Since my kids are now 8, 10, and almost 12, they’re at school all day. The television, if it’s on, is tuned to grown up shows. There are some days that I really miss watching children’s programming, especially my very favorite children’s show - Sesame Street. I grew up watching Big Bird and Maria and Bob and Grover. I remember when Cookie Monster smoked a fake pipe on Monsterpiece Theater (oh, the horror!), and my first experience with Kermit the frog wasn’t in a Muppet Movie - it was when he reported the news on Sesame Street. I named my teddy bear Radar, after Big Bird’s teddy bear and Radar O’Reilly on M*A*S*H. I loved Ernie and hated Bert. I wanted to live on the same street with Gordon and shop at Mr. Looper’s Hooper’s Store. (Remember how Big Bird couldn’t get his name right?) I wanted to take my broken toasters to the FixIt Shop.
Even now, as a 31 year old woman, I just have to hear the starting notes of the “pinball song” from the show, and I break into singing…
“1, 2, 3, 4, 5…6, 7, 8, 9, 10….11, 12!”
By the time my own children started watching Sesame Street, things had changed a bit. Oscar wasn’t as grouchy (and he was green, instead of orange!), Elmo was on the scene, and everyone knew Snuffleupagus was real, and they could see him too! What I like most about Sesame Street as an adult is it’s almost cult following by grownups like me - even people who are famous and have achieved some degree of celebrity. I imagine that appearing on Sesame Street is almost as good as winning an Oscar or some other entertainment award for some folks. When you get the call - it means you’ve made it. You’re someone, and Sesame Street wants you to use your fame and notoriety to speak to children all over the world about stranger danger, shapes, or feelings. The show has featured stars like Lily Tomlin, Steve Wonder, Destiny’s Child, Lena Horne, Jamie Foxx, and Billy Joel.
I love this clip from James Blunt, singing about his missing triangle, to the tune of “You’re Beautiful”. Who knew you could have a love affair with a triangle?
This clip however, is one I never saw during all of the hours I watched Sesame Street on PBS. I never realized R2D2 and C3PO stopped by Sesame Street!
Comments
This post ROCKS, Colleen! I love Sesame Street, too - and I so miss having the TV turned onto all the munchkin shows in the daytime! I can’t stop myself from crying when Caillou comes on - that was Sammie’s favorite and since she was my last baby at home….wah!
I loved Sesame Street, too! Now I’ve got the “1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10…11,12″ stuck in my head!! My other favorite part was “1 of these people is doing his own thing..” or something like that. I always hum that to myself when I see something out of place. But don’t forget, the show wasn’t always kid friendly. Maybe that’s why we’re so warped! 
oh oh…i love the pinball one too! crap, now i’m singing it too…thx.
I don’t remember Oscar being orange and I’m 31 too. Weird. I do remember Big Bird not being able to say Mr. Hooper and I remember R2D2 and C3PO being on the show. I used to like how Bob and Linda were always together and how he’d translate her sign language for those who didn’t know it. 
I guess I never found it odd since my mom was partially deaf herself.
I love Sesame Street, too! I miss Kermit and Mr. Looper Hooper. I don’t think Oscar was ever orange. I am going to Yahoo that one.
Oscar was yellow in the very first episode. For the remainder of the first season (1969-1970), he was orange. So you were right, Colleen. But its funny that you remember him as orange because he was orange for just a short while.
Man, I can’t believe you all doubt my knowledge of television history! During the 1969–1970 season Oscar WAS orange - feel free to look that one up, kids!
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