In its brief time in existence, the National Comedy Center in Jamestown has quickly earned a reputation for its many exhibits focused on famous comedians. Now, the center is entering a another realm with an exhibit about a comic puppet, or more specifically, a Muppet: Fozzie Bear.
Fozzie -- as his fans call him -- is one of the most iconic Muppet characters created by The Jim Henson Company and has been loved by generations.
“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,'" said Frank Oz, the man behind the Muppet. "Fozzie wants to be the funniest bear in the world. Never mind the heckling, the fumbling of punch lines, the paltry laughter at his jokes. He has a desperate need to get love from laughter. He will never succeed in being funny, but he will never quit.”
The Center refers to Fozzie Bear as the Muppet Show's "resident stand-up comedian," who has been has been "perfecting his comedy chops for 45 years."
The exhibit, courtesy of the Center for Puppetry Arts, was unveiled over the weekend to coincide with the debut of "The Muppet Show" on the Disney+ platfom. Fozzie appears during center regular hours, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays-Mondays.
