New 'Muppets' Exposes Kids to Sex, Drugs and Alcohol?

Angel4Truth

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New 'Muppets' Exposes Kids to Sex, Drugs and Alcohol?

Two family television watchdog groups are warning parents that the new version of the iconic children's series "The Muppets" is no longer the loveable kids show it used to be and is now exposing children to sexual innuendo and references to alcohol, drug use and adult content every three and a half minutes.

The Parents Television Council and One Million Moms have launched campaigns informing parents that ABC's new adaptation of "The Muppets," which features beloved children's characters Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog, is not suitable for younger viewers.

The first four episodes of the new series, which premiered on Sept. 22 and airs Tuesday evenings during primetime, featured adult content every three minutes and 38 seconds, according to research compiled by PTC. In the four episodes there were 33 different adult references, with 46 percent being sexual and 45 percent related to drug or alcohol use.

PTC president Tim Winter told The Christian Post that the content included a scene of beloved characters getting "inebriated" at a bar, Miss Piggy talking about getting breast augmentations and butt lifts, Animal implying that he's been with "too many women" in "too many towns," and Miss Piggy telling someone to "sex it to me sake boy."

According to the research, over 4 million children ages 2 to 11 viewed the first four episodes — an average of about 1 million child viewers per episode.

"Parents of a million kids every week are thinking this is OK for their kids, and they don't realize it's not," Winter asserted, explaining that even before the first episode aired, the show's producer, Bob Kushell, admitted that he was taking the show in a more adult direction than legendary producer Jim Henson had. Kushell was quoted as saying, "Rightfully or wrongfully, 'The Muppets' became more of a kids product over the years."

"'Rightfully or wrongfully?'" Winter asked in astonishment. "Animated characters with puppets that children love and adore, how could it ever be wrongfully that this has become a product for kids? He said straightforwardly that this version of 'The Muppets' was going to push them the way they have never been pushed before."

Although Kushell has been open about the adult direction in which he has taken the show, Winter says that doesn't change the fact that children will still see "The Muppets" as a kids show.

"Our concern isn't that adults can't have some nod-nod, wink-wink humor out of 'The Muppets.' In the past they have done so, but it had been so heavily veiled that kids didn't get it. Now, it's in their face," Winter stated. "Even though you can have a show like 'The Muppets' that has the type of innuendos that go over kids heads, the whole point is children reasonably believe that 'The Muppets' is for them. They see 'The Muppets' and say 'This is for me,' instinctively, inherently."

Winter argues that exposing young children to high amounts adult content will democratize them on sex, drug use and drinking.

"It's tough to know what the longterm ramifications are, but when you have 50 or 60 years of scientific evidence that connects a child's behavior to the media they consume, the result can't be positive," Winter said.

PTC sent a letter to Disney-owned ABC condemning the amount of adult content in the show. PTC has also reached out to advertisers of the series to make sure they are aware of the content they are sponsoring. Winter said PTC has not yet heard back from any advertisers.

One Million Moms has put together a campaign allowing concerned parents to call or email the network to voice their displeasure with the adult content that has been shown to children.

Winter also told CP that the show's new adult focus is part of a larger trend in television media that leaves families without many options when it comes to shows that are appropriate for children.

"I think it is [a] consensus in Hollywood that the edgier, the better. You look at what are the alternatives for family viewing. There aren't any, not on broadcast," Winter insisted. "Maybe you can watch 'Dancing With the Stars' or 'The Voice,' maybe you can watch a football game. Other than that, there really isn't programing for a family audience. It's very rare."

Winter praised the new CBS drama "Supergirl," which topped PTC's list of the best new fall television shows, for being a "squeaky clean" show for families to watch.

PTC, however, was disturbed by the fact that during the show's premier, a Victoria's Secret commercial aired that featured half-naked lingerie models. PTC is now urging CBS to reevaluate the ad placement on its program.

"For the first time in recent memory, CBS aired a primetime program that was high-quality, family-friendly, positive for young girls, and thoroughly entertaining," Winter said in a statement shared with CP.

"Unfortunately, the network couldn't get out of its own way, inserting an explicit advertisement with sexually-charged images of nearly-naked women 46 minutes into the 60-minute program. Did the CBS ad sales team not take Marketing 101 in college? The commercial's messaging was in total contradistinction to the messaging of the program, and it sent exactly the wrong message to young women and teens who tuned in to watch the show."

Now why on earth would this be necessary for young children?
 

Tambora

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Am I missing something?

I realize that a lot of children's cartoons have innuendo that is over a child's head; but what are they suggesting the muppets do that would not be over a child's head?
 

Angel4Truth

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Am I missing something?

I realize that a lot of children's cartoons have innuendo that is over a child's head; but what are they suggesting the muppets do that would not be over a child's head?

Examples:
PTC president Tim Winter told The Christian Post that the content included a scene of beloved characters getting "inebriated" at a bar, Miss Piggy talking about getting breast augmentations and butt lifts, Animal implying that he's been with "too many women" in "too many towns," and Miss Piggy telling someone to "sex it to me sake boy."
 

Tambora

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Muppets meet South Park.

I don't know of any adults that go out to buy or rent the Muppets to watch themselves.
The only reasons adults get them is for their kids to watch.
The target audience is children, not adults.

