The Most Popular Sesame Street Characters (As Voted By YOU!)

Hello everyone, and welcome to the Sesame Street Character Popularity Poll!

This was inspired by Schafrillas Productions who made a video ranking Mario characters by popularity, which was ALSO inspired by Fither who made a video ranking Persona 5 characters by popularity. They’re both really great, and I’ll link both videos at the end of this blog.

So, I decided I wanted to make my own popularity poll, and I knew exactly what I wanted to center it around: Sesame Street. It’s been around for at least five decades, it’s something that pretty much everyone knows about and it has a cast of TONS of memorable characters that most people have no problem picking favorites from. And with 54 seasons (As of writing this blog), 2 movies, 44 specials, 4 spinoffs, tons of home videos, live events, and too many celebrity guest stars to count, I knew people were gonna have some interesting responses. Plus, this year marks Sesame Street’s 55th anniversary, so what better tribute than finding out which characters fans like the most?

So just like the guys I was inspired by, I held a poll for about a week, where people could vote for their five favorite Sesame Street characters, and I kept track of who was voted for on a Google doc. When all was said and done, 342 people voted, and 131 characters were voted for.

Now, of course, I did have to apply some rules to keep things fair and control the output:

Rule #1: Except for two that we’ll get into as the list goes on, no Muppets from other Muppet productions, like The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, Muppet Babies, Dark Crystal, Etc. This was a Sesame Street poll and I wanted to keep it as such. I had a few votes like these and they were not counted.

And Rule #2: Alternate versions of characters would be counted as a vote for the original character. So if you voted for Super Grover, it went towards Grover.

Now much like the videos that inspired this blog, I won’t be going over every character that was voted for in the first three spots, as there were so many, so instead I’m just gonna showcase them all in collages and give any thoughts I have below.

But before we get into that, I want to go over a list of characters that I was surprised didn’t get ANY votes whatsoever, as there are quite a few characters who were omitted from lack of votes. And here’s that list down below:

-Grundgetta

-David

-The King of Eight

-James Earl Jones

-Ruthie

-Bernice

-Buffy

-Gladys the Cow

-Uncle Wally

-The Simpsons

-Dingers

-Dorothy

-Fred Rogers

-Gilbert Gottfried

-Cecille

-Baby Natasha

-Leela

-Bill Nye the Science Guy

-Humphrey and Ingrid

-Katy Perry

-Little Murray Sparkles

-C-3PO & R2D2

-Steve Carrell

-Niblet

-None of the other bears (Papa, Mama & Curly)

-Pee Wee Herman

-Tamir

-Any and all letters and numbers

So yeah, just a few surprises that came from this experience. With that out of the way let’s jump right into the list, starting with all the characters who tied for last place with one vote each!

So yeah, last place was pretty much what I expected, a grab bag of major characters, side characters, segment characters, celebrities, international muppets, inanimate objects, and deep cuts. The ape dressed as an angel singing about acorns REALLY threw me for a loop when I first saw it.

Alright, now it's time for the characters who tied for spot #26 with 2 votes each.

Alright, this spot features more of the familiar faces many fans of the show can recognize. I almost forgot that the Beautiful Day Monster also counted as a Sesame Street character until someone pointed it out to me, so that's why he's on this list.

Now, let's round this trio of collages off with everyone who tied for 25th place with 3 votes each.

Way fewer picks here than in the last two spots. I gotta say I was pretty surprised to see characters like the Two-Headed Monster, and especially Luis rank this low. I mean I didn't think he'd make the top ten, but I at least thought he'd be somewhere in the 20s.

But anyway, now it's time to get into the more narrowed-down choices where I actually have quite a bit more to say. We have a lot of ties to get through, so let's get into it.

Starting off with spot #24, we have three characters who tied with 4 votes. First off, we have the musically gifted avian opera singer of Santa Domingo, Placido Flamingo!

I never really paid that much attention to Placido Flamingo before this poll, I mean yeah, I knew he existed and thought he was a fun character and a great singer, but I went back and watched some of his segments and street stories, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed them Richard Hunt gives Placido such a great vibe that just works so well off of the other characters, especially the other musically talented characters like Bob and Olivia. Also, there's the fact that he was probably a lot of kids' first exposure to what opera is, and he makes a pretty darn great first impression. On that note, I highly recommend you check out his duet with his inspiration Placido Domingo as they sing "Look Through The Window", I'll even post it down below.

Up next is Sesame Street's resident mutt, the shaggy, orange giant walking mass of fur, Barkley the Dog!

To be honest, I wasn't expecting Barkley to get this low of placement. I thought at least he'd be in spot number 20 or 19, especially considering how he was THE dog of the show for the longest time, but at the end of the day, he is still a dog, so there's not really much to work with personality-wise. But hey, 24th place is nothing to sneeze at, and Barkley is still a great addition to the street, mainly because he mirrors the real-life relationships the audience has with whatever pets they might have, and since the whole street basically shares responsibility for him, that feeling is made more universal. Most dog owners have probably gone through at least one of the scenarios Barkley finds himself in. I'm also really glad that even with the introduction of Tango, the Sesame crew has made efforts to keep him around, whether it be in animated shorts, or social media videos, it's always nice to see him.

And finally, the last 24th place winner is Hooper's Store's current and longest-running (season-wise) manager, Alan.

I'm really happy that Alan got an actual placement on this list that I can talk about because I definitely feel he deserves it. I've said this before, but Alan was the Mr. Hooper of my generation. When I started watching the show in the early 2000s, I thought he was there from the start. It does make me a little bummed that he's pretty much the only OG human still on the show, but hey, one is better than none. Anyway, Alan definitely succeeds in being a warm, caring presence whenever he's in an episode. I mean, all of the humans do that to some extent, but Alan brings his own unique brand of warmness that makes him stand out. Alan Muraoka has also done so much for the show outside of his character, that I feel he definitely earned his place in the cast. Here's hoping he stays on for years to come.

Now we move on to spot #23, where this time, four characters tied, which is one more than three. Starting off we have Sesame Street's black muppet before they started making black muppets, the cat who's so cool he teaches school, Roosevelt Franklin.

Roosevelt is a character who just works, despite all the people who claimed he didn't work. As I said before, he provided a very great contrast to the other characters he was starring against, Big Bird, Oscar, Ernie, Bert, and Kermit all fell into their own niches, and when Roosevelt came along he didn't really fit into any of them. He was his own brand of entertainment, and we owe it to Matt Robinson for bringing him to life. Now I don't know how many people still think Roosevelt Franklin is racist, and frankly, I don't care, because I don't. He's a really cool character who's proud of who he is, gives kids of color someone they can look up to, and I really like him.

Up next is another musically gifted bird, it's the nocturnal jazz legend, Hoots the Owl.

Much like Roosevelt Franklin, Hoots is another cool character. He just has this cool energy that radiates in all of his scenes. Helps that he's one of the more intelligent and competent adult Muppets on the show. Not to mention because his specialty is jazz, he gets some of the best songs the show has put out. Just search his name on YouTube and you'll find some great ones. I'm also really glad they were able to keep him around even after Kevin Clash's retirement. Christopher Thomas Hayes gives a phenomenal performance, you can hardly tell his voice has changed. Hoots definitely deserves an actual place on this list, and while I wouldn't mind if he was higher, I'm okay with him taking this spot.

Next up, we have Sesame Street's unofficial host from 2009 to 2016,  Murray Monster.

Murray actually holds a special place in my heart, since he was so prevalent in my era of the show. And I know it would be so easy to write him off as an Elmo clone, but he's not. Even though he's a red (ish), energetic, inquisitive, and loving monster, he differs because his performer Joey Mazzarino puts all of himself into him. Murray is just a vessel for Mazzarino to interact with other people, but since Mazzarino is so funny and has great chemistry with everyone, Murray is never boring to watch. Which made all the bits with him, some of the most entertaining parts of the show in this era, whether it be The Word On The Street bits you see at the start of every episode, Murray Has A Little Lamb, and any of the other segments they experimented with during Murray's run on the show. It really is a shame that Mazzarino had to leave as of season 46, and Murray left with him, as I think both of them provided something to the show that just isn't present in these new seasons. I wouldn't even mind that much if he only appeared in internet/social media videos, I'd just really love to see him again.

And our last 23rd-place winner is Charlie Chaplin's worthy successor and the person who made a living by being told what to do by a red monster and a bunch of kids, Mr. Noodle.

I don't think this choice surprises anyone. Mr. Noodle is pretty much the only reason everyone remembers Elmo's World, aside from Elmo himself, of course. He's the only part of EW that was brought back when the segment was rebooted in 2017, and it's really not hard to see why. I've said this before, but Mr. Noodle perfected what Buddy and Jim did back at the start of the show: Acting dumb so the kids at home can feel smart. Helps that Bill Iwrin is a master at physical comedy, so he makes every scene he has. The same goes for Michael Jeter, Kristin Chenoweth, and everyone else who played his family members. While I definitely think Elmo's World suffered from the season 46 and onward format, the fact that they kept the Noodles around was definitely a strong point.

Okay, now we're moving on to spot #22, where this time, it's a five-way tie. Starting off, we have the only other dog on this list, and the only other Muppet Show character on this list, Rowlf the Dog.

Yeah, for those of you who didn't know, Rowlf is technically a Sesame Street character because he had a starring role in the pitch reel for the show, alongside Kermit.  Don't believe me? Watch the reel below and see for yourself.

