I've got a Q about a Big Bird look alike

[Natalie]

This is really important to me guys, so if any of you recognize it, i need answers!

I watched SS in the late 80s and early 90s, and as i'm only 17 now, i have a quite fuzzy memory of SS stuff.

Probably about 10 years ago, i remember a Big Bird look alike. I'm not sure if it was actually Big Bird pretending to be a different kind of character or what. It was kind of a Super Grover type of thing for Big Bird if i remember correctly. He stands out in my mind as being kind of scary, like a mean Big Bird, but i'm probably wrong. Maybe these were just a run of weird sketches in the muppet parts of the show. I seem to remember one with missing socks or something.

So, if anyone knows who or what i'm talking about, PLEASE, tell me. i'm sure some of you younger SS watchers may know what i'm talking about. I need as many answers as possible because it's really been bugging me for years!!! thanx

 

[rickly]

The character I believe you're referring to was called Blue Bird. He was, in fact, a superhero bird character that Big Bird was supposed to have made up and have fantasy sequences about. Only two bits ever aired. In the first one, shot on location in Central Park, Big Bird is sort of brushed off by Maria because she's too busy fixing toasters, so Big Bird imagines Maria as a villain that Blue Bird foils. Very Freudian, no? The second bit was even more peculiar, with Big Bird imagining Blue Bird foiling the evil Sock Snatcher at a laundromat, a fantasy motivated by Bob wondering where his socks disappear to whenever he does laundry.

The idea was to give Big Bird a fantasy life - Blue Bird did heroic things Big Bird dreamed of, including flying. The idea was not entirely unlike the current Baby Bear fantasy character Hero Guy.

But the character tanked. One reason was the perception that Caroll Spinney was unhappy with the presence of another big bird character on the show. Another reason is that the bits were expensive to produce. And some people involved in SESAME objected to the sort of cartoon superhero violence implied in foiling the bad guy.

By the way, those aired 15 years ago. The Blue Bird body was the blue body from the SESAME "Follow That Bird" movie when Big Bird gets painted blue for the carnival, and the feet (boots), arms, and head were new.

I was the puppeteer.

 

[Natalie]

ok, that seriously sounds like it, thanks! But 15 years ago, excuse me i'm 17 and i don't have that good of a memory!! and you were the puppeteer? care to explain? and they only had two? well i must have seen both of them. was it really the same blue big bird from FTB? also, i used to have weird dreams and stuff about this character, i kept thinking he was in one of our closets! (i know, i was a weird kid!) ok, well, respond again if you can, and thanks again!

 

[ssetta]

I never knew the Blue Bird from Follow That Bird was used on the regular Sesame Street series!

 

[Jackie]

Originally posted by ssetta
I never knew the Blue Bird from Follow That Bird was used on the regular Sesame Street series!

Big Bird isn't cheap to make, they probably wanted to see if they could get a few more uses out of him

 

[BuddyBoy600alt]

I used to remember Blue Bird as well. I thought it was a funny sketch.

 

[dinoboy]

Big bird look-alikes, I always thought the cartoon character Crazy Legs Crane looked somewhat like Big bird or related family wise, as well as one of the puppet characters resembling an Emu from the late Mark Ritts, in his live action movie "In the Park" 1977. I haven't seen that movie in years, but would love to see it again.

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

Big bird look-alikes, I always thought the cartoon character Crazy Legs Crane looked somewhat like Big bird or related family wise, as well as one of the puppet characters resembling an Emu from the late Mark Ritts, in his live action movie "In the Park" 1977. I haven't seen that movie in years, but would love to see it again.

Mark Ritts? He was on Beakman's World!

 

[BuddyBoy600alt]

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Blue_Bird Muppet Wiki now has the info on Blue Bird.