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News & ArtsMonday, November 17, 2008
Homo A Fruity Blast from the Past
Posted by David Schmader on Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 10:47 AM
I seriously think seeing this video on early-'70s Sesame Street is my earliest memory.
Thank you, Sesame Street, for sharing the lesson that with the proper adornments and lighting, any old fruit can become a star.
P.S. God early Sesame Street was WEIRD. I've always thought being a young kid must feel like being on acid all the time (everything's so new, and fascinating, and trippy!), but now I wonder if that belief is the direct result of videos like these.
2
Damn...worst version of the Habanera *EVER*...even Florence Foster Jenkins might be able to do better.
3
my goodness--i recently watched all of the Electric Company from Season One on DVD--much of it is also on youtube--that shit is GENIUS! and the obvious social and environmental messages ...my, how it all holds up!
4
OMG, I totally remember that. The eyelashes!!!
I watched Sesame Street in the early 80s, like, damn near every day. There's no way it didn't affect my psychological development. And I'm grateful for it.
I watched Sesame Street in the early 80s, like, damn near every day. There's no way it didn't affect my psychological development. And I'm grateful for it.
5
Sesame Street in the early *80s* wasn't weird. Not like when it started in '69-'70 or thereabouts. Seriously. Check out the DVD that was recently put out.
7
I totally remember this from Sesame Street. Fabulous! It was amazing. Other greats are the milk movie that shows how milk gets from farm to house and the WONDERFUL "Loaf of Bread, Container of Milk, and a Stick of Butter" cartoon.
8
I was a bit of an anxious kid and liked the world to be linear...but the damn 70's would not play ball. This, the Banana Splits, Kroft Superstars, and all the rest of the 60's residue just freaked me out. That said, good to see again. Now where is my Xanax?
9
I recently watched some old clips and thought to myself, "Man, Mr. Hooper was a cranky bastard". I don't remember it at the time, but he yelled at big bird a LOT!. Of course, I'd yell at someone who couldn't remember my name either; Mr. Looper indeed. But none of that stuff would be acceptable for today's toddler viewing audience.
12
From what I've read, most of the writers back then were high on acid or dope.
God, I miss that. HR Puffenstuff, take me away!
God, I miss that. HR Puffenstuff, take me away!
13
@1:That was the first, and best thing I ever got off Napster.
When I started watching this clip, I was siezed by an unreasonable level of anxiety. Then I realized that this one always scared me as a child, and I can't figure out why. Early 70s and 80s Sesame Street was amazing. I mean, I still get all excited about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMU-wXsgy…
When I started watching this clip, I was siezed by an unreasonable level of anxiety. Then I realized that this one always scared me as a child, and I can't figure out why. Early 70s and 80s Sesame Street was amazing. I mean, I still get all excited about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMU-wXsgy…
14
You remember "John John" the little Black kid who starred in dozens of shorts with Cookie Monster & Herry Monster? Whatever happened to that kid? Hard to find info on him.
BTW @13, that crayon clip is awesome.
BTW @13, that crayon clip is awesome.
15
@11, @13: Holy crap, you mean I wasn't the only one that was freaked out by this as a child? Especially when its whole face flies off. When I watched it today, I still had this residual cringe.
16
@5
Oh, yes it was. Maybe because they were still replaying lots of their 70s material, but dude, Sesame Street was freaky and badass until at least 1984.
Oh, yes it was. Maybe because they were still replaying lots of their 70s material, but dude, Sesame Street was freaky and badass until at least 1984.
19
The thing I remember well were those odd segments of kids running around the playground or park. No dialogue, just music dub. And shot with that incredible late-60s/early-70s film look. So comforting...
21
@13: I was absolutely terrified by some talking broccoli from a song about eating healthy. It was just weird and grotesque-looking and freaked me out to the point that I still remember it, even though I couldn't have been more than 2 or 3 when I was watching all that Sesame Street.
22
I watched a whole bunch of Monsterpiece Theater clips a while ago. They're actually pretty brilliant.
23
Oh Gordon, Susan, Luis, Maria . . . . where have you all gone? I'm sure watching the early Sesame Street influenced my taste in music. Still love that funky 70s stuff.
24
Nothing on Sesame Street scared me, but *everything* on Electric Company did; it was nothing specific, watching any part of Electric Company gave me anxiety and a "bad trip" kind of experience; weird.
Question for y'all: if/when you have a kid, will you show them these old Sesame Street clips? It's so different from what kids are shown today; I'm know it shaped me. It'd be interfering with their own generational experience by bringing in stuff from the '70s, but then again maybe everyone from my generation will dig this stuff out for their kids and it will shape a whole new generation.
PS- the '70s Sesame Streets are out on DVD, and are labeled with a warning that they are intended for viewing by adults only, and may be inappropriate for today's child.
I love my generation!
Question for y'all: if/when you have a kid, will you show them these old Sesame Street clips? It's so different from what kids are shown today; I'm know it shaped me. It'd be interfering with their own generational experience by bringing in stuff from the '70s, but then again maybe everyone from my generation will dig this stuff out for their kids and it will shape a whole new generation.
PS- the '70s Sesame Streets are out on DVD, and are labeled with a warning that they are intended for viewing by adults only, and may be inappropriate for today's child.
I love my generation!
25
I only like violent video games and anti-depressant soda. Keep those freaky singing oranges the fuck away from me!
27
My favourite Sesame Street song will always be Lower Case N:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrxlnBJ4R…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrxlnBJ4R…
29
@24: I got that DVD set from Netflix and was kind of disappointed in it-- I was an early-80s SS kid, and they were mostly early-to-mid-70s clips. However, when I spawn, I sure as fuck am going to show old Sesame Street clips to my kids. Less computer animation, more songs about being an aardvark and proud.
31
@14- My mom read that John-John works as a firefighter.
I love this orange. I love old Sesame Street. Yep. I definitely watched it just about every day until I was 14, when I pared it down to every-so-often.
I love the robots-technology one, how-crayons-are-made, and the one where kittens invade a dollhouse.
And captain vegetable, and "King of 8," and Ladybugs Picnic, and and and...
I love this orange. I love old Sesame Street. Yep. I definitely watched it just about every day until I was 14, when I pared it down to every-so-often.
I love the robots-technology one, how-crayons-are-made, and the one where kittens invade a dollhouse.
And captain vegetable, and "King of 8," and Ladybugs Picnic, and and and...
33
I used to hide behind the couch when this came on. Earliest, scariest memory. What were they thinking? Rubber band face flies off graperfruit singing opera = great entertainment for kids??! That thing took like 20 years off my life!
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