In the vast universe of holiday entertainment, certain traditions stand the test of time: the Rockettes kicking at Radio City, the glowing window panes of an Advent calendar, and the annual, chaotic, deeply weird tradition of watching Gonzo, the Great Gonzo, attempt to define Christmas.
Disney+ realized that Gonzo had become the unexpected mascot for adults who hate "wholesome" holiday programming. In October 2022, they began promoting a "Director’s Cut" of Muppets Haunted Mansion (re-labeled as a Christmas special because, as Gonzo put it, "Ghosts are just future snowmen"). On December 5, 2022, Disney+ dropped a 22-minute interstitial special titled Gonzo’s Cracked Christmas . It featured zero narrative coherence. The plot involved Gonzo trying to prove that Santa Claus is actually an alien from the planet Hoth. gonzo xmas 2022 2021
During the post-lockdown holidays of 2021, people needed absurdity. By 2022, they needed tradition mixed with that absurdity. Gonzo provided both. In the vast universe of holiday entertainment, certain