, and I'm grateful for Gonzo being a part of my childhood, even thought it was just old reruns. I'm mostly okay with my assigned gender/pronouns for the most part, but like to explore and be different, like Gonzo.
I'm autistic, and though I've only been questioning my gender in the last few years I was a tomboy when I was little. I've always kinda felt like an "whatever", not quite fitting anywhere, it makes sense now why Gonzo was always my favorite.
...huh, I was an undiagnosed autist with adhd as a kid, and Gonzo was one of my top three fav muppet characters, probably the most favourite, and Animal and Fonzi the Bear were the other two. Beaker probably the fourth. I'm cisgender, but I never felt I fit in and also thought there were way too many dumb arbitrary lines about genders and "gendered" clothes that didn't make sense.
I’m a boy and I wore dresses when I was younger. It had nothing to do with my sexuality or gender. I just liked wearing girl clothes and dresses. It was fun. Also Gonzo here is just a kid. He wanted to wear a dress. Who to hell cares?
Same. I wore my moms wig and shoes as a kid a few times. Doesnt mean a thing. If Gonzo or anyone wants to wear a cloths of the opposite sex than let them. More often than not they'll grow out of it, and if they dont, who gives a shit.
People who want everything to fit neatly and quietly p into little boxed they create...conversely those sort also complain the loudest and dont like 'mess'....
In the past in USA, boys wore dresses in earliest childhood by default, because it made more sense to put fast-growing kids in dresses that they wouldn't outgrow as quickly and facilitated diaper changing and later on easier toilet training (as well as could easily be passed down to younger siblings), than get the children trousers they would rapidly outgrow and be more of a bother to change. There is even a photo of Franklin D Roosevelt at 2 and a half years old, in a dress and with long hair ("for a boy"). This whole "oh no a boy child in a dress" is a fairly recent phenomenon.
When Dave Goelz started out, he was terribly insecure as a puppeteer. He only came up with the first voice for Gonzo the morning before he left. He was especially terrified of singing! And it didn't help Goelz that the original Snarl puppet always had sad eyes! During the first season whenever he did Gonzo, he could hear the newspapers come up (meaning the crew members found him boring.) He felt like a phony! Nevertheless, Jim Henson had faith in both Goelz and Gonzo! Near the end of the first season, Gonzo had to say "No." Goelz first feebly croaked "no". Then Henson told him to do it louder. Then louder and louder until he was screaming "NOOOO!" in anguish. The newspapers came down. Goelz got his first laugh! With new confidence in his performing ability, Goelz rebuilt Gonzo with an eyelid mechanism to allow for more emotions. Then the writers started picking up and watching him perform and started writing along those lines.
I love how this essay comes from a fan who loves the muppets and I just felt good vibes the whole way through 😭💕 This isn't made out of an angry argumented point. This came out of love and I respect and appreciate that SO much. Great video! I got to learn a lot of interesting muppet history 😊💕
Thank you! I never want any of my video essays to come across as aggressive or entitled. I just like talking about characters and stories that I love. I could talk about the muppets for hours : )
"what are you?" "i'm an Artist." Gonzo's character defined in a single exchange. the whole concept of the Muppets is a Big Gay Found Family, which is why they rule. canonically nonbinary, or canonbinary? oh no... now i'm imagining Naoto Shirogane dressing as Gonzo for Halloween... they're even both blue... Naoto Shirogonzo.
Your discussion about labels, the pressure to have one, and the reality that they are not always needed or desirable really hit home for me. Awesome video.
@@themangoman9315 I'm honestly in the same boat. I go by Pan because it feels the closest and opens up a discussion on the topic, but I kind of dont like the compulsion to have a label.
It's a very human thing that we put names on stuff we don't know about so it brings us comfort. We're afraid of the unknown. It sucks, but to those struggling with finding a name for what they are, I wish yall good luck
I like how everyone clutched their pearls about “the transes are transing our muppets” when the entire episode was just explaining to kids that some kids like different types of outfits
This is now, as it was then nothing more than an attempt to forward the false theories of childhood sexual agency. Which were originated by early "queer theorists" namely famous pedophiles and rapists beginning mostly at the turn of the 20th century and later advanced by Deconstructionists/Sexual theorists of the 1950s (virtually all of whom were molesting their young female students). This depiction of Gonzo is a child no older than 3 years of age. The "evidence" for supposed childhood sexual agency was invented by disgraced John Hopkins researcher John Money who ran numerous experiments on captive children and orphans and horrifically tortured them and gave them "orgasms" in a vain attempt to prove that his own sexual delusions and perversion were endemic in most children, and that sexuality was present from birth and simply could be "trained". Anyone who supports or repeats concepts of "fluid" sexuality or "queerness" being present in children is basing this statement off his "research". Even now most programs on Queer theory reference his work, and you have also referenced his work without realizing it. This is a destructive and violent concept and has created an epidemic of child predation that is growing year over year as the deranged concept of "queer theory" grows in academic circles. You have no idea what you are talking about and you are putting people, namely children in serious danger by attempting to whitewash this deranged and unscientific "theory."
This is now, as it was then nothing more than an attempt to forward the false theories of childhood sexual agency. Which were originated by early "queer theorists" namely famous pedophiles and rapists beginning mostly at the turn of the 20th century and later advanced by Deconstructionists/Sexual theorists of the 1950s (virtually all of whom were molesting their young female students). This depiction of Gonzo is a child no older than 3 years of age. The "evidence" for supposed childhood sexual agency was invented by disgraced John Hopkins researcher John Money who ran numerous experiments on captive children and orphans and horrifically tortured them and gave them "orgasms" in a vain attempt to prove that his own sexual delusions and perversion were endemic in most children, and that sexuality was present from birth and simply could be "trained". Anyone who supports or repeats concepts of "fluid" sexuality or "queerness" being present in children is basing this statement off his "research". Even now most programs on Queer theory reference his work, and you have also referenced his work without realizing it. This is a destructive and violent concept and has created an epidemic of child predation that is growing year over year as the deranged concept of "queer theory" grows in academic circles. You have no idea what you are talking about and you are putting people, namely children in serious danger by attempting to whitewash this deranged and unscientific "theory."
I consider myself a cis woman but I was also a weirdo outcast kid and have always loved Gonzo. I mostly avoided opinions on the Gonzarella episode but remember thinking "what are they so upset about? It's Gonzo. Of course he would wear a dress". The thought that "whatever" could also be interpreted as "non-binary" hadn't even occurred to me. Watching this essay gives me a new appreciation for one of my favourite Muppets. Thanks for putting it together.
The issue is the pushing this on kids. Its a clear indication of grooming kids. Disney has said it themselves that they want this stuff in their cartoons.
@@luby305 What are you talking about? Nothing is being pushed. The episode is just saying that it's ok for people to be different and like different things. That's no different from the messages of community and co-operation they've been saying in Sesame Street since it started.
Gonzo wearing a dress is nothing new. In the old Muppet Babies cartoon, there have been a number of times where the male characters were in dresses & taking on female roles, because it's an old reference to how the earlier years of acting all of the parts were played by male actors, including the female characters.
People arguing that Gonzo shouldn't wear a dress are- (From what ive seen) - assuming that Gonzo is a male from his voice. Which again shouldn't be assumed based on your voice. Yes females tend to have higher voices however some females have deeper voices than some guys. People take Testosterone to get deeper voices and even transition but some just dress in "Male" clothes. Gonzo doesn't have a specific gender confirmed although having a raspier/deeper voice. So making him dress a certain way based on his voice is just a no. If you have a high pitched voice although you identify with being male (Born/transitioned/Identify) then you shouldnt be forced to wear "female" clothes as most people would disagree anyways whether they're homophobic or not-
I remember thinking about that one day and I ended up realizing that the reasoning was off considering that Frank Oz did the voice of Miss Piggy. Moreover, in cartoons plenty of females have done the voices for young boys and in some cases men have done the voices for women. So the person doing the voice doesn't really indicate any aspect of the character's identity....not gender, age, race, or nationality. The writing for the character has to do that.
