Entertainment

‘No, the Muppets are Not Communist’: Director Hits Back at Anti-Capitalist Claims

No, the Muppets are Not Communist: Director Hits Back at Anti Capitalist Claims

Disney

Following claims that the new film “The Muppets” is spreading a communist, anti-capitalist message, the movie‘s director has weighed in to say that’s just not the case.

No, the Muppets are Not Communist: Director Hits Back at Anti Capitalist Claims

"The Muppets" director James Bobin (Image source: The Hollywood Reporter)

“It’s a very strange turn of events to hear a question like that,” director James Bobin told the Hollywood Reporter. “”No, the Muppets are not communist.”

Fox Business Network’s Eric Bolling levied the charges against “The Muppets” earlier this month, accusing the movie of brainwashing children with an anti-oil industry and anti-capitalism message.

“Cable news is 24 hours long so you have to fill it up with something,” Bobin said.

Of the movie’s villain, oil baron Tex Richman, Bobin brushed Bolling’s claims aside that it was a case of “liberal Hollywood depicting a successful businessman as evil.”

“The character of Tex Richman is not an allegory for capitalism in any way,” he said. “The character is called Tex Richman. It’s a joke. Clearly he is a classic, old school bad guy. He‘s bad not because he works for an oil company but because he’s evil.”

“No, it’s not a communist movie in any way,” Bobin said.

“The Muppets” has grossed more than $65 million at the box office since its Thanksgiving release and has received strongly positive reviews.

Watch the original Fox Business Network segment below:

Comments (124)

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  • Patrick Henry II
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:59pm

    Hollywood was started by the ACLU=Marxists. The ACLU group started in the Russia at the same time. too bad for them they did not have a Nation of Laws. They were of men and they were murdered in maybe the greatest numbers in human history.

    Report Post » Patrick Henry II  
    • six6six
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 7:39pm

      Wow, did you think that up all by yourself? Or did the little green man help?

      Report Post »  
    • marybethelizabeth
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 8:18pm

      Whether or not the criticism is true this stories negates the point of theblaze’s Adam Carola story about the left leaning media bias that people are only criticized when they adopt right wing associations and not left wing associations.

      Theblaze engages in the same form of doublespeak that you hear from Mr. Beck Monday through Friday.

      Report Post » marybethelizabeth  
    • jzs
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 9:38pm

      Rango, that animated Johnny Depp movie had a villain who hoarded the the town’s single most important resource, water. And he was represented as a wealthy guy in control of the single most valuable commodity in town, water. There certainly was an anti-capitalistic message there.

      And then there was Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens “Christmas Carol” and Henry Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” both rich, miserly capitalists who lord over the poor, common man. In both stories the common man triumphs in the end.

      If you start looking for communist message in movies, and you have the imagination of a right wing ideologue, you’ll find lots of them. The idea of the common man overcoming a rich and powerful protagonist is and has always been common in movies, books, religion. Everywhere. It’s a common theme.

      Report Post » jzs  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 9:47pm

      What about a Muppet movie brings out the idiots like JZ, or MBE ??

      The movie was terrific.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 9:58pm

      Lucifer! your on the wrong fuggin site.

      Report Post » last frontier  
    • IMAWAKENOW
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 10:23pm

      Someone must have touched a nerve when they picked on the muppets. I have never seen the trolls come out in such force over a story here. I think we noe know what they watch and when they grew up. Right smack dab in the middle of the politically correct movement that has led to many of our problems today.

      Report Post » IMAWAKENOW  
    • jzs
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 10:33pm

      Oh dang, I said “protagonist” when I meant “antagonist.” No matter. Then there is “Miracle on 34th Street,” the story of Macy’s War on Christmas. Santa has the nerve, shared only by communists, to tell a young girl that she can get the same skates cheaper at another store.

      You know the rest. The evil, money grubbing capitalists fire him and say he’s insane and try to have him committed.

      Even in in the forties the communists in Hollywood were trying to kill capitalism in this pathetic story of Christmas seen through the eyes of a communist sympathizers.

