Yes, We Have Seen the Sesame Street Thanksgiving Comic

Published: November 25, 2015

We are Muppet fans. And we are very open about this fact. We are also very happy that our friends and family think of us when they see fun Muppet things on the internet. But sometimes these people in our lives all send us the same viral image, and that picture gets re-sent year after year. It’s getting to the point where we need to say something.

Almost every one of our regular readers have seen this comic:

And you probably have it posted to your Facebook wall every Thanksgiving by multiple people. Well now, instead of faking enthusiasm or trying to explain that you don’t need to be tagged in every picture with Cookie Monster in it, you can just forward them this article, and we’ll do the dirty work for you.

Ready?

If you’ve been sent this link by a Muppet fan friend, feel free to start reading here.

—

Dear Friend,

Thank you so much for sending me this picture of Big Bird being eaten by his friends and neighbors of Sesame Street. I realize that you have sent this to me because it’s amusing and not because either of us take any joy in Muppet cannibalism.

However, I must alert you – I have seen this comic many times before. As if it was an early Christmas gift, it magically appears on my Facebook feed, in my email inbox, or via text message every Thanksgiving. So while I’m so very appreciative that you took the time to send it, please don’t take my lack of enthusiasm for disdain.

I realize that I may be the biggest Muppet fan in your life, so it’s completely understandable that when you see a picture of Big Bird or Grover or Miss Piggy or Animal, you think of me first. But also realize that I fill that role for a lot of people, and they have all seen the Big Bird Thanksgiving picture too. It happens.

But on the flip side, keep in mind that I grew up with Big Bird, and he was my best friend who taught me to read and learn from my mistakes and cross the street. You probably wouldn’t want to see a picture of your childhood pal being cooked and eaten either, whether or not he resembles a giant turkey.

Although they’re not as widely spread, I’ve also seen these variations on the joke:

And back in 2012, I saw these political cartoons based on the same theme:

And yes, I’ve even seen the cartoon which once again rehashes the joke:

So as you can see, there’s no need to keep sending the Big Bird Thanksgiving comic around. It’s been shared, it’s gone viral, and the idea has been stolen enough times to get the joke out to everyone who might ever want to see it.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not still grateful that you thought of me. I realize that you only shared the picture because you were showing your appreciation for me by taking a small part in my interests. No malice was intended by sharing the comic, and no hard feelings are felt on my end for receiving it.

And isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about? Turning the lack of understanding into brotherhood? I’m still incredibly thankful to get Muppet stuff from you and to be a part of your life, even if it’s just via Facebook posts.

Now, while we’re on the subject, you can also stop sending me pictures of the Muppet cupcakes. I’ve seen those too.