# Children of the 70s . . . what do you remember from Sesame Street? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 6, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498 "2003-03-06T15:07:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/81 "2003-03-07T17:35:42Z")
It’s positively ‘Shirley.’ Of course it doesn’t make sense. That’s comedy! Even at 5 I found it hilariously ludicrous that the new concept of “cooperation” was almost named “Shirley” instead. “Let’s call it Cooperation” “No, let’s call it Sharing” Not funny. In fact it’s downright rude. Also, it wasn’t teaching “sharing.” It showed how two creatures worked together for a common goal…or cooperated. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/82 "2003-03-07T18:37:12Z")
I had a record of The Monsters of Sesame Street that had the coolest songs… ---
**Author:** ![goonhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@goonhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goonhead)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/83 "2003-03-07T19:04:06Z")
I saw a Sesame Street recently where they played this old, obscure clip of two little girls playing with dolls in a dollhouse, and the cat comes in and starts knocking stuff over. What a trip. I remember Roosevelt Franklin, and wonder why his stuff’s not shown anymore. He was also in a skit where he led an alphabet cheer, of sorts “A B C now what comes next?” and all the other school kid muppets would answer “D!” My favorites were the Muppet News Flash skits, particularly one where Kermit interviews the Pied Piper of Hamlin, a beatnik who exclaims “hey man, you’re a frog, farrrr out!” when they first meet. “These mice are gonna hear my music and they gonna dig it” says the Piper. I also liked all the Bert/Ernie skits, such as the ones where Bert’s trying to get some sleep but Ernie keeps waking him up in all sorts of ways. There’s also a classic where Ernie paints Bert’s face, but adds a beard, glasses, and long hair. Knock knock. Who’s there? Dionne. Dionne who? D on YOU! A hahahahaha! ---
**Author:** ![Morrison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Morrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrison)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/84 "2003-03-07T19:11:34Z")
“A loaf of bread, a container of milk and a stick of butta. A loaf of bread, a container of milk and a stick of butta…” I’m 30 and these are the things that still go through my head after all these years! ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/85 "2003-03-07T19:21:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by goonhead \* > \*\*I saw a Sesame Street recently where they played this old, obscure clip of two little girls playing with dolls in a dollhouse, and the cat comes in and starts knocking stuff over. What a trip. > \*\* _What’s. . . that . . . Small pitter pat? One! Two! Two kitty cats! Two kitty cats went on a spree then settled down and had . . . some . . . teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeea!_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/86 "2003-03-07T19:43:31Z")
Kermit and cute little girl reciting the ABC’s : Girl: A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-Cookie Monster! Kermit: What? Cookie Monster isn’t a letter! It goes A-b-c-d-e-f-g-h-i-j-k-… Girl: COOKIE MONSTER!!! teehehehehehehehehee! After a while of trying to get through the alphabet with the girl injecting Cookie Monster from time to time… Kermit: That’s it. I’m leaving Kermit walks off. Girl (sadly): I love you… Kermit comes back: Awww, I love you too. That used to crack me up because it was unrehearsed (I think) and they had a graphic for each letter, and when the girl yelled Cookie Monster they put a picture of CM up there instead. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/87 "2003-03-07T20:03:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by goonhead \* > **I also liked all the Bert/Ernie skits, such as the ones where Bert’s trying to get some sleep but Ernie keeps waking him up in all sorts of ways. There’s also a classic where Ernie paints Bert’s face, but adds a beard, glasses, and long hair.** I was just listening to “Dance Myself to Sleep” and I about died laughing. I’d forgotten how damned funny it was. The best part was Bert complaining in the background. [Read the lyrics & comments here](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/opalcat/dance-myself-to-sleep.html) ---
