Once we know when the episode will air, we’ll post a follow-up VCR Alert. Correction: The episode will air this Monday, May 21!  Enjoy the video!

Click here to kiss a lot of frogs on the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com

Last November, we announced the exciting news for TomTom owners: You can download a voice pack for your GPS featuring Bert and Ernie!  And now Garmin owners have triple the good news: You can download one of THREE packs: Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch!

The packs are currently going for just $8.99 each.  Click here for more info and for audio samples for all three sets.

Click here to drive safely on the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com

Face Strips

Cute idea, but isn’t it strange that none of these characters have an egg-shaped head like this?  It is kinda neat how recognizable these guys are by their chins, upper lips, and the bridge of their noses.

My rating: 3

Bird’s Best Friend

Okay, my heart just melted into a big puddle of syrupy molasses.  I can’t even imagine anything more adorable, and I’ve been thinking about sneezing panda cubs.

My rating: 5

Do as Me Say, Not as Me Do

What a great reference to Cookie Monster’s controversial “A Cookie is a Sometimes Food” campaign.  The downside is that the front of the shirt isn’t all that interesting without seeing the back.  Much like the “Sometimes Food” campaign, which is most interesting when we get to see Cookie Monster deviate from it.

My rating: 4

ELMOtrioska

This is probably what American Sesame Street viewers think the Russian Sesame Street takes for entertainment.  And to be fair, I had to Google it myself to make sure that wasn’t the case.

My rating: 2

Let’s Count the Time

I have no idea what’s going on in The Count’s head, but I can’t stop looking at it.  There’s so much detail, and none of it is random.  It’s complicated and creepy, just like The Count.

My rating: 5

I Love Trash!

Aw, Oscar can be really adorable when he tries.  Of course, even when he tries, he’s in the middle of declaring his love for filth and refuge.  But hey, we’ll take what we can get.

My rating: 5

I Love Cookies

Y’know, some of these designs really don’t have anything to do with Sesame Street.  Take away that afterthought of a Cookie Monster head, and you’re left with a simple declaration of the love of baked goods.  Sesame Workshop doesn’t own that, so feel free to print your own “I Love Cookies” shirts without fear of legal action.

My rating: 1

Portrait of a Martian

The design may say “Nope”, but my heart says “Yep”.  A beautiful portrait of a Martian which, with just one word, makes me laugh.  That’s a tall order, and this shirt succeeded.

My rating: 5

BE Yourself!

I love Bert like the dickens.  And I love it when artists get him right.  Sure, he can be drawn looking angry or getting chummy with Ernie, but it takes a real fan to draw him doing something like getting lost in a boring book.  The rest of this piece is great too, but it’s that subtle arch in Bert’s eyebrow that pushed it over the edge for me.

My rating: 5

Name That Sound!

Aww, why did they have to go and ruin a perfectly good Guy Smiley picture with a fart joke?  I like laughing at flatulence as much as the next guy, but there’s not a gas molecule in my body that thinks it belongs anywhere near an officially licensed pieces of Sesame Street merchandise.

My rating: 1

It’s Elementary

I’ve been watching the recent BBC Sherlock miniseries lately (which is brilliant, by the by), and I can’t help but think that  the roles should be reversed.  Holmes has a very strict set of rules, thinks logically, and in the case of the BBC series, is tall and lanky.  Watson is more free-thinking, sympathetic, and (again, in the series) shorter.  Plus, Bert would look great in a deerstalker hat.

My rating: 4

Scram Soup

I shudder to think of what the ingredients of “scram soup” are.  Though I guess this picture is telling us that it’s made with one Grouch.  And maybe some chicken broth or something.

My rating: 3

ABC’s

I think you missed a few letters there, pardner.  And that diamond pattern does not lend itself to a pretty t-shirt design.  It’s just too busy, too bright, and too small.  And too bad for this artist.

My rating: 2

Super Grover to the Rescue!

