Tag Archives: Grover

Muppet Tuesday: Cookie, Cookie, Cookie; Rexamining Cookie Monster

A short, fun Muppet Tuesday inspired by a video referred to us by The Geoff Man and last week’s Top Chef.

As far as Sesame Street characters go, we don’t remember being particularly enamored with Cookie Monster as a child.  Certainly, we weren’t fans of that red menace Elmo, but our allegiances laid more with Ernie and that other blue monster, Grover (probably because of his aural resemblance to Yoda, his brother in Frank Oz-helmed arms).  And, of course, we appreciated and admired Kermit, not just for being the straight man who tolerated all the zany creatures on Sesame Street, but because we were thoroughly impressed that he managed to moonlight as the “Muppet News” reporter while managing the Muppets full-time.  That guy was basically the 70s and 80s version of Joel McHale  (But really, Kermit can’t count as a favorite, because he’s a given, it’s like saying the Beatles are your favorite band (which they are not).  Hall of Fame members are not options)).  But for some reason, while not disliking Cookie Monster, he never struck the same chord as the others.  Perhaps because he wasn’t as silly-mean as Grover, or childlike and mischievous as Ernie.  He seemed rather one-note, heck bent on one thing and one thing alone, and that obscured a rather winning personality.  But with his SNL audition tape, his appearance on the show with Jeff Bridges, and his guest-judging on Top Chef last week, our opinion towards the pastry pouncer began to change.  With hs newly discovered nuanced sense of humor Cookie Monster was evolving into our favorite Sesame Street Muppet .  Except that, as this vintage video shows, that sharp sensibility was there all along.  We just missed it until now.  Somehow, Cookie Monster might actually be the subtlest monster on Sesame Street.

And, as usual, we plan to recap last week’s Top Chef just before the new one airs tomorrow night, but take a look at this behind the scenes clip from featuring Cookie Monster, along with Telly and, yes, Elmo, hilariously kinda being dicks to the crew.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

And we now realize where Barbara Walters got it from…

And if just one, just one, 3 year-old decides they prefer Cookie Monster to Elmo then we’ll be happy.

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Filed under Bert-n-Ernie, George Lucas Doesn't Need More Money, Makes You Think, Muppets, Nostalgia Corner, Top Scallop

Muppet Monday: ‘Sesame Street’ is Now Like ‘MadTV’, But Good

Sesame Street has long been in the pop culture parody business; in fact that’s basically it’s whole model, come up with concepts that will educate children but also entertain adults. But lately, they’re becoming kings of the genre, with Mad Men, 30 Rock and, most recently, True Blood parodies.  And now they’ve moved even further from the mainstream with their version of Old Spice’s “Smell Like a Man” campaign:

Between Grover and Justine Bateman we’re feeling really uncool.

Next up, no doubt, is the Sad Elmo campaign.  Or maybe Cigar Kermit.

via PopWatch

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Filed under Muppet Mondays, Muppets, Virulent

Sesame Street Socialism

Normally I will not stand for any kind of besmirching of the Muppet or Sesame Street legacy.  They’ve done far too much good and earned too much respect to be the target of an easy joke (I feel the same way about Billy Joel, incidentally another big influence during my youth).  However, with the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street upon us, they had some fun with our (apparently left-wing) furry friends on The Colbert Report.  Of course, their in-depth knowledge of the show and its characters shows true admiration and reverence, and clearly only devoted fans would be able to develop an argument for Grover as a proponent of same-sex marriage (however, I think the jury is still out on Bert & Ernie.  Just because they lived together, sleeping in the same room all these years doesn’t mean they’re gay.  I mean, do you know how much it costs to rent on Sesame Street?  It’s pure economics.  Also, Kip and Henry shared a room and no one said they were gay.  And they were cross-dressers to boot).

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And while we’re talking about Sesame Street, check out our friend Kieran Walsh’s thoughts on 40 years of Big Bird, Cookie Monster and the gang.

via Comedysmack

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Filed under Good Humor, Muppets, Nostalgia Corner, Other people's stuff