Bert and Ernie and chronic insomnia

[zrs70]

Two favorites:

First: Ernie can't sleep. Bert tells him to count sheep. Ernie imagines each sheep jumping. Each time one jumps, it "Baaa's." Bert hears each "baa," and asks Ernie to count something else. So he counts fire engines. Of course, each one makes a loud siren! Third, Ernie counts a balloom. But it pops with an explosion! Classic!

Second, Ernie waked Bert up because it is dark. Well, of course it's dark, it's night time! But Ernie insists it's darker than usual. They realize it is a blackout. Ernie tries to use all the utlities, but it's no use. Finally Ernie calls someone else to see if it is a blackout there as well. (Remember, these were the days when the phone was fully independent of electical outlets! Not like today where many phones need to be plugged in). Anyway, Ernie calls a voice that sounds like Oscar. The voice is really annoyed at being called in the middle of the night. When the asks who is calling, Ernie answers, "Bert." LOVE that one!

 

[mikebennidict]

I wonder if that E&B Blackout skit was made around the time of the 1977 outage in NYC? I remember 1st seeing it in 1976 or 77 witch is why I mention it. I also recall a couple of episodes in the 80s about power outages on SS though I don't remember if such an episode aired in the 70s.

 

[Ziffel]

The blackout skit was in 1975. It's one I didn't like so much because I felt bad for Bert at the end (when Ernie calls Oscar and lies and says it's Bert. All he had to do was hang up! ).

 

[GonzoLeaper]

I like "Dance Myself to Sleep", "Imagination" and Bert's ice skating dream. Those are great ones (and great songs) One of the greatest has to be "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon"!!! I love that song! I also particularly like Ernie and Bert's "Camping Out" sketch (Ernie references Kermit the Frog in this one!) and I really love the "But I Like You" song. And what about when Bert tells Ernie to think of happy things so he won't be scared at night and Ernie imagines balloons falling all over Sesame Street? That was a great one too.

 

[mikebennidict]

The blackout skit was in 1975. It's one I didn't like so much because I felt bad for Bert at the end (when Ernie calls Oscar and lies and says it's Bert. All he had to do was hang up! ).

Oh come on there were many times Ernie put Bert on the spot. don't take me too seriously. BTW do you still feel the same about the skit.

 

[Ziffel]

Yeah I do. Ernie and Bert skits are one of my favorite things from SS but occasionally there was one where I felt more sorry for Bert than finding the ending funny. A couple of other times I felt bad for Bert was when he was sick and Ernie couldn't grasp that and even snapped angrily at Bert one time. And when Ernie throws Bert's whole box of cookies over the wall so he can catch jellybeans. That was actually pretty funny at the same time though!
It's kind of like with Laurel and Hardy most of the time it was funny but once in a while something that happened to Hardy made me feel bad for him rather than laugh.