Ellen On Sesame Street: Celebrating 40 Years of Feathers, Fur, and Fun!
The scene opens up in New York City, and Ellen is seen trying to flag a cab. She tells the viewer she's going to Sesame Street. When she finally gets a cab, the cab driver turns out to be lovable Grover, who is filling in for his friend Big Tony. When Ellen asks him to take her to Sesame Street, Grover asks the question that has been asked for decades "Can You Tell Me How To Get To Sesame Street?"
The Sesame Street Theme follows, with a similar montage like the 20th Anniversary special had.
Ellen arrives on the street, and as she is getting out of the car, Fat Blue gets in(not realzing who's driving). He asks the driver to take him to Charlie's Resturant, and Grover says "No problem, Sir!" Fat Blue realizes it Grover, and passes out in the back seat of the car!
Ellen walks by the stoop and sees Bob reading a book to Big Bird and the kids. She greets them, and Ellen asks Bob if he could sing that "special song." This leads Bob into singing "The People in Your Neigborhood." In the process, we meet all of Sesame Street's other residents: the bird(Big Bird), the monsters(Elmo, Zoe, Telly, Rosita, Cookie), the fairy(Abby), the bear(Baby Bear), the Count(Count Von Count), the grouch(Oscar), and the humans.
After that lovely song and dance, Ellen hears some arguing by the Fix-It Shop. She walks over to Bert, Ernie, Maria, and Luis. Ernie explains that Rubber duckie has lost his squeak, and he thinks Bert had broke him. Bert denies doing so. The two go on babbling, and Ellen breaks up the argument, explaing to them they've been friends waaay too long, and how they should not something like a Rubber duckie come between their friendship. Of course Ernie jokes saying"Just a Rubber Duckie. This is not
just a Rubber Duckie. This thing is over 40 years old!"
Ellen says"Right...." Maria and Luis end up fixing Rubber Duckie and Ernie lets out a big squeak from his duckie friend. He then reminences the first time he played with his duckie, which leads to a flashback of the very first version of "Rubber Duckie."
After the song fades out, Ellen is seen on the stoop with Joan Ganz Cooney. Elmo and the kids run past, as they are playing tag. Ellen asks Ms. Cooney about how it feels being part of this legendary show, and how it's changed the lives of many others. Ellen asks(referring to the Rubber Duckie clip) if (jokingly) it had ever even crossed her mind that the Rubber Duckie song would have crossed into the charts! They then talk about Jim Henson and what a brilliant man he was, and how Ms. Cooney predicts Sesame will be on for another 40 years. The scene then fades out.
We go back to the main street scene, where Prarrie Dawn is seen preparing another pageant with Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, and Herry. "Just like old times," Herry jokes. A rehersal is called upon by the director, as they reherse for the pageant which about Sesame Street and all it's wonderful people. Everything goes smoothly, until Cookie Monster gets hungry and begins eating the set! Prarrie puts her head down on her piano in emberassment.
Meanwhile, Ellen is walking down the street into Big Bird's nest, where he, Elmo, and the birdketeers are seen getting ready for a meeting. Ellen asks if she could play with them, and Big Bird glady says yes. During the end of the meeting, Elmo and the other birdketeers present Big Bird with a photo they drew of him, saying how much they appreciate him for all he's done. Big Bird accepts the picture, and thanks his friends in a song(which features a montage of clips of Big Bird). This leads to a commercial break.
Returning from commercial break, we look at clips of many celebs saying Happy Birthday to Sesame Street, such as Will Smith, Mike Myers, Whoopi Goldberg, and Kelly Ripa.
Ellen is seen leaving the nest area and wonders by Oscar's trash can. She knocks to see if anyone is home, and soon finds courage enough to open Oscar's lid. Just as she opens at, Fluffy sprays her down with water! Oscar(who is out of his can) then walks by and laughs"heh-heh-heh, that'll teach you to go near my can!"
In Hooper's store, Alan, Zoe, Telly, and Rosita are having a snack. Zoe then has the bright idea of them to play a game of "One of These Things," using the food. Just as they are getting ready to play, a celebrity guest(any ideas who it should be?) joins them. "What fun that was!" remarks Rosita.
As that scene fades out, we hear gameshow music, and that means that it's time for "Beat the Time!" with America's favorite Gameshow host Guy Smiley. The contestant today is(celebrity name). (Name) must find 3 things that start with the letter S, before the time runs out. Among the things(name)finds, one of them turns out to be Slimey, Oscar's pet worm. "Thank you for joining us on another edition of Beat the Time!" cheers Guy Smiley.
As Ellen is finishing drying off, she hears a piano playing in the arbor area. She then comes across Elmo and Big Bird, who are getting ready to sing a song. Ellen asks if she could join them, and they gradually say yes. They(of course) sing "Elmo's Song." This leads to another commercial break.
Back again, Ellen is seen with the kids on the tire swing. She says that making Sesame Street wasn't just "peaches and cream." It took alot of people, time, and hard work to make the show your watching. A clip is shown from one of the original pitch reels(the one where the one muppet says"...well why don't we call the show"Hey Stupid!"). Ellen then shows us a tape of how a scene is filmed and all the other behind the scenes facts(of course appropreiate enough for kids to see and not too much to ruin their imagination of the muppets being real or not.)
