Idea and history of creation
Big Bird, Kermit the Frog, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, and other “Sesame Street” characters are known to audiences around the world.
“Sesame Street” originated in 1969.
Joanna Ganz Cooney, a producer for the New York channel, already had experience making documentaries and talk shows on the educational channel WNDT. One day in 1966, she invited psychologist Lloyd Morrisett to dinner, who asked her if television could teach anything.
So the idea was born to create an educational children’s show through which young children could learn about the world around them, learn to count, and read. A few days after that memorable dinner, they discussed plans, and the project was launched.
The show itself didn’t premiere until three years later, during which time Joan trained at psychology centers in the United States and Canada and wrote research on child development and how television can help children from disadvantaged neighborhoods prepare for school.
Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrissette set out to provide children from disadvantaged backgrounds with educational opportunities and help prepare them for school. They had to work hard not only on the idea but also on the name.
They initially thought of calling the project “123 Avenue B” but gave up on the idea because it turned out there was a house with that address in New York City. In the end, they settled on “Sesame,” a reference to the Arabian tale of Ali Baba: the program was to be a cave with treasures of knowledge opening up to young viewers. And who better to touch a child’s heart than puppets?
At Sesame Street, toy characters taught basic norms and values and taught basic literacy, mental arithmetic, and science. The show quickly became popular with children from all walks of life – within a year, the Sesame Street characters were on the cover of the Times!
Children were learning letters and numbers, learning new words, and getting to know notes. And it was all effortless, easy, and fun. And the adults appreciated the TV show for the chance to catch their breath and do their own thing while the restless little kids were glued to the TV screen.
The kids loved the funny residents of Sesame Street. These big talking dolls were essentially children, too, and children saw them as friends.
The funny and cautionary stories that happened to the residents of Sesame Street unobtrusively explained to the kids how they could and could not behave. The musical episodes also carried helpful information, for example, about healthy food or “magic words. The small audience sang along to the merry songs and quietly absorbed the knowledge.
Teachers and psychologists confirmed the usefulness of such entertainment. But the children did not care about the educational effect of the program. Instead, the children loved the fairy tale characters and immersed themselves in their magical world with pleasure.
The characters of “Sesame Street” don’t just teach reading and writing – the program raises not all children’s issues. Characters with illnesses appear in the show, and Muppets discuss how to cope with losing loved ones, family difficulties, and stressful situations.
Children see the Muppet on the other side of the screen as a real character and realize they are not alone when faced with such a problem. In addition to puppeteers and screenwriters, “Sesame Street” is seriously worked on by psychologists and educators, explaining complex things in accessible words.
Celebrities often appear as guests, and the four first ladies of the United States have already managed to communicate with Muppets. The program made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running educational TV show that won an Emmy Award. And the intersection of West 63rd Street and Broadway in New York was officially renamed Sesame Street.
The creators of “Sesame Street” never envisioned such success – for half a century, the show has become the benchmark for combining education and entertainment. But the highest reward is the love of children, to whom the Muppets may have helped them overcome difficult situations in life.
Main characters
The main characters of the program are unique puppets. The name is formed from two words – marionette and puppet (“marionette” and “puppet”). They make people laugh, thereby making the world a better place. Behind their seeming frivolousness, there is a philosophy. No matter how weird you are, you will always find someone who will appreciate it and love you for who you are. Isn’t that a role model?
One of the most famous Muppets and recurring characters on “Sesame Street” is Kermit the Frog. He was initially conceived as a lizard – creator Jim Henson sewed him from an old coat and made his eyes out of ping-pong balls – but the image of the frog turned out to be more endearing.
The role of an announcer in “The Muppet Show,” a star on the Walk of Fame, and feature films awaited Kermit ahead – and he began his career in “Sesame Street,” where he often appeared as a typical American reporter on the streets of New York and was perhaps the most reasonable hero in the general madness.
Big Bird has also earned her own star – she can roller-skate, sing, and draw and is happy to teach it to young viewers. Her lethargy often leads to comic situations. Despite everything, Bird has many friends who are sympathetic to her shortcomings.
