DefunctTV: The Curse of Sesame Street

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In part two of DefunctTV's Jim Henson series, the origins of Sesame Street, the Muppetland specials, and the failed Muppet pilots are discussed.
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[@jaredabrahamcidfda4840]

"It will only last a month or two"-Jim Henson Lasts 49 years

[@jaredabrahamcidfda4840]

@Cam Ryder i used to watch between the lions when i was young

[@jaredabrahamcidfda4840]

Cam Ryder I was born a year later, defunct land and gaming historian are the best content creators on KZbin tbh

[@ebwarg]

...so far.

[@KidSnivy69]

And it is showing no signs of stopping! 😆

[@averagebritishguy7082]

And counting.

[@ck-1649]

Imagine if Sesame Street was actually called *HEY STUPID* today.

[@contessaanthrope5775]

Well now that it has been spreading far left propaganda as of late, would be fitting.

[@giannacherry1698]

@@contessaanthrope5775 why are you bringing political points into a children's show?Like you good? Who hurt you?

[@contessaanthrope5775]

@@giannacherry1698 Shhhh..Didn't you hear? Drag queen story time is about to start, with a name like "bottom bitch" you may wanna be front row center.

[@jinnyfizz3645]

@@contessaanthrope5775 You sound like you need to go talk a long walk and think about all the choices you made that led you here.

[@shelbymckinney8888]

@@jinnyfizz3645 And if that asshole in this thread is referring to the Billy Porter appearence, then in that case Billy isn't a drag queen he was just wear his iconic Oscar outfit. This dingus really needs to go to the Elmo hating hole he came from.

[@redtexan7053]

*drum roll* “It’s the Defunctland Show, with our permanent guest star, Michael Eisner! Yaaaaaaay!!!”

[@tompurcell2513]

You been fired.

[@emisthem6562]

As a fan of the Muppets, yes to *all of what you just said*

[@vardiganxpl1698]

I don't like Eisner at all

[@Maddybreenofficial]

It’s time to face the music it’s time to dim the light, It’s time Stab the few things you love in your life, It’s time to introduce him, it’s time to sell out right, It’s time to undersell the muppet show tonight Our show tonight would feature, someone edgy and cool But we’re all far too scripted and aimed at teaching schools So we’ve just sold our business to an evil guy Who likes to buy up Business That’s inspirational, sensational muppetstional It’s now time to sell out the muppet show!!!!!

[@Lil_c42213]

@@vardiganxpl1698 why? 8 yrs old I don't understand

[@pikminfan6778]

"It would only last a month or two", Jim said about the program that has lasted for 50 years, is still on the air and is making new episodes today.

[@yikesgina]

And as a person who worked with preschoolers, I've never been so thankful

[@Viking_Luchador]

@@yikesgina as a former pre-schooler myself, neither have I YAYYY!!!

[@wolfbones666]

America's Doctor Who

[@Viking_Luchador]

@@wolfbones666 Matt Groening and the other original Simpsons writers thought they'd be on the air for maybe a year, two at the most

[@Komachichuu]

Damn straight

[@Pheeze]

That Muppet's name? Michael Eisner.

[@michaelboydston313]

He's a mucking fuppet

[@SonofMrPeanut]

And now you know...the rest of the story!

[@nicholasdruce5346]

Which one?

[@SteveCarras]

Elmo.

[@kylemorello4787]

Or as Tony Goldmark would call him, Oh God Him Again.

[@TheGlane98]

So far this series has solidified that Kevin is no longer "guy making theme park videos on KZbin" but "Documentary Filmmaker"

[@MattMcIrvin]

"Leading Michael Eisner Documentarian"

[@thunderson660]

Agreed. This episode was wholy entertaining. But maybe I'm just a sucker for mucking fuppets .

[@Camad]

thunderson660 “mucking fuppets” But yeah this series is great.

[@seatspud]

@@MattMcIrvin "Six Degrees of Michael Eisner".

[@inkmaster5480]

Ironic that the thing solidifying him as not just "the theme park guy" is a video about how Jim Henson solidified puppets as not just being for kids.

[@_Digishade_]

Good god, that Muppet pitch has to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Its desperation is just so *real.* Henson was really a genius.

[@moodycowcrafts4862]

I legitimately had to stop the video I was laughing so hard XD The bit with god smiling down and giving 40% to kermit in the badly repainted Renaissance piece killed me.

[@natewatson6962]

Really! One thing about the muppets programming was that the storylines always involved seeing backstage and trying to get shows approved and then instantly having the old guys review. It’s insanely self aware and 4th wall breaking in a way that’s completely unique to the muppets

[@kylemorello4787]

Next to the Pitch Reel for Cartoon Network, that was my favorite Pitch Reel!

[@wildgr33n]

was so good, would have been perfect for adult swim lol

[@phife1878]

"40 share!"

[@iwaju9227]

"These kids can't read or write, can they?" "No." "Then let's call the show, 'Hey Stupid!'"

[@wolfgang1097]

Ha! What a savage.

[@josh5542]

LOL

[@josh5542]

underrated comment

[@furcorn9804]

“J”

[@billmoran3219]

Kind of predicting the future there huh!

[@clarktooncrossing3975]

Okay, I was not expecting Micheal Eisner to show up here. Seriously, does he just follow you everywhere? At this rate I’m convinced he’s your freak’n roommate!

