High on the list of things none of you probably care about is the fact that Grover is my favorite Muppet of all time. He and I even share a birthday (it's true). What I love about Grover, besides his lovable furriness, is how willing he is to do himself bodily harm in the name of education. After the jump I've placed five clips of Grover doing what he does best: teaching kids no matter how much physical punishment it causes him. Now let's all learn together, shall we?
Have you ever been inside a building and didn't know how to get out? Sure, we all have. Thankfully, Grover is here to explain what "Exit" means, and how it can aid you in your desire to egress. Just try not to get trampled like Grover does.
Next, Grover explains what an echo is. Did he really have to climb that mountain to explain it? No, not really, but we love him for his tenacity. His mountain climbing clothes are adorable, and the way he says "Oh, mommy!" in the beginning cracks me up every time I watch it.
This time, Grover enlists his pal Kermit to tell kids how to take care of their teeth. Remember kids, see your tooth checker regularly, eat crunchy bananas, and comb your teeth after every meal. Kermit's speech impediment after he gets his false teeth is hilarious, and he and Grover make a hilarious comedy team. Frank Oz and Jim Henson worked together like veteran jazz musicians, and this proves it. The jokes and the timing are absolutely perfect.
Again, Kermit joins Grover to help explain the difference between "short" and "long," but this time Grover is the foil. That's fine with me, Grover is always funniest when he's experiencing physical and emotional anguish.
Finally, what I consider to be the quintessential Grover lesson: his demonstration of "near" and "far." The furry blue one is not content on merely telling kids the difference between these two words, he's going to demonstrate it over and over again until every child watching understands and appreciates what the words mean and how to use them. Truly a classic moment.















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-23-2006 @ 2:39PM
jOHN said...
I crack up when Grover calls Kermit, "Froggy."
Doesn't Grover remind you of a Russian immigrant teaching American school children?
Reply
9-24-2006 @ 2:01AM
erroneous_nick said...
I still hum the tune to "Fuzzy and Blue" even though my kids haven't watched Sesame Street in ages. Got a clip of that song by any chance? :o)
Reply
9-24-2006 @ 3:52AM
tony said...
Grover is, and always will be, one of my favorite muppets. He was way more likable than Elmo, who basically replaced him.
Reply
9-25-2006 @ 6:01AM
Brendon Carr said...
No fooling. Elmo is a shoddy replacement for Grover. Half the time I have no idea what Elmo is even saying. Yet he seems to be popular with the kiddies.
Reply
9-26-2006 @ 5:00PM
kerry said...
Oh, thank you. I haven't seen these in about 25 years, such a treat! (especially near and far!)
Elmo is such a sorry substitute for Grover. *sigh*
Reply