Let's give Elmo a break

[Princeton]

Someone has to say it, and it's gonna be me. Yes, I know Elmo is annoying, and yes, he is currently dominating SS, but seriously guys, Elmo is not as evil as you make him out to be! If any character(human or Muppet) wants to make it big, they're gonna need exposure! Granted, Elmo is getting TOO MUCH exposure, but believe it or not, guys, like all things, Elmo too will pass. You're forgetting what makes SS real and special: unforgettable classic characters like Big Bird or or . SS was created to teach kids, and to a similar extent, Elmo's World does that too.

 

[Xela]

I don't have too much of a problem with him; I just get annoyed that he is everywhere...

And I still run in terror whenever I see one of those Tickle Me Elmos...

 

[That Announcer]

Someone has to say it, and it's gonna be me. Yes, I know Elmo is annoying, and yes, he is currently dominating SS, but seriously guys, Elmo is not as evil as you make him out to be! If any character(human or Muppet) wants to make it big, they're gonna need exposure! Granted, Elmo is getting TOO MUCH exposure, but believe it or not, guys, like all things, Elmo too will pass. You're forgetting what makes SS real and special: unforgettable classic characters like Big Bird or or . SS was created to teach kids, and to a similar extent, Elmo's World does that too.

Personally, I find that Elmo's World is not educational. Convincing John said it best: Giving a kid a song consisting of one word set to the tune of Jingle Bells is not educational. Showing a kid Michael Jeter act like a silent film star is not educational. Showing a kid bad animation that barely reinforces facts that their parents already told them a bunch of times is educational, but only the tiniest bit so. And indeed SS is made real and special by Ernie, Bert, Cookie, Big Bird and even Fat Blue. However, it's rare that we see them now presenting themselves as they really are. The only character now that has not changed one bit in nearly forty years of SS is Oscar, and I've got to give Caroll Spinney a lot of credit for that. The problem is that 75% of what's seen now is Elmo-driven. That's just bad.

What am I doing? I should be saying this all over in my Theory on Elmo thread!

 

[BEAR]

Someone has to say it, and it's gonna be me. Yes, I know Elmo is annoying, and yes, he is currently dominating SS, but seriously guys, Elmo is not as evil as you make him out to be! If any character(human or Muppet) wants to make it big, they're gonna need exposure! Granted, Elmo is getting TOO MUCH exposure, but believe it or not, guys, like all things, Elmo too will pass. You're forgetting what makes SS real and special: unforgettable classic characters like Big Bird or or . And let's not forget the irreplaceable visionary of Jim Henson; this may be a mere exaggeration, but if Jim heard some of the horrible things you say about Elmo, he'd be turning in his grave! Given the fact that most of the members on this forum are adults, why don't you act like it? He is a puppet, not the incubus, a puppet!

Well said, Princeton, and I agree whole heartedly. Elmo is very popular and the kids love him. That is all that matters. He is not "evil" like people keep saying and it really annoys me to hear people say that. The same people that complain about newer characters such as Baby Bear and Zoe. People can't handle change or new things. I actually feel sorry for these characters. Sesame Street and the children that watch it have accepted these newbies as friends, why can't the rest of us?

 

[Drtooth]

Well said, Princeton, and I agree whole heartedly. Elmo is very popular and the kids love him. That is all that matters. He is not "evil" like people keep saying and it really annoys me to hear people say that. The same people that complain about newer characters such as Baby Bear and Zoe. People can't handle change or new things. I actually feel sorry for these characters. Sesame Street and the children that watch it have accepted these newbies as friends, why can't the rest of us?

I'll have to meet you all both way. Personally, I am not the biggest fan of Elmo, Baby Bear or Zoe (the latter was harder to warm up to). I agree they are omnipresent. I think Elmo's world is for the youngest of the young viewers and should be it's own series. I'll also agree the classic SS fans cannot stand him because he's not Guy Smiley, Forgetful Jones, or Sherlock Hemlock.

Personally, I would rather see the classic characters, but the main SS fan base that SW has to cater to IS 2-4 year olds. And, as I have said often, kids lose interrest in characters who are not in their age bracket. Look at Cartoon Network's line up for example. The stars are all kids between the ages of 6-12 (K.N.D, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls), and despite the fact they have huge 20 year old geek (like me) followings, they are primarily for kids. A pretty tough fact for me to work around as a cartoonist.

So naturally, if you were 3 and a half (Like Elmo) you would rather see Elmo than Guy or Sherlock (you probably wouldn't care about them, much less et the refference). It's sad that because of the crappy Nick Jr. shows and PBS British, seizure inducing blinding colors prepreschool shows they had to make their audience younger, but I'd rather have an Elmo centric SS still in their original owner's control, than the Muppets, sullied by the hands of the mouse.

 

[sarah_yzma]

yeah...but Elmo just scares me! I don't know what it is...I didn't even like that rodent before he became popular...the whole third person thing just creeps me out.....no, I don't think he's a demonic being sent to destroy the Earth, but I'm still suspicious of him......

 

[That Announcer]

yeah...but Elmo just scares me! I don't know what it is...I didn't even like that rodent before he became popular...the whole third person thing just creeps me out.....no, I don't think he's a demonic being sent to destroy the Earth, but I'm still suspicious of him......

Not so much a demon, no. He just hates Muppet fans.\

To Drtooth, I must disagree with you. Many kids between the ages of three and, well, eighteen absolutely love "Scooby-Doo." (I did, and still do.) The stars of that show are ALL adults. And if you can show me ten kids whose favorite character is Scrappy-Doo, I'll make sure you're canonized soon enough. Bugs Bunny cartoons are also loved by everyone, and more than clearly star adults. And kids love Kermit. Everyone loves Kermit, and he's not a kid. He's (at least in my mind) a thirty-year-old frog. Yes, kids like other kids. But if the adults were friendly enough (like, oh say, Ernie) the kids will like them too.

 

[Drtooth]

AH... you found the variable. I appologize if my explaination was glib. Demographics is a very deep subject. You see, kids do like kids on TV, but they also like Talking animals, and goofy humans. Personally, I do think kids could enjoy Guy and Sherlock, but they just cannot sympathize with them as well as with Elmo.

But this subject has been brought up so many times, I can't even count them (and I like to count things, a'la guess who) so, we can safely close the subject with this:

ELMO: Good for little kids, bad for Classic SS fans.

 

[That Announcer]

ELMO: Good for little kids, bad for Classic SS fans.

That just gave me an idea. Have two street segments on each episode, and excise Elmo's World. One street segment would feature Elmo, Zoe, Baby Bear and Telly- that one would be for the kids, as (I must concede this point) the kids really seem to like those characters. The other would feature our preferred characters- Cookie, Grover, Oscar, Snuffy, Big Bird, Guy Smiley (who I believe Eric Jacobson now performs), Ernie, Bert, etc. etc. etc...

What would you think of that as a possibility for SS?

 

[BEAR]

Would they be happening simultaneously? I personally don't like the idea at all. I feel that the characters need to be mixed. It seems like this whole thing is about having less Elmo and thats it. Elmo needs to be around. No, he does not need to be the central focus of every street segment and he isn't. There are others there that share the light. He just happens to be there sometimes. Oh well. Plus there are plenty of other sketches that involve Grover, Bird, Count and Ernie and Bert. They aren't always on the street but they are featured through out the program. Elmo happens to be on the street a little more than others. Give him a break.