[@emo-kk4mc]

Kevin- *HOW DID YOU-*

[@SolZaer]

Plot twist, Micheal Eisner is Defunctland's narrator

[@emo-kk4mc]

@@SolZaer EVEN BIGGER PLOT TWIST, KEVIN IS MICHEAL EISNER

[@SolZaer]

@@emo-kk4mc yea that's what I was saying

[@PuppetMasterIX]

Michael Eisner is like the "Hidden Mickey" of Disney-related history topics: No matter where you look, he'll somehow be there.

[@ProjectSNT]

How is it that no matter what Defunctland talks about, Michael Eisner somehow manages to come into the picture almost every time?

[@LuckoDaStars]

It's to be expected. Michael Eisner is referred as one of the pillars of television even to this day

[@kingsteve4304]

Kevin and Eisner are linked spiritually.

[@warlock1186]

He is inevitable also 23:13 is where you will find olmec

[@thegoldendragonacs]

Funny seeing you here. I really do enjoy seeing your comments, as it shows that some people really do take time out of their day to use KZbin as a form of entertainment, even when they have a successful channel of their own. It’s not often you see bigger channels watching similar things as you, but it’s always comforting when it happens. It reminds you that they’re legitimate people, y’know?

[@moeswabs1221]

Because he’s secretly his grandson

[@TheMaddness22]

I said the softest "No" when Eisner was revealed and I think that is very telling on how much Defunctland I watch.

[@michaelboydston313]

i was like "how does this keep happening?!"

[@c2HitsButtons]

It's really cool how we find ourselves informed of and involved in such niche interests because of channels like this. Like I never understood the Michael Eisner hate until discovering Defunctland

[@TheBibliophiliac]

I had the loudest "No" after the reveal.

[@brandonzachery8985]

I have just come to expect it.

[@mcgoo721]

@@TheBibliophiliac My No was a very conversational, neither loud nor quiet, goldilocks level personally.

[@millgiass]

So Gonzo is a "Frackle?" And Frackles are the predecesors of the Fraggles? So Gonzo is an ancestor of the Fraggles?

[@coreylineberry8557]

So Fraggles are Aliens.

[@thetreblerebel]

Yep

[@melissacooper4482]

I once watched Muppets From Space. It was where I learned that Gonzo is actually an alien from outer space.

[@kieranstark7213]

Melissa Cooper The mothership... IS CALLING ME HOME!!! - Gongo the Frackle

[@freakshowfilmfestival3591]

Gonzo is a weirdo. He doesn't look like a frackle. Lol

[@TheNerindil]

When, oh when, will I finally complete MY transformation from abstract monster to frog?

[@taylorlconner]

TheNerindil This made me lol! 😂

[@kellyweingart3692]

lol

[@brendancorey7831]

Shit... did we forget to give you registration letters?

[@Bluecho4]

Why would you want to, though? Being an abstract monster sounds awesome. Much more impressive and mysterious than a frog. Not knocking frogs, mind you. I have great respect for Kermit.

[@ForrestFox626]

Just keep believing and it will happen!

[@fen7662]

"Why don't you call it "Hey, Stupid!?" Pretty accurate to how TV execs saw kids back then.

[@austinhinton3944]

Molly Lane And how Cartoon Network sees it’s audience today. 😒

[@ligeiaztomb2755]

It even has an Alice Cooper theme song, HEY STOOPID

[@MetroXLR99]

Whoever wrote that line was a prophet. THEY saw what was coming..

[@KidSnivy69]

What do you mean back then?!

[@BabbleOn777]

Well, I know I was one of those kids, back in the 70's, and we didn't even have atari until later, so..TV was the only--as opposed to the distractions today that are not criticized--is exactly that. He wasn't telling us we were stupid for watching tv! He was showing us kids to laugh at these mean executive types trying yo keep us in that supposed 'stupor'. But that's okay...Because if you think the multitude of MEDIA techs are NOT thinking the same..(with a greater percentage of reason, all present things considered) I'd say you would be making rather ignorant statement for the 'heh' factor. Besides, at least it was satirized, not censored and shady like today, n'est pas?

[@babiiluv22204]

The important thing you failed to mention about the history of Sesame Street is that “the children” who couldn’t read where black and Hispanic kids in NY city. They were falling behind with reading and math and life skills. That’s why the cast was so ethnic, it was made FOR the ethnic children in New York. That’s why it got so much backlash

[@VincentIrkallaOfficial]

Don’t forget the hate letters from Southern red states over Gordon holding Sally’s hand in episode 1.

[@nelumboandrews6762]

SO IMPORTANT! I knew instantly why they were mad whennk saw the cast as a Black person but you have to make it explcit for those who dont know the realities of the world

[@sinisterthoughts2896]

@@VincentIrkallaOfficial those states were blue back then, "southern democrat". The south was the back bone of the democratic party for a long time, remember president Lincoln was the first republican president, and was hated by the southern democratic party. The world has changed a lot since those day, thankfully. Instead of being political, try being historical. That way your statement is backed by facts instead of bias.

[@Voltstorm0207]

@@sinisterthoughts2896 This takes place in the 60s and 70s. By this time those states were red.

