# Miss Piggy as a BBW role model??



## agouderia (Nov 28, 2011)

_[I'm not quite sure whether this is the right forum to post this in - but since a number of TV and such questions have been discussed here, I'll give it a shot]
_
Now maybe this question is completely absurd - but I'm serious about asking it and would appreciate the insights of BBW (or also FAs if it applies):

Did you ever see Miss Piggy as a role model for BBW?

There are so few of them around now - and were even less so 10 or 20 years ago - on mainstream media, that even though we're talking about a pig puppet, I think there might be something to the question.

Growing up, I remember Miss Piggy fascinated me as a character because she so unabashedly believed in herself, her beauty, size, style and talent - even though she is a pig, an animal or character which definitely gets more negative than positive publicity. And is mostly used as the prototyp for being fat - obviously one of the worst things you can be in the kiddy and adolescent universe.

Although she is also portrayed as vain and self-obsessed, I found her total assertiveness in being pink, plump and the most fabulous pig girl on the planet always incredibly motivating and inspiring.

Did my imagination do overboard? Am I maybe nuts? 
What are your opinions?


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## penguin (Nov 28, 2011)

No, I never looked at her as any sort of role model or inspiration.


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## Tad (Nov 28, 2011)

I guess it says something about how I was an FA as a kid that I never questioned that Miss Piggy could see herself as fabulous. 

I didn't care for some of the more over the top parts of her personalities (her "Oooh Kerrrrmmmmmiee...." was about one notch down from fingernails on a blackboard to me). However, when they simply had her as wisecracking and taking no guff (like in the Animal Hospital or Pigs in Space skits) I thought she was great.

She did help me realize that I had no interest in self-consciously dramatic women though, so something of an anti-role-model in that way?


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## LovelyLiz (Nov 28, 2011)

I didn't see her as a role model, since I usually think a role model is someone you want to pattern your life after, and I never wanted to be like her. But I did find her character inspirational for some of the reasons you list - that she likes herself and flaunts what she's got and doesn't take crap from anybody. And I do think the fact that all of that came in a fat, loud, pig body did make it even better for me.


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## truebebeblue (Nov 28, 2011)

I was miss piggy the first Halloween I dressed up and I still adore her... Ms. Piggy was the original fat dominatrix! HI_YAH!



True


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## penguin (Nov 28, 2011)

She may have been fat and fabulous with a killer wardrobe, but she also regularly resorted to violence when she didn't get her own way. Not a character I'd want to imitate


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## LovelyLiz (Nov 28, 2011)

penguin said:


> She may have been fat and fabulous with a killer wardrobe, but she also regularly resorted to violence when she didn't get her own way. Not a character I'd want to imitate



Yeah, that's what I meant about not wanting to be like her - that I didn't want to imitate the specifics of her character (like the violence, etc.). But that she was so sassy and self-accepting and rocking what she's got, that is pretty good stuff. So more like an inspiration than a role model.

A role model seems like someone you want to be like in some specific ways, whereas an inspiration can just be someone who is at home in their skin and rocks what they've got and encourages you to do the same (even tho what you got is different).


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## AnnMarie (Nov 28, 2011)

mcbeth said:


> I didn't see her as a role model, since I usually think a role model is someone you want to pattern your life after, and I never wanted to be like her. But I did find her character inspirational for some of the reasons you list - that she likes herself and flaunts what she's got and doesn't take crap from anybody. And I do think the fact that all of that came in a fat, loud, pig body did make it even better for me.




