Miss Piggy To Receive Outstanding Women's Award From Brooklyn Museum

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A prestigious award from the Brooklyn Museum honors women who have made outstanding contributions in their fields.

This year's surprise honoree is… Miss Piggy.

The Muppets character joins a distinguished list of recipients of the Sackler Center First Awards. They include theater director Julie Taymor and former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

The Daily Beast recently called Miss Piggy ``The Gloria Steinem of the Muppet World.'' She will be interviewed at the June 4 ceremony by the feminist herself.

The museum's Elizabeth Sackler Center for Feminist Art was founded by its namesake.

Sackler said Miss Piggy embodies ``spirit, determination and grit'' and has taught millions important lessons about overcoming obstacles.

Miss Piggy -- known for her French affectation -- declared: ``Moi is thrilled.''

Kermit the Frog will also attend the ceremony.

The earliest version of Miss Piggy appeared in 1974, and the character first appeared in the chorus of the Muppet Show two years later.

The character actually has always been puppeteered and voiced by a man – Frank Oz until 2000, and Eric Jacobson in the years since. But Miss Piggy was designed by a woman – Bonnie Erickson, who now serves as executive director of the Jim Henson Legacy.

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