[@nameless5512]

Now to be fair, this series was meant to only go over parts of Hanson’s career, and introduce periods easily, but to also leave room for your own research. As shown by this comment it seems you’ve already done plenty, thanks for this extra tidbit. Also, in the beginning it did say that Ganz Cooney was creating provocative programs during the Civil Rights era, so it hinted at that already, but as said in the paragraph above, leaving enough room for you to dig into history on your own

[@WarriorBazooka]

"Luckily, Jim would eventually convince one of the suits; a young, energetic executive at ABC: Michael Eisner." Me: _Bursts into laughter_

[@natalyaporter5730]

Who’s Michael Eisner?

[@internet-gf]

@@natalyaporter5730 a recurring figure in the defunctland universe

[@nowherels64]

I shouted "NOOOOOO" then cackled maniacally for about two minutes XD

[@DistoryDan]

So crazy seeing a puppet I built over 8 years ago end up in a commercial for my best friend’s KZbin channel... performed by another one of my best friend’s. Wild world full of magic destiny. Hahaha.

[@mcspazotron]

Disney Dan which puppet did you build?

[@finntjomstol9364]

The intros from the past couple videos have been great 👍

[@desiderium3243]

Im a bag fan, Dan

[@DistoryDan]

Jake Malin I love bags. I carry my stuff in them everywhere.

[@DistoryDan]

just a sandwich Cody!

[@JTFrag]

Today’s Defunctland episode is brought to you by the letter “M.” M for Michael Eisner.

[@JetroNetro]

Nah, it’s for Mucking Fuppets

[@mashersmasher]

As of now the letter M has been demolished to make room for a new "The Emperor's New Groove " themed fine dining experience

[@Lil_c42213]

@@JetroNetro lol

[@larniieplayz6285]

@@mashersmasher lol

[@link_team3855]

when isnt it?

[@ahhh4117]

7:06 “-and they were roommates.” “Oh my god they were roommates.”

[@rjstudios21]

Gotta love those meme references 😂

[@rjstudios21]

I meant vine. Wow. I'm dumb lol

[@AprilBytheBay]

“Roommates”

[@mikieswart]

will always appreciate this reference 👌🏻

[@emisthem6562]

EVERY. TIME.

[@CliffordtheOrangeCat]

"I was with Jimmy Dean but nobody remembers me anymore" That is really a sad line, especially since it has been said that Rowlf was more of a reflection of the real Henson than Kermit. Henson had many great successes and was by no means in the realm of "defunct"; but it is remarkable to consider what more he could have achieved had others had more open minds, and had his own creative instincts been a bit more disciplined. There is much cause for celebration, but also for some melancholy.

[@yosefdemby8792]

How was Rowlf more like Henson than Kermit was?

[@kevinkelley3906]

It's sad that Jim is gone but we still have his son

[@tysargent9647]

@@yosefdemby8792 Rowlf had this philosophical air to him and an affinity for bad puns that was shared by Jim.

[@gamerg1rl761]

“It will only last a month or two” ~ Jim Henson November 10, 1969 - present 4,481 episodes AND COUNTING

[@iammaybeabro4598]

Top 10 understatements in life.

[@Exarian]

and arguably one of the most important television shows to ever exist in terms of social good it's done.

[@gamernation1829]

GROVER DOESN'T HOLD UP THE EPISODE NUMBER ANYMORE I AM PISSED

[@ElrobertosuperioESA]

And also what looks like thr longest running american TV show

[@roxas4930]

one of the longest running shows, very few shows have been on for this long and stayed consistent

[@wheeledjustice7381]

Bu- Wh- Wha- HOW ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT MICHAEL EISNER?

[@maybepolly_]

Michael Eisner will never leave. Ever.

[@SomeGuy-cn5vm]

All things begin and end with Eisner.

[@Clay3613]

Nothing wrong with more Eisner.

[@emo-kk4mc]

ITS A CURSE

[@emo-kk4mc]

@@Zorilla10 HE IS EVIL, HIS BIRTH THINGAMBOB SAYS SO

[@Wills4gottenbday]

Rip Carroll Spinny. He was my grandmother's first cousin, I got to meet him once & have a feather straight from the costume 😊

[@naturalnashuan]

Cool! I grew up on the same street (not called Sesame) that Mr. Spinny lived on near the Connecticut - Massachusetts state line. He was nice and I got to meet him when I was a kid in the 70's. I remember being held in the arms of the human Big Bird, it was awesome!

[@AlexsStopMotionAdventures]

Wait you plucked a feather from big bird?!

[@BloodInTheStrawberries]

I'm so happy he never went on the Challenger, that would have been horrible. It's cool you still have one of Big Bird's feathers though-

[@ez8314]

"KERMIT, YOU'RE A GENIUS!" smooch "yuck"

[@masterofpasta95]

I like how immediately after he does that Kermit meme scrunch

[@ethansloan]

I look forward to the day when Kevin triumphantly declares that he found JFK's real killer: Michael Eisner.

[@SaraphDarklaw]

I noticed a lot of comments talking about Michael Eisner. Can you explain the significance?

[@polrealfake]

@@SaraphDarklaw Inside joke.

[@neal2399]

Sara Darklaw a good chunk of Defunctland’s episodes center around failed Disney tourist attractions that ended up costing the company stupid amounts of money. And they were pretty much all Michael Eisner’s fault

[@SuperWolsey]

Neal Since we're at S3 coming up, its Iger's turn to get burned unless Kevin will make like Seth MacFarlane and keep quiet about him

[@neal2399]

kory stephens ok now I’M the one that needs help, who’s Iger and what’s Seth got to do with him?

