Original photo by © Moviestore Collection Ltd/Alamy
Roughly 90% of humans are right-handed, including Muppeteers — the puppeteers who control Muppets. Though it may sound counterintuitive, this fact is why most Muppets are left-handed: Muppeteers use their dominant hand to control the heads of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and the rest of Jim Henson’s beloved creations, leaving their left hands to control the characters’ hand motions. This, in turn, translates into primarily using the Muppets’ left arms — otherwise the Muppeteer would need to use their left hand to control their character’s right hand, which would be physically counterintuitive.
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It's a factA year before “The Muppet Show” debuted, Henson was on the first season of “SNL.” He and the Muppets had a recurring segment called “The Land of Gorch.”
Henson created the Muppets in 1955, more than 20 years before the eponymous TV series premiered in 1976, and his original motley crew was first seen on the show Sam and Friends. The Muppets began appearing on Sesame Street in 1969, made their way to the silver screen for the first time a decade later, and have also starred in such series as Fraggle Rock, The Jim Henson Hour, and Muppets Tonight. Henson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991, Kermit got his in 2002, and the Muppets as a whole were honored with theirs in 2012.
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Kermit’s eyes were originally made of ______.
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Kermit’s eyes were originally made of Ping-Pong balls.
Left-handedness has long been associated with evil.
Some superstitions are sillier than others: Near the top of the list would have to be the historical association between left-handedness and evil, which can even be found in the origins of the word “sinister.” It’s based on a Latin word meaning “on the left side,” and those who worship the devil were historically said to be on the left-hand path.
The basis for this appears to be pure prejudice stemming from the fact that most people are right-handed and those who aren’t were once seen as outcasts or worse (read: witches). The ancient Celts were one notable exception, as they associated the left side with femininity and the womb — the source of all life, in other words.
Michael Nordine is a writer and editor living in Denver. A native Angeleno, he has two cats and wishes he had more.
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