Muppet Types and Chaos Theory, Revisited

Slate Fare To mark 30 years of Slate, Dahlia Lithwick revisits her most-read article ever. Photo illustration by Slate Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. As a special thank-you to our Pluskateers on the occasion of Slate’s 30th anniversary, we’re sharing a little joy and a lot of characterological analysis: Muppet Theory, the 2026 Edition. With gratitude for all the new Slate Plus members who have joined us this pledge drive and profound thanks to our treasured longtime supporters, Dahlia Lithwick moves over to the guest chair to make way for storied Slate alumna June Thomas, who guides us through the origins and enduring relevance of “Chaos Theory: A Unified Theory of Muppet Types.” Watch the conversation below to discover where you land on the Muppet spectrum. Jurisprudence Video Slate's 30th Anniversary