Now, we all know Rowlf is a legend. He can play piano, sing, and he's always a great shoulder to lean on and a great source of advice. But this time we're mainly focusing on his role in the pitch reel because it's really quite interesting. The way Rowlf leads Kermit through what the show is about and how it works and how passionate he is about it, it really gives off the vibe that he would be featured on the actual thing more than he actually was, which was in one segment in one episode, which really is a shame, because I think Rowlf would actually be a really good fit for Sesame Street. I know I'd especially love to see his interactions with characters like Grover, Cookie, Big Bird, and Oscar, and how they'd differ from Kermit. But if this is the only time we're ever gonna see Rowlf on the show, I think he made a really good first and last impression. 

Up next is the cantankerous, long-eared bellhop, whom you should never touch or call "bunny" under any circumstances, Benny Rabbit.

It's also not a surprise that Benny is high up on this list, as he's the only consistently negative recurring character in the cast, so he sticks out like a sore thumb. Whereas characters like Elmo, Zoe, and Telly are supposed to represent kids, Benny is supposed to represent the put-upon adults with dead-end jobs. So he's essentially the Squidward Tentacles of Sesame Street, arguably more so than Bert. 

Unlike Squidward, however, Benny seems to take genuine pride in his work, and more importantly, he doesn't act half as mean to his neighbors as Squidward is to SpongeBob and Patrick sometimes. Like, Benny wouldn't go out of his way to break Elmo and Zoe up just because they were kind of annoying (Naughty Nautical Neighbors), and he wouldn't stomp on Big Bird's dreams after they got crushed just to say he was right. (Christmas Who?) If anything, even though he's a bit snippy, he's rather understanding with the kid characters of the street. Like when he quits after a really stressful day, Baby Bear blames himself, but Benny reassures him it's not his fault, and that his quitting was an inevitable conclusion. Or when he spends the day teaching Rosita his job when their friends invite them to go see a movie, Benny tells Rosita that even though he can't go, she should if she wants to. Granted Rosita ended up staying behind with Benny, but the fact that he didn't force her to says quite a bit about him and his character. It would have been so easy just to write him as a jerk who just hated everyone, but no, many of his appearances involve him softening up and bonding with the people he lives with. He even fulfills a childhood dream of going to daycare and loves it. If they did this plot with an actual human grown up it would've been weird, but Benny's earnest enthusiasm and the fact that he's a rabbit is enough to make it endearing.

Also, I talked about this in my massive special ranking blog, but in Stars and Street Forever, Benny has a very interesting and entertaining role: The Realist. He's the one who hypothesizes Ronald Grump hates Sesame Street and all the good it's generated over the years, and he's the first one to fold and try to get a new job working for the man, that is, until he finds out he'll be replacing all workers with robots. Sesame Street doesn't really have any other characters that offer this kind of perspective. Not Oscar, not Bert, not even the other adult humans, really. Benny Rabbit is not only fun because he's grumpy and snippy, but because he brings a certain brand of adult humor to the table. Kids can enjoy him, because he's a grumpy rabbit, and adults can enjoy him, because he speaks to their experiences I'm sure many of you have felt the same way as Benny does at least once in your life, and wanted to react just like he did.

Benny is a character who helped make Sesame Street more than just base kiddie-level entertainment, and actually gave both kids and adults something to laugh at and appreciate. It's a shame Sesame Street is going in the direction it currently is, because I definitely think if Benny was still around he'd still be a great fit.

Up next is the constantly agonized headbanging songwriter we know as Don Music.

I don't really have that much to say on Don Music that hasn't been said already. He's a great representation for the creator's block we artists find ourselves in every now and then, his songs and segments are always a treat to watch, and while it was unfortunate that he was phased out of the show, I get why, as no parent wants to pay for concussion repairs at the hospital. I will say I'm glad that Ryan Dillon did a really good job portraying him in the 50th anniversary special.

And speaking of characters portrayed by Ryan Dillon, for our next 22nd-place winner, we have Lefty the Salesman.

Lefty is another character I don't have too much to say on, as he's an incredibly simple character. He's a shady salesman who sells stuff no reasonable person would ever consider buying in order to teach kids about certain letters, numbers, and other everyday items. He works incredibly well as a wholesome twist on a classic archetype. And I absolutely adore how they brought him back in the 50th anniversary special and found a way to incorporate him into the main plot. Definitely check out Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration when you get the chance.

And for our final 22nd-place winner, we have Sesame Street's Resident Cowboy and Amnesiac... Uh... Uhhhhh... Aw man! I forgot his name! ...(Gasp) Ah, now I remember! It's Forgetful Jones!

I've said before that Forgetful Jones is probably my favorite character performed by Richard Hunt, and I still stand by that. Forgetful is such an endearing guy who represents something we've all gone through at least once in our lives. We're usually not trying to forget important things, they just tend to slip our minds. And as long as we're willing to make up our shortcomings and show our loved ones we do care, that's really all that matters. In a lineup that consists of agonized musicians, overdramatic cows, and mute construction workers, Forgetful Jones is just a simple guy trying to show that he cares, despite his afflictions, and that just sticks out to me in a way the others don't, and I'm certain six other people agree with me on that. Definitely earned his place on this list.

Up next, with 7 votes, in 21st place, we have Sesame Street's most iconic fairy tale character, Baby Bear.

If you were to go back in time and tell me as a 4-year-old that Baby Bear from Goldilocks & The Three Bears would be a part of the main cast of Sesame Street, I would have looked at you like you had a screw loose, but here we are 34 years later, and I'd say Sesame Street's Baby Bear is the best iteration of him ever. Most Goldilocks adaptations will just portray him as the generic kid of the bear family, and it would have been so easy for the CTW to follow suit, but they didn't. They took what little information they had and made him his own character with specific interests and information. This Baby Bear is Jewish, he was given a baby sister, (Which canoically changes his fairy tale) He has a frenemy relationship with Goldilocks, his best friendship with Telly makes them one of the best duos in the whole show, he's a fellow artist, and David Rudman knocks it out of the park in every episode he's featured in. Some people say he's annoying, and I kinda get it, but I don't agree whatsoever. He's original, he’s entertaining and he’s hilarious. I'm glad he got his own spot on the list, he definitely deserves one.

Ah, now we’ve finally reached the top 20 spots. Now we’re getting into the more recognizable characters that fans of the show remember and enjoy. And starting off at spot #20 with 8 votes in total, we have the visitors from outer space, the Yip Yip Martians.

It's no shock these guys were in the top 20, in fact, I fully expected them to. I mean, they coined a phrase that is still so quotable to this day. But more than that, the Yip Yips are probably the best press aliens will ever get on Earth. (If they exist) In most TV shows and movies, mainly ones aimed at adults, aliens are portrayed as these freaky creatures with all kinds of crazy superpowers that could end someone's life if they're not careful. That's why people are usually so scared of aliens. But then here come two somewhat off-putting blobs of fluff who usually say one or two words at a time. and only have the ability to teleport. That's about as harmless as you can get as an alien. These aliens can go order something from Hooper's Store, or hang out with Bob as he sings a song, and no one is gonna be concerned because it's the Yip Yips. What harm could they possibly do?

And because kids see that these creatures can do no harm, they can enjoy watching them, and even see themselves in them, as they come in contact with something new they've never seen before. The Yip Yips are iconic because they're so simple. They're the perfect characters who just observe something else better going on, and say their catchphrase.

Not to mention their designs are perfect. I mean they're basically just cut-up sacks with ping pong balls on top. If you wanted to go as a Yip Yip for Halloween, all you need is to cut small strips into a blanket and get something for eyes, and you're set. Super easy costume.

Not really much else to say on these guys. The Yip Yip Martians are harmless space beings whose simplicity makes them memorable and endearing to everyone watching. They get five "Yip Yips" from me all the way.

Moving on to 19th place, with the characters who have 9 votes, we have another four-way tie this time. Starting off we have the Sesame Street monster most known for the horns on his head and his VERY limited speech pattern, Frazzle.

I wasn't expecting Frazzle to get this high, but I get it. He easily stands out among the other monsters of the cast in design alone. And that's part of what endears people to him. Frazzle is the living embodiment of "Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover". While he may look and sound scary, he's really just a child who has needs and emotions like the rest of us, which makes him more humane. I bet he was also rather easy to perform, cause all you really have to do is make a bunch of gibberish noises. Not much else to say here. Frazzle is just another solid character that I definitely would not mind seeing some time in the future.

Up next is Grover’s perpetually unhappy and unsatisfied customer, Mr. Johnson.

This is another choice that didn't surprise me all that much. Mr. Johnson is one-half of one of the most dynamic duos of Sesame Street history, and a representation of every bad service experience almost everyone has had at some point in our lives. And while we always feel sorry that Mr. Johnson can never get what he wants, we can't help but laugh every time, because he bounces off of Grover so well. It doesn't matter what he's trying to do, eat a meal, see a musical, pick up his dry cleaning, it's always gonna be a fun time. It's no wonder why he's one of the characters who still pops up from time to time. He's that adaptable. And as long as Grover's still around, chances are, Mr. J will be too.

Up next is our favorite music-teaching, song-singing, sadly recently departed friend, Bob Johnson.

With Bob McGrath's unfortunate passing in 2022, I find it really great that he landed a spot like this on this list. I can't really explain why Bob is such a great character. No wait, I can. Bob is a great character because Bob McGrath was a great person. We all know that most of the humans of Sesame Street are essentially playing themselves on the show, but I think Bob represents that more than anyone on the roster. He just has this kind of energy only specific to him. It helps that he's the second-best singer of the cast, only beaten out by Olivia. But more than just that, because he's been with the show since the very first episode, it really feels like he's always been there. You can see him in almost any episode from the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, even most of the 2010s. I just recently watched the episode with his brother Minneapolis and it still holds up really well.

And while I'll always be a bit sad that I never got a chance to meet the man, I'll always be happy knowing he was able to keep going for so many years doing what he loves. Rest In Peace, Mr. McGrath, you will always be missed.