It must be strange for Grover, who is usually naked, to be wearing not just one, but two costumes at once.  Add that to all of his fur, and he’s gotta be baking in there.

My rating: 3

“Children of the Night, Count Me In”

This is an interesting one.  The Count has been boiled down to his eyes, nose, mouth, monocle, and purple hue, and is being lowered from the ceiling as if he was in Mission: Impossible.  And it works, despite the creepiness of the idea behind a descending vampire.

My rating: 5

“H” is for Hipster

It’s funny, there really isn’t much of a different between a hipster and a grouch.  They’re unbathed, they’re surly, they wear used and unfitting clothing, and they often eat things found in trash cans.  I guess the big difference is that Oscar doesn’t do any of these things for the sake of irony.

My rating: 3

Let’s Play with Sesame Street

I admit, Tetris would be a lot more fun if the pieces were Sesame-themed.  But the character choices are all wrong!  Bert and Ernie are the zig-zags, Big Bird is the long piece, and Cookie Monster is the cube.  I mean, come on.  Bush league mistakes, guys.

My rating: 2

Release Your Inner Cookie Monster

Which is more disturbing?  Cookie Monster popping out of your chest cavity, or discovering that your ribcage is full of whole cookies??

My rating: 3

Street Fit

Come on, Bert.  I know you have spindly arms, but you can try doing some push-ups that aren’t girly-style.  And someone should tell Cookie Monster that he doesn’t have to dance while using his shake weights.

My rating: 2

Street Party

It’s the return of Sesame Street Colorforms!  And with the added bonus of “Singin’ in the Rain” Grover!  For some reason!

My rating: 2

Onetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineteneleventwelve!

Oh, this is beautiful. It’s not just a screengrab from the Pinball Number Count, but a recreation with colors that pop and a fading around the edges.  I want to buy twelve of these.

My rating: 5

Turn On the Lights!

I want you to just imagine how close all of these guys have to be sitting to get this picture.  They sure are friendly there on Sesame Street!

My rating: 2

Bedtime Snack

It must’ve been a real nice dream for Cookie Monster to find himself on a planet-sized cookie.  And that dream must’ve turned out to be a nightmare once he realized what will happen once he finishes eating said cookie.

My rating: 4

It’s Super Grover!

What a great, cartoony version of Super Grover.  It’s a shame they left off his chest emblem, but I won’t fault it for that.  Though I should, because I’m a perfectionist.  Just like Super Grover.  Uh… right?

My rating: 5

Sesame Dress Up!

I think this is some sort of Japanese fad, dressing chibi-like characters up in costume.  But the end result is a little unsettling, with a bunch of kids staring straight ahead as if they were standing in the hallway of the hotel from The Shining.

My rating: 2

Cookie Moon-Ster

Cookie Monster!  Stop eating the moon!  You’re gonna ruin our tides!  And one of those chocolate chips could fall and destroy El Salvador!

My rating: 4

Sesagram

Oof, my head hurts.  Can someone else review this shirt for me?  Maybe say something about how I can’t look at it for more than a second at a time.  Oh great, now my nose is bleeding…

My rating: 1

You Can Count On Me

I would totally count on an animated version of The Count like this.  Can’t you see him teaching kids about their numbers on a Saturday morning cartoon?  If you can’t, you can just stop reading this article right now.

My rating: 5

Raider of the Lost Cookies

This is hilarious.  Not just that, but you know exactly what just happened to Cookie Monster, whose gluttony forced him to sneak into a cave to steal a precious jar of cookies, only to then be chased by a cookie boulder.  He also hates snakes.

My rating: 5

Oh, I Love Trash!

What I like most about this design isn’t the lyrics to “I Love Trash” filling up Oscar’s face, but the fact that he looks like he’s made out of discarded newspaper.  I’m sure Oscar would love that too, since he loves… well, you know.

