when the real Big Bird appeared on SNL, the audience went wild

[grasswire]

....and when he spoke, we knew it was the real Big Bird, and there was crazy cheering and applause!

A star is born.

America adores Big Bird even more now.

[barnabas63]

1. Big Bird's real voice too!

That was awesome.

(I also thought the spoof on James Bond films was funny - "Hippopotopussy.&quot

[HopeHoops]

3. The "Octopussy" was bad enough on its own, but that's easily the worst title of them all.

[pokerfan]

25. Should have called it Octofanny!

Fanny - One of those words that could really get you in trouble since, not only does it mean two different things in American and British, but it also has very different tones. In American, it is a somewhat innocuous, almost childish word for someone's behind, ranking up there with "hiney" and "tush." In British, however, it is slang for a woman's genitals, along the lines of the American "pussy."

[HopeHoops]

36. Her ass wasn't that big, but then again, I doubt her naughty bits were either.

We just recently watched it (on LaserDisc). All I could think of is "So THAT'S how the octomom did it!"

[pokerfan]

38. But fanny doesn't mean ass to a Brit

Go to a store in London sometime and ask if they sell fanny packs.

[HopeHoops]

42. Okay. Enlighten me. What DOES it mean to a Brit? It certainly means "ass" on this side of the pond.

[pokerfan]

49. dictionary has it

1. Taboo Brit the female genitals
2. Chiefly US and Canadian the buttocks
(perhaps from Fanny, pet name from Frances)

Usage: Despite the theory that this word derives from the name `Fanny', its use in British English is still considered taboo by many people, and is likely to cause offence. In the US the word refers to the buttocks. Serious misunderstanding may therefore arise when what people in Britain know as a `bumbag' is referred to in the US as a `fanny pack'

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fanny

[HopeHoops]

50. That didn't really clarify anything. It still means "ass".

I know that "John Thomas" means a cock. I know that "naughty bits" can refer to anything that has to be covered up on a beach that isn't "clothing optional". But I don't get the "fanny" being other than "ass" thing. Do we have to get full monty here?

[pokerfan]

53. It means "ass" to us yanks

but to a Brit it refers to the female genitalia.

[HopeHoops]

56. My late grandmother referred to that part as "my butterfly".

[pokerfan]

57. sounds like an oldtimey euphemism

Anyway, my point was only that while the title sends 12-y-o boys over here into titters, to Ian Fleming, especially in the fifties, the word is simply another word for cat. For example, in the novel Goldfinger, Pussy Galore (Alotta Vagina in the Austin Powers parody) simply ran a gang of cat burglars and in Diamonds Are Forever we see pussy used to directly refer to Blofeld's Persian cat. I'm not saying the Fleming wasn't sexist because he was. He just seldom resorted to outright vulgarity.

[HopeHoops]

58. Yeah, but the lead female actually says, "I'm the Octopussy."

[pokerfan]

59. Not exactly

Octopussy: "My father became a leading authority on octopi. He loved them. His pet name for me was Octopussy."

In this case, pussy means a cat, especially a kitten.

[HopeHoops]

60. Okay, that's correct, but she did identify herself as the one. It's still a silly name.

On Edit: I just watched it again a few weeks ago on LaserDisc. I don't always get the quotes exactly right.

[pokerfan]

61. Silly perhaps, but not deliberately vulgar (nt)

[HopeHoops]

62. I don't know about that. They only reason we saw it (9th grade I believe) was the name.

Well, that and the fact that James Bond films open with shadows of naked women (NIPPLES!) and when you're in 9th grade that's a major factor. I'm pretty sure they were appealing to the juvenile male audience with that one. It worked. Frankly, it's not that bad of a movie, despite having Roger Moore in it, but it certainly isn't in league with "The Man With The Golden Gun" or "Dr. No".