This. I liked her and always thought it was neat that Kermit loved her, well - tolerated her advances. LOL


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## WVMountainrear (Nov 28, 2011)

mcbeth said:


> I didn't see her as a role model, since I usually think a role model is someone you want to pattern your life after, and I never wanted to be like her. But I did find her character inspirational for some of the reasons you list - that she likes herself and flaunts what she's got and doesn't take crap from anybody. And I do think the fact that all of that came in a fat, loud, pig body did make it even better for me.





penguin said:


> She may have been fat and fabulous with a killer wardrobe, but she also regularly resorted to violence when she didn't get her own way. Not a character I'd want to imitate





mcbeth said:


> Yeah, that's what I meant about not wanting to be like her - that I didn't want to imitate the specifics of her character (like the violence, etc.). But that she was so sassy and self-accepting and rocking what she's got, that is pretty good stuff. So more like an inspiration than a role model.
> 
> A role model seems like someone you want to be like in some specific ways, whereas an inspiration can just be someone who is at home in their skin and rocks what they've got and encourages you to do the same (even tho what you got is different).



^^^ These exactly. 

As you can tell by my celebratory Muppet avatar, I <3 Piggy. I actually love all of the Muppets, but I just happen to look like Piggy-- fat, blonde, big thick nose, huge blue eyes (often heavy on the mascara). I just wish I had her wardrobe.  I appreciate Piggy...I've never wanted to be exactly like her for the reasons that have been covered...but, especially growing up, it was a positive to see a character who I could physically identify with who wasn't ashamed of her appearance and took exception to those who cruelly put her down for it or made jokes at her expense. 

But, really, the whole point behind her confidence is missed by looking at her as a "BBW role model." She's a pig. She's supposed to be fat. To her (and her species), being fat is part of what makes a pig desireable. 

They're MUPPETS.

Was Fozzie, then, a BHM role model? Did Gonzo help children with big noses not be so self-conscious? Did Animal illustrate the benefit of kids with ADHD channeling their energies into a positive outlet?

They're Muppets. They're fun characters who tried to incorporate positive lessons into their entertainment value.

But Piggy is, as penguin said, fat and fabulous, and you can't take that away from her. :happy:


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## WVMountainrear (Nov 28, 2011)

AnnMarie said:


> This. I liked her and always thought it was neat that Kermit loved her, well - tolerated her advances. LOL



No, he loves that pig. See the new movie. Questions will be answered.


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## LovelyLiz (Nov 28, 2011)

lovelylady78 said:


> No, he loves that pig. See the new movie. Questions will be answered.



Ah, I look forward to the movie even more now.  Sadly, wedding cake toppers of Kermit and Miss Piggy all seem to show her as very svelte. Or I might be tempted to use that one day were I to get married to a skinny man.


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## CastingPearls (Nov 28, 2011)

Actually, yes, she was a role model and inspiration to me when I was growing up. 

She was only ONE of my role models, however.

Two of my mother's friends were also role models--one, Lucille is a gorgeous hysterically funny witty popular SSBBW who dressed unbelievably beautifully back in the day when there was hardly anything out there for the supersized woman. She taught me how to apply makeup, order a drink, and look and feel like a million bucks even in a tee shirt and pair of snazzy jeans. She's also proudly queer and was out thirty years ago when the world was a lot less accepting of it. If anyone ever made the mistake of calling her a fat bitch...man I saw her pull a grown man out of his open car window and beat the hell out of him because he hit HER and wouldn't shut up. She didn't care, was a little crazy and I adored her for it and a lot of my attitude and style comes from her.

My mother's other best friend, Marie was a stereotypical New Jersey Italian-American. Somehow she pulled off olive skin, huge brown eyes and platinum blonde hair. Everyone was in love with her and her husband was a real comedian (really) and she was his deadpan foil who only pretended to be a dumb blonde but she was the brains of the family. Her son John (god was he gorgeous) was my first boyfriend. When Marie walked past, all talk stopped and everyone held their breath and hung on her every word. For some reason both she and Lucille cracked their gum when they talked and I've always considered it a personal failing ha ha ha that I couldn't master that skill but I did learn how to tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue by the time I was 8 years old.


