I first encountered Cleo by picture, she was onstage performing a number from her Porgy & Bess album with Ray Charles. My first thought was, "Why is this white woman doing Porgy & Bess? " which is a damn shame that I couldn't recognize "my own." But I loved her stuff with Ray and I looked further into her work and realized how celebrated she is. She is amazing. As you said Carl, such perfect control of her voice, and she can sing anything, best known for jazz and her scatting ability. I am so sorry that I didn't know until after the fact that she and her late husband Sir John Dankworth performed in the city about a year back, an incredible missed opportunity. One of my favorites is a number they do called "Turkish Delight" where John is on sax and Cleo does a call and response with the sax, she scats whatever he plays and hits these amazing notes. But my favorite on that best of album is "If" which is accompanied by the beautiful guitar of John Williams, and when I found out that she had a. been on The Muppet Show (!), and b. performed "If" (!), I almost plotzed. I was one huge choked up goosebump when I finally saw that performance. I also saw her in an HBO film with Judi Dench and Leslie Caron called "Last of the Blonde Bombshells".

The neat thing with her Muppet Show appearance is she is just as effortless with the comedy moments, she just has this casual warmth and unbelievable screen presence. I love when she is scatting and introducing each member of the band. It just goes along with the idea that makes up the Muppets core appeal -- you never see these as puppets, but as real as anyone walking down the street.

Eric, I do think that Jim Henson got the balance for the Muppets perfectly. He apparently had a very raunchy sense of humor and his SNL stint was very dark and somewhat unpleasant to watch, yet that was usually just on the fringes with the Muppets, where it belonged. I will always love the Muppets but I don't think they have ever gotten them right since his passing. A lot of their specials have become crude and a bit tacky; there is no magic, that sentimentality which broke your heart in something like Muppets Take Manhattan now feels false, if it's there at all. The only Muppet I think has transcended to the current age is Miss Piggy, because let's face it, the world of today and the "stars" of today are just being what Miss Piggy was 30 years ago. What once was a parody has become the norm.

Edited May 28, 201015 yr by CarlD2

The only Muppet I think has transcended to the current age is Miss Piggy, because let's face it, the world of today and the "stars" of today are just being what Miss Piggy was 30 years ago. What once was a parody has become the norm.

Ya know it, lol! Miss Piggy is the true "original diva", who's straight up hood and don't give a damn. Everybody else is just a trifling b***h.

Damn. Now, I want to see Pig get her own reality series on Vh-1. :-D

Miss Piggy's likely had a facelift, eyework and nose job.

And I'm thinking eyelash extensions, but that's a suspicion.

Knowing Pig, though, she'd be the first to own up to it, and label us all as haters for judging.

Bacon grease injections in her cheeks and lips, rosemary-garlic butter injections in her rump, a procedure developed by the Swedish Chef.

Piggy's surgery must be legendary. Look at her in 1974 as she began her grueling climb to fame.

Here she is today. Are those cheek implants??

No doubt, Kermit must look at her as "high maintenance," lol.

She was wonderful on Idol the other night, that tribute to Simon was really touching.

Licking the lips with lip balm would happen if the lip balm tasted good. The point is that products should be fragrance free!

I use Aquaphor. Best product ever!

Knowing Pig, though, she'd be the first to own up to it, and label us all as haters for judging.

For some reason the quote 'Don't hate the player, hate the game' comes to mind. Piggy's only doing what's got to be done.

Bacon grease injections in her cheeks and lips, rosemary-garlic butter injections in her rump, a procedure developed by the Swedish Chef.

Ahh yes, the bacon grease injections in her cheeks and lips are taken from Dr Pat Wexler's brilliant fat injection technique...it's just from a different species.

Piggy's surgery must be legendary. Look at her in 1974 as she began her grueling climb to fame.

Here she is today. Are those cheek implants??

No implants there, Piggy didn't want to look like Jackie Zeman, it's all filler.

It also looks like Piggy got an ear job. I don't think that's very common among celebrities...

It also looks like Piggy got an ear job. I don't think that's very common among celebrities...

Depends actually. Piggy's had her ears reshaped...Heidi Montag, for example, had her ears pinned back.

Ya know it, lol! Miss Piggy is the true "original diva", who's straight up hood and don't give a damn. Everybody else is just a trifling b***h.

Damn. Now, I want to see Pig get her own reality series on Vh-1. :-D

I think that's truffling b***ch.

Depends actually. Piggy's had her ears reshaped...Heidi Montag, for example, had her ears pinned back.

Piggy should have given Heidi her surgeon's number. And she should have loaned her one of Kermit's frog friends if she wanted a husband.

Is Piggy one of the few stars to make it without having a nose job?