"The" Cookie Monster?

[Drtooth]

I actually haven't found any thing about the original Television monster on You Tube though. If I come across anything like that, I'll let you all now.

Did the skit even get made... that's my question. Seems like the idea was abandoned before filming. Sort of like the Count segment that had the note written: great character, bad bit... I would like proof it existed or not.

 

[dwmckim]

It not only got made but also aired - i remember seeing it...of course given the age of the episode it's rare and probably hasn't been repeated since the year it was on since it wasn't one of the handful of episodes that was chosen for Unpaved or dvd box sets (this was a street story and not a Muppet insert). In addition to the eyes, his voice was much deeper (not because of the change from Brian Muehl to Martin Robinson but basically a different voice than when he became a regular Brian Muehl character)...kind of television announcery (like he's learned to speak from a steady diet of television commercials) I especially remember this street story in particular because in one segment Big Bird and the kids were trying to get him interested in something besides watching tv and were trying to teach the letter M. The segment ended with Big Bird asking Telly to think of something that started with the letter M and Telly responded by rattling off a list of tv shows that started with M, among them "Muppets" which i thought was kind of cool because The Muppet Show wasn't referenced on Sesame that much (and also weird since he said "Muppets" instead of "Muppet Show")

Since i grew up with Sesame and remember him being referred to as The Cookie Monster it doesn't bother or annoy me when someone else still refers to him as this today...in fact i find it a nice nod to history. There may be other Cookie Monsters out there...but unlike grouches or monsters, they seem to be a bit more rare so it's kind of like he's Sesame Street's own Cookie Monster (The Cookie Monster of Sesame Street), but it makes sense for people to just refer to him as Cookie Monster or Cookie for short most of the time.

The Count works well whether he's being referred to as "The Count" "Count Von Count" or "Count" since Count is a title - so The Count makes sense. But if you're talking to someone face to face, you're not going to include "The" when addressing them so in conversation you would call him "Count" - Count Von Count being a full name or title (ie differntiating that particular Count as opposed to say The Count of Bananaramaland or Count Von Hinklesmitzel). Count most likely has an actual first name "Count (title) ___ (first name) Von Count (last name)" but it's not been revealed (that i remember). Plus it's a bit more proper to call someone Count like you would address someone as "Prince" at a dinner party (unless there were a whole bunch of Princes present and it's more convenient to use first names so half the room doesn't turn their head to respond when you're trying to address one person).

 

[CherryPizza]

All comments about his evolution from a generic Monster puppet have been made, so I'll just point out that in the book Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree, he is THE Cookie monster. Admittedly, SS books have many gross inconsistencies with the on-screen continuity, but the 'The' does come through in authorised products.

 

[minor muppetz]

But if you're talking to someone face to face, you're not going to include "The" when addressing them so in conversation

Unless, of course, you are a Homestar Runner character.

 

[Drtooth]

Unless, of course, you are a Homestar Runner character.

Heh heh... OH YEAH... brilliant observation. They make it appoint to always call The Cheat THE Cheat.

 

[BEAR]

It's the same thing with "the" Count. He is called count on the show, but early on he was called the count and still refers himself as such when greeting himself.

But the Count is different because I feel it's his official title, just like "President" or "Captain" or "General"...like that. When talking to him, you would say, "Hi, Count!" But when talking about him, you would call him "THE Count." Make sense?

 

[Drtooth]

But the Count is different because I feel it's his official title, just like "President" or "Captain" or "General"...like that. When talking to him, you would say, "Hi, Count!" But when talking about him, you would call him "THE Count." Make sense?

When it comes to the Count, I always thought that his full official name would be The Count Count vonCount.

I really like that episode where he said, "They call me The Count because I love to Count... that and I inherited my father's royal title." (I always swore that was an ad lib on Jerry's part).

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Did the skit even get made... that's my question. Seems like the idea was abandoned before filming. Sort of like the Count segment that had the note written: great character, bad bit... I would like proof it existed or not.

The Television Monster thing, you mean? That's a good question. I read a script for that, but I never actually thought of the fact that it might have been an unaired ep.

 

[dwmckim]

Daffyfan, look up to message #32. It was aired. I saw it.

Just to add to that post, there was a bit of time that passed between that initial introduction and the next time he appeared in his remodified form as the character we now know (or the beginnings of that character since of course he's grown and progressed and had a performer change). I remember being surprised that his character came back and that he didn't have his television obsession when he did.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Daffyfan, look up to message #32. It was aired. I saw it.

Just to add to that post, there was a bit of time that passed between that initial introduction and the next time he appeared in his remodified form as the character we now know (or the beginnings of that character since of course he's grown and progressed and had a performer change). I remember being surprised that his character came back and that he didn't have his television obsession when he did.

Oh, okay. I see it now. I guess that was sort of a Telly Monster proto-type, like Bugs Bunny had in a few cartoons before he became the Bugs we know today. It still would be nice to see a photo or video clip of that ep.