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## FA Punk (Nov 28, 2011)

lovelylady78 said:


> ^^^ These exactly.
> 
> As you can tell by my celebratory Muppet avatar, I <3 Piggy. I actually love all of the Muppets, but I just happen to look like Piggy-- fat, blonde, big thick nose, huge blue eyes (often heavy on the mascara). I just wish I had her wardrobe.  I appreciate Piggy...I've never wanted to be exactly like her for the reasons that have been covered...but, especially growing up, it was a positive to see a character who I could physically identify with who wasn't ashamed of her appearance and took exception to those who cruelly put her down for it or made jokes at her expense.
> 
> ...



Not to split hairs, but if Miss Piggy is a BBW role pre-say, I say Kermit and Gonzo are FA role models lol. Plus we had no real clue what Gonzo was until a couple of years ago, so in a sense Gonzo's nose isn't big by his own people standards.

P.S. I find this thread fun and silly lol.


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## WVMountainrear (Nov 28, 2011)

FA Punk said:


> Not to split hairs, but if Miss Piggy is a BBW role pre-say, I say Kermit and Gonzo are FA role models lol. Plus we had no real clue what Gonzo was until a couple of years ago, so in a sense Gonzo's nose isn't big by his own people standards.
> 
> P.S. I find this thread fun and silly lol.



That is very true. In fact, his nose was fairly tame for his kind.


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## Yakatori (Nov 28, 2011)

AnnMarie said:


> ...Kermit loved her, well - tolerated her advances. ...





lovelylady78 said:


> "_No, he loves that pig. See the new movie. Questions will be answered. _"


I haven't seen the new movie, nor would I consider myself too, too familiar with the whole muppet-universe. But even on what limited grasp that I have of it, I've always had the distinct impression that Kermit is very into her, all of her, and feels more than "tolerance" for her aggressive-streak. That's just intuitive to me, but maybe I'm projecting.



penguin said:


> "_...she also regularly resorted to violence when she didn't get her own way..._"


Indeed, her frustration reflective of the world we live-in.



mcbeth said:


> So more like an inspiration than a role model...
> A role model seems like someone you want to be like in some specific ways, whereas an inspiration can just be someone who is at home in their skin and rocks what they've got and encourages you to do the same (even tho what you got is different).


Calls to mind something Eric Michael Dyson was talking about in this one essay; I think, if I can remember correctly in light of Jesse Jackson's adultery Scandal; to the effect of how we disserve ourselves in this persistent idealization of who our role models should be, when the people who actually change the world, as much as people in general, are often deeply flawed.

Also, your Halloween-dilemna, with respect to an idea for a fat-person worth modeling: Maybe the time has come; we've reached a certain critical-mass; that it's both necessary & pragmatic for fats to take-on some of these characters that were traditionally either marginalized or taken in a negative light and reinterpret & recontextualize them.


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## Still a Skye fan (Nov 29, 2011)

I just saw the new movie on Sunday and loved it...yes, I've been a Muppets fan for many many years and it was a joy to see them again.

As for Miss Piggy being a BBW role model? I don't really see her as one but I always enjoy her take no crap attitude.

Dennis


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## agouderia (Nov 29, 2011)

Thank you everybody so much so actually discussing this slightly bizarre question! I can relate to many of the points you listed and I'm relieved that thinking about this random aspect of pop culture is not all nutty ... 





Tad said:


> However, when they simply had her as wisecracking and taking no guff (like in the Animal Hospital or Pigs in Space skits) I thought she was great.



I'm a total Pigs in Space fan too! Last summer my imagination gave me true grief because I frequently had to work together with a blond, big bellied attorney on a project who frequently wore pale pink dress shirts and totally looked like Capt. Link Hogthrob in them. How easy is it to discuss serious business with a space pig?? :doh:



mcbeth said:


> I didn't see her as a role model, since I usually think a role model is someone you want to pattern your life after, and I never wanted to be like her. But I did find her character inspirational for some of the reasons you list - that she likes herself and flaunts what she's got and doesn't take crap from anybody. And I do think the fact that all of that came in a fat, loud, pig body did make it even better for me.