@@weakvsfire Exactly! The voices of the character dont always mean the gender. Especially in what you see now in anime with females doing younger males voices-
@@Yamaguchi_Tadashi let's also not forget the fact that kid gohan in the English dub and hell in the original sub is voiced by a woman and to that is fucking awesome
The Muppets has always been an acceptance house, full of queer characters. One of the reasons it was aimed at an older audience was because there were some things that you just couldn't put on kids' shows at the time, and that included LGBTQ+ representation. The Muppets team was allowed to put more of themselves into the characters, meaning that yes, there were a lot of gay jokes. One of the core members of the team was gay. I don't think Gonzo is the Muppets' first queer character at all.
Matt Baume has an excellent video called "Richard Hunt: The Gay Man Behind the Muppets" that is well worth the watch about this (which I see is linked at the end, but definitely a good watch).
i figured out i was nonbinary earlier this year, and going back and watching gonzo be so blatantly himself is SO good. the muppets make my gay heart full
@@hassanalkhalaf1115 it's up to each individual non-binary person whether or not they consider themselves gay - i know a lot of nb lesbians (myself among them), and they're attracted to women and non-binary people. it's all very subjective, there's no one way to be non-binary :^)
@@lizardhats8637 but doesn't non binary mean you have no gender? Being homosexual means you are attracted to your own gender. Isn't the point of NB that there's none? Also how can an enby be a lesbian? The term lesbian is only used for females who like other females
@@hassanalkhalaf1115 i'm not gonna argue my own identity with u lol, being gay or a lesbian usually comes with different presentations and ideas of gender. not every lesbian or gay person is 100% a man or woman
as non binary myself after watching this video i feel like i relate to Gonzo more and Gonzo is now my favourite muppet because i feel i can relate to them much more and I feel that I went through that same gender crisis of not knowing who I am. I may have interpreted the video wrong but this now how I feel about it and now personally love Gonzo more
I didn't know what you wear determines your gender identity. I though we were against that..?? Calling a young boy gay or trans just because he's effeminate and wears dresses is mad discriminatory- Like we're saying, it's just a dress.
@@Meeshilin_Man I never commented on Gonzo wearing a dress in the original comment. I only said how as a non binary person myself I feel myself relating to Gonzo because of what I went through
Even If you don't take into account the queer themes of Muppets in space, I don't really think Muppets in space ruins the concept of Gonzo being a whatever. I know that you might not think this but other people do and I just wanted to point out a couple of things. First, all we know about Gonzo is that he is an extratarestrial. Given that the universe is infinitely big, that doesn't really narrow his species down at all. His family doesn't go out of his way to clarify their species either. Second, the movie is more about connecting with your heritage and finding people a little more like you than finding a label for yourself. Much like the Tigger movie, it contains a lot of adoption allegory and found family themes. I can imagine these aliens sitting around the dinner table with Gonzo and nobody bringing up the exact name of their species because nobody cares. They are just them. 3d, I always identified with Gonzo as neurodivergent. This doesn't add to my larger argument, but his brain definitely doesn't work or the way most people's do.
It was supposed to have the same message as _Follow That Bird!_ . Something like this: ua-cam.com/video/M99KfhNV6to/v-deo.html You know, how family isn't necessarily blood and matching DNA, but love and care.
@@yosefdemby8792 I actually really love the social worker in that movie. She had really good intentions and was willing to let Big Bird stay when she realized those intentions weren't what was best for him.
@@yosefdemby8792 I do think it's narrow-minded. But I do think that she had good intentions because a big bird was still living alone technically and B it's actually a controversy in adoption itself whether or not to do what she did (as in, keep the child with a same race family, which some think is a good idea and some do not )she was actually flexible enough to change her mind when she realized her mindset didn't suit the situation
Admittedly I don't really watch children's shows anymore and barely have an idea of what Muppet Babies is, but as a Muppets fan I looked at the title of this video and went "Yeah, checks out". Gonzo is just like that.
I know this is divisive theme (when it really shouldn't be) but it's honestly kinda baffling to me that people has issues with the exploration of this theme using Gonzo. My first reaction when I've heard about Gonzorella was "sure, that tracks". Also, "I am an artist" as an answer to "What are you?" is the most drag queen answer I've heard in a long time.
I'm pretty sure the real reason this stuck out to critics and queerphobes more than other past iterations of queerness in gonzo is not that it doesn't suit his character, or that there's isn't a precedent, or that it seems "forced" or ev that he hasn't done it before - even if people ever try to claim that's why. I think it was that it was a central plot point in a very sincere narrative that was neither casually presented and then ignored, nor played for laughs, but presented seriously and emotionally sincere as the focal of the story. Combine that with the fact that it was done in media marketed towards young children, and im not surprised it caused a stir amongst people who think lgbtq people are invalid and/or believe such themes are "too mature" for young children
@@waffigo ok so why does gonzo wearing a dress make him gender neutral/fluid/nonbinary? Thats my point, by making gonzo 'identify' as nonbinary just shows little boys who want to wear dresses that they arent boys
@@lindsaypaige4628 Because there's enough evidence to imply that he could be non binary. Like the video said he could be non binary, or just cis. There's enough evidence for both.
@@lindsaypaige4628 on one hand that's a decent point - there should be more boys in dresses in media! boys are allowed to wear whatever they want, and if that's a pink frilly dress or one like their favorite princess, that's great! just like steven universe, who wears a dress in the episode "sadies song," season 2 episode 16. but there is a lot of evidence for Gonzo being a gender whatever, too. the writers didn't make him fit that mold for any agenda, but because he's a great fit to be seen as that. also sorry if i came off as argumentative, it's the only way i know how to express opinions when writing. thanks school 😬
As a 4 year-old I knew I was gender-fluid (even if I didn't know that's what it was called), but I grew up knowing it was "wrong" from my environment (family, society, the media) and I spent years repressing myself and feeling extremely guilty for being who I was. I was really happy to see this Muppets Babies episode, especially since my nephew is also gender-fluid. I'm so happy he will grow up with a family who loves him no matter who he is and that he won't have just negative representation in the media he's exposed to. When I was in secondary school I identified with Gonzo a lot, but I never really thought about why. Thank you for making this video.
Whoever is running that Gonzo Twitter knows what they are doing. What a legend. Continuing the attitude portrayed by the character of being nonchalant and just satisfied with being strange but unapologetically themselves. Wonderful.
As much as we love supporting trans culture and non-binary culture (bc we Stan) We should def also be talking about how it should be okay for both trans and cis males to wear dresses bc like heck yeah y’all deserve to look pretty in whatever you want 💅
So glad you made this video, I was a little weirded out that I hadn't seen people talking about the fact Gonzo had already been shown as (interpretively) nonbinary Also seeing the way you talked about all the different media Gonzo showed up in and all those other muppet facts you sprinkled in was just delightful
As a 42-year old nonbinary Muppets fan, to me it feels so refreshing to see someone your age with similar fashion preferences who is so interested in the Muppets. Of course, if you're a nonbinary puppeteering enthusiast, of COURSE you'd love Gonzo. :) What's not to love?
Honestly, Gonzo answering "What are you?" with "I'm an Artist." is such a good answer. It both defines and non-defines him. I've always liked Gonzo and anybody who has ever felt like they don't belong can look at Gozno and see that they do, in fact, belong, in their own way. Your friends take you as you are. Stay Different.
Muppets has been and always will be a comfort for me as an LGBT teen I see Kermit as Bisexual and Trans, Fozzie as Gay, Animal as Pansexual, Janice as Trans, etc. I’m a Trans Bisexual boy and this episode of Muppet Babies really made me smile.
I am personally and ally not a lgbtq member but I personally see what you mean by Kermit but he seems more like a ally to me it make more sense, to me obviously, that Fozzie is bi and Janice makes 100% sense
This is such an incredibly well done video essay! When I was a kid I was quite basic and Kermit was my favourite Muppet but as I approached adulthood and starting exploring my identity I found myself more and more drawn to Gonzo as both a gender nonconforming, neurodivergent, biromantic teen. The Muppets have always been striving for inclusivity and wanting to show the whole world they are seen and loved and Gonzorella is simply that mission statement applied to 2021 where they can achieve that in much greater depth than they’ve ever been able to. I was incredibly moved by the episode both as someone who celebrates LGBTQIA+ representation in animated series and a life long Muppets fan.
