Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Baby Natasha

Written by Mike Baldasare.

BABY NATASHA

Performed by...
Kevin Clash

First appearance...
Sesame Street Season 18 (1986)

Most recent appearance...
Sesame Street Season 41 (2010)

Best known role...
Baby monster; daughter of Humphrey and Ingrid; very fast crawler

WHO IS BABY NATASHA?
Natasha is the furry baby daughter of Humphrey and Ingrid. She speaks in baby babbles and loves to blow raspberries. Natasha is best known on Sesame Street as a very fast crawler. Her parents can't keep her in one place or catch up to her once she gets going. In her earliest appearances just before her parents made their debut appearances, many various Sesame Street characters babysat Natasha. These babysitters include Oscar the Grouch, Snuffy (who taught her to say "Oh, dear."), Telly Monster, and Fran Drescher, aka TV's The Nanny.

In the late 1990s, Natasha was best known as Super Baby. In one sketch, Humphrey and Ingrid have a large bottle of milk, but no baby, and they don't want it to got to waste, so Super Baby arrives and drinks the milk. In another sketch, Humphrey and Ingrid wonder what Super Baby is going to do that begins with the letter S, which turns out to be "sleep." In another sketch, Super Grover talks about Super Baby as she constantly flies back and forth. She also appears in Elmo's World: Sky in this persona.

Natasha also had her own talk show segment, titled "Baby Talk," which was a spoof of The X-Files. She also earned a place in the opening credits during Seasons 26-29. Some of Natasha's more memorable moments include playing Baby Jesus in Elmo's World: Happy Holidays, singing "Baby, You Can Count on Me" with Count von Count, babbling in Sesame Street's 20th and 25th anniversary specials, and in Elmo Saves Christmas. In the 90s, Baby Natasha ranked at number four overall in Sesame Street Magazine's poll asking parents and children their favorite characters.

WHY DOES SESAME STREET NEED BABY NATASHA?
Baby Natasha was a favorite character of many children watching Sesame Street in the 1990s. Her role on the show has since become much smaller, but she is always adorable and funny, as many non-vocal Muppets tend to be. But Sesame Street needs her, because Baby Natasha shows educational lessons about babysitting and taking care of others. Plus, you can't resist a baby that can blow raspberries.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Dr. Nobel Price

Written by Michael Wermuth.

DR. NOBEL PRICE

Performed by...
Brian Meehl (1979-1984)
Kevin Clash (1984-1988)

First appearance...
Sesame Street Season 11 (1979-1980)

Most recent appearance...
Sesame Street Season 19 (1987-1988)

Best known role...
Inventor of the already invented

WHO IS DR. NOBEL PRICE?
Dr. Nobel Price is a scientist who spends many years inventing things on his far-off island laboratory. When he’s ready to unveil his latest invention, Sesame Street News sends the likes of Kermit the Frog and Warren Wolf to report on his latest invention. After entering the room and tripping, Dr. Price will reveal the name of his invention, which is hidden behind a blue blanket, and describes his creation. His inventions always end up being something that has already been invented, only the names he gives them are different. His foot snuggles were just a pair of socks, his talky stick was a microphone, and his tinker table was a piano. Many segments end with Dr. Nobel Price reacting with a frustrated emotion.

Dr. Nobel Price was also often seen in street scenes through the 1980s. In one episode, he “discovers” a new creature, which he dubs the Shagaphant, but it ends up being a Snuffleupagus (though at the time the adults didn’t believe in Snuffleupaguses). In another, Dr. Price believes he has discovered the law of gravity after dropping his teddy bear many times. In another, he tried to invent a rain-making machine during a water shortage. When it finally rains, Dr. Price thinks it’s because the machine is finally working –and then he sets out to invent a rain-stopping machine.

One of the few times Dr. Nobel Price invented something both original and useful occurred in episode 2255, when he invented something that can dry towels, scratch a dog’s ear, hold flowers, play music, and provide a place to sit.

