This Memorial Day marks 35 years since Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, passed away. Among his many accomplishments, the Muppets were essential to the creation of the longest-running children’s television show, “Sesame Street,” which has been airing for over 55 years.
In honor of the occasion, here are some fun facts about “Sesame Street”:
- Jim Henson, Big Bird, and Elmo all have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. So does Kermit the Frog, even though he technically is not a “Sesame Street” character. When the Muppets were sold to Sesame Street Productions, the agreement did not include Kermit.
- Believe it or not, Cookie Monster (who originally was developed for a snack food commercial) has a first name, which is Sid — this was revealed in a 2004 episode. Shortly thereafter, a rumor began that Cookie Monster was going to become Veggie Monster, but this was a misinterpretation of an episode where Cooke Monster revealed that he only ate cookies after first eating a healthy main meal of fruits and vegetables. He is still (fortunately) all about the cookies.
- Oscar the Grouch is a live-hand puppet, which means that one of the performer’s hands is in the puppet’s head and the other is in one of its arms, requiring another puppeteer to operate the second arm. Oscar was actually orange in the first season, only becoming green in season two. Oscar explained the change as being due to becoming covered in slime and mold while on vacation at Swamp Mushy Muddy.
- The oldest song from “Sesame Street” is the classic theme song “Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?”, which has been used in every episode since 1969. The lyrics have largely remained the same, but with calypso, jazz, pop, and even hip-hop arrangements over the years. But we have found a long-lost, compliance-based version of the song, in a special episode of the show that was called …
Oscar the Grouchy CCO
The Muppets, including Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Grover, gather on the street, with background signs showing things like “Follow the Rules!” and “Report Wrongdoing!”
Muppets: (all singing together)
Sunny day,
Compliance sweepin’ our problems away!
Follow rules that’s what’s really sweet!
Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Compliance Street!
Elmo skips forward happily.
When you see something’s wrong,
You gotta speak up very strong!
Telling someone who knows what to do can’t be beat!
That is how Elmo gets,
All the way to Compliance Street!
Elmo: Elmo loves compliance! Let’s all go see Oscar and talk about how we have all been following the rules today!
Muppets all nod and run off screen.
Next scene opens outside of Oscar’s trash can, with a big sign that reads: “Compliance Office — No Fun Allowed.” Oscar pops out of his trash can, wearing a CCO badge. Papers saying “Policy Violations” are scattered around.
Oscar: (grumbling to himself, surveying all the compliance violation papers) No one follows the rules around here. Why am I the only one who cares?!
As Oscar is shaking his head, Cookie Monster walks in, munching a cookie with crumbs falling everywhere.
Cookie Monster: (looking worried) Oscar, me think me made mistake. Me eat all the cookies in the company break room … and everyone else’s food, too. Oh, me eat all the company memos, too.
Oscar: (throwing his hands in the air) Of course you did! That’s against health and safety regulations, as well as rules against taking other people’s property, Cookie! And everyone knows our company memos are impossible to digest.
Cookie Monster: (muffled, with a mouth full of cookies) Me not know! Me just hungry!
Oscar: (groaning)Are those even your cookies?
Suddenly, the Count gleefully pops onto the screen.
Count: Ah! Ah! Ah! One! That’s ONE compliance violation!
Oscar: (ignoring the Count) Can’t anyone around here follow a single rule?!
As Oscar grumbles and shuffles through his pile of papers, Elmo bounces in, holding a bunch of toys.
Elmo: (happy, as usual) Oscar! Elmo brought all his toys to work today! Look at Elmo’s new toys!
Oscar: (ignoring the toys) Elmo, did you record a segment while talking about one of your friends?
Elmo: (bouncing up and down happily) Oh, yes! Elmo loves talking about his friends!
Oscar: Okay, but did you mention your friend’s … social security number?
Elmo: (wilting) Maybe. (sadly) Elmo doesn’t know what that means.
The Count: (popping up again) Two! TWO violations! Ah! Ah! Ah!
Oscar: (throws his arms up in despair) Will it never end?!
Suddenly, Grover enters, looking flustered, holding a big red piece of paper that says “COMPLIANCE VIOLATION” on it.
Grover: (looking worried) Oscar! Oh dear, oh dear! Why did I get this?