Dave goalz, has been my favorite muppeteer since I learned their names, his abilities as a puppeteer without any formal training really helped me get into puppetry. I'm trans, so college and stuff like that isn't an option for me because I have to pay for surgeries, but knowing that Dave goalz has been with the muppets for over 40 years with no puppetry training helped me realize that I don't need a school to tell me I can do something.
I think Henson knew exactly what he was doing, non-binary wasn't a term coined yet but genderqueer has been around since the 80s and the concept so much longer. Not to mention that members of the muppets cast were queer and that was kind of the environment that the muppets grew from. So I truly believe that Gonzo was no fluke, that he is exactly what he was meant to be
Glad I'm not the only one who heard about all this and thought "....Really? people are getting upset about GONZO? did they watch the Muppets?" Just saying if you expected the Muppets to uphold conservative standards, and ESPCHALLY if you expected them to just blend in with the status quo, you haven't been paying attention.
Thank you!! So much. I always saw Gonzo as somewhat queer, he has the mannerisms, but I could never put it into words how “queer” he was. I always related/was attached to Gonzo and in my opinion you did the LGBTQ+ community so much of a service! Thank you so much!
Oh man, being reminded about that Noah's Ark scene had me tearing up. The deep-rooted feeling of emptiness and being cast out that would trigger a dream like that, that's something ANYBODY can identify with. Hearing Gonzo call out in agony as he is about to literally drown in his own sorrows just makes your heart go out to him.
These are the types of videos that I love! This essay is so well thought out and written and man, I never realized just how queer Gonzo is! He was always one of my favorite characters growing up, so it's neat hearing this look on his character
I LOVE this video. I've long believed the Muppets are Very Queer. It's actually a running joke among my friends that I could (and at this point would) write a 600-page long dissertation about the Inherent Queerness of the Muppets. It would include such chapters as: Introduction: Found Family in The Muppets Universe 2. Gonzo the Great is Queer as Hell: Need I Say More 5. Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem are Polyamorous 6. Statler and Waldorf are an Elderly Couple Who Go to the Theatre for the Sole Purpose of Bitching After and Also During - Don't Tell Me They're Not Gay 9. Is 'Miss Piggy' a Drag Persona? 15. Queer Resonances of Textual Inter-species Romances 18. "They're Fozzie's Weirdo Friends!": In-Universe Responses to the Muppets Conclusion: Sometimes a Family is a Ragtag Bunch of Weirdos - and That's Queer Culture Kinda thinking about making a video essay of my own on this, actually. Yours was so delightful that I want to play too (:
I think this is best summed up back in 1981 with the Great Muppet Caper, in the first airplane scene when Kermit, Fozzy, and Gonzo are in the crates, Kermit is labeled as a frog, Fozzy is a bear, and Gonzo is labeled as whatever.
Indeed, I also remember hearing a few stars in one of the movies refer to Gonzo as an it. This really makes the most sense given that no one knows what Gonzo is and therefore trying to assign a gender to Gonzo would be out of place.
One thing to note is that Gonzo's running gag on the Muppets was that no one knew what he was or why he was there in the first place, but he was where he was and he was what he wanted to be, which is evident in the first Muppet movie. So in turn, this story of him dressing up as a princess is not different to what Jim Henson had developed for him.
Having the Muppets in Space film summarised through this lens kind of makes it click as to why I enjoyed it as much as I did as a closeted bi person. In retrospect it's a no brainer that a story about a misfit discovering that there's a whole community of people just like him that exists parallel to the world as most people know it would have connected with me
i love this video, i really do. i’m a queer teen in a conservative household who grew up on the muppets, and i always felt so strongly connected to them for reasons i couldn’t really understand until recently. This video is helping me understand, and your segment about how you don’t need a perfect label was so reassuring to someone who has no idea what fits to describe their gender. Plus, i can just feel how passionate you are about this, and it just warms my heart!
have not watched the video all the way through but just wanted to say that there's an episode of the muppet show where scooter has gonzo partake in the "time-honored art of female impersonation" so yes, there's a precedent for gonzo wearing dresses and no, it's not the weirdest thing he's ever done
Also super funny that in the clips you're showing, Rizzo is wearing a skirt too. Like, Gonzo's not even the only "boy" wearing a skirt in that episode!
my friend figured it out (for me, i had no idea) i was trans/nonbinary because i used that pic of gonzo in a crate labelled as whatever in a convo exactly once.
We've watched cartoon characters cross dress, make out with someone of the same sex while cross dressing, and had characters that literally had no gender for running gags. But the moment a character THAT LITERALLY HAS NO GENDER actually represents a group of people that don't follow gender norms is where we draw the damn line. Yes how dare they teach our children that they can wear a dress regardless of gender, how dare they teach children to respect others, how dare they teach our children to be loving and respectable people.
Being a Dad, I have had this episode pop up at my house numerous times. It always makes me smile that they went there and made it totally un-ambiguous. considering its Disney and a show for much younger kids I was really surprised to see that level of representation. I had never seen the controversy about it, but then again, I don't pay much attention to the groups that would be spouting that crap either. By the way, Great video!
With his work, Jim Henson had gathered people around him who were right for the task and not how these people fit into society. He didn't look at skin color or sexual orientation This was about the Muppets about the conflicts and their orientations and how to deal with them. At the end of the day he shows us how we should deal with it - not ignore and not denounce - by accepting these people into our lives and trusting that they will give us something unique. and this 30 years after his death thanks Jim
i'm so glad i started watch muppet videos regularly on youtube and ran into this on my recommended! loved the whole analysis and everything you pieced together about gonzo's character. we love gonzo the great, the iconic whatever
The most surprising part of the episode was the fact that Gonzo‘s dress had pockets and we’re not gonna lie about that also them in the beginning saying that only princesses wear dresses to Gonzo
Gonzo has ALWAYS been a crossdr*sser since the 70s whether he role plays as different characters or tries to be funny. But he has never been preachy about it until the Muppet Babies reboot. Men crossdr*sses or wear traditional "feminine" clothing for various reasons. In a lot of TV shows and movies of the past, they either do it just to be funny or as a part of the disguise. That's how Bugs Bunny tricks his enemies. In other cases, it's a part of certain cultures like kilts or grass skirts. So, no, being a crossdr*sser alone doesn't make you "queer." He still identifies as a boy with a female love interest (albeit a chicken or two). I think the role-playing part is fine since baby Gonzo just wanted to play a female character. I don't really considered that part to be preachy or pandering alone. It's okay for kids to role play as someone else they're not if they like to whether they're of a different race, gender, culture, class, status, etc. They don't always have to match the same characteristics as the characters they wanted to dress as. So this might help soften the stigma against boys What's pandering about it was how Disney tries to present this episode as "representation" among some of their other virtual signaling/queerbaiting hiccups at best.
If you remember that The Muppets was filmed in the UK in the 1970s and know that cross-dressing / drag was an accepted part of UK stage theatre, and also know that some of the writers were gay thespians, then Gonzo actually makes a lot of sense as a "lived experience". And being such a genuine multidimensional character is why he's so popular.
Gotta love how Rizzo wears a lil tutu but I guess ppl were too distracted by Gonzo to make noise about that. The only real difference between now and any other time Gonzo's crossdressed seems to be that it can't be hand waved away as a joke, it's being acknowledged on an empathic level. They talk about how it might not be accepted and reassure that it is in the show and by proxy should ideally be accepted in real life. They're "making a thing out of it".
"Whatever" is such a relatable and beautiful identity. A person is a very kaleidoscopic thing. Our ever-expanding lexicon on the topic of identity is good for standardizing discussion and normalizing topics in an effort to improve education. But there's something inviting about a term that celebrates you for you, even before you've figured who you are. While you might struggle to determine if terms like "fluid" or "asexual" describe how you truly feel, nobody can tell you you're not enough of anything to be a "whatever".