      Report Post » jzs  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 10:53pm

      IMAWAKENOW
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 10:23pm
      Someone must have touched a nerve when they picked on the muppets. I have never seen the trolls come out in such force over a story here. I think we now know what they watch and when they grew up. Right smack dab in the middle of the politically correct movement that has led to many of our problems today.

      That just shows how well the sesame street brainwashing has worked. If you really want to jack them say something about AVATAR.

      Report Post » last frontier  
    • txn4justice
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 6:57pm

      Hollywood $ucks your $$.

      It is 99.9% trash. Muppets included.

      Report Post »  
    • The Jewish Avenger
      Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:44am

      “Even in in the forties the communists in Hollywood were trying to kill capitalism ”

      See.. .now you’re getting it!

      Report Post » The Jewish Avenger  
  • M5liss1
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:58pm

    The Muppet movie…The Cars movie….both are attempting to indoctrinate our kids. Many parents have opted OUT of taking their kids those movies.

    Report Post »  
    • survivorseed
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 4:27pm

      I thank my parents everyday that I wasn’t raised in a Blazer house. I’m sure your kids will love you even more when they do their book report on atlas shrugged and the undefeated while the rest of the kids discuss how funny the muppet movie was.

      Report Post »  
    • chazman
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 5:47pm

      … Don’t forget that pile of crap, the master of plagerism, AVATAR!! One of the most anti-American movies to ever come out of Hollyweird!! James Cameron should be strung up! By comparison, the Muppets ain’t squat!

      Report Post »  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 9:47pm

      Spermcell, where in the hell did you get that login name I think you might have swam onto the wrong site.

      Report Post » last frontier  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 9:51pm

      chazman dont be messen with there progressive grail.

      Report Post » last frontier  
    • survivorseed
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 5:38am

      ho ho ho ho ho…you came up with a funny play on my username…the wit you people show is something to behold. Let me try, Last frontal lobotomy….ho ho ho ho ho

      Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:56pm

    Lets put it this way, if the message teaches, preaches and extolls the virtues (none of which there are) of the communist way — THEN IT IS COMMUNIST.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • scarebear83
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 3:01am

      But this movie doesn’t. I’ve seen it and from a conservative perspective yeah it can seem that this movie has hints of liberalism (just look at the cameos in this movie, Whoopi Goldberg, James Carville, Sarah Silverman although their parts are relatively small and really have no political message, they’re simply there to be a face among those wanting to help). But the storyline is more centered around this muppet who loves the muppets and visits their old studio, which has shut down. They sold it to this Tex Richman and he wants to tear down their old studio to drill for oil. The Walter character talks Kermit into getting the gang back together and trying to save the old muppet theater by repurchasing it if they come up with 10 million dollars. I personally don‘t think there’s much to it, could they have picked a different scenario for the bad guy (like tearing down the theater to put up a strip mall or something)? Yeah but I think people still would read a little too much into it. Overall this conservative rather enjoyed the movie. I don’t think it really indoctrinated anything except a cute and funny movie and something that reminded me a bit of the muppets when I was growing up.

      Report Post » scarebear83  
    • The Jewish Avenger
      Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:47am

      Now if it was a black politician named Itaxxa Yomomma that wanted to tear it down and put up a museum…

      OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh boy!

      Report Post » The Jewish Avenger  
  • Rampart
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:52pm

    Tex Richman = J. R. = Bad Guy

    Report Post » Rampart  
  • Exrepublisheep
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:51pm

    Communist? I laugh at all of you paranoid neo-nazi types who want to vilify everything not blatantly pro-republican. Muppets? Commies. Feed hungry children for free? Communist. Allowing people to bargain as a group? Communists. Go to college? Communists. The list of hate goes on and on. Try a platform that doesn’t demonize others, you probably can’t even imagine one, can you?

    Report Post » Exrepublisheep  
    • Endstatism
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 3:11pm

      Exrepublisheep

      I think it would behoove you to read what the Nazis really stood on economics. Contrary to what your government schools taught, the Nazis were pretty much a command and control economy. They only allowed the outward appearance of free markets.
      “We will no longer submit to a state that is built on the swindling of the majority.” Adolf Hitler

      Report Post » Endstatism  
    • Jomil48
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 3:34pm

      You, my friend, are STUCK ON STUPID!

