My Theory On Elmo

[MrsPepper]

Aw, I actually love Elmo. Though he does annoy me too, sometimes, Elmo's world is actually really good. Most importantly, it reinforces what kids are learning. If you throw something at a kid once, they're not gonna understand or remember, but with Elmo's world, they present a format which manages to stay fresh while being consistent, and kids can learn from it.
And he's so CUTE and RED. I dont mind Elmo's voice, though I do understand how it could be grating to some. Here's an idea to keep it fresh: imagine Elmo talking like Splinter. If you do that, it NEVER GETS BORING.

 

[That Announcer]

This may come after MrsPepper's post, but it is in no way directed at her.

I'd like to reinforce what CJ said in one of his previous posts, that Raposo's songs are indeed educational. Repetitive yes, but educational, unlike the "Jump Song" and the like from Elmo's World. Take my all time favorite SS song, "Air", sung by Bip Bippadotta:

Listen up, America
We've got something great for you!
It's something you can feel and breathe and even see right through
It isn't something you can smell
Or taste or eat or see
And please don't send us money --
It's absolutely free

Oh yes, it's air, air, air
It's the bargain of the day
Air, air, air
Doesn't look like much but, hey!
It's handy when you're working
It's handy when you play
So get some air, air, air
It'll blow you right away!

Oh, you can breathe it with your mouth
Or you can breathe it through your nose
And when you take your shoes off, you can feel it on your toes
It isn't purple, green, or pink
Or red or white or blue
It's kind of hard to spot it, but
It's always there for you

No taste! No waste!
No tell tale smell, it's swell!
Oh yes, it's air air air
Send for your supply today
Air, air, air from Maine to Monterey
Americans just love it
They breathe it night and day
So get some air air air
It'll blow you right away!

I'd also like to reiterate his hate for Elmo's non-educational purposes (and his hate for Baby Bear, who is my all time least favorite Muppet.) Now, I'll give the SS writers credit, as occasionally they try to make Elmo educational. However, you can see right through the "educational" value of the Elmo skits by watching a Raposo segment. A fine example of this clash (no pun intended) is the video "Elmo's Magic Cookbook." For starters, there's not a classic SS character in the whole dang thing. Not ONE. Who is there? Zoe, Elmo and Telly. No classic characters.

However, this video tries to be "educational" by having Elmo "teach" children about different foods, cooking and Trying New Things. However, you see what little the Elmo bits are doing by watching the Raposo segments put in. They actually have educational value! It's amazing! What is Telly going around, saying "makin' ice cream" going to do for a kid? What is a Very Special Cameo Appearance by Emeril (this man cannot act!) showing how to "BAM!" pepperoni on pizza going to do? Nothing. However, that classic pinball machine bit or the Ladybug's Picnic will do something- teach kids how to count to 12.

We need more classic SS, not some "baby beaw who dwaws Hewo Guy!" Not him. Not by a long shot.

 

[Convincing John]

Hey, thanks for reading my posts and commenting on the Joe Raposo songs. He and Jeff Moss were very talented indeed.

One comment, though: the version of "Air" you typed up was sung by Guy Smiley. Bip Bipadotta had a different version of "Air". Both are great, educational songs though.

Convincing John

 

[That Announcer]

One comment, though: the version of "Air" you typed up was sung by Guy Smiley. Bip Bipadotta had a different version of "Air". Both are great, educational songs though.

(watch TA's spirits drop)

Whoops! Sorry about that CJ. Couldn't remember what the lyrics were to the BB song (as I only ever saw it in hospital and a few times when I was really young) so I Googled the song and got that. Hold on a minute here, I'll get the lyrics and edit them into the post.

EDIT: Well, I couldn't find the lyrics. But I did surf on over to Tough Pigs and read Danny Horn's reviews of some Elmo DVDs.

I now realize exactly why I hate Elmo. Let me present to you some actual quotes from Mr. Horn, whom I used to like a lot, but whom now I hate:

All the Elmo Detractors are on one side, hissing and booing and throwing rocks and stuff, saying that Elmo is a one-note tickle-bot who takes the focus away from all the other Sesame characters.

And I'm over on the other side (also known as: the side of truth and light), saying: Um, no. Not really.

For starters, we don't say that he takes the attention away from the other SS characters. We say that he WIPED OUT the other SS characters. Face it. When you walk into the toy section of a (say) Wal-Mart,and ask to see the Sesame Street toys, you see... Elmo. There might be a stray Cookie, or possibly if you're really lucky a Grover, but mostly it's Elmo.

(With regards to Elmopalooza: ) Oscar, Snuffy, Rosita, the Two-Headed Monster... Title aside, this special isn't 24-7 Elmo at all. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen so many Sesame characters all in one place, all being funny at the same time.

Fair enough, Danny. But you don't call The Muppet Show's anniversary special Fozziefest, do you? It's not Kermit's Konvention, or Piggy Pals! It's The Muppets! There are many Muppets, all of whom are equal! There is no one! And even with the title aside, who did everyone want to sing with? Who took Jon Stewart's host position? Who was the one everyone tried to take care of? Who was the one who was the central bloody focus of the special? It ain't Grover, let me tell you...