Ok wow. This video was fantastic. I've never watched you videos before, or even been more than a very casual fan of the Muppets before, but I was blown away by how much this video touched my soul. It's only been like 2 months since I realised that I'm non-binary, and I find myself realising now that in my almost 21 years of life, I never even asked what Gonzo is, I didn't know that was a running thing with his character but I still just accepted him as Gonzo, and that thought makes me really comfy. Thanks for making this video, it really made me so happy and the vibes you were giving were just so positive the whole way through, it's amazing and I now relate to Gonzo a lot more.
You're so good at this. It's a crime you don't have more subscribers. Young people like you give me hope for the queer youth. I'm 36 and have learned a great deal about Gonzo and identity by watching this short sweet video of yours. Keep it up!
Anyone who gets mad because Gonzo wore a dress isn't a fan of the Muppets. Boomers will watch an episode 40 years ago and say "I remember this lol" and get all offended when they don't remember the lore.
It sounds like “Muppets from Space” was attempting to be an allegory of Gonzo being part of the queer community, but have “Alien” be the stand-in for “queer”. Unfortunately it backfired and it look like a label was trying to be given to the “muppet without a label”, so they course corrected by returning Gonzo to being a “whatever” and have the film be a “in-universe film”.
Gonzo is an artists. Nuff said. To anyone dealing with identity issues like my homie the g man just know that you may not know what you are but you gotta know who you are and love yourself for who you are. Idk if your friends and family are pricks but if it means anything I love you. And my dear friend g meister loves you too. I remember the good old days. I went to college with gonzo back in the 50’s. Things were wild back then. So much experimentation, but we had to be secretive about it otherwise we would be killed. I miss gonzo. I should give him a call. 😢
The dress had pockets? Sweet. Gonzo is both fashionable and practical. More fancy dresses should have pockets.
AND Gonzo had a maho shojou anime transformation! Iconic
DRESSES WITH POCKETS BRING ME SO MUCH JOY
yes agreed every dress should have pockets UwU
I want a dress with pockets
@@Just_niaxx I feel happy for his userfull clothers.
One thing I find subtly hilarious is that while so many people were freaking out about Gonzo wearing a dress, NOBODY seems to even NOTICE that Rizzo, as the "fairy rat-father," is wearing a frilly skirt. It doesn't look half bad on him either. ^_^
Truee
Yo i was abt to sayyyy
he's absolutely rocking that skirt
gonzo don't like men he like chicken and chicken is a female rooster
@@erikalora7493 yeah, the chicken is trans !!👍👍💚
I remember falling in love with Gonzo's beautiful, vulnerable, and longing "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday," and then watching the character go on to love exploration and expression in absurd creativity. They were early lessons that art is not a lofty or exclusive term; it can be messy and experimental and simple and silly and sweet, and there's potential for great joy in being open to trying new things without stopping to ask if you're the kind that gets to.
This is one of the most beautiful and eloquently worded comments I've ever gotten! Part of me regrets not talking about this song in detail in my analysis
@@aidanelizabeth I think the song is one great final thing to mention because of the line "there's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met"
it can be interpreted in a lot of different ways but a lot trans and nonbinary people share similar stories and experiences and tend to gravitate towards each other and are able to connect with each other, sometimes on pretty deep level, because of it, even if they've only known each other for a short period of time
same here I still have the old muppet shows on disc planning on buying more if not out of budget range -w-
I didn't plan to cry at a comment about Gonzo today but here I am. 💕
This comment kinda creepy ngl
The only legitimate criticism of this that I could see is that gonzo is such a, well, a gonzo that he would probably have wanted to have turned up dressed as a tree or a castle or an astronaut.
For artistic reasons.
haha agreed! he'd probably be equally comfortable* dressed as any of those things. just like he's been genuinely attracted to a huge variety of sentient beings (i think he's only into sentient beings...) -- chickens, human women, human men, Big Bird, pigs, frogs... the list goes on. Gonzo seems to feel that life is a banquet and he's here to taste everything he can. * I do know that Gonzo is a fictional character. Promise. Even though I know I didn't write my reply that way lol.
Well, Muppet Babies are a little bit less esotheric than the original Muppets, so it makes sense for that show to play it safer when it comes to Gonzo's over the top personality
@@heg203 Gonzo can be into whatever as long as they can consent, I say
@@kevinibarra7259 Except there's precedent in gonzo wearing dresses in previous muppet baby material. It's the quickest way to tell when that side is tying their own panties in a bunch over nothing.
you aren't clever or funny
You didn't even mention that Gonzo is in a long term relationship with a chicken.
@Joan-Elise Butler or maybe he just attracted to chickens no matter the gender?
@@twisterfd pansexual, but for chickens specifcly
@@epicgamer-ny4fj just like me without the chicken part
@@twisterfd Chickens all look the same to him.
@@yosefdemby8792 thats what I said
It is kinda stupid that people are saying that this is Trans panic, even though other children's characters have crossdressed before, whether as a gag, joke, or plot point.
Gonzo is heavily implied to fuck chickens.
Conservatives: I mean, who doesn't?
Also, he's possibly into polygamy or at the very least polyamory, because he's rarely seen with just _one_ chicken.
Conservatives: Can't fault him for that.
In this one cartoon he puts on a dress--
Conservatives: Shit their pants in rage!
(Yes, as mentioned, he has cross-dressed before, but they never seem to complain about that part?)
@@Wendy_O._Koopa Really? He isn't going steady with Camilla? Or do conservatives think all chickens look alike? That's specist!
@@yosefdemby8792 Early on there were different chickens, like Camilla, and Nellie, and maybe some others. During and interview, Dave Goelz revealed that no one on set could remember which chicken puppet was which, so the story goes that Gonzo would just assume that whatever chicken was with him was Camilla. Sooo... uh, it may be specist, but it has been confirmed by the creators, so make of that what you will.
@@Wendy_O._Koopa Ohhhhh..........
Yeah I just remembered: ua-cam.com/video/ixdxFIsi0_U/v-deo.html
absolutely! Bugs Bunny much?
Saw your tiktok about this, and am stoked to watch it. I'm only 2 mins in, but I'm here for this because
1. I love the Muppets
2. I am queer
3. I am obsessed with niche UA-cam video essays
4. Character integrity and history are my favorite topics
5. Your voice sounds like a cartoon character and I am incredibly comforted by this.
Hello I am also queer and obsessed with niche youtube video essays, do you happen to have any good recommendations for video essays you've enjoyed recently (I dont care what topic it's on, I'll watch basically anything plus I suspect we have similar taste)? My supply has run dry lol
I, I, I, me, me, me...It doesn't always have to be about you people. Settle yourselves down the world does not revolve around you people believe it or not.
@@Conker204 neither does it revolve around straight People so why are there so many straight Relationships in the media
@@Conker204 Jesus dude, people can express themselves without it affecting you, take a look in the mirror.
You're getting upset over some queer people sharing their identities and interests amongst each other. "The world doesn't revolve around you" sounds like projection to me. Are we supposed to understand that it revolves around cis and straight people? I'm legitimately asking, because I can't piece together why someone would be so upset by such a nice comment. And we get called the sensitive ones...our community has been silenced for centuries, and if you don't like that we're loud and proud about our identities now, well then too bad, because there's nothing you can do about it.
@@beesknees4003 same here! I do have a recommendation of the video essay about how historically accurate the muppet Christmas Carol was within the costuming and I found it very entertaining. (I think if you look up historically accurate costuming in muppet Christmas carol it should be the top one). I also recommend youtuber Kaz Rowe
I always related to Gonzo. I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD as a kid (may be autistic as well), and I never fit male or female roles, questioning my gender as young as age 4 or 5, before I started school. So me being an outcast on multiple levels, I think Gonzo is really cool, and I'm grateful for Gonzo being a part of my childhood, even thought it was just old reruns. I'm mostly okay with my assigned gender/pronouns for the most part, but like to explore and be different, like Gonzo.
Same tho!!!
