The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY has a new display dedicated to one of America’s comedy legends: Fozzie Bear from the “Muppet Show.”
Best known for his catchphrase “Wocka wocka wocka!”, less than perfect stand-up routines, and a close friendship with Kermit the Frog, the Muppets’ resident comedian is making his debut at the Western New York museum as part of a celebration of the original “Muppet Show” recently launching on Disney+.
Created by The Jim Henson Company, the Fozzie on display at the Comedy Center is an original, having been featured in many Muppet television shows and films.
Frank Oz, who developed, performed, and brought Fozzie to life said in a statement, ““It’s wonderful that The National Comedy Center, which I love, is highlighting Fozzie in the context of comedy’s heritage. Fozzie is very close to my heart. A part of me is in him—the part of me that as a young boy loved show business, or as Fozzie would put it, ‘The Show Business.’”
Fozzie joins rare items on display from other comedic greats like Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, Charlie Chaplin, Rodney Dangerfield, George Carlin, Ernie Kovacs and more. During the coronavirus pandemic, the National Comedy Center launched a new online platform called the “National Comedy Center Anywhere,” to provide a virtual comedy hug for everyone who needs it with exclusive, free content.
Located in comedian Lucille Ball’s hometown, The National Comedy Center is the first museum in the world dedicated to the art of comedy in the U.S. and was named the “Best New Museum” in the country in 2020.
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