Rob Lowe Saw the Filming of The Muppets’ ‘Rainbow Connection’ — Here’s What He Thought

Rob Lowe isn’t associated with The Muppets, however he was there during the filming of The Muppet Movie, Specifically, he watched the filming of the scene where Kermit the Frog sings “Rainbow Connection.” Here’s a look at what he had to say — and how he was able to see The Muppet Movie‘s set in the first place.

Robe Lowe met someone connected to The Muppets at a baseball game

In Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography, Lowe relays he and his brother had a lot of freedom growing up. They would take a bus 25 miles and then take three other bus connections traversing another 15 files to attend Dodgers games in Los Angeles.

Lowe recounts his brother, Chad, wore a Yankees hat to a Dodgers game one time. This resulted in a bit of mob trouble for the pair. A bystander, who was a Yankees fan, stepped in and helped the boys. He introduced himself to the Lowes and invited them to visit him at his work. The stranger said, “I’m a head puppeteer on the Muppets.” After a few weeks, the boys took him up on his offer.

The ‘profound’ effect visiting the set of ‘The Muppet Movie’ had on Rob Lowe

For Lowe, his visit to the man’s work was his first time on a soundstage. He writes, “As Mom and Steve drove us through the guard gate, I felt a rush of adrenaline, a stirring so profound. I felt almost light-headed. I was entering the inner sanctum of moviemaking. My first step into the world I wanted so much to be a part of.”

Rob Lowe’s sneak peak of ‘Rainbow Connection’ from ‘The Muppet Movie’

Lowe’s experience expanded from there – he was actually on the set where The Muppet Movie was being made. He witnessed Frank Oz as Miss Piggy and Jim Henson in the director’s chair sitting with Kermit the Frog in his hand. Along with this, “They were shooting a beautiful, and strangely sad, music number called ‘Rainbow Connection.’” “Rainbow Connection” is a song about hope and ambition, so it’s interesting Lowe understood it as a “strangely sad” song. Regardless, he still praised it.

How the world reacted to ‘The Muppet Movie’ and ‘Rainbow Connection’

IMDb reports The Muppet Movie earned nearly $66 million world-wide. It was a trailblazer, leading a a Muppet film series that lasted decades. In addition, The Muppet Movie was nominated for two Oscars – one for Best Original Song for “Rainbow Connection” and the other for Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score.

“Rainbow Connection” did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. However, many artists covered the song, including Gwen Stefani, Willie Nelson, Lisa Loeb, and Jason Mraz. Clearly, what Lowe felt seemed to be followed by public recognition for both the movie and the song.