User:BladeBronson/grover

Waiter Grover


Waiter Grover is Grover's most frequent occupation on Sesame Street. As a waiter, Grover usually works at Charlie's Restaurant, although he has also toiled at O'Brien's Fast Food Restaurant, an airport restaurant, and a few other locations.

Grover's most frequent customer is Mr. Johnson, a Fat Blue Anything Muppet, who has become increasingly frustrated over the years with the poor service that Grover provides. In the earlier skits, Mr. Johnson was a lot calmer, and Grover was usually the victim. However, the situation soon reversed.

Grover served his first customer in 1971, in Sesame Street's third season premiere. In that first sketch, Mr. Johnson wants a bowl of hot alphabet soup. Grover brings him a bowl of soup, but the crabby customer finds that some of the letters are missing. They go through the alphabet together -- and as they discover missing letters, Grover is sent back to the kitchen to get them. By the time Grover brings in all the missing letters, the soup is cold.

Other waiter mishaps include:


 * Grover tells Mr. Johnson that the restaurant is out of some of the things on the menu. It turns out that actually they only have one thing left -- milk. Mr. Johnson sighs and orders the milk -- but they're all out of glasses.


 * Grover has a way to remember his customers' orders: he makes up a poem. Mr. Johnson orders a hamburger with pickles and fries, which Grover interprets as "Round and tasty on a bun, pickles, french fries, yum, yum, yum!" He brings Mr. Johnson a grapefruit on a bun.

Marshal Grover
Marshal Grover is Grover's cowboy alter ego, riding from one Old West town to another, trying to be helpful and usually causing more problems than he solves.

Marshal Grover first appeared in a 1974 episode of Sesame Street, riding his trusty steed, Fred the Wonder Horse -- backwards.

In that first sketch, Marshal Grover asks Fred why he's walking backwards -- he can only see where he's been, and not where he's going. He also wants to know what happened to Fred's head. Fred explains that Marshal Grover doesn't know the difference between front and back. "That is a terrible, mean, cruel thing to say to me, Fred!" Marshal Grover exclaims. "It is true, but..."

Fred tells Grover that he's facing backward, and if he turns around, he'll see Fred's head. Grover turns around, and cries out in delight: "Oh, Fred! I've missed you! Oh, it's good to see you!" Fred says that if he stays turned around, he'll be able to see where he's going. Grover tries it, and he's proud that now he knows the difference between front and back. Unfortunately, now his head is resting on the saddle, with his feet in the air.

In another 1974 sketch, Marshal Grover and Fred stop in at the Short Branch Café for a nice cold glass of milk. The bartender is distressed to see Grover riding his horse into the café, knocking over tables. "I just redecorated the place, too," he sighs.

Grover orders a glass of milk, and the bartender asks if he wants the big glass, the bigger glass or the biggest glass. Fred tells the bartender that Marshal Grover doesn't know the difference, so the bartender shows off all three sizes. Marshal Grover and Fred come behind the bar to get a closer look, breaking bottles and glassware.

The annoyed bartender shouts at Grover to choose a glass, and Grover picks the biggest glass. The bartender asks if Fred wants anything, but Fred says, "No thanks, I'm drivin'." As Grover rides his horse out of the café, the bartender asks who's going to pay for all the broken glassware. Marshal Grover says he'll be back to pay for it tomorrow. Panicked, the bartender says not to come back; it's on the house!

Door-to-door Salesman
Grover has also worked his way through kindergarten as a door-to-door salesman, usually seen pestering Kermit the Frog at home by offering him items that he doesn't need.

Grover made his first attempt as a salesman in a 1975 sketch, offering Kermit a pair of earmuffs. When Kermit finally got across to the persistent monster that he didn't have ears, Grover said he could take care of that -- and fitted Kermit out with a giant pair of ears.

Grover has also come to Kermit's home to make special offers on toothbrushes, nose warmers and hairbrushes. He hasn't made a sale yet, but he's always hopeful.

He's also made housecalls on Mr. Johnson, his eternal customer from Charlie's Restaurant, offering him a wig to cover his bald head.

Grover Knover
Grover Knover is Grover's daredevil alter ego, a spoof of the famous stunt performer Evel Knievel.