Anyway, here's the point. If "Elmopalooza" is the Sesame version of The Muppet Show, then Elmo is The Kermit. He doesn't really take over the show; he's just the host, tying everything together and introducing all the other acts. He really only has one song in the whole hour-long special. I admit, that number is a duet with Rosie O'Donnell, but go with me on this. If you're gonna do a variety show, you need a Kermit, and that's what Elmo has become. Elmo is The Host -- not just The Host of "Elmopalooza," but The Host of Sesame Street. He's the character that ties things together, the center that things revolve around.

HE FINALLY SAID IT! He admitted himself that Elmo has become the "central character that things revolve around." Even they admit it. Sesame Street has been running now for 36 seasons, and shows no signs of stopping. How can a series that's been running for that long have a "central character?" That's like having a piece of classical music that runs for 45 minutes all told, with 8 different parts to it, and saying there's a "central note!" It's impossible!

Oh, and by the way, if only going by the five videos he reviewed that week, our side won. Three to two. He didn't admit it, no; all he went on about was how Cute and Funny, and Deeply Sincere Elmo is. Well, he's none of those things. He's a little fireball, determined to get us all talking in a high screechy voice and demanding to be tickled. Sorry, Elmo, can't go along with it. I'll stick to the Cookie Diet.

I have another theory to propose: What we see on Sesame Street far too often now is not actually Elmo. What we see is RELMO, Elmo's evil twin brother. Elmo himself is actually rather smart, with a British accent and good grammar. Elmo reads a lot, and likes the old Sesame Street. Y'know- the one with Lefty the Salesman, and the Big Bad Wolf? The one where children were being tought to count to 20 at a young age? The one where many learned what went on in the world? The one where we learned how to make friends, and not to talk in "W"s or in the third person? That one.

I assume most of you know what I'm talking about here. If you disagree with me, fine. But you need no further proof of what Sesame Street is all about then to look at the only 3 SS smilies on the page: Oscar, Ernie and Bert. That's what we want, you SS heads. That's what the Street's about.

 

[D'Snowth]

Believe it or not, in 1998, I started to watch SS regularly again BECAUSE of Elmo's World; at that time I thought it was genius! Now, I wish they had something new like...Grover's World! Elmo is fine once in a while, but now, we're just plain Elmoed out! I mean, if there's any remakes of classic songs that he sings in, he'll hit a bad note here and there. Like when he sings "One Small Voice" with N'Sync. Here's another thing...in an article about SS from People Magazine April 2004, they talk about a few celebs who've guest starred on the show including: Queen Latifah, Jim Carrey, Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Ellen DeGeneres, and Ben Stiller. When Ben Stiller was on, he sang a "People In Your Neighborhood" with Telly. Elmo was nowhere to be seen in that bit, yet in the photo in the magazine's article, there he is, sitting on Ben's shoulder. My wish is that rather than kill Elmo off completely, dwindle him down a BIT!

 

[SillyRed]

Elmo sang "One Small Voice" with the Backstreet Boys.

 

[That Announcer]

We need to expand beyond the only four characters being used today: Zoe, Elmo, Telly and Baby Bear, with ocassional cameo appearances by Papa Bear or Ernie. SS had more characters in its early years.

Oh, and D'Snowth, I like your idea of "dwindling him down." Why not cut Elmo's World, and instead have something called, say, "Come On Over to 123" with Ernie, Bert and Oscar (and the like.)

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

We need to expand beyond the only four characters being used today: Zoe, Elmo, Telly and Baby Bear, with ocassional cameo appearances by Papa Bear or Ernie. SS had more characters in its early years.

Oh, and D'Snowth, I like your idea of "dwindling him down." Why not cut Elmo's World, and instead have something called, say, "Come On Over to 123" with Ernie, Bert and Oscar (and the like.)

Well, that's basically the concept of "Play With Me Sesame" except Oscar's not in that one.

 

[BEAR]

I actually really like Baby Bear, but you know who my favorite newer character is? ROSITA!! I love her personality and she has a cool look to her.

 

[Drtooth]

One comment, though: the version of "Air" you typed up was sung by Guy Smiley. Bip Bipadotta had a different version of "Air". Both are great, educational songs though.

Also the Guy Smiley version was actually a parody of a long discontinued car commercial. I don't think anyone who wasn't around in 1987-1989 When the commercial probably aired. Even still, it's a pretty obscure refference.

Personally, I dislike Elmo being the central focus, but I like the character. I mean, love him or hate him, Kevin Clash did take the charater turned down by two puppeteers and gave him a personality, and ran off with it. And you have to admit, he's 3 and a half years old, and three and a half year olds like to watch other three and a half year olds. Kids like other kids, and IMO, Elmo is one of the few Muppet kids I actually believe is a child, right up there with Big Bird and TMS Robin. I mean, I can't believe Grover's a child. He works odd jobs. To me, he's a college student trying to make ends meet. Ernie and Bert seem like 20-30 year olds who act childlike and share an appartment. Cookie... well, he seems anywhere from 20-40 to me. Telly seems like a worried 40 year old in a 20 year old's body (i.e. me). But Elmo has the exact mannerisms of a 3 year old.