New Muppet Stuff
Grover on Jimmy Kimmel Live
April 4, 2005: Grover made a rare late-night appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, promoting the Happy Healthy Monsters DVD and the new season of Sesame Street.
But before Grover even appeared, another guest was talking smack about him. Jimmy invited the Wings guy to air his views on Sesame Street’s pedagogical techniques…
| (Tim Daly blathers on about whatever.) | |
| Jimmy
|
I heard that you don’t like Sesame Street. Is that true? |
| (The audience goes: Awwwwwww.) | |
| Jimmy
|
Can you believe that? |
| Tim
|
You know, Sesame Street is responsible for attention deficit disorder, in my personal opinion. |
| Jimmy
|
Well… |
| Tim
|
It is! Come on! (Tim does his impression of a typical Sesame-watching experience, waving his hands in front of his face as if he’s being attacked by bees.) Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Flashing! Numbers! Letters! Music! Aaah! |
| Jimmy
|
I tell you what: You can take it up with Grover when he comes out. |
(The audience cheers for Grover, as naturally they would.) |
| Tim
|
And what kind of animal is Grover? |
| Jimmy
|
Well, we’ll find out, when he comes out! Tim Daly is here, Eyes is Wednesday nights at 10 here on ABC, and in a moment: Tim Daly goes one on one, mano a mano, with Grover from Sesame Street. |
| (Back from commercial…) | |
| Jimmy
|
Our next guest has been on television for 36 years, and somehow he still looks like a 6-year-old kid. His secret is a vigorous exercise regimen called Happy Healthy Monsters. From Sesame Street, where everything’s a-ok, please say hello to Grover, everybody! |
| (Grover emerges through a curtain. The audience essentially loses it.) | |
| Grover
|
Hello ev-ery-bodeeeeeee! Yes! Ha ha ha ha! Yes! |
| (Grover sits down with Jimmy.) | |
| Jimmy
|
Well, welcome to the show, Grover. It’s great to have you here. You must — actually, you’re probably not up this late usually, are you. |
| Grover
|
Oh, no, no… Jimmy bay-beeeee! Oh, it is so good to see you! |
| (Grover turns to Tim.) | |
| Grover
|
You? I am not talking to. |
| (Jimmy laughs.) | |
| Grover
|
No, no, I am just kidding, I’m just kidding. You were great in Sideways. |
| (He turns back to Jimmy.) | |
| Grover
|
So, anyway, what was the question? |
| Jimmy
|
(Jimmy takes a moment.) Wow, Grover… Whew! |
| Grover
|
Yes! |
| Jimmy
|
First of all, congratulations on the exercise video. |
| Grover
|
Oh, thank you! |
| Jimmy
|
Now, we see there, you’re getting a vigorous workout with Elmo… Are you friends with Elmo? |
| Grover
|
Oh, yes! Yes, we are great friends. I am friends with everybody on Sesame Street. |
| Jimmy
|
Who’s your best friend on Sesame Street? |
| Grover
|
My best friend? Oh… That is a toughie. You know, I would have to say, that is Froggie-baby! (to audience:) You know Froggie-baby? Kermit the Frog? |
| (The audience gives it up for Kermit.) | |
| Grover
|
Yeah, he is a great guy. But, you do not want to go out to dinner with him. |
| Jimmy
|
Why? |
| Grover
|
No, no, well… Do you know how frogs eat? Yeah. They stick out their tongue… |
| Jimmy
|
Uh huh. |
| Grover
|
And they… Oh! It is disgusting. No, you do not want to go out to dinner. |
| Jimmy
|
That’s what Miss Piggy said, yes. She has trouble with the kissing sometimes. |
| Jimmy
|
What about Oscar? What is Oscar’s problem? |
| Grover
|
What do you mean, what is his problem? |
| Jimmy
|
I mean, he’s so unpleasant all the time. |
| Grover
|
Well, he lives in a trash can! Wouldn’t you be unpleasant if you lived in a trash can? |
| Jimmy
|
Have you ever been in the trash can? |
| Grover
|
No. No, no, no. I can not go anywhere ten feet within that thing. |
| Jimmy
|
Yeah, sure. Is anyone besides — are grouches only allowed in the trash can? |
| Grover
|
Well, no, anybody is allowed, but… Who would want to go in there? Huh? |
| Jimmy
|
Yeah. I guess you have a point. |
| Jimmy
|
Now, you’re here in Los Angeles, have you been having fun? |
| Grover
|
Oh, I love L.A. (to audience:) I LOVE L.A.! Yes! |
| (The audience cheers.) | |
| Grover
|
Oh, it is great, you know, but I have learned something since I have been here. I am not much of a beach monster. |
| Jimmy
|
Is that right? |
| Grover
