Carlo Alban's greatest fear while working on Sesame

[D'Snowth]

Lol, sounds like a Muppet sketch, doesn't it? Lol

I'm honestly trying to picture that...

Day One
WHATNOT #1: *Finishes painting sign* Oh boy, business is gonna be boomin' today... I better get ready...
The Whatnot enters his locale, a movie theater, and gets things ready, while another Whatnot passes by, and reads the sign that says "HALF OFF ALL POPCORN SIZES TODAY!" The second Whatnot cocks his head as he reads the sign, then takes it down, and begins painting a new sign, before he places it up, and walks away. The First Whatnot walks out of theater, and changes the closed sign, to open, but is confused as seeing his sign now saying "ALL SIZES OF POPCORN ARE HALF OFF TODAY".
WHATNOT #1: What the? Odd...
The first Whatnot shrugs it off, and re-enters his theater, as various different Muppet patrons begin to congregate.

Day Two.

The first Whatnot exits the theater again, hanging up another sign in front of the building to draw in business, this one reads "SPECIAL MOVIE RATES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS"; the Whatnot re-enters his theater, as the second Whatnot passes by again, and reads the sign. Once again, the second Whatnot shakes his head, removes the sign, and paints a new one, before hanging it up, and walking away. The first Whatnot sweeps out the theater, and does a double-take when he sees his sign now says "SENIOR CITIZENS RECEIVE SPECIAL RATES ON MOVIES".
WHATNOT #1: Hubba-whuh? ! *Shakes head in a daze* I gotta lay off the day-old popcorn for breakfast!
The first Whatnot weerily re-enters the theater, as a group of elderly Muppets arrive at the theater.

Day Three.

The first Whatnot hangs up a new sign, but before he goes back inside, he reads of the sign, very carefully.
WHATNOT #1: *Reading sign* "KIDS WATCH FREE TODAY". "KIDS WATCH FREE TODAY." "KIDS WATCH FREE TODAY." That's what it says... *Enters theater* Kids watch free today, kids watch free today...
After the first Whatnot has walked back into his theater, the second Whatnot walks by, and notices the sign hanging up, before taking it down, painting a new sign, and hanging it up, before continuing on his way. After a few seconds, the first Whatnot tip-toes out of the theater, and slowly glances at the sign that now reads "CHILDREN WATCH FOR FREE TODAY." The first Whatnot loses his cool, and begins freaking out by throwing his hands into the air, and running around in circles, while wailing hysterically, just as a bunch of little tykes bombard the theater to see free movies.

Day Four.

The first Whatnot storms out of the theater, and hangs up a blank sign.
WHATNOT #1: *Calling out* I give up! I give up! Say whatever you wanna say on this sign! I couldn't care less! I'm gettin' too old for this... and I haven't even reached 20 yet!
The first Whatnot storms back into the theater, just as the second Whatnot continues on his daily rounds... and walks right by the theater, without bothering to change the sign; shortly thereafter, the first Whatnot races out of the theater to see what his new sign says, only to find it's still blank. The first Whatnot faces the camera, whimpers, and falls faces forward, just as more patrons line up to see movies, walking all over him.

 

[Phillip]

Don't mind me, everyone. Just making a quick observation that after nine days, no moderator has fixed the title of the thread to correct the subject matter's name.

It's updated now. Thanks for your understanding. In the future if there's an issue you feel isn't being addressed feel free to send me a note and we'll get it taken care of asap.

The article was an interesting read. Thanks for starting this thread.

 

[CensoredAlso]

The first Whatnot faces the camera, whimpers, and falls faces forward, just as more patrons line up to see movies, walking all over him.

Wow, even before I finished your story I was thinking, "this can only end with the first Whatnot falling to the ground, lol.

 

[D'Snowth]

Wow, even before I finished your story I was thinking, "this can only end with the first Whatnot falling to the ground, lol.

Standard Muppet Magic.

 

[Katzi428]

I'm suddenly reminded of a slightly different tone in someone's attitude about doing such work...

I remember reading an interview with Mandy Pitinkin about doing EIG, saying how much he loved doing the movie, because of the opportunity he got to work with the Muppets, which he very much enjoyed, saying that he would rather work with the Muppets than anyone else.

You sure about Mandy Patinkin saying that he liked worked he worked w/the Muppets? Because when he played "Officer George" on an episode of SS, he seriously looked like he couldn't be bothered doing a kids' show.(To me, he's always seemed like a pompous idiot anyway.)

 

[CensoredAlso]

You sure about Mandy Patinkin saying that he liked worked he worked w/the Muppets? Because when he played "Officer George" on an episode of SS, he seriously looked like he couldn't be bothered doing a kids' show.(To me, he's always seemed like a pompous idiot anyway.)

Well there was a long period in between him appearing on Sesame Street and then doing the Elmo movie, right? People do change their minds about things.

 

[Drtooth]

You sure about Mandy Patinkin saying that he liked worked he worked w/the Muppets? Because when he played "Officer George" on an episode of SS, he seriously looked like he couldn't be bothered doing a kids' show.(To me, he's always seemed like a pompous idiot anyway.)

At least he didn't punch Big Bird's head off for ruining a take that he didn't ruin himself...

 

[D'Snowth]

All I know is that's what I read: he said something along the lines of, "If you can't work with the Muppets, you can't work with anybody".

EDIT: Here's a reprint of the interview on his official website...

"They sent me a script through overnight mail," recalls Patinkin. "I read it and loved it, so I said, 'I'll be there.' I literally took the job on blind faith. I found that, as far as I'm concerned, working with the Muppets is a hundred thousand times better than working with real people. It is the best time I've ever had on a movie, and I'm not exaggerating. My advice is, if you can't work with Muppets, don't work!" --Elmo in Grouchland Press Kit

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well correct me if I'm wrong, he was on Sesame Street in its 16th season, 1984-85. If I remember correctly, in the Special Features for The Princess Bride, Patinkin talked about how he hadn't had great luck with movies until The Princess Bride came long in 1987. So you know, he may have been just disatisfied with his career in general when he appeared on Sesame Street.

Great, now I've got The Princess Bride theme stuck in my head! Lol

 

[D'Snowth]

And let's think on this too: he's playing a cop... not all TV cops are gonna be like Smitty and Hoppy from Sanford and Son, but perhaps Officer George could've been a little more understanding with Big Bird and his plight of missing Barkley, but it seems like he's in the attitude that "Look, if you're not going to be serious, then I can't help you, I have other things to do."