Sunday, February 21, 2021

Ranking the Muppet Show guests in terms of fame

 

via Variety

Who's ready for some hot takes? Who's prepared to defend the honor of C-list '70s entertainers? Who's ready for me to finally unveil my thoughts on the star power of one of the '70s best variety shows? *flails arms like Kermit to start the show*


Bruce Forsyth
(American) fame in 1977: 1
Fame in 2021: 0
-- 5 percent (If we were going solely by the UK, he'd be at 80 percent.)

Chris Langham
(American) fame in 1981: 0
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 5 percent (If were were going solely by the UK, he might score 20 percent.)

Spike Milligan
(American) fame in 1979: 0
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 5 percent (If we were going solely by the UK, he'd be at 70 percent.)

Jean-Pierre Rampal
(American) fame in 1981: 1
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 10 percent (If we were going solely by the French, I'm thinking he'd be at 40 percent.)

Charles Aznavour
(American) fame in 1976: 3
Fame in 2021: 0
-- 15 percent (If were were going solely by the French, he'd be at 75 percent.)

Teresa Brewer
Fame in 1977: 3
Fame in 2021: 1 (Remember, I'm not judging on talent, but on the likelihood of public recognition.)
-- 20 percent

Dizzy Gillespie
Fame in 1980: 2
Fame in 2021: 2
-- 20 percent

Wally Boag
Fame in 1981: 4
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 25 percent

Avery Schreiber
Fame in 1976: 5 (One of several early hosts who presumably could have done any variety show.)
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 30 percent

Marisa Berenson
Fame in 1978: 6
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 35 percent

Ruth Buzzi
Fame in 1976: 4 
Fame in 2021: 3
-- 35 percent

Arlo Guthrie
Fame in 1979: 5
Fame in 2021: 2
-- 35 percent

Buddy Rich
Fame in 1981: 5
Fame in 2021: 2
-- 35 percent

Shields & Yarnell
Fame in 1979: 6
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 35 percent

Kaye Ballard
Fame in 1977: 4
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 40 percent

Lola Falana
Fame in 1980: 5
Fame in 2021: 3
-- 40 percent

Phyllis George
Fame in 1980: 7
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 40 percent

Edgar Bergen
Fame in 1977: 7 (Cumulative, and dependent on if he was photographed with Charlie McCarthy.)
Fame in 2021: 2 (Again, if Charlie's not in the photo, who'd recognize him?)
-- 45 percent

Roy Rogers & Dale Evans
Fame in 1979: 5
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 45 percent

Leo Sayer
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 45 percent

James Coco
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 2
-- 50 percent

Sandy Duncan
Fame in 1976: 6
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 50 percent

Joel Grey
Fame in 1976: 7 (A few years removed from winning the Oscar for Cabaret.)
Fame in 2021: 3
-- 50 percent.

Glenda Jackson
Fame in 1980: 6 (A few more years removed from her last Oscar nominations.)
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 50 percent

Roger Miller
Fame in 1979: 6
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 50 percent

Jaye P. Morgan
Fame in 1978: 9
Fame in 2021: 1
-- 50 percent

Zero Mostel
Fame in 1978: 6
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 50 percent

Elke Sommer
Fame in 1979: 7
Fame in 2021: 3
-- 50 percent

Connie Stevens
Fame in 1977: 6
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 50 percent

Peter Ustinov
Fame in 1976: 6
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 50 percent

Senor Wences
Fame in 1980: 6
Fame in 2020: 4
-- 50 percent

Dyan Cannon
Fame in 1980: 7
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 55 percent

Cleo Laine
Fame in 1978: 7
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 55 percent

Mummenschanz
Fame in 1977: 7
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 55 percent

Jim Nabors
Fame in 1976: 6 
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 55 percent

Juliet Prowse
Fame in 1977: 6
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 55 percent

Beverly Sills
Fame in 1979: 8
Fame in 2021: 3
-- 55 percent

Andy Williams
Fame in 1980: 6
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 55 percent

Paul Williams
Fame in 1976: 8
Fame in 2021: 3
-- 55 percent

Jonathan Winters
Fame in 1980: 6
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 55 percent

Alan Arkin
Fame in 1980: 6
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 60 percent

Pearl Bailey
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 60 percent

Shirley Bassey
Fame in 1981: 6
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 60 percent

Milton Berle
Fame in 1977: 7
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 60 percent

Victor Borge
Fame in 1979: 8
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 60 percent

Carol Channing
Fame in 1980: 7
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 60 percent

Doug Henning
Fame in 1980: 8
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 60 percent

Marty Feldman
Fame in 1980: 7
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 60 percent

Nancy Walker
Fame in 1977: 8
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 60 percent

Joan Baez
Fame in 1980: 8
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 65 percent

Petula Clark
Fame in 1978: 7
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 65 percent

Gladys Knight
Fame in 1980: 7
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 65 percent

Don Knotts
Fame in 1978: 6
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 65 percent

Tony Randall
Fame in 1980: 7
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 65 percent

Lynn Redgrave
Fame in 1979: 8
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 65 percent

Lynda Carter
Fame in 1980: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

James Coburn
Fame in 1980: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

Crystal Gayle
Fame in 1979: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

Dom DeLuise
Fame in 1977: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

Mia Farrow (The Muppets Valentine Show, 1974)
Fame in 1974: 5 (On the comeback trail, with full yield a few years later.)
Fame in 2021: 9 (So long as the public knows about her vs. Woody, she'll never be obscure.) 
-- 70 percent

