Where are the older humans?

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Ken Levine, who has been a sitcom writer since the 70s, with shows like M*A*S*H, CHEERS, FRASIER, BECKER, WINGS, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, THE SIMPSONS, and others shows to his name, has a blog that he updates daily with anecdotes and experiences about the goings-on behind the scenes in the television industry

BTW, thanks so much for mentioning the blog on this thread and one of the Muppets threads. I just started reading it and i'm really really enjoying it

 

[D'Snowth]

I've been reading it for years, mainly got wind of it through a M*A*S*H forum I belong to years ago, but I've only recently (within the last couple of years or so) have been participating with his blog more in terms of commenting and submitting Friday questions (a few of which he's actually answered). At the beginning of the month, I shared my recent SINGLE CAMERA SITCOMS: THEN & NOW short with him on Facebook for his critique, but I don't believe he's looked at it - but oh well, other folks in TV I shared it with haven't appeared to look at it either, lol.

I digress, he definitely shares a lot of inside info, and just by following his blog over the years, I've gotten a better idea of just how sad the state of television is today in terms of scrutiny, executive meddling, corporate influence, and so on.

 

[Drtooth]

I've been saying for a while now, the show feels a little...deserted. Sure, they always had episodes where there were just a couple humans and Muppets, maybe one of each, but those were getting more frequent. And a lot of the time in recent years human characters are supplemented by celebrity guest stars. Sure, we'd get some episodes where the street was busy every so often with as many cast members, puppeteers, and extras as they can shove onto the set. But for the most part, they've managed to make bottle episodes of a show that's essentially always a bottle episode show. made them more bottley.

Heck, I don't think I've seen many human kids on the street this year either.

This sounds like it comes down to many things, ageism may be a factor, but the way I see it is this...

It's clear that Sesame Workshop is trying to scrimp all the money they can, and it seems a huge factor in Chris and Alan being on the show the most also has to do with availability, and trying to get as many episodes shot in as few days as they rent the studio as possible. When the older cast members just come in one day to do their routine "we still live here" 30 second cameo in one episode, it's not really cost effective. If Bob had a lot more screentime in recent years, I'd be far more annoyed by it like I am Luis (who really wasn't on the show until a season ago anyway) and Roscoe. I'm not saying it seems like those actors were moving on, but Loretta had a life outside the show and that's why she wasn't around much. Oddly, it seems that Luis and Susan were making small comebacks, making this come off a little nasty a move. As for Bob, the audience won't realize he's gone if he's just that guy who pops up every so often in the background.

Still...let them pop up every so often in the background. Sure, it's cheaper to let them not appear on the show, and a chunk of the audience in the age appropriate demographic thinks every Muppet is Elmo...they freaking think Mr. Potatohead from Toy Story is Elmo! I'm not kidding, I come from a bizarre experience. And to me, that's the bigger bias. The bias for characters that are easily marketable as plush toys and DVD's without having to pay for actor license rights. Remember, they call it show business for a reason.

 

[Drtooth]

Let's also not forget that, sure there was Mr. Rogers's Pre-PBS series, Captain Kangaroo, and dullsville Ding Dong School and Romper Room either before it or as competition back in the day, where as Disney and Nick have a steady output of preschool programming. And I swear a new one pops up every month. There's some Goldilocks and Baby Bear show I've never heard of until now that's somehow always on when I flip through the channels. And that's discounting the Internet and educational Apps. Everytime I see an ABC Mouse commercial, I almost shout "IT'S EXACTLY WHAT SESAME STREET OFFERS!!! FOR FREE!"

Sesame Street has never existed in a vacuum. Outside...well...everything changed around the show as it changed itself. Be it society marching on (Telephone Rock in a Telephone booth? Come to think of it, how the heck is Bill and Ted 3 going to happen?) or steady, growing competition and changing trends in preschool television, the show has to keep rebooting itself to remain relevant. On the plus side, most of its competition has come and gone. Especially the "talk really loud and slow to the audience like an obnoxious American tourist looking for a bathroom" model of educational programming. And that thing is dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, no matter how Nick still manages to push it.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Come to think of it, how the heck is Bill and Ted 3 going to happen?

Gentlemen...you're on your own.

 

[Drtooth]

I would have made a reference to Superman, but that gag was discredited well before the first movie. Didn't even come from Superman, he just wound up using something from a parody.

 

[Oscarfan]

IN OTHER NEWS, SW has released a statement from Jeffery Dunn, CEO:

We apologize for the misunderstandings around the changing cast roles at Sesame Street. Over more than 40 seasons, Bob McGrath, Emilio Delgado and Roscoe Orman have made enormous contributions to both television and to the lives of preschoolers. They are, and always will be, a key part of the Sesame family.

As always, our curriculum and educational goals drive our story lines and character appearances. These change season-to-season. In 2014, when we first began producing the current half-hour show format, we let all of our cast members know of the shorter story lines and, therefore, reduced appearances. However, our production team also intentionally left the door open for all actors to continue to appear, based on the story lines that were written in any future season. In our latest season, the story lines written did not include appearances by these three actors and we certainly could have done a better job of communicating with them about our ongoing episode plans.

I have been in touch with each of them to meet in person about how we best adapt their talents to the current content needs and preschool media landscape, in a way that honors their historic contributions. We are very grateful for the many loyal fans of Sesame who continue to care so deeply about the show and what it means to them.

 

[dwayne1115]

IN OTHER NEWS, SW has released a statement from Jeffery Dunn, CEO:

Wow finally a clear answer from SW! This is sounding more and more like a lack of communication, and a lack of story lines for the three actors. It's like I said in another thread why pay someone when they are doing very little or nothing.
No where dose it say anything about HBO which means this was all on Sesame.You have consider the fact that Sesame has to be very careful with it's funding. Especially now with the HBO deal.they want to make every penny of that deal count.

 

[The Count]

Gentlemen...you're on your own.

Thanks Rufus. Don't worry, they put an "Out of Order" sign on the phone booth so no one but them know it's actually a time-travelling machine for their express use thereof.

 

[Drtooth]

I don't know if that apology threw the writers under the bus or what. Though it does seem like the reasonable, rational thing to get out of this is no one was really fired, per se, but rather not hired this past season or two. Whatever this means, I didn't think you could fire a cast member if they just appear sparingly.

Something also tells me availability and money were also a huge key factor, and they're not mentioning that either.