My rating: 4

The Street I Grew Up On

This design comes from our pal Ivan Guerrero, and it’s truly magical.  He’s showing an entire life passing through Sesame Street.  And I guarantee that every single one of us can relate to this.  This piece doesn’t just belong on a t-shirt, it belongs behind a frame on our walls.

My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.

Brought to You by the Letters C, M, Y, K, and R, G, B

This is similar to one we saw last time, but instead of primary colors, it uses the CMYK color model.  The two ideas are almost too similar, and they work almost as well as each other.  The Count sticks out a little here, as he’s the only one whose entire head gets to be seen.  But that makes more sense than just showing his eyes and mouth, fading into the darkness.

My rating: 4

The Hero Within

Is… is Super Grover jumping out of his own chest??  Is that one of his superpowers?  I suddenly have an urge to go buy some Kryptonite… just in case.

My rating: 3

Moon Cookies

Ah, now we have some precedence for Cookie Monster’s hunger for the moon.  He’s apparently been doing it since he was in diapers.  It makes you wonder why we’re not all dead yet…

My rating: 3

Abby Cadabbyfly

I guess it’s not totally out of the question for Abby Cadabby to give herself butterfly wings, but aren’t her regular fairy wings good enough?  Does she really have to show up the rest of us non-winged normals like that?

My rating: 2

Grover in the Groove

This design is delightfully retro.  It makes me wonder what Grover would’ve been like if he really grasped ’60s culture in his pre-Sesame days.  I’m just gonna let your imaginations run wild there.

My rating: 4

We’re Cool Colors

More eyes on rainbows!  It’s a pretty picture of the brush and paint, but it doesn’t have much to do with Sesame Street, doe sit?  Unless there was an episode in which the characters were transformed into a liquid and then used to spruce up Hooper’s Store.  I may have missed that one.

My rating: 2

Me and Me

Boy, Elmo can really be full of himself.  This was supposed to be a puzzle of the Grand Canyon!

My rating: 1

Spaghetti Big Bird

Ever wonder what it would be like if Big Bird was made of thumbprints?  Well wonder no longer!

My rating: 3

Listening

Guess what Elmo’s thinking about today!  That’s right, Elmo’s thinking about catching up on his NPR podcasts!  You know, NPR podcasts.

My rating: 2

Growing Up with Colors at Sesame Street

This is a busy one.  Maybe a little too busy.  Or maybe it’s like a Where’s Waldo, forcing you to really spend some time poring over all the adorable details.  Because they really are adorbs.

My rating: 4

The Rubber Duckie Has Landed

Okay, I can get behind the idea that Ernie studied with NASA and managed to get picked for a lunar mission, but I’m left wondering how much rocket fuel a giant Rubber Duckie  needs to reach escape velocity.  Vo vo vo-de-oh.

My rating: 2

You and Me

If Elmo and Zoe were just a little older, this piece would have a completely different meaning.  And I’m mentally kicking myself for coming anywhere near that disturbing thought.

My rating: 1

The People In Your Neighborhood

These little guys look a lot like Evan Cheng doodles (which is impossible, since he works for Sesame Workshop and is ineligible for this contest), but that’s a good thing.  There’s a lot of character in their faces, and I love the use of the tiny eyes, especially with Cookie Monster.  I wish there was more to this than just heads, but I’ll take it anyway.

My rating: 4

Cookie Monster Pattern Design

So, this is a picture of Cookie Monster vomiting the quilt my grandmother slaved over, and then the echo of the same behind him.  Why would this artist want to remind me of this terrible memory??  For shame!

My rating: 3

Inspiration

The subtlety is deafening.  And hilarious.  And I’ll never eat another unibrow-less banana again.

My rating: 5

The “Big” Birds

This is a great parody of The Birds poster, though I have to admit that I hadn’t seen this one before.  But even still, it’s a cool looking image, from an artsy point of view.  I could totally see this one selling well as a t-shirt design.