[@DankGank]

A young suit named **It won't be Michael Eisner. It can't possibly be Michael Eisner.** Michael Eisner **It was Michael Eisner**

[@warlock1186]

Eisner is inevitable

[@BigEOT3]

Dank Gank A Powerful Rat named Michael Entertainment Eisner

[@itzpeanut9904]

It’s not defuctland without Michael Eisner

[@sho9078]

Fear it. Dread it. Eisner always comes

[@jakeknapp6833]

Did they talked about that in the video and everyone on the comments section talks about him this is about Sesame Street and not disney and why Sesame Street to be long as it wants that show should end and nobody cares ro talks about that anymore okay Sesame Street should been more popular in the 70s and 80s then 90s to now

[@robertdullnig3625]

"Who's that leathery muppet?" "That's not a muppet, that's Michael Eisner."

[@MatecaCorp]

Thank you

[@TomboTime]

honestly . . . . this whole story makes me have a whole lot more respect for the movie Happytime Murders. once you understand how badly Jim Henson wanted to break out of the kids programming thing bubble he'd been forced into, the idea of his son directing an adult oriented puppet film seems a lot more apt.

[@zacharyouten4525]

Seriously this is a Netflix quality documentary series, we should be paying for content this good

[@MrRowskey]

I am ... on the Defuctland Patreon. All of us should be patrons to help Kevin.

[@Kaige010]

@@MrRowskey I wish I could be a patron but......I have no money for it which makes me sad......because I want to make sure that this channel continues......it's awesome!

[@Jordan-ze9mb]

Don't tell HIM that!

[@IgnatiusThorogood]

That gives Netflix too much credit.

[@TheYoli182]

@@Kaige010 your doing enough by watching and liking this video on KZbin.

[@spartacat300]

So this was actually also a part of the Micheal Eisner cinematic universe, huh.

[@cartoongame5007]

It WAS bought by Disney so.....

[@emilydurkee8664]

The quality! The entrainment! The history! The edumacation! The Eisner! IT'S ALL HERE

[@DJandManaphy]

"Cookie Monster with teeth isn't real, he can't hurt you" Cookie Monster with teeth:

[@emisthem6562]

I have never been happier to see something made of felt without teeth

[@steamdragon8550]

7:30

[@vfspectrum4652]

he looked better with teeth

[@davidgrover5996]

No one Who knows about the C.M.’s mercenary days will ever agree with you. C is for cookie that’s good enough for me sends terror down the spine of those in the know.

[@StudioBlackskull]

Back when he was called “Flesh Monster”

[@Champiness]

That early Big Bird design was probably wholly acceptable to any audiences who saw it then - kind of cute, even - but knowing the famous silhouette now it looks unsettlingly like when someone sustains a head injury in a horror movie and they VFX the whole back part off

[@warlock1186]

23:13 holy crap its olmec from legends of the hidden temple

[@KairuHakubi]

he really looked better after he got that weave

[@kandigloss6438]

Eh, I don't know about that, from what I've read and seen the first season sesame street was really rough and even though it did relatively well for a program format that hadn't been tried before it wasn't an over night success. The puppets were refined over the first couple of seasons and the show didn't really hit it's stride until like the 3rd or 4th season.

[@AJ17_]

@@kandigloss6438 I have a couple DVD sets they released called Old School Sesame Street that features various episodes and segments from 1969-1979. One even has the very first episode of Sesame Street from 1969 that was never broadcast. But you can see how the show evolved during its first decade on these DVDs. They're a lot of fun to watch.

[@YadonTheCat]

@@warlock1186 In case you didn't know, Olmec is the name of a god of an indigenous American culture, he wasn't an invention of that tv show

[@pdragon619]

Michael Eisner going from maniacal villain to misunderstood hero is one of the greatest character arcs I've ever seen, and a testament to the long term storytelling potential of youtube documentaries.

[@luvbeinghiswife1148]

I was born in the 70's, my brother was born in the 80's and my sister was born in the 90's. All 3 of us grew up watching this incredible show.

[@kathrynnpetersen8876]

Oh my gosh I was born in the 90s

[@ForrestFox626]

8:27 - 9:00 An December 8th, 2019 we lost the original Bird and Grouch. R.I.P. Caroll Spinney.

[@Kali_Krause]

And the original Elmo died a few months ago

[@AliFinNoble]

My dad worked in the props department of Saturday night live and when they were renovating the men’s bathroom in the early 2000‘s they removed some drywall and discovered that Jim Henson had done this big doodle all over the piping and the woodwork. He must’ve done it while he was briefly on Saturday night live. It was so cool to see and now they put a plexiglass up so everybody can see it

[@johndbuell]

It's older than that! Frank Oz includes it in his documentary. It's part of tours inside 30 Rock now.

[@jessicasmith5728]

I think Jim Henson passed away in 1990.

[@Ihop_manager]

They found it in the 2000's.

[@pattyofurniture694]

@@jessicasmith5728 reading comprehension

[@ninjanippledog725]

@@jessicasmith5728 So the drawing would be dead by then too?

[@advancetotabletop5328]

Amazingly, psychologists told SS that the muppets and live actors should *not* interact! However, when SS measured children's reactions to the show, they noticed that children watched more when the live actors and muppets interacted. Thank goodness they paid attention to the kids and not the adults! (: Thanks for the video!

