This past Halloween I agreed to make 2 Sesame Street Martian costumes for some coworkers. Translation from Martian: "Help us! Help us! We are forced to perform lessons for children! We are astrophysics professors! Why won't anybody help us?! Apologies to my friends at the The Ridiculous Puppet Company, LLC I will most likely forget my "Muppettiquette" (portmanteau, bitches!) and use the terms "muppet", "puppet", and "frikkin' pink abomination" interchangeably. This is technically bad form, my cherished readers, and you should head over to the website of The Ridiculous Puppet Company to learn why. At least, watch their videos from The Institute for Ridiculous Science. I digress. I told my friends I would make their Martian costumes. Not the just the muppets, mind you; full-size costumes for full-size humans. The arrangement for the costumes was made about a week before Halloween, and as per usual, my procrastination burned that down to 2 days before Halloween to build the costumes. Here is my tutorial on How to Build Two Adult Sesame Street Martian Costumes at a Frantic Pace Because You Put it Off to the Last Minute: Step 1) Blow off the project for a few days. Claim to be "formulating the process" in your head. Step 2) Obtain your materials. When you realize you only have about 52 hours before the costume deadline (Halloween costumes are pointless in November), go to the local fabric store for materials. When you discover that their stock of novelty fur is decimated because Halloween, ditch them and drive over to the local fabric warehouse/outlet/wonderland that is S. R. Harris (only in Minnesota, ha). S. R. Harris has everything. Except, apparently, any muppet-appropriate faux-fur. Non-Minnesotans: It's basically this, but more organized. Step 3) Obtain your materials, for realzies. Return ashamedly to the chain fabric store and purchase whatever you can. In my case this was curly faux fur in neon pink and white (Convince yourself that making a spooky zombie Martian would be just as hilarious). Other materials you will need: matching pipe cleaners, 2" styrofoam balls (2 for each), black felt for pupils, a styrofoam ring or dome (cut in half to make 2 pieces), floral wire, black knit mesh fabric (1 yard, 60" wide), matching thread, and lots and lots of coffee. Step 4) OK, these steps are going to be a lot more vague from here on out; I'm on a time-based deadline to publish this post and I still have to upload & caption the photos! Step 5) Fold the faux-fur inside out, cut large U-shape to form the mouth. Begin worrying about how much the fur is shedding, because it's getting all over your room. Abandon all fur-free hope, ye who travel here. Step 6) Cut out the mouth shape from the black mesh. Set aside, to be repeatedly lost amidst the chaos of tools and scraps flying everywhere. Step 7) Sew the body shape. Through trial-and-error. For 4 hours. Coffee. Then serge the black mesh (where the hell did I put it?) in over the mouth-hole. You now have a creepy, screaming, gaping, lifeless shell that is still shedding pink fur everywhere. Monster construction has never been so cuddly! Step 8) Trim half of the styrofoam ring or dome to fit into the bottom lip of the puppet. Sleep-deprivation has set in by now, so try on the muppet-form, eyeless, and make sure the mechanics of the lower lip work. Yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-uh-huh, uh-huh, yip-yip-yip-yip... Scare the cat out of the room. puppet bone! um. Not that way, perv. Step 9) Attach black-felt pupils to styrofoam eyeballs. Take a length of floral wire and sink both ends into the eye ball in a gruesome fashion. Thread the wire ends through the top of the puppet form and secure. Have a staring contest. I lost. Better have more coffee. Step 10) Use the pipe cleaners to make antennae, thread and anchor those onto the puppet, just behind the eyes. Avoid eye contact with muppet. ...it can see my soul... Step 11) Cut strips from the bottom up into the body. Leave the edges raw, because if your room is going to be coated in pink and white muppet-shavings, then so will the client's room be. ...kidding! Leave edges raw because it is now 2:00am and you still have a second puppet to make. Step 12) Repeat steps 5-11 to make a second, even creepier (didn't know that was possible) white, zombie Martian. Wad both puppets up and stuff into plastic bags, so they can't stare at you anymore. Collapse into bed and get 2 1/5 hours of sleep. They'll stare anyway. Oh, will they stare. The reception of the costumes was great. The friend wearing the pink one had even practiced movements to mimic the "body language" of the Martians; the two of them went on to win the "Nerdiest Costume" award at our company's Halloween costume contest. I'll add their photo later; I didn't have the forethought to bring my camera, but 3 hours of sleep will do that to a lady. They looked so convincing in their costumes that I discovered: even though I made them, these large, unblinking, inarticulate creatures still activated my slight automatonophobia. I'll consider that a job well done. Photo credit to Klamkins. I couldn't even get within 5 feet of either at this point. Except I still have pink and white faux-fur dusting my workspace. The project I can never forget. My work is based on this Instructable. I was able to discover some engineering improvements, though. I plan to make one last Martian to employ them in an orderly manner. During waking hours. Without sobbing into the faux-fur.