And speaking of which, our last 19th-place winner is another dead cast member. So please give it up for Hooper's Store's ORIGINAL owner, the late, and always great, Mr. Hooper.

Mr. Hooper is another choice I was definitely expecting to be on this list. Mainly because his death was practically immortalized throughout the show. If you ask anyone what they think the best or most heartwarming moment of the show is, they'll most likely say the episode where Big Bird learns that Mr. Hooper is dead and never coming back. And for good reason. It's a really touching scene that handles death in probably the best way any show could, adult stuff included. And he's not just immortalized in this episode, but in the show itself. Hooper's Store is still called Hooper's Store to this day, and Big Bird still has the picture he made for Mr. H in his nest, even after the redesign. Just goes to show you how much of an impact he had. But even taking that episode and set choices out of the equation, Mr. H is still a very solid character in his own right. He was also there from the very first episode, and throughout the show, his status as the cool, yet wise old grandpa of the street made him an instantly enjoyable presence in every episode he appeared in. Whether he was getting his GED, coming up with some new invention, riding a motorcycle, surfing, giving his friends Christmas presents, or just tending to his store, Mr. Hooper was always enjoyable to watch.

But there's also a tragedy to Mr. Hooper in that he was taken away from us so early on. Bob died two years ago when his time as a recurring cast member was already done, but Will Lee died all the way back in 1982, during season 15, which means he was absent for quite a few special moments. He wasn't there when Gordon and Suan adopted Miles, he wasn't there when Snuffy finally got to meet everyone, and he wasn't there for Luis and Maria's wedding OR Gabi's birth. Knowing that makes these beautiful moments bittersweet to an extent, and just emphasizes how important Mr. Hooper was to the show. While I definitely would have loved to see him get more votes, 9 votes is WAY better than nothing at all. And once again I'd like to say, Rest In Peace, Will Lee. We miss you every day.

Alright, moving on to 18th place, we have our last four-way tie for this list, with 10 whole votes to their names. Starting off, we have the original third blue monster, the strongest monster on the street, it's Herry Monster.

Alright, I'm gonna be honest with you: Herry's never really been a character that sticks with me like others do. I like him, and I enjoy most of his scenes, but he just kinda existed for me. But as I started re-watching the old episodes, I started to appreciate him and what he represents. I've gone over this before, but when Herry first started out he was just a less-scary version of the Beautiful Day Monster, but as the show went on, he developed his own personality that fellow Muppet fan TeeAitchAre described perfectly.

"Herry’s personality is the idealized “big brother”. He’s always confident, always ready to back up anyone who needs help, and he brings experience to the table— and then he breaks it, because he’s not a “grown-up” who can do everything perfectly, but he’s what you’ll be soon. Herry is Non-Toxic Masculinity, for kids. It’s good to be proud of being a boy, and you don’t have to give up your teddy bear."

Lots of kids, mainly boys, struggle with showing off their feminine sides, and watching a character like Herry, who does like lifting weights and other strength-related activities, but also loves kittens and has his own stuffed doll that he cherishes, probably helped them feel better about themselves and their self-image, and because of that, I'll always have a soft spot for this super-strong, kinda clumsy dude.

The next 18th-place winner is America's favorite game show host, Guy Smiley!

I really don't have a lot to say about Guy Smiley, he kinda speaks for himself. He hosts game shows, and that's really it. But even so, that's not really a knock against him. Sometimes all you need for a certain sketch is someone to guide you through how a game works, and Guy Smiley does that perfectly. Plus you can tell how much fun Jim Henson had playing him. Just a fun guy all around.

And now it's time for someone I actually have a LOT to say about. Our third 18th-place winner is a character close to my heart, my favorite human grown-up of the Sesame Street cast, it is, the lovely and beautiful Doctor Gina Jefferson.

You do not know how happy it makes me to see that Gina got such a high spot on this list. When I first started this poll, I expected her to at least be somewhere in the 20s, but here she is in the TOP 20, and one of the TOP three humans on this list. I will admit my happiness is at least 90% biased, because I have met and am friends with Alison Bartlett (Gina's actress), and she's just as amazing as you think she is. (Miss Bartlett, if you're reading this, Hi. 😁👋🏾) But even then, Gina's still a great character on the show as well. Aside from debatably Maria, she's gone through the most development and evolution out of the whole cast. Going from a forgetful science student who's late to everything, to a mature, responsible vet with an adopted kid from Guatemala. 

Side tangent, I know I'm not the only one who thinks this, but Marco was done dirty.  He only had 14 episodes and barely spoke in any of them, and then Gina stopped appearing in the show after season 45, so Marco went along with her. Every time I read the part in the 40th anniversary about kids growing up alongside Marco, I have to shake my head knowing the irony of the situation.

But anyway, getting back to Gina, she's so enjoyable no matter what era of the show she's in. Sometimes she's an excitable fangirl, and sometimes she's the voice of reason, but either way, she's always an entertaining presence whenever she appears, and I'm glad she stayed on for as long as she has, and I'm especially glad she was able to make 50th anniversary special. Special thanks to everyone who voted for her, because she deserves a place like this. What else can I say? I love Gina, and I love Alison Bartlett and I'm glad she's one of the top three most popular humans.

Speaking of which, our last 18th place winner is the second most popular human on Sesame Street, and more importantly the FIRST human we ever saw on the show. It's none other than Gordon Robinson.

Gordon is another choice that didn’t surprise me whatsoever. I totally expected him to get a high placement on this list. I mean, he’s quite literally the first character we ever see. He gets the first line of dialogue and the whole first episode is about him showing a new girl around the place. He’s also the only one who’s gone through the most actor changes out of everyone in the cast. I mean who else can you name who was portrayed by four, count 'em, four actors over the span of 54 seasons. Gordon was one of the only humans I remember seeing the most of on Sesame Street growing up, and like the others, I thought he was alright, but now having learned more about the show and Gordon’s place on the show, I can understand his importance and get more enjoyment out of him.

Anyway, Gordon stands out because he’s been pretty much the leader of the Sesame Street community ever since season one. While no one on the street is more important than the other, it’s usually Gordon who takes charge in important situations and helps everyone out when they need it. 

And let me just say, I think I grew up with the best Gordon. Yeah, yeah, I know. Personal nostalgia bias and all that, but like I've gone over in the past, Garrett Saunders and Hal Miller didn’t have that Gordon charm that the character was supposed to have. And while Matt Robinson’s performance was amazing and a great foundation for where Gordon would end up, I have to say he acted more like an actual teacher rather than an actual person. But Roscoe Orman’s Gordon was really special because he acted like both at the same time. He would still teach kids, and the other characters lots of things, but he also had much more emotions and funny moments which helped him to appeal to the many fans out there. And if that isn’t what makes a good character, then I don’t know what does. Congrats to Gordon for making it this high on the poll.

Alright, now we’re moving on to spot #17, for characters who got 12 votes. And this time, we have a regular tie between two characters, and coincidentally they’re both performed by the same person. So, without further ado, our first 17th-place winner is, the little pink piano-playing star, Prairie Dawn.

Prairie was another choice that didn't surprise me going in, as she definitely has a lot going for her. She was one of two pink muppets that were used for generic girl characters, but after a while Prairie Dawn got her puppeteer and her own personality, essentially becoming the Kermit of her friend group: The leader with a vision who has to keep everyone else in check, to little success. The first time ever saw/watched Prairie, it was when she was in a sketch with Cookie Monster, her best on-screen partner. No seriously, Prairie and Cookie have some of the greatest chemistry out of most of the main duos on the show. Between Prairie's high-strung nature and Cookie's one-track mind, whenever they get together you're bound to at least crack a smile. 

Prairie continues to be solid, in the later post-Fran Brill seasons where she was taken over by Stephanie D'Abruzzo. While some people may not like her starring roles in episodes like The Dress Up Club or the Thanksgiving episode, where she acts kind of antagonistic, honestly, for those types of episodes, I think she works really well. Because Prairie Dawn is naturally so Type A, in my opinion, that if anyone in the cast would get flustered that her friends aren't dressing up as their genders, or not understanding that everyone has different kinds of foods they eat at Thanksgiving, I'd definitely say it'd be her. Plus Prairie still is able to learn from her experiences and she ends up totally embracing the new things she tries, which is really all you could ask for. She's another solid character, and I'm happy to say she did really well for herself in this poll. And if you wanna read something by someone who REALLY likes Prairie Dawn, I recommend you read this article written by fellow muppet fan Becca Petunia for ToughPigs.

And our other 17th-place winner is Fran Brill's OTHER most popular character. I'm pretty sure most of you already know who I'm talking about. It's Zoe.

 Zoe is a very interesting case, as I, of course, love her, but I also wasn't entirely sure she would get this many votes, but I'm glad she did because I definitely think she deserves them. While Zoe isn't as iconic as some of the other characters we'll get to later on this list, she's definitely made her mark on the show. 

Unlike Prairie Dawn, however, she's gotten quite a bit of flak and hate from people who think she's a bad friend to Elmo, what with all the episodes involving Rocco, and the inciting incident for The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, and while I can see where they're coming from, I still don't think they should write Zoe off because of that. Like In EIG, while Zoe was the one at fault for not giving Elmo his blanket back when he asked her to, she does still feel remorse for getting it ripped and lost, and she goes along with the rest of the crew to save Elmo when they find out he's in Grouchland. If Zoe really was a bad friend, she probably wouldn't show any concern for Elmo's well-being or be willing to make up with Elmo at the end of the movie, which she does. As for the Rocco episodes, while I do understand people who are annoyed by how unfair they seem to be, I'll talk about it in a later section. 