My rating: 4

Helvetica

“More” is my favorite Sesame Street character.  Remember that time he tried to lift Mr. Snuffleupagus over his head, got a hernia, and spent two weeks in a body brace, all to teach about the letter “D”?  Classic More.

My rating: 2

A Fun Color Test

What?  I don’t see it.  Is there supposed to be something in this mess of dots?  My dog agrees, there’s nothing to see here.

My rating: 3

Sesame Street Car Named Flat Tire

I feel like this design needs a “Monsterpiece Theater Presents” prefix, if only to justify the pointless “flat tire” pun (and no one sells a bad pun better than a pipe-smoking, jacket-wearing Cookie Monster).

My rating: 3

Have to Make a Decision! Eat or Not to Eat

I thought this was pretty dumb at first, but then I got to thinking about the ethical quandary Cookie Monster might be going through when confronted with a problem like this.  Sure, the cupcake looks delicious, and normally Cookie Monster wouldn’t hesitate to demolish it and hope that most of the baked good makes it into his stomach.  But would it be like eating a miniature version of himself?  Is he willing to take that small step toward cannibalism? Toward self-mutilation? Toward his eventual destruction at his own hand? Or mouth?? Oh just eat the cupcake already.

My rating: 4

How Crayons are Made

And the winner of the “We Just Blew Your Mind” Award goes to this design.  It’s just as wordless as the video, but it evokes so many memories in all of us.  It’s easily the best non-Muppet design in this entire contest.  This one has to get printed, because I need to wear it now now now.

My rating: 5

Ernie’s Bathtime

For all your naked Ernie cosplay needs!

My rating: 2

“Never Refer to Me as an Item. I’m a Bird.”

Props to the artist for spending so much time on all the details of Big Bird’s feathers, but the end result is still a little dull.  I think it’s all in the eyes, which seem a bit too tired, and not up to the standards of the rest of the piece.

My rating: 3

Sesame Seeds Snacks

I see Sesame, but no seeds.  So this picture just looks like someone trapped our Sesame Street pals in a jar, slowly dwindling their air supply until they’re all asphyxiated.  Or you could put in on a t-shirt.  You know, for kids!

My rating: 1

I Bet U Can’t Find My Cookie, Dont You?

I know I’m not supposed to care about the design titles, since none of them will actually appear on the shirts, but I’m befuddled at the title to this one, which contains both the words “U” and “You”, a missing apostrophe, a confusing order of words, and the fact that it has nothing to do with the image.  I’m sure I could find something to say about the picture, but… nope, can’t do it. That title is just way too distracting.

My rating: 1

99 Problems But a Title Ain’t One

But this is a title we can make fun of.  Would it have been that hard to have The Count say something that could fit in the cadence of “…But the Bitch Ain’t One”?  I think I discovered what one of his 99 problems is.

My rating: 1

“If Moon was Cookie”

Seems like Sesame Street needs a sunny day to sweep all those clouds away!  Whatever else I write in this space can’t compare to that brilliant bit of commentary I just made.

My rating: 4

Finger Muppets

If you’re showing someone your middle finger, you’re really flipping them the bird!!! Oh man, I am totally on fire today!

My rating: 2

R is for Recycling

Oscar may love trash, but he seems pretty apathetic about recycling.  And who can blame him? All those cardboard boxes, aluminum cans, and glass bottles… it’s enough to make a Grouch cry.

My rating: 3

Kinder Garden’s Sesamo

This one could probably do well with a larger palate of colors.  Murray and Abby are neon pink, The Count is yellow, and Bert and Ernie are the same color.  Even still, all the characters are different sizes and ages (are some of these guys wearing diapers??), and I’m not sure why Telly is lounging like a girl in waiting.  The whole thing is just bizarre, and not in a good way.