You're right, this sums up what I meant pretty well. Role model in all aspects is probably too strong a term - but if the only fat, confident and opinionated female character in pop culture happens to be a pig, well then one can find inspiration in that!



lovelylady78 said:


> They're MUPPETS.
> 
> Was Fozzie, then, a BHM role model? Did Gonzo help children with big noses not be so self-conscious? Did Animal illustrate the benefit of kids with ADHD channeling their energies into a positive outlet?
> 
> ...



Yeah - they're muppets. But since even poor Cookie Monster is abused as a protagonist of the pro diet movement by being forced to eat carrots (nothing against carrots, I love them... ) instead of cookies - we need to be happy that Miss Piggy has managed to stay fat and fabulous and own a scale that shows only positive weight listings.....


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## Webmaster (Nov 29, 2011)

I always liked Miss Piggy. I can't quite see a puppet as a role model, but Miss Piggy probably came as close to that status as it gets. Not sure what Jim Henson's intention was, but it was good to see a self-confident fat Diva on TV, even if she only was a muppet. I still have a Miss Piggy in the original box.


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## Tad (Nov 29, 2011)

agouderia said:


> I'm a total Pigs in Space fan too! Last summer my imagination gave me true grief because I frequently had to work together with a blond, big bellied attorney on a project who frequently wore pale pink dress shirts and totally looked like Capt. Link Hogthrob in them. How easy is it to discuss serious business with a space pig?? :doh:
> 
> .



Ahahah, that is amazing, but it must have been so hard!

The boss in my first job after university was quite thin, but when he got really upset his eyes kind of bulged out, and aside from the size he took on a tremendous resemblance to Homer Simpson. Which made it hard not to giggle when he was upset, but did make dealing with his irrational temper easier in some ways.

Got to love the linkages our imagination can make!


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## CarlaSixx (Nov 29, 2011)

I never gravitated towards Miss Piggy in any way. I used to like the Muppets. I did have a favourite but I don't even remember the name. 

I was never ever a girly type, so Miss Piggy never appealed to me. I did like Kermit, though. He was a sweet skinny musician. Just like I still like now, lol


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## LordQuas (Nov 30, 2011)

As soon as I was old enough to realize what my fascination with large women really meant I envisioned a life of being Kermit married to a Miss Piggy-like woman. I'm not sure I was either happy or disappointed by it either, it just felt inevitable.


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## BBWbonnie (Nov 30, 2011)

I used to love miss piggy!


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## Luv2CUfeast (Dec 2, 2011)

I'm a casual oberver at best - but you have to wonder about her alter-ego. 

Have Miss Piggy and Wendy Williams ever been seen in the same room together, at the same time?

Makes you want to go "Hmmmnnn"


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## mandylover (Dec 3, 2011)

How do you not love a character named Piggy?


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## Sweet Tooth (Dec 3, 2011)

Muppets became popular when I was a kid. I never really felt an affinity with Miss Piggy at that time, though. I was more nerdy tomboy than diva.

I remember getting a present from my much older sister back then, an address book with Miss Piggy on the front. I remember thinking I would've preferred Animal or someone and wondering if she only chose that particular one because of my weight. Even at that age, I appreciated my family trying to find a way to accept me as I was, but I didn't want to be defined by my weight or even associated with a character just because of it either.

Now that I'm older, I can appreciate Miss Piggy much more even if she's not my favorite Muppet... and still have that address book in storage somewhere.


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## Tad (Dec 5, 2011)

We went to see the new Muppet movie this weekend, and it is not giving too much away to say that at the start, Miss Piggie is working as the plus size editor at a major french fashion magazine.

Although....I think they've made her thinner than she used to be


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## agouderia (Dec 5, 2011)

Tad said:


> We went to see the new Muppet movie this weekend, and it is not giving too much away to say that at the start, Miss Piggie is working as the plus size editor at a major french fashion magazine.