We go back to the main street story, where Prarrie is seen trying to get things in order. They start back up rehearsal by Cookie, Grover, and Herry singing
Fuzzy and Blue(which leads to the original clip). As they finish, Prarrie remarkably says that "Something is missing, but I can't quite put my finger on it." This leads to a short musical number about what is missing(called
Something's Missing). Ernie thinks it's more costumes, Bert thinks it more props, Cookie thinks it's more Cookies, and Grover thinks it more "cute adorable monsters." Herry then suggests they need more people. Prarrie says "That's It! More people, that is excatly what we need!" Prarrie then gives Herry a kiss on the cheek.
A skit follows in which Larry King is seen reporting. He says "In other news, Sesame Street is in need for more members for it's pageant honoring 40 years of feathears,...fur,...and fun." Prarrie is also seen pleading that someone comes fourth. Not long after, a whole line of people are seen trying to audition for the pageant.
Meanwhile, our friend Ellen is seen inisde Gordon and Susan's home, where she interviews real life actors Roscoe Orman and Loretta Long. They talk about their experiences on the show and how it has affected their lives.
As this scene fades out, Big Bird appears onscreen saying, "Come on Everybody! Let's Sing!" This leads to a celebrity version of
Sing, with muppet appearences by some of the Sesame Street characters.
A commercial break follows.
We come back once again, where Ellen is sitting on the stairs eating an ice cream cone. Big Bird then comes by, bringing a postcard he got from his cousin Aberlardo, who lives in Mexico. He asks Ellen to read the letter, which she does. It basically states that he wants to wish Sesame Street a happy birthday and all. Big Bird tells Ellen thanks as he goes off to show the postcard to Alan.
Ellen tells the viewer that Sesame Street is not only seen in the U.S., but all over the world. She names some of the many countries who have Sesame Streets, such as Sesamstrasse in Germany, Takalani Sesame in South Africa, and Ulitza Sezam in Russia. This leads to characthers from all the other countries singing "Celebration", ending with them wishing Sesame Street A Happy Wonderful 40 Years on tv.
Meanwhile, auditions are being held in the garage, and they have it arranged in sort of an "American Idol" type of form. There are 4 judges, and the Amazing Mumford is the first up to audition. He gets a positive review from Grover, an okay from Prarrie, a "Cowabunga!" from Cookie, and a "dreadful" from....Simon Cowell himself! We then hear a crowd(Oscar, Grungetta, and the grouches to be exact) boo Simon away and throw paper, a rotten apple, and a rotten bannana at him!
Next comes their longtime friend Savion, of whom none of the Sesame cast has seen in awhile. Prarrie, Grover, and Cookie greet him with a BIG hug. He then performs a tap dancing bit. Soon after, Savion is cast to be in the pageant! The Count appears onscreen soon afterward, saying he cannot tap dance, but sure can Count! In another classic clip, the Count performs "Batty Bat."
Ellen is by Hoopers with Elmo and Zoe, when she hears loud rumbling, and at first thinks it's an earthquake! But it turns out to just be Snuffy and Alice. Big Bird explains that Snuffy and Alice are preparing for the audition by performing their "Hawiiain Hula." Ellen, Elmo, and Zoe also get into the spirit of the Hawiiain tradition of wearing grass skirts as they join Snuffy, Alice, and Big Bird for a (funny and humurous) Hawiiain dance. As the song winds down, Ellen complains that she's gotten a cramp!
Meanwhile, back in auditions, the Yip-Yip Martains perform their "Yip-Yip" opera. The give a weird but totally awsome performance. Prarrie says they're gonna blow-up! Well, I won't tell the rest since you already know how that's gonna end.
Anyway, this leads to Ernie's song
I Don't Wanna Live on the Moon.Then follows another commercial break.
Coming back, Ellen is seen in the garden, saying she needed to get away from all the "wackyness". The primise of this scene is basically Ellen explaining the popularity Sesame has had in the past four decades, from the many tv specials, movies, emmys, and stage shows, Sesame has done it all. Out of nowhere, Abby Caddaby poofs in, saying she wanted to give Ellen a hug, which they do.
Okay, now it is time for the big pageant. Everyone is in attendance on Sesame Street, and the street is all decorated for the event. Just as Prarrie is about to play her piano...she realizes she doesn't have any songs! Everyone seems shocked. Soon Ellen walks up, asking whats wrong. Elmo and Big Bird explain the whole situation. Ellen says why not just make up a song together, a song everyone can agree on. One by one, the Sesame Street cast sing a verse of the song called
The Street We Love(working title), as they talk about all the wonderful things that has happened on the street.
We then get a "still" type credit call, seeing the performer and the characther they perform. In a high glance of the set, we see the whole cast saying"Happy 40th Birthday Sesame Street!"
Oscar is by his trash can, and says"We'll, you've seen the 40th Birthday Special, now scram,hehe."
So ends the 40th Birthday Special of Sesame Street.
THE END.
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