My rating: 2

“Wherever you are, it is your friends who make your world.” ? William James

I’d like this design a lot more if it weren’t for Elmo.  I’m sure many people are saying the same thing about pretty much every design, but it’s not my dislike for the little red guy that makes me think that, but his weird position, the upward eyeballs, and the fact that he’s five times as large as everyone else.  Take that away, and you’ve got a nice black-and-white sketch of the Sesame Street gang.

My rating: 3

Power of Imagination!

There’s something delightfully “Calvin and Hobbes” about this one.  Elmo really seems like an imaginative little kid here, and I can’t help but think that if he were real, I’d totally want to play a game of Calvinball with him.

My rating: 5

Stay Classy… Big Bird!

I’ll be the first one to tell you that a top hat, monocle, and mustache instantly make everything more awesome.  And I’ll be the first one to tell you that I’m obviously wrong, as is evidenced by this t-shirt design.

My rating: 2

Yip Drip

This may not be the only paint dripping Yip Yip Martian picture in this contest, but I love them all equally, as if they were my own gibberish-speaking, dangly-tentatcled children.

My rating: 5

Count’s Castle

I’m glad to see The Count’s castle get a little recognition in this contest.  It’s quite possibly the most spooky thing about The Count, and this piece appropriately spotlights it.  I mean, I still wouldn’t want to live there, but I’d totally wear it on my shirt.

My rating: 5

Bert’s Dream

I had no idea Bert’s dream was to choke a pigeon with a giant paperclip while not wearing socks.  To each his own, I guess.

My rating: 4

Sesame Burger

I generally haven’t been caring for the pictures of regular things with Sesame character eyes, but this one seems to work.  Maybe it’s because of the (very loose) connection between Sesame Street and a sesame seed bun.  But it’s definitely not due to that mysterious blue slime with the Cookie Monster eyes.

My rating: 4

The Cookie Monshirt

I bet this shirt would look great on some people and terrible on others.  And it would probably just look provocative on a woman whose chest lines up with Cookie Monster’s eyes.

My rating: 3

Girl Power!

I’d be surprised if a shirt like this didn’t already exist.  It seems a little obvious in retrospect.  I should probably be rewarding the artist for coming up with this simple idea, but it just isn’t groundbreaking enough to rave about.

My rating: 4

Making Geometry Creepy Since 1979

I would buy a hundred shirts with this design if it didn’t claim that the Philip Glass animations were “creepy”.  They’re not creepy, they’re freaking magical.  And don’t you forget it.

My rating: 5

Pick-a-Boo

Look out, Grover stuffed animal! A giant Elmo is gonna eat your hot air balloon!  Yep, that’s a sentence that no one has ever typed before.

My rating: 1

Scram

Another great one!  What I like most about it is that the art style is reminiscent of the old Sesame Street storybooks.  I wouldn’t've been surprised if this was drawn by Joe Mathieu or Michael Smollin if I didn’t know better.  (Which I do.)

My rating: 5

ABC Fun

Fairy, feathered, and furry letters may be cute, but I can’t imagine many t-shirt buying adults would go for a design like this.  The smiley face doesn’t exactly help in that regard.

My rating: 3

Monster Park

This design deserves to get made if only for the sunglass-wearing Jeff Goldblum cookie.  Brilliant.

My rating: 5

Elmo’s Song

So this is what Elmo’s room really looks like before he crayonizes it for Elmo’s World!  It kinda highlights the delusion though, doesn’t it?

My rating: 4

Snap a Picture!

I really like this idea.  I only wish that the characters were going a little more off-the-wall in the photobooth, rather than just getting close to the camera.  Still, the end result looks like a lot of fun.

My rating: 5

O…r / E…e / C….. ……r / B.. …d / E..o / B..t

These six designs all came separately, but they’re all similarly dull.  I’m not sure why anyone would want a picture of their favorite Sesame characters as see through the inside of a bowling ball, but hey, to each his own.

My rating: 2

Scram!

Ever wanted Oscar to hold on to your ta-tas?  If so, not only will you finally have a t-shirt to match your dream, but you also hold claim as one of the stranger ToughPigs readers! Congrats!!

