Oscar the Grouch in Belfast
Me and Oscar the Grouch and Carroll Spinney, the voice of, and man behind, not only Oscar but Big Bird of Sesame Street fame.ÌýThe two were in Belfast to meet the residents of "Sesame Tree". That's Northern Ireland's own version of Sesame Street.Ìý
I've never seen so many people craning their necks through the glass to get a peek at anyone I've ever interviewed before. Outside the studio there was a sense of mass hysteria mixed with nostalgia that was pretty infectious.
Carroll/Oscar took it all in their stride. One woman was openly weeping. Another invited him to her wedding! And told Oscar that she was going to name her first child Oscar.
And there was a queue to get pictures taken, autographs and hugs, mainly for Oscar.
Listen to the interview tonight on Arts Extra at 6.30pm to hear me flummoxed by maintaining eye contact wtih a puppet. It's the original Talk to the Hand moment.ÌýÌý
Comment number 1.
At 6th Aug 2010, alaninbelfast wrote:Oscar was certainly in good form. I too ... he seemed to like Belfast. And Caroll's a real gentleman. It's strange how quickly you just address the puppet's mouth and ignore the puppeteer. It's entrancing.
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