Strollerderby : elmo

Three Ways To Get to Sesame Street This Summer

JeanneSager — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:02:00 GMT

The pressure's on to plan the big family vacation? Two words. Sesame Street.

And Babble's telling you how to get, how to get there. We've checked in with Elmo and Abby Cadabby and come up with our list of the best bets for Sesame-style summering with your tot.

1. Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA. It's an old family standby, but the Forest of Fun at the popular theme park is all new and all Sesame. Gates opened in April, adding the country of characters to the park's traditional tour of Europe set-up. We let our pre-school tester loose in the park, and "let's ride it again!" was the phrase of the day. Topping her list were a nice and easy (for mom) Ernie and Bert adventure in the "lochs" of Scotland - it left her soaking wet and squealing with fun; and a mini roller-coaster courtesy of Super Grover that gave her a taste of the belly-dropping fun of the big coasters without the fear factor. Located near the entrance to the park, the Forest of Fun is just right - a great intro to the day, and something for them to look forward to getting back to when they're off with the rest of the family checking out the rest of the "gardens."

Why You Should Go: The price of a ticket affords a family admission to the whole park, making Busch Gardens the go-to for families with kids whose ages range. Sesame characters put on impromptu shows that get the whole family moving (no extra charge), and there's something for even the tiniest toddlers to do.

Good to Know: There are water attractions, but clothes are required on most rides, so throw some shorts on over their suits. Dining with the characters does not require advance reservations - price of food is not included in the ticket - but you need to check for specific meal times when you enter the park. A picture station with the characters is set up on site, and they will allow you to take your own pictures (just ask) or you can buy one of theirs. Take a stroller - even if your kid is busting out of it, it's not for them but for the cameras, bottles of water and stuffed animals won at the games along the way.

2. Sesame Place, Langhorne, PA. Owned by the same company that runs Busch Gardens (yes, the beer company), this is all Sesame, all summer long. Our little tester recommends you stop in for an in-theatre showing of Elmo's World, followed by a chance to climb around on stage where they can play Elmo's song on the piano and say "hello" to Dorothy.

Why You Should Go: This is the place for hard-core Sesame fans, but additions of a few extra roller-coasters also allow the older set to have their fun. The park is all Sesame, which means the crowd is all families and so is the staff's focus.

Good to Know: A two-day ticket costs the same as a one-day fee, so break up the day to make it easier on your kids (and hit the nearby outlets to save on kids clothes). Breakfast with the characters requires an advance reservation, but it gives your family a chance to be the first ones into the park - no lines, and the food isn't bad for theme park fare (even our daddy tester had a hankering for the little French toast sticks). The characters wander throughout the park during the day, so chances are you'll get to meet everyone. Again, you can take your own pictures (just ask) or buy the park's. Bring a swimsuit - there's plenty of water.

3. Sesame Street Live, a city near you. For families who are skipping the week-long or even extended weekend's vacation this year, a day trip to see a show can lift your kid's spirits, get you out of the house and save you a bundle. And if that show happens to offer them a chance to see their furry friend? That's just a bonus for mom or dad.

Why You Should Go: The show is always educational, and your tot will be in awe at the size of their favorite friends on-stage. Even kids who aren't ready to be taken to the movie theater yet are OK in a theater when the show is made for kids.

Good to Know: Regardless of where the show is being performed, there will be kiosks with Sesame goodies, so if you've opted for the show to save on the big vacation, you might want to make a deal with your kids BEFORE you go in. Whether it's "no extras today" or "you may pick out one toy," have a game plan because they're unavoidable, and plenty of kids will be brandishing their Sesame binoculars or Elmo balloons. The show does include an intermission for potty breaks, so your kids don't have to miss out Grover galumphing because they've got to go.

Image: Sager Scenes

MIchelle Obama Visits Sesame Street

SunnyChanel — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Michelle Obama apparently knows the way to Sesame Street. The first lady, while in New York, taped a public service announcement with her new pal Elmo. It was a ‘sunny day’ indeed. Obama said that the appearance was "probably the best thing I've done at the White House."

When making an address at the United Nations, Obama said, "I'm thrilled to be here but I was just at Sesame Street - I'm sorry…and I never thought I'd be on Sesame Street with Elmo and Big Bird, and I was thrilled. I'm still thrilled. I'm on a high."

The public service announcement was part of Sesame Workshop's Healthy Habits For Life initiative. In the PSA, Obama and Elmo discussed “eating right, exercising regularly and being a healthy and positive role model for children.”

Source

Hannah Montana's Gone Fruity

JeanneSager — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:16:00 GMT

I'm all for a brand using its sway with kids for good, but do we really need Hannah Montana bananas?

What about Mickey Mouse apples? High School Musical avocados?

Disney has gotten healthy to face the childhood obesity crisis head on, cutting ties with McDonald's (you'll notice there are no Disneyfied happy meals on your summer road trip this year) and slapping giant mouse ears on good, wholesome fare.

