This explains everything about Spinney and Vogel

[jeffkjoe]

OK, well THAT was interesting.

Anyone notice that on today's episode, where Big Bird becomes little, he had TWO voices?

Re-watching this episode on Tivo confirms this:

Apparently, Carroll Spinney played Big Bird on the street scene before he was turned little,

and they did the old switcheroo by having Matt Vogel play Big Bird as little.


Which indicates:

Whenever they need Big Bird to interact in front of a blue or green screen (like effects scenes here or in Journey to Ernie), Matt Vogel is more adept and so he takes over.

Huh. Didn't know that.


(also: Whenever Maria gets sprayed by Fluffy's water, why doesn't she just run away? Why does she just stand there and take it? I know it's comedy, but it's so frickin' strange.)

I bet that when Big Bird returns to his big self on the street, he'll return with Carroll's voice. Look for it.

 

[Pino]

The funny thing is that Vogel means Bird in Dutch....

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

(also: Whenever Maria gets sprayed by Fluffy's water, why doesn't she just run away? Why does she just stand there and take it? I know it's comedy, but it's so frickin' strange.)

Well, it's a classic Oscar the Grouch moment to have his elephant squirt someone. I guess it wouldn't have been as funny if she ran away.

In response to what you said about Spinney and Vogel, well Carroll's not as young as he used to be, so Matt's Big Bird is able to move around in different areas. So for the most part, I agree with what you said. Though I have caught Matt's Big Bird in other things besides JTE, specifically in talk shows and in other inserts on the show.

 

[Censored]

I wonder why they don't just let Carroll Spinney do Big Bird's voice while Matt Vogel wears the costume.

 

[Infinity Sirius]

Vogel means bird in German too. Doesn't anyone else find it weird that Matt Vogel plays Big Bird when his name means Big Bird and according to Amicus looks kind of like a bird?

Maybe Carroll doesn't do voiceovers because they want to get people used to Matt voice for when Carroll retires or passes on.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

does anyone know where Matt lives because I think I saw him in Panera Bread with his family this week. It had to have been him. He kinda has that bird look to him, and he's about 7 feet tall.

Wow! Panera Bread in which location? It must be interesting to meet a Muppateer in person. I don't know what Matt looks like, so I probably wouldn't have known him if I saw him. That must have been a great experience.

By the way, in answer to the post about Carroll doing Big Bird's voice. Someone has mentioned before that at some point Matt would be performing Big Bird full-time, so I guess they want to get people used to the new voice.

 

[jeffkjoe]

I must say, Matt Vogel does a **** fine job as Big Bird.

He had to sing a song on today's show, and if you close your eyes and listen really hard, it feels right.

Matt's Bird kinda sounds like the character from the early seasons, when Bird was goofier and more stupid.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

I must say, Matt Vogel does a **** fine job as Big Bird.

He had to sing a song on today's show, and if you close your eyes and listen really hard, it feels right.

Matt's Bird kinda sounds like the character from the early seasons, when Bird was goofier and more stupid.

Yeah, that kind of bothers me, because I'm more familiar with the Big Bird voice we know today. Hopefully he'll improve the voice over the years. About him singing, he is pretty good with the "Journey to Ernie" song. Hopefully, they'll have him sing more on the show.

 

[D'Snowth]

I believe too, and I'm just spit-balling here, but I believe Matt has a special Big Bird muppet built just for him (if you look closely, Matt's Big Bird looks slightly different than Caroll's, particularly the shape of Bird's head), have any of you noticed that both hands on Matt's Big Bird move as if one of them is being controlled as a glove by a background Muppeteer? That's just my view on things.

 

[Drtooth]

I heard that too. maybe Carol would rather interact with the cast than do blue screen work.