**Author:** ![\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b2d939/32.png) [@\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/88 "2003-03-07T20:07:53Z")
Oh, I love the memories!!! SS has a special place in my heart! I watched it every day. What a wonderful concept Jim Henson had. Color was not an issue. Language was not either. I remember Big Bird not understanding Mr. Hooper’s death ☹ I loved grover’s hyper-ness, Oscar’s grumpiness. It all seemed ok and accepted. I have a cassette tape with my son singing the theme song… he was 2 (in 1988) I was so thrilled he grew up on what I did. It was fun to learn I liked Electric Company too. I liked the 2 faces whispering parts of words to create a full word. Ahhh, memories 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/89 "2003-03-07T21:12:57Z")
I was so sad when I had my own son and was all excited to show him Sesame Street… when he got to the right age, I turned it on… and stared in horror at the pathetic piece of crap it has become. ---
**Author:** ![Alma\_Tender\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Alma\_Tender\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma_Tender_Love)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/90 "2003-03-07T22:22:54Z")
- Rubber Duckie, you’re the one, You make bathtime lots of fun, Rubber Duckie, I’m awfully fond of you; (woh woh, bee doh!) Rubber Duckie, joy of joys, When I squeeze you, you make noise! Rubber Duckie, you’re my very best friend, it’s true! (doo doo doo doooo, doo doo) CHORUS: Every day when I Make my way to the tubby I find a little fella who’s Cute and yellow and chubby (rub-a-dub-a-dubby!) Rubber Duckie, you’re so fine And I’m lucky that you’re mine Rubber duckie, I’m awfully fond of you. (repeat chorus) Rubber Duckie, you’re so fine And I’m lucky that you’re mine Rubber duckie, I’m awfully fond of - Rubber duckie, I’d like a whole pond of - Rubber duckie I’m awfully fond of you! (doo doo, be doo.) - 😃 ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/91 "2003-03-07T22:42:34Z")
Hey! Does anyone remember this song, sung by Susan, on the Sesame Street album (though I never saw it sung on the show)? \*Someday, little children someday soon (someday soon) there’s gonna be a lotta people, yeah and they’ll be livin’ on the moon (livin’ on the moon) . . . \* It was really groovy. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/92 "2003-03-07T23:23:22Z")
does anyone remember the family of insects who lived in a matchbox on the window sill? they had some issues with each other. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/93 "2003-03-08T13:16:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Carnage \* > \*\*It’s positively ‘Shirley.’ > \*\* That’s positively not what I heard on Sesame Street between approximately 1969-1973. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Of course it doesn’t make sense. That’s comedy! Even at 5 I found it hilariously ludicrous that the new concept of “cooperation” was almost named “Shirley” instead. > \*\* Of course Sesame Street always used humor to teach lessons, but the learning came first. New concept, two names. > [@](#): > > \*\* > “Let’s call it Cooperation” “No, let’s call it Sharing” Not funny. In fact it’s downright rude. > \*\* Well, B.E. (Before Elmo) Sesame Street was somewhat ruder. But it wasn’t said in a rude way. And in that case wouldn’t it have been even funnier to make it:"Let’s call it …‘Cucamunga’! No, let’s call it ‘Shirley!’"HA HA HA HA HA HA…funny, no? No. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Also, it wasn’t teaching “sharing.” It showed how two creatures worked together for a common goal…or cooperated. \*\* And how two creatures SHARED their abilities to reach that common goal. Shirly Temple, Shirley Winters, Shirley Jones et. al. never entered into it. Barring a cite from some official or at least knowlegeable source I am going to remain convinced that I am correct and you guys are misremembering, or are correctly remembering what you heard incorrectly. The only other possibility I can think of is that they re-made the skit at some point. I have seen two different versions of Ernie’s “Rubber Duckie” number. One has much higher production values and was probably shot years after the first one. They might have re-done the alien skit, and included the zany madcap meaningless ending because some people had heard it wrong the first time. What years did you used to watch the show **Max**? I’m guessing you are younger than me. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/94 "2003-03-08T17:09:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Carnage \* > \*\* > That used to crack me up because it was unrehearsed (I think) and they had a graphic for each letter, and when the girl yelled Cookie Monster they put a picture of CM up there instead. \*\* Those segments with Kermit and the kids were indeed unrehearsed. Ad libbed, in fact. So says _Sesame Street Unpaved_, which I got for my brother for his birthday. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/95 "2003-03-08T18:26:28Z")
