Part V: A Change of Direction

With a small hop of surprise, Kermit spun around. He found himself face to face with Michael Thenardier, the head of the movie studio. "Uh, hello, sir," said Kermit, wondering why the studio head had come to their set so late at night. "How are you this evening?"

"I'm very well, thank you." Thenardier pointed to the back of the room. "I was actually in the back, watching some of the filming tonight. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh! Uh … n-no, sir. Not at all." Kermit managed a weak smile. "I hope you liked what you saw."

"I did. Well. Some of it I liked." The man sat down at a nearby table and motioned for Kermit and Piggy to sit as well. "Please. Have a seat."

The pig and the frog looked at one another nervously then sat down as requested.

Thenardier continued, "Miss Piggy, I would just like to say that I love your work. Your singing was divine."

Even though she was still nervous, Piggy couldn't help preening a bit. "Why, thank you!" She nudged Kermit. "Man has excellent taste."

"Sheesh."

Thenardier smiled. "I like to think that I have good taste, yes. But more importantly, I like to think I have a feeling for what the public's tastes are. And do you know what the public has a taste for?"

Piggy looked at him blankly. "Donuts?"

"No, Miss Piggy, they have a taste for you." He gestured towards the pig. "Miss Piggy consistently has high approval ratings with the public. Your over-the-top personality, your constant self-reinvention, your diva status are all exactly what the reality t.v. crowd craves. Whereas you, Kermit … well, there's no gentle way of saying this, Kermit. You're old hat. You're the same frog you've always been. You're an entertainer of the past."

Both Kermit and Piggy gasped. "What are you saying?" asked Kermit.

"I'm saying you're out, Kermit, and Piggy's in."

"But … but, sir … "

"You can't do that to my frog!"

Thenardier held up his hands. "Quiet, both of you!" He waited for a second then continued, "Before anyone gets hysterical, just listen. Kermit, I'm not firing you. I'm simply removing you as director of this film. You'll still be acting in it—the public may think you're yesterday's news, but they'll still want you in it for sentimental reasons."

"But who will direct if not Kermie?"

Thenardier smiled again. "You will, Miss Piggy. I am confident that, with your imagination and vision, this film will knock everyone off their feet. And make a tidy sum at the box office."

Miss Piggy's jaw dropped. Her? A director? Oh! But then a pang. Kermit, not the director? No, she couldn't do that to Kermit. "I can't," she told the studio head.

"What do you mean, you can't?"

"I mean, I won't," she said softly. "I won't do that to Kermie."

Thenardier's smile dropped off his face in an instant. "But you will. Because if you don't, not only will both of you be fired … I'll make sure this movie never gets made and that no Muppet is ever able to get a job in entertainment again."

All three fell silent for a minute. Then just as Piggy was getting ready to argue some more, Kermit said, "Of course Piggy will do it. She'll make a great director." He looked at her sadly, his eyes pleading with her to not argue. If it meant saving the movie and the Muppets, he would gladly step aside as director. "Won't you, Piggy?"

It was with a broken heart that Piggy replied, "Yes, Kermie."