I’ve been going back and watching old, OLD episodes of one of my favorite shows of all time, The Muppet Show.  It’s hard to explain what I love most about this show.  I loved the singing and the dancing.  I loved the puppets.  I loved that all of the characters were so flawed and imperfect and so “human” even though they were frogs and pigs and chickens and stuff.  And I loved the fact that all these imperfect creatures managed to stay friends and muddle through every week and get a show done.  Some of the most important props might get eaten.  They may literally be glued to the scenery, but somehow they still managed to make it to the final curtain and take their bows.

Jim Henson is one of my very great heroes and has always been a major inspiration for me.

As I’ve watched those old episodes again, there is one number that really stands out in my mind.  That number is “Lydia the Tattoed Lady”.  This was featured in Season One, Episode Two of The Muppet Show, and included Kermit and Lydia.  Apparently this was one of Jim Henson’s very favorite songs.  Henson lovingly hand-drew the tattoos on Lydia the puppet’s body.

Did I mention that Lydia is a pig?  Wearing cat’s eye glasses?  With flaming red hair and a sparkly purple bikini?

No?

Well you’d better just watch the video then, hadn’t you?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHXZA_5XMJ4&w=420&h=315]

Although I didn’t realize it when I was a kid, I now see Lydia the Tattooed Muppet Lady for what she really is.  A gloriously confident, gorgeous, rad fatty, role model!  She’s not wearing a lot of clothes on her apple-shaped body.  But Lydia is hardly covered in shame or self-loathing.  She just goes out there and ROCKS IT THE HECK OUT!  Check out her moves at 1:12 and 1:27.  She has got it going ON!

I’ve watched this video over and over and it makes me so, so happy.  I’ve always said, go out and shake what you’ve got.  And I am reminded of this little perfect moment from my early childhood where I got to see this principle in action.

No wonder Jim Henson has always been one of my favorite friends I never got a chance to meet.  How about you?  Are there specific television moments that have shaped your current rad-fatty approach to life?  Well then SPILL!  I’d like to hear all about it in the comments section!

Love,

The Fat Chick

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