[@kevinkelley3906]

Daahhh what the hell do psychologists know.

[@purplecobra5218]

@@kevinkelley3906 Uh, a lot actually.

[@mr.x2567]

@@purplecobra5218 not in this case though

[@purplecobra5218]

@@mr.x2567 I thought the person was referring to psychologists as a whole

[@HonkeyKong54]

@@purplecobra5218 Psychology is pseudoscience. It's not even considereded a real science.

[@rabidrabbitshuggers]

It's crazy how the original puppeteers are like household names at this point.

[@UnprofessionalProfessor]

Rolf: Kermit! You're a genius! **BIG SMOOCH** Kermit: _Yuck!_

[@yelloweyeball]

Wow, Micheal Eisner is like the Forrest Gump of defunctland lol.

[@badgerlordpatrick6493]

He's like the Walpole of Defunctland.

[@Jerepasaurus]

This is the best Eisner comment ever. lmao

[@Scienceboy0]

I had to pause the video and check because I did not believe that was real. He's everywhere 😂

[@warlock1186]

Eisner is the thanos of defunctland. Also, 14:21 could be used for a meme.

[@Gravydog316]

LOLLL

[@grayjinghutongz8393]

The Chinese subtitles on the Swedish Chef sketches are backwards too. LOL.

[@sydniespangler1332]

Do they translate to anything?

[@moodycowcrafts4862]

Honestly at some point you have to ask yourself: Am i just making a documentary about the life and business exploits of Michael Eisner?

[@Shadamyfan-rs8xc]

"It would probably only last a month anyway" *Goes on for 50 years*

[@k_a_y_l_e_e]

you know, as much as he succeeded, he also faced _a lot_ of rejection. it's actually really inspiring.

[@Ozymondias99]

Well in order to succeed you must fail at first.

[@Jangobadass]

Hey, not every work by a person can be successful. (Though some of Jim's stuff became more popular later on. (Oh, if only he'd lived to see the Dark Crystal, the Storyteller, and Labyrinth's cult status 😢))

[@plmitch]

@@Jangobadass IKR?!? that would've made Jim sooooooo happy....

[@ianfinrir8724]

Gotta learn to lose to know how to win, according to Aerosmith.

[@purplecobra5218]

Someone should write a musical.

[@garjo7131]

I think I had a heart attack when Eisner's name popped up. I thought Kevin killed the beast after Defunctland's Season 2 finale. Why the hell is he everywhere?!

[@jacob2306]

Garjo Michael Eisner will never die

[@ydoomenaud]

He has the Time Stone

[@warlock1186]

He is inevitable.

[@ElrobertosuperioESA]

Micheal eisner is thanos

[@MariaThePotterNut]

He's here to bargain.

[@cofeespear4992]

Little did jim know back then that every muppet he made is still loved by people today

[@cooperminion825]

I used to think that Jim Henson would've been rolling over in his grave over The Happytime Murders. Now I think that if he were still alive he would've helped make it.

[@KidSnivy69]

Maybe if you were only familiar with Sesame Street work

[@npcvillager8703]

Yes. He believe Art shouldn't have bounderies. And would most likely loved the film.

[@KidSnivy69]

@@npcvillager8703 I don't know about "loving" the film, but I think he would of liked the risks they took.

[@bernebelmont1857]

That's a good point, he probably would have worked on it, maybe not proud of it but based on this yeah

[@bernebelmont1857]

Maybe, depending on his experience

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

*Wilkins:* Do you want some Wilkin's Coffee? *Wonkins:* No! I don't ne-- *Wilkins:* [snaps with the Infinity Gauntlet] *Wonkin:* _Uh, Mr. Wilkins, I don't feel so good._

[@cyanryann64]

Lmao

[@ryanthememe7826]

Wilkins: perfectly balanced with Wilkins Coffee

[@fredarok579]

*WonTkins.

[@angelfuentes7299]

Nice

[@CartoonTriper]

@@ryanthememe7826 and Wilkins drinking his coffee cup with the gauntlet lifting the the pinkie finger

[@UncleLance67]

I was in front of my TV on Day One. I had just turned two. And between Sesame Street and Electric Company I could read by the time I started kindergarten.

[@JordysRailVideos]

R.I.P Caroll Spinney 1933 - 2019

[@rasmusdegn9690]

"Luckily, Jim would eventually convince one of the suits. A young energetic executive at ABC named: MICHAEL EISNER" WHAT!? #Top10AnimePlotTwists

[@warlock1186]

He is inevitable.

[@xaviersaavedra7442]

warlock 118 Kevin is Iron Man * Snap *

[@warlock1186]

@@xaviersaavedra7442 good.

[@punkly8423]

Ive never seen an advertisement done with such quality and charm, really speaks to your dedication to your work.

[@TheVonzilla]

I love the two old guys. They’re humor is easy to replicate, so they’re like the only old characters that never die.

[@mraes.44]

“Hello there, my name is Jim Henson and I’m a puppeteer. I’m called a puppeteer because I work with puppets.” Oh reeeaaallly??

[@Warlocke000]

Statler: "You know, there's nothing like a good KZbin video." Waldorf: "And this one proves there still isn't." Both: "Doh ho ho ho ho!" Once again, excellent work.

[@user-sv9ep8em9y]

"This was great news for everyone except Jim Henson." What a heartbreaking sentence to hear.

