Elmo is a Muppet character on the children's television show Sesame Street. He is a furry red monster with a falsetto voice, who hosts the last full fifteen-minute segment (five minutes after 2017) on Sesame Street, "Elmo's World", which is aimed at toddlers. He was most often puppeteered by Kevin Clash. Following Clash's resignation in late 2012, he has been puppeteered by Ryan Dillon.
Video Elmo
History
Elmo is self-described as three-and-a-half years old and his birthday is on February 3. Elmo characteristically avoids pronouns, referring to himself in the third person (e.g. saying "Elmo wants this" instead of "I want this"). Sesame Street staff writer Nancy Sans once described Elmo's origins: "There was this extra red puppet lying around and the cast would pick him up sometimes and try to create a personality, but nothing seemed to materialize."
The puppet, originally known as "Baby Monster", was performed by Caroll Spinney and Jerry Nelson in the background of episodes from the early 1970s, Brian Muehl from 1979 to 1981, and Richard Hunt from 1981 to 1984. Sans continues that "...one day [in 1984], Kevin Clash, a talented puppeteer, raised him up and brought energy and life into Elmo and from that day forward we would all write for Elmo. Kevin's performance inspired the writers to develop Elmo's character". John Tartaglia, Matt Vogel, and Jim Martin have all been secondary performers for the character, providing movement for Elmo's arms and legs, particularly in green-screen shots.
Alongside Cookie Monster, Elmo has appeared in The Furchester Hotel, where he is taking an extended stay because of his fascination with the Furchester Hotel. His father Louie is the brother of Funella Furchester.
Maps Elmo
Popular culture
After becoming a regular guest on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Elmo began touring the talk-show circuit. He has appeared on Martha Stewart Living and Martha, The Tony Danza Show, Rove Live, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!, and The View. Elmo and a developmental expert gave babysitting tips on the June 18, 2005 episode of Teen Kids News. He has also appeared on Emeril Live, helping Emeril make (non-alcoholic) eggnog during a Holiday Special shown in December 2008. Kevin Clash and Aaron Neville were also guests on this show. On a special episode of Oprah called "The Faces Behind The Famous Names," Kevin Clash and Elmo appeared at the same time.
Elmo was the star of the 1999 full-length, theatrically released motion picture Elmo in Grouchland. He also starred in the film Elmo Saves Christmas.
Elmo also appeared in a fifth season episode of The West Wing along with his friends Zoe and Big Bird. In that episode, Elmo receives a medical checkup from Abbey Bartlet, the First Lady (who is making a guest appearance on Sesame Street), and cheekily questions her about the validity of her medical license.
Elmo also appeared in the eighth season episode of Scrubs, My ABC's, along with Oscar the Grouch, Grover, and an Anything Muppet named "Ex Ray". All four characters are in separate fantasies of J.D.'s in the episode.
At the request and with the assistance of Rep. Duke Cunningham, he testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education in April 2002, urging support for increased funding in music education.
Emeril and Elmo's Healthy Start was a special featuring Elmo and Emeril Lagasse that aired on November 4, 2005 at 8 p.m. as part of the Food Network's second annual "Cook With Your Kids Week". The special was produced in conjunction with Sesame Workshop's Healthy Habits for Life program.
In 1996, a Tickle Me Elmo doll became a fad toy.
In the 2003 Pixar movie Finding Nemo, one of the names Dory calls Nemo is "Elmo".
Elmo has also made many appearances on The Simpsons. In Missionary: Impossible, he chases Homer Simpson. In Bart-Mangled Banner, he is Bill Clinton's cellmate. In Stop or My Dog Will Shoot!, Chief Clancy Wiggum shows a shirt where Big Bird is killing Elmo. In the episode How the Test Was Won episode Clancy's son Ralph finds a rat and say "I'm playing with Elmo". In the episode The Color Yellow Ralph has a drawing of himself with Elmo and Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story franchise.
Criticism and controversy
Fans of Sesame Street have complained that Elmo's prominent status has caused roles to be greatly reduced for some older characters, such as Oscar the Grouch, Big Bird, Count von Count, Prairie Dawn, Grover, and Cookie Monster. Some fans also blame Elmo for the permanent departure of Kermit the Frog from Sesame Street. Elmo has been referred to as the "Little Red Menace" by Sesame Street traditionalists.
In its FAQ, the Sesame Workshop addresses the allegation that Elmo referring to himself in the third person will teach children improper English, by stating that this behavior "mimics the behavior of many preschoolers. Like 3-year-olds, he doesn't always have the skills or knowledge to speak proper English."
Casting history
Principal performers
- Kevin Clash (1985-2014)
- Ryan Dillon (2013-present)
Alternate performers
- Caroll Spinney and Jerry Nelson (1970s)
- Brian Muehl (1980-1984)
- Richard Hunt (1984-1985)
International puppeteers
- K?ji Ochiai (Japanese NHK dub of Sesame Street)
- Kenta Matsumoto (Japanese, TV Tokyo)
- Davide Garbolino (Italian version of Elmo's World)
- Eduardo Garza (Mexican Spanish, Latin Spanish dub of Elmo's World)
- Igor Cruz (Mexican Spanish)
- Sabine Falkenberg (German)
- Hein Boele (Dutch dub of Sesamestreet)
- Jogchem Jalink (Puppeteer of the Elmo replica puppet used on the Dutch version of Sesamestreet)
- Tomasz Bednarek (Polish version of Elmo's World)
- Damon Berry (Takalani Sesame, known as "Neno")
- Christophe Albertini (5, Rue Sésame)
- Ariel Doron (Rechov Sumsum)
See also
- Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey
- Elmo Says Boo!
References
External links
- Tickle Elmo
- Elmo's World
- Downloadable 15-minute interview with Elmo voice and puppeteer Kevin Clash from Wisconsin Public Television - Kevin Clash talks about how he became Elmo and how the Muppet is able to affect children's lives
- "Sesame Street: A YouTube Interview with Elmo" - Sesame Street Official Channel, YouTube
- Cinderelmo on IMDb
Source of article : Wikipedia
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