Fozzie Bear

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Fozzie Bear

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Fozzie Bear in Muppets Treasure Island (and Mr. Bimble, the man living in his finger)

For the heavy metal band fronted by Chris Jericho, see Fozzy

Fozzie Bear is a fictional character, originally created by Jim Henson as a member of The Muppets. He is an orange, fuzzy Muppet bear who tells bad jokes and ends each joke with his catch phrase "Wocka Wocka Wocka." Shortly after telling the joke, he is constantly the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler & Waldorf. This act is similar to Rodney Dangerfield acts.

History

Fozzie is very good natured and loves his friends. He was originally performed by puppeteer Frank Oz, although in recent years he has been performed by Eric Jacobson. Fozzie was named after puppet builder Faz Fazakas, who created the mechanism that allowed Fozzie to wiggle his ears (According to the Muppets Inside guidebook, his name was a play on Frank Oz's name (F.Oz)). He also sings and dances; when the Muppets released records, Fozzie Bear had such classics as "Wotcher! (Knocked 'Em in the Old Kent Road)" to his credit. In Muppet Babies, his voice was provided by Greg Berg, who also voiced Baby Scooter.

Fozzie's mother Emily Bear (performed by Jerry Nelson) appeared in A Muppet Family Christmas film. In The Great Muppet Caper, Kermit and Fozzie are questionable news reporters and apparently twin brothers. Fozzie also has a cousin who appeared in the first season of The Muppet Show, also performed by Frank Oz.

In the late '80s a children's video was released called Hey, You're as Funny as Fozzie Bear! which was to help kids develop comedic talent.

Since the early days of The Muppet Show, Fozzie has often interacted with Kermit. Fozzie got Kermit to reluctantly assist him for one of his best-known monologues, "Good Grief! The Comedian's a Bear!", and has also had quite a bit of interaction with Kermit backstage.

In episode 115, Fozzie constantly annoyed Kermit with a running gag, delivering a number of pun items, such as a "wire" and a "letter" for Kermit the Frog which turned out to be a clothes wire and the letter R, respectively.

In episode 114, Fozzie performed the supposedly famous "Banana Sketch." When Kermit confessed that he didn't know what "The Banana Sketch" was, the cast and guest star Sandy Duncan teased him for his ignorance.

Kermit and Fozzie have also frequently been paired together in countless movies, books, and specials. In The Muppet Movie, Fozzie was the first Muppet Kermit met on his journey. After Fozzie's unsuccessful comedy performance at the El Sleezo Cafe, Kermit invited Fozzie to come to Hollywood with him. The two friends sang the duet "Movin' Right Along" in the same film.

Fozzie was also frequently teamed up with Rowlf the Dog. In episode 101, Fozzie played a western bandit to Rowlf's role as a western hero. Fozzie also appeared in two Veterinarian's Hospital sketches, in which Rowlf starred as Dr. Bob.

In episode 218, Rowlf learned that Fozzie could play the piano, and they played the piano together in a performance of "English Country Garden". Rowlf has also played back-up to Fozzie's renditions of "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (An Actor's Life for Me)" and "I've Got Rhythm." During the latter number, Rowlf attempted to help Fozzie with his singing.

The young incarnations of Fozzie and Rowlf were also frequently paired together on Muppet Babies.

He was the character most noticeably absent from the short-lived Muppets Tonight.

The character now belongs to The Walt Disney Company after Disney bought the franchise from The Jim Henson Company. The original puppet is kept in the teddy bear museum in Stratford-upon-Avon, founded by Gyles Brandreth.

Fozzie is an annonymous contributor the Suffield Academy Bell who claims to be the "ubiquitous observer of the Suffield Academy community." He critically questions the schools functions, as well as the general purpose of anything and how people should live their lives as a result.

Fozzie Bear's Roles

Fozzie Bear has been in every Muppet Movie. Here are some of the roles that he has played:

• The Muppet Movie - Fozzie Bear
• The Great Muppet Caper - Fozzie Bear, Reporter
• The Muppets Take Manhattan - Fozzie Bear
• The Muppet Christmas Carol - Fozziwig
• Muppet Treasure Island - Squire Trelawney
• It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie - Fozzie Bear
• Muppets From Space - Fozzie Bear
• The Muppets' Wizard of Oz - The Cowardly Lion/Fozzie Bear
• A Muppet Family Christmas - Fozzie Bear
• Muppet Classic Theater - The Emperor
• Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D - Fozzie Bear

External links

• Muppet Wiki: Fozzie Bear