      Report Post »  
    • Jomil48
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 3:48pm

      ExRepublic, first, thank you for leaving our party, we don‘t need anymore RINO’s. Second, nazi’s were national socialist party, which lines up fairly close to the democrats, or the american socialist party, it’s one in the same. And if you want to go to college, go, we just are not going to pay for it. And bargaining units have no place in government, since the tax payers pay thier salary but yet no place at the bargaining table. Who will benifet from that, the government workers and the politicains who agree to these union terms, politicains who recieve union money. So once again I will say, you are STUCK ON STUPID.

      Report Post »  
    • Baikonur
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 3:55pm

      @Exrepublisheep
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:51pm
      ‘Communist? I laugh at all of you paranoid neo-nazi types who want to vilify everything not blatantly pro-republican.’
      ***********
      The Blazers are not Republicans–they are a party all of their own in a world far, far away.
      Their bizarre world view and their candidates have damaged the Republican Party tremendously. So many people voted against party line because of Sarah Palin and the rise of the Tea Party in the last election. So many people switched parties when three republican presidential candidates last election answered ‘No’ when asked if they believe in evolution. So many great writers and thinkers left the National Review during the last election. They did not want to be associated with what the Republican Party had become.

      Thankfully, the lead Republican candidates in this election are as anti-tea party as they come. So hopefully the Republicans can recover from this nightmare, and the tea party people can go form their own third party.

      Report Post » Baikonur  
    • diablamonkey
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 5:34pm

      you may really want to wake the f up

      Report Post »  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 5:37pm

      Evilsheep you and Boinkenator need to team up and stop believing everything you hear from the 1% homos that chew your news for you then regurgitate it so you can understand it, the country is center RIGHT not center left or center **** you are standing on a very small side just like your mind and you will see in 2012 Unless 30 million illegal immigrants, ACORN, BLACK PANTHERS, SEIU, MICKEY MOUSE, ELVIS, AND ELMER FUDD all decide to vote and protect your Marxrist in chief who has worked so very hard….. at his golf game and any other ****off sport you can think of.
      Communist rule # 1. “Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have.
      Communist rule # 11. “If you push a negative hard and deep enough, it will break through into its counterside
      communist rule #13. Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. There’s some more from your handbook but you already know what they are.

      Report Post » last frontier  
    • chips1
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 6:07pm

      JOMIL48:
      I don’t think he is stuck on stup…stup….stup….stup..

      Report Post »  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 6:18pm

      Tell us what yerthinkenthere Buffalochip.

      Report Post » last frontier  
    • dsind
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 7:52pm

      as you think also

      Report Post »  
    • txn4justice
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 7:27pm

      Thanks for supporting the capitalistic economy comrade. See: anti copyright piracy advocates. There is where Hollywood is hiding their capitalist true colors.

      Report Post »  
    • txn4justice
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 7:31pm

      Show the movie for free
      Work for free
      Everybody is the same
      Brain surgeon and garbage collector
      See: Animal Farm by George Orwell. While your at it; read “1984”

      Report Post »  
  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:50pm

    Just the WRITERS

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:47pm

    How come Glenn Beck told people in one episode of his radio show that he believes we are living in the days the Prophets foretold about, and that people are worrying about what assets will do better or where to put money, when they shall return to what they buried to find it worthless, and yet he also wants to advise people on what George Soros many be doing to secure his assets so people can do the same thing? And yet Beck scoffs at other people for flip-flopping, and banning people from the Blaze? Sounds like Hypocrisy to me, and you call this “The Blaze.”

    Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:59pm

      Everyone has moments of blindness as long as we are in this human body, and sometimes it‘s more difficult than imagined to not open one’s mouth in a moment of blindness.

      Report Post »  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 9:57pm

      Easy there ASYLUM you dont want to many comments to close together make sure you spread them out a little bit more:)

      Report Post » last frontier  
  • John 1776
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:46pm

    You know what? It’s not that way on purpose. The problem is more the Liberal slurry of ideas that have been pumped into society. Want a bad guy? What comes to mind? The rich. Those in the oil business. Nothing intentional about it. They are just victims of how their brains were trained to think.