WHY DOES SESAME STREET NEED DR. NOBEL PRICE?
The fact that Dr. Nobel Price’s inventions usually turn out to be common inventions gives the show an opportunity to explain how they work to the kids at home, who may or may not be as likely to know what the inventions are and how they work.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Sesame Street Sweeps Daytime Emmys Again

The winners of the 40th Daytime Emmy Awards were announced yesterday and, as usual, Sesame Street took the awards by storm, winning seven new gold statues to add to their already massive collection. Deadline has the list of all of this year's winners, but you can check out the seven awards that Sesame Street won below!

Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series
Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series - Kevin Clash as Elmo
Outstanding Directing in a Children's Series - Kevin Clash, Matt Vogel, Joey Mazzarino, Ken Diego
Outstanding Achievement in Main Title and Graphic Design
Outstanding Achievement in Multiple Camera Editing
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing (Live Action)
Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series

Incredibly, even after his resignation from the show, Kevin Clash still won another Emmy for Outstanding Performer for his role as Elmo. And unsurprisingly, Sesame Street swept the big categories for Children's Series: Directing, Writing, Editing, and overall series.

Congratulations to Sesame Street and all of our friends at Sesame Workshop on their massive wins! Keep sweepin' those clouds away!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Hoots the Owl

Today's article was written by Michael Baldasare.

HOOTS THE OWL

Performed by...

Kevin Clash

First appearance...
Sesame Street Season 17 (1985-1986)

Most recent appearance...
Sesame Street Live show "Can't Stop Singing" (2012)

Best known role...
Resident feathered jazz musician on Sesame Street

WHO IS HOOTS THE OWL?
Hoots the Owl is the jazz musician who plays the saxophone on Sesame Street. Hoots often performs with his sax at Sesame Street's local jazz club called Birdland, the hippest joint his side of Hooper's Store. Hoots has a granddaughter named Athena whom he loves dearly.

In Sesame Street Episode 2504, Hoots explains his career history to Athena through pictures hanging along one of the walls of Birdland. He started out in "The Rhythm School" band where he got his first real gig. After that Hoots worked at a nightclub where he met his future wife. When Hoots flew downtown, he finally got into jazz music. Eventually he landed on Sesame Street where he got to jam with his new band, the Birdland Players.

Though Hoots first appeared as a character on Sesame Street in 1985, the puppet used for Hoots made its first appearance as the owl member of the Feathered Friends in Follow That Bird. Hoots was a popular character on the show during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Arguably Hoots' greatest moment came in 1986 when he performed the jazzy hit "Put Down the Duckie," which remains a Sesame classic. Hoots was also a favorite with celebrities, performing with the likes of Yo-Yo Ma and Whoopi Goldberg in his heyday.

However, during the "Elmo's World" days, Hoots was slowly dropped from the show. In 2001, Hoots returned in the "Music Works Wonders" resource tape where he was puppeteered by John Tartaglia while Kevin Clash looped the dialogue. In 2004, Hoots played a major part in the "Veggie Monster" controversy surrounding Cookie Monster. Hoots sang the now-infamous song "A Cookie is a Sometimes Food," which caused the world to explode in outrage over Cookie Monster's supposed abandonment of cookie-eating. Of course, anyone who listens to the song will know that Hoots is the one singing about eating healthy, and at the end of the song Cookie Monster eats the cookie anyway.


In 2005 Hoots sang a song from atop 123 Sesame Street called "It Takes a Street" as he watched his friends play happily on the street below. Then, in 2006, the most recent Hoots puppet was used in "It Feels Good When You Sing a Song" with John Legend. This was Hoots' most recent major appearance on Sesame Street, but just last year he appeared in the Sesame Street Live show "Can't Stop Singing" and Hoots continues to appear in Sesame books and products.

