Muppet Madness Crowns a Winner

For the past three years when March Madness hit college basketball, the Muppets suffered from a Madness of their own. On Monday night basketball celebrated Kentucky blue; but the Muppets were seeing green – frog green. For the first time the amphibious Muppet spokesman Kermit the Frog took the title in the Muppet Madness Tournament.

Kermie has managed to make a showing in each of the three Madness Tournaments only to lose in the first year to Sesame Street pals Bert and Ernie. Last year Kermit failed to advance past the first round. This year Kermit won but by a very narrow margin – 10 votes to Muppet newcomer Walter. The pair were neck and neck trading the top spot for the last several hours of the competition.

Kermit made his debut in 1955 as the first puppet creation by a 12 year old Jim Henson.

Kermit was first introduced to national audiences on the children’s program “Sesame Street” where he was first featured as the roving street reporter who opened his reports with, “Hi ho, Kermit the Frog here.” Later he became the host of “The Muppet Show” and has starred in all of the Muppet Movies.

There is a statue of Kermit on the campus at the University of Maryland – the alma mater of Muppet creator Jim Henson.