My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.

I Heart Rubber Duckie

Much like the “I Cookie Cookies” shirt above, this one really doesn’t need Sesame Workshop’s participation to get made.  Just get some plain white Hanes, a stencil and a can of spray paint and you’re in business!

My rating: 1

Birth of a Monster

This is far more terrifying than Frankenstein ever could’ve been.  Why would this cookie regenerate a monster whose sole purpose is to demolish his own kind.  And it raises the question: Who is the real monster???

My rating: 5

Street Karma

Okay, this is kind of adorable.  But poor Snuffy!  He’s keeping the one guy on Sesame Street who loves being damp and smelly dry from the rain!  But it worth it to keep little Alice dry.  What a mensch, that Grouch.

My rating: 4

It’s Cold Outside

Snuffy looks miserable here!  Does he have to hole himself up all winter?? Look at those hashmarks on the wall.  Is he counting days or weeks?  Months??? Hibernation must be terrible.

My rating: 3

You Can ‘Count’ On Me

I like this one a lot.  It’s a great use of The Count, the font is pretty interesting, and it’s got one of those “pun” things.  I dig it.

My rating: 5

Sesame Street Gallery

Any one of these might make a fine t-shirt on its own, but I’m not sure how I feel about putting them all together like this. On the one hand, it’s 7 pictures in one, with a lot to look at.  On the other hand, it’s cluttered and less focused.  I think I like it more than I dislike it, so I’ll give it the thumbs up.  (Does anyone know what the Ernie picture is supposed to be a parody of?  Or is it just a random picture of Ernie?)

My rating: 4

The Adventures of Super Grover

I go back and forth on how I feel about Super Grover 2.0′s costume.  It’s really cool-looking, but it pales in comparison to the original. (Note: I feel the same way about most comic book superhero costumes.)  This image makes me like it all over again.

My rating: 5

Dream Big Little Girl

Wow, Alice is really getting some love in this contest! I had no idea she was so well known (by Threadless artists, at least).  This is a nice depiction of her, with a nice little inspirational message.  It’s all quite nice.

My rating: 4

Sunny Day Chasing the Clouds Away

Super Grover is a street vandal!!!  I always wondered how some graffiti artists get to such hard-to-reach places.  And now I know.  They can fly.

My rating: 4

Sesame Maps

This is a cute idea.  The map with the character street names is the best part, but the whole doesn’t quite pop as much as it could.  Maybe they should try MapQuest.

My rating: 2

Count Ripper

GAH!!! Ohmygod.  Why would anyone want a t-shirt of The Count jumping out of your chest, shouting about a number with those demonic eyes??? I mean, beside the obvious reasons of awesomeness and hilarity.

My rating: 5

Ancient Rulers

Speaking of scary, this design (made by ToughPigs’ own Evan G.) harkens back to the Sesame Street sketch that gave everyone nightmares. Looking at the video, the artist obviously tried to copy the puppet designs, so props to them for that.  I wonder if the shirt would give people PTSD.  Only one way to find out!

My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.

Dressing Room

I get the joke, but the lack of color really hurts this piece.  It’s not supposed to be “artsy”, just funny.  I’m also confused as to whose hand this is supposed to be.  The puppets in the picture are performed by at least three different puppeteers.  Maybe it’s a Muppeteer wannabe?  Or the overseeing hand of Jim Henson? Or maybe I’m just looking way too far into it?  Yeah, that one.

My rating: 3

Got Cookies?

Fine, I’ll give you some cookies, just let go of my nipples!!! (And don’t call me chef!)

My rating: 2

Make the First Thing Last

Another bizarre Sesame skit, thankfully immortalized in art form!  In case you don’t remember, this was the one featuring the little boy who got lost, passed a bunch of crazy things, and then a scary “yo-yo master” tells him how to remember how to get back home.  It’s one of the more insane-looking things the show has done, and I’m so glad it has the potential to be printed on a t-shirt.

