You already know somebody’s passing has shaken the world when even fictional characters take a second to say goodbye. That was the case on July 22, when the loss of life of Ozzy Osbourne — the Prince of Darkness, rock icon, and heavy steel pioneer — triggered a wave of heartfelt tributes from across the globe. Among the many most sudden and shifting got here from none apart from Kermit the Frog, on behalf of The Muppets.
Posted by way of The Muppets’ official social media, the assertion was issued from the pad of Kermit the Frog, and mirrored on the distinctive and lasting connection between Ozzy and the beloved solid of characters.
“Nobody rocked more durable than the good Ozzy Osbourne,” wrote Kermit. “Each time we ran into Ozzy through the years, he made us really feel simply as cool as he was. We liked having a pal like Ozzy Osbourne and we really feel so fortunate to have recognized him, labored with him and skilled his music for thus many many years.”
For followers, the tribute was greater than only a novelty — it was a reminder of Ozzy‘s widespread cultural impression. Not solely was he a godfather of steel, however he additionally had a humorousness and a collaborative spirit that allowed him to cross into mainstream and even family-friendly leisure.
That connection to The Muppets was real. In 1994, Ozzy teamed up with Miss Piggy for a wild cowl of Steppenwolf‘s “Born to Be Wild”, which appeared on the comedic and musically eclectic album Kermit Unpigged. The undertaking introduced collectively rock stars and Muppets in a playful, genre-crossing celebration — and Ozzy match proper in.
In 2002, Ozzy reunited with Kermit in the course of the Golden Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth II, commemorating the 50th anniversary of her reign. Their look at such a historic British occasion confirmed simply how far Ozzy had come — from biting the top off a bat to standing beside a inexperienced puppet and royalty alike, absolutely embraced by the mainstream.
Then, in 2005, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! and located themselves sharing the set with Fozzie Bear. Quite than shrink back from the second, Ozzy leaned into it, persevering with his historical past of charming and shocking crossovers.
And as Kermit mentioned, “We liked having a pal like Ozzy Osbourne.” Hundreds of thousands would agree.
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