I'm autistic, and though I've only been questioning my gender in the last few years I was a tomboy when I was little. I've always kinda felt like an "whatever", not quite fitting anywhere, it makes sense now why Gonzo was always my favorite.
...huh, I was an undiagnosed autist with adhd as a kid, and Gonzo was one of my top three fav muppet characters, probably the most favourite, and Animal and Fonzi the Bear were the other two. Beaker probably the fourth. I'm cisgender, but I never felt I fit in and also thought there were way too many dumb arbitrary lines about genders and "gendered" clothes that didn't make sense.
same here!
I’m a boy and I wore dresses when I was younger. It had nothing to do with my sexuality or gender. I just liked wearing girl clothes and dresses. It was fun. Also Gonzo here is just a kid. He wanted to wear a dress. Who to hell cares?
Same. I wore my moms wig and shoes as a kid a few times. Doesnt mean a thing. If Gonzo or anyone wants to wear a cloths of the opposite sex than let them. More often than not they'll grow out of it, and if they dont, who gives a shit.
People who want everything to fit neatly and quietly p into little boxed they create...conversely those sort also complain the loudest and dont like 'mess'....
In the past in USA, boys wore dresses in earliest childhood by default, because it made more sense to put fast-growing kids in dresses that they wouldn't outgrow as quickly and facilitated diaper changing and later on easier toilet training (as well as could easily be passed down to younger siblings), than get the children trousers they would rapidly outgrow and be more of a bother to change. There is even a photo of Franklin D Roosevelt at 2 and a half years old, in a dress and with long hair ("for a boy"). This whole "oh no a boy child in a dress" is a fairly recent phenomenon.
Exactly! Gonzo is a femboy, not an enby.
@@Meeshilin_Man I think the term you're looking for is drag queen?
When Dave Goelz started out, he was terribly insecure as a puppeteer. He only came up with the first voice for Gonzo the morning before he left. He was especially terrified of singing! And it didn't help Goelz that the original Snarl puppet always had sad eyes! During the first season whenever he did Gonzo, he could hear the newspapers come up (meaning the crew members found him boring.) He felt like a phony!
Nevertheless, Jim Henson had faith in both Goelz and Gonzo! Near the end of the first season, Gonzo had to say "No." Goelz first feebly croaked "no". Then Henson told him to do it louder. Then louder and louder until he was screaming "NOOOO!" in anguish. The newspapers came down. Goelz got his first laugh!
With new confidence in his performing ability, Goelz rebuilt Gonzo with an eyelid mechanism to allow for more emotions. Then the writers started picking up and watching him perform and started writing along those lines.
I love how this essay comes from a fan who loves the muppets and I just felt good vibes the whole way through 😭💕 This isn't made out of an angry argumented point. This came out of love and I respect and appreciate that SO much. Great video! I got to learn a lot of interesting muppet history 😊💕
Thank you! I never want any of my video essays to come across as aggressive or entitled. I just like talking about characters and stories that I love. I could talk about the muppets for hours : )
"what are you?" "i'm an Artist." Gonzo's character defined in a single exchange.
the whole concept of the Muppets is a Big Gay Found Family, which is why they rule.
canonically nonbinary, or canonbinary?
oh no... now i'm imagining Naoto Shirogane dressing as Gonzo for Halloween... they're even both blue... Naoto Shirogonzo.
Your discussion about labels, the pressure to have one, and the reality that they are not always needed or desirable really hit home for me. Awesome video.
Stuff like that really means a lot to me. I'm really glad it resonated with you too
Same I'm somewhere in the bi/pan spectrum in terms of sexuality but I don't really care what you would you label it
@@themangoman9315 I'm honestly in the same boat. I go by Pan because it feels the closest and opens up a discussion on the topic, but I kind of dont like the compulsion to have a label.
@@themangoman9315 at this point I go by Pan primarily for the community I found in folks that are under that label. Just a swell bunch.
It's a very human thing that we put names on stuff we don't know about so it brings us comfort. We're afraid of the unknown. It sucks, but to those struggling with finding a name for what they are, I wish yall good luck
I’m glad not only that Gonzo is able to make people feel less alone, but that you are as well! Thank you!
Thank you so much! That's so incredibly kind!
I like how everyone clutched their pearls about “the transes are transing our muppets” when the entire episode was just explaining to kids that some kids like different types of outfits
you wish anyone cared that much
This is now, as it was then nothing more than an attempt to forward the false theories of childhood sexual agency. Which were originated by early "queer theorists" namely famous pedophiles and rapists beginning mostly at the turn of the 20th century and later advanced by Deconstructionists/Sexual theorists of the 1950s (virtually all of whom were molesting their young female students). This depiction of Gonzo is a child no older than 3 years of age. The "evidence" for supposed childhood sexual agency was invented by disgraced John Hopkins researcher John Money who ran numerous experiments on captive children and orphans and horrifically tortured them and gave them "orgasms" in a vain attempt to prove that his own sexual delusions and perversion were endemic in most children, and that sexuality was present from birth and simply could be "trained". Anyone who supports or repeats concepts of "fluid" sexuality or "queerness" being present in children is basing this statement off his "research". Even now most programs on Queer theory reference his work, and you have also referenced his work without realizing it.
This is a destructive and violent concept and has created an epidemic of child predation that is growing year over year as the deranged concept of "queer theory" grows in academic circles.
You have no idea what you are talking about and you are putting people, namely children in serious danger by attempting to whitewash this deranged and unscientific "theory."
This is the first time I’ve ever been genuinely upset that I can’t give more than one like to a video
Thank you so much!!!
This is now, as it was then nothing more than an attempt to forward the false theories of childhood sexual agency. Which were originated by early "queer theorists" namely famous pedophiles and rapists beginning mostly at the turn of the 20th century and later advanced by Deconstructionists/Sexual theorists of the 1950s (virtually all of whom were molesting their young female students). This depiction of Gonzo is a child no older than 3 years of age. The "evidence" for supposed childhood sexual agency was invented by disgraced John Hopkins researcher John Money who ran numerous experiments on captive children and orphans and horrifically tortured them and gave them "orgasms" in a vain attempt to prove that his own sexual delusions and perversion were endemic in most children, and that sexuality was present from birth and simply could be "trained". Anyone who supports or repeats concepts of "fluid" sexuality or "queerness" being present in children is basing this statement off his "research". Even now most programs on Queer theory reference his work, and you have also referenced his work without realizing it.
This is a destructive and violent concept and has created an epidemic of child predation that is growing year over year as the deranged concept of "queer theory" grows in academic circles.
You have no idea what you are talking about and you are putting people, namely children in serious danger by attempting to whitewash this deranged and unscientific "theory."
Seeing the pure enjoyment in your face as you talk about the history of Gonzo is the kind of energy this discussion needs
Plus Muppet Family Christmas
"You're not even a bird"
"Well... no one's perfect"
I consider myself a cis woman but I was also a weirdo outcast kid and have always loved Gonzo. I mostly avoided opinions on the Gonzarella episode but remember thinking "what are they so upset about? It's Gonzo. Of course he would wear a dress".
The thought that "whatever" could also be interpreted as "non-binary" hadn't even occurred to me. Watching this essay gives me a new appreciation for one of my favourite Muppets. Thanks for putting it together.
The issue is the pushing this on kids. Its a clear indication of grooming kids. Disney has said it themselves that they want this stuff in their cartoons.
@@luby305 What are you talking about? Nothing is being pushed. The episode is just saying that it's ok for people to be different and like different things. That's no different from the messages of community and co-operation they've been saying in Sesame Street since it started.
Gonzo wearing a dress is nothing new.
In the old Muppet Babies cartoon, there have been a number of times where the male characters were in dresses & taking on female roles, because it's an old reference to how the earlier years of acting all of the parts were played by male actors, including the female characters.
