3 ways Im Miss.Piggy’s doppelgänger.

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Movies and musicals are our family’s thing.

We see everything kid-appropriate and have done so since our daughter was tiny.

We get OVERLY excited before movie releases, count down the days, and usually go opening weekend.

Shrek the Musical to The Wind Rises.

We are also the family who listens to musical soundtracks repeatedly and (if there’s not a film of the musical yet) watches YouTubed versions before heading to the theater so we’re familiar with the story.

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Sunday  morning Evita-watching.

Recently, however, the child has learned a difficult lesson.

A lesson many of us adult-types know well and one she was bound to learn sooner or later.

Sometimes the transition of a movie to television show or vice-versa leaves one highly disappointed.

We loved The Muppets.

I’ve adored The Muppet Show for eons as it was an integral part of my childhood (and my introduction to the concept of curmudgeons).

I starred as Kermit the Frog my school’s presentation of the *first* Muppet Movie.

I sing a bastardized version of Man or a Muppet to The Chairman daily.

When the Child saw a commercial for the NEW Muppet show—I shared with her all about the ORIGINAL Muppet show.

She was really excited and we settled in to watch what I’d hoped would be a marathon of episodes.

She was finished with the series before one episode was done.

She proclaimed it old-fashioned.

(Crushing for this Mama, but that’s a different post.)

I, however, sat rapt but not for the reasons I’d assumed I would.

It suddenly hit me, like one of her famed karate chops, how alike Miss. Piggy and I are.

Allow me to explain.

3 reasons Carla and The Piggy are doppelgangers:

  • No matter what happens I know I rock. No matter what transpires Miss. Piggy KNOWS she’s a badass. Things not go my way? It cannot be about me—I rock! Rejected from a position/submission? It can NOT be my abilities—-I must not be what they’re looking for! My confidence–and that of the Pig–comes from within. It’s misplaced at times (something I freely acknowledge), but it never originates from/is changed by what happens around me!

 

  • I’m verrry assertive. Yes, Miss Piggy is a hyperbolic puppet character. Yes I fear believe I may be precisely as she is in my real, non-celluloid life. I’m assertive. I lay out and ask for exactly what I want. Piggy & I speak our minds unapologetically. Neither of us see any benefit in sitting back and waiting to see what life has to offer. She karate chops if she doesn’t get what she desires—I just back up, reposition and try again.

 

  • I’ve chosen not to be Mrs. The Frog…in the same way I believe she’d remain Miss. Piggy, too. Mine wasn’t a feminist statement—it just was not who I am. It never really occurred to me to change. I am Carla Birnberg. I loved someone enough to partner for life—yet it sounded almost silly to me I’d change my last name to match his. It’s not who I am. And it’s not who Piggy is either.

 

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Getting fancy with Mister the Birnberg.

More than anything what Miss. Piggy and I share is a choice of confidence.

We both choose to be unapologetically ourselves.

Each moment of every day in all interactions no matter what life tosses our way.

And you?

  • Have you ever realized you share an abundance of traits with a fictional character?
  • Is the NEW Muppet show as, uh, bawdy as they say?

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Comments

  2. Love it! Clearly it’s not you because YOU ROCK! My husband (whose name I took only after becoming pregnant with the twins) adores the muppets. The boys will only watch the Christmas special, and they sing loudly! The husband recorded (DVRed?) the new Muppets and they have yet to watch….
    LOVE the pictures!!! You rock the Miss Piggy for sure!

  3. I really could use to be much more bold in my life outside of work. I could also use your daughter’s dress! LOL

  4. I need to think more about what you say about misplaced confidence.
    I wonder if that is another way of stating fake it till you make it?

  6. The new Muppet show is terrible. I can’t believe you’re a Tornado didn’t like the old one!!!
    Try again perhaps?

  8. I love all things Muppets but I don’t think I am quite as obsessed as you. But it works for you ! Love how you identify with Miss Piggy. I have only watched one episode of the new Muppets and wasn’t in love with it but I will give it another chance. Fun post!

  9. Don’t watch the new show. It’s inappropriate for her and will be soul-crushing for you. I loved the muppets and even had a Miss Piggy puppet (?). I liked her energy and her French! I did not have her self-confidence, but maybe I drew on hers a little bit.

  10. OMG, you are so funny! Were your ears burning yesterday? I was “talking” about your with Tamara Grand on her Periscope! How awesome you are, and now you solidified it.

    I miss seeing kid movies. I remember waiting outside the Disney stores with my son, in his stroller, waiting for it to open after the DVD release of “The Lion King” and “The Little Mermaid.” Somehow at 22 he isn’t interested anymore! 🙂

  12. I am SO jealous of your self confidence! I have worked really hard to get some self esteem happening but I am still influenced by events and people around me – now I’m going to remember Miss Piggy and sashay my way through life!

  13. I channeled Mighty Mouse from early on. Never changed my last name either-for many reasons and am glad now I never did.

  14. Ha! I loved this. Your positive outlook is contagious. Wow. You remind me of my sister, Amy. She ooooozes self confidence, and I love her for it. It’s taken me longer, half a lifetime actually, but I’m getting there. Hmmmm fictional character. I played Beaker in our school’s performance of the Muppets, but that’s mostly because I was the tallest one. I think I’m more of a Winnie the Pooh carrying a red balloon:) Thank you so much for sharing my story about Jacob Wetterling. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.

  16. If you don’t ask, you may never know.
    Some people are afraid of asking question because of what others might think, but at the end of the day, they spend time and energy trying to figure out the answer themselves.
    Just ask and get the best from the answer.
    Have a fabulous day, Carla!

  17. Kept my name too & back then, a big thing!!! 🙂

    What a fun post! Yup, I never tried to conform to want hubby wanted but honestly, he was not that way anyway… he had to put up with me. 🙂

  21. Fun comparisons. As for the new Muppet Show. It is certainly not the old Muppet Show, and if that’s what you were expecting, you will be disappointed. The other part I don’t like is that it’s done as a faux reality show – although they do make fun of the genre. As for being bawdy, what more grown up humor there is, is more by inference that out and out sexy. There was a great joke about the band being really happy – legally, this time. I think it’s a better show that some are saying, but I do miss the old format.

  24. I would love to know how you gain that confidence. I’ve been the opposite my whole life, and I damn sick and tired of it. I’m making baby steps, but just like a baby I stumble a lot. I have to say those pictures, the one of you as Miss Piggy are hilarious! Have a great weekend.

  25. Miss Piggy? Really? She’s loud…rude…pushy…oblivious to others…throws herself forcefully at a completely uninterested man in a desperate way for years on end until he gives in to get her to shut up (worse than Lucy from Peanuts ever was to Schroeder, and a male character who did the same to a female would be considered threatening, or a stalker )…is vacuous, appearance-obsessed, and materialistic, is physically violent to others including Kermit (that ridiculous “hi-ya!” karate chop thing)…not really a character I would be proud to liken myself.

  26. Hehe, this post put a great big smile on my face. I was curious to read how you were like Ms. Piggy!
    I love musicals and broadway, but haven’t been to a show in so so long. Ray and I met during a high school choir trip to Nashville 🙂

  27. I just LOVE THIS. I think my biggest draw and admiration for Miss Piggy was her confidence. She would often turn around in a “humph” when anyone wasn’t doing what she wanted–I think I need to do that more often.

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