Sesame Street is being adapted for French TV but without Kermit the Frog, who might offend some sensibilities (and lead to far too many “tastes like chicken” jokes, perhaps). Elmo, in fact, will be the only familiar face (that is, if you grew up with Elmo; he’s after my time, as is the Public Knowledge Snuffleupagus and the Cookie Monster singing about fruit, ya Philistines!).
New characters for “5 Rue Sesame” will include Blancy the flag.
The series is being done instead of simply dubbing American versions of Sesame Street in order to give it more of a French sensability, such as buildings laced with graffiti to reflect French suburban rioting. (No, seriously. That’s from the article, not a joke by me. Honest!) The premiere episode will feature Muppets burning down their McDonalds. (Okay, THAT is a joke…although the article does go on to express distaste for McDonalds.)
Hat tip to Michelle Malkin and No Pasaran!
“This isn’t odd, all that IS odd is how long it’s taken for Sesame Street to make a French version. For years now, CTW has been making national versions of Sesame Street, customized for each nation.”
– Bonjour Sésame, broadcast in France from september 1974.
“Le célébrissime Kermit la grenouille occupait un rôle primordial dans cette émission”
Kermit the frog was a primordial character in this show.
http://casimiragoldorak.free.fr/html/html_sesame-street/page1.htm
– 1, Rue Sésame, broadcasted in France from 1978 to ’82.
http://casimiragoldorak.free.fr/html/html_rue_sesame/page1.htm
Editor’s note: OK, I’m allowing this one for now, but if I get too many of these fake e-mail addresses I’m going to start demanding Typekey IDs from everyone.
This isn’t odd, all that IS odd is how long it’s taken for Sesame Street to make a French version. For years now, CTW has been making national versions of Sesame Street, customized for each nation. Generally, some of the puppets are retained, but the human cast is localized and puppets with significant loading are replaced, most importantly Big Bird, who’s position is filled by a “main” puppet, generally human-sized or larger, meant to be evocative of some aspect of national identity.
More info (in general) here, and (about national characters) here.
Body in Big Bird’s nest
THE bound body of a woman jogger has been found in a shed owned by Sesame Street’s Big Bird and a caretaker charged with her kidnapping.
But police said puppeteer Caroll Spinney, who also plays Oscar the Grouch, had nothing to do with the woman’s death.
Scott Deojay, 36, a caretaker for the property where the woman, Judith Nilan, was found, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with kidnapping.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17580925%255E663,00.html