Random Muppets #33 & #34: Joey and Davey Monkey

On the Muppet Wiki, there is a "Random Muppet" button which sends you to the page of one of the thousands of Muppets in existence. I will press the button and discuss the importance of the Muppet that comes up, no matter how obscure. No skips. No redos. This is the Random Muppet Challenge.

Random Muppets #33 & #34: Joey and Davey

These monkeys are BANANAS!

Performers:  Joey Mazzarino and David Rudman

Muppet Universe of Origin:  Sesame Street

Most Significant Appearance:  Sesame Street, February 8, 1993, "Episode 3071"

In 1993, a pair of twin monkeys appeared on Sesame Street, and they had a message for us.  Sponsorships by letters and numbers would be a thing of the past.  Instead, episodes would now be brought to us by bananas.

Our unbiased spokesmen.

Named after their relatively new performers, Joey and Davey only cared about bananas, and they usurped the show for a day to make sure only banana-related programming reached the viewers.

Full Version (but really, it's just more of the same)

Their obsession grew to be so great that they managed to steer any conversation to their favorite fruits.  It seems as if the whole reason they even came to the neighborhood was because they assumed Big Bird was of banana-descent.

Add them to the alarmingly growing list of Muppets who want to eat Big Bird.

Why Are They the Most Important Muppets?

Joey and Davey are virtually interchangeable.  At first glance, it seems unnecessary to have two of the exact same character.  They often speak in unison and have absolutely no defining characteristics to set them apart.  That's what makes them tolerable.

It's fun to see them hanging around.

Each one builds upon the other's excitement, forming their own little club that one can't help but want to be a part of.  Much of this steps from their delivery of the word "bananas."  Rather than shout it obnoxiously, the two place an unnatural emphasis on the first syllable rather than the second, turning a single word into their own catchphrase.  Coupled with the brief pause before the word, it seems as if bananas are a lot grander than we had originally intended them to be.

All hail the banana!

They were perfect additions to the supporting cast because, when used sparingly, they could add a great punchline to any scene.  They bring to mind the simple pleasure of making a puppet out of a sock and just popping it out at random moments to say a quick, funny word.  This is comedy distilled to it's basic form.

Unfortunately, characters on Sesame Street only stick around if they are able to grow in complexity.  After 3 years, no one wanted to here them lyrically pronounce "BANANAS" any more.  It's a shame because life could always stand to be a little bit more bananas.

Altogether now...

Random Muppet #10: Old MacDonald

On the Muppet Wiki, there is a "Random Muppet" button which sends you to the page of one of the thousands of Muppets in existence. I will press the button and discuss the importance of the Muppet that comes up, no matter how obscure. No skips. No redos. This is the Random Muppet Challenge.

Random Muppet #10: Old MacDonald

A Scottish farmer that longs for a break in the norm.

Performer:  Richard Hunt/Martin P. Robinson/Joey Mazzarino

Muppet Universe of Origin:  Sesame Street

Most Significant Appearance:  Sesame Street, March 23, 1988, "Episode 2448"

Like most nursery rhyme characters, Old MacDonald was a recurring guest on Sesame Street, particularly during the "News Flash" segments.  Kermit would appear, hoping to observe the usual goings-on down on the farm.  However, he would find that things aren't always as he expects, such as the time he discovered that Old MacDonald turned his farm into an animal health spa.

But Kermit's strangest visit concerned Old MacDonald's new addition to his farmstead.  Amongst the cows and ducks and pigs, MacDonald discovered a spaceship!  When it is revealed to be a big misunderstanding, MacDonald's theories are proven correct as his farm is finally visited by actual Yip Yip Martians!

Why Is He the Best Muppet?

Old MacDonald is bored with life.  He is caring towards his animals and doesn't shirk his responsibilities.  But it seems he was not cut out to be a farmer.  Between starting a health spa and managing a swine pop rock group, MacDonald does whatever he can to add some excitement into his world.  So, of course he gets swept up in the notion that there is life in outer space attempting to communicate with us.

Although they are less prevalent today, stories about alien abductions seemed to be heavily concentrated in sparsely populated areas, such as old country farms.  Cow mutilations and crop circles are commonly dubbed supernatural occurrences in these areas.  Being a lonely farmer, hearing all of these stories can cause one's mind to wander.  As soon as MacDonald catches a glimpse of the slightest unusual affair, he leaps to the conclusions that it must be aliens.  He alerts the news and proudly shows off his discovery, only to be proven wrong by the more educated sources.