    Report Post » John 1776  
    • Patrick Henry II
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:51pm

      It was communist. It just was not intended to be. He did not even know he was doing it. This could be a good thing if he revisits this… with malice towards none. I think we have all done this to some degree. I think the guy seriously does not realize what he did. Glenn you should educate him.

      Report Post » Patrick Henry II  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:54pm

      No you don’t understand, because only the Blaze and Glenn Beck are allowed to be hypocritical and call themselves “The Blaze.” By saying don’t worry about how to save your wealth because we are in the end of an age, and then another program they want to advise what Soros is doing to protect wealth. I guess Beck could learn some tips from his own actions. People shouldn’t Judge lest they be judged.

      Report Post »  
  • Southernsoul
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:43pm

    So, the idea is to blame the need to fill 24 hour news instead of not making the villian in your movie the big, bad, capitalist, oil, company. Sure, makes perfect sense. They really are having a hard time accepting America is begginning to wake up, aren’t they?

    Report Post » Southernsoul  
  • mrmikejohnson
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:42pm

    This is the new progressive playbook. Hi-jack every area of society and use it for indoctrination. Glenn Beck did a nice job detailing the hi-jacking of the National Endowment for the Arts into making political propaganda posters. NASA’s primary focus under Obama is boosting the self-esteem of Muslims. Now, Sesame Street and the Muppets are involved in promoting other liberals causes. This isn’t surprising. America isn’t dividing into haves and have-nots. It’s dividing into those that believe America is great and those that would prefer world socialism.

    Report Post »  
  • Anniecat
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:35pm

    You are giving conservatives a bad name through your ignorance, People! 1. The Muppets are owned by the Jim Henson Company, a subsidiary of Disney (who is definitely pro-capitolism — no hugs and free admittance to a theme park there!) Sesame Street is a PBS owned show that contracted Henson to create characters for them and licenses them from the Jim Henson Company. Notice there were no Sesame Street Muppets in the movie. The script itself included a greedy character who was scrooge-like, grinch-like etc. Typical good guy/bad guy concept. I don’t know about you, but there is a difference between capitalism and greed. The lack of understanding is what causes idiot liberals to rage ignorantly. I taught my 5 children not to be greedy but to work hard to be profitable. Greed is a sin. Now. In the movie, the seemingly outdated and washed up Muppets (who all have other JOBS) get back together to renew their entertainment success. It works and they buy back their (formerly) Rich and Famous contract from their agent and begin rebuild the Muppet empire. IT’S A MOVIE. A PROFITABLE MOVIE! And one we can enjoy as a family.

    Report Post » Anniecat  
    • Woo
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:51pm

      “Disney (who is definitely pro-capitolism — no hugs and free admittance to a theme park there!)”

      Not exactly true. Throw a tantrum and complain and they will give you free admission, free food, free stays in the resort or just about anything else you want in order to get you to tell someone you had a good time in the parks.

      Report Post »  
    • MrObvious
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 3:00pm

      Didn’t GM by Disney? That aside, it’s probably a fun movie, stereotypical bad guy and all.
      Maybe in the next movie they can have Uncle Sam McGreedy or something.
      His evil catch phrase could be I‘m from the government and I’m here to help you share the wealth.

      Report Post »  
    • Robert999
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 3:55pm

      @Anniecat, you are falling for the propaganda. If you knew how wide spread the Communist conspiracy is you would be shocked. There is no doubt the Disney company is part of it. Wall Street and the Banks too, that’s why they were bailed out. Nearly every public school and university teacher is a Commie or fellow traveler. The whole “so called” civil rights movement was conceived and directed by Communists. I estimate most of the Congress are Commies or fellow travelers, even the Republicans. It‘s only the little people who don’t know this.

      Report Post »  
    • Link8on
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 6:06pm

      The movie should have been about the joy they have a having drillable oil underneath the property.

      The theatre owners start a land bidding war and then use the property sales proceeds to build ten replacement theatres for the muppets.

      But the the anti-Oil writers make the villian a single “greedy” oil baron, thus the movie moves on that there was no way to expand the choices..

      Report Post » Link8on  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 10:19pm

      Somebody here is making conservatives look bad?………I’m just not sure who it is but I will keep thinkin.

