Just a few weeks ago we saw a cute Birdman parody with the man behind Big Bird, Caroll Spinney. If you watched that and wondered about Spinney and his life, then look no further, because a great-looking documentary is coming out soon, titled: I Am Big Bird. It’ll follow Spinney from his humble beginnings to mesmerizing children all around the world with his iconic characters. Amazingly, at age 81, he’s still playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, and plans to continue as long as he can! Check out out the trailer below. The documentary comes out May 26th. Read more…
If you’re like me, you missed that short-lived leak of House of Cards season 3 and can’t wait to see it when it releases February 27. But in the meantime, Sesame Street is here to fill the void. While the skit is mashed up with the Three Little Pigs, it’s all the little details that make “Frank Underwolf” a great parody: his class ring, knocking on the desk, and of course his asides to the audience. Just don’t be too surprised when the House of Bricks turns out to be something else. Read more…
This definitely wasn’t what I was expecting to see today: Sesame Street has put together a cute little video featuring Caroll Spinney, the Birdman. Well, the man inside the bird. Big Bird, that is. Yes, Sesame Street made a Birdman parody, and it’s quite clever, too, playing on all the elements of the film. I’m sure most kids won’t get this joke video, but that’s okay, this isn’t really for them anyway. It’s just a smart way for Sesame Street to stay in the spotlight during Oscars season. (By the time you’re reading this, maybe Birdman has won something?) Check out the video embedded below! Read more…
Cookie Monster may have already parodiedThe Lord of the Rings, but has he really confronted the temptation of the One Ring? Sir Ian McKellen joins him in a new video to help explain the word “resist.” But when McKellen shows Cookie Monster the One Ring, he doesn’t see the appeal, since he’s “not much of a jewelry guy.” But a cookie? That could easily be his precious… Read more…
Yes, after all these years, Sesame Street is doing a Star Wars parody. Perhaps not the most timely, but maybe with Episode VII on the horizon it actually works out. This parody teaches kids all about self control, but most of the jokes are aimed directly at parents. Yes, Chewbacca is a cookie named Chewy. Obviously! The dessert puns come fast and furious, my favorite being Only One Canoli. Plus, there’s a much happier end for the father-son pair of Vader and Luke, given that this is a slightly more kid-friendly setting. Check out the full video below. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 26, 2011 in Television
The talented puppeteer Caroll Spinney turns 78 years old today! Several generations know Spinney as the man behind Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch thanks to his collaboration with the talented Jim Henson. Spinney first met Henson in 1960, but sadly Spinney didn’t get Henson’s hint that he’d like to hire him. Then in 1969 the two bumped into each other at a convention and then went on to make history with Sesame Street. Read more…
If you like you sounds kawaii this Speagurumi Cute Carrying Pouch Speaker collection is for you! Each speaker retains it’s block look, thus giving a superdeformed blockhead version of Hello Kitty, Elmo from Sesame Street, Doraemon and a Mukku version of Gachapin: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Oct 5, 2009 in Television
What you’re about to watch is a pitch for a wild experiment: In 1969 television producer Joan Ganz Cooney took a crazy chance and came up with a show that would change history. Forty years later Sesame Street has educated two generations and reached every corner of the globe. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jul 29, 2009 in Japanese TV
From 1974 until 1978 NTV ran a children’s educational show called Karikyuramashin (カリキュラマシーン) which was inspired by Sesame Street in the United States. What I love about this show is that the music is quite catchy: The video above features the songs Twisted Uncle, Kya and the Awry song. Below are other video segments from the show which are now the treasured childhood memories of Gen Xers in Japan: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 7, 2009 in Star Wars
This humorous segment of one of two episodes from Sesame Street in 1980 that feature C-3PO and R2-D2 (scene 4 of episode 1396 to be exact). Other scenes featured Bob singing about the alphabet with the droids (and of course some kids to help out).
