Little Richard is coming unglued. Sweat smears his makeup; his long black curls are drooping. ''Lord, it is so hot! I feel like Whoopi Goldberg in this wig,'' he squeals. The celebutante is braving such indecencies for a cameo in a new Muppet music video, a cover of the Fine Young Cannibals' ''She Drives Me Crazy,'' off the album Kermit Unpigged (due Sept. 27).
The opportunity to work with Miss Piggy has pulled in an impressive list of guest stars: Those turning out at studios here in L.A. or in New York include Leslie Nielsen, Katie Couric, Fran Drescher (The Nanny), Conan O'Brien, Linda Gray (Models Inc.), Shari Belafonte (Lifestyles), Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt (Mad About You). Phil Collins taped his cameo from a hotel room. Bruce Willis (filming Die Hard 3) and Demi Moore (filming The Scarlet Letter) have been invited to contribute segments on location. And Grant Show (Melrose Place), Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills, 90210), and David Hasselhoff (Baywatch) may chime in from their sets. All are working for free (unless you count such Muppetabilia as stuffed Kermits), because either the celebs or their children think it's cool.
''For years, I said to [my agents], 'Get me on Sesame Street,''' says Paula Poundstone. Little Richard aside, most guests seem to enjoy singing and posing with the Muppets (although an embarrassed Couric insisted that the crew turn their backs when she sang and danced). As comedian Kevin Pollak sums it up, ''Minus the abuse of substances and topless babes, this is everything I thought a rockin' music video would be.''
