Showing posts with label Link Hogthrob. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Link Hogthrob. Show all posts

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Finding Your Inner Hogthrob

Justin H. Piatt - Have you ever taken that extra minute in front of the mirror to primp? Have you ever taken that extra minute in front of the mirror and forgotten why you were taking that extra minute in front of the mirror? If so, then you’ve taken your first step towards...


Finding You Inner Hogthrob

Developing character flaws is a process which takes much time and energy. And so, to aid us in our endeavors to do so, we will examine the case of one particularly flawed individual: Link Hogthrob. (“…Me?”) Yes, you.

Link, or Linkerdoodles as his mommy would refer to him, started life as most do… as a baby. A pig baby. A pig baby with a very thick skull. Mommy Hoghthrob was very proud. When questioned about her son’s childhood, Link’s mommy responded with a hearty “Oy!” We waited for the “nk,” but it was not forthcoming.

Finding your inner Hogthrob will take effort. I should know, I’ve been playing hide-and-seek with mine for weeks, and the darn thing keeps moving around. But, I promise you, finding your inner Hogthrob is well worth it.

~ Understanding Link ~
Understanding Link Hogthrob is a process which requires those interested in doing so to first understand themselves. You may ask, “But why?” to which I would respond, “Because,” and you would react confused, but would ultimately accept the answer. This is the first step to understanding Link Hogthrob. Other steps are unnecessary, and at this point would further confuse the subject.

Now that we understand Link, let’s take a look at who he is...

~ Who is Link? ~
Before you say that this is the same as understanding Link, may I point out that it is not stated the same, and is therefore different.

- Link, the Dummy -
In the unreleased documentary, “A Link in the Head is Worth Two in the What,” Dr. Julius Strangepork introduced a segment on the mysterious nature of Hogthrob with the following: “What issh Link really? Of all the dummiessh the vorld hash known, the mosht intreegink of dummiessh ish Link himshelf. Ish thish a clever ploy to dishguishe shome dark shecret? Ishh Hogthob truly a dummy? Or ish he a criminal mashtermind of epic proporshinsh? An evil genioush, perhapsh? Or maybe a shuper shecret shpy of shome short!” Unfortunately, by the film’s end, it was concluded that Link is actually nothing more than a dummy, and thus the reason it remains unreleased.

Capturing this aspect of Link’s personality will prove vital. I will ask you to attempt the following to aid you in your quest to Hogthrobiness:

1.    Close your eyes. (If frightened of dark places, try to do this while keeping the eyelids open.)
2.    Think very hard. (If near a mental state of Link, this may hurt.)
3.    Clear head of all thought.
4.    … Uhhhh… I forget this step.

Easy? Fun? Confusing? You bet! You are now nearing perfect Hogthrobitude.

- Link, the Conceited -
The interests of Link include Link. Therefore, what is of concern to Link extends to such necessary items to the perfection of Link as cologne, exercise equipment, toupees and girdles.

To find your inner Hogthrob in this important area, we will recommend perhaps joining a gym or some sort of scent of the month club. I would also suggest investing in some plastic surgery that will provide you with your very own cleft chin. This is good advice for anyone wishing to better themselves, as a cleft chin is an indication of awesome.

- Link: God of Love? -
Link Hogthrob has always been the romantic, leading man-type. From his widely reported-on encounters with groupies during the making of The Muppet Show (even stealing a few of Sylvester Stallone’s), to his on-again, off-again, on-screen, off-screen romance with the lovely and talented Miss Piggy. Die-hard fans will even recall his failed courtship with… uh, Fozzie Bear in a wig.

We asked a fellow by the name of Kermit the Frog, one of Link’s rivals in love, about his opinion of the great love aficionado that is Link Hogthrob: “Well, uh, I… He’s certainly, uh… I don’t really… ‘Rival in love?’” The frog was obviously left speechless by the Throb that is Hog.

Unfortunately, God of Love is not really something anyone can develop. One is born with this great quality, and, let’s face it, you will never be the great lover that Link Hogthrob is, no matter how hard you try… And I do recommend that you try. Go ahead. Try it. It’s what Link would do!

So in conclusion, what do we know about Link Hogthrob? What do we know about ourselves? If you can answer either of these questions, then you have failed to find your inner Hogthrob. However, if you are currently staring at your computer screen with a blank look on your face and asking yourself, “What did I just read?” then congratulations! You are reaching a higher plane of Hogthrob. Fully discovering your inner Hogthrob is close at hand. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my inner Hogthrob is running off again, and I have to go catch it.








