So I remember Luxo and Luxo Jr being on Sesame Street when I was a kid. I'm sure you do too. In case you're wondering, they're the living desk lamps Pixar use in some of their short films before the feature film.
Yeah, you're with me now. You know who I'm talking about, and you remember them on Sesame Street.
I don't know about you, but I was actually a little excited when I first saw them before seeing Toy Story (I'm sure that's the first Pixar movie with them I saw. But I'm going from memory, and my memory is shocking). Not that I ever admitted that I recognised Luxo and Luxo Jr from Sesame Street. At least I hope I didn't. That would've been a serious blow to my non existent cred in the school yard.
But it turns out that those living desk lamps aren't the only characters to appear on Sesame Street. Hell, they're not even the first.
I'm sure that this doesn't come as a surprise to most of you. Sesame Street was (still is?) a popular TV show. Even if it is aimed at toddlers. So it's no surprise that some famous characters have done cameos on the show. The fact that it's aimed at toddlers is also probably why I don't remember any of these famous cameos. Who remembers what they saw on TV as toddlers anyway. Plus these cameos were probably more for the parents forced to watch Sesame Street with their kids more than a subversive plot to get small kids to like certain pop culture icons before they're old enough to recognise these icons.
The surprising thing is who some of these famous cameos include. Apart from Luxo and Luxo Jr, Pixar's living desk lamps, guests have included C-P3O and R2-D2, Batman and Superman, The Wicked Witch of the West (who apparently upset a lot of people with her appearance and use of witchcraft), Richie and The Fonz, right down to Max the Magician who is actually Gob Bluth (and yes, The Final Countdown is played when Max is introduced. That's how we know it's actually Gob Bluth).
Like I've already said, I don't remember any of these famous character cameos. Although some of them were either before my time (I'm assuming that C-P3O and R2-D2 cameod around the time of a Star Wars movie release to cash in on the popularity), and Max the Magician aka Gob Bluth appeared on the street in 2008, which is well and truly after my time. But still, Sesame Street doesn't just cameo famous fictional characters.
Some of these characters come from shows that aren't even aimed at toddlers! The cameos of these characters in particular have got to be for the benefit of the ever suffering parents, or that subversive plot to brainwash small kids into liking what we like plot I mentioned earlier. Or a combination of both (there's no reason why it can't be both). I mean, the superheroes were merely used to teach the kids about things like road safety and why the letter S is cool (which are forms of brainwashing).
Actual living and breathing celebrities also frequently appear on the street. You'd think that I'd remember a couple of celebrities appearing. After all, I still very clearly remember all of the Play School presenters from when I was a kid (I can't believe I made that admission. Forget I said that, ok).
I think ever since (or shortly after I started) school, I've always thought of Sesame Street as this super uncool little kids show, even though I was slightly jealous that the kids on the street appeared to have little to no adult supervision and did whatever they wanted (and they never strayed morally, which was also another reason why I thought of it as an uncool little kids show). And I did privately think it was cool that Pixar used those parent and child desk lamps (I confess that until tonight I didn't know their names, or that they even had names). But it turns out that Sesame Street is actually quite a hip and happening place (even if everyone is dreadfully dull and completely unflawed morally).
But now enjoy some YouTube clips of some of these cameos I've mentioned, and see if you remember any of these. Or let me know if there's other famous fictional character cameos that I missed. I'd like to hear.
http://youtu.be/e9ajy13-v9c (Luxo and Luxo Jr)
http://youtu.be/qOdFrqaCKzA (C-3PO and R2-D2)
http://youtu.be/u2OAJj8llRY (Batman and Robin)
http://youtu.be/0_A863kF8cs (Superman)
http://youtu.be/weB3srg6o4c (Richie and The Fonz. I assume this clip was done for Sesame Street, as they're talking about why brushing your teeth is so important)
http://youtu.be/LsuvBrXcm0Q (Max the Magician/Gob Bluth)
Peace out,
Fox
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