WHY DOES SESAME STREET NEED HOOTS THE OWL?
Hoots the Owl is a great talented jazz musician on Sesame Street--something the show lacks completely without him. Now that Hoots' performer Kevin Clash has resigned from the Street, it looks like Hoots might have to be retired completely. Hopefully this isn't true. Bring back Hoots the Owl!!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Kevin Clash Resigns from Sesame Street

Over the past few weeks, you've no doubt heard Kevin Clash's name in the news or read it online, but you'll notice that you did not read it here. The Muppet Mindset made a very firm decision early last week to stay out of tabloid gossip and salacious rumors that affected not only a friend to the site, but a major inspiration as well. Unfortunately, the situation has reached a point where we find that we have to report about it, and it is with extreme sadness that we do so.

Kevin Clash, the man who has brought to life Elmo for 27 years, has officially left Sesame Street and Sesame Workshop. Below you'll find Sesame Workshop's official statement, followed by Kevin Clash's official statement, both initially reported on by the New York Times.

Sesame Workshop's Statement
Sesame Workshop's mission is to harness the educational power of media to help all children the world over reach their highest potential. Kevin Clash has helped us achieve that mission for 28 years, and none of us, especially Kevin, want anything to divert our attention from our focus on serving as a leading educational organization. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Kevin’s personal life has become a distraction that none of us want, and he has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job and has resigned from Sesame Street. This is a sad day for Sesame Street.

Kevin Clash's Statement
"I am resigning from Sesame Workshop with a very heavy heart. I have loved every day of my 28 years working for this exceptional organization. Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work Sesame Street is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer. I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately."

We at The Muppet Mindset are stunned, shocked, and incredibly saddened by this turn of events. We truly hope you'll join us in wishing the best for Kevin Clash in his terrible time. We also wish the best to Sesame Street and Sesame Workshop in this uneasy time of transition. Kevin's contributions to the show and the company run much deeper than Elmo, and his presence will surely be missed in a heavy way. We are confident that Elmo will live on in the hands of a new performer, but it is impossible to deny that the character will not suffer because of the loss of Kevin.

Despite any accusations, Kevin Clash is a good man who has inspired countless masses and entertained and educated even greater numbers of children all over the world. It is impeccably sad to see him brought down in such a public, hurtful way and we very much hope that things will smooth over quickly and Kevin can move on with his life, however he chooses to do so. We at The Muppet Mindset thank Kevin Clash for his truly ground-breaking career and sharing his immense talent in such a purely good way.

To close, we share our audio interview with Kevin Clash and Elmo from last year.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Benny Rabbit

Today's post was written by Michael Wermuth, Jr.

BENNY RABBIT

Performed by...
Kevin Clash

First appearance...
Sesame Street Season 23 (1991)

Most recent appearance...
Sesame Street Season 36 (2005)

Best known role...
Bellhop at the Furry Arms Hotel; irritable rabbit

Catchphrase...
"That's Benny! Benny!"

WHO IS BENNY RABBIT?
Benny Rabbit is a grumpy rabbit, and he's quick to remind anybody that he's not a bunny. If referred to as a bunny, he'll shout his catch phrase, "That's Benny! Benny!" And his irritability doesn't end there: He also hates being asked to do things during his breaks (which prompts him to shout "I'm on my break!") and he hates being touched.

Benny worked at the Furry Arms Hotel around the corner on Sesame Street, where he worked as a bellhop. There, he had to deal with the ineptitude of co-workers Humphrey and Ingrid, demands from customers, and in one episode was constantly annoyed by Baby Bear, who followed him around at work. In Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever, he is the only street resident not distraught by the prospects of tycoon Ronald Grump (Joe Pesci) tearing down the street to build a new Grump Tower. At one point, he supports Ronald Grump's decision and offers to be his doorman, only to change his opinion when he learns that Grump intends on having a robotic doorman as opposed to paying somebody.

After the Around the Corner set (and therefore The Furry Arms Hotel) was written out of the show, Benny was used less, though he still made occasional appearances (out of his bellhop uniform). He performed such songs as "14 Carrot Love" with Polly Darton, as well as "Don't Touch Me" and "Do the Benny Hop." He has made cameos in Global Grover, Elmo's World, and Trash Gordon segments. He was also a part of the song "B.B. King" (because Benny begins with B). Most notably, Benny served as assistant to producer Prairie Dawn in the Bert and Ernie's Word Play DVD.