Some believe "Ronald Grump," a character parodying Donald Trump on 'Sesame Street,' is the reason the president wants to defund PBS.
The Sesame Street News Flash is a recurring Sesame Street segment that features Kermit the Frog as a roving reporter for "Sesame Street News." Reporter Kermit, wearing a trench coat and hat and holding a microphone, interviews characters from fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and other popular stories, even appearing at key moments in history. As with most such parodies, the stories often diverge from tradition. The first News Flash sketch, where Kermit covers the unfolding story of Rapunzel, premier
Twins Noor and Aziz Yasmin will feature in educational videos shown in refugee camps in Bangladesh
Twins Noor and Aziz Yasmin will feature in educational videos shown in refugee camps in Bangladesh
Everyone’s heard of Jim Henson. It’s time to give Bonnie Erickson — creator of beloved Muppets and mascots including the Phillie Phanatic — her due.
Making its debut in 1969, the beloved children’s television show was shaped by the African-American communities in Harlem and beyond
Everyone’s heard of Jim Henson. It’s time to give Bonnie Erickson — creator of beloved Muppets and mascots including the Phillie Phanatic — her due.
'Sesame Street' helped teach English to Melissa King growing up, now this 'Top Chef' judge is teaching Cookie Monster, Elmo and Ji-Young to cook.
The Swedish Chef is the incomprehensible preparer of foodstuffs from The Muppet Show. He first appeared in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence in 1975, with Chinese subtitles for his dialog. Nearly all Swedish Chef sketches begin with him in a kitchen, waving some utensils while singing his signature song[1] in a trademark mock Swedish, a semi-comprehensible gibberish which parodies the characteristic vowel sounds of Swedish. The last line of the song is always "Børk! Børk! Børk!" and is punctuate
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Linda is a librarian who worked at the Library on Sesame Street. She was introduced on the show in Episode 0243 from season 2, and featured as a regular character through season 33. She was initially introduced as an actor for the National Theatre of the Deaf (mirroring her real life role), moved to Sesame Street in Episode 0326, and became a librarian in Episode 1868 (mirroring her real life degree in library science.) Linda is deaf, as is her performer. As a deaf character, Linda allowed the p
At only 7 years old, Ji-Young is making history as the first Asian American muppet in the “Sesame Street” canon. She is Korean American and has two passions: rocking out on her electric guitar and skateboarding. The children’s TV program gave The Associated Press a first look at its adorable new occupant. Ji-Young will formally be introduced in “See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special.” Simu Liu and Naomi Osaka are among the celebrities appearing in the TV special, which will drop Thanksgiving Day. Ji-Young’s existence is the culmination of discussions after the rise in anti-Asian hate last year.
"Dr. Grover in drag" Worth1000 ran a "Sesame Street Ren" photo effects contest this past July that challenged their community members to recreate classic
"Sesame Street" has been a television institution since its premiere in 1969, captivating children and adults alike while imparting valuable life lessons through a group of instantly recognizable furry characters. The show has also seen its share of musical guests – some of the best and brightest acts of their day have hung out and sang songs with the gang. Here, through 44 years of programming,
More than a Muppet...
The experimental educator teamed up with television producer Joan Ganz Cooney to create Sesame Street after seeing his daughter interact with a TV
In 1970, David Attie was sent to photograph the birth of the kids’ landmark TV show as part of a cold war propaganda drive by the US government. But these newly found images are just one part of the programme’s radical history
Imagine That! is a 1996 Sesame Street video that encourages indoor play on rainy days. Telly and Zoe take refuge from the rain in Finders Keepers and while away the rainy day using their imagination. While they wait for the rain to stop, they make toys and costumes out of recycled materials. They also try to help The Amazing Mumford perfect a magic spell that will transport him to the beach. Starring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets: Featuring Caroll Spinney as Oscar with Muppet Performers: Fr
