The Muppets was Never Really Intended for Kids was it, Jim?

In preparation for sending the girls off for another school year we joined in the procession of silently and not-so-silently rejoicing parents and booked an appointment with our friendly neighbourhood hairdresser. It was time to trade in their summer rat-nests for some stylish new dos.

While any attempt to dare bring a comb within 5 feet of either girl's head on a daily basis is normally met with screaming resistance, they tend to be quite patient in the stylist's chair. Only professionals allowed, I guess.

Little Sweetie's tolerance level is limited to a basic trim and thanks to Harry Potter, Kookoo has stuck with a preferred style for the last couple years.

No matter how many times we try and give Kookoo a stylish "Twiggy" look, within hours her hair invevitably reverts to the "Ron Weasley".

Hairdo Day 1 Hairdo everyday until next haircut

But what does any of this have to do with the Muppets, you ask?

Well, when spending over an hour trapped in a barber chair, the topic of movies is always bound to come up. On this occasion, our hairdresser and her co-worker beside us were discussing going to see The Happytime Murders that evening. If you are unfamiliar with this one, it is an R-rated buddy-cop/comedy starring Melissa McCartney and puppets. More specifically, the Jim Henson puppets. You know -- the puppets made famous on Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

If the Muppet Show doesn't ring a bell, don't worry, because the young fellow having his hair cut in the chair next to us was bell-less as well. He was probably in his early twenties and understandably had no frame of reference as the Muppet Show's initial run ended in 1981. As the two stylists rhymed off more examples of the Henson puppet's cinematic history to try and jog his memory, from Fraggle Rock to Labyrinth, they were treated to the same glazed-eyed, blank stare.

To be clear, I have not seen this movie yet and rest assured I am certainly not going to watch it with my kids. Just because there are puppets in it does not automatically imply this is a film for children. The 'R' rating should make that pretty clear. And in my opinion, I don't think anyone really needs to know anything about this movie to know it is not for kids. How? It has the word 'murder' in the title. Around our house, we generally try not to talk down to the kids. Body parts are called by proper names and if astrophysics happens to work itself into conversation, we consider it a learning opportunity for us all. However, I am pretty ok with holding off on having to define 'murder' to my kids.

The Happytime Murders has been getting quite a bit of backlash. Whether or not the movie is good or bad is secondary to the fact that many people find having the beloved Henson puppets engaging in crass adult behaviour particularly offensive. But was the original Muppet Show even intended to be exclusively for children in the first place?

Consider this:

• The Muppet Show ran from 1976-1981 in a prime time television slot, not as saturday morning cartoon fare.

• After establishing himself with Sesame Street, Jim Henson's puppets appeared in "The Land of Gorch", a recurring sketch during the first season of Saturday Night Live in 1975.

• Two pilot episodes were created for the Muppet Show before becoming an Emmy-award winning program. One of which, was this :

I love the Muppets. I grew up with Kermit, Gonzo, the Swedish Chef, Beaker and actually own pyjamas with Animal smashing away on his drums. I love its corniness and the puppetry is legendary. Maybe that is why fans want to protect it, in fear of spoiling childhood memories.

Kookoo and Little Sweetie do not love the Muppets. No matter how many times I suggest we watch The Muppet Show or any of their feature films the response is always a resounding, harmonic groan. Maybe they are just too young yet to really get it. Or maybe it is just too old-fashioned to be appealing anymore. I will keep coming back though and maybe one day we will make that rainbow connection.

Any thoughts on this one? Muppets - Yes? No? Blank stare?