Originally posted by BlueAM
Unlike most of you guys, I grew up watching Sesame Street in the late 80's and early 90's. Many of the sketches that scared me were "Muppet-only" bits.
Like most of you guys, I was afraid of the Martians, because of the noise they made, the fact that they looked like jellyfish, and the way they moved their mouths. Also, like Ryan, I was always afraid of Humpty Dumpty, because of his voice and his mouth. But these were NOTHING compared to Placido Flamingo. I did'nt like his accent, I thought that the black part on his beak was a MOUSTACHE, and you could look into his mouth when he sang!
I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE!!! i don't really remember Placido talking, but he was REALLY scary looking (opera music itself is kinda scary). that animal orchestra thing was scary too. i was never afraid of cookie monster or the count (i loved them). in fact, i wasn't afraid of any of the 'trademark' characters. here are a few of the sketches that scared in order from least to greatest...
11. some LUMBERJACK - i forgot whether he was on the american ss or not. he looked kind of like Guy Smiley with a brown mustache. he's song just kinda sounded scary.
10. WANDA - Wanda was a fairy, i real person. i just thought the telephone one was kind of weird, but not quite scary.
9. CAPTAIN VEGETABLE - the original Benny Rabbit. his permanitley closed eyes scared me. ss muppets with permenatley closed eyes usually scared me as a kid (except for sully. i used to LOVE biff and sully!).
8. LIFESTYLES OF THE BIG & LITTLE- i remember 2 of them, one that started out with a purple background with that host (i think it's Robin Bleach or something). The scary part was that giant. The other one didn't send me to my room like the first one, but it made me KIND OF uncomfortable because of the talking pencil with the freaky mustache.
7. CAVEMAN DAYS - Okay, i used to love Ernie & Bert. i HAD TO if i loved Sesame Street! but them in Caveman Days was scary. it wasnt them being cavemen but the part with the dinosaur and that purple girl with Don Music's hair screaming was freaky.
6. SCHOOL IN THE AFTERNOON - All I was afraid of was that teacher with the HUGE mouth that made Steven Tyler look like Cher!!! The intro with the blimp was KIND OF scary, just a bit though.
5. UP AND DOWN - Let's face it, Placido Flamingo was scary. he had the freaky black part on his beak (but now i know that if he didn't have that black mark, he wouldn't be a flamingo!). The song was kind of scary because of him and seeing him go up and down the stairs, but at least Ernie was in it. He made it less scary.
4. This one is blurry, i remember placido on the street. he was with some kids, i think. i read a jim henson book from my school library with a picture of him with a honker (made me laugh that the honker's name is Homer). that kind of made it less blurry and then i knew it wasn't just a dream of me watching sesame street.
3. Animal Orchestra - this was a scary one. not just placido but how the pigs were hitting there chin on the little-wall thing they were behind. i saw it again when i was 9 after watching arthur and it caught me off guard. now i'm DYING to see it again, cuz Placido's not scary to me anyone. if someone asks me if i'm into opera, i'd say "No but that Placido Flamingo from Sesame Street is awesome." well maybe not. they'll think i need help...
2. Vincent Twice - how could you not think it was scary. HE WAS BASED ON HORROR-STORY-TELLER FROM A HORROR TV SHOW!!! the intro was freaky with the stained glass-like picture lady standing next to a grave dressed like she just came home from a funeral! then it goes into the grave and shows Vincent STARING AT A CANDLE (scary deluxe) with a thunderstorm going on outside. the story that scared me the most was one with a cat who got into this ladies hat (cat in the hat, lol) and she puts the hat on and the cat goes nuts and she screams her head off (NOT literally though). scary.
1. THIS is the sketch that scared me the most.........SPACESHIP SURPPRRRIIIIIIISSSSSSSE!!!!!!!!!!! this one dude says "Captain" and the captain screams "YES!!!!" he sounded like the lead singer of Boston after have 50 cups of coffee! he would ask the Captain some questions and the captain says "Cuz we loove..." then he hides for a few seconds then pops up and screams "SURPRISES". When they land on the planet they find a letter (usually a letter combo like QU, CH, SH, TH, etc) and in the end, they do a weird dance....I have memories of it coming on and running up into my room and putting my ear on the floor to see if it was over!!!!! IT WAS SCARY!!!! WHAT IDIOT CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF THAT...oh wait, henson, SORRY! JIM YOU AREN'T AN IDIOT, I LOVE YOU!!!! father son holy spirit amen....