|
No, I went to the beach the other day. It was fun at first, yeah, I played in the water, I built a sand castle, and a sand king and queen, and a cute little sand family, yeah? But then I noticed something, I noticed that my nose was getting pinker and pinker. Yeah! I got sunburn! Or, in my case, rugburn. |
| Jimmy
|
I’m sorry to hear that. Have you gone — have you been hanging out at the Skybar? |
| Grover
|
The Skybar… No. |
| Jimmy
|
Disneyland, maybe? |
| Grover
|
No. |
| Jimmy
|
Have you ever been to Disneyland? |
| Grover
|
Are you offering to take me? |
| Jimmy
|
Yeah, sure, I’ll take you to Disneyland. |
| Grover
|
Oh! Yes! I accept, I accept! That will be so much fun. Yes. |
| Jimmy
|
I don’t know if I should mention this, but you have an alter ego, um… |
| Grover
|
What? |
| Jimmy
|
Super Grover, a superhero that you, from time to time, will transform into… |
| Grover
|
Yeah. It is true, it is true. The tabloids blew the cover off my story a long time ago, yeah. |
| Jimmy
|
And what powers does Super Grover have? |
| Grover
|
Ummm… I am still trying to figure that one out, actually. No, no, I am super helpful as Super Grover. |
| Jimmy
|
Oh, super helpful! |
| Grover
|
Super helpful, yes! But that is something that anyone can do. Yeah. You do not have to wear a superhero cape to be super helpful. |
| (Small cheer from enthusiastic audience members.) | |
| Jimmy
|
Yeah, well, that’s good advice. |
| Grover
|
Although I think you would look rather spiffy in one yourself, Jimmy. |
| Jimmy
|
Oh, thank you very much. I remember, boy, when I was a kid, I’d see you in that Super Grover costume, and it was just the greatest thing I could ever see. Because I like your little legs, in tights, and the cape and everything like that. |
| (Giggles, and a whistle from the audience.) | |
| Jimmy
|
Do you wear that much? |
| Grover
|
Ummm… For you, I will not wear it. |
| Jimmy
|
Oh, you will not. |
| Grover
|
No. I do not think that would be a good idea. |
| Jimmy
|
You know who my favorite guy is on Sesame Street… |
| Grover
|
Who is that? |
| Jimmy
|
Who, I believe, Cookie Monster… |
| (Cheer for Cookie Monster.) | |
| Grover
|
Cookie Monster! Yes! A very good friend of mine. |
| Jimmy
|
Who clearly has an eating disorder… |
| Grover
|
Well… It is true. He has a little bit of a cookie problem. But not any more! No! He is on a diet. |
| Jimmy
|
Is he really? |
| Grover
|
Yeah! He is! He is on a diet, he is only eating healthy foods, yeah, fruits and vegetables… |
| Jimmy
|
Really! |
| Grover
|
Yeah, yeah. And he is looking rather svelte now, too. He has lost about seventy pounds. |
| Jimmy
|
Well, that is — |
| Grover
|
I think it is only temporary, but you know. We are wishing the best for him. |
| Jimmy
|
Does he work out on this video? |
| Grover
|
No, no. He does not work out. We have not gotten him really to exercise yet, but exercise is good for everyone! |
| Jimmy
|
Exercise is good for everyone. |
| Grover
|
It is! Yes! |
| Jimmy
|
Well, Grover — Super Grover, whichever you want to go by — It was great to have you here. Now, are you a fan of My Chemical Romance? |
| (Big cheer from the audience for the musical guest.) | |
| Grover
|
It sounds like I should be! |
| Jimmy
|
Well, if you’ve never heard them, I think you’re going to enjoy them, and I hope that things don’t get ugly between you and Tim in the green room. I really do. I’m sure he was just… |
| Grover
|
No, no… He was just joshing me earlier, right? |
| (The ever-classy Tim Daly shrugs, and mugs for the camera.) | |
| Grover
|
RIGHT?? |
| Tim
|
Hey… I also know that the people on Sesame Street also invented Ritalin, so… It’s all one symbiotic thing… |
| (The audience kind of boos him. He acts like he’s been naughty. Grover nods.) | |
| Grover
|
You just wait till later. |
| Tim
|
Peace, peace. |
| Grover
|
Outside! |
| Tim
|
I’m a lover, not a fighter. |
| Grover
|
After the show! You and me, huh? Yeah, I will be wearing my superhero outfit then, huh?! |
(Cheers. Grover wins.) |
| Jimmy
|
All right. Pick up this video for your kids — or for yourself, what the hell — Happy Healthy Monsters. Grover from Sesame Street is with us. We’ll be right back! |
| Grover
|
Thank you! Thank you! |
by Danny Horn
