Gonzo the Muppet: Six Things You Didn't Know About the Jim Henson Character

Gonzo is one of the most loved characters ever to come out of the mind of Jim Henson. Even the most avid of Muppets fans will soon realize that there is a lot that they did not know about their favorite Henson character.

Gonzo is a Frackle:

Frackles are strange creatures that were introduced in, "The Great Santa Claus Switch," in 1970. Gonzo was a bit of an outsider to the Frackles because he did not have the trademark large teeth.

Gonzo originally lived in a cigar box, and was referred to as the, "Cigar Box Frackle," in the original appearance. Henson decided that he like the little outsider, and added him to the cast of the Muppet Show. Gonzo is the only main cast member of the Muppet Show that did not resemble a human or animal.

In one episode of, "Muppets From Space," it was stated that Gonzo was an alien. It was never pursued as to whether all Frackles were from space, or just Gonzo.

Inspiration for The Simpsons:

At the end of the intro for the Muppet Show, Gonzo would try to hit the final note for the song with an instrument. In the first season, it was a gong that was used for this. In the rest of the seasons, Gonzo would usually use a trumpet, or other similar instrument. Every episode would be slightly different. You would never see the exact occurrence twice

When The Simpsons was first being created for the Fox channel, it was suggested by some of the studio officials that the opening for the Simpsons should always have something different like the opening for the Muppet Show. That is why Bart is always writing something different on the chalkboard, and the family jumping on the couch is always different.

Foul-Mouthed:

Many reports state that Dave Goelz, the voice of Gonzo, used to love to swear off camera. Whenever he would, he would have Gonzo mouth the swear words. He used to say that he always wanted to have a show where Gonzo could say whatever he wanted. Henson used to refer to Gonzo sometimes as the, "Foul-Mouthed Muppet."

A slight chance came during the, "Muppet Christmas Carol," when Gonzo says the word, "Damn." For some strange reason, Muppets fans overlooked this for the large part.

Contradictions About Mother:

In a second season episode of the Muppet Show, Gonzo states that his mother died before he was born, and had left a note for his father as to what the baby should be named. When Jason Alexander hosted Muppets Tonight, it was stated that Gonzo's mother really liked his performances.

Camilla the Chicken:

One of Jim Henson's favorite aspects about Gonzo's character was the fact that Gonzo was in love with a chicken named Camilla. Once Henson died, all references to the relationship between Gonzo and Camilla were dropped due to political correct decency.

Gonzo's Name:

The name, "Gonzo," is actually South Boston Irish slang for te last man standing after a drinking marathon. It could also be used to talk about the last person who was left after a major competition.

The character of Gonzo was that of a person that would do everything that they could to accomplish their goals. Henson once said that Gonzo had the drive that everyone wish that they had.