But for right now, let me just say Zoe was never antagonizing Elmo 100% of the time, there are multiple episodes that showcase they have a true friendship despite their squabbles. They play together, they learn new things together, they encourage each other, they help each other out when the situation truly calls for it, and they just like being around each other, because of this, I could never bring myself to call their friendship toxic. Plus Zoe is still a solid character in her own right, and Elmo isn't the only person she has on-screen chemistry with. Fran Brill gives Zoe such an endearing performance and does such a good job of playing off whoever she's paired up with, that she makes Zoe way more enjoyable and memorable than she would be otherwise. And her laugh. Oh god, her laugh. Zoe has one of the best laughs out of everyone on Sesame Street, probably second-best or third-best. Trust me, once you hear it, your life will never be the same, it'll be better. To be honest, I think it's kinda poetic that both of Brill's main characters tied because they're both great in their own ways and Brill herself contributed to making them as beloved as they are, with Stephanie D'Abruzzo and Jennifer Barnhart doing a really good job of keeping them alive.

Alright, we're moving on to spot #16, and our last tie of the list. Two characters each with 14 votes to their name. First up, is arguably the most kown muppet from the 2010s and a character that helped a VERY large majority of Sesame Street's audience, Julia.

Let's be honest, when we heard Sesame Street was introducing a muppet who canonically has Autism, none of us knew how it was gonna play out, but thankfully the character we got was probably one of the most generous, kindest, and smartest portrayals of this disability I think I've ever seen. And I haven't seen that many canonically Autistic characters. What makes Julia so great is that while the characters will frequently bring up the fact that she has Autism, Autism isn't her whole personality. Julia's personality is being kind, observant, and free-spirited, and you can get that immediately when you watch any episode or video featuring her. Stacey Gordon deserves all the credit for bringing this character to life and making her feel authentic. As a person on the spectrum myself, I can relate to certain quirks Julia has. Like, I also have a sensitivity for loud noises, which is why I like wearing my headphones when I go to see a movie, and if given the option, I would rather choose to paint with a brush rather than my fingers. And because Julia isn't trying to represent every autistic person in the world, she comes off as a lot more natural and real, because she's just a kid no different from Elmo, Abby, or Rosita. 

With how great Julia is on her own, you'd think there'd be nothing problematic about her at all right? ...Well, not exactly. You see Julia was a part of a new Autism focused initiative Sesame Workshop was working on, and during this initiative, they decided to collaborate with Autism Speaks, an organization that sees Autism as a burden/curable disease. ...So, yeah... not the best move on their part. I won't be getting into all of the details on that fiasco, because one, this is just a silly popularity list, and two, many other people have talked about it way better and in much greater detail than I ever could. But yeah, it really is a shame that Julia has that blip associated with her, because she's still a great Autism representation character, and I hope the show continues to keep her around.

And now we have our other 16th-place winner, the last human cast member on the list, and the most popular one by default, it is the latina legend herself, Maria Rodriguez.

This was something I knew was inevitable. I KNEW Maria was gonna be the human most people voted for. She's THAT popular. If you were to ask someone if they remember any of the humans on Sesame Street when they were kids, chances are most of them will either say Gordon or Maria. Every time I see or hear people talking about Sesame Street grown-ups, a majority of them will talk about how Maria was their first crush, or their role model, or just a really great friend. And it’s not hard to see why. She was funny, charming, witty, pretty, smart, and she made every scene she was in work.

Sonia Manzano has so many wonderful stories about her time on the show, and most of them revolve around how the cast and crew just appreciated her for being herself, and that bleeds into the actual show. Maria has been paired up with pretty much every major character during her time on the show, and no matter who it is, it just works. Maria has chemistry with the whole cast and you only have to watch a few videos for proof.

Also, Maria is probably the only character, aside from Gina that goes through sort of a character evolution. She started out as just a normal girl in the neighborhood, then she got hired to work at the Fix-It Shop, then she and Luis fell in love, then they got married and then they had a kid. Maria and Luis' wedding is still one of the best most iconic episodes from the whole show. Not just that, but we also get to learn more about her life than any of the other grown-ups. We get to see her home when the cast travels to Puerto Rico, we get to meet one of her childhood friends in an episode, and her family has made multiple visits to the street to see her.

This is also worth mentioning, but Miss Manzano has done so much for the show outside of just her main role. She's played a few muppet characters, she's written tons of episodes and segments, and despite being one of the only actors to openly retire, Manzano is still keeping herself closely tied to the show, especially during the 50th Anniversary. She was present for the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors, which Sesame Street was an honoree of, she made a live appearance along with Alan for an event at Sesame Place, she visited Comic Con with her Sesame co-stars and she was among the many returning human guests for the 50th Anniversary special. (And one of the few who actually got a moment to themselves.)

Maria probably would be higher if she wasn't up against some of the greatest puppet characters the world has ever known, but that doesn't matter, because she's still the only human of the SS cast to make it this high up, and that is deserving of praise.

Hoooo boy, have we got a pick for the number 15 spot. Look, if you've been keeping up with Sesame Street on social media, you'll understand how this came to be, but if not, let's just jump into it so I can explain. In 15th place with 15 votes (Perfect score) is... Rocco.

Now, for those of you wondering how a rock was able to make it to #15 on a popularity list, it's actually pretty simple. Rocco came into existence way back in 1999 during season 30, as Zoe's pet rock, and the general idea would be that while Zoe sees Rocco as an individual who can do so many amazing things, Elmo can never see him as anything other than what he is: A rock. And it's this dynamic that would be a constant throughout the show. It wouldn't appear often, but when it did, you'd notice. And nothing really major came out of it, until January 3rd, 2022 when a clip of Elmo ranting about how Rocco isn't real went viral and people realized, "Wow, this is funny." and social media has never been the same since.

I'm pretty split on how Rocco has blown up as of late, on one hand, I'm glad people are able to notice that Sesame Street is a funny show and Elmo is a funny character. But on the other hand, I think most people, even the Sesame Street crew themselves are missing the point of what makes this work: Rocco is not a character. He's a MacGuffin that sparks interactions between the REAL stars of the show: Elmo and Zoe. Elmo and Zoe's dynamic chemistry and their relationship with each other is what makes this bit work. Zoe loves Rocco so much and is always inventing new things for him to do, and Elmo just cannot get past the idea of a rock doing much of anything, so he acts accordingly. Zoe's imagination combined with Elmo's frustration, annoyance, and indifference is what makes their scenes so hilarious to this day. And let's not forget that Rocco episodes didn't always play out the same way. There were, in fact, times, where Elmo would play along, and help Zoe do whatever Rocco wanted to accomplish, even if he might have been a bit annoyed at first.

But nowadays, when you go on Twitter, TikTok or YouTube, you'll see official videos from the official Sesame Street channel that are just Rocco being wherever Elmo is and him getting annoyed, with Zoe nowhere to be seen. It's like, guys, you do know who Rocco belongs to, right? Why are you taking Rocco to the Paris Olympics and not Zoe, his owner? Zoe is a crucial part of this equation, so why are they so consistently leaving her out of these videos. With how much they're blowing up I wouldn't blame people who thought that Rocco was Elmo's pet rock.

And do you know what makes the situation extra galling? The fact that it was said somewhere that they weren't gonna do Rocco bits anymore because Kevin Clash and Fran Brill had an unmatchable chemistry, which is true. Kevin and Fran made their scenes 10x better than they would be otherwise, but as demonstrated to us by the video down below, their new puppeteers Ryan Dillon and Jennifer Barnhart can do a pretty great job at replicating it.

This is what makes Rocco so funny, he's a vessel that gives two friends with different points of view something to talk and/or argue about. Treating him as just a rock that lives on Sesame Street dilutes the joke and just comes off as Elmo beefing with a rock, instead of with his friend.

But yeah, poor handling of Rocco aside, he was used to great effect in the earlier seasons, and it doesn't surprise me that so many people voted for him because they've seen how funny these episodes are. At the end of the day, that's what Rocco was created to do: Make people laugh.

Alright, now we move on to spot #14, where we're finally getting into the meat and potatoes of this list. In 14th place, with 16 votes, is our favorite Spanish-speaking monster of the caves, Rosita.

Rosita is another one of those characters that I was not surprised did this well in this poll. People really love this girl, and I'm right there with them. When I think of characters that really embody what Sesame Street is all about, Rosita fits the bill quite perfectly. She's educational, colorful, entertaining, funny, and someone who's all-around great to be around. When it comes to representation, Rosita is probably the best example of positive representation for foreigners out there. Rosita is incredibly proud of her Spanish heritage and is happy to share her culture with anyone who wants to know more about it, which definitely motivates kids from different cultures to share what they no with others. She's also one of the most affectionate characters of the whole cast. In fact, she pretty much rivals Elmo in that department. And once again, Rosita's authenticity is attributed to her performer. Carmen Osbahr is one of the true MVPs of the SS Puppeteer crew. She's done Rosita for 32 years and counting, and she hasn't lost her charm once. There are episodes and videos where Rosita feels sad or hurt, and because Miss Osbahr plays her so straight, you buy it.

But even with all of the good stuff Rosita has going for her, she's also one of the characters that's been hit with controversy. More specifically, a viral video of a Sesame Place mascot version of her ignoring a Black kid became the big thing everyone was talking about for a while, with some even claiming that Rosita was bad because of this. Even though that wasn't the real her. It was just a person in a suit. The real Rosita was created to fight against situations like this. And if you want to see a really good Rosita video, I recommend you watch the video down below.

In conclusion, Rosita is another great character because she's authentic, loving, and a great role model for people of different countries and backgrounds. You really couldn't ask for more.

Alright, we're moving on 13th place, and the character chosen for this placement honestly surprised me. In 13th place, with 23 votes, it's Oscar's favorite little buddy, Slimey the Worm.

