Oscar's trash can



Oscar's trash can is the private domain of Oscar the Grouch and is situated between 123 Sesame Street stoop and Big Bird's Nest. Like Doctor Who's TARDIS, the classic clown cars or Snoopy's doghouse, Oscar's can is considerably deeper than one would initially suspect. The seemingly bottomless domain houses a variety of diverse grouch amenities and luxuries.

From 1969-1974, the can was atop a crate with a trunk next to it at right. From 1975 onward, the crate and trunk were replaced by a barrel and a burlap crate, complete with some more crates, a garbage pail and a garbage bag.

In episode 0799 (1975), Oscar installed an Olympic-size swimming pool inside his can. The 1989 book What's in Oscar's Trash Can? and Other Good-Night Stories mentions the swimming pool, as well as an ice-skating rink (which, on the series, has been used by Peggy Fleming), and a bowling alley. According to Sesame Street Unpaved, other items include a piano, art gallery and hearth, and a train set ("Grouch Central Station"). A 1970 article in Look Magazine also notes a pastry kitchen and a rococo staircase. In the Elmo's World installment "Life on the Farm," Oscar gives Elmo a tour of his farm (shown in darkness, with only the pair's eyes visible).

Oscar's diverse menagerie includes goats (one, Lassie, is specified by name), a horse (in an early 1970s episode), elephants (chiefly Fluffy), a dolphin named Ripper, Iago the Donkey, and Oscar's favorite, Slimey the Worm. Irvine, Grungetta, and other grouch friends and relatives are frequent visitors.

For the most part, very few of the "nice" residents of Sesame Street dare venture into the bowels of the municipal waste container. In an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel asked Grover if he has ever been in Oscar's trash can. Grover said, "No. No, no, no. I can not go anywhere ten feet within that thing." Kimmel asked, "Is anyone besides -- are grouches only allowed in the trash can?" Grover responded, "Well, no, anybody is allowed, but... Who would want to go in there? Huh?"

Key exceptions have occurred over the years, however. A lonely Snuffy entered, to play catch with Fluffy, in Episode 2122. Wanda Cousteau sought refuge in the can in Episode 3161. In a Season 19 insert, Linda sat in the can, impersonating the grouch in an "Ask Oscar" segment. Miles and his band attempted to use the can to practice in Episode 4079. There was also an episode in which a piano-tuner went inside it to work on Oscar's piano, and was mistaken for a Grouch by Olivia, who dressed up as a Grouch in order to go on a date with him.

The inside of Oscar's can was depicted on-camera for the first time in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. Oscar has a door in his can that transports people to Grouchland USA. Elmo enters in search of his blanket, and later a rescue party follows suit, including Gordon, Maria, Telly, Cookie Monster and Zoe. Big Bird in particular has a hard time fitting inside the can's narrow opening.

The inside of Oscar's can was later shown in Episode 3997, though this time, the inside was a lot more like the normal inside of a trash can.

In addition to being able to store a wide variety of items in his can, Oscar has also put holes into the bottom of the can and has been able to walk with his legs outside of the bottom of the trash can. Oscar first walked like this in Episode 0276. He has continued to travel like this for many years, though he has also frequently been seen outside of the trash can. Outside of the show, Oscar has traveled with his legs sticking out of the bottom of the can in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Sesame Street Live, and Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Visitors

 * An octopus: Episode 0335
 * Mr. Snuffleupagus: Episode 2122
 * Wanda Cousteau: Episode 3161
 * Miles and his band: Episode 4079

Trivia

 * "Oscar's Trash Can" appears as a property on the Monopoly: Sesame Street Edition game board, in place of Ventnor Avenue.