A Well Placed Muppet
Posted By Kathleen David on January 28, 2009
Last night on Scrubs the lead character J.D., who has a very healthy fantasy life, added some of the Sesame Street characters to his inner monologue. We had Oscar, Grover and Elmo. I was so hoping for Big Bird at some point but it really wouldn’t have fit. Towards the end, J.D. commented on how much we learned/observed about interacting with others from watching Sesame Street and I have to agree with the writer of the episode about what they said. My favorite interaction was Grover probably because it was pure Muppet slapstick.
I have been reading the new book on the creation of Sesame Street and it is very interesting to see how the original concept was created. It is also interesting to see how that concept changed to what we know as Sesame Street today. I am about a third of the way through and enjoying it. It seems to be a case of the right people at the right time creating the perfect storm of children’s TV. Any element out of place, and this thing would not have been aired.
We did get some snow last night. It is suppose to change over to sleet and freezing rain before going to all rain. Personally, I would rather it stayed snow. I need to clean up my walk and then get Caroline ready for school this morning. I think I am going to drive her to school and pick up my puppet that I left in the Library the other day when I was helping out there.
Be safe and warm (or cool if it is the summer where you are) today. Hugs your loved ones and tell them that you love them.
I am grateful for the Muppets and the smiles they bring to my face and my daughter’s face.
“(or cool if it is the summer where you are) today”
Good advice – it looks like we could be heading for the mid 30s celcius today. 🙂
I decided to go the audiobook route, which was, unfortunately, abridged, but nonetheless enjoyable and informative. Carroll Spinney, being so close to much of the material, adds an extra dimension in his reading. My wife has been reading the original version and has clued me in on some of the omissions. (Can anyone explain exactly why Joan Cooney referred to the estranged Jane Henson’s appearance at the memorial service and taking on the title of Jim’s widow as “unforgivable”. I understand that the marriage was crumbling, but it still seemed an odd thing to say, but maybe it was was taken out of context.)
On the whole I rate the book as a satisfying experience even if I found some flaws in Michael Davis’s writing style. The “jump around” narrative was jarring at times and there were moments where some statements deserved further explanation. (If you’re going to point out that Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal were initially poorly reviewed and received it is worth noting that they went on to become cult classics.) I also found it strange that there was no passage about Roscoe Orman; I later discovered that this “bonus chapter” can be found at the book’s website (http://www.streetgangbook.com/extra_chapter.html) which I am grateful for but still would call an odd choice.
Still, a hearty thumbs up to the audiobook which also includes an segment of Michael Davis interviewing Carroll Spinney where you’ll find some additional information on Spinney’s older brother with cerebral palsey and how he and his second wife fell in love. In some ways the interview made up for some of the abridgements.