So, is it working? According to a look by the Washington Post, yes. When supermarket chain Winn-Dixie linked its bagged apples to High School Musical, sales spiked by forty-seven percent. The Disney Garden line is now appearing in eighteen of the top twenty mass and grocery retailers in the states, and sales grew seventy percent from 2007 to 2008.

I can admit I've fallen victim. My daughter needed a grab and go snack, and she saw Mickey apple slices on the shelves. She asked because they were Mickey. I bought because they were apples. With the same characters in a different aisle on sugar-packed "fruit" snacks, the real thing worked for me. We've also been known to pick up Princess soup because she begged for princesses, and my first introduction to Hannah Montana came in the supermarket when my daughter started shrieking about the pop star on her yogurt. Again, yogurt, much better than potato chips! Trust me - their branding is working on my impressionable three-year-old.

But I'm not sure how I feel about Disney selling health food to my kid. Is it better than peddling the junk? Sure. But does it have to be either or? I shy away from Sesame Street's organic pasta and breastfast offerings too, because as much as we all love Cookie Monster, he's not making me feel better about a processed box of waffles. And I'm not ready for the forecasted Mickey whole wheat chicken nuggets to replace the homemade version I make and freeze in my own kitchen.

Frankly, I'd prefer my kid make her food choices based on things like "amount of whole grains included" or "no trans-fats." I'd like to think she'd pick up an apple because we live in New York and have raised her on some of the nation's best apples, not because there's a cartoon character stamped on the flesh. Ditto avocados. They're fantastically flavorful and you can't have guacamole (yum) withouth them - so do we really need Zac Efron's mug to get them in my cart and on her plate?

Disney is such a powerful brand, I'm happy to see it inching back from the heart attack on a plate foodstuffs its traditionally backed. For parents who have had to measure just buying a requested item over the tantrum in the middle of the supermarket, it's definitely good news. Trust me, been there, heard the screeching. But I can't help wishing food would just go back to being food, no Hannah Montana, no Elmo, no Mickey. It's why I've fought the organic branding too.

Because in fifteen years, she won't be picking food because it has her favorite superhero printed on the front of the bag. She'll just have to go with her gut, and I'd like to think it's one filled with healthy choices.

Image: Washington Post

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Tina Fey Sesame Street Episode On DVD

Brett Singer — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT

It's a good thing Tina Fey seems so nice. Because otherwise people would have to hate her.

Consider: amazing career. Attractive. Insanely talented. Genuinely funny. And able to do an episode of Sesame Street with panache.

Of the few famous or semi-famous folks that I know, those who have appeared on Sesame Street list that as one of their top credentials. Even Gilbert Gottfried sounded excited about his episode, writing on his blog, "for the first time in my career, I can tell you how to get to Sesame Street!" The rest of the paragraph reads as follows: "You drive downtown during rush hour, go over the bridge, circle a few blocks without signs, park in an over priced garage and walk 11 blocks to the studio. Funny how they don’t mention that in the song." Hey, I wouldn't expect the guy to become warm and cuddly because of one encounter with Big Bird. (For many other great Sesame Street moments, including Robert DeNiro's brilliant impersonation of a cabbage, check out The Babble List: The 50 Best Sesame Street Moments.)

Tina played the leader of the Bookaneers, the pirates who love reading. Notwithstanding the fact that pirates aren't as much fun these days as they used to be, the episode was amusing and Tina (I imagine that she'd let me call her Tina, were we to meet someday) seemed to be very much into her role. It's no Sarah Palin impression, but it's still good. (Actually, Tina Fey doing her Sarah Palin impression on Sesame Street -- that I'd like to see.)

Sesame Street: Elmo and the Bookaneers will be released on DVD on April 21, 2009. List price is $14.93 but Amazon has it for $9.99. Such a deal! I haven't seen the DVD, just the segment with Tina Fey when it aired on regular TV. That's full disclosure, folks.

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Uh Oh - Elmo's Gone Green - Literally

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Uh Oh - Elmo's Gone Green - Literally

JeanneSager — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:48:00 GMT

It was bound to happen some day. Cute, loveable and very red Elmo was going to lose his red fur.

Who knew it would come at the hands of equally cute and kind of ditzy fairy Abby Cadabby? Elmo's gone green - literally - in his new DVD, and Babble got a sneak-peek at the all new Elmo and how to throw together a tele-thon Sesame Street style.

Just in time for Earth Day, Paul Rudd (they're continuing the cute theme) suits up in a giant globe costume to host the Sesame Street Earth-a-thon.With Rosita, Telly and Cookie Monster manning the phones, pledges from kids to help the earth start rolling in (and pleas for cookies start rolling out).

In true Sesame Street style, the pledges shoot the show out to spots around the globe where kids are going green in their own way, from kids who watch their glass bottles be melted down and reformed into glass knick-knacks in South Africa to Turkish tots who have an eye for reusing plastic bags.