The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Link Hogthrob

LINK HOGTHROB

Performed by...
Jim Henson (1977-1990)
Steve Whitmire (voice only) (2003)

First appearance...
The Muppet Show Episode 203: Milton Berle (1977)


Most recent appearance...
The Muppets (2011)

Best known role...
Captain of the S.S. Swinetrek in "Pigs in Space"

Memorable quote...
"Who's your tailor? I love that outfit!"

WHO IS LINK HOGTHROB?
Link Hogthrob is the bumbling, none too bright, macho, chauvinist "pig" of the Muppets. His biggest role in the cast is that of Captain Link Hogthrob in the "Pigs in Space" sketches on The Muppet Show. Here, along with Dr. Julius Strangepork and First Mate Miss Piggy, he embarks on intergalactic adventures that usually go wrong because of his bumbling idiocy.

Sometimes on The Muppet Show Link also got to interact with guest stars. Peter Sellers gave Link an extremely rough massage, turning him into a porky pretzel; John Cleese invaded the Swinetrek, and Lesley Ann Warren discoed up a storm with Link caught in the storm surge.

Link has also been known to perform a musical number or two on occasion. His solo numbers include "I Talk to the Trees," in which he is interrupted by said talking trees, and "Sonny Boy," which he sang to a live piglet, and . He lilted "Sea Chantey" with Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, and Robin, "The Rhyming Song" with Fozzie, Scooter, and Annie Sue, "Macho Man" with Gonzo, and sang "La Ci Darem La Mano," "I Get Around," and "True Love" with Miss Piggy. His songs with guest stars include  "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" with Christopher Reeve and "Hard to be Humble" with Mac Davis.

Since he is one of the most unintelligent Muppets, Link was used on many occasions as a dumb character to foil the smarter ones such as Dr. Strangepork and Miss Piggy. Link was even brought back in The Jim Henson Hour as a main character in the Muppet Central segments of the show. Here he was once again used as the dumb character, in one episode even believing he has some ridiculous disease called Canadian Snout Fever.

In the Muppet movies, Link was relegated to cameo appearances. He appeared in the large crowd scenes of The Muppet Movie and The Muppets Take Manhattan and made brief cameos in The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island. Since Jim Henson's death, Link was largely retired aside from these brief cameos. He also made vocal appearances in the Muppet video games "Muppet Race Mania" and "Muppets Party Cruise," voiced by Steve Whitmire in both.

PIGS IN SPACE MOMENTS WITH LINK HOGTHROB
Since his "Pigs in Space" role was his most well-known, Link had many memorable moments in the sketches on the S.S. Swinetrek. These include...
  • Sets off the "stuck pig" alarm (Episode 203)
  • Refuses to let First Mate Miss Piggy make the mid-course correction, which she has studied for years (Episode 205)
  • Asks First Mate Miss Piggy to do the laundry (Episode 207)
  • Negotiates with space pirate Long John Silverstein (John Cleese) (Episode 223) 
  • Turned into an outline of himself (Episode 307)
  • Affected by the "Dummo Rays" (Episode 315)
  • Asks Luke Skywalker who his tailor is (he loves that outfit) (Episode 417)

WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED LINK HOGTHROB?
I'm under the firm opinion that Link Hogthrob needs to be brought back to the Muppets gang once again. He was such an integral, hilarious part of the group in The Muppet Show days and it's a crying shame that he hasn't returned in a speaking role since then. Steve Whitmire's voice for Link is perfect and now that Matt Vogel is trying out Dr. Strangepork (according to Bill Barretta), I'd say it's high time we see a new Pigs in Space sketch--perhaps make that the next YouTube video?

But the Muppets need Link because he is such an excellent foil for the other Muppets. Every strong group needs a dumb character to play off of, and that should be Link. Fozzie has fit that role for awhile now and that isn't him. Sticking Link Hogthrob in there in place of poor Fozzie would make more sense and probably be more funny--at least more correct, character wise. Besides, Pigs in Space is one of the favorite and most memorable Muppet Show sketches that even non-obsessed fans have fond memories of. Why not bring it back again?

Link has been missing for far too long from the Muppet mix. Let's bring him back!









The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier