Godzilla is a gray-skinned, dinosaur-like monster (or kaiju) from a series of Japanese science-fiction movies, a name first coined for the American adaptation of the initial 1954 film Gojira. The character's popularity has created a franchise of merchandise, cartoons, spin-offs, and comic books, among other media. Recognized worldwide as a towering creature known for destroying metropolitan cities, Godzilla has grappled with countless other giant beasts, including King Kong. The character has also become an international symbol for Japanese special effects films, or Tokusatsu, utilizing miniatures and various puppetry techniques such as full-bodied costumes affectionately referred to as "suitmation," marionettes, animatronics, and occasional hand puppets, resulting in many imitators in film and television following in his wake.

Muppet Mentions

• In the 1998 reference book The Official Godzilla Compendium, a chapter on the history of Godzilla suit designs describes the friendlier face of the suit created for 1968's Destroy All Monsters as an "almost Muppet-like look."

• The creative team for the 2014 Godzilla movie referenced the Muppets several times when speaking of the creature's design.

• Director Gareth Edwards cited the Skeksis as a partial inspiration for Godzilla's eyes.^[1]

• In another interview, Edwards stated that making Godzilla's face too curved would have made him look like a Muppet.^[2]

• A similar remark in another interview specifically mentioned Sam the Eagle and his nobility as a point of inspiration.^[3]

• After Rodan awakens in 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters, one character quips that Ghidorah is "reacting to Big Bird's cries."
• In the 2026 comic book Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone #6, graffiti drawn by children on the walls of a kaiju worshiping cult's "Fun Room" includes a Big Bird face.

References

• In an Ernie and Bert sketch, Ernie suggests they name their new dog "Godzilla the Wonder-Dog."

• In "Gonzo's Song" from episode 318 of The Muppet Show, Gonzo sings to Camilla that she's "prettier than Godzilla."

• The Muppets Go to the Movies sketch Invasion of the Unpleasant Things from Outer Space is essentially a spoof of the original Japanese Godzilla films, with Dudley Moore speaking Japanese with English subtitles and the giant rats filling in for the lizard.

• The Muppet Babies episode "Around the Nursery in 80 Days," includes a brief scene with an airplane-clutching Godzilla curiously looking on, as the babies and Nanny fly by in a hot air balloon, passing Japan during a song sequence.

• A Shogun Warriors Godzilla figure can be seen in the bedroom of two Silly Creatures in the Fraggle Rock episode "Scared Silly."

• A bootleg Dor Mei Godzilla action figure is one of several toys available to play with in the kids room as seen in Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Hospital.

• The Codzilla character from The Jim Henson Hour episode "Outer Space" is a direct parody of Godzilla.

• A life-size inflatable Godzilla toy, originally released in 1985 by Imperial Toys, was used in Episode 2557 of Sesame Street as Elmo's pet dinosaur Ziggy. It was later seen in Episode 2625 in Miles' bedroom.

• Earl Sinclair tries to distract his family shouting, "Look, it's Godzilla!" in the Dinosaurs episode "Hurling Day."

• The in-progress Monster Movie being broadcast after a television news bulletin in the Dog City episode "Comedy of Horrors" is Dogzilla Goes Hawaiian.

• Kermit played Frogzilla in Muppets Tonight episode 203. (video)

• A recurring Sesame English skit (seen in "What's Your Favorite Sport?" and other episodes) features two large monsters spoofing Godzilla (played by Jonathan Freeman) and Mothra (Roger Bart), generally arguing over their personal preferences related to the theme or vocabulary of that episodes.

• Godzilla stops by Good Morning, Pangaea in the Dinosaurs episode "Charlene's Tale."

• On a Facebook posting for Halloween in 2011, Gonzo wrote, "Camilla and I are going as a celebrity couple for Halloween. Our name is Gonzilla." [2]

• Sesame Street Episode 4274 is titled "Elmozilla" on the Big Elmo Fun DVD release. When Elmo is brought up to supersize, Baby Bear keeps doing bad lipsyncing accompanied by a tune reminiscent of the Godzilla theme.

• In Sesame Street Episode 4522, one of the posters inside the movie theater advertises the movie Gorgezilla.

• Grover includes Mothra in his 140 character speech for the Shorty Awards, stating he will "get to Godzilla later."

• After Dan Casey identifies Kermit as his favorite amphibious A-lister in a 2014 Nerdist interview, Kermit acknowledges, "That's quite a thing, after Godzilla."

• The Muppet Babies episode "Kermit Levels Up" features Camilla as the fireball spitting giant Camillazilla, "the boss [...] the toughest monster in the whole game," according to Gonzo. Camillazilla reappears in the episode "Tagalong Polliwog" as part of the "Goofy Golf" miniature golf course, in the episode "Win a Twin" as part of Scooter and Skeeter's favorite video game "Giant Chicken Dance Party," and on a painting that is part of the local museum's chicken exhibit in "Animal and the Magic Mummy."

• On November 30, 2023, Cookie Monster's Twitter account tweeted a photo of him pitting a gingerbread Godzilla against a gingerbread King Kong in response to the updates on the 2024 Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire film.^[4]

Connections

• Hank Azaria played Victor "Animal" Palotti in the 1998 remake
• Tyler Bunch was an extra in the 1998 remake^[5]
• Raymond Burr played Steve Martin (no relation to the actor) in Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956) and in Godzilla 1985 (1984)
• Daws Butler dubbed Kobayashi in Gigantis: The Fire Monster (1959, English dub of Godzilla Raids Again)
• Charles Dance played Alan Jonah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
• Gary Hecker supplied creature vocals for the 1998 remake
• James Hong dubbed the younger male characters, including Ogata and Dr. Serizawa, in Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956)
• Hal Linden dubbed Yoshimura in Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966) and Captain Yamabe in Destroy All Monsters (1968)
• Corinne Orr dubbed Daiyo, one of Mothra's twin fairies, and other female roles in Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966)
• Harry Shearer played Charles Caiman in the 1998 remake
• George Takei dubbed various roles in Gigantis: The Fire Monster (1959, English dub of Godzilla Raids Again)
• Frank Welker supplied creature vocals for the 1998 remake
• Koichi Yamadera played the BS Digital Q producer in Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) and was the prologue narrator in Godzilla Final Wars (2004)

External Links

• Wikizilla

Sources