So, as a "business" decision, it makes no sense for them to "adult" the Muppets.
In fact, to do so would seem to hurt sales, as parents will stop getting the Muppets for their children.

And then there is the possibility that this agenda has nothing to do with sales profit, and everything to do with desensitizing children to perversion.


I guess the next to be invited to the White House will be the Muppets.
 

Angel4Truth

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Muppets meet South Park.

I don't know of any adults that go out to buy or rent the Muppets to watch themselves.
The only reasons adults get them is for their kids to watch.
The target audience is children, not adults.

So, as a "business" decision, it makes no sense for them to "adult" the Muppets.
In fact, to do so would seem to hurt sales, as parents will stop getting the Muppets for their children.

And then there is the possibility that this agenda has nothing to do with sales profit, and everything to do with desensitizing children to perversion.


I guess the next to be invited to the White House will be the Muppets.

Bingo, thats my guess.

b36669f1034355ea42fed536497fe2cb.jpg


But these adults watch it for themselves apparantly:

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2628812027_40af2a4da4_m.jpg
 

Tambora

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Ya know, it's getting to where you cannot stand up for anything, because that would be "unfair" to the others.
And you cannot protest anything, because that would be "unfair" to others.

This whole idea of "everyone gets a prize because everyone participates" is doing little more than producing sheep waiting to be handed their rations.

Diversity is not all it's cracked up to be.
 

Angel4Truth

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Ya know, it's getting to where you cannot stand up for anything, because that would be "unfair" to the others.
And you cannot protest anything, because that would be "unfair" to others.

This whole idea of "everyone gets a prize because everyone participates" is doing little more than producing sheep waiting to be handed their rations.

Diversity is not all it's cracked up to be.

:first:
 

glorydaz

Well-known member
Bingo, thats my guess.

b36669f1034355ea42fed536497fe2cb.jpg


But these adults watch it for themselves apparantly:

2629631758_e5b5677220_m.jpg


2628812027_40af2a4da4_m.jpg

From the looks of it, it's been adopted by the gay community. They love the outlandish outfits. They probably have Muppet parties. I've been to a couple of their Easter Bonnet parties....costume contests and everything.
 

Sherman

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The Muppet Show has always been edgy. I have the original series in my library. It definitely is not a child's program.
 

Angel4Truth

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Update:

ABC to Overhaul 'Muppets' After Show Exposes Kids to Sex, Drugs, Alcohol

ABC has ousted Bob Kushell from his post as executive producer and showrunner of the new television adaptation of "The Muppets" after a media watchdog group and parents criticized the network for allowing the new version of the iconic children's series to expose kids to sex, alcohol and drugs.

Deadline.com reports that Kushell, who stated from the outset that he wanted to take "The Muppets" in a more adult direction, has been removed from his role and will likely be replaced by Kristen Stewart, who has worked on shows like "That 70s Show" and "Galavant."

With the first season of "The Muppets" slated for 16 episodes, the website reports that Kushell's departure is part of a "creative overhaul" to reboot the series once it returns from hiatus in the spring.

Kushell's departure comes after the family television watchdog organization Parents Television Council released research on the first four episodes of the freshman show, which found that the series exposed children to sexual innuendos, drug use or alcohol use every three and a half minutes.

As the show debuted in September and airs on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., PTC research found that it averaged over 1 million small child viewers every week. The TV watchdog played a large role in making parents aware of the fact that the new "Muppets" is not the same child-friendly puppet show it once was.

Additionally, the organization One Million Moms orchestrated a campaign allowing concerned parents to call or email ABC to voice their displeasure with the adult content that has been shown to children.

Although it's not yet certain whether Kushell's departure means the show will return to a more kid-friendly standard, PTC President Tim Winter told The Christian Post that all signs indicate it will reduce its blatant adult references.

"Our goal was not to get somebody fired, but this is a good barometer for us in that serious changes must be being considered over there at ABC for the show, and that is a positive thing," Winter said. "Some of the other family-friendly groups, some of the pro-family groups, they were taking note and sharing our research. The more people who are talking about it, it usually leads to a more quick and decisive outcome, and that certainly seems to be what happened here."

Although Winter doesn't quite know what to expect from the series' new showrunner, Stewart, he explained that generally the changing of the showrunner is indicative of a new direction.

"We don't know a whole lot about her and where she intends to take the show. When you look at what happened with the show — the ratings, the scrutiny and so forth — the content of the show was clearly a different direction than what the world had come to know about the 'Muppets,'" Winter said. "The only reason you would have a change of a showrunner is to reevaluate that direction. Mr. Kushell was very outspoken in his desire to take it in a more adult-themed direction and he did. The fact that he has been bounced out certainly suggests that a better direction is in store for the franchise."

When asked if he thought PTC's research resulted in ABC's decision to overhaul the show, Winter said it's difficult to know for sure what's behind the network's decision.

"You never [know] what's behind the veil of Hollywood speak, what exactly it means," Winter said. "We were the ones talking about it, we had media writing about it, we had parents questioning the network. You never know what it is that triggers the actual decision, but we look around, and we were the ones who were making a big deal about this."
 

aikido7

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As soon as schools began putting up signs that say "This is A Drug-Free Zone," begin to teach the D.A.R.E. curriculum and acquaint students with alcohol use and MADD groups, they have already been exposed.
 
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