“The Muppets” received a warm welcome back from social media users after its premiere on Tuesday, but One Million Moms are outraged by the “perverted” nature of ABC’s revival.
The conservative family values group has posted a petition complaining that the new primetime show featuring Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest of Jim Henson‘s creations is “aimed at a mature, modern audience and addresses subjects not suitable for family viewing.”
“Many parents unknowingly will let their children watch an episode only to find out its perverted nature too late,” the petition reads. “ABC hopes children watch the show and predict they would enjoy some of the humor, but 1MM would disagree. ABC has ruined ‘The Muppets.’ How many parents want to explain the punchline of sexually charged jokes to young children?”
The group referred to the range of topics the show will cover, which include sex and drugs. During an MSNBC interview, Miss Piggy revealed she was a pro-choice feminist, and the other characters that were once famous among kids in the 1970s and 1980s are now talking about abortion and promiscuity.
Of course, the ABC show has not been shy about teasing it as a more mature show, with most promos being about the breakup of Miss Piggy and Kermit and Miss Piggy’s consequent dating habits.
“It’s sort of an adult Muppet show,” Kermit said during one promo. Another ad referenced the frog’s green body with a tagline reading, “Finally, a network TV show with full frontal nudity.”
1MM calls for parents to take action and “avoid this program at all costs.”
“Meanwhile, parents will have to explain to confused children that the program they once were allowed to watch is no longer a nice show,” reads the petition. “This would have been completely unnecessary if ABC had made the program follow its original family-friendly design.”
In “The Muppets,” the beloved characters from the 1970s return to TV, and focuses on the behind-the-scenes action of a late night talk show, much to the feel of “30 Rock.”
1MM was behind the boycott of J.C. Penney in 2012 when the retailer featured same-sex couples in its inserts.