Bringing it back to Sesame Street, Elmo and Abby make the rounds of the recycling bins and the furry red monster makes a promise to Rudd, aka. Mr. Earth to go green. Which is all fine and dandy until Abby lends her wand to the cause, leaving Elmo looking like he's switched suits with a fellow muppet with a fondness for Miss Piggy. It may not be easy being green, but Elmo fans know he'd never let a little mixed up magic get in the way.

The Sesame Street character love aside, Being Green is a movie that helps break down the big green questions for little green minds. We talk a lot about helping the Earth, but what IS it? Not a guy in a globe suit, but Rudd shows his inner goofball (can you tell this guy's a dad?) walking the muppets on a tour around himself. Songs about saving water when they brush their teeth and saving energy when they shut off the lights send home messages that little kids can make a big difference.

Out on DVD on April 7, you can put in your pre-orders now on Amazon, but if you click on the picture below, your kids have a coloring sheet to get them ready. Will they color Elmo green?

Images: Genius Products

Ricky Gervais Meets Elmo

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:30:00 GMT

I'm here to put to rest, once and for all, any doubts that Sesame Street is the best children's show of all time. This clip of The Office's Ricky Gervais being his irreverently hilarious self as he talks to Elmo is further proof that children's entertainment need not exclude parents.

In fact, this particular segment of Gervais' Sesame Street appearance is clearly more geared to adults than kids (last time I checked, "necrophilia" was not exactly a word to bring up around the kiddies), but Elmo's ability to roll with very adult humor while maintaining his irrestibly childish sweetness is what makes this video so precious.

Enjoy!--probably without the kids. While this clip only flirts with the inappropriate, you might prefer not to answer the question, "Why are they laughing?"

Photo: Buck Daddy Diaries

Morning News: Is Elmo the Economy's Next Victim?

Madeline Holler — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:30:00 GMT

Sunny days on Sesame Street just got a little dimmer. The non-profit that produces Sesame Street will layoff one-fifth of its workers in an effort to survive the tough times. That amounts to 67 of its 277 staff members.

So far no one has spotted a pink slip in Elmo's fuzzy red hand. What's that thing they were saying about those banks? Right ... he's too big to fail.

The hard-up keep getting worse off. But in a cruel twist of fate, so do the rich! The number of billionaires in the world fell by a third to 793. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett is no longer at the top of the world's richest people list; Bill Gates is back on top. The number of millionaires fell by a quarter but there's 6.7 million of them left, so, you know, that's good.

As if American life isn't 24/7 economic meltdown, now you can have even more. In the next year, you'll be seeing TV shows and plotlines borrowing from the sorrows of your neighbor's life. Should be fun! And we'll still have the wealthy smokers on Mad Men.

We'll also have our iPods -- or the newest one for only $79 and it's barely bigger than your thumbnail. Also, it annnounces the songs it's playing since you'd need a microscope were it to actually list them on a screen.

This is for all you students of Human Nature: Ted Haggard, the disgraced evangelical minister who was outed by his meth partner and paid escort, was spotted at a New York City play about evangelical culture in Colorado. Big plot point: Ted Haggard's downfall. Was that fun for him? Therapeutic? A humiliating surprise?

Photo: dealbreaker.com

When Holiday Toys Attack

Brett Singer — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:15:00 GMT

Remember the Cabbage Patch Riots of 1983? How about the Tickle Me Elmo Fiasco of 1996?

MentalFloss has helpfully provided a round-up of "5 Dangerously Popular Holiday Toys," complete with video.

At various times in our nation's history, there have been toys that capture the public's imagination. The desire for said toy becomes so intense that folks will do anything – ANYTHING – to get it for their children. They become blinded by desire, and sometimes that desire can turn to rage. Or, if not rage, the spending of far too much money on eBay.

I don't think that there is a toy out there this season that has achieved this level of frenzied consumerism, but it's possible that there is and my kids aren't into whatever it is. Anyone looking for something that they haven't been able to find? Let us know in the comments.

Anyway, here are The Toys That Once Made Parents Hearts Pound:

1. Cabbage Patch Kids (1983)
I personally never got into these dolls at all, and never understood their appeal. But I was in the minority. Stories of people spending hundreds of dollars for one of these odd-looking mushy dolls that did nothing except come with adoption papers were rampant. What I never knew was that Coleco, the company that made the dolls, created fake hospitals where the Patch Dolls were "born" in order to entice toy buyers. It worked, but a little too well – check out this video of people literally attacking store managers and other customers just to get one of what the anchorwoman calls "dumpy little dolls." Ah, good times. Bonus: 80's hairstyles.

2. Tickle Me Elmo (1996)
I've never liked Elmo. To me, he took over one third of Sesame Street and relegated show business veteran Grover to a supporting role, something I will never forgive him for. (For more about Elmo's creulty to Grover, check out this site.) Clearly little kids love the little red monster (who himself loves only his crayon and his goldfish), so toys were inevitable. But who could have predicted the craziness that ensued when Tickle Me Elmo showed up? Luckily, I didn't have kids yet or I might have been trampled trying to obtain an Elmo for my kids to tickle. Hm. Something about that sentence seems wrong.

