Chats with Elmo and Cookie Monster

chats wIth elmo and

It was only 7am, but the Wilson kids, Poppy and Monty, (AKA @kidzofoz) were more than happy to get up early for a phone chat with Elmo and the Cookie Monster to celebrate the launch of the 50th season of Sesame Street. The kids prepped their questions, Elmo grabbed his snacks, and here’s how it went! Monty: What’s the best thing about living on Sesame Street?

Cookie Monster: Me love singing songs with Elmo, going to Hooper’s Store with Big Bird, gardening with Abby, and baking in the Foodie Truck with Gonger. Elmo: Elmo loves living on Sesame Street. There are so many fun things to do, but Elmo’s FAVOURITE thing to do is sing songs with Elmo’s friends. On Sesame Street we sing songs about letters, numbers, fruits, vegetables and even Snuffleupagus’.

Poppy- Who has been the funniest celebrity you have met?

Cookie Monster: The funniest? Oh boy, so many famous people coming to Sesame Street lately! Not sure who the funniest but they all fun. We had Joseph Gordon-Levitt Chrissy Teigen, Charlie Puth, Meghan Trainor, Misty Copeland, Elvis Costello, and Dave Grohl… yeah, they all came for a nice visit. Me played new game with Chrissy Teigen called “Name that Fruit,” where Chrissy had to guess the fruit’s first names. Like Abe Apple or Breanna Banana. It pretty fun.

Poppy – Did you like Australia when you came here to visit?

Elmo: Elmo loves visiting Australia, especially the beaches to put his furry toes in the sand. Elmo swam with a dolphin when Elmo was last in Australia. That was so cool. Next time Elmo visits Australia, Elmo wants to learn how to surf! Elmo wants to try “catching a wave” and “hang ten,” baby! Cookie Monster: Me did a foodie truck tour of Sydney–that was definitely a highlight! We tried a toastie, pizza, tacos, and finally a chocolate mint cookie for a delicious dessert! Me have fond memories of the sights, sounds, smells and cookies of Australia. You call them biscuits, right? Oh, me getting hungry.

Monty: What have you been doing to keep busy while staying at home on Sesame Street?

Elmo: Elmo’s Daddy set up video chat so Elmo can have virtual playdates and sing-a-longs with his friends. Elmo has also been doing Grovercise with Grover– that’s when Grover teaches you exercises. He falls down a lot. And Elmo’s also been learning mindfulness activities. Yeah, like belly breathing and how to calm down before bedtime.

Cookie Monster: Me organising snack chats with me friends, making healthy snacks and trying new foods like hummus. All me friends on Sesame Street been giving me recipes. Big Bird shared his Granny Bird’s sunflower seed cookie recipe, Chef Gonger gave me banana bread recipe, and Oscar gave me recipe for grouch goulash…. me not sure me gonna try that one

Monty -If you had one wish what would it be?

Cookie Monster: Dat an easy one. Me wish for a delicious cookie to share with all of me friends on Sesame Street.

Elmo: Elmo really likes the virtual playdates with Elmo’s friends on Sesame Street but Elmo can’t wait to go back outside to visit Hooper’s Store with Elmo’s Mommy, play with Abby and Rosita, and have a dance party with Big Bird and Snuffy. They make the whole street shake.

Poppy – Can you please give a shout out to all the kids who may be feeling sad or disappointed while they’re staying home.

Cookie Monster: There lot going on right now. Me talk to me mommy about how me feeling and she gives a nice warm hug. And sometimes you just need moment for self. Listen to your favourite song, or watch a favourite show. Elmo: You can do a lot of fun things at home.

elmo and the cookIe monster

Elmo loves building pillow forts, making obstacle courses, and going on a scavenger hunt with Elmo’s Mommy and Daddy. Elmo is sending you a big hello and hopes Elmo can see all of you very soon. This 50th season is available now via ABC Kids, ABC iview and the ABC Kids app. You can follow more adventures with Poppy, Monty and their mum Olivia at thewilsonsofoz.com

in numbers

Reaches over 150 million kids in 150 countries Is available in 70 different languages 80% of parents watch it with their child They’ve had 650 celebrity guests on the show 86 million adults watched Sesame Street as a kid It has 24 million friends on social media It has 4.2 million YouTube subscribers Big Bird has approximately 4,000 feathers Bert has over 368 bottle caps in his collection Bert and Ernie have 1 eyebrow between them Sesame Street has aired over 4,500 episodes 2 Star Wars droids have visited Sesame Street There are over 500 licensees who create Sesame Street products around the world. In a 17-month period (Fall 2017 + FY 2018), Hasbro sold 1,602,385 units of Tickle Me Elmo Sesame Workshop has received two $100m grants in the past 2 years! With $100m grant from the MacArthur Foundation and $100m grant from the LEGO Foundation, Sesame is undertaking the largest early childhood intervention in the history of humanitarian response to help refugee children and families.

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organisation behind Sesame Street. The show started out as a means of reaching poor, inner-city kids, but its mix of comic bits, songs and lessons caught on with children of all backgrounds. In the 60’s, Jim Henson, artist and puppeteer, created the Sesame Street muppets, including Cookie Monster and Elmo. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We’re active in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically-funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve.

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