JessicaRulestheUniverse.com

Whenever there is a lull in dinnertime conversation, we fill it with memories of Sesame Street. Sesame Street was one of our biggest formative influences, shaping our sense of humor, use of the English language, and musical tastes. It wasn’t just a TV show we watched twice a day; we lived there. If we were the Nobel Prize committee, we would give the Nobel Prize to the Children’s Television Workshop and Jim Henson.

These are the Sesame Street sketches that my friends and I refer to most often.

1. The Orange That Sang the Habanera from Carmen

This was one of the first times I heard opera. I suspect that this scene from Magnolia was written by a Sesame Street viewer.

I feel like most of the characters from Magnolia, but especially the quiz kids, young and old.

2. The Alligator King

3. The Golden An

“…put it in the tan truck. Take it to Dan, who’ll take it to Horace.”

4. A Loaf of Bread, A Container of Milk, and A Stick of Butter

We also remember “What would happen if I stuck this balloon with this pin and it popped and it scared my sister…” but cannot find the exact video online (A different one turns up).

5. Wanda the Witch

“And blee-ew it away forevah!”

6. Goodbye, Mr. Hooper.

Sesame Street did not shrink from the subject of death. The adults didn’t try to give Big Bird a load of sentimental crap, they addressed the topic head-on and said it was tough but that’s how life is. Pass me that box of tissues.

7. It’s the plumber. I’ve come to fix the sink.

We always thought this was from Sesame Street and stand corrected. It appeared in The Electric Company, which was for the older viewers of Sesame Street.

8. The Princess and the Mattress

9. It’s a lovely eleven morning.

10. Your pick.