A little Beethoven to put a smile on your face.

Ode to Joy, as sung by Beaker.

And Beaker.

And Beaker. And…well, you get the picture.

This one sends The Peanut into an enormous giggle fit. So enjoy!

We were watching some of The Muppet Show, Season Two the other day. And laughing ourselves silly. I was thinking how wonderful it would be if they would bring the show back for Friday evenings for the kids to have something funny yet really witty to watch instead of crap and nonsense.

But who am I kidding? It would really be for the adults.

Please oh please oh please let there be some smart exec in teevee land who understands the value of bringing back The Muppet Show. Now there’s a thought to bring a smile to everyone’s face, isn’t it?

My most vivid memories of Bea Arthur were of her groundbreaking role in Maude.

She was sassy, saucy and brash. 

And, as I kid, I loved her for her deadpan delivery of a good straight line at just the right time.  She cracked my granny up every week.

But most of all, I loved her — and the incredible folks who wrote the show, including the genius that is Norman Lear — for asking the really tough questions.  And using such brilliant humor to discuss the issues that needed a more public, more frank airing.

Frankly, we could use a lot more of that these days.

From abortion to sex as an older lady, Bea Arthur hit them all head on. Here’s to a great dame with amazing comic timing, and the acting chops to pull off the most difficult roles with grace and incredible heft.

Bravo.  This one is a painful curtain call for me. She’ll certainly be missed.

(YouTube — Maude’s introduction on All In The Family. Genius.)