The others are the Furby, which was an early interactive toy that I personally just found irritating; Beanie Babies, which were as much a grown-up collector thing as they were a toy for tots; and the Wii and PS3. This last one I think MentalFloss missed the boat on. Yes, the PS3 was briefly a hard to get item, but a high price, a limited amount of games and the availability of the much cheaper but still fun PS2 combined to throw a wet blanket onto consumer desire. The Wii is still tough to find; I know of two parents who are trying to get one right now. And the Wii Balance Board, or Wii Fit, is sold out everywhere. Of course, parents aren't trampling each other in an attempt to get one, they're just overpaying on eBay. That, my friends, is progress.

For some less stressful and more current gift choices, check out Babble's Ultimate Gift Guide.

Source: MentalFloss

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The 5 Best Christmas DVDs According to One Two-Year-Old

editors — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:47:00 GMT

Yes, we let our toddler watch television — the past two weeks, kind of a lot of TV. We did it for you, the readers! To save you from the horrors of a bad Christmas movie experience, our two-year-old screened all the holiday DVDs that came into the Babble office this month, which means we also screened them (and if you know a trick for getting the song “There’s Always Tomorrow” out of one’s head, please share). Here are our young tester’s five favorites, in order.

1. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Part of "Christmas Classics")
We swear our son improved his pronunciation just so he could clearly request this title in its entirety. Rankin/Bass claymation creates a bizarre, compelling world, and the message about “misfits” is a good one, even if that dentist-elf gets mighty irritating after a few viewings. One possible downside: repeat viewings may cause your child to run around pretending to be the Abomidable Snowman and yelling, “I’m gonna bite you!” Also, you know, those songs really do stick in your head like glue.

2. Elmo’s Christmas Countdown
We now have this movie memorized. There is a funny scene between Bert and Ernie and the stars of The Sopranos. And Anne Hathaway is pretty damn cute singing about Snuffy. But Ben Stiller’s sarcastic, yoga-practicing Elf is hella annoying. Not to our son, though. If he had his way, he would watch this twenty-four hours a day until Christmas, and probably beyond. Heaven help us all.

3. Gumby (Part of "The New Classics")
This time of year, there are a ton of compilation DVDs for regular old kid shows that just have “Christmas” slapped on the front of them because there’s, like, five minutes about snow. This is one of those, but it’s kind of great anyway, as there are all kinds of truly weird little holiday-esque episodes about, among other things, a witch pretending to be Santa, and the Mayflower — also a politically incorrect Pilgrims-and-Indians battle. And some jail time. Anyway, just trust us, it’s festive!

4. Snow Days: HIT Round-up Including Fireman Sam and Thomas
This is another one of those non-Christmas Christmas DVDs, but the very British Fireman Sam episode about putting out a fire on a very cold day (watch out for those falling icicles!) seemed to plug directly into our son’s back-brain. He’s been pretending to put out blanket-fires ever since. The Thomas one is a blur of Christmas trees and over-eager helping. They don’t drop the “useful” mantra for the holidays, we can tell you that. How Anglican is that show, by the way?

5. Casper’s Haunted Christmas (Part of "The New Classics")
Our tester loved this one, as it was about ghosts, which he finds fascinating. Unfortunately for him, this DVD got “lost.” The adults in the house didn’t enjoy the wise-ass humor or the insanely complex plot as much as he did. Apparently, ghosts have to deal with scare quotas, strict deadlines; a black hole of nothingness for those who don’t do their job. We’ve got enough performance anxiety in real life, thanks.

Gangsta’ Muppets: 12 of the Best Kids Show/Rap Mash-Ups

Cole Gamble — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:00:00 GMT

This totally made my day. If you need a fix of Bert and Ernie throwing down some straight up gangsta' rap, here you get it. Oh, to live in an alternate universe when Elmo smokes blunts and is packing a whistle (that's a gun in hard-boiled speak). These are a must watch.

Oh, and this ain’t safe for kids.

Get the rest here. Thanks to Unreality Mag for compiling these.

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So Who's Got 60 Bucks for an Elmo Doll?

Jen Chaney — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:03:00 GMT

As Madeline mentioned in Friday's Morning News post, a new Elmo doll will arrive in stores on Tuesday. Called Elmo Live, the electronically-powered Muppet toy is touted as the most realistic Elmo yet, one that can flap his arms and wiggle around just like the Sesame Street character. But all that realism comes at a cost. Specifically, $60, the highest price tag ever for an Elmo doll.

In case you missed it, let me repeat that: Mattel is releasing its most expensive Elmo doll ever during what is, perhaps, the worst economic crisis in American history. Forget Tickle Me Elmo. Try "Slip Me a Couple Bucks, Elmo, So I Can Afford to Buy Your Orange Ass for My Kid at Christmas."

