Defining the Muppets’ Audience
My heart aches for America. I know of so many people whose lives have fallen apart through divorce, death, suicide, health issues, unemployment and ultimately a loss of vision and purpose for their lives. Have you experienced this? Do you feel a deep hopelessness? Is there disappointment in your heart? Do you feel abandoned on the journey of life? Now, what if someone could come alongside of you and pick you up and help you stand and walk again? Would you be able to find vision again?
There is an old saying, “People without vision perish.” It’s so true isn’t it? If you don’t know where you’re going in life, you will never fulfill your heart’s desires and mission. If you don’t see in your heart something of light and life, you only have a dark void. I believe we all came into this life with something unique and profound to express and to do. But how do we come into alignment with it? How do we discover that?
We again need to think mythically and take the same approach in defining the audience of the Muppets. Some of us are wounded warriors, exiled kings or queens, and sages who lost their magic. We all are hurting in profound ways. But the Muppets seem to express the uncanny ability to lift us up and out of the ashes. I am sure you have seen someone’s eyes brighten when Kermit, Piggy, or Fozzie sing and dance. Their performances completely change the mood and atmosphere. Our hearts come alive!
But, if the Muppets are cross generational and their audience comprises both men, women, young and old, how do you narrow down the definition of your audience? What do they all have in common that is specific? The answer is that each person has a unique destiny.
Regarding the Muppets, my thesis is that the Muppets are the best representation in popular culture of the ideal family who are unique and diverse but unified for one purpose: to support the underdog Kermit to help make real people’s dreams come true.
We in the audience discover something about ourselves through watching the Muppets. They bring out the best in our humanity, not the worst of their celebrity. They mirror in us the passion of belonging to a family, supporting each other’s dreams, and celebrating each other despite our differences. We find ourselves being inclusive and unified in love and a spirit of comradery. We can honor each other even when the other person thinks different from ourselves. And we see our mission, which we understand to be inextricable connected to those with whom we journey. We take part in something greater than ourselves.
Imagine America and the hearts of families coming alive if the Muppets were to put on another show again…but this show is about vision and purpose. Imagine people unifying in vision and encouraging each of them to pursue their dreams. People could discover for themselves their own purposes and have a vision for their lives. The outcome would be a true fulfillment. People will come into their true destinies. A tangible change in our nation would come and the Muppets are the perfect vehicle to do this.
The Muppets were always “putting on a show.” But how do you connect the Muppets with the audience in a new show?
Stay tuned for my next blog entry where we examine connecting the brand with the audience.
Photo by davide ragusa on Unsplash