Little things we've noticed

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

In regards to characters looking like real people....

I will say I always thought How Now Brown kinda looked like Weird Al Yankovic in the 80's.

Now, imagine if Sesame Street had done a parody of one of Weird Al's parodies.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Oooh, I'd love it if they took on Amish Paradise...

 

[D'Snowth]

Refering back to the "Riding a Tricycle" video I linked . . . I'm not sure what it is, but doesn't Barkley look different than he usually does? Something about the ears seem off, I think. . . .

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Refering back to the "Riding a Tricycle" video I linked . . . I'm not sure what it is, but doesn't Barkley look different than he usually does? Something about the ears seem off, I think. . . .

You mean, how his ears are raised up more than usual?

 

[LittleJerry92]

I've been noticing with Fran's puppetry, her characters (at least Prarie Dawn and Zoe) tend to tilt their heads to the side alot as they talk.

 

[cjd874]

I have a question for MC members who have studied the puppetry styles of the Sesame Street performers. Which puppeteer do you think is/was the best at ad-libbing?

I think that Frank Oz is, has been, and always will be the king of Muppet ad-libs, given his performances as Cookie Monster, Grover, and Bert (and also Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear on TMS). But in the early days, Jim Henson and Jerry Nelson did quite a bit of ad-libbing as well. Nowadays, with Frank's retirement, David Rudman and Eric Jacobson seem to be the guys who specialize in this department.

 

[D'Snowth]

Definitely Kevin. He was a natural, and Elmo was a riot on live appearances like talk shows and such.

RICKY GERVAIS: Elmo, do you know what necrophilia is?
ELMO: Where did you lose this interview?!

Eric took a while to get comfortable with is. If you watch any live appearances Grover made during the 2000s, he's not exactly quick to quip, and stumbles a bit.

 

[Froggy Fool]

Yeah, either Kevin or Joey Mazzarino. God, Joey was hilarious in live appearance!!

 

[Schfifty]

I would definitely agree with Kevin, and also Frank. I remember in Sonia Manzano's archive interview, she mentioned a time where she had to do a scene with Grover in the library, and she kept glancing at Frank underneath. Frank, as Grover, responded, "Don't look at that man down there! I'm talking to you!"

When it comes to ad-libbing, I think of it as also having the ability to stay in character well, and most of the Muppeteers can do that. Frank, Jerry, Dave, Steve, Kevin, Fran, David...the list goes on.

 

[D'Snowth]

I guess even Caroll has his moments, to a degree: after all, he was able to make Bob Hope lose his concentration and laugh at a couple of good-natured jokes at his own expense.