To be fair, as the Wall Street Journal's Tech blog reports, Mattel put this product in development back in 2006, when the economic picture was far rosier. The fact that it's now ready to hit the marketplace makes for some seriously unfortunate timing for the company. Retailers are already bracing for what analysts say could be the slowest holiday season in recent years.

Of course, the power of child persuasion often works even during hard times. If enough impressionable kids see ads for Elmo Live and beg their parents for one, the doll could still wind up selling pretty well. You know, assuming their parents haven't lost their jobs or decided to bail on the holidays altogether.

As Mattel CEO Robert Eckert told the Journal: "If you look at it against other sophisticated robot toys, $60 is not a lot to ask." That may be true. The question is how many people, exactly, will be looking at sophisticated robot toys right now?

Think you'll buy Elmo Live for your kid this year if it wind up on his or her holiday wish list? Or are you hoping that, um, Santa can somehow foot the bill on this one?

NYC Parents: Come Meet Elmo & Abby Tomorrow!

editors — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:01:00 GMT

What you do with your Wednesday morning is your business. But for the record, what I'm doing is hauling my baby downtown to Barnes & Noble, where Elmo and Abby Cadabby will be promoting their fantastically silly new DVD, Abby in Wonderland. (Elmo creator and puppeter Kevin Clash directed.) My press release promises "special treats," a limited number of autographed DVDs and -- this is the part that got me -- "photo opportunities with the characters." Details after the jump! Also:keep an eye out for my audio interview with Abby Cadabby, coming soon to Babble.

Abby Cadabby & Elmo's "T" Party

Wednesday October 1st at 10 am

Barnes & Noble - 97 Warren Street, New York, NY 10007

If you see me there, please say hi! -- Gwynne Watkins

Upcoming Sesame Street Guests

Brett Singer — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:00:00 GMT

If you can't stand to watch one more episode of 'Sesame Street' that you've already seen 250 times, help is on the way!

PBS might be killing off Fred Rogers, but at least the new season of 'Street' started yesterday, with special guests Jack Black and Feist. The Feist video has already racked up 750,000 views on YouTube since being posted about a month ago. Here are some of the other celebrities who will do time with Elmo and the rest:

* Neil Patrick Harris (8.12): I'm guessing more 'Doogie Howser' than 'Harold and Kumar', but who knows.
UPDATE: Here's a video preview of Neil as - hang on - the Fairy Shoe Person. No. Really.

* Heidi Klum (8.14): According to New York Magazine, Klum's exchange with Elmo is "Sexually charged," with the E man telling Seal's wife, "Ms. Heidi is very pretty." As far as we know, Seal did not whup his little monster butt.

* Jenny McCarthy (8.15): I have a question, and don't take this the wrong way. But if Jenny hadn't become an ambassador for autism, would she be appearing on 'Sesame Street'? I'm not saying that this is part of some master plan, just wondering. I also wonder if this is the first time a former Playboy centerfold has visited the Street. (Vanessa Williams doesn't count since she didn't plan on being in Playboy. Jenny was Playmate of the Year.)

* Will Arnett (8.18): 'Arrested Development' fans rejoice! According to Mike, 'AD' even had a character named Franklin in honor of the dearly departed Roosevelt Franklin, making this an above average booking.

* Jason Taylor (8.20): After 'Dancing with the Stars', this guy is really going places.

* David Beckham (8.22): This guy, who is he again? Maybe this will be what he needs to really break through to the big time.

* LL Cool J (9.22): I hope this is old-school 'I can't live without my RADIO!' LL. I would also accept 'Elmo said knock you out!'

* Chandra Wilson (9.30): I had to look her up, but that's probably because I don't watch 'Grey's Anatomy'. Since much of the rest of the country does, I'm guessing she was a good choice.

Other future guests include new mama Jessica Alba (OH YEAH!), Molly Shannon (amusing), Patrick Warburton ('The Tick' is the greatest fake-superhero-live-action-sitcom in the history of the small screen), Feijoo Sisters (Cuban ballet dancers I'd never heard of), Jonah Hill (wearing a moustache – this seems like an odd choice but I guess he's a big deal now; I would've preferred Seth Rogen), Brian Williams (who's actually fairly amusing), Gilbert Gottfried (who's f**king hilarious but will likely not be his usually filthy self), Megan Mullally (should be fun), Randy Jackson (Gee, you think he'll say "dawg?" - yawn) and Sandra Oh (who I like, despite the fact that everyone seems to think she's ugly). New sketches too, such as "30 Rocks," "Pre-School Musical" and "Are You Smarter Than an Egg Layer."

Here's a little video to whet your appetite.

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More Kids Stuff I like that my kids don't care about

Brett Singer — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Here's some more stuff that makes my kids say, "Daa-aad!"

