OCTOBER 29, 1979 **- Legendary bebop trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie appeared on “The Muppet Show” and performde with The Electric Mayhem. Scooter knocks on Gillespie’s dressing room door and finds him playing with a marionette. He informs him that Kermit has one rule on the show: no puppets allowed.
Gillespie says he’ll just have to play the trumpet then. Statler is sick (of the show), so Waldorf brings his wife, Astoria, to the show. Meanwhile, Inspector LaBrea of the County Environmental Department arrives backstage to monitor the noise levels. LaBrea tells Kermit that to keep the noise down, he has to cut the trumpets.Fozzie enters and says it’s time to introduce Dizzy Gillespie, but Kermit (worried about the sound audit) tries to mask the identity of their guest by insisting that it’s actually Izzie Gilleskie, one of the world’s greatest violinists. After a swift kick to the leg, Fozzie gets it and takes the inspector down to the canteen.
Kermit tries to keep LaBrea busy while Dizzy performs. At last, things turn out all right, because LaBrea reveals that he’s a big fan of the trumpetist, and he accompanies Dizzy and the Electric Mayhem on saxophone in the closing number. It’s the only time that the otherwise all-muppet band features a bongo player.Later, Dizzy, Floyd, and Zoot perform “Little Bit of Dis.” Astoria asks her husband, “Why do you come here and put up with this irritating, mindless, incessant nonsense when you can stay home with me?” Waldorf has no comment.Backstage, Kermit comes clean with the sound inspector and discovers that Dizzy Gillespie is LaBrea’s all-time favorite. Kermit says he’ll let him sit in with him on the saxophone if he forgets about the noise audit.
LaBrea joins the final number as a “Swinging Civil Servant” in an Arabian themed rendition of “Swing Low Sweet Cadillac” with Janice, Animal, Floyd, several Whatnots, and Sopwith the Camel. After the credits, Waldorf and Astoria let loose with a loud, “BOO!”, and set the monitor off. LaBrea enters their box and says, “That’s it! The show is canceled!”, and the two rejoice.