[pokerfan]

63. only if you believe that nipples are vulgar

[HopeHoops]

64. No. Not now and not in 9th grade, but that was why we paid to get into the movie.

We also had to lie about our ages, but nobody checked back then.

[pokerfan]

22. It didn't sound like Big Bird to me

but then I realized I that I was remembering BB from my youth:

Voiced by
Caroll Spinney (1969–present)
Matt Vogel (ca. 1998–present)

[HopeHoops]

43. I don't know. Most text files take up a hell of a lot more space than PBS does out of the budget.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. I wonder how much of the audience grew up watching Big Bird.

[Fawke Em]

4. Everyone there who is 43 or under.

Sesame Street is six months older than me. I can keep up with its age, easily.

[marions ghost]

8. or older, with their kids

[cr8tvlde]

15. Yes...that was much of its success and brilliance...

it was intentionally multilayered as to appeal to intelligent adults and toddlers. So, in age influence and memory banks and warm feelings...it goes back to the Boomers who watched with their kids. That cameo on SNL brought this old Boomer to tears.

The original Tweeter !!!

[Indpndnt]

17. Grandparents got sucked into the Street, too.

I saw it happen, myself. Now, they're big fans, too.

[Posteritatis]

31. So everyone over or under the age of 43. Poor, left-out 43-year-olds...

[marions ghost]

35. #4 -- "43 or younger"

you're included...

[Gore1FL]

24. I am older than 43 and watched Sesame Street

I remember this like it was yesterday:

[barnabas63]

32. It started in 1969.....

So yes, those of us almost 50 remember it.

[OriginalGeek]

65. I'm 48 and Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers

and the Electric Company are some of my favorite memories.

A little later I loved a show called Zoom but my dad thought the kids were smart-asses on it and I never did figure out why. He still let me watch it though.

[Submariner]

19. These fake Big Bird worshipers are just weird

Back in the day we had REAL icons, like Buffalo Bob Emory with Howdy Doody and Clarabelle



I was in the Navy when BB was probably just a chick.

[TahitiNut]

20. You and me both. Don't forget Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring ... she's HOT!

And then there was Kukla, Fran, and Ollie .... and Soupie Sales!!

(Clarabelle was later promoted to Captain Kangaroo.)

[Freedomofspeech]

30. My favorite show...

as a kid....boy am I old.

[life long demo]

33. Don't forget Mr. Bluster

Last edited Sun Oct 7, 2012, 04:16 PM - Edit history (1)

OMG, just laughing when thinking back. And for anyone older than dirt in the Philly area there was Chief Halftown. His famous words. E sta sah soos away (Let's get started).

[Cha]

45. Howdy Doody! I'm so old I don't

remember any tv when I was younger except I Love Lucy and Boston Blackie..oh, and Milton Berle. Wrestling..that was Funny!

[Raggaemon]

5. Not just Big Bird

I believe what got lost in Mitt's pledge to end PBS was that he told the viewers he planned to fire Jim Lehrer right there on live national TV, how come nobody grabbed that to underscore Romney's fetish for firing people ?

[Hydra]

6. Sadly

Our culture has moved to worshiping corporate BS. Firing people is seen as a sign of strength, especially when it's done callously and "for the betterment of the company."

I look at the culture and people around me these days and think, "What did all of you get for selling your soul? The opportunity to be smug?"

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Mitt Romney. The job destroyer.

[Indpndnt]

18. Oh, they did. There was a lot of talk about Willard firing the moderator during the debate.

That seemed to clinch the "arrogant" image of him. It's just that Big Bird's appeal cuts across so many generations, that's what really stood out. And it's a lot easier (and more fun) to build a "Save the Bird!" internet campaign than it is to save the moderator's day job.

[Cha]

46. Especially when the moderator was

doing such a crappy job thanks to mittLies. But, Big Bird!... romney'a big mouth brought that up!

There aren't enough way to describe that kind of Severe Stupid.