People arguing that Gonzo shouldn't wear a dress are- (From what ive seen) - assuming that Gonzo is a male from his voice. Which again shouldn't be assumed based on your voice. Yes females tend to have higher voices however some females have deeper voices than some guys. People take Testosterone to get deeper voices and even transition but some just dress in "Male" clothes. Gonzo doesn't have a specific gender confirmed although having a raspier/deeper voice. So making him dress a certain way based on his voice is just a no. If you have a high pitched voice although you identify with being male (Born/transitioned/Identify) then you shouldnt be forced to wear "female" clothes as most people would disagree anyways whether they're homophobic or not-
I remember thinking about that one day and I ended up realizing that the reasoning was off considering that Frank Oz did the voice of Miss Piggy. Moreover, in cartoons plenty of females have done the voices for young boys and in some cases men have done the voices for women. So the person doing the voice doesn't really indicate any aspect of the character's identity....not gender, age, race, or nationality. The writing for the character has to do that.
@@weakvsfire Exactly! The voices of the character dont always mean the gender. Especially in what you see now in anime with females doing younger males voices-
@@Yamaguchi_Tadashi let's also not forget the fact that kid gohan in the English dub and hell in the original sub is voiced by a woman and to that is fucking awesome
@@grey9507 Exactly!
Finally someone says something! Thank you Tadashi Yamaguchi
I have been telling people "I'm a whatever, like Gonzo" for YEARS so the fact that this happened was not a surprise, but it was a delight!
The Muppets has always been an acceptance house, full of queer characters. One of the reasons it was aimed at an older audience was because there were some things that you just couldn't put on kids' shows at the time, and that included LGBTQ+ representation. The Muppets team was allowed to put more of themselves into the characters, meaning that yes, there were a lot of gay jokes. One of the core members of the team was gay. I don't think Gonzo is the Muppets' first queer character at all.
Now I would like to hear some of those jokes or your headcanons
I 100% hc Miss Piggy as trans.
@@taylorgreen9929 I never thought of that, but now I hc it too!
Matt Baume has an excellent video called "Richard Hunt: The Gay Man Behind the Muppets" that is well worth the watch about this (which I see is linked at the end, but definitely a good watch).
i figured out i was nonbinary earlier this year, and going back and watching gonzo be so blatantly himself is SO good. the muppets make my gay heart full
I've always loved Gonzo, now I think I know why
How can you be non binary but gay at the same time? Does it mean you're attracted to other non binaries?
@@hassanalkhalaf1115 it's up to each individual non-binary person whether or not they consider themselves gay - i know a lot of nb lesbians (myself among them), and they're attracted to women and non-binary people. it's all very subjective, there's no one way to be non-binary :^)
@@lizardhats8637 but doesn't non binary mean you have no gender? Being homosexual means you are attracted to your own gender. Isn't the point of NB that there's none? Also how can an enby be a lesbian? The term lesbian is only used for females who like other females
@@hassanalkhalaf1115 i'm not gonna argue my own identity with u lol, being gay or a lesbian usually comes with different presentations and ideas of gender. not every lesbian or gay person is 100% a man or woman
as non binary myself after watching this video i feel like i relate to Gonzo more and Gonzo is now my favourite muppet because i feel i can relate to them much more and I feel that I went through that same gender crisis of not knowing who I am. I may have interpreted the video wrong but this now how I feel about it and now personally love Gonzo more
Me too
Gonzo is hetero. Go watch the Wishing Song video from the Muppet Shoe. And he also fell in love with female chicken named Camilla.
@@andros9657 no one said gonzo wasnt hetero
I didn't know what you wear determines your gender identity. I though we were against that..?? Calling a young boy gay or trans just because he's effeminate and wears dresses is mad discriminatory- Like we're saying, it's just a dress.
@@Meeshilin_Man I never commented on Gonzo wearing a dress in the original comment. I only said how as a non binary person myself I feel myself relating to Gonzo because of what I went through
Gonzo one time serenaded Big Bird, although he’s in a committed relationship with Camilla.
Yeah. I don't know if he knew Big Bird was a male.... or six years old....
And.... ua-cam.com/video/ixdxFIsi0_U/v-deo.html
Miss Piggy is a fashion icon in the traditional sense...but Gonzo's fashion (and gender and sexuality) speaks to my essential being.
Even If you don't take into account the queer themes of Muppets in space, I don't really think Muppets in space ruins the concept of Gonzo being a whatever. I know that you might not think this but other people do and I just wanted to point out a couple of things.
First, all we know about Gonzo is that he is an extratarestrial. Given that the universe is infinitely big, that doesn't really narrow his species down at all. His family doesn't go out of his way to clarify their species either.
Second, the movie is more about connecting with your heritage and finding people a little more like you than finding a label for yourself. Much like the Tigger movie, it contains a lot of adoption allegory and found family themes. I can imagine these aliens sitting around the dinner table with Gonzo and nobody bringing up the exact name of their species because nobody cares. They are just them.
3d, I always identified with Gonzo as neurodivergent. This doesn't add to my larger argument, but his brain definitely doesn't work or the way most people's do.
It was supposed to have the same message as _Follow That Bird!_ . Something like this: ua-cam.com/video/M99KfhNV6to/v-deo.html You know, how family isn't necessarily blood and matching DNA, but love and care.
@@yosefdemby8792 I actually really love the social worker in that movie. She had really good intentions and was willing to let Big Bird stay when she realized those intentions weren't what was best for him.
@@Fairygoblet You don't think her "stick with your own kind" narrow-minded?
@@yosefdemby8792 I do think it's narrow-minded. But I do think that she had good intentions because a big bird was still living alone technically and B it's actually a controversy in adoption itself whether or not to do what she did (as in, keep the child with a same race family, which some think is a good idea and some do not )she was actually flexible enough to change her mind when she realized her mindset didn't suit the situation
neurodivergent gonzo just makes sense :)
Admittedly I don't really watch children's shows anymore and barely have an idea of what Muppet Babies is, but as a Muppets fan I looked at the title of this video and went "Yeah, checks out". Gonzo is just like that.
I know this is divisive theme (when it really shouldn't be) but it's honestly kinda baffling to me that people has issues with the exploration of this theme using Gonzo. My first reaction when I've heard about Gonzorella was "sure, that tracks".
Also, "I am an artist" as an answer to "What are you?" is the most drag queen answer I've heard in a long time.
I'm pretty sure the real reason this stuck out to critics and queerphobes more than other past iterations of queerness in gonzo is not that it doesn't suit his character, or that there's isn't a precedent, or that it seems "forced" or ev that he hasn't done it before - even if people ever try to claim that's why. I think it was that it was a central plot point in a very sincere narrative that was neither casually presented and then ignored, nor played for laughs, but presented seriously and emotionally sincere as the focal of the story. Combine that with the fact that it was done in media marketed towards young children, and im not surprised it caused a stir amongst people who think lgbtq people are invalid and/or believe such themes are "too mature" for young children
People: Liberals are so sensitive...
Also people: GONZO WEARS A .. * gags * D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-DRESSSS????????????????????????? THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!!
Bc boys cant wear dresses, right?
@@waffigo ok so why does gonzo wearing a dress make him gender neutral/fluid/nonbinary?
Thats my point, by making gonzo 'identify' as nonbinary just shows little boys who want to wear dresses that they arent boys
@@lindsaypaige4628 Because there's enough evidence to imply that he could be non binary. Like the video said he could be non binary, or just cis. There's enough evidence for both.
@@lindsaypaige4628 on one hand that's a decent point - there should be more boys in dresses in media! boys are allowed to wear whatever they want, and if that's a pink frilly dress or one like their favorite princess, that's great! just like steven universe, who wears a dress in the episode "sadies song," season 2 episode 16.
but there is a lot of evidence for Gonzo being a gender whatever, too. the writers didn't make him fit that mold for any agenda, but because he's a great fit to be seen as that.
also sorry if i came off as argumentative, it's the only way i know how to express opinions when writing. thanks school 😬
@@lindsaypaige4628 they were Gender neutral/non binary before they wore a dress yknow
As a 4 year-old I knew I was gender-fluid (even if I didn't know that's what it was called), but I grew up knowing it was "wrong" from my environment (family, society, the media) and I spent years repressing myself and feeling extremely guilty for being who I was. I was really happy to see this Muppets Babies episode, especially since my nephew is also gender-fluid. I'm so happy he will grow up with a family who loves him no matter who he is and that he won't have just negative representation in the media he's exposed to. When I was in secondary school I identified with Gonzo a lot, but I never really thought about why. Thank you for making this video.
