The Bilerico Project | Daily experiments in LGBTQ

One of gay Muppeteer Richard Hunt's most popular characters is struggling to secure victory in the final hours of a Muppet fan contest that's a little too close for comfort.

Statler and Waldorf, everyone's favorite balcony hecklers, are up against Super Grover in the final round of the
Muppet Madness Tournament, run by MuppetFans.com, which is to Muppet lovers as the NCAA brackets are to basketball enthusiasts. The finalists have already bested 30 other candidates, including beloved characters Scooter, Floyd and Mr. Snuffleupagus. Anyone can vote!

Statler (played by Richard Hunt) and Waldorf (played by Jim Henson) appear in nearly every episode of The Muppet Show. A handy mnemonic: Waldorf has the Wide face.

Blogger Ruadhan McElroy has a great queer reading of the two "aging queens": "Frequently in the 'At the Dance' sketches on The Muppet Show are Statler and Waldorf seen dancing together. And during the first season, Statler revealed that he once dated Lionel Barrymore." McElroy also points out that Waldorf's wife (named Astoria, of course) is basically the Statler puppet in a dress.

Statler and Waldorf's weird clothes, in the picture above, are the "rock" outfits they wore to see Elton John, as we learn in this clip.

Here's the pair dueling with Milton Berle, and stealing the show from Uncle Miltie.

And if that doesn't get your vote, here is the only Statler and Waldorf clip that makes me cry every time I watch it. If only Henson and Hunt had reached the old age they evoke so convincingly here.

Besides, Statler and Waldorf have to win. They always get the last word.

Voting in The Muppet Madness Tournament ends at midnight tonight!