From the magic moment Kermit was singing with his banjo in the swamp (Jim Henson was performing in a box in the bog!) and hearing him sing “Rainbow Connection,” Dom DeLuise as Bernie the Agent rows over for help:

Bernie the Agent: Help! Hello! This is a serious call for help!

Kermit: Uh, yeah?

Bernie the Agent: Someone —help! Ah—I, oh! Oh! You, you with the banjo—uh, can you help me? I have lost my sense of direction.

Kermit: Uh, have you tried Hare Krishna?

Bernie the Agent: [briefly laughs sarcastically] No. No, I mean I’m really lost.

Kermit: Uh, one second.

[he tries to catch a fly with his tongue, but misses] 

Kermit: Uh, darn I missed. You know, that’s the first thing to go on a frog, his tongue. The tongue goes and you can’t catch flies.

Bernie the Agent: Well, that’s rough, I’m sorry about your tongue, but I have to get out of this swamp; I have to catch a plane.

Kermit: With that tongue? No way.

Bernie the Agent: [laughs] 

Kermit: But seriously, there’s a boat dock just downstream.

Bernie the Agent: Thank you. Kermit: Just watch out for

the alligators.

Bernie the Agent: I will.

[he starts to leave but turns back to Kermit, apprehensive]

Bernie the Agent: Alligators?Kermit: That’s right. Bernie the Agent: Did you say alligators?

Kermit: Read my lips: al-lee-gay-twers. 

But then Bernie realizes the great talent he is seeing, and remembering an ad he saw in the Hollywood Reporter, encour-ges Kermit to audition for a role asking for “singing frogs,” setting the plot in motion:

“If I were you, I would give this audition very careful consideration. You’ve got talent, kid—singin’, tellin’ jokes. I mean, if you get your tongue fixed, who knows?

You could make millions of people happy.”

So happy, pleased, and proud to be a professional artist (and professor!), hopefully doing my part, one painting at a time!