1. Old Sesame Street episodes: I detect a theme here. These don't show up on television anymore, but there was a series called "Sesame Street: Unpaved" that ran when my oldest son was born and I taped them. The older Sesame Street episodes have a much more improvised feel than the current version. Big Bird looks thinner and sometimes rambles like he's been imbibing something much stronger than a birdseed milkshake. Hey, it was the 70's, and they were still finding their way. You also get Roosevelt Franklin (eventually cut from the show because people thought he was a racist character) and no Elmo (see below).

2. Grover and Cookie Monster: OK, more Sesame Street, I know. But Elmo and Zoe are just not as much fun as Grover and Cookie Monster. Thing 2 actually finds Cookie Monster to be a little bit "scary", although he seems to be willing to tolerate him for my sake. And there's nothing better than a good Grover sketch.

3. Transformers – The Movie: I rented this 1986 animated big-screen version of the Robots In Disguise and we didn't even get through half an hour before Thing 1 got bored. After seeing the 2007 live action Michael Bay 'bots in theaters, he consented to give it another try and we made it all the way through, somewhat under protest. I was a fan of the cartoon, but had never seen the 1986 film, which is great. Voice talents include Leonard Nimoy (!), Casey Kasem, Scatman Crothers (!!), Judd Nelson (!!!), Eric Idle and even Orson Welles (!!!!!!) as evil and enormous Unicron (um, typecasting? Never mind). It also has the song "Dare to be Stupid" by Weird Al Yankovic, and the original 80's hair metal version of the title song, which is roughly 12 billion times better than the lame-o remake played over the ending credits in the new movie.

image: Amazon.com

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Kids Stuff I like that my kids don't care about

Brett Singer — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:00:00 GMT

One little discussed element of the entertainment industry making kiddie stuff that parents can enjoy as well is the idea that, on some occasions, the parents will like the kid stuff more than the kids. Here are a few things that are technically for my children, but I dig them more than they do.

1. Sesame Street Fever/Disco: these were both brilliant records – and they were records, the vinyl kind; as far as I know neither one has been released on CD. The first, Sesame Street Fever, featured Grover in a white John Travolta jacket on the cover, and included Bee Gee-ized versions of "C is for Cookie" (including a brief rap between Cookie Monster and Robin Gibb, who, according to the liner notes, "appears courtesy of his children - Melissa and Spencer Gibb"), and "Rubber Duckie". This was followed by the even more brilliant Sesame Disco!, which includes "Me Lost Me Cookie at the Disco" sung by "Cookie Monster and the Girls": "Me lost me cookie at the disco / Me lost me cookie in the BOO-GIE MU-SIC…" It's out of print, but you can listen to some of the tunes here, and also check out this video.

2. Born To Add: this one has had a slightly longer stay in our rotation than the Fever/Disco tunes, but I still get a "daaad" when I try to put it on in the car. Includes the Cookie Monster-as-Barry White "Me Going to Munch You, Munch You, Munch You", "(I Can't Get No) Co-Operation" by Mick Swagger and The Sesame Street Cobblestones, and the brilliant title track: "There's a lot of adders on the Jersey shore / I hear its the thing to be." (See below for video). This one is not out of print and you can buy it here.

3. Mister Rogers Neighborhood: I admit I didn't try that hard, but neither of my boys ever got into watching good ol' Fred change his shoes and venture into the Neighborhood of Make-Believe to chat with Lady Aberlin. Maybe it's just too quiet for them, but I still find it soothing.

Here are a few more.

Any kids' stuff that you like more than your children? Go ahead, leave a comment. Come on, I won't tell anyone.

image: Muppet Wiki

More Kids Stuff I like that my kids don't care about

Return of the son of stuff YUPPIE parents like

Stuff White Parents Like

Mister Frickin' Rogers

When playgrounds attack, the sequel

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Here's to the laddies who lunch

Babble Talk: Top 50 Sesame Street Vids ... Ever

The 26 Most Disturbing Kids Movies Ever

Baby Penis Album only five bucks

S&M Barbie

Hulk want puny blogger to review Hulk movie

Background TV is Bad For Kid's Attention Spans

Amy Kuras — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:36:00 GMT

Huge, huge pet peeve of mine: people who have their TVs on all the time, whether they are watching it or not. Now I am not anti-TV – I watch it, and does my older child. But I just think it's enormously impolite to have it blaring when someone has come over to see you (like two people who shall remain nameless but happen to be two males who share many of my genes and GOD FORBID they miss one second of whatever major sporting event is on, not that I am annoyed by that or anything but there is such a thing as Tivo DAMN IT). Three-quarters of all kids live in homes where the TV is always on.

Anyhoo, I think the reason it bugs me is that I just find it really distracting, not to mention the mesmerizing effect any TV, showing anything, has on both my children. While we don't let the baby watch TV per se, he's frequently in the room when his older sister is and will turn his gaze to the screen.

New research is showing that even background TV – the TV which is always on, even when just "for noise" -- can disrupta child's normal development and impact their ability to sustain attention.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts found that when children were given toys to play with while the television was on, the children played with each toy for "significantly shorter" periods of time. Focused attention during play was also shorter compared to when the TV was off.

