Elmopalooza

Jon Stewart, Elmo, Big Bird and David Alan Grier

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones with Elmo and The Count.

Shawn Colvin and Ernie

Elmopalooza is a one-hour TV special that aired on ABC on February 20, 1998.

Jon Stewart plans to host a music special at Radio City Music Hall 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 April 14th.

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
• "I Want a Monster to Be My Friend" with En Vogue
• "Nearly Missed" with Rosie O'Donnell and Elmo
• "Caribbean Amphibian" with Jimmy Buffett and Kermit the Frog
• "One Small Voice" with Kenny Loggins
• "Songs" with Jon Stewart, Elmo, and the cast

(medley):

• "Rubber Duckie"
• "ABC-DEF-GHI"
• "I Love Trash"
• "C is for Cookie"
• "The People in Your Neighborhood"

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

Notes

• Kevin Clash makes an onscreen cameo as Big Bird runs through the hallways of Radio City Music Hall.
• In the original ABC airing of the special, the "Sesame Street Theme" performance during the credits is shortened. It omits the bridge and reprise of the first verse.

Video releases

VHSSony Wonder
LV 49441

VHSSony Wonder
LV 49444
Alternate cover

DVDSony Wonder
LVD 49441

DVD2002
Sony Wonder
3 disc set with The Best of Elmo and Do the Alphabet

DVDGenius Entertainment

DVD2010
Warner Home Video

Elmo and Friends (video) (DVD)2014
Warner Home Video
Double feature with Elmo's World: Singing, Drawing & More!

Australia (VHS)1999
ABC Video for Kids

Australia (DVD)2006
ABC Video for Kids

Australia (DVD)2007
3 disc set with Get Up and Dance and Kids' Favorite Songs

Brazil (DVD)2003
ST2 Video
cat. no 100543

DVDMexico, 2008
Ventura Entertainment

Singapore and Malaysia (VCD)Berjaya HVN
cat. no 448004

Singapore and Malaysia Re-release (VCD)Berjaya HVN

Singapore and Malaysia (DVD)2009
Berjaya HVN

DVD2012
Oznoz
Spanish audio track

Characters

Muppet Characters

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

Background Muppets

The Oinker Sisters, Forgetful Jones, Herry Monster, Frazzle, Roxie Marie, Sully, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Granny Bird, The Squirrelles, green Anything Muppet lady, Gil, Jill, Frogs, Honkers, Chickens, Penguins, Sheep, Dinger, REM

Sesame Street Humans

Susan, Gordon, Bob, Mr. Handford, Gina, Luis, Maria, Ruthie

Cast

Muppet Performers

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

• Pam Arciero, Peter Linz, Noel MacNeal, Jim Martin, Alice Dinnean (Penguin), Bryant Young, John Tartaglia, Matt Vogel, John Kennedy, Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Frog), Eric Jacobson, Rick Lyon, Don Reardon, Julianne Buescher, Drew Massey, Kevin Carlson, Joe Selph, Brad Abrell

Also Starring

Ruth Buzzi, Emilio Delgado, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Alison Bartlett O' Reilly, Roscoe Orman, David Langston Smyrl

Celebrity Guest Stars

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

Credits

• Executive Producer: Nancy Kanter
• Co-Executive Producer: Kevin Clash
• Produced by Karin Young Shiel
• Written by Tom J. Astle and Joey Mazzarino
• Directed by Tom Trbovich
• Puppet Captain: Kevin Clash
• Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop: Mark Zeszotek, Stephen Rotondaro, Lara MacLean, Karena Wienands, Carol Binion, Peter MacKeenan, Carol Yannuzzi, Naomi Eisenstadt, Jane Gootnick, Scott Johnson, Marian Keating
• Costume Designers: Bill Kellard, Terry Roberson
• Associate Director: Ted May
• Music Director: John Boylan
• Music Supervisor: Alan Silverman
• Additional Music: Gary Anderson, Steve Skinner
• Music Consultant: Chris Cerf
• Music Coordinator: Ed Mitchell
• Camera: Frank Biondo, Mark Whitman, Larry Solomon
• Audio: Blake Norton
• Locations courtesy of: Conan O'Brien, MTV Networks, Radio City Music Hall
• Taped at Sony Music Studios, NYC
• Special Thanks: Ben Campisi, Dana Coccara, Melissa Dino, Danny Epstein, Ted Gardner, Ellen Lewis Gideon, Ellen Goldfader, Ted Green, Eric Greenspan, Karen Ialacci, Nan Halperin, Andy Kadison, Majorie Kalins, Ann Kearns, Wendy Moss, Chuck Nankivell, Vicky Newman, Jodi Nussbaum, John Phillips, Renee Rachelle, Arlene Sherman, Deborah Strafella, Neil Sullivan, Daphne Walter, Alan Winnikoff

Music video credits

• "Just Happy to Be Me"
  Kevin Bray and Benita Husband, Satellite Films
• "Mambo, I, I, I"
  Mustapha Kahn and Rob Alter, Washington Square Films
• "Zig Zag Dance," "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" and "I Want a Monster to Be My Friend"
  Lionel C. Martin and Rae Permann, Raven Knight Productions
• "Caribbean Amphibian"
  Sally Cruikshank and Victor DiNapoli
• "One Small Voice"
  Mark Rowen and Julie Donatt, Stardust Productions

See also

• Elmopalooza! (soundtrack)

External links

• Tough Pigs: "My Week with Elmo Part 2: Elmo as the Kermit," "My Week with Sesame Anniversaries: Day 4, Year 30"