This year, Sesame Street turned 45 and so did I. To celebrate, I went this past weekend to The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens to see Sesame Street: The Parodies. It was a generous, 90-minute long compilation of clips of Sesame's version of movies, songs, and television shows. Many thanks to Craig Shemin, President of the Jim Henson Legacy and a former Jim Henson Company staff writer, for creating this awesome set of clips. (More info about Craig here.)
Here's a punch list of some of the reel's highlights:
- Lovable characters spoof game shows such as Family Food and Squeal of Fortune.
- Sesame Street Muppets joins forces with R.E.M. to sing Shiny Furry Monsters
- A grand Sesame cast spoofs a film classic, and features characters such as Only One Cannoli in Star S'mores
- Cookie works hard to solve a mystery on Twin Beaks.
- Everything is upside town on Upside Downton Abbey.
- Paul Taylor serenades Oscar the Grouch.
- Muppets pays respects to Madonna in Cereal Girl.
- Billy Idol sings with a Rebel L.
- Monsterpiece Theater features the lovable, silk smoking jacket-clad Alistair Cookie.
- Billy Joel and Marlee Maitlin sing a loving Just the Way You Are to the resistant Oscar.
- Tony Bennett celebrates a worm's trip into space by singing Slimey to the Moon.
3 Ways To Continue the Fun....
1. If you'd like more Sesame adventures, come check out the exhibition Somebody Come and Play: 45 Years of Sesame Street currently on view at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.