It's Official: Caroll Spinney retires from Sesame Street after nearly 50 years

[MuppetSpot]

Well OK I just got some news, Steve Whitmire was there to celebrate the event for Caroll Spinney’s retirement.

 

[D'Snowth]

That's excellent news, considering the strong probability that he was actually fired from the show, rather than leave on his own terms.

 

[mbmfrog]

Well OK I just got some news, Steve Whitmire was there to celebrate the event for Caroll Spinney’s retirement.

Well that is surprising, but then again Steve Whitmire had no ill will towards Caroll Spinney.

However, I do wonder if Whitmire was there, then what of the likes of Kevin Clash and Joey Mazzarino ?

Would Joey at least try to show up for Carol Spinney's retirement party ?

Was Frank Oz even there ? I mean even though Frank OZ sometimes appears once per Sesame Street Season, but surely he would have made an attempt to go, right ?

I would also have been surprised if any of Jim Henson's kids showed up for this!!

 

[LittleJerry92]

That's excellent news, considering the strong probability that he was actually fired from the show, rather than leave on his own terms.

I was always positive Steve chose to leave so he could focus on more Muppet Show stuff.

 

[MuppetSpot]

Well that is surprising, but then again Steve Whitmire had no ill will towards Caroll Spinney.

However, I do wonder if Whitmire was there, then what of the likes of Kevin Clash and Joey Mazzarino ?

I was always positive Steve chose to leave so he could focus on more Muppet Show stuff.

I don’t think Joey or Kevin were there because they have moved to LA now and Steve was let go from Sesame Street because, of budget issues and he wasn’t the only one laid off.

 

[antsamthompson9]

That's excellent news, considering the strong probability that he was actually fired from the show, rather than leave on his own terms.

Steve explained the situation himself: https://web.archive.org/web/2017090...ire-muppetpundit.com/2017/09/08/housekeeping/

 

[ssetta]

This may seem a bit weird, but I totally got thinking of thing song, more appropriate now than ever.

 

[antsamthompson9]

Adorkable Rachel made this:

 

[OscarandTelly]

So obviously Caroll will be in season 50. Does anyone know if he participated at all in season 49?

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

So obviously Caroll will be in season 50. Does anyone know if he participated at all in season 49?

Quite possibly. We know he was at least on set during taping, because that's when they did the tribute to him last year on Below the Frame.