Then, his prayers are answered as new life-forms appear at his home, on camera no less!

E-I-E-I-OMG!

The arrival of these creatures don't just legitimate his beliefs, they prove that the universe is filled with possibilities.  He may have grown up a farmer, but he doesn't have to live the life of a farmer.  With his newfound fame and glory, he can do whatever he wants.

In life, we have to forge our own paths.  Otherwise, we'll be stuck with all of the boring talking animals and monsters like regular folk.

Ho-hum, another average day inside a trippy parallel dimension.

*      *      *

Astute observers may have noticed another Old MacDonald making appearances on Sesame Street.  This man is an impostor and is wanted for property damage and failure to keep animals on a leash.

He was last seen taking a wife in the dell.  Reports confirm that the cheese stands alone.

Random Muppet #2: The Birthday Cake

On the Muppet Wiki, there is a "Random Muppet" button which sends you to the page of one of the thousands of Muppets in existence.   I will press the button and discuss the importance of the Muppet that comes up, no matter how obscure.  No skips.  No redos.  This is the Random Muppet Challenge.

Random Muppet #2: The Birthday Cake

A sentient, sexually-ambiguous, floating cake with an unintentional death wish.

Performer:  Fran Brill/Joey Mazzarino

Muppet Universe of Origin:  Sesame Street

Most Significant Appearance:  Sesame Street, February 2, 2001, "Episode 3940"

In the recurring "Elmo's World" segments that began taking up a third of each Sesame Street episode in recent years, Elmo would choose a topic and ask questions about it without relenting for about 20 minutes.  He would interview various authorities on the subject, or present little clips that related to the subject in some way.  It was the television equivalent of a toddler tugging at your pant leg and asking "Why?" after every single thing you said.

One day, Elmo became really excited about birthdays, so he set out to explain the concept to all the viewers at home.  And while everyone in the world has the experience of being born, Elmo managed to book some abstract guests for his show, namely a birthday cake.  The cake only appears for two lines and then Elmo's short attention span causes him to get distracted by something else.

 

If you managed to make it to the birthday cake's appearance, you'll notice that it only had one noteworthy piece of wisdom when Elmo asks what its life is like:

Birthday Cake: "It's a piece of cake"

And that's it. The birthday cake floats on to spread advice and icing throughout the land.

Why Is He/She the Best Muppet?

Imagine the life of a birthday cake. Prepared with tender care, the birthday cake is treated very delicately, dressed up and decorated, quite possibly the prettiest of all foods. You are assigned a dangerous but revered task of carrying one or more burning torches, like an Olympian. When you are brought out to meet the public for the first time, the crowd erupts in a song of delight. Everyone focuses on you as you are presented to the guest of honor. They blow out your torches, you grant them a wish, and the ceremony is complete.

All sentient food in the land of the Muppets is aware of their imminent demise. They choose to accept or ignore their short lifespan and instead sing and be merry. But this birthday cake is actually treated with class and respect. It doesn't sing because it genuinely believes it will have a long rich life. The way everybody treats it, how could it not think that it is the center of the universe?

As soon as the knife is injected to make the first slice, realization hits and death is mere seconds away. But the cake has no reason to expect any harm. All other food is eaten along with other food. On the dinner plate, food helplessly watches as their brethren are eaten. In the fridge, food trembles in fear, awaiting the day they are either selected for consumption or met with expiration. The birthday cake lives it's entire life in solitude. It doesn't interact with other food, as it is often hidden from the birthday guest. The cake, for all intents and purposes, is untouchable.

The birthday cake appears again in a segment explaining the word "scrumptious." This time, it has a manlier voice, so it is unclear whether or not this is the same cake from Elmo's World. Either way, the cake has the perspective that all cakes have, unaware of the truth.

"Attractive celebrity" Jessica Alba presents various food items she finds scrumptious. Her final choice is the birthday cake, who in turn agrees that Alba is also "scrumptious."

They are both scrumptious, in very different ways.

This birthday cake clearly doesn't realize that scrumptious has two meanings. He/she believes Alba is complimenting his/her good looks and attractiveness. Alba laughs and plays along, but she knows that cake is not meant for this world very much longer.

Is it better or worse to be ignorant of ones mortality? The birthday cake lives its entire life in bliss. Is that necessarily a bad thing? Is there even an answer?

Life is not a piece of cake. Unless it is.