Elmo's Popularity?

[Drtooth]

I dont like Elmo, but I dont mind him- I just think its wrong they gave him 1/2 an hour of a hour show. SS is about community and excepting people for who they are and how it takes a community to raise a child. Elmos world is about him and only him. Thats my problem with him.

I just have a problem with the concept of EW on the whole. Would we have the same problem id it was any other character? I would... even if it was Grover or Bert.

I really do enjoy things like Abby's Fairy School, Murray had a Little Lamb, Global Grover. Stuff that do have a mild repetition, but manage to put plot and originality in every single episode. EW has the mentality that kids need an insane amount of repetition over and over. Something to set your watch by. And not only is it painful to watch at times, but it really has too many redundant segments. I still say cut Noodle's capering in half, get rid of the "How do you?" segment entirely and the counting thing (which is completely useless... and amongst the other things, that's saying something) and shortening the filmed kid example and you shave a good 5 minutes off a 15 minute segment.

Or better yet, Junk EW, replace it with a new Elmo segment that's much shorter and kids won't whine that Elmo isn't on specifically at the show's 3/4 run time. I'm pretty much against the lame segmenting, segregating, and structuring the show... something they actually were trying to get away from before season 40. The whole "Kids need schedules" thing sounds like rubbish, and it seems we're making a generation of kids like a grouchy old men who complain for hours on end if their dinner and pills is a minute late. Kids need structure, that's true... but they also need some spontaneity. But if they NEED to keep that annoying Rainman-esque structure stuff, junk EW, and put in a segment with Elmo doing something interesting.

 

[frogboy4]

Full disclosure - I have primarily enjoyed the Muppets of Sesame Street. While I appreciate the live action cast, animation and live action segments, those never connected with me as a kid. They still don't. The humans of Sesame are only as interesting as the Muppet messing with them. So, when you have so many scenes with the lobotomized version of Elmo...well, nothing's really that funny or entertaining.

I really think they should let the puppeteers run wild for just a season. Toss the politically correct staff members to the curb. Frank is right.

 

[Drtooth]

I really think they should let the puppeteers run wild for just a season. Toss the politically correct staff members to the curb. Frank is right.

I think the P.C.-ness is only a small part of it. Right now, it's the only thing that gives it an edge. I swear the time will come when the Dora model is discredited and we'll see a resurgence of kid's shows that are actually fun to watch for any age. I mean, we have great stuff like Martha Speaks, Curious George... I'm hearing positive things about Wubzy.... it's only a matter of time when someone says, "Where's the wacky?" and Elmo actually does something besides wave his arms up and down and say "Sesame Workshop Needs Money! Buy all the Elmo dolls you can! PBS is being mean to Elmo and only funding boring British crime shows!"

Really... rewatch Celebrity Lullaby. The potential is there, but it's more often than not untapped.

 

[CourtneyDax]

Just out of curriosity, how old are you? Im not judging or anything, but I just what to see where you are comming from in your comment- either your older and never grew up with the show (hence you saying that you started enjoying SS after you watched Elmo's world) or your younger and were in the age group of Elmo. OR your like some of my friends and some how you missed this on TV as a kid (having parents who made you go outside and such lol)

I'm 16 years old right now. I never was a SS fan when I was a kid. My parents only showed me Barney, pretty much. I think it was a few years ago (like, two years maybe?) that I started watching SS. My mom does a pretty good Elmo impression so we were were going to write him into this show we were doing (its a long story-short thing) and so I DVR'd a lot of SS shows that only had Elmo in them. I realized how much I was enjoying watching Elmo's World and all of his segments, so I just kept DVRing them all. I think my favorite segment that got me hooked was "Meal or No Meal" and it ended with the Cookie Monster destroying everything. I laughed so much!

 

[Super Scooter]

Really... rewatch Celebrity Lullaby. The potential is there, but it's more often than not untapped.

I hadn't seen this yet. That's hilarious!

THIS is when I like Elmo.

Elminal smiley

 

[Vic Romano]

I like Elmo, like everyone else here has said, there's just too much of him. Kevin is one of the greatest Muppeteers of all time, and like someone posted earlier, he's great off the cuff adlibbing. I think it's just a natural tendency to reject cuteness when it's laid on so thick, even when it's genuine.

I think Barney contributed to that a lot and gave Sesame Street a real taste of competition, so Elmo had to overcompensate for the street, just to take out rivals like Barney and the Teletubbies.

People may not be crazy about the furry little red monster... but he won.

 

[Super Scooter]

Personally, I don't understand how Barney benefitted anyone. It treats kids like they're idiots, even the ten year old cast members! I hated the show even when I was young enough to like the show. It shouldn't have been competition for Sesame Street at all.

 

[Drtooth]

I think Barney contributed to that a lot and gave Sesame Street a real taste of competition, so Elmo had to overcompensate for the street, just to take out rivals like Barney and the Teletubbies.

That's the main problem. I really tend to think Barney was the first horseman of the Children's TV Apocalypse (Teletubbies and Dora being the other 2... may we never meet the fourth one). I have to admit, when my sister was born and really young, Barney came to TV and I didn't hate him... but after a while, you see what the show is REALLY about... SS is all about a neighborhood with wacky characters who all come together and get along, and teach each other lessons, all while having fun. Barney is about kids who are so obsessed with an imaginary dreamworld figure, they stay after school and worship a large purple god.

SS is a street. Barney is a cult. And unfortunately, EW takes Elmo to the borderline cult-ness that Barney had. Honestly, I could go on forEVER about how I think Barney screwed up Sesame Street (The fact they're a clean suburban schoolhouse which doesn't even exist in lowerclass neighborhoods alone.)

 

[Krazedmuppet]

I just have a problem with the concept of EW on the whole. Would we have the same problem id it was any other character? I would... even if it was Grover or Bert..

I agree and think the same thing. I would dislike any character who would get a spot like that, except MAYBE Big Bird, but Ive always seen him as a fair leader, and would never make a show about just him but he would deserve it more than Elmo!

 

[Krazedmuppet]

That's the main problem. I really tend to think Barney was the first horseman of the Children's TV Apocalypse (Teletubbies and Dora being the other 2... may we never meet the fourth one)

BOOBAH! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! the apocalypse has started.... I rather watch Tellytubbies and Barny in a row...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJvHrx1X-Gk

what do you think of Yo Gabba Gabba? I dont know if I like it or not, but this song is just funny and catchy...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJCh6dB439k