WHY DOES SESAME STREET NEED BENNY RABBIT?
For one thing, the Furry Arms Hotel needs a bellhop, and I'm sure Grover can't be employed everywhere. The hotel may be gone, but maybe someday it'll come back. And if it does, I'm sure Benny will still be there to carry customers' luggage (and to take breaks). While the show has many happy characters, Benny is one of the few to primarily be grumpy, along with Oscar, Mr. Johnson, and Bert, to an extent. A grumpy character is a funny character, and a grumpy bunny (oops, rabbit) is a nice contrast to how rabbits are often portrayed in fiction.

Kevin Clash Brings Home the Emmy (Again)

Last week we reported on the seven big wins for Sesame Street at the 39th Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. After this, the official ceremony for the Daytime Emmy Awards was held and broadcast on HLN, where the Sesame performing nominees, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Kevin Clash, and Caroll Spinney, appeared to find out if they would win the coveted statue. The winner was Kevin Clash for his performance as Elmo, marking his eighth Emmy Award win for Elmo. A video of Kevin accepting his award has yet to surface, but if it does, it will be posted here.

While we don't have a video of Kevin's win, we do have a video (thanks to our friends at ToughPigs.com) of Oscar the Grouch performing with TV's Anderson Cooper. Enjoy!



Congratulations to our friend Kevin Clash on his big win as well as our friend Leslie Carrara-Rudolph and our hero Caroll Spinney for their nominations!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Sesame Dominates Daytime Emmys and Muppets Host Comedy Festival

Big news came yesterday on the fronts for both Sesame Street and the Muppets. The nominees for The 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced yesterday and, as usual, Sesame Street swept the children's TV categories, garnering an incredible 16 total nominations, including nominations for Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series, and nominations for our friends Kevin Clash (Elmo) and Leslie Carrara-Rudolph (Abby Cadabby), as well as our hero Caroll Spinney (Big Bird). Check below for a full break down of all 16 nominations for Sesame Street:

• Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series: Leslie Cararra-Rudolph as Abby Cadabby
• Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series:Kevin Clash as Elmo
• Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series:Caroll Spinney as Big Bird
• Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Directing in a Children's Series: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Multiple Camera Editing: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Original Song – Children's and Animation: “Don't Give Up”
• Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Live Action: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing – Live Action: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Special Class Directing: Kevin Clash, Sesame Street
• Outstanding Special Class Writing: Christine Ferraro, Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction/Electronic Camera/Video Control: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series: Sesame Street

It seems that Sesame Street is once again poised to bring home quite a few little golden statues at this year's ceremony with Creative Arts Emmys presented on June 17th and regular Daytime Emmys on June 23rd. We also should mention that The Jim Henson Company's Sid the Science Kid scored a nomination for Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series as well! Our huge congratulations to everyone involved!

The Muppets also released huge news yesterday, as it was revealed that Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and the entire Muppet gang will be a major part of this year's Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada! On July 26th, the Muppets will be performing LIVE for the festival audience where they will host two galas on the 26th at 7:00 and 10:00pm. It's sure to be a major event with plenty of wonderful Muppet mayhem, so if you're near Montreal, get your tickets and go see the Muppets!! Stay tuned to The Muppet Mindset for more information on this exciting development as it comes!

Now if you'll excuse me... I have to find the cheapest way to get to Canada. Anyone know of any geese flying north this summer?

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER'S JOURNEY DVD Review

BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER'S JOURNEY

DVD Review

Available on April 3rd

Ryan Dosier - Every once in awhile a film comes along that is equal parts inspiring, heart-warming, tear-jerking, funny, fun, and beautiful. One of the few films I've come across recently that has all of these characteristics and so many more is Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey. This near-perfect piece of filmmaking is the work of dedicated and talented folks like director Constance Marks, producer Corinne LaPook, and a whole host of others who did all they could to bring the incredible story of Kevin Clash to the public. As you all (should) know, Being Elmo is currently available on Netflix Instant as well as on iTunes digital download, but on April 3rd (this Tuesday) you'll be able to watch Kevin's amazing life-journey any time you want when the film comes to DVD!

