Monster Clubhouse

The "Monster Time" intro from some episodes.

Monster Clubhouse at Sesame Place

Monster Clubhouse is a recurring Sesame Street segment which premiered in season 32.

This segment was used to introduce children to daily routines featuring energetic young monster friends Mooba, Mel, Narf, and Groogel. When the show changed its format in 2002, it became one of the main features. In addition, Mooba was renamed Googel, and Groogel was renamed Phoebe.

Within each similarly structured segment, about ten minutes long, the monsters would usually enjoy:

• Narf arrives
• Welcome Song
• Narf asks Mel what happened in the last meeting
• Monster Dance
• Naptime
• Snacktime
• A lost Lavender Anything Muppet man, played by Jerry Nelson, looks for a different club
• Furry Feeling/Furry Shape/Furry Animal Sound of the Day
• Naptime
• Get chased by an elephant
• Mail time
• Monster Goodbye Song

In season 33, the segments were shortened considerably, and the monsters would only do three or four of the activities. Three new segments were taped for the season. No new segments were made for season 34 and the segment was discontinued the following season (although it continued to appear in the intro). According to Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street, "It was an inspired idea, but kids didn't know the new Muppets and became confused, and the frenetic pace of the segment raised concerns. The puppets Mooba, Mel, Narf, and Groogel literally bounced off the walls."

The segment spawned a CD-ROM game (2002), the book Welcome to the Clubhouse! (2003), and the coloring book Meet the Monsters! (2003). Walk-around versions of the cast were used in the Sesame Street Live show Everyone Makes Music. A play area named after the segment (using a slightly modified version of its title card) appears at Sesame Place in Cookie's Monster Land.

A different monster clubhouse had previously been used for Monsters in Day Care and appeared in the street story from Episode 3878 featuring Telly Monster and Lulu.

Cast

Mooba / Googel

Mel

Narf

Groogel / Phoebe

Sketches

Season 32
Picture	First Appearance	Description
	Episode 3941	Kazoo Club Narf arrives by running and crashing into the monsters. The monsters dance the "Turn Around, Turn Around, Turn Around and Fall Down Dance." Today's Snacktime is Milk and they all drink it. The doorbell rings and a man comes in looking for a kazoo club meeting. The Furry Feeling of the Day is sad and after a brief nap, the group gets chased by an elephant. At Mail Time, the monsters read a letter asking how monsters brush their fur. Video: Sing It, Elmo!
	Episode 3955	Seagull Club Narf arrives by cannon and hits the monster members. Mel reads the previous meeting's minutes and the monsters dance the Honk Your Nose, Touch Your Toes, Spin Around And Strike A Pose Dance. After naptime, the Snack of the Day is a huge salami sandwich. A Lavender Anything Muppet arrives looking for the Club for People Who Like To Pretend They're Seagulls. The Furry Feeling of the Day is angry. After another naptime, the gang gets chased by an elephant. In the mail, a girl wants to know "How do monsters hug?"
	Episode 3969	Banana Peel Club Narf "drops by" from above. Mel gives a brief of the last meeting and shares eating the minutes with the other monsters. Then they do the "Monster Pants Dance" with a dancing pair of pants. After naptime, it is time for snack time which is crackers provided by a duck, who thought it was time for quack time. The Lavender Man comes in with a Banana Hat who is looking for the National Slip on a Banana Peel Club. Today's Furry Feeling of the Day is surprised, a duck arrives to play a flapping dance, they get chased by an elephant, and they answer a letter asking how monsters scratch their backs. As it is time to say good-bye, Phoebe translates Mel's speaking and says "Yes Mel, parting is such sweet sorrow", before they sing the "Monster Goodbye Song" with the duck joining in. This segment was written by Belinda Ward and directed by Jim Martin. Video: Elmo's World: Wild Wild West! (edited)
	Episode 3974	Hat Wearer Club Narf arrives through the door and gets his head stuck in the window before crashing into the other monsters. The monsters talk about the last meeting and how they were penguins and Mel eats the minutes. The monsters then dance the "Turkey Dance." Today's Snacktime is Bananas and the man arrives looking for the Hat Wearers of the Known Universe club. Today's furry shape of the day is the Triangle. A penguin subs for The Elephant, and the monsters sing The Alphabet Song in Monster and English language. Before the "Monster Good-Bye Song," Mel gives some words to live by. This segment was directed by Steve Feldman.
Season 33
Picture	First Appearance	Description
	Episode 4020	Dance Until You Hear the Bell Dance The monsters count themselves and dance the Dance Until You Hear the Bell Dance. After naptime, they get chased by the Elephant and play the Which Monster is Missing game.
	Episode 4022	Hop Hop Stop Dance The monsters have a roll call and do the "Hop Hop Stop" dance. Today's Snack Time is a peanut butter sandwich large enough for an Elephant, which one comes. Today's Furry Animal Sound of the Day is "Cow." The Elephant comes back to chase the monsters.
	Episode 4025	Monster Hop Dance First, the monsters dance to the "Monster Hop." After their nap, they snack on a giant burrito. They then spin their wheel to find the Furry Shape of the Day - a Square. The Elephant arrives, but he feels like being chased as well, so he's brought along a chicken to pursue them all. The chicken joins them in another nap before they say goodbye.

Notes

• A number of concepts were suggested during development of the segment that went unused. More direct parallels to The Mickey Mouse Club were intended, such as shirts with the monsters' names on them, special hats (or rather one hat they alternate wearing), and brief film serials. The segment was also planned to have at least one or two recognizable monsters joining the rambunctious bunch, including Frazzle in Mel's role of unintelligible individual reading the notes of their last meeting.

• The set was made of cardboard, and the stagehands would shake the set from the outside when the monsters jumped.