You know, really, I've been watching more old school SST lately (not just the DVD sets, but like old tapes and everything), and I noticed something I haven't seen in a long time that I really miss - kids actually wanting Big Bird to play with them, in one way or another.
Not even verbally, like in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, a little girl is wanting Big Bird to skate with her, while he nervously clings to the side railing, afraid he'll slip and fall; the little girl looks disappointed that Big Bird won't skate with her, so he tries to conquer his fear of falling to cheer her up.
Whatever happened to that? In fact, not just Big Bird really, but almost all of the Muppet characters... you watch footage from the 70s and 80s, and the kids they have on the set are obviously genuinely happy to be with their Muppet friends, and are really having a good time... nowadays, it seems like the kids are just there... they don't necessarily have a good time... there might be SOME genuine feelings sometimes... like in A Celebration of Me, Grover, one girl seemed to get a kick out of giving Grover a big hug in the garden, or from the Season 36 premiere, the little visit Antonio seemed to be having a good time with Papa Bear talking about the muscles they built up from exercizing. But other than that, the kids really don't seem to be enjoying themselves anymore... even the "You're the best monster I've ever met" moonlight chat with Grover seemed somewhat forced.