I remember one of my favorite characters was Super Grover. I actually went as him for Halloween one year. I have no idea why I thought he was so cool. He just…was. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/96 "2003-03-08T18:31:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Laughing Lagomorph \* > \*\*That’s positively not what I heard on Sesame Street between approximately 1969-1973. > > Of course Sesame Street always used humor to teach lessons, but the learning came first. New concept, two names. > > Well, B.E. (Before Elmo) Sesame Street was somewhat ruder. But it wasn’t said in a rude way. And in that case wouldn’t it have been even funnier to make it:"Let’s call it …‘Cucamunga’! No, let’s call it ‘Shirley!’"HA HA HA HA HA HA…funny, no? > > No. > > And how two creatures SHARED their abilities to reach that common goal. Shirly Temple, Shirley Winters, Shirley Jones et. al. never entered into it. > > Barring a cite from some official or at least knowlegeable source I am going to remain convinced that I am correct and you guys are misremembering, or are correctly remembering what you heard incorrectly. > > The only other possibility I can think of is that they re-made the skit at some point. I have seen two different versions of Ernie’s “Rubber Duckie” number. One has much higher production values and was probably shot years after the first one. They might have re-done the alien skit, and included the zany madcap meaningless ending because some people had heard it wrong the first time. What years did you used to watch the show **Max**? I’m guessing you are younger than me. \*\* Of course the third possiblility that you could possibly be wrong doesn’t enter the picture, eh? I’m 32, grew up with Sesame Street when it was an intelligent show that didn’t always talk down to kids. When it was written with the help of Frank Oz and Jim Henson who realized the fun and importance of adding humor to a skit so everyone could enjoy it. When kids realized that picking nectarines wouldn’t be called Shirley and it was funny to think so. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/97 "2003-03-08T18:47:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Carnage \* > \*\*Of course the third possiblility that you could possibly be wrong doesn’t enter the picture, eh? > \*\* Pretty much, no.😃 > [@](#): > > \*\* > I’m 32, grew up with Sesame Street when it was an intelligent show that didn’t always talk down to kids. When it was written with the help of Frank Oz and Jim Henson who realized the fun and importance of adding humor to a skit so everyone could enjoy it. When kids realized that picking nectarines wouldn’t be called Shirley and it was funny to think so. \*\* You’re right. No one would think to call picking nectarines “Shirley”. Not even Henson and Oz. OK, you heard what you heard and I heard what I heard. Unless one of us finds a transcript or something, we each remain convinced the other is wrong. No biggie. Intelligent people disagree to this day about what happened when JFK was shot, an event of far more import. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/98 "2003-03-08T20:19:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Laughing Lagomorph \* > \*\* > OK, you heard what you heard and I heard what I heard. Unless one of us finds a transcript or something, we each remain convinced the other is wrong. No biggie. Intelligent people disagree to this day about what happened when JFK was shot, an event of far more import. \*\* Personally, I don’t think Oswald could have pulled it off without some Shirley from another shooter. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/99 "2003-03-08T20:22:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Carnage \* > \*\*Personally, I don’t think Oswald could have pulled it off without some Shirley from another shooter. \*\* 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Contrabass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Contrabass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrabass)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498/100 "2003-03-08T21:28:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Obsidian Flutterby \* > \*\*Contrabass: I was born in 82 so maybe they had gotten rid of it by the time I remember watching? Or perhaps they didn’t make as big an impression on me. I _do_ remember a little of the French though. > \*\* That’s possible; roughly a 5 year difference there so a lot could have changed. I don’t remember any French though. Who knows… Great memories regardless… This is a cool thread! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-of-the-70s-what-do-you-remember-from-sesame-street/159498.md?page=6)