      Report Post » last frontier  
  • jungle J
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:30pm

    he is an …well

    Report Post »  
  • Robert999
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:26pm

    Of course he says it isn’t Communist, that’s exactly what a Communist would say. This is Proof it IS Communist. Nearly all of Hollywood is Communist, and has been for generations. Look at “It’s A Wonderful Life” where the owner of the small town S&L is being taken over by the Big Bank. That is exactly what OWS is propagandizing about today. At least Little Orphan Annie had Daddy Warbucks, a capitalist, as one of the good guys.

    Report Post »  
  • garyM
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:23pm

    The Muppet‘s aren’t communist, it‘s the director and the people behind the Muppet’s that are communist! They use the Muppet’s for communist propaganda. Hollywood for the most part has been that way for years. All democrats and some other party people over 50 and under are indoctrinated and don’t even realize it! This is not a new thing, it’s that they have made great strides, that’s how we got Obama!

    Report Post »  
    • chips1
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 6:16pm

      What’s this WE crap? Don’t pawn that Obama dork off on me.

      Report Post »  
  • Bronx
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:06pm

    This is why I left these types of toys on the shelves this Christmas.

    Report Post »  
  • NOTAMUSHROOM
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:04pm

    Oh, and Bobin IS a muppet!

    Report Post »  
  • NOTAMUSHROOM
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:02pm

    Apparently, Bobin can’t see the forest for the trees.

    Report Post »  
  • momrules
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:57pm

    They are going after the kids. It is communist, socialist , progressive indoctrinization.

    Report Post »  
    • db321
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 2:03pm

      I don’t care what director James Bobin says – this movie is Communist indoctrination. If it isn‘t then Rattlesnakes don’t bite.

      Report Post » db321  
  • freeweever
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:52pm

    P.S.

    This is to all you progressive communist Nazi’s on the left and floating in the republican party too we see you…too funny you little freaks of humanity. Turn around cause WE are coming pssst tap tap.

    Report Post » freeweever  
  • dsind
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:46pm

    Funny, the blonde gal on fox totally confirmed what the Muppet director denied.
    LOL

    Report Post »  
  • ronaldreaganthegreat
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:44pm

    It is a communist movie, nuff said.

    Report Post » ronaldreaganthegreat  
    • SoiledDove
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:54pm

      Why are you more qualified to make that statement than the DIRECTOR of the movie?

      Report Post »  
    • dsind
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:58pm

      SoiledDove
      the truth hurts you i see.

      Report Post »  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 10:01pm

      SOILEDPANTS ………..who cares?

      Report Post » last frontier  
  • junior1971
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:36pm

    Texas rich man. Drilling for oil. Stealing property from others. Hmmmmmmmmm…..no, nothing anti-capitolist about that.

    Report Post » junior1971  
    • dsind
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 8:43pm

      …and of course texas was thrown in there for the bush/haliburton feeders.

      Report Post »  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 10:15pm

      Juniorhighsince1971………. What kind of car do you drive peanut.

      Report Post » last frontier  
    • last frontier
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 10:31pm

      My apologies junior1971 miss understood your comment. the commie maggots are thick tonight.

      Report Post » last frontier  
  • Michoel
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:30pm

    I remember years ago, when our kids were very young, boycotting Sesame Street! That show has always had a progressive edge, just more in your face with it today!

    Report Post » Michoel  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:37pm

      The ‘director’ says’?

      Of course the ‘Muppets’ aren’t communist. They are puppets. It‘s the show that’s communist. It’s sort of the U.S. version of the Palestinian show that depicts Jews as pigs and monkeys.

      The ‘Muppets” have evolved into the spawn of evil. Albeit, on a muppet sized scale. From each according to their ability… in other words “we all have a part to play” on the stage of communist reforms to U.S. policy.

      You don’t think they called the new TV show “Hell on Wheels” for nothing, did you?

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:24pm

    Of course they’re not “communists.” That is so 20th century. They prefer progressives now.

    Report Post » KickinBack  
  • Hossua
    Posted on December 11, 2011 at 1:21pm

    Here’s an idea, don’t let your kids watch it. Responsibility for what your kids watch starts and ends with you.

    Report Post »  
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