Slimey is one of those characters who I was surprised to see did so well at first, but then after pondering it for three seconds, I was like "No, this definitely makes sense." Let me explain. On the surface, Slimey is essentially just around to humanize Oscar. But that's just it. Slimey makes Oscar more human and three-dimensional. Slimey is one of the very few individuals in this world Oscar will unabashedly show genuine love for in front of others, and it's always so adorable. I've said before that instead of a pet, Slimey might as well be labeled Oscar's son with how they interact, and I still stand by that. Also, Slimey has gotten to do so many things that give his species a good name. He's driven a race car, He's competed in live broadcasted winter sporting events, and let's not forget the time an entire season was dedicated to him being one of the first worms to go to the freaking moon. Like just take some time to process how crazy that is: An entire season was dedicated to worms going to space. I still have to rewatch those episodes at some point.

This is really a choice that doesn't need too much of an explanation. Slimey is high up on this list because he's Oscar's pride and joy. And also, without him, we probably would never have gotten the truly epic novel that is The Adventures of Trash Gordon, so there's that, too.

Okay, in 12th place with 26 votes, Sesame Street's most popular girl character, the daughter of Cinderella's fairy godmother, Abby Cadabby.

I still remember when Abby was the newest character on the show. 2007 was such a simpler time. The first thing I ever saw Abby in were three online video clips she had with Elmo. One where she tries to make a friend appear for him, one where they point out their similarities and differences, and one where she tries to give Elmo his own doll. And in these three single clips, Abby poofed her way into my heart. She just came off as so earnest and endearing. Which, of course, is thanks to her amazing puppeteer. I've also had the privilege of meeting Miss Leslie Carrara-Rudolph and having her follow me and look at my stuff, and I can once again say that she's as amazing as you think she is. (Miss Rudolph, if you're reading this, Hi. 😁👋🏾) She's a beacon of positivity, hilarity, and creativity, and it’s obvious that she put a lot of herself into Abby.

Another great thing about Abby is that even though she’s a magical fairy, she’s not a Mary Sue. She doesn’t always know what she’s doing, she often makes mistakes, and she often needs help from her friends and family with stuff she doesn’t understand, which helps make her more relatable and endearing to whoever's watching.

Also, out of all of the muppets in the main cast, she's probably had the most changes to her family life. I mean, her parents got divorced, and she got a new stepdad and stepbrother in the timeline of about 10 seasons, and as someone who's currently dealing with the divorce of his own parents, Abby's storyline hits home a lot more than it did previously.

But most of all, Abby is just so darn likable. She’s fun, curious, energetic, and loyal to boot. A perfect addition to a street filled with colorful monsters, birds, grouches, and snuffleupaguses. Abby's rise in popularity doesn't feel manufactured, because she was given a good introduction, had a great gimmick, looks more like a muppet than the newest characters, and she had 15+ seasons to leave an impact and elevate to the same level as Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster.

For 20 years and counting, Abby’s brought magic to this wonderful street, and while I don't like that the show has been focusing on her and Elmo as much as they have, I still couldn’t be more grateful for her existence.

Alright, moving on to 11th place with 31 votes, just missing the top 10 by 19, Sesame Street's unsung MVP, more popular than Abby Cadabby, the triangle-loving, anxiety-ridden, tuba-playing, pogo-sticking mess, Telly Monster.

Going into this I knew that if Telly wasn't in the top 10, he'd at least be very close to it. Even though the top 10 are pretty hard to beat, Telly is definitely the best runner-up. He's that great of a character. You know, it still boggles my mind that Telly was originally gonna be known as the guy who watches TV. I really wonder what the creative process for him was like.

Looking back, I’ve noticed how much Telly carried most of the middle era of the show on his back, and it's not hard to see why that was. Miss Bartlett told me once that Telly was her favorite character because he's always expressing his emotions, and she's right. While yes, ALL Muppets are expressive in one way or another, but with Telly, expressing his emotions in huge, over-the-top ways is his whole personality. And that's many thanks to Martin P. Robinson who took what previous puppeteer Brian Muehl was doing and perfected it to a T. Telly's funniest moments are whenever he's going on some ramble or tirade about whatever issue he's facing.

And I don't know whose idea it was to make him obsessed with triangles, but that's a decision that paid off in the long run. Millions of kids probably learned what triangles are from seeing and hearing this purple furry guy pour his heart out about them.

But Telly's not just hilarious, he's also relatable and endearing. Because we all have anxieties and the tendency to think of worst-case scenarios and blow things out of proportion. Like in the New Year's Eve special, Telly's fear and panic about a new year happening comes from a very understandable place of not wanting to let go of everything you love and have gotten accustomed to about the old one, which makes it even better when Gina helps not to be scared anymore. Telly is the character that kids learn to deal with their emotions and anxieties from the most.

But despite the fact that Telly is such a great character and the fact that he's been regularly appearing for 35 seasons at this point, Telly hardly has that much merch to his name. Certainly not as much as Abby, and NOWHERE NEAR as much as the top 10. Not only that, but since the HBO Era, he's slowly been appearing less and less. Season 53 is the first season where he flat-out wasn't there at all. Which really sucks, because now more than ever, I think we need a character like Telly around. 2024 was a really stressful year, what with tons of people being outed as monsters, Hurricane Milton, and that's not even taking into account everything that went down with the election. Sure, the rest of the cast was picking up the slack for mental health as best they could, especially Elmo with his tweet, but if Telly had his own thing during all of it, it would be SO comforting and fitting, because if anyone has experience with being stressed about terrible situations, it's him.

If you haven't seen any episodes with Telly, I strongly recommend you watch some. Most of Telly's best material is on YouTube right now. Trust me, when I say you will NOT regret it.

Oh boy, we've finally made it to the top 10 most popular Sesame Street characters, as voted by you! The characters left on this list are pretty much EXACTLY who you expect. These are the guys that you don't have to be a Sesame Street fan or Muppet fan, or even watch the show to recognize. The ones you can show to anyone and they'll most likely know who you're talking about. The legends, the head honchos, the top dogs. So let's not waste any more time and go over all of them.

Alright, at spot #10, with 50 votes, we have the large, brown, not-imaginary, Mr. Snuffleupagus.

When doing this poll I actually predicted that Snuffy would get tenth place, and lo and behold I was proven right. Snuffy's popularity ultimately comes down to a few factors:

One, his design. Snuffy is one of the only full-bodied muppets that has consistently been featured on the show, and when the other characters are a giant dog and an eight-foot-tall yellow bird, a furry brown elephant-like creature is only gonna stick out even more.

Two, he has the status of being Big Bird's best friend. BB and Snuff are another iconic SS duo and it's not just because they're the two largest characters on the show, but because their friendship is genuinely sweet to watch.

Three, his name. Snuffleupagus. Snuffle-up-a-gus. Snuffleupagus. That is just such a fun and interesting word to say. It's even a word that many people mispronounce. Yeah, it's not pronounced SnuffleUFFagus. (Yeah, I know at least one of you is reading this.)

And four, and this is the biggest reason of all, Snuffy was the center of a 17-season-long arc the show had where everyone thought he was just a figment of Big Bird's imagination. Now, I've made my dislike of this plot point very known, so I won't go into too much detail, but I will say for better or worse, it was this storyline that helped Snuffy gain more press in the show, and is part of the reason he's still around to this day. Plus they were able to turn it into a really good teaching moment about how adults should listen and believe kids when they're trying to seriously tell them about something, so while I don't particularly like it, I am still glad it happened.

And also Martin P. Robinson once again deserves all the credit for taking a character who worked previously under a different performer (RIP Jerry Nelson), and making him way more enthusiastic, and enjoyable than he already was. 

Not much else to say about this big guy. He's awesome, and I love him. Just not as much as other characters we'll get to.

Moving on to spot #9, and the character who made it here, probably would have made it higher if this was a different list, but considering what this poll is on, I say he did really great. So, with 60 votes, the 9th most popular Sesame Street character, is the one who started it all, Jim Henson's mascot, the one and only Kermit the Frog.

Yeah, if this poll was about Muppet Show characters or just Muppets in general, there's no doubt in my mind that Kermit would have shot to the top. Or at least the top 5. But this is a list about Sesame Street characters, so while Kermit still definitely counts, I can see why he got the placement he did. But that is to say nothing bad about our favorite frog. Without him, there would be no muppets at all. If Jim Henson hadn't used his mom's coat and that ping pong ball, Sesame Street wouldn't have ANY of the colorful characters we know and love to this day, and certainly none of the eight characters left on this list. So yeah, needless to say, Kermit is undoubtedly the most important Muppet. But even when you leave out Kermit's legendary status, he was still a very big part of this show and its appeal. Almost all of Kermit's Sesame Street bits were essentially prepping him for his future endeavors of stardom. Most of them have to do with him wanting to do something, but one of his friends either finds some way to mess it up or do something completely unpredictable that leaves him flabbergasted. I think that's why Kermit was such a good fit to host The Muppet Show. Because Kermit spent most of his time putting up with the antics of Grover, Cookie Monster, and the Count, he gained the knowledge and ability to most of the time put up with the Swedish Chef, Bunsen and Beaker, and even Miss Piggy herself.

Also, a good chunk of Kermit's best songs come from Sesame Street. Hey, Bein' Green walked so that Rainbow Connection could run. Just saying. Having said all of this, I have to say it is pretty sad that Jim Henson had to pass away soon, especially considering he did so when the Muppets were officially getting handed over to Dinsey, and with Dinsey being the way they are, they haven't let Kermit recur on the show anymore. But that just makes all the times he DID come back super great. It was fun seeing him in that episode in Elmo's World, and my god, letting him come back for the 50th Anniversary special was the best decision they could have made. Definitely one of the biggest highlights of that special. 60 people used their slot to vote for good old Kermie, and I have to say, they were well spent.

