Chapter 16
“Thank you Bunsen and Beaker. I’m sure everyone will be wanting to call us for that.”
“Yea, everyone with half a brain!” Statler called out.
“That’s right,” Kermit said plunging ahead with the show. “Now, I’d like to welcome our furry friends from the rock, the Fraggles!”
The curtain opened upon the set made to look like caves, similar to Fraggle Rock, but not exactly. Wembly moved and be-bopped around the set with Mokey, Red, and Boober danced in place behind Gobo who sang with Wembley backing him up:
La la la la la
Squeetly-dee squeetly boing
La la la-la la la-la
Deedly-dee diddly doing
La-la la la la
La la la
La-la Pass it on
When it's nice and bright
And it brings delight
Let your heart choose right
Gotta pass it on
When it rolls real good
Like a rollie should
Then it's understood
Gonna pass it on
Red took over the next verse.
When you're giving love away
Love will come again to stay
What you give is what you gain
When you pass it on
Mokey wasn’t one to be left out and sang.
When I give a gift to you
I know you're gonna give it too
That's why givin's what we do
As we pass it on
The entire group joined in to finish out the song.
Pass it on Pass it on
Pass it on Pass it on
Wish upon all the good things that you do
Pass it on Pass it on
Pass it on Pass it on
When it's gone
It will bring good luck to you
When you're giving love away
Love will come again to stay
What you give is what you gain
When you pass it on
When I give a gift to you
I know you're gonna give it too
That's why givin's what we do
As we pass it on
Pass it on
The audience clapped as the curtain came down and Sam the Eagle came out.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, let me tell you that I am sad to say that because things got so out of hand during these trying times, these weirdos are now the standard of culture for America.” Sam paused for a moment as a shudder overtook him from head to wing tip. “I now give you some of the better culture that we have to offer.”
When the curtain opened this time Rowlf was sitting at his piano gently tinkling the ivories.
“At this time I would like to present one of my renditions of one of the great songs of our time. The ever popular classic, You and I and George.”
He paused for a little flourish on the keys before continuing, “But why you ask, as well you should, have I never heard this great song of our times? Fact is nobody has ever heard of this ever popular classic. In it’s only recording You and I and George sold two copies. I bough one and George bought one. Where were you?”
Rowlf seemed to launch into the song before pausing one last time for an additional warning. “My own mother turns down her hearing aid when I sing this song.”
Backstage Bert and Ernie were preparing to go one.
“Kermit, oh Kermit,” Bert came running up to Kermit, “Are you sure this is what you want us to do for the show? I don’t know about this.”
“You’ll be fine Bert. Besides, everyone else likes it.”
“I just don’t want to have to deal with that…”
“Well, it’s to late to complain now,” Kermit cut in, “Rowlf’s song is over and you’re up.”
Kermit dashed on stage again. “And now it’s time to welcome more of our friends from Sesame Street, Bert and Ernie. Yaaayyyeee!”
As the curtain parted it revealed Bert and Ernie sitting in a boat on a pond. Bert had a fishing pole in his hand and Ernie was sitting there humming.
Bert sighed then said. “Gee Ernie, an hour on this lake and not one bite. Where are all the fishes?’
“Oh, they’re down there Bert.”
“They are?”
“Sure. If you’d like I’ll catch some and show you.”
“Oh, you will,” Bert said doubting Ernie’s fishing abilities.
“Mmm hmm.”
“Easy as that?” Bert asked again still disbelieving.
“Sure.”
“Huh, okay, here’s the pole. Go ahead, show me.”
Bert shoved the pole towards Ernie who was vigorously shaking his head.
“Oh, I don’t need a fishing pole Bert.”
“What?”
“Unh uh.”
“Well, how are you going to catch all these fishes without a fishing pole?”
“Well you see I call them. I have this special fish call and they come right into the boat.”
“Oh they do.” Now Bert was incredulous.
Ernie nodded to show Bert that this was exactly what he intended to do.
“You call them?“ Bert started laughing and called out to the audience. “He calls them.” He laughed again and turned back to Ernie. “You call them, that’s rich. This I got to see, go ahead.”
“Yea, well see Bert, I have to call them really loud though so they can here. You know the fish are under the water so you have to call them really loud so they can here.”
“Sure, sure, go ahead.”
Bert waited to see Ernie embarrassed
“Okay, I call them like this. Heerrree fishy, fishy, fishy.”
A medium sized fish jumped into the boat and Ernie counted it aloud in pleasure. “One, one fish.”
“Wow.”
Bert was now wide eyed.
“Mmm hmm. I think I’ll call a few more. Heerrreee fishy, fishy, fishy.” Another fish jumped into the boat. “Two fish. Shall I call a few more Bert?”
“Yea. Yea! How you do that? Yea, yea!” Bert was really excited.
“Oh well just like this. Heeerreee fishy, fishy fishy.” Even more jumped in. “Three fish, four fish, five fish.”
“Wow, Ernie, that’s terrific, let me try okay!”
“Sure Bert.”
“How do I do it?”
“Just make sure you call real loud Bert.”
“Ok, just real loud, got it okay here we go“.
“Here fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy,” Bert called so low the audience had trouble hearing him.
“No, Bert. That’s not loud enough you’re calling very quiet.”
“Here fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy.”
“Nmm mmm,“ Ernie started again shaking his head. “Still to quiet.”
“Here fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy.”
“It’s not loud enough Bert.”
“Here fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy” Bert called becoming very frustrated. What had worked so easily for Ernie just wasn’t happening for him. His voice continued to rise as he complained, “Ernie it doesn’t work for me. I’ve been trying to call and call they just don’t come up.”
“Oh that’s the way Bert. You’ve got it now you’re yelling real loud. You have to yell just like you’re yelling right now.”
“Yea, okay.” Bert realized that he was now yelling. “Here fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy.”
A shark jumped into the boat, turned to Bert and said, “You called.”
Bert fainted at the sight of the shark and Ernie laughed while saying “That’s one for you Bert.”
Vetrinarian’s hospital had the audience chuckling even more after Ernie and Bert left the stage and Kermit brought tears to the audience's eyes as he sang about remaining true to who you are in It’s not Easy Being Green. The entire Sesame Street group then took to the stage for Sing before the curtain came down for the first intermission.