The Leslie Mostly Show with Guy Smiley

[minor muppetz]

Sesame Workshop used to have a "Dead Muppet Wall" (I think it was said in an episode of Below the Frame that they no longer have that wall) with pictures of characters who were no longer being used, and I wonder if Leslie Mostly was included on the wall. It would make sense, but it was also said that not every SST Muppet no longer in use was included (I think it was said that Roosevelt Franklin wasn't there, and I would have expected him to be included). I also wonder when such a wall began (if it was started years after she disappeared from the show, then I'd be less surprised if she wasn't there). Heck, it would blow my mind to see an actual picture (as opposed to a still image) of her.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Maybe it's because of Roosevelt's controversy?

 

[minor muppetz]

Maybe it's because of Roosevelt's controversy?

His controversy may have kept him off the show for good (aside from some non-speaking background appearances, at least one of which ended up being cut), but Sesame Workshop doesn't avoid acknowledging him.

Episodes featuring him didn't cut him out on Noggin, DVD, or iTunes (and I admit, I don't know that this was never the case with Roosevelt on those formats). Sesame Workshop has put out a number of his clips online (though only two where he was a featured character). One of his segments was chosen for inclusion in 40 Years of Sunny Days. He's often talked about in books celebrating the history of the show. He tends to be included in anniversary merchandise (there was some official artwork of him for the 35th anniversary, for example). Palisades Toys planned on making a Roosevelt Franklin action figure for series 2 of the canceled Sesame Street action figure line.

And besides that, I don't think the dead Muppet wall (or was it "dead puppet wall"?) was open to the public. It was just in one of Sesame Workshop's buildings, basically a lounge. And besides that, it would have just been a picture of him. I don't think people unfamiliar with the character would look at a picture of Roosevelt and instantly think he's offensive.

I don't think that wall's around anymore (at least not as a showcase for characters no longer on the show), but it would be great to see pictures or video footage of that wall (assuming such things were allowed). Though it was said that they'd remove pictures when certain characters appeared on the show again. I know this is a topic for another thread (is there one?), but I'd still like to know who all was represented.

 

[MuppetSpot]

I heard the Dead Muppet Wall started with Hoots the Owl according to Garbiel V.

 

[minor muppetz]

The dead wall started with Hoots? Wow, that must mean it started around the early 2000s (and he came back shortly after that). I would have expected the "founding father" of the dead Muppet wall to be Professor Hastings.

 

[MuppetSpot]

The dead wall started with Hoots? Wow, that must mean it started around the early 2000s (and he came back shortly after that). I would have expected the "founding father" of the dead Muppet wall to be Professor Hastings.

Did you read the video description, the Dead Muppet Wall was a wall for characters that didn’t achieve the fame they hope for like Chicago and Merry. So it makes sense that Hoots would be the founding member.

 

[minor muppetz]

Did you read the video description, the Dead Muppet Wall was a wall for characters that didn’t achieve the fame they hope for like Chicago and Merry. So it makes sense that Hoots would be the founding member.

Yes, and if it was because they didn't achieve the fame they hoped for, then they must have had some really high standards for Hoots. He's likely a lot more popular to casual fans than Chicago or Merry. After starting out on the show around 1985, he continued to be heavily used until sometime after season 30, so a good 15 or so years (and then he started coming back every now and then a few years later), with Put Down the Duckie being a really popular song (neither Chicago or Merry had any songs that reached that songs popularity; heck, I, one of the most knowledgable hardcore fans here, can't really name a song where either was the lead singer, without checking Muppet Wiki).

 

[minor muppetz]

I'm usually against the whole "conspiracy" thing people peddle around here about why certain segments stopped airing or got a home video / online release, but there's probably a good reason why we haven't seen these released - they're boring. Why would they put up something totally flat and uninteresting when they've got a funny Grover bit to share instead?

I feel they're interesting (and not just in a "I'm so happy to finally see this rarity!!!" way), but I have a certain "no recurring character/recurring segment left behind" mindset, feeling that if the shows being celebrated, all recurring characters and recurring segments, no matter how few there were, obscure or uninteresting, should be represented (and she's a recurring character in a recurring segment, but at least that cuts down on the number of material "needed" to represent everything). I feel like an anniversary release (like 40 Years of Sunny Days) should have had at least one clip with all the recurring Muppets and recurring Muppet segments (I am a little okay with it not having certain lesser recurring film/animation inserts, and not too bothered by the lack of certain post-2002 recurring segments). And with the Old School sets, again, I feel they need clips of every recurring character and recurring segment that was there during whatever seasons are represented.

Maybe the number of recurring characters and recurring segments is a bit too large to get them all represented in one massive box set (a special that doesn't show full clips could probably get them all represented a little), and in the case of animation or film inserts there's the possibility that they might not be able to clear the segments with the animators/filmmakers/certain people involved (it would be interesting to figure out what all recurring animation/film inserts have yet to appear on a physical video format), there doesn't seem to be many issues with getting certain Muppet segments released (unless, of course, they sing a cover of a song or feature a certain celebrity guest). And I am aware that when I make these kinds of DVD wishlists that I tend to leave some recurring things out but I try my best to include 'em all.

 

[Oscarfan]

Sesame has dozens of recurring characters under their belt. If an anniversary set leaves out someone like Guy Smiley or the Martians, then yeah, that's a bit of a miss.

If a DVD set leaves out someone like Professor D. Rabbit, nobody will mind.

 

[LittleJerry92]

I'm just already looking forward to the end of 2019 when/if we get a 50th anniversary set, people will be like "This is such a great set but u guyz left out dese skitz!!!!1111!!!"

Though I do hope if we do get another set, none of the skits will have those stupid photographs that appear at the beginning of some on the 40th boxset.