Bert, Grover, and Jim Henson's characters

[minor muppetz]

Has anybody ever noticed that although Jim Henson and Frank Oz worked very well together, Bert has rarely appeared with any Jim Henson characters besides Ernie, and Grover rarely appeared with any Jim Henson character besides Kermit?

This is a bit weird. Some of Kermit and Grover's demonstrations could have easily substituted Ernie for Kermit. During the first season, Frank Oz seemed to have three monster characters, Cookie Monster, Grover, and Beautiful Day Monster. These characters usually appeared with Jim Henson's characters, which would explain them being performed by Frank Oz (but on the other hand, Caroll Spinney could have had his own monster). Of cours,e Jim Henson should have also had his own monster character, to interract with Bert whenever Ernie wasn't around, to interract with Frank Oz's monsters, and possibly to interract with Big Bird and Oscar.

However, Cookie Monster has made many appearances with Ernie, Kermit, and Guy Smiley. And it seems like Guy Smiley rarely appeared with Grover or Bert.

 

[BEAR]

Oscar is basically Carrol Spinney's monster character.

 

[mikebennidict]

Has anybody ever noticed that although Jim Henson and Frank Oz worked very well together, Bert has rarely appeared with any Jim Henson characters besides Ernie, and Grover rarely appeared with any Jim Henson character besides Kermit?

This is a bit weird. Some of Kermit and Grover's demonstrations could have easily substituted Ernie for Kermit. During the first season, Frank Oz seemed to have three monster characters, Cookie Monster, Grover, and Beautiful Day Monster. These characters usually appeared with Jim Henson's characters, which would explain them being performed by Frank Oz (but on the other hand, Caroll Spinney could have had his own monster). Of cours,e Jim Henson should have also had his own monster character, to interract with Bert whenever Ernie wasn't around, to interract with Frank Oz's monsters, and possibly to interract with Big Bird and Oscar.

However, Cookie Monster has made many appearances with Ernie, Kermit, and Guy Smiley. And it seems like Guy Smiley rarely appeared with Grover or Bert.

I'm sure they could of done a lot of things in the past but they didn't. And frankly, I don't see why it really matters. What's more important is people wach them and enjoy them for what they are.

 

[Erine81981]

Guy had appeared with Grover before. It's a skit about the time I think or something like that.

 

[mikebennidict]

And Grover was an episode of Beat The Time as well.

 

[minor muppetz]

Yes, I was aware that Grover was on one of Guy Smiley's game shows. I just meant that these team-ups didn't happen regularly. Of course, you could say that Cookie Monster and Guy Smiley weren't a regular team, even though they did appear in a lot of sketches together (there are at least four sketches with both characters).

Ernie and Grover appeared in the song Climbing Nine Stairs, which appeared on many albums. I also remember seeing them together in a song from season 33. They have had a few scenes togetehr in the last few years, but oddly enough, Bert was also in those scenes.

 

[Chris Gawley]

While I agree that Bert had only a few segments away from Ernie, he did have a few memerable moments of his own!

1) During the episode which celebrated the 25th anniversary of Mr. Hooper's store, Bert enters the party with The Count. While this isn't a particularly funny moment, it does show that Bert has a wider circle of friends than just Ernie. It also shows that Bert has a before then unknown love of chip dip! LOL! ;op

2) He sang a brief duet with Herry Monster in the now legendary "What's The Name Of That Song" sketch.

3) Does anyone remember the "Subway" sketch? You'll notice Bert rocking out while zooming underground with Berry Lou, & Kermit The Frog! If memory serves me corrrectly, Bert was one of (if not the only one) that didn't disembark the train at the end of the song!

4) He had a solo hit with "Doing The Pigeon", although granted you can hear Bert calling to Ernie at the beginning of the sketch (Ernie was off camera, manning a film projector which contained Bert's pigeon home movies).

5) During Prairie Dawn's "Let's Make A Face" recital, Bert teamed up with Grover to talk about (Grover: "Bellybuttons?") .... ears!

6) He did a live action figure skating routine with Prairie Dawn, which ended with Bert getting a big kiss from the star pagent director.

7) He did the hysterical "Tuba In The Park" routine with "Simon The Sound Man" (where is he now?).

8) He sang & curled up with a bed full of wolly sheep in "Bert's Blanket".

One can only speculate that the reason Bert hasn't received more solo moments over the years, is that he was then & always will be a better straight man than a comedian. Besides, who can (with the exception of Grover) faint better than Bert can?

______________
Bork, bork bork!

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Bert had a few after Jim's passing.

 

[minor muppetz]

3) Does anyone remember the "Subway" sketch? You'll notice Bert rocking out while zooming underground with Berry Lou, & Kermit The Frog! If memory serves me corrrectly, Bert was one of (if not the only one) that didn't disembark the train at the end of the song!

There was also a cop on the subway. I always thought there was something weird about Bert and a cop being the only passengars left on a subway.

4) He had a solo hit with "Doing The Pigeon", although granted you can hear Bert calling to Ernie at the beginning of the sketch (Ernie was off camera, manning a film projector which contained Bert's pigeon home movies).

I remembered seeing a skecth with the Doin' the Pigeon setting, which also featured some black and white footage of pigeons. I always thought that song might have been "Pigeons on Parade" or "Keep the Parks Clean for the Pigeons" (I saw the last sketch recently so I know it's not Keep the Park Clean for the Pigeons). I wonder why this openign scene always gets cut from video releases? I also know that album releases have an opening verse which isn't in any of the video releases.

 

[minor muppetz]

And Grover was an episode of Beat The Time as well.

Well, I just found out yesterday that Grover was also on another Guy Smiley game show, Name That Sound. That's a very funny sketch. It's funny how Grover answered in detail, yet Guy Smiley couldn't understand the answers. Bert could have also been a contestant. It would make sense for Bert to answer in detail. I would have expected Grover to answer incorrectly (or could he have been using a super power?).