Lucky you - it isn't showing over here until January! 




Tad said:


> Although....I think they've made her thinner than she used to be



This wouldn't surprise me and I find it extremely disturbing. The trend of 'slimming' cartoon characters, puppets and the like so they will be 'better role models for a healthly life-style' shows in exemplary fashion, how aggressive and oppressive the entire weight loss discussion has gotten.

Remember, Miss Piggy is a pig, cookie monster has his name from loving cookies - and I also like to illustrate this with the little Michelin catoon mascot _Bibendum _(the tire company that also does restaurant guides - so he's really a stack of tires).

His name comes from a latinized version of 'cheers' actually, so it's his job to advertise good food and drink. And look what they've done to the poor guy in the past 100 years ..... a constant diet!


http://bibendum-in-museums.michelin.com/indexfr.htm

(Sorry for the link - I tried to post an assortment of his diet metamorphoses as attachment and as always failed miserably because I simply could not compress the picture file far enough to meet the 19k requirement. Total non-geek ....)

By now, I actually feel almost sorry for all these poor creatures that they are being forced to conform to a social hysteria which is in total contradiction to their nature. It says a lot about the sick mind frame of mass media though.


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## Bluestreak (Dec 5, 2011)

We saw the new movie on Friday as well. Besides a fantastic evening (a fine summer day in NorCal) the movie is very, very fun and totally cute!

Is Ms. Piggy "smaller"? I wondered about that. I thought her face looked more contoured and less "blockish", if that's possible and nicer looking. We saw some trailers on TV for the other Muppet movies over the week-end and they confirmed my thoughts. Overall she looked fantastic. Still buxom, still fat and still in charge.

So, is she smaller? Perhaps. But she would not be confused with thin, average sized or plump. She's FAT, feminine and powerful, just as she always been


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## Tad (Dec 5, 2011)

agouderia said:


> Lucky you - it isn't showing over here until January!



Ah, is it still the case that the movies don't get released there until they are also available in translation and/or subtitles?

Look on the bright side, it will be a splash of color and fun to look forward to during the gloomy days of January!



Bluestreak said:


> We saw the new movie on Friday as well. Besides a fantastic evening (a fine summer day in NorCal) the movie is very, very fun and totally cute!
> 
> Is Ms. Piggy "smaller"? I wondered about that. I thought her face looked more contoured and less "blockish", if that's possible and nicer looking. We saw some trailers on TV for the other Muppet movies over the week-end and they confirmed my thoughts. Overall she looked fantastic. Still buxom, still fat and still in charge.
> 
> So, is she smaller? Perhaps. But she would not be confused with thin, average sized or plump. She's FAT, feminine and powerful, just as she always been



Likewise, I'm not sure that she is smaller, I guess my impression was that she looked more glamorous, and less mock-glamorous, if that makes any sense? I'm not sure by any means.

And yes, she is still in charge, and in fact a couple of the best moments of the movie were hers 

And perhaps the movie is charmed, we also had a great afternoon and evening around the movie.....saw the movie later afternoon, then strolled over to a favorite (wood oven, more European style) pizza restaurant, and had a great meal afterwards. A very pleasant way to kick off December


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## ribbondancer (Dec 14, 2011)

I love Miss Piggy, did anyone see her wearing Christian Louboutins on the X Factor?!


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## BellaBelle (Dec 26, 2011)

I love Miss Piggy; the take-no-crap attitude...love it! For a costume party (at a bar) I went as Elle Woods from Legally Blonde (wearing a hot pink skirt-suit and heels). We were being judged for best costume by the crowd. Some fool yelled "It's that Muppet Pig!" when my turn came. I hiked up my skirt and undid the top buttons on my suit coat (showing skin) and said, "It's Miss Piggy to you fool". I didn't win first place but the night was way more fun after that!

