Blackouts

[Censored]

These recent blackouts have brought to mind an episode of Sesame Street in the mid seventies where the street kept blacking out. I believe that was around 1975 when the other big blackout occurred. Big Bird had everyone set to see Snuffy, but as soon as he brought Snuffy out, all the lights went out and no one could see him. I also recall Oscar, of all people, making a device to try and stop the blackouts. I believe it was made out of some of his old junk. I'm in the dark about the rest of this episode, so if you remember any more details, please enlighten me.

 

[ssetta]

I have heard about 2 Bert & Ernie sketches that were about blackouts.

In one of them, it was nighttime, and they were in bed. Then Ernie realizes that it's dark on Sesame Street. Bert replies, "Of course it's dark, Ernie, it's the middle of the night!" But then Ernie claims that there aren't any lights, and Bert explains that it's a blackout. So Ernie says that he will go watch television. And then Bert explains that a television uses electricity, so it's not possible. Then Ernie says the same thing about listening to the radio or a record. So after that, Ernie calls Oscar on the phone, and I don't remember the rest. I've never seen it, I've only seen it in Spanish, and I've heard about it.

There was another one where they have an appliance war, and they turn on about 10 different appliances, and the blackout occurs right then. But I think the one I mentioned previously was a better example. I know that there was a big blackout of NYC in 1977, and it looks like it's from about that time. So that's probably where they got that idea. Because this 2003 blackout was GOING to be one of the biggest blackouts ever, but then it turned out not to be.

 

[Censored]

I remember both of those. The first Ernie and Bert sketch you mentioned was shown during the blackout episode on the street, but I believe it was shown on its own at other times. When Ernie calls, Oscar is angry about being waken up and says that whoever this is, he's going to see to it that you don't get any sleep for a week. He then asks who it is and Ernie says, "It's Bert."

I also remember the appliance war episode. I haven't seen it in about 20 years, but it was mentioned in the Sesame Street Unpaved book.

 

[muppet maniac]

I remember both of those. The first Ernie and Bert sketch you mentioned was shown during the blackout episode on the street, but I believe it was shown on its own at other times. When Ernie calls, Oscar is angry about being waken up and says that whoever this is, he's going to see to it that you don't get any sleep for a week. He then asks who it is and Ernie says, "It's Bert."

...I remember that one!That was so funny!

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

I remember the Ernie and Bert blackout sketch very well. (Lol. Wouldn't have been able to recognize and 's voices?)
Anyway, I sort of remember the episode of the show where the whole street has a blackout. Are you sure it was from 1975 though, GeeBee? Because that was before I was born. Maybe, there was another blackout episode in the 80s. Actually, I remember at the end of that episode Elmo saying, "Thank you, Electric Company." And the Elmo we know today, didn't appear until 1985. I wish I could find an episode guide somewhere so I could do some research on this stuff.

 

[Drtooth]

Okay... here I thought you were talking about Vaudvillian style blackout sketchs, where at the sktch ends with just a joke, and they'd turn out the lights....

But the one Daffy mentioned ... well... Why does it sound familiar if I have never seen it. Mayhaps this is the brief period of time before Richard did Elmo, and Brian Muehl (sp?) performed him as an extra. If not it COULD be Richard....

 

[Hays]

Funny - I don't really remember the 1977 blackout itself, but I do remember all the fallout after...if you recall, there was quite a baby boom in NYC 9 months later. I wonder how many 26-year-olds on this board are here as a result?

It would only stand to reason that SS would do a show on it; it was quite the phenomenon at the time.