A Triangle Lovers Club meeting in Episode 4144
Telly and John Goodman's lifetime membership cards
Dr. Sing's membership certificate, hung proudly among his academic degrees.
The Triangle Lovers Club is a Sesame Street organization, primarily for social purposes, composed of devotees of that three-sided shape, the triangle. They're modeled after fraternal orders and lodges in real life, and particularly after those in various sitcoms (including the Raccoon Lodge on The Honeymooners and the Loyal Order of Water Buffalos on The Flintstones). This carries on to the ornate attire of their president and to their colorful headgear. The head of the organization is The Grand High Triangle Lover, aided by Norman.
A typical meeting is presented in Episode 4144, where we see the club engage in the same three things - crafting a triangle using three lines, singing the triangle anthem, and reciting the triangle cheer.
The club's leading light is definitely Telly Monster. When the club is first mentioned in Episode 2780, it's less a fraternal group than a book of the month club, sending Telly a different triangle every month. In 2871, the Grand High Triangle Lover makes his first visit to the street. He presents Telly with the Triangle Lover of the Year honor and award (represented by a triangle).
By Episode 3012, his fame as a triangle lover has reached the point where actual sentient triangles seek him out to overwhelm him with affection. Telly's passion, and failure to coordinate events and multitask well, leads to conflict in 3291, when he's asked to deliver a speech at a Triangle Lovers' Luncheon whilst (and at the same time) he's supposed to join his tuba friends for a concert at the park. Telly even becomes temporary Grand High Triangle Lover for a day in 2966.
When Baby Bear founds the Porridge Lovers Club in Episode 3841, Telly lends him his expertise, although he's not quite as enthused when Baby Bear attends his first Triangle Lovers Club meeting in Episode 4144 and is declared Triangle Lover of the Day (a more time limited honor, with the privilege of wearing the Triangle Lovers crown for the duration).
Other known members include Dr. Sing (3097), Emily (3991), John Goodman, and at least in Episode 3569, Ruthie, Mr. Handford, several kids, and more. The club motto is "A friend in need is a Triangle Lover's friend indeed" (3841), although the Grand High Triangle Lover puts it another way: the club is all about "one triangle lover taking care of another."
In addition to regular meetings, the club holds various triangle functions, including a triangle breakfast, luncheon, and dinner. The occasional competition is also sponsored, such as a drawing contest, a tongue-twisting contest, and the Annual Triangle Toss. The organization also has its own publication, The Triangle Times, dispensing three-sided information on the club, its members, and other triangular-happenings in the world.
The club's counterpart is the Square Lovers' Society, led by The Grand Royal Square Person.
Other episode appearances[]
- Episode 3234 - The club hosts the Grand High Triangle Lover's birthday party, with Telly asked to deliver the welcoming speech.
- Episode 3569 - To save the Triangle Lovers club from closing, when membership is reduced to merely Telly, Norm, and the Grand High personage himself, Telly goes on a recruitment drive.
- Episode 3689 - Telly is invited to give a speech at a Triangle Lovers Club luncheon.
- Episode 4131 - Telly insists on giving baby Marco the Triangle Lovers test.