The Muppets star Pepé turns 30: ‘He’s kind of like a male Miss Piggy’

Muppets Tonight was a variety show that debuted on ABC on March 8, 1996. Like The Muppet Show, it was a comedy/variety series which featured some of the biggest stars of its day. There were, however, some key differences. The most notable was that Kermit the Frog was not the host. While he was present, the reins of emcee were handed to the now-obscure Muppet Clifford. And with Frank Oz focused on directing, Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear’s roles were significantly reduced.