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Sesame Street Muppets and Their Computers

Like many of you, I grew up with Sesame Street on the television. Kids these days likely get Sesame Street everywhere BUT the television. We didn’t have many media options in the early ’70s.

There was only one Sesame Street segment that scared the bejesus out of me every time - like, I couldn’t stand to be in the same room when it came on. I had nightmares about it, in fact. There was this kid who talked to a broken mirror until it cracked (or something). It was a regular Sesame Street cartoon, but I couldn’t tell you much more than that (likely because it’s a repressed memory at this point).

Who could forget:

  • The Ladybug 12 at the Ladybug Picnic
  • Yep-yep-yep, uh-huh uh-huh - brrrrrrrrr-ring
  • Bert’s amazing collection of bottle caps
  • Mr. Looper… I mean: Hooper
  • C is for Cookie

Did you know that the Muppets also dabbled in the latest (and seemingly greatest) technology back in the day? They did, and thanks to the magic of YouTube, we have clips recorded for posterity. That is, until the Copyright Monster comes along with DMCA the Frog (Kermit’s long lost cousin who didn’t show up until after Cousin Oliver in the later seasons).

Cookie Monster had his Cookie Computer song:

Telly went on to be not long after his start with PCs:

Super Grover used to work in tech support, you know:

Let us not forget the great Martian Muppet computer phreak fest:

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7 Comments

I used to love sesame street! Great stuff man! Really love your blog I love reading these posts! And I miss not watching sesame street!
Thanks
Seth

Oh jeez you blogged it? It is all Guru’s fault! lol But very nice Chris, I love watching how excited people were about the old computers.

*[ OMG! I love them! ]

There’s no doubt that Sesame street is a great show for kids! As one who grew up watching the show religiously every morning, it’s very funny to look back and see the tech integration! :-)

There’s a guy on YouTube who does a very funny impersonation of some of the Sesame Street characters for various pranks, including prank calls. Check him out, his name is Edbassmaster. :-)

Cheers,
Curran

This explains so much! Cookies all over the web, mysterious computer activity when I’m away, the vagueness of tech support… It’s all here! Running around screaming at the top of your lungs is a far older solution than I thought!

After all this time I’m disappointed that computers still can’t make cookies out of thin air. I remember those days when computers didn’t have mice. The grover video reminds me of the Microsoft tech support who can’t speak English very well and are from a different country because they have about the same level of usefulness.

Lyle Christiansen

January 30th, 2009
at 6:54pm

I would like permission from Sesame Street
producers to enter my home video in the funniest Home Videos competition. My son
is very good as a puppet master with Grover
and his wife has put together a video which
uses some short segments of your muppets
for the ending effects.. I would like you to send
me your permission on paper so that I can
send it in with the video to Funniest Home
Video.
Thank You !

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