But even so, this is a Sesame Street list, and we still have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight! Eight more characters who have been with the show since their creation that we have to get to! Ah ah ah!

Based on that sentence, I'm fairly certain you can guess who's up next on the list. Coming in at 8th place with 93 votes, a more popular Sesame Street character than Kermit the Frog, the character who makes learning math fun for everyone, it is Count Von Count!

I'm really happy the Count did as well as he did on this list. Millions of kids know their numbers thanks to this lovable vampire. I've said this so many times, but the Count is so genius on a conceptual level. Most vampires are called Count, so it just makes all the sense in the world to make a Count who loves counting. It's no wonder why he's managed to stick around for as long as he has. The Count has become Sesame Street's go-to character for math-related material they wanna put out. I remember I got this Sesame Street package at my local PNC bank when I was little, and it had a DVD called Math is Everywhere, and The Count was one of the most featured characters on it. 

I also think that the Count was able to continue being a character because he's evolved from what he started the series as. He went from a cold, isolated, ruthless loner, who only cared about counting and nothing else, to a jolly spirit who's more than happy to share his passion with anyone who will listen, and never means to annoy his friends, even if he does most of the time. (Most of which is attributed to the talents of Jerry Nelson, and later, Matt Vogel.)

This goes hand in hand with what I just said, but the Count is also one of the best examples of being both one-note and three-dimensional at the same time. What I mean by this is that even though Count's whole character revolves around counting, he never comes off as annoying or stale, because the staff keeps inventing new storylines and scenarios, as well as giving him lots of different characters that he can bounce off of. And that's another reason why he's stood the test of time.

I think now would be a good time to recommend episode 4411, (Posted below) which is a perfect showcase of how far the Count has come and how big an impact he's left on not just Sesame Street but the world, all without him actually being there. 

Not much else to say here, The Count is crucial to the show, and he makes it better by being in it. Wouldn't trade him for all the numbers in the world.

Movin' right along to 7th place is a choice that I know will please and upset a lot of people. Personally, I'm in the former category. With 101 votes, the 7th most popular Sesame Street character, the face of the show, the little red menace, you either love him or you hate him, but either way, you know him. It's Elmo.

Being a Sesame Street fan for quite some time now, I'm well aware that Elmo has more than his fair share of detractors, and to those people, I'd just like to say, just be glad he didn't get a higher placement because that could have been a huge possibility. I was fairly certain that if he wasn't the most popular, he'd at least be somewhere in the top 5, but you guys exceeded my expectations. But make no mistake, seventh place is still a great achievement for our favorite little red buddy.

I might as well get the not-so-great aspects of Elmo out of the way first, but really, unlike what some people would have you believe, these aren't really attributed to Elmo himself, but more the direction the show has decided to go. Ever since 1999, the show has been pushing up Elmo more and more to the point where he gets WAY more screen time than the rest of the cast put together. The show has also steered more towards kids ever since their move to HBO, and there aren't really as many hard-hitting moments as there were before. But once again I'd like to reiterate that Elmo is NOT the reason why these things happened, he's just a by-product of the show's progression.

And even then, Elmo has done WAY more good for Sesame Street than bad. If Elmo wasn't a character, there'd be no one to keep Snuffy from leaving before his big reveal, no one to be the ring bearer for Luis and Maria's wedding, and no one to become the hottest toy on Black Friday during 1996. That's right folks, if it wasn't for Tickle Me Elmo, Sesame Street wouldn't have managed to stay going/relevant and would have gotten buried underneath Barney, Blue's Clues, Teletubbies, and a whole bunch of other kids' shows that came about during this period, and I probably wouldn't even be typing these words right now.

And contrary to what most people will tell you, despite Elmo being moved to the forefront, the show was really good at balancing out its cast all the way up until season 50. There are plenty of episodes in this era, where Elmo doesn't appear at all. (Outside of his usual segment at the end of each episode.)

Besides there's just so much to like about Elmo. I grew up in the 2000s so he was always there when I started watching the show. Elmo was just so kind, welcoming, and fun to watch that I thoroughly enjoyed Elmo's World. Every episode of Sesame Street that I watched, I would always look forward to seeing what Elmo was thinking about today, and how his friends were gonna help him learn more about it. Elmo wasn’t just a puppet I was watching, he was a friend who I was happy to have these playdates with. He was just someone I really loved hanging out with and still do to this day.

And while Elmo is not the best when it comes to getting across really difficult issues kids face, he can still be used to teach serious lessons. Look no further than the premiere episode of season 33, filmed in response to 9/11, where Elmo witnesses a fire in Hooper's Store. Definitely one of the show's best and underrated outings.

And there are so many other things that Elmo has been in that are also some of Sesame's great work. Elmopalooza and Elmo Saves Christmas are two of the greatest Sesame Street specials in existence, Elmo the Musical is a fun change from Elmo's World, The Not-Too-Late-Show with Elmo (Or the first season of it, at least) was a great spin on the genre it was spoofing, and while Elmo in Grouchland might not be the best movie, that is no way because of Elmo, who carries most of the feature.

Kevin Clash is one of the greats, and we really have him to thank for Elmo being as lovable as he is, and while he did leave some pretty big shoes to fill, Ryan Dillon is doing a great job picking up the slack.

Elmo, to this day, is still in people's hearts, minds, and everyday lives. I mean, we can argue all we want about the cynicism of Elmo's checking-in tweet and how it's corporate performative mental health, or whatever, but the fact that this many people responded, liked, retweeted, and saved it means that Elmo means a lot to a lot of people, and I think that's really great, because he means a lot to me too.

There's honestly SO much more I could say about Elmo, but I won't get into all of it. All I'll say is, Elmo loves everyone, he's practically the embodiment of love, which means I have no choice but to love him right back.

Alright next up is our sixth-place winner, who is one-half of the most iconic Sesame Street duo of all time. In 6th place with 130 votes, it's Bert.

It's really great to see one of the OGs rank so high on the list. I couldn't really predict where Bert was gonna rank on this list, but I think this is a fitting place for him. Bert is necessary for the show because he not only provides a great contrast to his best friend but also a great character for himself. Whether you want to admit it or not, Bert is ALL of our spirit animals. How and why? Because each and every one of us has specific interests that we love and know so much about, and we all want to share our knowledge of these things with anyone who will listen. And that's who Bert is too. He may like a lot of regular stuff like paper clips, bottle caps, oatmeal, and pigeons, but that's what he likes and it's specific to him, Every Muppet fan reading this is Bert to an extent. (You guys know who you are.) And that's great. One of my online friends told me that as an Autistic person, he relates more to Bert than Julia, and I totally get that. Most Autistic people have at least one niche interest that their passionate about, and Bert definitely fits the mold.

Going back to his relationship with Ernie, I do have something I wanna go over. I hate it when people say that Ernie is a bad friend and Bert should leave him. I get it, but I hate it.

Now on the surface, Bert DOES seem to be on the receiving end of Ernie's mishaps and misdeeds, and he does get rightfully frustrated whenever that happens, but to say that he should end their friendship because of that completely misses the point of both Bert and Ernie, and their purpose in the show. Ernie and Bert were created to demonstrate that friends can get on your nerves, A LOT, but real friends are not worth losing just because of a few inconveniences. If I could quote something I heard from a YouTube video:

"Friends aren't people who don't piss you off, they're people who are worth forgiving over and over."

And that's exactly what B&E showcase in almost all of their moments together. For all the pranks, misunderstandings, and sleepless nights, Bert and Ernie have shown time and time again that they really care about each other. They’re not just two guys who live and interact with each other because the show says so, they’re true friends who care a lot about each other despite their differences.

Bert brings a sense of self, reason, and reliability to the table, and that's why he's such an important part of Sesame Street, even if he isn't really on it that much anymore.

And now, coincidentally coming into fifth place with a total of 153 votes, the other half of the most dynamic Sesame Street duo, Ernie.

I was honestly surprised to see that Ernie did WAY better than Bert on this list. I was expecting Bert to be the favorite (Y'know, since he represents all of us) or at least for it to be a close race between the two of them, but no, more people like Ernie than they do Bert, which, after thinking about it for a while, does make sense. Out of the two, Ernie is the fun one. He's always coming up with new games, singing new songs, or doing something weird that will catch your attention. In my experience, those kinds of characters are the ones most people, mainly kids, gravitate towards.

Ernie is just the character that gets to do the things that appeal to the kids the show is targeted towards. That's what he was designed to do. Kids are usually the ones who play jokes or beg their parents to play a game with them, they're more likely to stick a banana in their ear, and they would certainly rather spend bedtime doing literally anything else other than going to sleep. That's just how they are.

Also of the two, Ernie is the one who gets the better and more popular songs. I mean, Doin' The Pigeon is great, but it can't compete with Rubber Duckie, or I Don't Want To Live On The Moon, or The Honker Duckie Dinger Jamboree, or even that cover Ernie did of Despacito.

Another thing that makes Ernie so great is his versatility. Ernie interacts with way more of the cast than Bert does. And because Ernie has lots of other faces that he can bounce off of, he doesn't have one role he's confined to, He's not just a goofy annoyance like he is with Bert, he can also be the voice of reason to characters sillier than he is like Cookie Monster, and sometimes he's just a friendly figure we can play along with, like he is with characters like Elmo and Telly.

