Elmopalooza



Elmopalooza aired on ABC on February 20, 1998.

In this special, Jon Stewart plans to host a music special to celebrate Sesame Street’s 30th anniversary. Jon and the show's crew, including producer Prairie Dawn, are in a dressing room getting ready for the show. Elmo visits them before the show starts and then leaves, shutting the door before Jon can tell him that the door is broken: it won't open once it's shut. Elmo decides to host the show, and the rest of the Sesame Street cast work behind-the-scenes, presenting music video remakes of classic Sesame Street songs.

Meanwhile, Grover drives Susan, Gordon, Gina, Bob, and Mr. Handford in a limo to the studio, but Grover gets lost and they end up in Roswell, New Mexico.

A soundtrack album was also released on cassette and CD, and the special was released on VHS two months after the special aired on TV.

Songs

 * Just Happy To Be Me with The Fugees
 * Mambo I, I, I with Gloria Estefan
 * Zig Zag Dance with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
 * I Don't Want To Live on The Moon with Shawn Colvin and Ernie
 * Nearly Missed with Rosie O'Donnell and Elmo
 * I Want a Monster To Be My Friend with En Vogue
 * Caribbean Amphibian with Jimmy Buffet and Kermit the Frog
 * One Small Voice with Kenny Loggins
 * Songs with Jon Stewart, Elmo, and the cast
 * (medley):
 * Rubber Duckie
 * C is for Cookie
 * I Love Trash
 * ABC-DEF-GHI
 * The People in Your Neighborhood


 * Sesame Street Theme (over credits) with various celebrities and Muppets

Cast
Major Muppets
 * Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Zoe, Prairie Dawn, Bert, Ernie, Count von Count, Grover, Cookie Monster, Slimey, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Martians, Two Headed Monster, Rosita, Biff, Kermit the Frog, Baby Bear, The Elephant, Sparky

Background Muppets
 * Roxie Marie, Forgetful Jones, Herry Monster, Frazzle, Sully, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Granny Bird

Celebrity Guest Stars
 * Jon Stewart, David Alan Grier, Rosie O'Donnell, The Fugees, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, En Vogue, Shawn Colvin, Kenny Loggins, Gloria Estefan, Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks, Chris Rock, Don Henley, Conan O'Brien, Richard Belzer, Will Smith (archive footage), Jada Pinkett Smith (archive footage), Tony Bennett (archive footage), Madonna (archive footage)

Sesame Street Humans
 * Susan, Gordon, Bob, Mr. Handford, Gina, Luis, Maria, Ruthie

Muppet Performers
 * Kevin Clash as Elmo.
 * Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.
 * Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn and Zoe.
 * Frank Oz as Grover, Bert, and Cookie Monster.
 * Steve Whitmire as Ernie and Kermit the Frog.
 * Jerry Nelson as Count von Count, Two-Headed Monster, and Biff.
 * Martin P. Robinson as Telly Monster, Slimey, and Mr. Snuffleupagus.
 * David Rudman as Baby Bear, Two-Headed Monster, and Sparky.
 * Joey Mazzarino as The Elephant.
 * Carmen Osbahr as Rosita.