Grover Knover first appeared in the 1974 prime-time special Out to Lunch, where he was interviewed by reporter Kermit the Frog.

In the sketch, Kermit announces that Grover is going to jump the Grand Canyon on a motorcycle. This is news to Grover, and he refuses to jump. Kermit tries to talk him into it, telling him about the fame, the adulation, and the beautiful motorcycle. Grover's impressed with the bike, and asks how it works. Kermit demonstrates -- and ends up jumping the canyon himself. Kermit signs off the newscast, smashed up on a ledge.

The daredevil has since made appearances in several Sesame Street books, including Watch Out for Banana Peels, in which he demonstrated the importance of wearing a crash helmet when getting shot out of a cannon.

Super Grover
Super Grover is Grover's superhero identity. Super Grover uses his superpowers to help others, though generally he ends up not helping at all. He first appeared on Sesame Street in 1974.

Super Grover's attire consists of a cape, with ropes tied around Grover's wrists, a helmet, and a patch with the letter G on his chest. In most situations, Grover requires a phone booth to change into his costume, à la Superman.

In one early sketch, "Grover Kent" comes across a little girl crying because she can't get home. Grover looks around for a telephone booth so that he can change into his superhero costume, but he can't find one. The little girl reads a sign, and finds that there's a telephone booth right next to them. She has a dime, and tries to use the phone to call her mother -- but Grover rushes into the booth first, and changes into his costume. He gets suited up and ready to take the girl home. She goes into the telephone booth to call her mother, while Super Grover attempts to take her home -- telephone booth and all.

Other super adventures include:


 * Super Grover visits a girl on a farm who needs help carrying heavy boxes. Super Grover suggests gluing them together, but the girl eventually figures out that she can carry the boxes one at a time.


 * A girl cannot get her computer to start. Super Grover tries to turn it on by jumping up and down and shouting "Wubba wubba!", but she soon discovers that the computer is not plugged in.


 * When a boy has trouble finding the gate in a fence, Super Grover attempts to bend the iron bars. Eventually, the boy finds an exit sign.


 * Super Grover crash-lands inside an apartment. He sees that a lamp is on, and explains that he can save energy by turning it off. He tries to blow the light out, but it doesn't work. A little girl helps him out by turning off the switch.

Farmer Grover
Farmer Grover is Grover's farmyard alter ego. He only made two appearances on Sesame Street -- and was not a presence on the show in the way that Super Grover and Marshal Grover are -- but he has been a regular subject for books and other spin-off merchandise.

Farmer Grover first appeared in a 1972 sketch, Kermit is outside on a hill when he smells smoke. A little girl tells him that there's a fire nearby, and Kermit screams for fireman. Grover comes to his rescue, wearing a white coat and a stethoscope. Kermit explains that he's dressed as a doctor, not a fireman. Determined to help, Grover goes to change, and returns as Farmer Grover, wearing overalls and carrying a pitchfork. Kermit reminds him that a fireman puts out fires. When Grover finally arrives with a hose, they discover that the smoke is coming from the girl toasting marshmallows over a small campfire.

Farmer Grover returned to the show in 1974, when Kermit explained to him that a horse needs to go before a cart, and not after.

Dr. Grover, M.D.
Dr. Grover, M.D. made a special appearance in a 2009 episode of the NBC sitcom Scrubs, showing up in one of J.D.'s Sesame Street-inspired fantasies. Dr. Grover approves of J.D.'s attempts to grow a beard, agreeing that "chicks dig on the extra fuzz."

Grover gets an enthusiastic "high-four", and ends up slammed against the wall -- providing a demonstration of "near" and "far".

Back on Sesame Street, Dr. Grover appeared in A's Anatomy, a 2007 spoof of Grey's Anatomy.

Elevator Operator
Grover has made several appearances as an Elevator Operator, offering lessons that are helpful to the audience, but not so helpful to the busy people who are trying to ride the elevator.

In one 1974 sketch, Grover explains that only five people are allowed on the elevator at a time, and he dutifully counts out five passengers as they enter. Then he discovers that he's not allowed on the elevator himself; he would make six.

In another sketch from 1975, Grover demonstrates "in" and "out" by asking the elevator passengers to walk in and out of the elevator. The passengers eventually manage to break free, and take the stairs.