I could certainly see her being a role-model (aside from the violence) for a BBW; I mean, have you seen her clothes?


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## PiscesGirl (Dec 26, 2011)

I find Miss Piggy too loud. Loud people in general are a pet peeve of mine. I have a snub nose so I heard my fair share of Miss Piggy jokes.:doh:


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## wtchmel (Dec 26, 2011)

I have never and will never see her as an inspiration or role model, i've always hated that pig.......


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## wtchmel (Dec 26, 2011)

PiscesGirl said:


> I find Miss Piggy too loud. Loud people in general are a pet peeve of mine.



Absolutey agreed!! atypical loudmouth, totally annoying.


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## liz (di-va) (Dec 26, 2011)

Yeah, as other people are saying, not a role model, exactly, but -- something. I don't know that I had too many fat people behaving as she did in my life. Or, really, any. I'm not sure I had a context for her behavior, but I definitely noticed that she wasn't apologizing for herself.


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## EtobicokeFA (Dec 28, 2011)

PiscesGirl said:


> I find Miss Piggy too loud. Loud people in general are a pet peeve of mine. I have a snub nose so I heard my fair share of Miss Piggy jokes.:doh:




Yes, she is loud, but sometimes you have to be loud just to heard.


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## FA Punk (Dec 28, 2011)

Bluestreak said:


> We saw the new movie on Friday as well. Besides a fantastic evening (a fine summer day in NorCal) the movie is very, very fun and totally cute!
> 
> Is Ms. Piggy "smaller"? I wondered about that. I thought her face looked more contoured and less "blockish", if that's possible and nicer looking. We saw some trailers on TV for the other Muppet movies over the week-end and they confirmed my thoughts. Overall she looked fantastic. Still buxom, still fat and still in charge.
> 
> So, is she smaller? Perhaps. But she would not be confused with thin, average sized or plump. She's FAT, feminine and powerful, just as she always been



Yes, the puppet has changed over the years and for good reason, Miss Piggy IMO was alittle too over the top with the ''curves'' for a kids show. The biggest change being they made her breasts smaller, she isn't the only Muppet thats gone through changes either.


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## Keb (Dec 28, 2011)

I noticed that they had several larger dancers in the dance sequences in the new movie. That surprised and pleased me. Also, it was a great movie. 

I dunno if Miss Piggy's exactly a role-model for me--let's face it, she's got her personality flaws--but she is an awesome character all the same. And one of the friends who saw the movie with us said something about my being similar to her afterwards, and all I could do was nod and agree that he was right.


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## mango (Dec 29, 2011)

FA Punk said:


> Yes, the puppet has changed over the years and for good reason, Miss Piggy IMO was alittle too over the top with the ''curves'' for a kids show. The biggest change being they made her breasts smaller, she isn't the only Muppet thats gone through changes either.



*R.I.P. Miss Piggy's larger boobs.


*


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## Tracyarts (Dec 29, 2011)

Not a fan.

It's a great character, just one that doesn't happen to appeal to me. 

Tracy


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## guam_girl (Jan 14, 2012)

Honestly? When i started working as a bar hostess in OFW (overseas foreign worker) joints, Ms.Piggy was my role model. Personally, I don't share her traits in my everyday life but in the bar, assuming her persona (In dress and attitude) helped me survive and thrive! The patrons were usually drunk and had some bad mouths, but when I threw on my heels and cocktail dress and went into piggie mode, I was able to shrug it off and give it back to them while enjoying myself. 

So, yeah, Ms. Piggie is a role model! She gave me the strength to work in some tough places!


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## lottapounds (Jan 14, 2012)

ribbondancer said:


> I love Miss Piggy, did anyone see her wearing Christian Louboutins on the X Factor?!



I missed that but i remember seeing a comic online with Miss Piggy in a dominatrix costume and kermit in bondage gear. It was pretty funny.


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