Lena Horne
Fame in 1976: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

Liza Minnelli
Fame in 1979: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

Anne Murray
Fame in 1980: 10
Fame in 2021: 4
-- 70 percent

Rudolf Nureyev
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

Helen Reddy
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

Loretta Swit
Fame in 1980: 9
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 70 percent

Ben Vereen
Fame in 1976: 8
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 70 percent

Lesley Ann Warren
Fame in 1979: 7
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 70 percent

Raquel Welch
Fame in 1978: 7
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 70 percent

Julie Andrews
Fame in 1977: 6
Fame in 2021: 9
-- 75 percent

Judy Collins
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 75 percent

Mac Davis
Fame in 1981: 8
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 75 percent

Phyllis Diller
Fame in 1976: 9
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 75 percent

Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 75 percent

Linda Lavin
Fame in 1979: 9
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 75 percent

Cloris Leachman
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 75 percent

Hal Linden
Fame in 1981: 9
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 75 percent

Melissa Manchester
Fame in 1980: 9
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 75 percent

Ethel Merman
Fame in 1977: 9 (The first lady of Broadway, even if she hadn't done a show in years.)
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 75 percent

Dudley Moore
Fame in 1979: 10 (I crack myself up.)
Fame in 2021: 5
-- 75 percent.

Rita Moreno
Fame in 1976: 7 (Continuing a successful comeback.)
Fame in 2021: 8 (The woman's a living legend. What can I say?)
-- 75 percent.

Vincent Price
Fame in 1977: 8 (Not so much for current works, but cumulative.)
Fame in 2021: 7 (As with Merman, his work has transcended time.)
-- 75 percent

Twiggy
Fame in 1976: 8
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 75 percent

Leslie Uggams
Fame in 1979: 7
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 75 percent

Candice Bergen
Fame in 1976: 7
Fame in 2021: 9
-- 80 percent

Harry Belafonte
Fame in 1979: 7
Fame in 2021: 9
-- 80 percent

Carol Burnett
Fame in 1981: 8
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 80 percent

Johnny Cash
Fame in 1981: 8
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 80 percent

Roy Clark
Fame in 1978: 9
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 80 percent

John Cleese
Fame in 1977: 9
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 80 percent

Alice Cooper
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 80 percent

Danny Kaye
Fame in 1978: 8
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 80 percent

Harvey Korman
Fame in 1976: 9
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 80 percent

Liberace
Fame in 1979: 8
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 80 percent

Rich Little
Fame in 1977: 9
Fame in 2021: 7 (Richard Roeper: "You're not actually doing ___. You're doing Rich Little as ____.")
-- 80 percent

Valerie Harper
Fame in 1977: 9
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 80 percent

Bernadette Peters
Fame in 1977: 7 (Maybe a bit high, but remember, she had all those guest appearances.)
Fame in 2021: 9 (The current first lady of Broadway.)
-- 80 percent

Gilda Radner
Fame in 1978: 10
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 80 percent

Kenny Rogers
Fame in 1979: 9
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 80 percent

Linda Ronstadt
Fame in 1980: 10
Fame in 2021: 6
-- 80 percent

Paul Simon
Fame in 1981: 8
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 80 percent

Jean Stapleton
Fame in 1978: 9
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 80 percent

John Denver
Fame in 1979: 9
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 85 percent

Bob Hope
Fame in 1978: 10
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 85 percent

Madeline Kahn
Fame in 1977: 9
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 85 percent

Cheryl Ladd
Fame in 1978: 10
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 85 percent

Roger Moore
Fame in 1980: 10
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 85 percent

Lou Rawls
Fame in 1977: 10
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 85 percent

Peter Sellers
Fame in 1978: 9
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 85 percent

Brooke Shields
Fame in 1980: 10
Fame in 2021: 7
-- 85 percent

George Burns
Fame in 1977: 10 (Talk about a lucky break. His episode aired right around the premiere of Oh, God!)
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 90 percent

Debbie Harry
Fame in 1981: 10
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 90 percent

Florence Henderson
Fame in 1976: 9 (This was right around the time The Brady Bunch took off in syndication.)
Fame in 2021: 9 (She'll likely be thought of as America's Mom for at least another decade.)
-- 90 percent

Gene Kelly
Fame in 1981: 8
Fame in 2021: 10
-- 90 percent

Loretta Lynn
Fame in 1978: 10
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 90 percent

Steve Martin
Fame in 1977: 9 (He nearly scored a 10, and would have if he hosted between 1978-81.)
Fame in 2021: 10
-- 95 percent

Diana Ross
Fame in 1980: 10
Fame in 2021: 8
-- 90 percent

Christopher Reeve
Fame in 1980: 10
Fame in 2021: 9
-- 95 percent

Elton John
Fame in 1978: 10
Fame in 2021: 10
-- 100 percent

Sylvester Stallone
Fame in 1979: 10
Fame in 2021: 10
-- 100 percent

The cast of Star Wars
Fame in 1980: 10
Fame in 2021: 10 (I have to eat crow for this one. When I first heard about this episode, I thought, "Well, how come Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher didn't appear?" As a result, I scoffed about its importance. Over the decades, though, Mark Hamill has proven himself to be an enduring pop culture icon.)

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