| Sesame Street | |||||
| Oscar writes a play about trash (repeat of 1879) | |||||
| Air date | December 11, 1985 | ||||
| Season | Season 17 (1985-1986) | ||||
| Written by | Tony Geiss | ||||
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| Picture | Segment | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Insert | Big Bird is grooving to his "Rubber Duckie" disco record when Snuffy asks what disco is. Big Bird explains that discos are for grown-ups and take place at night, so they aren't able to see it first-hand. But, they can imagine it! In their imaginations, Big Bird's nest area has become a discotheque. After a couple dances on the lighted floor, Snuffy and Big Bird get their chance to show their stuff. Back in reality, Snuffy has learned a lot about disco and Big Bird compliments his big imagination. (First: Episode 1261) |
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Cartoon | A pencil tries to write the word DANCE. (First: Episode 1966) |
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Muppets | The dark-bearded half of the Two-Headed Monster wakes up to argue with itself over whether to go to the zoo or the playground. The two both end up taking naps instead. (First: Episode 1475) |
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Cartoon | A sleepy man counts 8 sheep. |
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Animation | A rock does somersaults for its peers, but gets little applause. (First: Episode 2021) |
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Muppets | Polly Darton sings "Wavin' Goodbye to You with My Heart." (First: Episode 1475) |
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Cartoon | A loud-voiced girl talks about her dog, Pete. Artist: Bruce Cayard (First: Episode 1266) |
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Insert | The Alphabet Dancers make the form of the letter F. (First: Episode 0446) |
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Cartoon | Cloud blows things FFFFFFFF (First: Episode 0387) |
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SCENE 1 | Bob finds Oscar typing away in his trash can. Oscar, wearing a writer's outfit, tells him that he's working on a play about trash to be performed today on Sesame Street. Bob asks to read it and Oscar allows him, just as long as he leaves him alone afterwards. He points Bob to the crumpled pieces of paper below, which are the pages of the script - "When I write trash, I write trash." Bob uncrumples the pages and finds there are no sequential pages in the pile. He asks to see the whole script, and Oscar dumps all the crumpled pages into his arms. |
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Cartoon | The word entrada tries to run through a wall, then runs through the entrance. (First: Episode 0939) |
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Muppets | Ernie tries to find another cookie with a criss-cross of icing. He has trouble matching cookies, but Cookie Monster "matches" them by eating them (putting them all in the same place, his stomach). (First: Episode 0169) |
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Film | Old Time Movies: Anne Meara observes wondering if the dashing hero will go over or under. (First: Episode 0517) |
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Cartoon | Melvin the Moving Man has magnificent muscles. Music: Dick Lavsky and Alan Cagan, Narrator: Allen Swift (First: Episode 0207) |
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SCENE 2 | Gordon, Susan, Linda, and Bob are going about their business, when Oscar is carried in by Bruno the Trashman, with the Grouchketeers in tow. He tells them about his play, titled "The Romance of Trash," and asks the adults to line up. He asks the Grouchketeers to study the faces of the adults, which he finds are all too pleasant. It's not until Linda, whose face is smudged up from working on her bike, joins the group that Oscar finds the perfect person to play the role of "Dirt" in the play. He tells Linda not to wash her face and assures her, "I'm gonna send you out there a mess, but you're gonna come back a star!" |
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Cartoon | A peasant tries to woo a pretty girl by reciting the famous "Roses are Red" poem. The lines are fed to him by a poet behind a bush, whom she eventually runs off with. Artist: Irra Verbitsky (First: Episode 2058) |
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Celebrity | The Pointer Sisters sing "Yes, We Can Can." (First: Episode 0793) |
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Cartoon | M is for Moo Music: Larry Rosen and Charles Myers (First: Episode 0276) |
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SCENE 3 | Telly Monster is feeling disappointed as Oscar has yet to include him, Oscar's self-titled best friend, to participate in his play. He gets Oscar's attention and begs for a role. Oscar has one, small part left and auditions Telly for the role. Telly reads the line, "My dog has fleas," in a variety of emotions. Oscar thinks it over and decides to cast Telly as "Waste Paper." Telly runs off with joy, as Oscar chides him for acting happy; it's a Grouch play after all. |
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Cartoon | A flea circus performs feats beginning with the letter F. (First: Episode 0309) |
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Muppets | Sesame Street News Flash: Old Woman Who Lives in a Shoe — Kermit looks for the Old Woman who Lives in a Shoe. (First: Episode 1050) |
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Film | People of all ages ride bicycles. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0616) |
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Cartoon | Two heads think of F words, ending with "finished." (First: Episode 0128) |
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SCENE 4 | Telly tries to employ some method acting to prepare for his role as Waste Paper. He tries to crumple himself up and lays on the sidewalk. He realizes that people don't like seeing crumpled paper on the street, since it makes a mess. He wonders where he can effectively practice and runs off, inspired. |
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SCENE 4 cont'd | Gordon comes down the street and notices some movement in the wastebasket. Telly pops up, having found a great place to pretend to be waste paper. |
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Cartoon | A boy does an addition problem in his head: 2 + 1 = 3. (First: Episode 0516) |
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Cast | The Great Addini (Maria) performs her famous bottle-balancing trick with her assistant Bill (David), who is doubtful the stunt will work. (First: Episode 1937) |
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Film | Time-lapse of seeds growing. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0416) |
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Cartoon | A wizard walks through a door. A boy in pajamas tries to imitate him without success. (First: Episode 1042) |
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Muppets | Kids narrate as Snuffy takes a walk in the park and Barkley follows him. (First: Episode 1873) |
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Song | "Garbageman's Blues Song" (First: Episode 1875) |
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SCENE 5 | The adults and kids gather in the audience to see the world premiere of "The Romance of Trash." Grundgetta pulls the curtain down and Oscar begins to sing (to the tune of the typical pageant song) an intro. First, Grundgetta sings about being a tin can, followed by another Grouch (Richard Hunt) as a broken umbrella; they both toss their trash into the crowd. |
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SCENE 5 cont'd | Linda comes out in an elaborate dirt costume and signs the lyrics as Oscar sings. She closes her verse by spraying dust on the crowd. Telly comes out to sing about being waste paper, but regrets having to toss old newspapers at the audience. |
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SCENE 5 cont'd | Oscar takes the final verse about trash cans, cueing the Grouchketeers to throw trash inside his can. At Oscar's encouragement, the crowd boos the show. |
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Cartoon | Worms form the number 8. Artist: Owe Gustafson (First: Episode 1563) |
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Muppets | The Count sings "Eight Beautiful Notes." (First: Episode 1291) |
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Cartoon | What's missing? (a baby) (First: Episode 2023) |
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SCENE 6 | Everyone cleans up the large mess made after Oscar's play. He's offended at first, until everyone brings it over to him and starts stuffing it in his can until he's hardly visible. Bob announces the sponsors. |
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