And despite what some people will have you believe, Ernie is more than capable of being a good best friend to Bert, and he's done so multiple times. He gave Bert the Figgy Fizz bottlecap he was saving for the center of his collection, he taught Bert how to play the drums, he respected Bert's wish to spend his birthday alone reading a book, he was willing to trade his favorite Rubber Duckie to get Bert a box for his paper clips, and in a rare moment of self-awareness, he actually takes the time to realize why his actions caused Bert to flip out the way he did, in one of the best episodes of Modern Sesame Street that I will link down below.

I know I said that Bert represents all of us whether we want to admit it or not, but the same applies to Ernie as well. We all have moments in our lives where we need to have fun and just be silly. Sometimes we just have to take a bath with our rubber duckie, or put a banana in our ear to keep alligators away or dance ourselves to sleep while playing the bugle. Ernie embodies the chaos and imagination we all have within us. And that’s what makes Bert and Ernie so timeless: They’re essentially two halves of one person. Yeah, they can do well by themselves. But their biggest strength is being together and bouncing off of each other. Bert keeps Ernie grounded and helps him out when he’s confused, and Ernie not only helps Bert lighten up and have fun but also encourages him to do the things he wants to do. They get each other and make each other better. Which is why they've been able to strike a chord with so many people in all of their time on the show.

For 55 years and counting Ernie and Bert have given us one of the most realistic representations of friendship, and that’s why I think they are the best television duo of all time, and totally deserving of the fifth and sixth places on this list.

Alright, this next character was actually in a VERY close race with Ernie. Like, they almost tied for a minute, but luckily, the other character pulled ahead by 1 vote, so we actually have a fourth-place winner. So, coming in at 154 votes, the 4th most popular Sesame Street character is our other favorite green boy. The character who changed the way people look at trash cans ever since the first episode of the show, it's Oscar the Grouch.

It's ironic because I know for a fact that Oscar would absolutely hate the fact that he did so well in this poll. But then again, he loves feeling miserable, so it doesn't really matter. But anyway, I really don't know anyone who doesn't love this guy. Despite being the embodiment of negativity, there's just so much to love about this grouch.

First off, he's one of, if not the most necessary character for Sesame Street, as he provides an amazing contrast to the rest of the cast. In a sea full of happy, friendly faces, you need at least one not-so-happy character to keep things from getting too sappy, and Oscar pulls it off in spades. Which, again is mainly because of the late and great Caroll Spinney, and now Eric Jacobson. Being the only mostly negative character also gives Oscar the ability to say certain things and make certain jokes that the other characters can’t. No way could Luis or Gordon call Maria “Skinny” or Grover or Bert call Big Bird an oversized turkey, but because Oscar is the way that he is, he can hurl as many insults as he wants. (As long as they’re all G-rated, of course.)

Speaking of which, that's another thing that makes Oscar so fantastic. He has chemistry with EVERYONE. I know I've said this about other characters before, but Oscar is the KING of comedic banter, and it's because he spreads and thrives on negativity. It doesn't matter if you pair him up with one of the happier, more naïve kid characters (Like Telly, Elmo, Zoe, or Rosita), or the more responsible adults who have a low tolerance for his BS (Like Gina, Bob, Gordon, and ESPECIALLY Maria), or a celebrity, or anyone and everyone else in between. Oscar carries every interaction he has effortlessly.

Oscar also has the honor of being the one whose culture gets the most attention. Grouches are their own species and show capitalized on them so much. We got to learn about Oscar's family and meet them. I still love the episode featuring his brother Ernest.

Not just that, we also learn a lot about Grouch cuisines, their history, and we even get to visit Grouch-specific places like Grouchland, and Grouchytown, the latter having their own inverse of Oscar in Nina the Nice, who has to be seen to be believed.

Also, as a side note, I think Oscar forever changed the way most people look at trash cans. I mean, previously most people would have shuttered when they thought something was rummaging around in the place they throw trash in, but with Sesame Street and Oscar existing, most people, namely kids would be excited at the thought of grouchy, fuzzy creatures living somewhere they visit on a regular basis. So much so that Spinney was able to trick a bunch of kids into thinking he was around by sticking his head into a can and doing the voice and all the kids rushed over to see him.

However, the main reason Oscar struck a chord with so many people is because of the overall themes that he represents. As many people have pointed out already, Oscar's purpose is to demonstrate to kids that negative emotions are a natural part of life and nothing to be ashamed of. You can feel mad, or sad, or even grouchy. It's okay to want people to leave you alone, and it's okay to not be happy about it. We all feel grouchy at some point in our lives. Sometimes all we wanna do is be alone without anyone to bother us, other times we may just wanna vent about something that annoys us, and there are even times when we wanna be as messy as possible, and not care what other people say about it. And most people may not agree with you, but your true friends won't try to change who you are and will still love you regardless, which is showcased in Oscar's relationship with his neighbors. The rest of the street knows who Oscar is, and while they get annoyed with him frequently, they would never want to actually change him or how he lives life, because his life matters just as much as theirs, and what's more is that they'll go out of their way to include him in their group activities/vacations, help him when he's facing a problem, and make sure he and his can are safe and unharmed. You can find multiple examples of this in every era of the show.

And because Oscar has surrounded himself with such loving and caring individuals, both parties make each other better. Oscar helps them bring out the negative emotions they need to experience every now and then, while they help Oscar show more compassion. Throughout the series we see that for every insult and prank he’s thrown his neighbors' way, he really does care for them, and they really care about him, which is probably one of the best illustrations of community the show has ever managed to accomplish.

In conclusion, to quote a song from the 21st season: Oscar is our grouch and we’re stuck with him, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. While he definitely could have done better, fourth place is a very great and well-deserved accomplishment.

Alright, moving on to spot #3, with 170 votes, the third most popular Sesame Street character is none other than our favorite, cute, furry, adorable, and lovable monster pal, Grover.

This was another choice that didn't really surprise me that much. People really love Grover, and I get it. He's proven himself to be a versatile, valued, and irreplaceable member of the street gang over the course of 54 years or so.

First off, Grover has a distinct way of speaking in the fact that he rarely uses contractions and annunciates his words, which definitely helps him stick out in your mind.

Also, he's the only main character who has his own consistent superhero alter-ego. Super Grover is one of the most notable parts of Sesame Street to this day, and that's because people love superheroes, and I bet SG was many kids' introduction to these beings of greatness.

And then there's The Monster At The End Of This Book. I'm confident in saying that if Grover wasn't the one who starred in this two-million-copies-sold book, he would still be popular and people would still love him, but Grover's dynamic and overreactive personality is what helped him and by extension, the book stand out with this story about a monster who doesn't want to get to the conclusion.

And speaking of which, I definitely think that Grover's personality is what's helped him last as long as he has. Grover's thing is that he lives to help people, it's why he takes on so many different jobs every time. Grover was multi-tasking WAY before the likes of Larry Needlemeyer, and unlike Larry, he actually likes it. Then again, also unlike Larry, he's also not very good at it. Yeah, that's the other thing that makes Grover Grover: He's notoriously bad at helping. It's why the dynamic between him and Mr. Johnson is so memorable. Grover never provides this man with any quality service to hilarious end results. Despite us knowing how each and every one of Grover's antics is gonna end, the writers keep us on our toes by concocting new scenarios to put him in it every time.

Another aspect of Grover's mass appeal is the fact that starting in 2004, he's also become the world traveler of the bunch. Global Grover, the segment where Grover shares a story of a country he went to and then tries to do an activity he learned there, won awards, and he even went on to star in the rebooted co-production of Shalom Sesame.

However, the things that make Grover truly endearing are his dedication, tenacity, and heart. It doesn’t matter what the situation or concept is, Grover will do everything he can to help, even if he doesn’t know what he’s doing, which almost all of the time. And he won't stop until he's sure he's done his job right, and if you want proof, just look at his most famous bit.

Though we may roll our eyes and laugh whenever Grover fails to open a gate, sell a product, or provide Mr. Johnson with any actual quality service, the fact of the matter is, Grover really loves helping people. No matter what type of job he’s doing, it never seems like he wants anything other than the satisfaction of other people’s satisfaction, and he never even asks for any thanks in return. Because he doesn’t have an ounce of hate in his cute, little body.

Above all else, Grover, like Elmo, has an infectious sense of joy and friendly nature that can get to anyone and everyone. Grover has taught us about the joys of helping people, listening to others, making mistakes, and above all else, never giving up. And for that, I’ll always appreciate him and be glad that he’s still showing up, and 170 people all agreed with me because they got him all the way to third place. And he's cute, too, so that's a bonus.

Alright, we're down to the final two, and once again, they're exactly who you think they are. So who's the winner, and who's the runner-up? Let's find out. Coming in with a score of 184 votes, the runner-up for the most popular Sesame Street character of all time is the yellow, eight-foot-tall winged wonder, Sesame Street's MAIN main character, Big Bird.

Big Bird doing this well was a forgone conclusion for me. I mean he's been with the show WAY longer than any of the other muppets have. He's quite literally the first muppet ever shown in the first episode and he's been here ever since. No, seriously. He's been around for every major milestone this show has had so far. So what makes Big Bird so lovable? Well, much like the rest of the cast, it's down to a lot of reasons.

First off, his existence is so simple, it's brilliant. I mean when someone says "big bird", what's the first thing that pops up in your head? Probably something like an ostrich or a flamingo, but then here comes this behemoth of an avian with two long orange legs, three-fingered hands, and up to 6000 yellow feathers that isn't like anything you've ever seen before. When you see Big Bird, you're never gonna forget him.

And also, out of all the muppets, he's probably the most uniquely performed. Unlike most of the other characters, he's essentially a very heavy and intricate costume that you have to keep your hand up for the whole time, and that fact makes the scenes where he's roller-skating, ice skating, or even riding a unicycle all the more amazing, but not as amazing as the man behind it all.