Oscar: (sighs deeply) Grover, I have reports that you falsified your résumé. Did you really list one of your prior positions as “Super Grover, Big, Blue Superhero?”
Grover: (backing up)Maybe. Grover was worried that otherwise his only qualification would be going to kindergarten.
Oscar: (exasperated)Grover, that’s your second write-up this week!
The Count: (delighted) Ah! Ah! Ah! That’s THREE and then FOUR! Four compliance violations! Ah! Ah! Ah!
Oscar: (groaning) Why do I even bother?! I’m surrounded by compliance disasters!
The Count grins and continues counting every mistake Oscar’s colleagues make. Oscar tries to enforce compliance, but it’s a losing battle as the team’s blunders keep piling up.
The Count: Ah! Ah! Ah! Taking office supplies to make a huge rubber duckie, Ernie! That’s FIVE! Running a gambling ring on illegal pigeon races, Burt! That’s SIX! Ah! Ah! Ah! Counting too much inventory just because you love to count …. Oh, wait, that’s me. But still … SEVEN! Seven violations!
Oscar: (frustrated) Yeah, yeah, I get it. We’re drowning in compliance failures! Why don’t you come back when you’ve got something good to count?
The Count: Failure to conduct mandatory training by the CCO! That’s EIGHT! Eight violations!
Elmo: (genuinely confused) What is training?
Cookie Monster: (still eating break room cookies) Training on cookie compliance?
Oscar: (grumpily) No, training on how to follow the rules!
The Count: (smirking) NINE! Ah, ah, ah! Failure to report suspicious cookie consumption!
Oscar: (puts his head in his hands and sinks back into his trash can) Fine! You win! Just let me live in peace. . . .
The Court grins and exits, still counting compliance failures in the distance.
The Count: TEN! Living in a trash can in violation of health and safety codes! ELEVEN! Running a corporation entirely with underage workers! TWELVE! Hiring a CCO who creates a grumpy and hostile workplace environment! THIRTEEN! Hiring a big yellow bird who never wears clothes! FOURTEEN! Failing to respond to hot-line reports by Mr. Snuffleupagus, just because he is invisible! Ah! Ah! Ah!
The Muppets look at each other, nodding earnestly.
Elmo: Oscar is sad. Elmo wants to help!
Cookie Monster: Me too! Cookie knows how to make all these compliance violations go away!
Cookie Monster dives into the pile of “Policy Violation” papers and begins to eat them all.
Big Bird: Cookie, I don’t think eating the reports makes compliance problems go away.
Elmo: (jumping up and down happily)I know, let’s have a compliance dance party!
Cookie Monster: (with last couple of papers falling out of his mouth) Me go first! Me love to sing!
Me love cookies, but me now know,
Don’t eat if rules say no, no, no!
At work, me wait even if food is sweet,
And not eat food that’s not mine to eat!
C is for Compliance, that’s good enough for me!
C is for Compliance, that’s good enough for me!
C is for Compliance, that’s good enough for me!
Ohhh, Compliance, Compliance, Compliance starts with C!
Grover swoops in wearing his “Compliance Hero” cape, flying in with his arms spread wide.
I am Super Grover, here to save the day!
Following the rules will show the way!
Report the things that go astray,
Compliance makes it all okay!
Muppets: (all)
C is for Compliance, that’s good enough for me!
C is for Compliance, that’s good enough for me!
C is for Compliance, that’s good enough for me!
Ohhh, Compliance, Compliance, Compliance starts with C!
The Count: (running in from off the screen)
Ah, ah, ah! One, two, three!
Compliance is the key, don’t you see!
Count the ways we do what’s right,
Compliance keeps the workplace shining bright!
Oscar, hearing the singing, reluctantly pokes his head back out of his “Compliance Office” trash can.
Oscar: (joining in the singing)
Oh, Grouch or not, I guess it’s clear,
Compliance helps year after year.
So if you don’t want problems galore,
Just follow the rules … (grumpily) or I’ll keep score!
Muppets: (all)
Sunny day,
Compliance sweepin’ our problems away!
Follow rules that’s what’s really sweet!
Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Compliance Street!
Song ends with the Muppets dancing and cheering while Oscar shakes his head but hums along, as the music fades.
