Joe Hennes

The Late Movies: Saying Goodbye to Mr. Hooper

Despite being a puppet show for kids, Sesame Street has always done its best to push boundaries in the pursuit of children's education. One of the earliest examples of this was when they attempted to teach kids about death after the passing of Will Lee, the actor who portrayed Mr. Hooper. A veteran actor throughout the 1930s and '40s, Will Lee was among the blacklisted actors during the McCarthy Era. His acting career made a small resurgence in the 1960s, but he mostly made his living by teaching.... READ ON

The Number of the Day: $5.5 Million

In the early 1980s, the Children’s Television Workshop was sued for $5.5 million by the owners of the Beatles catalogue, who said the song “Letter B” (performed by the Sesame Street Beetles) was too similar to “Let It Be.” Related Fact: The suit was dropped when Michael Jackson bought the Beatles library, and songwriter Christopher Cerf only had to pay $50 in court fees [Source: ToughPigs. See previous Numbers of the Day... READ ON

10 Stars Who Started on Sesame Street

After 4,200 episodes, there's bound to be a few actors, writers, and staff members who worked on the Street before fame hit. Here are some examples, from Rudy Huxtable to Whoopi Goldberg. 1. Keshia Knight Pulliam (and other kid... READ ON

9 Muppets Kicked Off Sesame Street

In over four decades, Sesame Street has featured over 1,000 characters. Although we'll always have mainstays like Big Bird, Elmo, Bert and Ernie, many Muppets have been forgotten or deemed unnecessary. Here are a few Sesame Street residents who were evicted.... READ ON

8 Memorable Sesame Street Celebrity Cameos

Over 400 celebrities have guest starred on Sesame Street, including actors, musicians, writers, politicians and athletes. The upcoming 40th season will feature appearances by Adam Sandler, Matthew Fox, Ricky Gervais, Judah Friedlander, both Gyllenhaals, Paul Rudd and Michelle Obama. Here are a few memorable guest spots from the first 39 years. 1. James Earl Jones Scares Your Children In Sesame Street's second episode, James Earl Jones became the first celebrity guest (which was no surprise, since he... READ ON

R2-D2, GOB Bluth & Other Fictional Folks Who Stopped by Sesame Street

Hundreds of celebrities have appeared as themselves on Sesame Street, but plenty of popular fictional characters have made cameos as well. Here are some of our favorites, from R2-D2 to GOB Bluth (well, kind of). 1. C-3PO & R2-D2 Back in 1980, Big Bird saw a flying saucer touch down, but none of the adults believed him. Naturally, once their backs are turned, C-3PO and R2-D2 strolled on by. They'd come to Sesame Street to deliver a holographic message to Oscar from Lothar the Grouch. The important... READ ON

Revisiting 8 Sesame Street Rumors

Are Bert & Ernie lovers? Is Cookie Monster becoming 'Veggie Monster'? Here's a look at 8 nagging Sesame Street rumors and whether there's any truth behind them. 1. Bert & Ernie Are... READ ON

Where Are They Now? The Cast of The State

It's one of the most highly regarded sketch comedy shows in television history, but few people have seen The State, which ran on MTV from 1993 to 1995 and featured talented comedians who would go on to such successes as Reno 911, Stella, and Role Models. Fans of the show have a reason to rejoice (as well as the friends-of-fans, who've been listening to us yammer on about the greatness of The State for years) because the entire series will finally be available on DVD on July 14, 2009. In... READ ON

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