Caroll Spinney was definitely one of the greatest American heroes of all time, he carried one of the most beloved children's icons on his back for most of his life, and he did the best job. Which is good, because I know I said that Oscar's role was very important, and it still is, but Big Bird's is equally so. Big Bird and Oscar were the driving forces of merging the muppets and street together and gave the normal humans someone zany to bounce off of, but while Oscar was made to contrast the people he was starring alongside, Big Bird was created to give the child audience someone they could relate to and learn through. It's why he's at the center of so many life lessons and heartwarming moments. He's going through them along with us.

Not to mention that he's the character who's gotten into the most interesting occurrences outside of the show. Like, there was some news about two guys who stole a Big Bird costume, he had his own Muppet Show appearance where Gonzo tried to hit on him, and he almost got beaten by Miss Piggy, he was the poster boy for being against Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign of slashing PBS' government funds, and let's not forget the whole NASA Challenger fiasco back in 1986. Like, if things had gone differently Big Bird could have gotten shot into space and died in front of millions of people. Let that sink in for a moment.

And I'd also like to touch on how Big Bird's role has evolved throughout the show. Whereas in the first 20 seasons or so, he was more or less the main kid of the cast, but as characters like Elmo, Telly, Zoe, Rosita, and Abby started becoming more prominent, Big Bird sort of adapted into a slightly bigger brother figure to many of the other muppet characters. He's still six years old, he still makes mistakes, and he still doesn’t know everything, but he seemed to pick up most of the knowledge he previously gained, and used it to act at least slightly more mature than Elmo and the others. A lot of people aren't a fan of this, and I get that. If I grew up in the '60s, '70s, or even the '80s, I’d probably feel the same way. But I really feel that where Big Bird is now is a good fit for him. It almost feels like character growth. After years of fun adventures, asking questions, and learning from his mistakes, he’s matured and now giving his monster and fairy friends room to do the same. And really, if you were gonna make any SS muppet the big brother figure, Big Bird is kinda perfect for it. I mean, he's a gentle giant, who’s wise beyond his years, and makes you feel safe and secure every time he gives you a big feathery hug. I’d sure want a big brother like that, and I’m sure many other kids at home would, too!

Yeah, I don't think I have that much else to say, Big Bird rocks. He makes a great impression every time he appears on screen with his towering, but inviting stature, and his childlike innocence/optimism only rivaled by SpongeBob SquarePants, which is why he's weaseled his way into the hearts of millions. Sesame Street just wouldn't be Sesame Street without Big Bird. I love him, and statistically speaking, you guys do too.

Well folks, we're almost done going through the results of this poll, but we still have one character to go over, the winner of this contest. The fan-favorite, most popular Sesame Street character of all time, and if you're familiar with the process of elimination, you already know who it is. It is with great pleasure and joy that I say with a grand total of 186 votes, the MOST popular Sesame Street character is, the one, the only... Cookie Monster.

To say that I'm happy that Cookie Monster, my favorite character in this show, won this poll would be a HUGE understatement. I expected him to get into the top ten for sure, but I was expecting at least second, third, or even fourth place, so this outcome was a pleasant surprise for me. Then again it wasn't TOO surprising, cause Cookie's popularity is pretty massive. Aside from Elmo, he's the character that gets the most attention AND merchandise. I should know, I have owned/currently own three pairs of Cookie Monster PJs, a Cookie Monster Balloon, a Cookie Monster mug, a Cookie Monster bubble wand, some Cookie Monster socks, and a Cookie Monster shirt. And if we look at the show he's gotten just as many recurring block segments as Elmo has, he hosts the most famous SS segment of all time, Monsterpiece Theater, he was the other main SS character to star in The Furchester Hotel, he was Elmo's co-host on The Not-Too-Late Show, and he was the only one of the Mecha Builders to actually get his own puppet variety.

He even holds the title of being the only muppet to actually audition for hosting Saturday Night Live, and while that didn't happen, he still got over 100,000 people backing him up AND he still got to make an appearance on the show.

Not to mention those untrue rumors of him becoming the Veggie Monster that stuck around longer than they should have, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, thank your lucky stars.

So yeah, it's safe to say Cookie has his fans, me included. But why? Well, for me personally, it's because as I got older, I identified with him more and more. Growing up, Cookie Monster was NOT my favorite character. I knew he existed, and I thought he was alright but my focus was almost always on Elmo. When the 2010s rolled around, I started to realize how much I love eating food and how much joy it brings me, so as I continued watching Cookie on the show, the more I started to realize how much alike we were. Also, it’s because of him that I actually took the time to rediscover cookies, and how delicious they really tasted. (By the way, this doesn't really need to be said, but if you went back in time and told the person who made the first-ever cookie that someday their creation would be represented by a blue bathmat with two ping pong balls, they'd think you were a witch.)

Also, I think he's one of the few characters where the recast is actually better than the original. Don't get me wrong, Frank Oz was awesome, and he definitely set the bar pretty high, but David Rudman raised it 15x higher. Some of Cookie's best and funniest moments came from Rudman's time playing him. Cookie also helps teach kids about patience and self-control. Even though he's an eating machine with minimal impulse control, his friends are always there to help him use strategies to calm down and focus, and all of them can actually work for kids who also have trouble waiting for things.

But do you wanna know what really makes Sid the Cookie Monster such a great character? His heart. Most of what I said about The Count evolving and being one-note/three-dimensional at the same time, applies to Cookie as well. 

I once read a fanfiction on the Muppet Central Forum, I can’t find it now, but I did read it. It was a story where Sesame Street was gonna get torn up to make a cookie factory or something like that, and in it, Cookie Monster makes numerous attempts to stop his neighbors from saving their neighborhood, and I’m sorry, but that’s not how Cookie Monster is. And just so you know, that COULD have been how Cookie was. If in the wrong hands, Cookie Monster could be just like the worst of Mr. Krabs, where he only cares about one thing and nothing and no one else, which leads him to do horrible things. But he’s not like that. Underneath that one-track mind, and lack of willpower lies someone with a true heart. He may love eating, but he also loves his friends and his home and knows when he has to make sacrifices. If he has to get a train of cookies and milk to a town on the other side of a mountain and snow blocks his way, he’ll eat his way through the snow, if he’s with someone and there’s only one cookie left, he’ll break off half of it to give to them, if he knows he shouldn't eat a specific thing, he'll eat something else, and if Sesame Street was going to be torn down, he definitely would not willingly help that process succeed, even if it was for a cookie factory. He may be an obsessive nutcase, but he doesn't let his obsession stop him from being a true friend and an upstanding member of his community.

But above all, Cookie Monster demonstrates that not everyone needs a lot to be happy in life. It doesn’t matter if it’s cookies, cake, ice cream, fruits, vegetables, snow, Emmy awards, Volkswagens, telephones, not even metal safes. As long as he can find something to eat, Cookie can and will be content with his life, and I think that's a state of mind that a lot of people wish they could have.

So yeah, Cookie Monster is the greatest Sesame Street character of all time, and you guys helped prove that thesis, so thanks a bunch, Here's hoping Cookie Monster gets all the cookies he can eat and many more going forward.

And there you have it, folks. The most popular characters of one of the best and longest-running tv shows of all time, as voted by you. I gotta say, despite how long it took for me to make this blog, it was fun. Will I ever do something like this again in the future? ...We'll see. Seeing as how some people didn't get a chance to participate, there's always a chance for a round 2.

But frankly, I think this is the kind of thing we need right now. 2025 is already off to a rocky start, what with all the fires, Muppet Vision 3D shutting down soon, not to mention all of the uncertainty about the future of Sesame Street now that HBO decided to cut ties with it, I think we needed something like this to remind us of all the good Sesame Street and the Muppets have done for this world. That these characters are beloved by so many and are so easy to love. All the lessons, all the songs, all the games, and all the laughs they've given us over the years mean something. Not just to me, and not just to everyone who voted, but to everyone reading this blog post, and everyone who's ever watched the show in general. I know things are looking scary and bleak right now, and that Sesame Street seems to be going down a path of mediocrity, but I think that as long as we keep all of the good this show has done fresh in our minds, Sesame Street will never truly be ruined. So I implore you to keep watching Sesame Street, especially your favorite bits, episodes, movies, specials, documentaries, and live appearances. Don't lose sight of who these characters are and the impact they've made on pop culture and the world.

Well, that's all the time we have for today. Like I said, I'll link the two videos that inspired this blog below. I'm also going to post some great places to find great online Sesame Street content by creators who love this show. I'll also post a link to the official Sesame Workshop website, so you can find out how you can help the show in its trying times. With all that said, thanks to everyone who voted in this poll, thanks to anyone and everyone who read all the way to the end, and I'll see you next time. Bye!

Fither video: https://youtu.be/5FPlldvFpGY?si=eCAwCyefMM8RHSFG

Schaffrillas video: https://youtu.be/5-q1gk_Bym4?si=aJSg4BrJGi28aNgF

Sesame Street Content

Sesame Street YouTube Channel (I recommend clicking the "oldest" button when you check out the videos): https://www.youtube.com/@SesameStreet/videos

MarshalGrover: https://www.youtube.com/@MarshalGrover

LittleJerryFan92: https://www.youtube.com/@LittleJerryFan92

Colin LooksBack: https://www.youtube.com/@ColinLooksBack

Any Del: https://youtube.com/@anydelcourageelmoguy99?si=-FQLd7_iY1eq4P5T

Follow That Bird: https://youtu.be/RptI16hIRts?si=2AUbpSu4-BJ2AG8C 

I Am Big Bird: https://tubitv.com/movies/512378/i-am-big-bird-the-caroll-spinney-story?link-action=play&tracking=google-feed&utm_source=google-feed

Sesame Workshop Link: https://sesameworkshop.org/