Only twice in my life have I ever cried over the loss of a celebrity — once as a kindergarten student, when our teacher and others mourned John Lennon, and the second time at the funeral for Jim Henson. For different reasons, both of these men had a profound impact on those around me, and in the case of Henson, on my childhood, and as a parent, the childhood of my children. While Caroll Spinney’s retirement means he stays around, the loss of the voice of Big Bird, knowing that character is changed, is certainly something I will remember.
Writing at Daily Kos about politics, we like to talk about the better future we all strive to achieve, and part of that is finding models that help inform us of what goodness is truly about. Sesame Street, for millions and millions of Americans, was a big part of that. The program, offered through public broadcasting, taught lessons about love, sharing, loss, anger, hope, achievement, wonder, and diversity. It dealt with tough issues at times, and at the same time, it showed us that in the end, we are all in this together.
For fifty years, Caroll Spinney has provided the voice of Big Bird — and Oscar the Grouch — helping to educate children and provide kids a good example of what being a good person is, and why it’s OK to be a a kid.
Singing at Jim Henson’s funeral, Carroll took part in one of those moments that still puts a lump in my throat:
In many ways, the song to this song comes to my mind as really what the resistance is about:
If just one person believes in you
Deep enough, and strong enough
Believes in you
Hard enough
And long enough
Before you know it
Someone else would think
"If he can do it, I can do it"
Making it
Two whole people who believe in you
Deep enough
And strong enough
Believe in you
Hard enough
And long enough
There's bound to be some
Other person who believes in
Making it a threesome
Making it three
People you can say
Believe in me
And if three whole people
Why not four?
And if four whole people
Why not more
And more
And more
This segment of the NY Times sums it up:
“Big Bird has always had the biggest heart on ‘Sesame Street,’ and that’s Caroll’s gift to us,” said Jeffrey Dunn, the president and chief executive of Sesame Workshop. “I think it’s fair to say that Caroll’s view of the world and how we should treat each other has shaped and defined our organization.”
The character became an instantly recognizable symbol of youthful guilelessness, traveling the world and appearing on other TV shows like “Saturday Night Live,” “The West Wing” and “The Colbert Report.” Big Bird was the protagonist of the 1985 “Sesame Street” feature film, “Follow That Bird,” and Spinney was the subject of a 2014 documentary, “I Am Big Bird.”
As a parent, for all the shared moments, all of the joy, the wonder and fun that Spinney brought to our children, thank you.
As a child who grew up with Sesame Street, who remembers everything from the loss of Mr. Hooper to the wonder of discovery, thank you.
Somedays, remembering there are good people trying to do good things in the world can be just the pick me up we need.
Enjoy your retirement, Mr. Spinney, you earned it.