Celebrities and Musicians on Sesame Street


Plenty of celebrities have appeared on long-running PBS children’s television show Sesame Street. Answers.com has an extensive list of celebrities, musicians, sports stars, and political figures that have been on the show since it first aired in 1969.

Johnny Cash sang duets with Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch in two separate appearances. There was even a character called “Johnny Trash” that was based on the famous country singer. The Goo Goo Dolls appeared in 1997 singing their hit “Slide” alongside Elmo, but modified it to have the title “Pride” and sing about things Elmo should be proud of, like being able to tie his shoes.

R.E.M. sang a version of “Shiny Happy People” called “Furry Happy Monsters” in a 1998 appearance.

In Robert DeNiro’s appearance, he talked to Elmo about acting and about how you pretend to be other people. He asked the character if he would like to see him pretend to be an out of shape boxer, a taxi driver, or a cabbage, and Elmo asked him for the cabbage.

There are plenty of other cameos of famous people on Sesame Street including Lucille Ball, Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Burt Lancaster, Liam Neeson, Dizzy Gillespie, William Shatner, Denzel Washington, Elijah Wood, and Stevie Wonder.

Here are the clips

Stevie Wonder singing Superstition

Johnny Cash

The Goo Goo Dolls

R.E.M.

Robert DeNiro

Perry Como and Julie Andrews, 1973

Here’s a 1988 pledge drive special featuring several celebrities in a brief segments of a sing-along including the late John Candy, PeeWee Herman, Madeline Kahn, Jane Curtain, Paul Simon, Jeremy Irons, Rhea Perlman and Danny Devito.

And here’s a cute song with Ernie singing himself to sleep. It’s really low, but worth watching. It features quick appearances by Chris Meloni, Julianne Moore and her daughter, Whoopi Goldberg, Dr. Phil, Seth Green, and more.

Header image from BerlinWallpaper.com.

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8 Responses to “Celebrities and Musicians on Sesame Street”

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  1. Jessie says:

    Absolutely LOVE Sesame Street, this stuff is gold.

  2. Diva says:

    DUDE!!!! This made my day! Thanks for this!!!

    LOVE IT!

  3. Action says:

    I love that celebrities don’t go on SS to get their names mentioned in the paper or on the news.

    Although, my daughter still likes The Upside Down Show more.

  4. celebitchy says:

    Action those guys on the Upside Down Show are so cute. Have you seen this post on the hottest guys in children’s television?
    http://www.celebitchy.com/2042/hottest_guys_on_childrens_television/

  5. Anne (in Reno) says:

    I love this. Thanks for posting it.

  6. Action says:

    I did! I remember that one! I don’t know about Shane as being hot (is cute though), but I do think that David is hot. It’s funny, the way they act reminds me of my hubby with a friend of his. I think that’s why my daughter likes the show so much. Not to mention, she is so much like her dad, too. Hubby even laughs at the show. I think it’s pretty entertaining even for adults. Too bad there are only 12 episodes right now (I have all of them saved on Tivo). Since I know all of them by heart. I could use a new one, as much as I can handle these, they are getting old since I’ve seen them all SO much.

    Jack’s Big Music Show is the devil though. I wake up with their songs in my head!!! I go to bed with their songs in my head. Given, it is a great show though.

    (Sorry, went off on a tangent.)

  7. Best of British says:

    Priceless!! Thanks CB.

  8. tess says:

    Hey… do you have clip with Christopher Reeve and Ernie? I think it was Ernie..and rubber duckie 😉