TVSquad

It's not surprising that a colorful and lively show like Sesame Street, one devised by the genius that was Muppets creator Jim Henson, was at heart a comedy. What is surprising is that so many adults who grew up with the show still find it so damn funny (or maybe that has more to do with the rise of marijuana use, but beggars can't be users, er, choosers).

In fact, a recent box set of the show's earliest episodes came with a disclaimer that the episodes contained within it were "not for kids." That's also because it contained the rare lost episode from the early 1970s when Grover and Prairie Dawn accidentally wandered into the Plato's Retreat swingers club where they learned the difference between "top" and "bottom".

The point is adults can find just as much to laugh at as their kids do and here are the biggest chortle-makers.

American Idol's Simon Cowell has turned down a role on Ricky Gervais' Extras because it required him to sing a karaoke version of Elton John's song "Daniel." The man who turned criticizing singers into a multi-million dollar global industry wisely took his own advice saying, "I can't sing. Why would I humiliate myself?" Singing is apparently the only thing Cowell wouldn't do, which is sort of a shame. I'm sure it would have been immensely gratifying to all of our fallen, former Idols to see Cowell be put through his vocal paces.

While I never think it hurts a celebrity's image to make fun of him or herself through vehicles like Gervais' Extras, I can't say that I blame Cowell for sparing us. If more pop wannabes would follow his example, than they could use their fifteen minutes of fame elsewhere -- like on Mark Burnett's Pirates or by waving frantically behind local news reporters on camera.