Blackouts are short, comic sketches traditional to vaudeville that end with the lights turning off or a quick closing of the curtain. With the advent of television, shows like Laugh-In could follow a punchline with a jump cut to the next sketch (or to a commercial) instead of actually blacking out the lights.

A series of blackouts appeared on the first season of The Muppet Show. They took place in front of a backdrop that had a fountain painted on it. These skits each featured the guest star with a variety of Muppets.

Sketches[]

Picture	Episode	Description
	Episode 101: Juliet Prowse	Zoot has a question for Juliet Prowse: "What has one eye, sharp teeth and is long and fuzzy?" Juliet doesn't know and neither does Zoot, but it's a Muppet Monster that she's wearing as a boa.
	Episode 103: Joel Grey	Joel Grey has gotten a new car and offers to take Gonzo for a "spin", but Gonzo takes him literally.
	Episode 106: Jim Nabors	Jim Nabors wishes Animal luck by telling him to "break a leg."
	Episode 107: Florence Henderson	Sweetums literally falls for Florence Henderson.
	Episode 108: Paul Williams	Paul Williams explains that one reason he agreed to be a guest star is that it gives him the chance to be the tallest person on the show. Sweetums, Thog, and one of the Mutations prove him wrong.
	Episode 110: Harvey Korman	T.R. leads the Muppet chickens, and a chicken-suit-clad Harvey Korman, in a march.
	Episode 111: Lena Horne	Lena Horne tries to ask Animal where her key is, until he uses a mallet to smash her foot.
	Episode 117: Ben Vereen	Ben Vereen gets sent flying onto the rafters by Crazy Harry's explosion.
	Episode 118: Phyllis Diller	Phyllis Diller has her own pocket camera. When Gonzo asks what pictures she took, they were of pockets.
	Episode 119: Vincent Price	Vincent Price has to carry a load of wardrobe. Sweetums offers to give him "a hand".
	Episode 122: Ethel Merman	Ethel Merman tells Hilda about a mouse in her dressing room, and wonders whether she's on a show or in a zoo... then she meets Animal.

See also[]