Orange is the New Black

Sesame Street spoof

Nicky as Rowlf

Suzanne imitates the Count

Orange is the New Black is a Netflix original series that premiered in 2013. Based on the memoir by Piper Kerman, it tells the story of a women's prison in upstate New York.

References

• Sesame Street Episode 4604 features a spoof of the series entitled "Orange is the New Snack," starring Prairie Dawn as "Piper Snackman." Set in Litchfield Academy, the sketch features Muppet versions of the characters, including Googily Eyes (Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren, performed by Pam Arciero), Red (Galina "Red" Reznikov, performed by Jennifer Barnhart), Forlorna (Lorna Morello, performed by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph), Mr. Mustache (George "Pornstache" Mendez, performed by Martin P. Robinson), August, Citizen, Aimee, Bailey and Avery. (YouTube)

• In an interview for The Muppet Mindset, Constantine says he wants to make a Netflix show called Green is the New Black.

Mentions

• In the season two episode "Hugs Can Be Deceiving," Grace asks her sister, "Suzie, you want the Chipmunks or the Muppet Babies sleeping bag this time?" She answers, "I'll take the Muppets tonight."

• In the season three episode "Finger in the Dyke," Cindy asks Taystee how she can like a song that just lists the days of the week, "like it's Sesame Street or some shit."

• In the season three episode "Ching Chong Chang," Alex tells Piper that her new job is "better than being stuck down in that sweaty basement with the fucking puppets from The Dark Crystal."

• Also in the season three episode "Ching Chong Chang," Alex gives Morello some bird factoids, among them the fact that Big Bird is yellow.

• In the season three episode "Don't Make Me Come Back There", Diaz tells Mendoza that she left her daughter's baby in the care of her boyfriend, and Mendoza replies, "You really think that man can handle another one? It's like the Muppet Babies up in his house."

• In the season five finale "Storm-y Weather," Black Cindy, having given lithium to Suzanne which caused her to pass out, says, "I was just trying to do the best I could, all right?" Taystee replies back, "Well, ain’t that some Sesame Street BS?"

• In the first episode of season six, Crazy Eyes imagines seeing Nicky as Rowlf the Dog as she channel-surfs in her mind.

• In the finale of season six, Aleida is concerned about Daya's sleepiness, which Hopper compares to Mr. Snuffleupagus.

• In the season seven episode "Trapped in an Elevator," during visitation, Alex asks Piper, "Well, why don't you find someone other than, like, your brother to hang out with? .... How about some girls at work?" Piper replies, "I think they know I'm the one who Cookie Monstered their cake."

• In the season seven episode "Baker's Dozen," Lolly Whitehall tries counting the chickens in the chicken coop but keeps losing count. Suzanne tells her, "No, no, no. You're counting wrong. You gotta use the voice." (imitating The Count: "There's one, one chicken! Two, two chickens! Three, three noble birds!"

Connections

• Jason Biggs plays Larry Bloom
• Blair Brown plays Judy King
• Lea DeLaria plays Big Boo
• Jodie Foster directed two episodes
• Taryn Manning plays Pennsatucky
• Kelly Karbacz plays Kasey Sankey
• Anney McKilligan was an assistant puppeteer in Season 4
• Gabrielle Ruiz played Singing Inmate #2 in "Power Suit"
• Dale Soules plays Frieda Berlin
• Mary Steenburgen plays Delia Powell
• Alex Trebek played himself in the episode "Who Knows Better Than I"
• Kaufman Astoria Studios serves as a filming location