What sketches scared you as a kid?

[Mokeystar]

WHOA!!! I'd never seen that"B" sketch w/Kermit & BDM before today.What were they thinking??

Yeah, isn't it wild to think that was shown on Sesame Street? And I remember seeing it several times, so it was in rotation for a while.
I remember the first time I saw that, I completely went out of my mind in fear.
It's great to see it again on YouTube (thanks for posting the link, Convincing John), but I still think it's freaky even to this day. However, I do think it's funny when Kermit gets blown away and he exclaims, "Ooooh!"

 

[fuzzygobo]

Dr. Fuzzy's analysis

I think this thread has produced some fascinating results. I'm amazed at the broad spectrum of things that scared us at our tender ages- various monsters, Muppets, music, cartoons, etc.

Some of the clips they broadcast still made me wonder, what were Jim and Company thinking? And considering every last clip was researched and evaluated by educators and child psychologists, and shown before test audiences, it's even more remarkable that something like the Beautiful Day clip made it on the air.

As scary as some of these clips were (and still may be), I'm grateful they had them in the show's rotation. They definitely gave Sesame Street an edge.

Two other observances: you and I could be the same age (let's say five for argument's sake) and watch the same clip at the same time. Something might freak you out that might not have any impact on me. And by the same token, something that you could watch and not even bat an eye at could give me the screaming horrors

And here's the most amazing thing of all: in spite of all the scary monsters, singing oranges, trains coming through billboards, and all the rest that gave us nightmares, we still stayed glued to Sesame Street. Even with the scary bits, we still couldn't get our fill.

People are fascinating, ain't they? This topic would make a great college thesis for somebody.

 

[CensoredAlso]

It is interesting! I definitely think it was a credit to the show that we kept coming back everyday, despite knowing we would likely be terrified at some point! As I look back now, I'm kinda grateful. In a way, SS taught you that you can't let fear keep you from the things you love. And just because something's scary, doesn't mean it's bad.

This is pure speculation, but it seems people weren't as worried about scaring kids years ago. Especially when it came to teaching important lessons. There are a few older songs from SS that kinda give me the creeps even today (though perhaps that's just me)! The Willy Wimple skits of cousre. There's a song about "Lonesome Joan", a girl who never asked for help and ended up alone and helpless in her old age (though there is a happy ending).

Even the King Midas song on Roosevelt Franklin's album. Midas was a fool who "didn't know what his wish would bring", and now he's "sad and old." Roosevelt admits feeling sorry for him, but warns the kids "He was greedy, don't be like that!" These are rather scary images.

 

[Beakerfan]

Well, (this my sound a little silly) but I was scared of the sketches done with the Weimeriners (the dogs). Mostly because I couldn't figure out how they gave the dogs human hands. Or how they found dogs with human hands.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Well, (this my sound a little silly) but I was scared of the sketches done with the Weimeriners (the dogs). Mostly because I couldn't figure out how they gave the dogs human hands. Or how they found dogs with human hands.

Lol,I love those segments though I can see why those segments creeped you out.

 

[HeyButtahfly]

Don't feel silly about being scared of the Weimeriners. I have one that's really ridiculous! I used to be scared of the sketches where Maria played Charlie Chaplin because she always had a weird look on her face and never talked. For years I was scared of Charlie Chaplin, thanks to Sesame Street. (Though, I am proud to say, I have watched a Chaplin movie or two in my young adult life!)

I was also really scared of "U Really Got A Hold On Me" because it was dark, Smokey Robinson looked scary, and it looked like the U was trying to attack Smokey.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Don't feel silly about being scared of the Weimeriners. I have one that's really ridiculous! I used to be scared of the sketches where Maria played Charlie Chaplin because she always had a weird look on her face and never talked. For years I was scared of Charlie Chaplin, thanks to Sesame Street. (Though, I am proud to say, I have watched a Chaplin movie or two in my young adult life!)

I was also really scared of "U Really Got A Hold On Me" because it was dark, Smokey Robinson looked scary, and it looked like the U was trying to attack Smokey.

I actually used to be scared of something REALLY rediculous.Those fast motion films of kids fingerpainting a boy blowing a bubble gum bubble next to a tree.I don't know why.Maybe it was all that paint on the kids that freaked me out.But yeah those freaked me out till I saw "Wet Paint" by How Now Brown Cow and the Moo Wave.

 

[wiley207]

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....

I take it you might have had some sort of fear of the Orange Gold Guy Smiley-type Anything Muppets due to your fears of the Spaceship Surprise Captain and Vincent Twice. You also mentioned that a lumberjack character mildly scared ya. I think that one was also an Orange Gold AM. Also, I think that lady with the cat you mentioned was Lady Agatha, a Fat Blue AM performed by Camille Bonora. I created a page on Muppet Wiki about her...

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Lady_Agatha

Also, Vincent Twice is featured in my "Sesame Street Horror Special: Herry Werewolf," hosting it as a "Mysterious Theater" installment.

 

[Chiiaki]

See if you can find *this* one..

Trying to face my fears...

Watched SS back when I was a kid. There was one in particular that I remember.

I believe Bert was away and Cookie Monster was spending the night at Ernie's. Cookie Monster couldn't sleep because there was a blanket thrown on the floor and to him it looked like a scary monster.

This one terrified me as a child and would send me running/screaming from the room.

Does anyone know what episode this sketch was in? Any ways I could possibly find this specific one to watch it so I can face that fear from the past? I need to see what I was seeing when I was little.

Thank you so much for your time.

 

[Drtooth]

Hmm, well from what I've heard, Mr. Rogers came across as a straight laced, mild-mannered person. But then he'd surprise you with the different things he enjoyed (or at least appreciated). He was a Python fan after all!

And so wasn't Julie "Mary poppins" Andrews.

Oh and I just watched the Beautiful Day Monster sketch. Just for my own personal taste, I don't think I would have found it that scary. Trippy and odd, yes. But not scary. Then again, I watched the clip knowing it was supposed to be scary, so perhaps that ruined it. To me, it would have been scarier if they'd gotten a close up of his mouth or something.

I dunno... I don't think it was supposed to be scarey, or people didn't register it as frightning. I always felt it was comic, myself. Especially the "Yeechhh" at the end.
A worst case scenario that would have kids going "Dear me... I'm not gonna let that happen. That Willie Whimple is a silly Person." (Cleaned it up from what an adult would say, "Holy Crap! Whadday frikkin' slob!")

Morals sometimes have to have an edge of scariness to them... that's what the Midas myth was after all, but it had a fairly happy ending... save for the bit about him having to wear the ears of a donkey.

After all, stories like that were ment to sort of frighten kids into behaving well.