[Coyotl]

21. Mitt promised not to borrow money from China in the same sentence. Now that is HUGH!

as the saying goes around here

No more spending borrowed Chinese capital. How is he planning on doing that?

Build a money wall around China, or just use the Wall of China to contain it all?

[Cha]

47. that's an awesome graphic!

Not sure I get the "not part of the 100%", though?

I think Big Bird is too big to fail and hopefully that Largeness will help take down mittLies!

[Coyotl]

48. not part of the 100%

reflect's Romney's 47% comment. He can't afford to dis ONE MORE voter, meaning he can't insult 100% of them now.

[Cha]

54. Got it!

[Quantess]

29. Yes, good point.

This is a pattern for Mitt Romney. He really does have a penchant for firing people.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

7. They fooled me with Kermit a few years ago. I wasn't too sure this was really Big Bird.

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. Big bird is awesome

[Historic NY]

11. The real Big bird was up too late....

a restrained apolitical message...just the appearence made the point.

[James48]

12. Muppets

Join Muppets for Obama:

https://www.facebook.com/MuppetsForObama

[itsrobert]

13. Big Bird must be pushing 70 about now

At least the actor that plays him.

The original is 78

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroll_Spinney

I guess there are some younger actors who play him too.

[lunatica]

14. And he stayed in character which is priceless!

SNL knew better than to change that for a cheap laugh.

[onecent]

40. YES I also noticed that and was perplexed at first then realized..."what

an outstanding move". This was great. i believe Big Bird could take the big ole liar down down down...

[glinda]

16. It was wonderful!

[Coyotl]

23. I feel like I know Big Bird, and Mitt, you are no Big Bird.

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/update-big-bird/1419930/

http://www.thedailybeast.com/videos/2012/10/07/big-bird-visits-seth-meyers-on-snl.html

[SunSeeker]

26. I had the same reaction as the audience.

No pre-school for me, my brother and I were latch-key kids. What I needed to prepare for school I learned from Big Bird in front of the TV. And Sesame Street showed learning can be fun. My mom and dad held multiple jobs to keep a roof over our heads, all I had most days was Big Bird and Sesame Street and similar programming. I developed quite an affection for Big Bird. I guess I wasn't the only one!

[Ishoutandscream2]

27. I'm one month younger than the president

So I was 8 when Sesame Street started - a little too old. Wish he had been around when I was younger!

[TrogL]

28. I knew it as soon as I saw it

I've spent hundreds of hours watching Big Bird. I know that costume down to the last feather.

I suspect a number of people have played Big Bird, but they're likely hired to get the voice and mannerisms down perfect so there's no loss in continuity.

[lalalu]

34. The Romper Room teacher

would probably get a beatdown from Romney also. Right in front of the kids. I didn't grow up watching Sesame Street. I was more of a Bozo the Clown and Captain kangaroo kid. Yet there is no doubt that Sesame Street had a big impact on later generations and especially our kids. I hope Romney never lives this down. It is just another example of his cruel streak.

[Xedniw]

37. I think that's the only interview the real Big Bird gave

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[pokerfan]

39. Bobby Moynihan gets a hug

during the closing goodbyes...

[onecent]

41. awwww tooo cool!!!! thanks for posting n/t

[cr8tvlde]

44. My niece was 5 in 1969 and her mom born in 1939 invited the neighbordhood kids in to watch the first

episode of Sesame Street. So that takes it back to FDR days influence. She watched it with them and you know she remembers with fondness.

[gvstn]

51. Privatization gave us Honey Boo Boo :(

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/page/286613_How_Privatization_of_NASAs_The

[ejpoeta]

52. I had that same reaction. I saw big bird there, and then when he started to talk

I was so excited that it was the REAL big bird!! It's so crazy because I am 40 years old. lol.

[nolabear]

55. 'twas the real Caroll Spinney. They don't let just anybody be the BB

Looked it up on assorted Muppet sites. The brilliance of it is that he said nothing political. Just reminded us how empty life would be without him.