[@KairuHakubi]

I think what's really wonderful is Jim had nothing against kids' entertainment. All the muppet stuff to that point had been clearly 'for everyone' and MEANING everyone. And then later on he'd take to kid stuff on his OWN terms and make Fraggle Rock. The contrast between that and Sesame Street is pretty telling.

[@notsusan]

@@KairuHakubi Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock are definitely aimed at different ages of kids, though. Sesame Street was basically trying to help poor kids keep up with their peers whose families could actually afford preschool. Fraggle Rock was basically trying to save the world.

[@KairuHakubi]

tru dat

[@michaelboydston313]

@@notsusan TBH I never saw sesame Street when I was younger, but I've recently seen few skits from it and it's funny and heartwarming

[@lobsteros]

@@calvinwallace2937 It's always been on HBO, in the US at least. Mainly because they were the ones who helped to fund it in the first place.

[@MrCrucci]

1st Longest Running Show: (50 Years) Sesame Street. 2nd Longest Running Show: (30 Years) The Simpsons. 3rd Longest Running Show: (20 Years) Spongebob Squarepants.

[@gabrielvault1694]

TankAce franchise but ok

[@wolfgang1097]

Actually there's also Saturday Night Live (45 years), VeggieTales (27 years), Arthur (24 years), and South Park (23 years).

[@woody9278]

Only true Jim Henson fans will know what the intro was referencing

[@Twinklethefox9022]

Wilkins coffee?

[@vfspectrum4652]

its autumn and the nuts are beginning to fall

[@rosebyanyname]

🎶 Won’t you tell me how to get, how to get to De-funct-laaaaand? 🎶

[@Jayfive276]

“A charming woman had brains too” Yup, it’s the 70s alright...

[@popespalace823]

nothing has changed

[@nicolochanleo5730]

I think of it as a cute compliment as a woman myself

[@cacadodo666]

Yup. Heads on straight and not reading into things that aren't explicitly there.

[@TheQuigman1097]

My dad was about 3 years old when Sesame Street aired. A childhood dream of his was to meet Big Bird, and his wish came true when we went to Sesame Place and got a picture with him.

[@mostar1219]

So, I guess something like "The Happytime Murders" must've been something like a long time coming that he'll never see

[@tommylakindasorta3068]

When I was studying Arabic in college, the teacher showed us episodes of the Arabic Sesame Street, called Iftah Ya Simsim, which translates to Open Sesame. Yes, Sesame Street is a global phenomenon that transcends all cultures and borders. Quite an achievement.

[@officialclownbusiness7788]

Tommy LaKindaSorta I've also seen a Spanish version, "Plaza Sesemo". Being stoned as fuck and on a buch of psychiatric medications at the time, I laughed my nuts off for about 15 minutes.

[@cocoroach_ok]

Yeah, in Indonesia, we call it "Jalan Sesama"

[@zahrakassam2559]

@Red Crusader why would you assume that.. and the middle east is not necessarily synonymous with Arabic. There are other languages. Just like Egypt speaks Arabic and is not in the middle east.

[@noorazraq2245]

Tommy LaKindaSorta Oh yeah,I grew up on Arabic Sesame Street.

[@queenmedesa]

@@officialclownbusiness7788 it was called Barrio Sesamo in Spain

[@meowth900]

I dislike how anything colorful and simple looking is automatically placed in the kiddy pool and not taken seriously. I look forward to part 2 of this story.

[@bensosnowski1128]

For real, I thought this video stopped halfway through

[@SomeYouTubeTraveler]

Me: "Avatar: The Last Airbender and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic are some of the greatest shows of all time!" Everyone: "bUt ArEn'T tHoSe FoR kIdS aNd GiRlS"

[@JetroNetro]

COPPA and the FTC in a nutshell

[@ValueNetwork]

This is part 2

[@user-sd7qo7qe4v]

Is the Simpsons a kids show?

[@laurenhaasnt]

12:45 Who's that Pokémon? It's Michael Eisner!

[@boomdos4265]

10:58 DAMN! I've never realized that Gonzo was just a blue "Fraggle" until now!

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

If Eisner used Squarespace, Westcot would be a thing

[@starsparkle78]

So that means guys , use Squarespace to make your dreams a reality.

[@brattenhugo5643]

Kim Jong-un are you real

[@jaikieperry-sloan5712]

@@brattenhugo5643 Of course it is xD

[@martinallysonsenn6108]

@@brattenhugo5643 no it's just that avery Lopez guy

[@rebeccaferguson8271]

"Another fraggle, would later evolve with a knack for adrenaline" Me: GONZOOOOOO!!!!!!

[@SuperWolsey]

Rebecca_musicislove 21 and to think most 80s babies simply went by Piggy's word of him just being a weirdo

[@michaelboydston313]

Exactly

[@hyenacub]

I believe those were "frackles" not "fraggles"

[@iamthelouisvuittondon150]

@@hyenacub: The name of the show is Fraggle Rock, and it was aired on HBO...

[@hyenacub]

@@iamthelouisvuittondon150 I know Fraggle Rock very well, I'm old enough to have watched it when it originally aired. c: But the ones from the Santa movie were "frackles" I believe Henson got the idea of the Fraggles FROM the frackles and just changed the name slightly. c: My apologies for not being clearer when I originally commented.

