Ernie and Bert on the Today Show

[Phillip Chapman]

Ernie and Bert are scheduled to be on NBC's Today Show within the hour.

Let us know what you think about the appearance.

[Phillip Chapman]

Here's a rundown on the appearance...

Ernie and Bert were talking about their new DVD/video, Bert and Ernie's Word Play with Today Show host Ann. The set was a large group of blocks stacked on top of one another that spelled out "Bert & Ernie". Steve Whitmire was performing Ernie and Eric Jacobson was doing Bert.

Some of the highlights were when Ann asked about the importance of words. Ernie said that the Today Show would be like this without words... Ernie went silent with his mouth continuing to move as his hands waved in the air. The highlight for me was when the camera angles were changing and Ernie realized there was another camera and looked directly into it. The stage crew was laughing pretty hard at Ernie's reactions. Bert was trying to get Ernie focused on the interview once again.

Ann and the characters seemed to fumble over their lines a little bit though. Ann asked some strange questions like "Why did you decide to do a direct-to-video?" and "How did it feel to film this?". She was asking questions as they would pertain to them as Muppets, not Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street. On some of the questions they almost needed to go out of character to answer them. Ernie made a comment to the effect of, "We don't know how to answer that because it breaks our sense of reality." And for some reason Ernie kept thinking they were in Ann's "house" or "apartment".

Anybody else see Ernie and Bert? What did you think of the appearance?

[supertulip]

I saw it too. My favourite bit was also when Ernie realised there was a camera next to him so he turned around to look right into it, I laughed out loud! I also liked the joke he cracked about the other Muppets not stealing their thunder on the video as there was plenty of thunder to go around because the Count was there!

I liked how Ernie answered the question by saying it would break their reality instead of just playing dumb like Cookie Monster did on Martha Stewart, it made it much less painful to watch.

I just thought it was a very enjoyable little segment and I'm still smiling thinking about Ernie's cute little face looking into the camera behind him

~Tulip

[Zoot]

That sounds hilarious...I love muppet appearances
Bear from Bear in the Big Blue house was on our local NBC morning news about a year ago here in Chicago.
He kept walking behind the news anchors after his segment was over and peering into the cameras...interupting them to ask questions about the news...the teleprompter, and other stuff...

He even started doing his patented sniff around the back of the guy anchors head and making some funny faces. It was a riot to be watching, and then see the Huge bear start lumbering around in the background - he did it during the weather segment too.

[beaker]

Yeah, there's something so fresh and exiciting seeing the Muppets on live tv(or just on talk shows) I wish I could have seen that NBC segment, but I love seeing Al Roker whose kind of a big ol cuddly Muppet himself (I have a neat pic of roker with Bear)

I for one would love to see Pepe do the talk show circuit!

///beaker///

[Zoot]

ABSOLUTELY
PEPE needs his own show all to himself.
He's one of the funniest of the newer characters.

We played a video game on PS1 called muppets monster Mayhem, i think...and Pepe is you're guide through the whole thing...it's worth playing just to hear his comments.

[beaker]

Well, Im not sure if Pepe should have his own show(and Im one of Pepe's biggest fans) but I think he should be a huge part (and possibly have his own segment) on the upcoming Fox show.
I think they should have a 'on the street' segment, except instead of a set, I mean have Bill Baretta and Steve Whitmire actually go on the streets of say New york or wherever with Pepe and Rizzo(or maybe some other characters) and go up to people and interview you. Imagine it folks...like the J Walking segments on Leno, but better! From the various NBC and other tv appearences, Muppets have proved how great they are live.
This idea would be so cool, and relaly add that extra punch a new Muppet show would need. Heck I say have the whole thing live, like saturday night live, heh.

///beaker///

[Zoot]

That would be funny...but not many people would recognize Pepe on the street. I think that they should have a running gag about Sweedish Chef trying to get his hands on the King Prawn. I think you might be right about him needing the rest of the muppets - his own show wouldn't work...BUT I do think he should have his own theme sketch. I think it would be a riot if he had a
"Ask Dr. Pepe" call in line (questions would have to be scripted, but Pepe would have to improvise his answers on the spot, okaaay.

[fluffmuppet]

Did anyone see Elmo on the Martha Stewart show?? It was adorable!

If you wanna know about it, lemmie know!

~fluff~