damont

Like some of the folks who read my posts here, I actually remember when Sesame Street first came on the air, and watched it the very first week ir aired. Perhaps unusually, the first episode I ever saw was number 2. Why not number 1? Because I was in first grade, and as a Catholic going to public school, I had to go to CCD classes once a week. Our parish held them on Monday afternoons, and Channel 13 showed Episode 1 on... a Monday afternoon. I got home from CCD just after the show ended, which I had known in advance would be the case because I had read the TV listings that morning. I wouldn't see episode 1 until a few months later, when Channel 11 (yes, a commercial station!) started airing the reruns a few months behind, and later in the afternoon.

These memories were brought back into focus today when I saw that the last original member of the on-stage cast is retiring, after being part of the show for 50 seasons. His last recorded parts will be aired as part of the 50th anniversary show, presumably to be aired on HBO in the summer/autumn of 2019, and on PBS nine months later.

Original Big Bird, Caroll Spinney, Leaves ‘Sesame Street’ After Nearly 50 Years

A final round of applause to one of the best. My hat's off to you, Caroll Spinney.