What are they going to do when Carroll Spinney...

[Squall Leonhart]

Just a quick question that I've been wondering about the unfortunate enviable. What are they going to do when Carroll Spinney can no longer perform Big Bird? Does he have an understudy or something?

 

[ISNorden]

Just a quick question that I've been wondering about the unfortunate enviable. What are they going to do when Carroll Spinney can no longer perform Big Bird? Does he have an understudy or something?

Matt Vogel has performed Big Bird in some recent episodes; I think he is Carroll's understudy for the part, but I'm not sure. Could someone please check the facts for me?

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

I'm pretty sure this is the case. I think Matt Vogel does a good job--I can tell the difference, but barely. Nothing about the character seems wrong to me, though.

 

[Convincing John]

Yeah, about the only way I can tell between the two is that Vogel's Big Bird voice is a little lower. He also sounds (in some JTE sketches) like he has a stuffed up beak. Maybe he should take some Vicks before going on those journeys to Ernie.

Convincing John

 

[mikebennidict]

Just a quick question that I've been wondering about the unfortunate enviable. What are they going to do when Carroll Spinney can no longer perform Big Bird? Does he have an understudy or something?

Let's worry about that when the time comes.

 

[theprawncracker]

Let's worry about that when the time comes.

I think it's perfectly fine to speculate about it at least.

I'm interested in who will replace Caroll as Oscar. I wonder if Matt has an Oscar voice up his sleeve? I really think his Big Bird is a fantastic replacement. Extremely close to Caroll's.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

I think it's perfectly fine to speculate about it at least.

I agree. No offense, Mike. But every time we discuss something like this you always say that. With people like Carroll or Bob McGrath or Loretta Long phasing out of the show, (being in just a few episodes per season) it's getting close to the time. We have a right to state our opinions. We're not saying anything bad about these people or anything. We're just thinking about what might happen.

Anyway, I think Carroll might continue to work with a hand-puppet character like Oscar for a while, but he might be at the point where he doesn't want to wear the Big Bird costume anymore. After all, in most recent episodes Carroll is just looping in the voice for Big Bird. It might be just a few years before Matt takes over full-time. I would like to see him get better at the voice though. I guess Matt or someone else might take over as Oscar when Carroll Spinney is no longer available.

 

[SSLFan]

Does anyone feel that Oscar is getting more exposure than Big Bird? I mean, no offense to any Oscar fans, but Oscar is like in EVERY episode, and there seems to be alot of Oscar merchandise surfacing (at least way more than B. Bird). So MC fans, what do you think? This has been really bothering me lately, as if they had just neglected Big Bird or something.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Perhaps he's more popular with this generation of children then Big Bird is?

 

[SSLFan]

Oh gee, I hope not. Well, it's not that I don't like Oscar, but well, it just seems weird that Oscar is more popular than Big Bird! I would never expect for that to happen. I believe that SW could have the power to bring Big Bird back into the spotlight again, their just not trying. There's no excuse, if Mr. Spinney's not avalible, we still have Matt to do the job.