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey on DVD from the filmmakers, whom I can't thank enough for their continued generosity. I don't know that I, personally, have ever expressed my thoughts on the film itself. There's not enough time for a full, detailed review here (which this film absolutely deserves), but I think I can get my point across by saying that Being Elmo is the greatest documentary I have ever seen--not just Muppet/Sesame Street related. The film has inspired me in more ways than I can express. Following the magical journey of Kevin Clash from child to puppeteer to TV actor to Muppeteer to major Muppeteer to Elmo to producer to director to mentor is truly, truly incredible. No matter your own feelings on Elmo, Kevin Clash is a man to adore and aspire to be. In fact, by the end of the film when Kevin is mentoring young puppeteer Tau Bennett, it is nearly impossible to not be inspired by Kevin and not fall in love with him.

As for the DVD itself, it contains an amazing collection of behind the scenes footage from the film, further interviews, appearances, and more. Of course, it will just leave you wanting more (because as insatiable fans, it's our job to want more, more, more), but what is here is absolutely amazing. I'll break down the collection of features below...

 Some Thoughts from the Filmmakers

This is the longest special feature at 15 minutes, but it is absolutely incredible. There are interviews with the men and women who made this film possible as they talk about (and show off) footage that didn't make it into the film. There are some truly tear-jerking moments here, such as Kevin meeting a fan whose life he influenced greatly, some amazing moments, such as Kevin's mother talking about mowing the lawn (trust me on this), and some laugh out loud, hysterical, perfect moments, such as Bill Barretta stopping his interview to call Kevin and berate him about crab cakes. Yes. Crab cakes. You have to see it to believe it. It's awesome.

Sundance Premiere Q&A with Kevin and the Filmmakers

This is another really cool feature, and one that I think appeared on YouTube back when the Sundance Film Festival was happening. It features some truly moving moments from Kevin as he talks to the audience who saw one of the first screenings of the film. He brings out Elmo for some fun with Tau and his puppet and it includes the moment where Elmo makes a pregnant woman's day. Another wonderful inclusion on this DVD!

Tau Performs in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

This is the most magical of the features on the disc. At only four minutes long, it is still just completely moving and perfect. It features young Tau Bennett as we get to watch him live his dream of performing with the Muppeteers on the Sesame Street float in the Macy's parade--just as Kevin did when he was younger. The feature gives us moments with Matt Vogel, Tyler Bunch, Fran Brill, Carmen Oshbar, Loretta Long, Roscoe Orman, and so many others. But the true magic comes from Kevin and Marty Robinson. Kevin, who greets Tau excitedly and helps him get situated on the float, and Marty, who performs Telly while Tau performs Baby Bear. Marty is hysterical as Telly and Tau has a ton of fun right next to him. It is truly amazing.

Interview with John Tartaglia

When I first saw that this feature would be included on the DVD, I was confused and wondered how it would fit... but it fits so, so beautifully. John Tartaglia, Tony Award-nominated puppeteer explains how he was inspired by Jim Henson and then in turn by Kevin Clash. Kevin went on to mentor John, giving John unprecedented insight. This interview is both insightful and entertaining. John is a Muppet fan who made it big and it's a true treat to hear his stories.

The bonus features for Being Elmo on DVD, and the content int he film itself, almost make up for the lack of Muppeteer presence in The Muppets bonus features. Being able to see these artists at work is just incredible. The candid, one-on-one interviews with folks like Fran Brill, Bill Barretta, Marty Robinson, Caroll Spinney, and even Frank Oz are just pure magic in the film. I could sit for hours and just listen to them talk.

