Talk: Cookie Monster

Cookie's Birthday

Do we need a source for it? It says November 2nd, but I do know that it's knowledgeable to add sources. I'm just making sure, whether or not it needs to be sourced. -- Matt H. (talk) 02:57, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

All Sesame character birth dates, unless otherwise noted, come from the Sesame Street Calendars, the dates which more recently have also been mentioned in occasional media articles and so on. See also the detailed Cookie Monster's Birthday article on Toughpigs, complete with a scan from one of said calendars; at the end, it includes all of the known character birthdays from the calendars. It's not cited individually in this case because the dates were used consistently in the calendars, and often in ancillary products like Sesame Street Magazine and so on; only if the date changed or was inconsistent (see Kermit's Birthday) do we track the individual origins. Actually, given that we have Character birthdays (which is a better place to cite the calendar, if it isn't already; I can't open a new window on this machine), I'm not entirely sure we need the dates on the character pages, but they don't hurt. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 19:01, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

Eric Jacobson

Does anyone know if the Web Video Player on Sesame Workshop's site currently has any scenes with Eric J. performing Cookie M? --Dave Splurge 00:29, 25 December 2007 (UTC)

Was it ever confirmed that Eric performed Cookie in anything that aired? It was speculate don the TP forum some time ago. I believe it was Kynan who thought he saw Eric as Cookie in a Letter of the Day segment. —Scott (talk) 02:43, 25 December 2007 (UTC)

You got me. I only read about it in the "Casting History" section of this page.

Happy Holidays! -Dave Splurge 12:54, 25 December 2007 (UTC)

I just added a cite tag. That bullet and the following blurb needs a source and some clarification. Happy Holidays! —Scott (talk) 13:43, 25 December 2007 (UTC)

IBM training film

i HAVE THE ibm TRAINING FILM [ link removed ], and I gotta say, it is quite funny! Taelia 01:10, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

That's from The Ed Sullivan Show which is commercially available on Muppets Magic from the Ed Sullivan Show. —Scott (talk) 01:27, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Actually, I hadn't removed the clip originally because, according to Amazon.com and other sources, the DVD and video are now out of print. Should we consider how to approach items like that, though? It's not *readily* commercially available anymore, though it can be found on Ebay or through used sellers and probably a few retail video stores may have backstock. So it's not necessarily something which can be easily bought, but it's not as rare as Rowlf's Rhapsodies and the like. How do we deal with that? -- Andrew Leal (talk) 01:42, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

As a matter of fact, sometimes I get ads for that special on the sides (I'm still using the old skin), from sofaentertainment.com. So maybe it's still available from them (I haven't been there to check if it's real, but Sofa Entertainment is the name of the company who controls Ed Sullivan stuff). -- Ken (talk) 02:31, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

It isn't listed, I checked. Holiday Greetings from the Ed Sullivan Show is still available, though. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 02:36, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

It feels like grey area to me. Which tells me we should probably say no. If someone wants to search for it on YouTube, that's up to them. —Scott (talk) 03:28, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

In this case, since the Sullivan people are probably vigilant, I'd agree and as I've said before, I'd just as soon add no YouTube links unless they're specifically as evidence of something or the uploader is personally going to monitor it. But our policy, and what we always tell people, is stuff that's "commercially available." How long does it have to be no longer available, or should we cite another reason? -- Andrew Leal (talk) 03:31, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

I think where it's so recently been *in* print commercially, that's reason enough to keep them off the site. And that's a good point about the Sullivan people. They're the ones responsible for shutting down my account for having *non*-commercially available clips online. —Scott (talk) 03:57, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

The Cookie Monster

I could have sworn we had a discussion about Cookie Monster being referred to as the cookie monster; as in, he's the monster who's described as being a monster for cookies. I think this was more prevalent in the earlier years, and later Cookie Monster became his "name"; as in first and last: Mr. Cookie Monster you might address him as, for instance. Anyway, just in case this came up again, I wanted to park this information somewhere. As recently as Episode 4033, Maria says to the audience, "I think I just hurt the cookie monster's feelings." This, in the same story where he's also called Cookie Monster by name. —Scott (talk) 23:07, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

I think that would be fun to track, either in a section on this page or on another little page. -- Danny (talk) 23:13, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Here's another one to add to the mix: in The Magic Cookie, Herbert Birdsfoot refers to him as Mr. Cookie Monster, further cementing the phrase as his proper name. —Scott (talk) 11:15, 26 June 2007 (UTC)

In Elmo's Valentine, he's called just "Cookie", which supports the first name - last name side if you want to expand out that way also. -- Wendy (talk) 19:36, 26 June 2007 (UTC)

Frank Oz

Why is he listed "1969-current"? Is it a case that SW has left the door open for him to return at any time, should he choose to? -- Zanimum 16:24, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