But how did you knew that already
Ok but
gonzo looks adorable in that dress
(Ya gotta admit that its a pretty nice dress-)
I'd wear the mask I really like how it looks
Whoever is running that Gonzo Twitter knows what they are doing. What a legend. Continuing the attitude portrayed by the character of being nonchalant and just satisfied with being strange but unapologetically themselves. Wonderful.
Not gonna lie, as someone who’s also a “whatever” the ending quote really hit me in the feels, thank you ❤️
This whatever sees your whatever and sends good vibes.
As much as we love supporting trans culture and non-binary culture (bc we Stan)
We should def also be talking about how it should be okay for both trans and cis males to wear dresses bc like heck yeah y’all deserve to look pretty in whatever you want 💅
Thank you for this video
-a non-binary bean who can’t find any pronouns that feel right
maybe you prefer no pronouns!! i've seen people just go by their names :)
@@mio3002 that’s honestly what I’m thinking, but I’m probably just going to tell people they/them so it’s easier to explain.
This was so well presented, much like the Great Gonzo himself. Once again proving how wonderful the Muppets are.
It’s you!
So glad you made this video, I was a little weirded out that I hadn't seen people talking about the fact Gonzo had already been shown as (interpretively) nonbinary
Also seeing the way you talked about all the different media Gonzo showed up in and all those other muppet facts you sprinkled in was just delightful
As a 42-year old nonbinary Muppets fan, to me it feels so refreshing to see someone your age with similar fashion preferences who is so interested in the Muppets.
Of course, if you're a nonbinary puppeteering enthusiast, of COURSE you'd love Gonzo. :) What's not to love?
Gonzo is the pioneer of the Muppets. Nothing is off limits and let's be honest, Gonzo is the snappiest dresser.
Honestly, Gonzo answering "What are you?" with "I'm an Artist." is such a good answer. It both defines and non-defines him. I've always liked Gonzo and anybody who has ever felt like they don't belong can look at Gozno and see that they do, in fact, belong, in their own way. Your friends take you as you are.
Stay Different.
I'm glad characters like Gonzo exist. It's a testament to good writing and gives those who share similar feelings someone, to look up to.
God forbid you teach kids to respect all people. Gonzo is my favorite
I'M TOO STONED FOR THIS AMOUNT OF FEELS, I am SOBBING omg 😭💜 I just love Gonzo so much
Muppets has been and always will be a comfort for me as an LGBT teen
I see Kermit as Bisexual and Trans, Fozzie as Gay, Animal as Pansexual, Janice as Trans, etc.
I’m a Trans Bisexual boy and this episode of Muppet Babies really made me smile.
You mean because Kermit would often wear wigs early in his career?
ive always seen kermit as straight cis but an intense ally that drives the other puppets to pride
I am personally and ally not a lgbtq member but I personally see what you mean by Kermit but he seems more like a ally to me it make more sense, to me obviously, that Fozzie is bi and Janice makes 100% sense
@@Daleo56 i agree, janice always screamed trans fem from the moment i saw her
You definitely need more attention because this shows all those homophobic people what actually gonzo is about
This is such an incredibly well done video essay! When I was a kid I was quite basic and Kermit was my favourite Muppet but as I approached adulthood and starting exploring my identity I found myself more and more drawn to Gonzo as both a gender nonconforming, neurodivergent, biromantic teen.
The Muppets have always been striving for inclusivity and wanting to show the whole world they are seen and loved and Gonzorella is simply that mission statement applied to 2021 where they can achieve that in much greater depth than they’ve ever been able to. I was incredibly moved by the episode both as someone who celebrates LGBTQIA+ representation in animated series and a life long Muppets fan.
Dave goalz, has been my favorite muppeteer since I learned their names, his abilities as a puppeteer without any formal training really helped me get into puppetry. I'm trans, so college and stuff like that isn't an option for me because I have to pay for surgeries, but knowing that Dave goalz has been with the muppets for over 40 years with no puppetry training helped me realize that I don't need a school to tell me I can do something.
I think Henson knew exactly what he was doing, non-binary wasn't a term coined yet but genderqueer has been around since the 80s and the concept so much longer. Not to mention that members of the muppets cast were queer and that was kind of the environment that the muppets grew from. So I truly believe that Gonzo was no fluke, that he is exactly what he was meant to be
Glad I'm not the only one who heard about all this and thought "....Really? people are getting upset about GONZO? did they watch the Muppets?"
Just saying if you expected the Muppets to uphold conservative standards, and ESPCHALLY if you expected them to just blend in with the status quo, you haven't been paying attention.
Thank you!! So much. I always saw Gonzo as somewhat queer, he has the mannerisms, but I could never put it into words how “queer” he was. I always related/was attached to Gonzo and in my opinion you did the LGBTQ+ community so much of a service! Thank you so much!
14:44
I can't believe Kermit is a man. I always thought he was a frog!
✅ featherless
✅ Biped
Oh man, being reminded about that Noah's Ark scene had me tearing up. The deep-rooted feeling of emptiness and being cast out that would trigger a dream like that, that's something ANYBODY can identify with. Hearing Gonzo call out in agony as he is about to literally drown in his own sorrows just makes your heart go out to him.
These are the types of videos that I love! This essay is so well thought out and written and man, I never realized just how queer Gonzo is! He was always one of my favorite characters growing up, so it's neat hearing this look on his character
I LOVE this video. I've long believed the Muppets are Very Queer. It's actually a running joke among my friends that I could (and at this point would) write a 600-page long dissertation about the Inherent Queerness of the Muppets. It would include such chapters as:
Introduction: Found Family in The Muppets Universe
2. Gonzo the Great is Queer as Hell: Need I Say More
5. Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem are Polyamorous
6. Statler and Waldorf are an Elderly Couple Who Go to the Theatre for the Sole Purpose of Bitching After and Also During - Don't Tell Me They're Not Gay
9. Is 'Miss Piggy' a Drag Persona?
15. Queer Resonances of Textual Inter-species Romances
18. "They're Fozzie's Weirdo Friends!": In-Universe Responses to the Muppets
Conclusion: Sometimes a Family is a Ragtag Bunch of Weirdos - and That's Queer Culture
Kinda thinking about making a video essay of my own on this, actually. Yours was so delightful that I want to play too (:
"Gotta love a dress with pockets Amirite?" This line is so relatable and I don't even wear dresses.
As a longtime Muppet fan, I vehemently applaud you for your dedicated research.
I think this is best summed up back in 1981 with the Great Muppet Caper, in the first airplane scene when Kermit, Fozzy, and Gonzo are in the crates, Kermit is labeled as a frog, Fozzy is a bear, and Gonzo is labeled as whatever.
Indeed, I also remember hearing a few stars in one of the movies refer to Gonzo as an it. This really makes the most sense given that no one knows what Gonzo is and therefore trying to assign a gender to Gonzo would be out of place.
Came from ticktok, hoping this gets picked up by the eyeball zone so this gets more eyes. This needs more views. I love this.
Thank you so much! This video is already doing much better then my most recent content : )
in just 20 short minutes i gave gone from barely knowing who Gonzo is to being a full-fledged Gonzo Stan. thank you for enlightening us
Being raised on the first Muppet Babies I've always thought Gonzos species was a "Weirdo". I am sure that's what he was on that show.
Weirdo, Whatever, makes no difference, so long as you don't think he's an alien.
No. He's definitely not an alien.
Awe🥺🥺🥺🥺 this is the cutest thing I have ever seen. We love representation
WAIT THE RAT ALSO WORE A SKIRT AND NOBODY TALKED ABOUT IT? dude him and gonzo have alwayd been in love istg.
One thing to note is that Gonzo's running gag on the Muppets was that no one knew what he was or why he was there in the first place, but he was where he was and he was what he wanted to be, which is evident in the first Muppet movie. So in turn, this story of him dressing up as a princess is not different to what Jim Henson had developed for him.
