From our pal mental_floss, here's a really fun post by Stacy about the origins of ... the Muppets! Here are two of my favorites:
12. You have to love Statler and Waldorf. I couldn’t find much on their particular inspiration, but I can tell you that they’ve been around since the 1975 Muppet Show pilot. They are named after popular New York City hotels (the Statler Hotel was renamed the Hotel Pennsylvania in 1992.) Guess what Waldorf’s wife name is? Yep… Astoria (she looks startlingly like Statler.) FYI, Waldorf is the one with the mustache and white hair. Statler has the grey hair. Apparently Waldorf has had a pacemaker for more than 30 years.
Link - via i met a possum
Oh, I almost forgot: did you know that Statler and Waldorf now have their own YouTube account?
W: Well so am I, Statler!
S: What?!
W: Sure! Hey, you wanna hear me sing?
S: Only if you sing tenor.
W: Tenor?
S: Ten or eleven miles away! HA HA HA HA HA!
They were also my faves, right after Gonzo. :)