# I Pit thee, E-L-M-O... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 29, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897 "2004-10-29T17:59:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/21 "2004-10-30T23:32:55Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > Yes, but is that Pledge? Old English? What? Pine-Sol, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Tio\_Gringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5e925/32.png) [@Tio\_Gringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tio_Gringo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/22 "2004-10-31T01:07:47Z")
That is the reason that very early on in my son’s lives I put sanctions on the importation of battery operated toys in the house. Besides being so annoying that you actually consider stabbing Q-TipsTM through your eardrums to drive out the noise, I firmly believe that they stifle a child’s imagination and creativity. As a result we have lots of Legos, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, etc., not to mention tons of books. Ahhh, blissful electronic silence. Now when you step on an errant Lego in bare feet… But I digress. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/23 "2004-10-31T03:06:16Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > I do appreciate that, but if I have to hear Raggedy Ann ask my daughter “Can you find my pretty flower?” (in a rather suggestive voice, I might add), I’m gonna go nuts. [Paris Hilton] “That’s so hot…” [/Paris Hilton] ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/24 "2004-10-31T21:48:10Z")
What I want to know is, why has Sesame Street played up Elmo so much in the last ten years or so, like he’s the focus of the entire show? Most of the other characters are far superior, including the vastly underrated Grover. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/25 "2004-10-31T22:04:05Z")
> [@Already in Use](#): > > What I want to know is, why has Sesame Street played up Elmo so much in the last ten years or so, like he’s the focus of the entire show? Most of the other characters are far superior, including the vastly underrated Grover. Because they needed something to focus on once Kermit left the show. Seriously. For my money, you can never have too much Cookie Monster. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/26 "2004-10-31T22:12:34Z")
Have you seen the horror that is Limbo Elmo? My 1-year-old nephew got this particular abomination for his birthday. It puts all the other Elmos that I’ve seen to shame. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/27 "2004-10-31T22:25:05Z")
> [@GillianBoardman](#): > > Does November come to Chicago earlier than the rest of the U.S.? Did I not get the memo? 😕 Perhaps **buttonjockey** accidentally sprung forward instead of falling back and oversprung? Buttonjockey, I can’t get that song out of my head either, may I have that barbeque fork when you’re done with it? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/28 "2004-10-31T23:03:58Z")
Have any of you guys heard of the OFF switch? ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/29 "2004-10-31T23:12:12Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Have any of you guys heard of the OFF switch? No good… I have a whole slew of nieces and nephews. They know where the on/off switch is. Better is slipping a small piece of paper between the battery terminal and the contact, “Oops! I guess the batteries are dead! Sorry, homes…” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/30 "2004-10-31T23:13:52Z")
Oh! And when the little ones ask, “Wassat mean ‘I’m S.O.L.’?” Refer them to mommy or daddy, and evacuate the area quickly. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/31 "2004-10-31T23:22:09Z")
Ehuh?Lwhat off switch?MMMMMI can’t hear you!O!The Elmo’s too loud! ---
**Author:** ![chattywine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@chattywine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chattywine)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/32 "2004-10-31T23:42:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Better is slipping a small piece of paper between the battery terminal and the contact Genius!! ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/33 "2004-11-01T03:54:14Z")
> [@Kat](#): > > Have you seen the horror that is Limbo Elmo? My 1-year-old nephew got this particular abomination for his birthday. It puts all the other Elmos that I’ve seen to shame. Goddess no, and may I never. > [@Gillian Boardman](#): > > Does November come to Chicago earlier than the rest of the U.S.? Did I not get the memo? Actually, 2 hours earlier than california, but an hour later to the east coast, if you wanna be nitpicky. Wile E, the fork is all yours. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/34 "2004-11-01T05:35:13Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > Better is slipping a small piece of paper between the battery terminal and the contact, “Oops! I guess the batteries are dead! Sorry, homes…” 😉 Amateur. _My_ kid knows (a) where to scrounge for fresh batteries, (b) where the battery doors on his toys are, and (c) where the Philips screwdriver is kept. The only thing that works effectively around here is a wire cutter carefully slipped into the toy’s innards… ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897/35 "2004-11-01T08:23:42Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Amateur. _My_ kid knows (a) where to scrounge for fresh batteries, (b) where the battery doors on his toys are, and (c) where the Philips screwdriver is kept. > > The only thing that works effectively around here is a wire cutter carefully slipped into the toy’s innards… Well, in my own defense I must point out that my tactics are designed only to put the rug-rats off for a brief time… IE: long enough for me to escape the situation. A permanant solution is up to the parents. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thee-e-l-m-o/271897.md?page=1)