Yikes. Time for some serious rationing around here – and taking the baby in another room when his sister does get her Elmo fix.

"1-2-3-4": Feist On Sesame Street

Amy Kuras — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:00:00 GMT

If the constant bad economic news, political scandal, parenting woes and a neverending heat wave have given a raging case of existential angst "the Mondays," I may just have an antidote for you.

Feist, indie darling and favorite of "I used to be a music snob and now I keep up through kids shows" parents like myself, is one of the many awesome musical guests scheduled to appear on Sesame Street this season. I've heard her segment will air Aug. 11, but while you set the Tivo and wait, here's a clip of her segment, a Sesame-ized version of "1-2-3-4".

If watching Feist, Elmo, Zoe, Telly and Rosita sway joyously to the "whoa-oh-oh" refrain doesn’t fail to make you smile at least a little, it may be time to up that antidepressant dose. And my three-year-old's verdict was this: "Wow."

Elmo Goes to Guantanamo Bay

Cole Gamble — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:00:00 GMT

This new Terrorist Me Elmo isn't selling so well.

Outrageous Makeover: Grover Edition

Brett Singer — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Sometimes the best satire can come from an unlikely place. This clip from Sesame Street, Outrageous Makeover Home Addition, is one of the funnier reality-show spoofs I've seen. Grover enters the house of that poor man who always seems to be the whipping boy every time Grover arrives on the scene (clumsy waiter, anyone?). He then proceeds to install and remove multiple doors, turn to the camera and say, "Are you getting the crying?", all while shouting "OUTRAGEOUS" into a megaphone every 30 seconds. According to the note on YouTube, this is Frank Oz back on Grover duty. I know Frank (he lets me call him Frank – OK, no he doesn't) wants to direct feature films, and I say more power to him. But he really is the best Grover ever; possibly even the best muppeteer now that Jim Henson is gone.

And oh yeah, it's educational too, sort of. "I just want to read 'War & Peace' in peace," says Grover's poor put-upon victim. And the kids will definitely know what the word "outrageous" means. Good stuff.

You can have your Elmo. I'll take Grover any day.

Dannielynn Can Tell You the Way to Sesame Street

Sesame Street Video: Movie edition

Sesame Street "Old School" DVD: Not For Kids?

First Day of School Propaganda from Sesame Street

It's a neighborly day here on the 'Derby

David Beckham Kicks His Balls Down Sesame Street

Babble Talk: Top 50 Sesame Street Vids ... Ever (this list and collection of clips is so great it has to be seen to be believed.)

Sesame Street Video: Movie edition

Brett Singer — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

It all began with Gwynne's fantastic article The Babble List: The 50 Best Sesame Street Moments, which inspired me to hit YouTube to find more classic Sesame clips.

First we had skits based on theater. Now, here are some equally brilliant movie parodies.

Sesame Street - Monsterpiece Theater: The Sound of Music

Notable for Cookie's unlit pipe, which was nixed after parents got upset.

Monsterpiece Theater - The 39 Stairs

Hitchcock, schmitchcock. I'll take Grover any day.

Monsterpiece Theatre - 12 Angry Men

Twelve men. All angry. Take it, Cookie.

Monsterpiece Theater - The 400 Blows

Not even Truffaut is safe.

Monsterpiece Theater - Gone With The Wind

Monsterpiece Theater: 1 Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Monsterpiece Theater: Chariots of Fur

Sesame Street Video: Theater edition

Brett Singer — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:45:00 GMT

Gwynne's fantastic article The Babble List: The 50 Best Sesame Street Moments got me looking on YouTube for more... more... more!

Here are some Monsterpiece Theater bits related to live theater. Alistair Cookie (aka Cookie Monster) practically steals every one with his comments.

Monsterpiece Theater - Waiting for Elmo

This might be the greatest thing I've ever seen. A "Waiting for Godot" parody on Sesame Street. As Alistair Cookie puts it, "A play so modern, and so brilliant, it make absolutely no sense at all to anybody."

Monsterpiece Theater - The Taming of the Shoe

"Classic play by William Shoespeare, famous podiatrist. (beat) Trust me." Featuring lines like, "Fie. I will not be tied to any foot...I walk alone."

Monsterpiece Theater - Hamlet

Includes an extra long intro where Cookie eats to the music, and slow pans across photos of Kermit and the gang.
"It don't get classier den dis." Prince Hamlet won't give Elmo a straight answer! Starring a pre-public-jew-hating Mel Gibson.

Monsterpiece Theater - Monster of Venice

Speaking of Jews, here's a Merchant of Venice parody, which thankfully does not feature anyone as Shylock. Grover takes over as the leader of a group of monsters who have not been invited to a party. Or, as Cookie puts it: "All about monsters in Venice. Guess that why not called Monster of Cleveland. Anyway, me digress."

