Idea bulbs

A cartoon gag where a light bulb appears over a character's head, illustrating their sudden burst of inspiration. Occasionally, a physical light source is used instead.

ElmoSesame Street Episode 3429

Fozzie BearMuppets Most Wanted

Pancho ContrerasMonstrous en Red

PrimateJim Henson's Muppets Annual 1980

Rowlf the DogThe Jimmy Dean Show
(March 19, 1964)

Telly MonsterSesame Street Stays Up Late

Telly MonsterSesame Street Episode 4165

Audio

The visual bulb is usually accompanied by a musical chime of some sort. It has become so synonymous with the trope, that the chime is sometimes rung without the visual. Examples include:

• Each idea Big Bird gets for how to remove the snow in Sesame Street Episode 0602 is marked with a chime.

• Oscar the Grouch getting an idea for a disguise to hide from Mr. Hooper and his brother in Episode 1545.

• Ernie gets an idea for how to see past a lady with a tall hat in a 1973 Sesame Street sketch.

• In a 1974 story insert, The Monster's Three Wishes, Cookie Monster gets an idea. His chiming sound effect startles The Genie.

External links

• TV Tropes: Idea Bulb