[@lukejones1457]

Me: There can’t possibly be a villain in a show about theme parks. Michael Eisner:

[@cartoongame5007]

RIP Caroll Spinney you will be missed P.s great video dude

[@PhoenixFireKMS]

Wait-the Squarespace ad was made by y’all?!? I thought it was an official commercial put out by Squarespace itself!!!! Bravo, y’all, it’s really, really high quality!!!

[@joeytofil2259]

Agreed, reminds me of Kermit's old coffee commercials :)

[@elizabethalvarado8698]

@@joeytofil2259 Kermit was around, well before the Wilkins Coffee commercials.

[@joeytofil2259]

@@elizabethalvarado8698 I believe ya, if I understand right Kermit was one of the first ever Muppets :)

[@SephirothSuperKool]

Jim Henson: The Worlds' First KZbinr. Seriously though, if he was alive and a much younger man, I could actually see him being a for real KZbinr. Seeing the examples of his humor very much strike me as sort of a pre-youtube style. Cool beans

[@JuddMan03]

Have you seen glove and boots?

[@pizzaandpillowforts]

_""a grumpy, trash dwelling orange monster""_ me

[@joelhammer3538]

Trump?

[@vfspectrum4652]

Joel Hammer no asston over there is what we call a homeless person

[@BadgerOfTheSea]

I always love that when there is footage of Henson talking to his cast it is never him talking to the puppeteers but to the puppets directly and the puppets responding

[@jackmcmorrow9397]

a powerful rat named Micheal entertainment Eisner

[@kaebeelee]

😭 IM YELLING

[@warlock1186]

Funny but he still is inevitable.

[@curtiscrane5415]

wrong video,doude,wrong video.

[@raviothethief8292]

Jack McMorrow Micheal Eisner: I’m Micheal entertainment eisner! And this show is all about M.E.E

[@jalapeno1119]

@@raviothethief8292 you can't spell awesome without MEE! Wait....you can.

[@ZaGorudan]

12:49 The greatest plot twist in cinematic history.

[@warlock1186]

[Insert avengers theme here]

[@warlock1186]

23:13 holy crap its olmec from legends of the hidden temple

[@thejman5683]

I shouted “oh shit” when i saw it

[@LeChaunce]

I remember seeing and loving Sex And Violence when it aired. I had just discovered Monty Python on PBS reruns, so the odd pacing, weird editing, and bizarre skits really appealed to me.

[@thesteelrodent1796]

Sesame Street was never shown in Denmark, since it was obviously in English and aimed at a completely different audience. Instead we got our own children shows inspired by amongst others Jim Henson's work. One of these featured 'Kaj og Andrea', a puppet frog and parrot who sometimes interacted with humans, and varied between being skits and edutainment. Big Bird was the obvious inspiration for 'Kylling', a very similar giant yellow bird, who first appeared alongside 'Bamse', a big teddybear, as side characters on a kid's show called 'Døren går op...' (translates to "The door opens" with an implied "and then"), which was pure entertainment and mostly served as lead-in and -out for various cartoons and other programs, like the various Astrid Lindgren series. These two characters became very popular amongst preschoolers, so the show evolved into 'Bamse's Billedbog' ("Bear's picture book") which despite being popular amongst the smallest kids, was a terrible and stupid show - literally everything Sesame Street set out not to be. The show became infamous amongst parents and older kids for making kids dumber, largely because they failed to speak proper Danish - thus kids learned incorrect grammar and non-existent words which severely hurt their school performance - and everything that happened on the show was dumb skits completely void of any educational value. Despite of the harsh criticism the show carried on for many more years than it deserved before it was finally dropped when it was decided they shouldn't spend money on producing entertainment for kids. These shows were all produced by the national Danish television as before 1987 it was illegal for anyone else to broadcast television in Denmark. It's worth noting that while all this went on we also had the Muppet Show and Fraggles on TV The most interesting part of this is that these Danish puppet shows were aimed at older kids - teens and pre-teens - while the people sized characters were aimed at the youngest kids, which somewhat fit with Jim Henson's idea that the muppets should target an older audience. For some reason Danish television felt kids were incapable of assimilating knowledge before they were 10, so the little kids' show was void of intelligence, while the show for older kids taught you science and explained rather complex principles.

[@mckinley4042]

Man, do i love the mini series intro. The music. The muppets. The *Feel* . Its just so great

[@captainsavs]

Love the cameo from Defunctland Season 2's protagonist. This is the beginning of Defunctverse

[@georgeweber5333]

Eduardo Saviloli Eh, I'd say he goes back and forth between antihero and antivillain.

[@RockNRollHorrorshow]

@@georgeweber5333 "Protagonist" just means lead in the story, it does not designate hero or villain

[@georgeweber5333]

@@RockNRollHorrorshow I know, but I would argue that he occasionally does act as more of an antagonist.

[@originalname28]

I got literal chills at the reveal of Michael Eisner...’s haircut

[@Bertie_Ahern]

Thank god the Brits found Henson and loved him, even if we apparently didn't

[@PuppetMasterIX]

"A young energetic executive at ABC... named... *Michael Eisner."* _Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUN_

[@yelloweyeball]

Storm clouds form and lightning strikes.

[@warlock1186]

He is inevitable

[@LordProteus]

*wailing spirits erupt from the ground, swirl around for a few seconds, and exit through the ceiling*

[@Defunctland]

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for watching the video. Two small corrections: 1. Jerry Nelson originally performed Statler for Sex and Violence, Richard Hunt played Mildred in Valentine, and Sweetums puppetry and voice was split in Frog Prince. 2. I mispronounced FOLIAGE as FOILAGE. My bad. Blame the Midwest. Make sure to go to the Defunctland channel community tag to give your suggests for a new Defunctland minisode!