But the true joy of this DVD is Being Elmo itself. It is a work of true artists bringing the story of another true artist to the public. Kevin Clash's story may be old news to some of us Muppet fans, but even so, you are guaranteed to learn something while watching this. Likewise, you are guaranteed to tear up, laugh out loud, get shivers, and be inspired by Kevin's incredible life story and all the good he has done for the world. 

In the film, Kevin says that his goal was to make Elmo about love. He obviously succeeded, but so have the makers of Being Elmo. They have shown the world that not only is Elmo about love, but so is Kevin. His love for Elmo, his love for Sesame Street, his love for Jim Henson, his love for his fans, his love for his family, his love for his co-workers, his love for puppetry, his love for people all shine through like glorious stars as you watch the film. Moments where Kevin sees a sick child or talks about Jim or shows other puppeteers the ropes are the reason this DVD is a must-own for every Muppet fan.

If you haven't already, I highly suggest pre-ordering Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey on DVD from Amazon or just saving up $20 to buy it on April 3rd. You will never regret it and you are sure to treasure this work of art in your collection.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com

Muppetology 101: Recasting of Sesame Street Characters, Part 2

Ryan Dosier - We're back on the Street this week! Sesame Street has had its share of recasts for major characters on the show, and today we're looking at various characters who have become extremely popular, but have also gone through numerous recasts throughout the years. Characters like Elmo, Telly Monster, and more did not start off as the characters we know and love today... so let's take a look at where they began, shall we?

• ELMO
• Originally performed by BRIAN MUEHL (1980-1984)
• Performed by RICHARD HUNT (1984-1985)
• Currently performed by KEVIN CLASH (1985-present)
• Elmo, arguably the most popular Muppet character of all time, was shockingly not originated by his current performer Kevin Clash. Brian Muehl, a talented puppeteer who worked on Sesame Street in the early 1980s. Brian used a gruff voice for Elmo when he performed him, a voice vastly different from the falsetto used today. Richard Hunt performed the character for a year after Muehl left the show to pursue a writing career. Richard just couldn't get the character to work for him and he literally tossed the puppet to Kevin Clash and told him to see what he could do with it. The rest is history as Kevin defined the character with his falsetto voice, third person speaking, and loving attitude.
• Brian Muehl first performed and originated the character of Elmo in Sesame Street Season 12. Brian would continue to perform the little-seen character until Season 15 in 1984, when he departed the show to pursue other career interests.
• Richard Hunt first performed Elmo in Sesame Street Season 16 in 1984 after Brian Muehl left the show. Richard's performance of the character only lasted for only that one season until 1985.
• Kevin Clash first performed Elmo in Sesame Street Season 17 in 1985, when Richard Hunt literally threw the character at him in the green room. Kevin has performed Elmo since then, becoming the true Elmo performer and developing him into a real character. Kevin continues to perform Elmo in 2012 and will for the foreseeable future.

• TELLY MONSTER 
• Originally performed by BOB PAYNE (1979)
• Performed by BRIAN MUEHL (1979-1984)
• Currently performed by MARTIN P. ROBINSON (1984-present)
• Telly Monster is one of the most-seen characters on Sesame Street in recent years, but the first time Telly appeared he was vastly different than he is today. In 1979, when Bob Payne first performed him, Telly had antennae and swirly eyes and an obsession of television. Bob Payne and that aspect of the character lasted for only a few appearances, until Brian Muehl took over the character. Brian gave Telly a gruff voice, his neuroses, and more defining characteristics. These characteristics would be carried on by Martin P. Robinson when he took over the character. Margin P. Robinson is still performing the character to this day, truly shaping Telly and making him his own.
• Bob Payne originated the character of Telly Monster for a few appearances in 1979 in Sesame Street Season 10, performing Telly as a television-obsessed monster. Payne's performance as Telly wouldn't last through the end of the year.
• Brian Muehl first performed Telly Monster when he joined Sesame Street in Season 12 in 1970. He continued to perform Telly for five years until he left the show in Season 15 in 1984.
• Martin P. Robinson first performed Telly Monster in Sesame Street Season 16 in 1984 after Brian Muehl left the show. Martin continued to develop the character Brian Muehl developed--a neurotic, worrying monster, as well as giving Telly some new personality traits as well. Martin continues to perform Telly in 2012 and will most likely continue to for years to come.

