Gothamist: Muppet Takes Midtown Manhattan

Terry Foam

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:38:32 -0500

Me and Mrs Foam Saw Elmo hanging around by Radio City the other day. Dude was just stood there with a black shopping bag

stillfurther

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:49:44 -0500

These look like commercially-made costumes, mass produced and available for rent, maybe sometimes available on ebay. They're probably just out fighting boredom. But using readily identifiable characters is so boring! Yuck! If you want to have some fun, be creative and make your own characters! I've been doing this kind of thing for years, with my puppet and stilt dance troupe the Mortal Beasts & Deities. mortalbeastsanddeities.com We call these 'stealth gigs' just arriving somewhere and doing walk-about without any specific invite. More often we're hired to do this kind of thing at events. We always pose for pictures, and frequently get mention in the media. Actual fees and tips collected are usually meager, but because my troupe never uses known commercial characters, the rewards and kicks are huge.

aboutmattlaw

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:39:40 -0500

In other news, thousands of yellow cars are picking people up and driving them all around the city! These guys (and folks like them) have been around the city for a long time. This isn't really worth a Gothamist post.

meatloafing

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:30:53 -0500

another sighting on 2/29:

moonyap

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:26:08 -0500

I saw an article a few months back about the false-mascott phenomenon; people rent or buy the suits and then try to find touristy hot-spots for photo-ops and take tips. At least these costumes were pretty together/clean/look like the characters. Some are downright disturbing...

the3rdbridge

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:50:36 -0500

First of all, I can't believe all of these separate sightings and THIS is the very first media exposure that this invasion is getting. In case you're running behind the ball these characters are actually space aliens invading Manhattan. Thank you Gothamist, for blowing the lid off their plot. Secondly, Everyone knows that Sesame Street is in Washington Heights. That's why everyone is always speaking Spanish or trying to learn it.

LinkMan

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:25:24 -0500

I saw Elmo and Mickey Mouse on 6th Ave around 50th or 51st one morning last week. Both looked like bootleg--but pretty well-made bootleg--costumes (i.e., not authorized by Sesame or Disney). They were carrying the red bags and while I didn't stop to watch for very long (I was on my way to work), I'm pretty sure they were taking pictures with tourists' kids in exchange for tips dropped in the bags. While it's going to get real annoying real fast if this trend expands (at least the Naked Cowboy restricts himself to the middle of Times Square), it did seem to put a smile on a lot of faces.

Steven

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:10:45 -0500

What a great idea!

RGP

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:37:38 -0500

Ha! Glad you enjoyed it. I fully intend to seek out this mysterious Elmo and offer him a buck for a close up and an interview! I hope that guy isn't his agent ;)

smitty

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:52:35 -0500

I saw him last week at 6th Ave and 41st St with Dora The Explorer. No joke! I thought it was weird when I saw them at the time because this obviously isn't some Nick promotion.

babyhitler

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:13:13 -0500

I wanna do elmo in the butt.

anopneumous

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 19:51:29 -0500

Multiple middle-aged chubby "women" inside? Wow!

blablanyc

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 19:22:20 -0500

Bugs looks like he had a rough night.

anopneumous

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 19:16:31 -0500

Multiple middle-aged chubby "women" inside? Wow!

Barbj8

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 19:13:02 -0500

Hmmm, wonder if they're naked underneath.

Ethan

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:26:37 -0500

Plushies!

raji

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:11:28 -0500

Wait, I saw Elmo in front of the ESPN Sportszone (42nd and Broadway) a few MONTHS ago. No bugs. It's this middle-aged chubby women inside. She was just standing there and waving. This was when the Chinese opera was in town, so, this was around Chinese new year, in February?

slyseekr

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:06:26 -0500

Sesame Street is sooo the Bronx

Dave Hogarty

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:22:18 -0500

I know this is a still picture, but I keep expecting Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) to walk around the corner of the building and make it even more bizarre. "Why are you begging Mr. Elmo? You can Giggle! You're a star!"

Rocknrope

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:19:35 -0500

Someone actually tossed those costumes? I'd ebay those in a heartbeat.