[@AGalaxyGuy]

Defunctland nice

[@TemTelevision]

I love your content a lot. Thank you for doing Henson

[@Professor_Mitchell]

Correction number three for you: 17:10 "Rolf" and Ernie? Oops. :)

[@isidora1299]

Defunctland 17:12 you said Rolfe and ernie

[@thegarrettsmith367]

Excellent video! Thank you for the incredible and detailed look-back on Jim Henson’s generation of Muppets, an often underrated and overlooked chapter of entertainment history. One quick thing, I believe Sweetums was voiced by Jerry Nelson in The Frog Prince special. Richard Hunt took over the voice for The Muppet Show. I might be wrong though.

[@tempolynnrealofficial]

I saw someone call this the Micheal Eisner Cinematic Universe and that will now forever stick with me

[@novembercrust]

Given how much I chuckled at the Sex and Violence title, and the statement 'which seemed to be more funny to him than anyone else', I understand I think why I admire Jim so much.

[@pyro-millie5533]

I cackled at the title too. All these zany goofy looking fun puppets and then *BAM!* “SEX AND VIOLENCE” The dichotomy was ahead of its time XD

[@altrogeruvah]

"Muckin' Fuppets" / the moment you realize The Muppet Show lasted longer than John Belushi

[@jamesbevan9939]

TOO SOON!

[@SuperWolsey]

Brutal, much?

[@ghouldishanimal]

As much as I love the Muppets, I can definitely see where John Belushi is coming from. The Muppets are a totally different brand of comedy from the human segments, and were brought on as a sort of damper to the edgy style of comedy they were going for with the show. Also, with Sesame Street being such a cultural phenomenon he may have thought that the Muppet segments would overshadow the hard work that they went through to make their part of the show. And he could’ve seen Jim Henson’s plan of trying to make Muppets appeal to older audiences, as the show’s producers trying to make SNL appeal to younger audiences.

[@MichaelPhillips-jw4bj]

@@ghouldishanimal Your making him sound like a coward who felt threatened by another type of comedy...John belushi was known jackass on snl sets. I think hes super funny as i can separate the art from the artist. www.looper.com/135637/the-untold-truth-of-john-belushi/ He wouldn't apparently read any female writers lines as he thought women aren't funny. I actually understand there's some truth in every stereo type but I think he probably should have read the lines. That at least actually ''put his money where his mouth is.''.

[@Anonymous-xl2mf]

altrogeruvah LMFAOO 🤣🤣🤣

[@jarupongch]

12:50 Nobody: Absolutely no one: Defunctland: *MICHAEL EISNER*

[@UCapdo2lj2Av-r57nhYMZLyQ]

"Absolutely no one said nothing"

[@stephenchase7711]

James Maury Henson, the creator of The Muppets franchise of shows, movies, cartoons, and more, was born on September 24th, 1936 in Greenville, Mississippi, and passed away from toxic shock syndrome on May 16th, 1990 in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 53 years, 7 months, and 21 days old.

[@billyray5232]

This Series is amazing. This is hands down the single Best Jim Henson/Muppets Docuseries I've ever seen....and take that from a Fan of Jim since I was a child in 1981.

[@clarktooncrossing3975]

I think the reason the Muppets work so well is because their humor can be applied for all audiences. While it is targeted at toddlers, what adult doesn’t get a chuckle out of some of Sesame Street’s movie and TV parodies? Admit it folks, Grover in Game of Thrones was hilarious! Heck, I remember watching The Muppet Show when I was younger and laughing just as hard now. Younger viewers can enjoy the charm and chemistry of the colorful characters while mature watchers can appreciate their witty delivery for phenomenal punchlines. That, and everyone loves explosions. It’s why I thought that last ABC Muppet series didn’t work. It tried to hard to be adult and it showed in the final product. Meanwhile shows like The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and especially Sesame Street are still fondly remembered today. Seriously, it’s been 50 years, how do we get to Sesame Street already!? AND WHAT’S THE NAME OF THAT SONG!?!

[@DaNoob1485]

Rest In Peace Jim Henson! You will definitely be missed :(

[@DezMarivette]

I learned so much in this segment! Jim Henson changed the world in spite of all the rejection that he faced. Such inspiration and fortitude!

[@bobbob465]

That opening sponsor ad was just about the best and most-subject-appropriate ad I've ever seen on a youtube video. Fantastic work!

[@blueskiesj]

"Named...Michael Eisner." *genuine audible gasp from me*

[@Clay3613]

So Micheal Eisner pretty much shaped film and television for the latter half of the 20th century.

[@SeenAGreatLight]

I love the irony. Jim's 25-minute-long demo reel featuring American flags and patriotism was rejected by all American networks... but it _was_ picked up by a British producer. XD

[@carlwheezer5450]

Top ten deaths of 2019: Number 1 Guy that got hit 404 times with a shovel at the beginning of The Curse of Sesame Street

[@mgunter]

Michal Eisner need to be in the credits with how much he appears. I wonder if he knows about this channel?

[@ShootingStarNeo]

I think he's on Twitter.

[@michaelbadger5780]

Duck, he also green-lit School House Rock