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Surprising stories behind 20 Muppet characters

cnn.com — (Mental Floss) -- Like a lot of people, I grew up on Sesame Street and the Muppets. But did you ever stop to wonder where they came from?

Who dugg this? Made popular Feb 10, 2009

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  • OutpostNetwork, on 02/10/2009, -1/+33The man who does Elmo is performed by Kevin Clash. If you saw what this guy looks like and listened to his normal voice, you would never imagine that this was possible. Here's a video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY_sl1R3KJQ
  • anexanhume, on 02/10/2009, -0/+28I may be overly affectionate, but I think Jim Henson is one of the most important people of the 20th century. He made learning fun for kids and created characters and stories that appealed to kids from 2-70 before CGI movies were doing it. RIP Mr. Henson.
  • redwolfwalker, on 02/10/2009, -0/+12The Muppets are all wonderful characters and friends
  • chocobomog, on 02/10/2009, -0/+9He was also Baby Sinclair ("Not the Mamma!") on the show "Dinosaurs".
  • Kronos6948, on 02/10/2009, -0/+7I heart muppets.
  • REBECCAFRIEDMAN, on 02/10/2009, -0/+6Delightful trip down memory lane.
  • jstohler, on 02/10/2009, -0/+4Next installment needs to include the histories of Dr. Teeth, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Link Hogthrob, Scooter, Marvin Suggs (and his Muppaphone) and Sam the American Eagle.
  • hiplobonoxa, on 02/11/2009, -0/+4my good friend kermit love, who unfortunately passed away last year (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/arts/24love.html ... worked closely with jim henson in the early years of the muppets as a character designer. kermit worked on sesame street in the late 60s and early 70s, where he designed and built big bird and mr. snuffleupagus and took a young kevin clash -- elmo/master splinter/baby dinosaur -- under his wing. one of my first experiences with him was helping to move boxes and boxes of old characters from his studio to his new house. there was a story for everything. it was great to know kermit and hear his stories of the many hard-working, talented, and creative people behind the characters many of us grew up with and were inspired by.
  • HeroDreamerCS, on 02/10/2009, -0/+4It also blew my mind when I found out that he voiced Splinter in the TMNT movies.
  • Zarimus, on 02/11/2009, -0/+4I miss the original Muppet Show.
  • spookyturtle, on 02/11/2009, -0/+3His funeral was the saddest thing ever. ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrZyMptC2eQ
  • flashingcurser, on 02/11/2009, -0/+3It's like Snoupholuphogus doesn't even exist.
  • maz2331, on 02/11/2009, -0/+3And Bert is evil. It's true - just look at http://www.bertisevil.tv/index2.htm
  • kitsua, on 02/11/2009, -0/+3I agree. He was a Genius and a personal hero of mine.
  • petebot, on 02/10/2009, -1/+3Go ninja go ninja go!
  • pygmy, on 02/10/2009, -0/+2The muppets gave me bad dreams as a kid- not a huge fan (though I am partial to a fraggle or two)
  • stellamaris, on 02/10/2009, -0/+2I think they did all the research for this article on muppetpedia, because I didn't learn anything I didn't already know.

    Did you know Skeeter was created as Scooter's twin for Muppet Babies because they needed another strong female character (cause Miss Piggy is a bad example for little girls).
  • SeaMowse, on 02/11/2009, -0/+2Does anybody here remember when Mr. Hooper died (or, were you guys old enough :P )?
  • bladebronson, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1For more: http://muppet.wikia.com
  • stellamaris, on 02/10/2009, -0/+1I am really glad that the muppets have become more popular lately. Now they have Muppets merch at Walmart, and as much as I hate to support the big evil, I now have three kermit shirts.
  • rironin, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1Beaker didn't actually say "Sadly Temporary," did he? I could swear he just Meeped it out like he normally does...
  • HtomSirveaux, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1Indeed, he's the one I really wanted to here the history on. Especially where the name came from.
    Snuffleupagus
  • ChemiosMurphy, on 02/12/2009, -0/+1The guy that does grover also did Yoda for star wars.
  • HtomSirveaux, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1What? No Snuffleupagus?
  • Grova, on 02/10/2009, -0/+1In Latin America and Puerto Rico Grover is known as Archibaldo, in Spain he is Coco, in Portugal he is Gualter and in Norway he is Gunnar.
  • spookyturtle, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1Totally, also tragic. : / Nothing like people in costumes/puppets to make things worse?
  • LaZyLion, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1Beaker? Mad beat boxing skills? This I got to SEE!

    Video anyone?
  • HtomSirveaux, on 02/11/2009, -1/+2I miss Jim Henson.
    I prefer to think crap like Sponge Bob and Pokemon sends him rolling in his grave.
  • numbnick, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1Is that all you have to do to be a news site? Go through other websites archives and use their content?
  • je12u, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1Friends of yours? or friends with each other?
  • socondi, on 02/11/2009, -0/+1The first name Big Bird had in Plaza Sésamo was Montoya. Later the name was changed to Abelardo, name that is still used to this day.
  • bitbytebit, on 02/12/2009, -0/+1vice versa
  • inactive, on 02/12/2009, -0/+0I dugg this because of the awesome charisma of these muppets. I was fascinated as a child. And now 4yr olds are still as fascinated. True classic and a great part of literature.
  • mwarfield, on 02/11/2009, -0/+0No mention of the muppets on Saturday Night Live (the Land of Gorch... Sometimes referred to as the porno puppets). My personal favorites but not favorites with the cast (John Belushi reportedly referred to them as the mucking fuppets) and kinda orphaned off in history.

    http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live
  • fraew, on 02/11/2009, -0/+0Wouldn't the late-great Hunter S Thompson be some kind of inspiration for Gonzo? (As the king of 'gonzo' journalism, and more than a little crazy himself).
  • SirDaShadow, on 02/10/2009, -1/+1And Big Bird was called "Abelardo" on the mexican "Plaza Sesamo" of the 70's and early 80's and it wasn't yellow but looked more like a lizard. But then a new mexican "Plaza Sesamo" was done in the 80's to mid 90's and his name was "Paco".
  • Euph0rik, on 02/11/2009, -1/+0I'd like to know where the Aliens really come from...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4VNMERVsC4

    And it's not Uranus, I checked.
  • deweyhewson, on 02/11/2009, -3/+1One more person that needs to die come the Apocalypse.

    Elmo --> barely tolerable annoying while just one of the characters on Sesame Street
    Elmo --> the spawn of Satan on Elmo's World.
  • Gloogle, on 02/10/2009, -5/+1Gonzo was inspired by a hairy penis and two balls.
  • inactive, on 02/10/2009, -8/+2I am really a lad that the puppets have stung sore jocular lately. Now they have Puppets perch at Pathmark, and as much as I ate to court the big weevil, I now have McDermott shirts.

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