Gonzo (Muppet)

Gonzo is a Muppet character from the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show, known for his eccentric passion for stunt performance. Aside from his trademark enthusiasm for performance art, another defining trait of Gonzo is the ambiguity of his species, which has become a running gag in the franchise. He has been considered to be of various origins, including a Frackle in his debut appearance in special The Great Santa Claus Switch (1970), an extraterrestrial in Muppets from Space (1999) or an avian creature.

Developed and performed by Dave Goelz, Gonzo made his first appearance in The Great Santa Claus Switch, as the "Cigar Box Frackle". Originally introduced as a minor character in The Muppet Show, he soon evolved into one of the franchise's primary characters. Gonzo has appeared in every Muppet film, including The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), where he portrayed author Charles Dickens and developed a double act with Rizzo the Rat.

The prototype of Gonzo appeared in The Great Santa Claus Switch, "as a generic gruff baddie". Jim Henson selected this Frackle as the basis for Gonzo, and gave the character to puppeteer Dave Goelz. Gonzo was created as a character with low self-esteem, as written by Jerry Juhl, with Goelz acknowledging he put himself into that interpretation. Later, with Henson's approval, they reworked the eyes to allow the character to convey way more excitement, and a "zany, bombastic appreciation for life".

Gonzo has had several performances such as his 1979 song from The Muppet Movie, "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday". He became known for his stunts as acts within The Muppet Show and beyond, with the quote "Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I will eat this rubber tire to the music of The Flight of the Bumblebee...music, maestro!"

In 1992, he played the part of Charles Dickens in The Muppet Christmas Carol, as director Brian Henson said Gonzo was the most improbable Muppet to do so. Here, he developed a double act with Rizzo the Rat, narrating and breaking the fourth wall, with Rizzo challenging Gonzo's claims to be Dickens. The Gonzo and Rizzo partnership was continued in Muppet Treasure Island (1996) and Muppets from Space (1999). Along with Kermit and Rizzo, Gonzo gave an audio commentary for the Muppets from Space DVD.

In The Muppets, it was revealed that he had become a powerful plumbing magnate since the Muppets split up, possibly as a nod to his being a plumber prior to meeting Kermit and Fozzie in The Muppet Movie. In the 2015 television series The Muppets, Gonzo is a major character and the head writer of Miss Piggy's late night talk show, Up Late with Miss Piggy.

Gonzo is not a puppet version of a human or a recognizable animal. He has an unusual appearance, which includes purple-blue fur, purple feathers on his head, bug-eyes, and a long, hooked nose, referred to as a "beak". In The Muppet Show and The Muppet Movie, he performed as a performance artist, stunt double and daredevil under the name "The Great Gonzo" (or "Gonzo the Great").

Gonzo is good friends with all of the Muppets, but performed a double act with Rizzo the Rat since The Muppet Christmas Carol. Gonzo has a long-standing romantic relationship with Camilla the Chicken, whom he first courted in a 1979 episode of The Muppet Show guest starring Leslie Uggams, and directed Camilla and the other chickens in 2008 YouTube videos.