Monsterpiece Theater - Cyranose de Bergerac

"Tonight we present big big feature -- facial feature. (snicker)"

Sesame Street - Monsterpiece Theater - The King and I

"About a king and the letter 'I'." Of course it is. This video could grow hair on Yul Brenner's head.

Coming soon -- Monsterpiece Theater, Movie Edition.

image: Muppet Wiki

Elmo's Dad Gets Sent to Iraq

Cole Gamble — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Sesame Workshop, the people behind Sesame Street, is helping military families with young children cope with the deployment, redeployment and homecoming of their mommies and daddies. Would you like to see something a little surreal this morning? How about watch a music video in which Elmo’s dad tells Elmo he’s being shipped off to Iraq?

I must be a little behind, I didn't know Elmo had a dad and that his dad knew how to really rock the goatee/track suit combo Oh, and apparently he's southern? Kidding aside, I think this is a wonderful thing Sesame Street is doing. It’s the kind of thing they were created for. The program is called Talk, Listen, Connect and if you are a family with young kids and a loved one at war, you may want to check out this kit at www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc/. There is information and advice for both the child and the parent in dealing with this difficult time.

What depresses me is that this program is still needed. The reality for military familes is that mommies and daddies go to war, they come home from war, but then they get sent back to Iraq again. It’s just tragic. Once the kid has seen the video when mommy went off to Iraq the first time, what are we supposed to do when mommy goes back to Iraq a second or third time? Show them the video again? Some day this war will end and it will be up to families, not politicians, to pick up the pieces.

Kids TV Haiku

Brett Singer — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Toddler decides that 5:30am is the time to wake up. The mind wanders. And this is the result:

Bob The Builder

Bob and Wendy have
Unrequited love which they
Express through machines

Barney

Barney, purple dino
Back to prehistoric times
Annoying weirdo

Sesame Street Part 1

One-third is Elmo
I miss Roosevelt Franklin
At least there's still Bert

Little Einsteins

Little Einsteins show
Tried to exploit DVDs
Bad idea, Mickey

Sesame Street Part 2

Alan at Hooper's
Everyone can see Snuffy
Its not the same show

Pokemon

Pokemon are odd
All they say is their own name
Pikachu is cute

Thomas The Tank Engine

Engines with faces
Perpetually worried
They should really chill

Yu Gi Oh

Something about cards
Why are they always fighting?
Parents are confused

Haiku was originally a type of Japanese poetry with a lot of specific rules, but the simplified American version is just 5 syllables/7 syllables/5 syllables. Try it, it's fun!

image: Wikipedia, and some Microsoft Word Art that I pasted on

Toy Hacking: Elmo was framed

Brett Singer — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:40:00 GMT

Much like when the Giants won the Super Bowl, I'm not really ready for the Elmo death threat story to go away. So to keep it alive a little longer, let's talk about Toy Hacking.

I have a theory: Elmo was hacked.

Toy Hacking has a long and glorious history. Good old lovable Furby went under the knife way back in 1998, and Playskool Talking Barney was hacked in 1999 (quote of the day: "you can telnet to Barney".) Instructions for breaking into toys and messing with them are all over the Interwebs (here's how to hack Furby.) Back in October of 2007, a Strollerderbyer posted this entry about the ElmoSapien, a combination of a Robosapien and every toddler's favorite red monster. And in January, there was a Toy Hacking workshop in London. And there are numerous books on the subject, including this one that features former fugitive Kevin Mitnick as an editor.

Come on, do you really think that lovable monster would ever want to kill one of his little friends? Someone clearly busted into the guy's backside, ripped out his circuitry, and replaced it with new hardware that caused him to spout hideous death threats.

Well, either that, or he just doesn’t speak all that clearly. But that's no fun.

Photo: flickr.com

Elmo Doll Makes Death Threats

Kelly Mills — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:33:00 GMT

This is a strange turn of events. After all, I imagine many talking Elmo dolls have had to listen to muttered death threats from parents weary of that cloying little giggle, that high-pitched voice with the mechanized edge. In fact, I sort of imagine the Elmo dolls sneak out at night and meet at a bar somewhere to drown their sorrows and share stories of the creepy things parents say to them when the kid leaves them wedged between the couch cushions and the parent accidentally sits on Elmo, causing Elmo to say "Elmo loves you" and the parent to say...well, stuff we can't reprint here. But clearly one Elmo has had enough, and fully lost it.

A mom is reporting that her son's Elmo Knows Your Name doll says in a sing-song voice, "Kill James." Raise your hand if that'll give you nightmares? The young owner of the doll is indeed named James, and his mother reports that when she changed the batteries in the Elmo, he began making the death threat. Mom has hidden the doll, and Fisher-Price is offering a voucher for a replacement Elmo and says it will investigate whether other dolls have been making similar threats. Because if there is an army of murderous Elmos on the loose, I really, really need to know that. Elmo knows your name, he knows where you live, he's always, always watching you...