Grover question

[mikealan]

When I saw the thoughts of Sesame Street on the Jump the Shark site, there's something terrible in it: most of the fans hate Elmo and Zoe. They think that everyone ignores Grover, so Elmo wants to kill him!!

Do you guys think everyone ignores Grover, so SS producers got rid of him?

 

[MuppetQuilter]

I think Frank Oz got busy directing movies in Hollywood and didn't have much time to devote to his SST characters-- vastly limiting what SST could do with Grover, Cookie, Bert.... Now that Oz is allowing other performers to do his SST characters, we're seeing more of Grover.

Aside from that, the SST audience has gotten younger and that necessitated younger Muppets like Elmo and Zoe. It doesn't mean the older Muppets (like Big Bird and Grover) disappear, it just means they have to make room for younger ones.

 

[Ol' Buddy Bert]

Originally posted by MuppetQuilter


Aside from that, the SST audience has gotten younger and that necessitated younger Muppets like Elmo and Zoe.

I've been thinking about that. I have always seen it from a different perspective. I thought the audience for Sesame Street got younger because of the focus on characters such as Elmo. I may be wrong, but I think there was a definite shift in focus in the early nineties.

I'm not really trying to start a debate or anything like that but as I've been watching the old episodes from the 1970's which, depending on the child, is still appealing regardless of age and I wonder if the departure of Oz and the deaths of Jim Henson and Richard Hunt necessitated different performers to step in. Hence, Clash's coming of age in the 90's. The performers were creating younger characters (Zoe, Baby Bear) and thus, the audience age followed.

Just some random thoughts.

 

[MuppetQuilter]

How old is Baby Bear? He's on a tee ball team and he knows the alphabet. He is a pretty accomplished artist. I don't think he is all that young.

My understanding is that SST changed in response to the needs of a younger audience. They knew the show was being watched by more 3 and 4 year olds than 5 and 6 year olds so they developed a curriculum that was appropriate for that age group and that included younger Muppets. Now the show is being watched by an increasing number of 2 year olds and even 1 year olds. I don't think changes in the show created the change in audience. At least that's my understanding.

 

[Ol' Buddy Bert]

I understand that to be true. Obviously, I'm not as well versed in the show's history as many people on this board, but in my mind it has at least _appeared_ that that was as much a part of the change of the direction as the statistics and studies.

Admittedly, Baby Bear is not my favorite character but I wasn't trying to pick on him, Zoe or Elmo. It's a different show now. I'm not a 3 year old as I once was. Time hurries on the and leaves that are green turn to brown.

But it is my 100th post.

Yee-ha.

 

[dcfboss]

Originally posted by Ol' Buddy Bert
Admittedly, Baby Bear is not my favorite character but I wasn't trying to pick on him, Zoe or Elmo. It's a different show now. I'm not a 3 year old as I once was. Time hurries on the and leaves that are green turn to brown.

It's OK to pick on Baby Bear.......no one really likes him anyway, lol

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Reply

Back to the subject of Grover, keep in mind that he will have that Global Grover segment next season, so we'll see more of them. I don't think Oz leaving has much to do with it since he's played by Eric Jacobson now.

 

[Thijs]

Originally posted by mikealan
When I saw the thoughts of Sesame Street on the Jump the Shark site, there's something terrible in it: most of the fans hate Elmo and Zoe. They think that everyone ignores Grover, so Elmo wants to kill him!!

Do you guys think everyone ignores Grover, so SS producers got rid of him?

Ignore sites like that. Such people don`t understand the magic of Sesame Street. If you do, you don`t talk about characters killing each other. Those guys who make those 'Bert is evil" sites should be killed.

I hate sesame street and muppet parodies. When I search for Sesame Street on Kazaa, I can`t find a thing because all those terrible, NOT funny parodies. Kill THOSE people, please.

 

[Splurge]

Keep in mind that Grover is one of the 4 stars of "Play With Me Sesame" along with Bert, Ernie and Prarie Dawn. And that show's been doing rather well with the kiddies who have Noggin.

 

[sarah_yzma]

Originally posted by Splurge
And that show's been doing rather well with the kiddies who have Noggin.

yay for that!

Sarah