He still plays his characters in occasional appearances, like the recent Grover in the Russian restaurant sketch. If you want to change it, feel free. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 18:19, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

Oh wow, that's cool to hear. I had thought he had broken off ties entirely with the Muppets. I've changed the credits on Grover. -- Zanimum 18:46, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

You might want to remove the year ranges for Oz "ending" as Grover. As both David Rudman and Eric Jacobson have said, Oz comes in at least four or five times a year, and will do a "Bert Day," "Grover Day," "Cookie Day," etc. (and of course, early in the transitionary period, he traded off in one sketch, playing Grover to (I think) Rudman's Cookie and then switching as Cookie to Jacobsen's Grover). He hasn't completely retired from any of them, as he has with Miss Piggy; that's why he's remained in the credits and in the presskits, while Jim Henson, Richard Hunt, and anyone else now seen solely in past clips, are not (Henson and Hunt were removed after 1998). -- Andrew Leal (talk) 18:58, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

Has he skipped any years, though? Like is it actually "1969 - 1999, 2001 - current"? -- Zanimum 17:58, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

No. Frank Oz never stopped being Cookie Monster's performer. David Rudman in NY Metro (August 2006): "I kind of feel like I'm just standing in for Frank [Oz]. He still comes in once in a while and works. I'm just keeping Cookie going until he can come back." — Scott (talk) 18:24, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

Second Puppeteer

Since Cookie is a live-hand puppet, I was wondering if anyone, possibly Scooter, knew who the second puppeteer was. Theatrefreak25 02:52, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

I doubt there's a consistent second puppeteer, but Peter Linz has been identified as assisting on several Alistair Cookie sketches. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 18:19, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

International Cookie

Okay, there's been some conflicts of late regarding the "International" listings, which seems to relate mostly to two issues. One is whether or not Cookie Monster would have been renamed "Biscuit Monster" in the UK *if* he had been named, and if it's accurate to say that "cookie" means "bun" and "biscuit" means "cookie." Any UK folks, your input would be appreciated. The other issue is whether international name translations which were *not* actually used in any co-production should be listed on this page, or any other character's page. So, thoughts, people? --Andrew, Aleal 21:45, 17 April 2006 (UTC)

I think it's noteworthy to add that biscuit means cookie in the UK and British Commonwealth following the comment that the character wasn't renamed in those parts of the world that don't use American English. -- Gennaro, Januarius, 03:28, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

I'm not a UK person. But if Sesame Street has not aired in the UK, I see no reason to mention what his name "would have been." There's no note on the page for the song TV Maniacs saying that if it had been written in the UK, it would be called "Telly Maniacs." -Ryan R PrawnRR 05:21, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

I don't especially care at this point except for the back and forthing, but Gennaro, the last revision by Warrick removed any comment about the UK or American English. We'll see if Warrick responds to this. --Andrew, Aleal 20:22, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

Cookie Monster eats cookies. Cookies are cookies in England. Biscuits are kinda like cookies without choc chips and stuff. Its meaningless and wrong. He wouldnt have been called Biscuit Monster. And a bun is a bun. I vote for leave it out. --Warrick 22:21, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

In most of the english speaking world, the word for cookie is biscuit. That said, I think the current blurb is fine and should be left up. There is no speculation in there about being renamed save for the fact that the character wasn't renamed even though cookie means something different in Commonwealth English. Warrick's comments I think are really ethnocentric. If there was a character from England called "Knock You Up Monster" because he comes over to your house and knocks on your door, and the show was aired in the U.S. where "knock you up" means something else, I don't think it's too much to note the differences between proper English and American-English.-- Gennaro

Well, Warrick lives in England, so I think he can speak for that. Gennaro, I don't know where you were born, but your e-mail address is from Italy. So if it's a question of what cookies are called in the UK, I think Warrick's a more trustworthy source for me.

Gennaro, it would also help us to trust your edits more if you would contribute to some other pages. You've been on the wiki for a couple weeks now, and the only thing you've done is to add the same bit of information to the Cookie Monster page. That narrow focus makes it seem like you've got some kind of "thing" about it, which makes your edit less trustworthy. Are there other pages that you're interested in working on? -- Danny Toughpigs 19:06, 21 April 2006 (UTC)

Does "cookie" mean something dirty in The Queen's English? Because, if it doesn't, the Knock-You-Up Monster metaphor doesn't work. --Peter Pantalones 20:50, 21 April 2006 (UTC)

I am from the UK and used to watch Sesame street. The Cookie monster was called the cookie monster, and as stated above cookies are cookies. Buns are bread rolls. It definately doesn't mean anything rude. Lee, England.(sorry, I'm not member)

What the freak? Nobody [probably] in England goes 'rounds saying things like "Hey, I'm going to knock this fellow up", and then knocks on his door.That's just... weird. Where'd you get that idea?. [Jack, also from England].

