Jazzy Spies #1 and Baker #1 ... do they exist?

[superboober]

squirrelboy here,

Thank you so much for your input, I appreacite that a lot.

It would be nice if the original "Baker #10 sketch and the Baker #1 sketch" could be on youtube - that way, it's a gift from the ages. ]]

They do seem to be considered Holy Grails of Muppetdom around here, that's for sure.

[[Even I have to admit, after seeing that baker fall down those same stairs so many times - I could understand why Sesame Street did what they did, canned it. But they could have fixed it so you can count the food products in his hands, and not finish the segment. From what it looks like - he looks more like he intenionally trips and tumbles down those stairs. ]]

Interesting thought. I'm not entirely sure it would have worked, though, since even after the first few airings his tumbling would have been seared into viewers' minds.

Also, watching the clips again, I notice he does vary the exact circumstances of each fall slightly, thus keeping it fresh:

-in #2 he slips on something and falls
-in #3 and #7 he drops one birthday cake/pumpkin pie, appears to reach down to try and arrest it before they cut to the closeup shot, and drops the rest of them in the process
-in #4 he seems too caught up in the grandiosity of his announcement, tips the trays too much inward, spills the root beer on himself, and tumbles in shock
-in #5, he takes on step downward, hits the step wrong, and trips and falls
-in #6, he steps too far down the stairs one the first step and loses his balance
-in #8, he seems to give up before he starts and tosses the raspberry pudding desserts away in resignation before falling (could this have been the last one filmed, then? You do have to wonder if Henson shot them out of sequence)
-and in #9 and #10, there's simply too many coconut custard pies and chocolate layer cakes to carry and he drops them all (for #10, perhaps collapsing under the CLC's weight)

[[And it's amazing to think after seeing the 2 - 10 sketches, how his clothes always look so bright and white at first, then a digusting mess at the end. Cracks me up every time.]]

It is rather amusing, yes.

Additionally, why do you suppose #2 and #9 stay on the wide shot the whole time instead of cutting to the closeup as he starts to drop everything as the others do? Do you think the stuntman managed those in a single take, and the others took longer to film correctly?

 

[squirrelboy]

squirrelboy here,

I just wanted to say, I would have never thought about the way the baker holds his food products like that before. That's really interesting.

Trust me, I believe you - I do! It's just interesting to think of it like that.

Take #4's example for instance: When I saw that one happen, it looked like one of the four root beer floats started to slide towards the other side of the tray, the baker tries his best to adjust himself, makes a bad step, and well - it's now all over himself.

By the way, I like how you people are handling this old number segment, I thought I was the only one who knew about it. Since to some people - it's old fashioned and not worth remembering, but I enjoy this kind of thread - I do!

And one quick question comes to mind: I wonder... In the #4 segment, how on earth did they made that guy fly with those balloons in his hands?

squirrelboy

 

[ISNorden]

By the way, I like how you people are handling this old number segment, I thought I was the only one who knew about it. Since to some people - it's old fashioned and not worth remembering, but I enjoy this kind of thread - I do!

And one quick question comes to mind: I wonder... In the #4 segment, how on earth did they made that guy fly with those balloons in his hands?

squirrelboy

Always glad to help out a fellow fan when I'm able...I bet the "four balloons" guy got pulled up by wires or a harness off-camera (I doubt that blue-screen tricks existed in 1969 film studios).

 

[squirrelboy]

squirrelboy here,

I wish I could find the original #10 sketch out there on youtube, it's just they list things so oddly on that site that it can be hard to find stuff on the internet, and trust me - I am still new (internet wise). I know the new #10 is on there, but I am still searching for the old one.

But something makes me wonder (somewhat), in those baker sketches, do you think they needed a person to fall down a flight of stairs intentionally for a laugh? The reason why I am asking that is because every time I see the Count with the Countess (doing the number of the day), there's a puppet carrying dishes around, and the second the Countess yells: "STOP!!" he falls down. I am suprised that Sesame Street hasn't got yelled at for this yet by any concerned parents.

Any thoughts on this?
squirrelboy

 

[mikebennidict]

Why does it even bother you that the baker did fall down?

Also do you have to say squirrlboy here each time you post something?

 

[ISNorden]

squirrelboy here,

I wish I could find the original #10 sketch out there on youtube, it's just they list things so oddly on that site that it can be hard to find stuff on the internet, and trust me - I am still new (internet wise). I know the new #10 is on there, but I am still searching for the old one.

I can always e-mail you a copy; please PM me with your address and the name of the program you usually watch video clips with.

But something makes me wonder (somewhat), in those baker sketches, do you think they needed a person to fall down a flight of stairs intentionally for a laugh? The reason why I am asking that is because every time I see the Count with the Countess (doing the number of the day), there's a puppet carrying dishes around, and the second the Countess yells: "STOP!!" he falls down. I am suprised that Sesame Street hasn't got yelled at for this yet by any concerned parents.

I have a feeling that the falling Muppet in the background is meant for adults who remember the falling baker (and might be watching with their grandchildren). They did use a new arrangement of the Baker film intro for days when the number is 1-10, after all... Still, I'm just as surprised that nobody's complained enough for Sesame Workshop to edit that part out of the Count/Countess number clips.

 

[squirrelboy]

mikebennidictWhy does it even bother you that the baker did fall down?

Also do you have to say squirrlboy here each time you post something?

Excuse me? I try hard to be part of this post, and what you're doing "mikebennidict" hurts my feelings a lot. So please stop.

The falling baker thing doesn't "bother me" exactly, I was only curious - he always seemed like he was forcing himself to fall and become a mess. Is there something wrong with being curious about something like that?

And as for my name, I am still NEW AROUND HERE, is it wrong to finish a post with my name?

And as for the Count/Countess thing, it's really a neat twist on an old sketch, I like it!

squirrelboy

 

[ISNorden]

If anyone wants to see the "old" Baker #10...

To squirrelboy and other curious fans: I've got several zip files archived with my favorite clips from older episodes. The earliest I have with #10 as a sponsor is Episode 54, so here's where to get the kid counting ten Indians on that toy:

http://www.gigasize.com/get.php/1093546/episode54.zip

Enjoy yourselves!