Bert and Ernie are real show veterans, having been on the pilot. Their episodes are usually based on a clash of interests: Bert likes to read and prefers to spend time in silence, while Ernie insists on attention. Through their example, the two friends demonstrate the importance of compromise.
Red Elmo, with a big orange nose, is an enthusiastic and friendly kid. He doesn’t know much but is eager to learn and learn about the world. Count Dracula Von Znak’s mania for counting anything and everything helps young viewers learn arithmetic.
Grumpy garbage can dweller Oscar the Grouch teaches that bad behavior and opposing yourself to society will get you nowhere.
Every child must have had a favorite Sesame Street character. For me, it was always Oscar the Grouch. So today I’m going to tell you some curious facts about him.
Ten interesting facts about Oscar the Grouch – my favorite Sesame Street resident
Oskar, the Grouch, is a furry, green, grumpy villain who lives in a garbage can and sings about how much he loves garbage. A chronic complainer, Oscar the Grouch is always ready to ruin everything. Love him or hate him. When I was a kid, he was one of my favorite Sesame Street characters.
Most, if not all of us, remember and can sing Oscar’s signature song, “I Love Trash,” from memory. But there are many things about the beloved grunt that most of us don’t know. So you’ll enjoy reading these silly facts about Oscar the Grouch.
#1. Was Oscar the Grouch always green?
Jim Henson’s original idea for Oscar the Grouch, was for him to be purple. Despite this fact, he was orange in the first season of 1969. It wasn’t until the following year that Oscar Grouch acquired his signature green color. To explain the transition from orange to green, Oscar talks in several unusual interviews about a visit to Swamp Muddy during his vacation. He says the dampness caused it to get moldy, which explains its color change.
#2. Political commentators
Oscar’s most recent visit to a political commentator was in April 2019 on Stephen Colbert’s The Tonight Show, during which they performed a duet and discussed the state of the world as it relates to politics. Colbert then slyly gets Oscar to admit that things will get better.
At the 2012 Daytime Emmy Awards, Oscar met with Anderson Cooper to help present the awards. Anderson enjoyed talking to Oscar, and Oscar sang a song about how much he hates daytime. Naturally, we all understand what’s coming. Next, Anderson reminds Oscar that his show is on in the daylight, which frustrates the grouchy Oscar even more.
#3. Pets
Over the years, Oscar has had a whole menagerie of pets, the most beloved of which was Slug Worm. We all remember Slug Worm and his impressive exploits. He was the first worm to set foot on the moon and often helped Oscar. For example, in one episode, Oscar locks himself in his jar, and Slug inserts a key into the top of the lid. Oscar had other pets: ants, goats, elephants, donkeys, skunks, pigs, a hippo, and a rhinoceros.
#4. Transportation
Most of us know from watching children’s Sesame Street that Oscar the Grouch is not always fixated on being in his garbage can. However, he could probably do that if he wants to since he has an Olympic-sized pool! Did you know that Oscar even found a way to walk?
Oscar made two holes in his trash can so he could stick his feet through them and carry himself and his trash can wherever he wanted. Of course, actor Hervé Villechaize, who plays the puppet’s legs, assisted him a little. But that’s not the only way to get Oscar to change locations. Oscar appears to have a variety of vehicles. Bruno the Trashman is one of these other forms.
Bruno is the quiet guy who unquestioningly carries Oscar in his garbage can to wherever Grouchy wants to go. While these are Oscar’s main modes of transportation, they are certainly not the only ones. In The Adventures of Elmo in Grumpy Land, Oscar has a portal in his trash can that leads directly to Grumpy Land.
Finally, in one episode of “Sesame Street,” Oscar tunnels between his trash can and the trash can in Mr. Hooper’s store. As a result, Oscar has a way out wherever there is a will. If he wants to go somewhere, he’ll get there, even if he has to dig a tunnel, open a portal, or hire a personal garbage man.
#5. Family
Oscar, the Grouch, is so grouchy that we can’t imagine he has a family, but he does. His mother, Mrs. Grauch, often drops in on him to ensure he’s still as grumpy as ever. She constantly worries that the other Sesame Street people will turn him into a lovely puppet. When she visits, Oscar sometimes mocks her by saying “please,” but to his great disgust, she washes his mouth out with vanilla ice cream when he does.