Sid

• Is there a reference for Frank Oz saying that Cookie Monster's original name was Sid? -- Toughpigs 19:44, 17 Dec 2005 (UTC)

• Alright, in a 2004 episode (and a very quick google search shows me it was from December 17) Cookie Monster sang a song that revealed before he started eating cookies (and became Cookie Monster) he was called Sid. This information was also flaunted in a 2005 associated press article about SW taking Cookie off Cookies that was published everywhere [1]. So according to the show Cookie was once Sid Monster. But even before 2004, I remember reading/hearing somewhere (possibly something from Frank) that back before Sesame Street (before he ate cookies and he ate computers and whatnot – like in the Sullivan Show days) he was referred to as Sid by Henson, Oz and the other Muppet folk; as he needed to be called something for simplicity of discussions and whatnot. But the name Sid was never official or publicly attached to the character. I think name being Sid from 2004 was a nod to this. But I do remember hearing the Sid thing pre-2004. And I'm 100% sure that "pre-cookies" Cookie Monster was named Sid (at least in on-the-show history; as for Henson history I'm about 85% sure). -- GregJames 07:30, 18 Dec 2005 (UTC)

• That's good info. Could you put all that in the article? -- Toughpigs 07:41, 18 Dec 2005 (UTC)

• In the book Sesame Street Unpaved, it says that the origial puppet that evolved ino Cookie Monster was called Arnold when it was used in commercials.--user:Minor muppetz

• Hey, good call! I'll put that in the article... -- Toughpigs 14:08, 23 Dec 2005 (UTC)

Table for International, Template revision?

• The International section, where various international names are substituted for "Cookie Monster" might better be served with a more eye-pleasing table rather then "In Country A, he is called X; In Country B, he is called Y." Also, we may want to set this table up underneath the main picture for all muppet templates if we have enough solid information on what the muppets are called in enough countries. Just a thought. -Sbartok 03:06, 20 Dec 2005 (UTC)-

• I think that's a great idea. I don't have time to work on it right now, but maybe somebody will. -- Toughpigs 03:29, 20 Dec 2005 (UTC)

• I do not have time to work on this now... Perhaps tomorrow. I just wanted to run this by everyone before I started to see what I could do with it. Of course, if anyone else out there wants to take a crack at it before I can get to this tomorrow, feel free. -Sbartok 03:36, 20 Dec 2005 (UTC)-

• I created a list for the International section. At any rate, I'm not sure as to how to get templates to work in these wikicities. They work perfectly fine in wikipedia. Strange. Is there anyway we can make our own templates or import them from wikipedia? -Sbartok 02:42, 21 Dec 2005 (UTC)-

• Yeah, making a template is easy, but I'm not sure that's what you're trying to do. To create a template, you make a page with the format Template:Nameoftemplate. (The easiest way to do that is to change the URL in your address bar, so it says: http://muppet.wikicities.com/wiki/Template:Nameoftemplate.) Put whatever you want in there, and save it. Then you can add that template to a page by putting in {{Nameoftemplate}}. But that'll create the exact same thing every time, and I think what you want is something else. Am I right? -- Toughpigs 03:06, 21 Dec 2005 (UTC)

• What might be more aesthetically pleasing is to have a template to the affect of what the videogames have in Wikipedia. They have some sort of template off to the right of the screen that has a picture of the box & then basic information beneath it separated into two columns. This would be useful if we want to head in the direction of having a unified look for all the pages featuring Muppets (major or otherwise). -Sbartok 03:16, 21 Dec 2005 (UTC)-

• Okay, I know what you're talking about. I don't know what that's called -- it's not a template, it's something else. A table, maybe? I'm currently developing one for performer information. This is the latest version, but I want some people to look at it before I start using it. Is this the kind of direction you're looking for? -- Toughpigs 04:27, 21 Dec 2005 (UTC)

• Started International Names for some muppets (The Count, Big Bird) and found this discussion. For Cookie monster it would be Dutch: Koekiemonster, German: Krümelmonster. (Krümel are crumbs)

Casting Note

• Some trivia: David Rudman officially became Cookie Monster in the 2002 season (taped 2001) but in the season before, David and Eric Jacobson had both played the part. Once Eric was cast as Grover and Bert, the decision was made to go with David as Cookie to allow for potential Grover/Cookie interaction. Greg, do you maybe want to post this under trivia, or make a "casting history" subheading? I lack the necessary formatting skills...although I'm working on it. -- TV's KB 15:29, 18 Dec 2005 (UTC)

Kermit yells at Cookie Monster

• What skit Kermit udder this famous line: "Hey, you big dumb monster! You're the nastiest person I know!" --Kid Sonic 06:56, April 17, 2011 (UTC)

Cookie Monster Filmography

• A Cookie Monster Filmography page needs to be made.