Honestly, I rolled with it from second 1. No wokeness, no bandwagon, I just immediately was like "yeah gonzo would do that tho"
Having the Muppets in Space film summarised through this lens kind of makes it click as to why I enjoyed it as much as I did as a closeted bi person.
In retrospect it's a no brainer that a story about a misfit discovering that there's a whole community of people just like him that exists parallel to the world as most people know it would have connected with me
i love this video, i really do. i’m a queer teen in a conservative household who grew up on the muppets, and i always felt so strongly connected to them for reasons i couldn’t really understand until recently. This video is helping me understand, and your segment about how you don’t need a perfect label was so reassuring to someone who has no idea what fits to describe their gender. Plus, i can just feel how passionate you are about this, and it just warms my heart!
i loved that little comic where gonzo walked past the girls bathroom, past hte boys bathroom and right to the whatever bathroom, what an icon
have not watched the video all the way through but just wanted to say that there's an episode of the muppet show where scooter has gonzo partake in the "time-honored art of female impersonation" so yes, there's a precedent for gonzo wearing dresses and no, it's not the weirdest thing he's ever done
You know, eating a tire is probably pretty up there.
@@taylorgreen9929 oh absolutely. to the flight of the bumblebee, no less
Also super funny that in the clips you're showing, Rizzo is wearing a skirt too. Like, Gonzo's not even the only "boy" wearing a skirt in that episode!
my friend figured it out (for me, i had no idea) i was trans/nonbinary because i used that pic of gonzo in a crate labelled as whatever in a convo exactly once.
The intro explaining how it will be look at open minded as a Muppets fan made me know immediately that I could trust this.
Well now I'm invested in the muppets and have to back it up by watching as much Muppet content as I can
The fact I literally said a while back that gonzo was nb, the Hawaiian shirt gave me the vibes.
I agree that it makes sense that Gonzo is part of the LGBTQ+ community just look at how they dress
We've watched cartoon characters cross dress, make out with someone of the same sex while cross dressing, and had characters that literally had no gender for running gags. But the moment a character THAT LITERALLY HAS NO GENDER actually represents a group of people that don't follow gender norms is where we draw the damn line. Yes how dare they teach our children that they can wear a dress regardless of gender, how dare they teach children to respect others, how dare they teach our children to be loving and respectable people.
Being a Dad, I have had this episode pop up at my house numerous times. It always makes me smile that they went there and made it totally un-ambiguous. considering its Disney and a show for much younger kids I was really surprised to see that level of representation. I had never seen the controversy about it, but then again, I don't pay much attention to the groups that would be spouting that crap either. By the way, Great video!
This was well researched and explained. I have always loved Gonzo the best and you're so right in saying queer people often identify with him.
With his work, Jim Henson had gathered people around him who were right for the task and not how these people fit into society.
He didn't look at skin color or sexual orientation
This was about the Muppets about the conflicts and their orientations and how to deal with them.
At the end of the day he shows us how we should deal with it - not ignore and not denounce - by accepting these people into our lives and trusting that they will give us something unique.
and this 30 years after his death
thanks Jim
i'm so glad i started watch muppet videos regularly on youtube and ran into this on my recommended! loved the whole analysis and everything you pieced together about gonzo's character. we love gonzo the great, the iconic whatever
The most surprising part of the episode was the fact that Gonzo‘s dress had pockets and we’re not gonna lie about that also them in the beginning saying that only princesses wear dresses to Gonzo
Gonzo has ALWAYS been a crossdr*sser since the 70s whether he role plays as different characters or tries to be funny. But he has never been preachy about it until the Muppet Babies reboot. Men crossdr*sses or wear traditional "feminine" clothing for various reasons. In a lot of TV shows and movies of the past, they either do it just to be funny or as a part of the disguise. That's how Bugs Bunny tricks his enemies. In other cases, it's a part of certain cultures like kilts or grass skirts. So, no, being a crossdr*sser alone doesn't make you "queer." He still identifies as a boy with a female love interest (albeit a chicken or two).
I think the role-playing part is fine since baby Gonzo just wanted to play a female character. I don't really considered that part to be preachy or pandering alone. It's okay for kids to role play as someone else they're not if they like to whether they're of a different race, gender, culture, class, status, etc. They don't always have to match the same characteristics as the characters they wanted to dress as. So this might help soften the stigma against boys What's pandering about it was how Disney tries to present this episode as "representation" among some of their other virtual signaling/queerbaiting hiccups at best.
ok but why are you censoring the e?
@@BillyCrawshrimp probably because youtube tends to autodelete comments that contains certain words.
If you remember that The Muppets was filmed in the UK in the 1970s and know that cross-dressing / drag was an accepted part of UK stage theatre, and also know that some of the writers were gay thespians, then Gonzo actually makes a lot of sense as a "lived experience". And being such a genuine multidimensional character is why he's so popular.
Gotta love how Rizzo wears a lil tutu but I guess ppl were too distracted by Gonzo to make noise about that.
The only real difference between now and any other time Gonzo's crossdressed seems to be that it can't be hand waved away as a joke, it's being acknowledged on an empathic level.
They talk about how it might not be accepted and reassure that it is in the show and by proxy should ideally be accepted in real life.
They're "making a thing out of it".
"Whatever" is such a relatable and beautiful identity. A person is a very kaleidoscopic thing. Our ever-expanding lexicon on the topic of identity is good for standardizing discussion and normalizing topics in an effort to improve education. But there's something inviting about a term that celebrates you for you, even before you've figured who you are. While you might struggle to determine if terms like "fluid" or "asexual" describe how you truly feel, nobody can tell you you're not enough of anything to be a "whatever".
Imagine taking the time out of your day to hate on a cartoon character with a funny curled up nose wearing a dress
this video sent me on a complete muppets spiral and now i'm emotionally attached to a piece of felt
Aren’t we all? 😔🤚
Ok wow. This video was fantastic. I've never watched you videos before, or even been more than a very casual fan of the Muppets before, but I was blown away by how much this video touched my soul. It's only been like 2 months since I realised that I'm non-binary, and I find myself realising now that in my almost 21 years of life, I never even asked what Gonzo is, I didn't know that was a running thing with his character but I still just accepted him as Gonzo, and that thought makes me really comfy. Thanks for making this video, it really made me so happy and the vibes you were giving were just so positive the whole way through, it's amazing and I now relate to Gonzo a lot more.
You're so good at this. It's a crime you don't have more subscribers. Young people like you give me hope for the queer youth. I'm 36 and have learned a great deal about Gonzo and identity by watching this short sweet video of yours. Keep it up!
Anyone who gets mad because Gonzo wore a dress isn't a fan of the Muppets. Boomers will watch an episode 40 years ago and say "I remember this lol" and get all offended when they don't remember the lore.
It sounds like “Muppets from Space” was attempting to be an allegory of Gonzo being part of the queer community, but have “Alien” be the stand-in for “queer”.
Unfortunately it backfired and it look like a label was trying to be given to the “muppet without a label”, so they course corrected by returning Gonzo to being a “whatever” and have the film be a “in-universe film”.
Yeah that's what I was thinking as well
This vid genuinely made me feel more comfortable with myself. Thank you so much.
Love the marauder’s map blanket in the background
Gonzo is an artists. Nuff said. To anyone dealing with identity issues like my homie the g man just know that you may not know what you are but you gotta know who you are and love yourself for who you are. Idk if your friends and family are pricks but if it means anything I love you. And my dear friend g meister loves you too. I remember the good old days. I went to college with gonzo back in the 50’s. Things were wild back then. So much experimentation, but we had to be secretive about it otherwise we would be killed. I miss gonzo. I should give him a call. 😢
"Don't Tell Miss Piggy, I fear her," is genuinely the funniest part of this video lmao
finally, some content made for me specifically. I’m literally 1 second in but I’m SO HYPE.
Ahhhh yes! Thank you so much!! I hope you like it!
"The closest thing to a queer icon the Muppets have given us."
*sad meep noises*
I love this so much, I'd love to see more video essays from you!!
I have few more in the works right now! Thank you for your support!