Sesame Street at the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade

[minor muppetz]

Can anybody list all of the Sesame Street characters who have appeared in all Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, what all of the floats looked like, what songs were sung, and what the various Big Bird balloons looked like?

The parade from today (Thanksgiving 2005) featured Big Bird, Elmo, Zoe, Alice Snuffleupagus, Ernie, Bert, Rosita, Grover, Barkly, Cookie Monster, Prarie dawn, Telly Monster, The Count, Herry Monster, and some red monster. They sang Dancing Shoes.

last years parade had Big Bird, Elmo, Zoe, telly, baby Bear, Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Oscar, Barkly, Alice Snuffleupagus, some of the Monster Clubhouse monsters, Grover, The Count, Rosita, and Herry Monster. They sang The Street We Live On.

I know that the parade from either 2002 or 2003 featured characters from various foriegn versions of Sesame Street, in addition to Big Bird, Elmo, and other familiar american Sesame Street characters, and they sang We Are All earthlings.

I remember that the parade from either 1994 or 1995 had them singing Believe In Yourself, and the parade from 1997 had them singing Rubber Duckie.

Also, does anybody know if the regular performers perform characters in the parade, or if it's usually background performers? I guess the voices are pre-recorded, but I wodner which performers are actually there. I wonder if Jim Henson or Frank Oz ever actually performed any Sesame Street characters in any parades.

I guess that Steve Whitmire and Eric Jacopson didn't perform in the Sesame Street float in 2002, since they were performing Kermit and Miss Piggy who were interviewed on the street about It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie. I have a feeling that those performers (and Jerry Nelson) weren't in the parade today, either.

 

[jeffkjoe]

I remember reading that the puppeteers who perform the Sesame Street Muppets at the Macy's Thanksgiving parade are usually freelance puppeteers from the New York area, and it's usually a one-time gig, to fill in all the spots needed for the characters. I'm sure there are actual Muppeteers there too, but a lot of puppeteers are subs.

All of the singing, of course, is pre-recorded. The obvious horrible lip-sync from most of the parade performers. is a dead giveaway.

 

[BEAR]

All of the singing, of course, is pre-recorded. The obvious horrible lip-sync from most of the parade performers. is a dead giveaway.

Yeah, Gordon wasn't singing along with his pre-recorded solo at first. It was kinda weird.

 

[KermieBaby47]

The parade from today (Thanksgiving 2005) featured Big Bird, Elmo, Zoe, Alice Snuffleupagus, Ernie, Bert, Rosita, Grover, Barkly, Cookie Monster, Prarie dawn, Telly Monster, The Count, Herry Monster, and some red monster. They sang Dancing Shoes.

I was wondering who that red monster was too. Whoever it was, he looked really cool! Oh yeah, Baby Bear was also on the float this year, in the same window with Telly.

Also, does anybody know if the regular performers perform characters in the parade, or if it's usually background performers? I guess the voices are pre-recorded, but I wonder which performers are actually there.

I believe that jeffkjoe is right in that local puppeteers fill the spots, but it makes ya wonder huh? I mean, they have the entire adult human cast right there on the float, you'd think that Carroll Spinney and at least a couple other main performers would come out for something like this.

I also have a question of my own: Since we (the television audience) only saw the right (or left, depending on how you look at it) side of the float, do you think (or know) if the same Muppets are hanging out the windows on the other side of the float so both sides of 77th can see all the Muppets?


Anthony

 

[jeffkjoe]

The other side of the float, behind 123 Sesame Street, that we, the television viewer, did NOT see was Hooper's store.

I'm sure they had lesser-known Muppets back there (eg, Natasha, Honkers, Ingrid and Humphrey) that weren't as ready for prime-time as the popular staples (Count, Herry, Prairie, etc.)

 

[BEAR]

The other side of the float, behind 123 Sesame Street, that we, the television viewer, did NOT see was Hooper's store.

I'm sure they had lesser-known Muppets back there (eg, Natasha, Honkers, Ingrid and Humphrey) that weren't as ready for prime-time as the popular staples (Count, Herry, Prairie, etc.)

Prime-time? This was daytime television. Anyway...That is interesting. They wouldn't have the same characters on the other side. Then they might as well have another Gabby and Miles dancing on the other side. It just would not be right. They needed all the big guys on that side because that is where the camera they were performing for was. Maybe after they sang for the TV some of the characters moved to the other side (if there were any windows there at all). The one window with Count, Herry and the red guy, looked pretty crowded. Also, I'm sure Alice and Barkley wandered over there at certain points too. Also, from what I read somewhere else here, Oscar was indeed on the float in his can on the tail end where he couldn't be seen. The camera never even showed him. I wonder why. And what was he doing?

Anyone have any ideas why Snuffy wasn't in the parade? Has he ever been in it? My thought are just that he is too big to deal with. Could be wrong though. Atleast Alice was there to represent the Snuffleupagus population.

 

[minor muppetz]

I feel like I am 96 percent sure that Caroll Spinney did perform Big Bird. I know that he's performed Big Bird in parades before, for at least an hour, so I'm sure that he's capable of performing Big Bird non-stop for two hours, but I'm not sure if a freelance puppeteer would be able to manage to be in the Big Bird suit for that long. I'm also not sure whetehr Matt Vogel could perform Big Bird for two straight hours without getting out.

Anyone have any ideas why Snuffy wasn't in the parade? Has he ever been in it? My thought are just that he is too big to deal with. Could be wrong though. Atleast Alice was there to represent the Snuffleupagus population.

I wonder if it would be too painful to have to be inside Mr. Snuffleupagus for two straight hours. He is really big, and I'm sure he's really heavy to perform for too long.

 

[fuzzygobo]

Dang, I slept in this year, and missed the float, but at least I got to see the Super Grover balloon at the end. I do remember Jim talking with Kermit in one parade from the late 80's talking about the debut of the Kermit balloon.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

I tried to catch it but missed it, could somebody give me imformation as to what happend. I did see the Super Grover Float thow. I remember a couple of years ago where the cast was singing The good things Getting better song.

 

[jeffkjoe]

The gang sang "Put on Your Dancing Shoes."

All the humans were there except for Maria. The usual Sesame characters were there too.

I think Snuffy wasn't there just because he's too darn big for that float. Settle for Alice who's 1/2 the size. Isn't it kinda obvious, people?


Also, I'm gonna argue that it's 96 percent certain Carroll Spinney did NOT perform Big Bird. I'd bet a million that it was Matt Vogel. Carroll. even complained that as a younger puppeteer, the longest he was able to sustain the puppet over his head was 45 minutes straight in Australia. That was ONE time. The man's 71 now. The limit for being able to hold Big Bird's head, he said, is 11 minutes per stretch. I think it was Matt Vogel performing to Caroll's pre-recorded voice.

But I'm pretty sure it was Frannie and Kevin performing Zoe and Elmo based on their signature moves.