When most people think of Oscar the Grouch, visions of a green puppet that lives in a trash can come to mind. Most people do not know that Oscar was originally yellow in the first episode of the show. This was changed for two reasons.
First off, there was another yellow character that was on the show by the name of Big Bird. The producers of Sesame Street did not want it to appear that they only had yellow characters.
Secondly, it was argued that a character that lived in a garbage can would not be a bright yellow color. The character would have to be a darker color since he lived in garbage.
The producers then went to work to change Oscar the Grouch's color. The first color that they came up with was orange. Oscar was orange for almost the entire first month of taping. Then one day, someone came up with the idea of changing his color to green. This idea for the color of Oscar is what we have grown up with.
Jim Henson and a few other workers from the show used to go to a local diner in Manhattan called Oscar's Tavern. A waiter there that usually waited on the group was so grouchy everyday that he would ruin the mood of the patrons. Many of Oscar the Grouch's famous sayings came from this waiter
In Oscar the Grouch's can, he keeps his pet worm, Slimey, and his pet elephant, Fluffy. He keeps a strange orange creature that is actually considered to be the original Oscar puppet.
He also has a collection of barnyard animals including goats and pigs. All of his pets love playing in the pool that he had installed during the second season.
Oscar the Grouch is one of the characters that will stay in our minds for years. He was an inspiration for many children who did not want to become just like him.
Now I have said what I wanted so, "Go away and LEAVE ME ALONE! And have a rotten day!"
I love Sesame Street!