Although Granny Grauch is Oscar’s grandmother, we need to find out which side since it is never explained. Grandma’s hallmark is to capture big wet kisses on Oscar, which we all know he hates. Very little is known about Grandpa Grauch, and we have no idea whether he was married to Grandma Grauch or someone else. His puppet was created from an old Oscar puppet when he first appeared on Sesame Street.
Ernest, Oscar’s brother, lives in Chicago and knows Mr. Hooper’s brother. On one occasion, Oscar cleaned up, decorated his garbage can, and was quite cordial with Ernest. Oscar’s plan, however, failed. Ernest was just as nice in return. Neither of them could maintain civility in the long run, and soon afterward, they began to quarrel. We never realized it, but Oscar also has a sister named Bunny.
To get her upset, Mrs. Grouch called her Bunny, and she was successful. On Mother’s Day, Bunny makes a special surprise appearance on Sesame Street for Mrs. Grouch. According to Oscar, she doesn’t visit them regularly because when she does, they fight. Oscar even has a niece, although we don’t know who her parents are like some of the other characters in his family.
Irwin appears on Sesame Street in several episodes because Oscar is her babysitter. To put Irvine to sleep, you must get into a loud argument. If you want her to eat, you must put food within reach and then tell her that she cannot eat it.
#6. The girlfriend
We have no idea how Oscar the Grouch can be in a romantic relationship with anyone, but he has a girlfriend named Grundgetta. Additionally, they are the closest of friends. Like Oscar, Grundgetta owns a number of animals, including Sylvia, her worm, Itchy, a sickly poodle, and a filthy pig that she claims earned an award for being the tastiest pet.
At first, the spelling of the name was ambiguous and changed several times. Sometimes she was called Grundgetta, and sometimes Grungetta. In 1993, Applause created a plush puppet version of Grundgetta.
#7. The Signature Song
In his anthem, “I Love Trash,” Oscar sings of the scuffed-up sneakers his mother gave him as a child. Perhaps he is only saying it to please Mrs. Grauch. In older episodes of Sesame Street, we can see Oscar picking up the items he sings about in the song “I Love Trash” from his trash can. Among them was a disgusting fish wrapped in newspaper, one of his favorite pieces of trash. This signature song was written and composed by Jeff Moss specifically for Oscar.
#8. Inspiration
We discovered that the inspiration for Oscar the Grouch came from a waiter at Oscar’s Tavern in Manhattan. The waiter was exceptionally rude and unfriendly to Jim Henson and John Stone during one of their visits, which instead of offending them, amused them.
The waiter is so funny that Jim and John often visit the restaurant to see this waiter. A Bronx cab driver inspired the voice for Oscar that Carroll Spinney encountered when he needed a ride to work. The man had a severe and squeaky voice and spoke with a New York accent at the corner of his mouth. Spinney decided it was the right voice for Oscar and reproduced the cab driver’s voice as Oscar for decades to come.
#9. Love
We never thought we’d see something like this. Still, after some serious investigation, we discovered that Oscar was in love… and it wasn’t the Grundgettte. Ouch! We learned that Oscar had once been in love with the Wicked Witch of the West. It was even suggested that he was so upset by her rejection that that’s why he turned from orange to green and why he’s so grumpy. However, since the episode in question has been banned for some reason, we will probably never know for sure.
#10. National holiday
We had no idea, but Oscar inspired a national holiday for grumpy people worldwide called National Grumpy Day. Grumpy people everywhere can be as grumpy as they want on October 15, National Grumpy Day. Did you know that Big Bird and Oscar performed a duet on The Stephen Colbert Show in 2013?
They did, just in honor of Oscar and National Grumpy Day. We love Oscar the Grumpy. In the end, it doesn’t matter if you appreciate or hate him. He’s shaped generations of kids. He challenged them to understand that sometimes it’s acceptable to be a little off-kilter. Oscar taught us all that less positive feelings are normal and good, and that lesson is one we can all be reminded of.
0 Comments