Keeping up with Elmo

It’s not everyday you get to meet one of television’s superstars. And it’s not everyday you are racing to keep up with one so young.

But here’s what happened when I caught up with Elmo, during his recent Australian visit.

David: Hi Elmo, thanks for talking to me.

Elmo: Filming? (Taps microphone)

David: No, it’s just doing audio at the moment.

Elmo: Oh that’s no problem.

David: Now you’ve been to Australia many times?

Elmo: Yeah! Elmo’s mommy and daddy have been here too. We came here for eleven years. Every two years in eleven years.

David: And what is it that you like about coming here?

Elmo: Elmo loves everything about it except the Vegemite.

David: You don’t like Vegemite?

Elmo: No!

David: Actually I don’t like it either. I think it’s that Yeast extract.

Elmo: Whatever it is, Elmo doesn’t want it.

David: What would you do with it if you were given some?

Elmo: Umm… Elmo wouldn’t eat it. Sorry.

David: Do you have anything like it in America?

Elmo: Elmo used to not like… what do they call them, Brussel Sprouts? But now Elmo’s mommy makes them a certain way and they taste good now. Maybe we can figure out a different way to make Vegemite that would taste good.

David: I don’t think so.

Elmo: Elmo doesn’t either, that’s why Elmo is laughing as he’s trying to say that (laughs).

David: Now should David be asking Elmo questions in the third person as well?

Elmo: No, no, no! That’s the way Elmo talks.

David: So just you?

Elmo: Yeah.

David: And why is that?

Elmo: Well, Elmo just grew up that way. Elmo was born that way, so Elmo doesn’t know any different.

David: Ok. And nobody has a problem with it?

Elmo: No, hopefully not (laughs). Elmo’s mommy and daddy don’t.

David: Do you find that it opens doors for you that otherwise might not open?

Elmo: No!

David: Gets you out of sticky situations?

Elmo: No!

David: So you just roll with the punches?

Elmo: It’s just a natural thing, like Elmo’s red fur. And that’s just the way Elmo is!

David: Let’s talk Sesame Street. 40 years?

Elmo: Elmo loves living there, but Elmo hasn’t lived there for 40 years, but it’s been there for 40 years.

David: How long for you?

Elmo: 3 and a half. Elmo’s mommy and daddy moved there 3 and a half years ago. Just before Elmo was born.

David: It seems like a lot longer, you’ve obviously had a big impact.

Elmo: Yeah it happens that way. Big Bird is 6 and he’s been there since the beginning. That’s just a monster thing.

David: A monster thing…

Elmo: Yeah. Like a dog thing.

David: What do you mean like a dog thing?

Elmo: Y’know dog years is different from human years.

David: Of course. David gets it now.

Elmo: Yes (laughs)!

David: Are you sometimes guilty of hogging the limelight a little bit from the others?

Elmo: No! Elmo’s not guilty about anything.

David: No?

Elmo: No! We just love each other and it’s so exciting when we go to meet other people all around the world.

David: You’ve met many celebrities.

Elmo: And Grover has too. Hugh Jackman was really cool. And Davidbeckham. Elmo likes saying that “Davidbeckham.”

David: I think David Beckham’s voice is probably higher than yours.

Elmo: Really? Elmo thinks that his son’s voices are much higher. Elmo got to meet all of them, they were really cool. Elmo got to meet his mommy too.

David: I bet Elmo enjoyed that.

Elmo: Oh she was wonderful!

David: What did she have to say? Anything of substance?

Elmo: She was so excited to see Elmo, and wanted to make sure Elmo got to play with her kids.

David: And not play with anything else?

Elmo: No!

David: Elmo what do you do when you’re not doing Sesame Street? How do you relax?

Elmo: But Elmo lives on Sesame Street! Elmo has playdates and stuff like that, or sometimes Elmo will read a book or sing songs with Dorothy. Stuff like that.

David: Ok.

Elmo: Elmo hopes he’s not boring you….?

David: No! I’m struggling to keep up to be honest. But I’m sure you’re used to that. Now you’ve got this thing with Rove, what’s the deal with that?

Elmo: Oh he’s so cool! Elmo has so much fun with Mr. Rove. Elmo’s been enjoying having playdates with Mr. Rove for a long time. In fact when Elmo goes back to California where he lives, Elmo’s going to have a playdate with Mr. Rove.

David: A playdate?

Elmo: Yeah. That’s what we call it in the States. Where you spend time with each other.

David: You hang out?

Elmo: Yeah.

David: So are you missing the fact that you’re here and he’s not?

Elmo: Yes! Elmo is! The first time we came here with Elmo’s mommy and daddy, Mr. Rove was on vacation. They call it ‘holiday.’ But now he’s not here.

David: Is he one of your favourite Australians? Rove, Hugh, Nicole…

Elmo: Miss Nicole? Who’s that?

David: You’ve never met Nicole Kidman?

Elmo: No, not yet. Elmo hopes so one of these days.

David: I’d like to ask about some of the Australian shows you’ve done.

Elmo: Oh we have such a good time. The Today show, that was fun. Elmo got to do the weather too (laughs). Elmo hopes he said it right so that everybody would understand what to wear.

David: And you’re doing The 7PM Project?

Elmo: That’s tonight. Right here at “The Como!” Elmo likes to drop things like that (laughs).

David: Any other Australian shows you’ve done or doing?

(Pause)

Elmo: (to minders): ……Help? Little help?

Minder: Mornings with Kerri-Anne.

Elmo: Oh yeah, Elmo visited her the last time he was here. She has really good shoes. She kinda reminds Elmo of Sarah Jessica Parker. Because she loves her shoes. And Miss Sarah Jessica Parker loves her shoes too.

David: What’s coming up for you, Elmo?

Elmo: (thinks) What’s coming up for Elmo…..Elmo’s going to go and visit Seaworld. So that should be fun.

David: With the dolphins… you won’t swim with them? What happens when you get wet?

Elmo: You just dry off like anybody else (shakes)!

David: You just shake like a dog.

Elmo: Shake with a blow dryer.

David: Hey did you see that puppet show, Avenue Q?

Elmo: What’s puppets?

David: Oh puppets are really interesting.

Elmo: Really?

David: Avenue Q was great.

Elmo: No that’s too old for Elmo. But Elmo wants to go and see Mary Poppins. Elmo loves Miss Julie Andrews.

David: It was written by an Australian, did you know that?

Elmo: Mary Poppins?

David: Mary Poppins the character was written by a woman from Queensland.

Elmo: What was her name? Elmo wants to know about that, that’s cool.

David: Travers…. P. L. Travers. But then I think the British hijacked her. Or Disney.

Elmo: They didn’t ask?

David: Do you like Disney?

Elmo: Elmo loves Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck!

David: They’re not kind of like, competition?

Elmo: To who?

David: Your friends?

Elmo: No! Elmo likes watching their movies and stuff like that.

David: Good for you.

Elmo: Yeah!

David: Well, thankyou very much for talking to me. May you have another 40 years of Sesame Street, I know you’ve only had 3 and a bit. But you’ve certainly made a very big impact on the show and in this country. We hope to see you back here many more times.

Elmo: Thankyou! Elmo would love to!