• MR. SNUFFLEUPAGUS
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON (1971-1978)
• Performed by MICHAEL EARL (1978-1980)
• Currently performed by MARTIN P. ROBINSON (1980-present) 
• Aloysius Snuffleupagus, better known as Big Bird's best friend Snuffy, was originally performed by Jerry Nelson. The original Snuffleupagus was horrifying, with truly frightening bright green eyes. Luckily this feature of the character was dropped, and he became the lovable Snuffleupagus we know today. Jerry performed the character for seven years until he developed back problems around Season 10 of Sesame Street. At this time, Michael Earl, a rookie puppeteer, came in to perform the front half of Snuffy as Jerry looped the dialogue. This lasted for a few seasons until Martin P. Robinson was chosen as the permanent voice and front half of Snuffy. Martin continues to perform Snuffy's voice and front half in every appearance to this day.
• Jerry Nelson originated the character of Mr. Snuffleupagus in Sesame Street Season 3 in 1971. Jerry would continue to perform the massive character for the next seven years until Season 9 in 1978, when he gave up performing the character due to back problems.
• Michael Earl performed the front-half of Mr. Snuffleupagus starting in Sesame Street Season 10 in 1978 while Jerry Nelson looped the dialogue. Michael performed the character until Season 12 in 1980.
• Martin P. Robinsion began performing Mr. Snuffleupagus starting in Season 12 of Sesame Street in 1980. Martin continues to perform Mr. Snuffleupagus in 2012 and will most likely continue to perform him for many years.

• TWO HEADED MONSTER 
• Originally performed by JERRY NELSON and RICHARD HUNT (1980-1991)
• Performed by JERRY NELSON and DAVID RUDMAN (1992-2000)
• Currently performed by DAVID RUDMAN and JOEY MAZZARINO (2001-present)
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• Jerry Nelson and Richard Hunt first performed the Two Headed Monster in Sesame Street Season 12 in 1980. They continued to perform the character together until Richard Hunt's untimely death in 1991.
• Jerry Nelson began performing the Two Headed Monster with David Rudman in 1992 in Sesame Street Season 24. The duo performed the character in a few appearances on the show until Jerry's retirement around Season 31 in 2000.
• David Rudman and Joey Mazzarino began performing the Two Headed Monster in Sesame Street Season 32 in 2001. They have continued to perform the monster for over a decade, including the appearance in Season 42 in 2012.

• BIG BIRD
• Currently performed by CAROLL SPINNEY (1969-present)
• Performed occasionally by MATT VOGEL (2000-present)
• Big Bird is one of the more difficult recasts to define. Although Matt Vogel is the official understudy for the character, and has been since the year 2000, Caroll Spinney is still the main performer of Big Bird in nearly every appearance on Sesame Street and some appearances off the show. Mostly, however, Matt Vogel is responsible for appearances with Big Bird in live settings because Caroll can't deal with the strain of the puppet for such extended periods of time. However, until he retires and even beyond that, Caroll Spinney will be the heart and soul of Big Bird.
• Caroll Spinney originated the character of Big Bird in the first episode of Sesame Street Season 1 in 1969. Caroll performs Big Bird in nearly every appearance currently, but live appearances and green screen appearances, which require an extended performance time from Caroll, are taken over by Matt Vogel with the dialogue usually looped later.
• Matt Vogel first began performing Big Bird in Sesame Street Season 31 in 2000 as the understudy for Caroll Spinney. Matt has performed Big Bird in various appearances throughout the past decade and more, most notably in "Journey To Ernie" and live appearances where he is under the strain of the performance for a longer time.

And there you have it, class... that's class! We'll see you all next week for... an undetermined lecture about Muppets (probably).






The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com