“The Little Red Menace” has infamously stolen Sesame Street, and has shoved characters that children used to know and love (such as Big Bird, Oscar, the Count, and the China Shop Clerk) to the sidelines. True Muppet fans know that this would not have happened had it not been for the fact that the children were really learning from Elmo – he got children’s attention. He has a hypnotic power over children that he does not usually have over most adults, unless he stays up late. What is this amazing power? Love!
Love has many definitions, but I find that Elmo is a pretty good definition. According to one of Grover’s friends, love is “hugs.” Elmo is an expert hugger! Goodbye hugs and hello hugs are his specialty. Reader’s Digest published a book in 2009 entitled Elmo Loves Hugs! which informs previously uninformed readers that Elmo loves hugs! He also seems to love kisses, judging by his tendency of kissing the babies in his secret stash of infants in Elmo’s World.
Elmo has a thing for the ladies. Just think of who he surrounds himself with! Female Muppet monsters! For years, his relationship with Zoe was all over the tabloids. The scandal got worse when a certain Abby Cadabby came along. Abby, out of jealousy of Zoe’s close relationship to that handsome Elmo, used her dark magic to change Zoe into an itsy bitsy little monster. While this this freaked out Telly, it failed to phase Elmo, and Zoe was changed back to normal after 2009. Sadly, Elmo has not committed to either Abby or Zoe, as revealed in his appearance on Rove Live.
Hugs and hotties, however, hardly begin to describe what true love is. Care and affection are at love’s core. Elmo cares about how each child feels. Elmo recognizes the value of and the special things about each child. He is also very helpful… sort of. For many children in the audience, love is a precious thing that they know they can get from Elmo. He gives them gifts and/or cards. He believes in them. He continues to show just how much he wants the viewer to be happy.
Recently, we’ve learned that Elmo has a new performer. It’s unimaginable, but somehow, someone else had to put on the little red monster. What does he need for the part? Most men can do a falsetto voice, but the voice is nothing. The heart of the character is the important part. Cookie Monster’s “thing” is cookies, Miss Piggy’s is Kermit, Boober’s is laundry. Elmo’s favorite thing is everyone with the ability to either move, speak, see, or breath. That is what makes Elmo so lovable, and that is why he is such an important Muppet. Keep up the good work, Elmo (and a special thanks to Kevin Clash, and whoever Elmo’s new performer is too).
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