My rating: 5

Mission Impossible

I shudder to think about how stale those cookies must be.  And how Big Bird got transformed into an unnecessary flying bird.  And why anyone would play such a cruel trick on Cookie Monster.  And how they got there in the first place.  And how much upper body strength he has.

My rating: 3

The Famous 4

This design looks great.  I especially like the wood-like grain underneath the paint.  It’s almost like it’s one of those wooden puzzles for toddlers, and you can pop all the character heads out.  Actually, that sounds like a great idea.  And now I want one.  Uh… for my nephew.

My rating: 5

Tellyvision

It’s too bad Kermit is off limits, because this would’ve looked great with Reporter Kermit.  Reporter Telly is a great substitute, and putting him on a TV (his namesake) is a nice finishing touch.  How’s that for a scoop?

My rating: 4

Bird Watching

I looked at this a few times, trying to figure out what the Sesame connection is (besides the street sign brand on top).  It wasn’t until I sat down to write this review when I noticed that the binoculars are Big Bird yellow, with his leg stripes on the lenses.  Now I like it a little more, but it’s way too subtle for people to get at a first glance.

My rating: 3

Hide and Seek

Love the idea, hate the execution.  Bert looks flat and as if he was being seen at an angle.  Cookie Monster looks drugged.  Oscar looks like he’s dead.  But again, I love the idea of The Count putting everyone to sleep by taking too long with the counting before Hide and Seek.  This piece just needs a second draft.

My rating: 2

Super-Signal

And now we continue the trend of spoofing Super Grover with Batman motifs, rather than the obvious Superman ones.  Not that I’m complaining, it’s just an interesting choice.  I wonder who’s shining the Super Grover signal.  It wouldn’t be any of the kids he usually helps, since they rarely want his help when he offers it.  Is there a Commissioner Gordan-type who works with SG?  Can he be played by the mustachioed Fat Blue??  This stuff writes itself, folks!

My rating: 4

Thanks for reading part four of our six-part review, Muppet fans!  Stay tuned for part five, coming to a ToughPigs near you!

Click here to make the first thing last and the last thing first on the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com

Now let’s keep going with our t-shirt design reviews!  Happy reading, art lovers!

Love the Muppets

What is it about the letter O that makes it so replaceable with character heads?  Of these three designs, Oscar is my favorite for his Boober Fraggle impression.

My rating: 2

Peace, Love & Muppets

I hear that miniature, one-legged Big Birds are a delicacy.  Just stick them to a guitar-shaped spit and rotate over an open flame.  Frankly, I’d rather eat it than have to look at that mutant bird any longer.

My rating: 2

Se Same? Se-Same… Sesame!

Fantastic.  There really needs to be more Two-Headed Monster t-shirts out there, so why not make one with a meta reference?  Shoot, they could be spelling out the word “Fluffernutter” and I’d think it was brilliant.

My rating: 5

Famous Monster

The skull imprint on the cookie is a nice touch, though I don’t know how I feel about Cookie Monster being a reanimated corpse with a removable brain.  Or about the fact that his neck bolts are on his forehead.  That’s just wrong, man.

My rating: 2

I Hate Rainbows

Oscar looks a little hung over here, doesn’t he??  There’s nothing like a persistent rainbow to really ruin the day after a good binge.

My rating: 4

The Street of Diamonds

Making a design to look like a playing card isn’t a bad idea, but this execution is terrible.  There’s way too much going on, the artwork is from several different sources in different styles and sizes, and it uses the Disney-owned Kermit the Frog, making it ineligible anyway.  This design… has been trumped.

Inside Oscar’s Trash Can

I have no doubt that Oscar leads a simple life.  I’m sure he likes to shrink himself down, read a good book, and look at his fishing pole with a boot on it.  But where is his swimming pool?  Where does his pet elephant Fluffy sleep?  Where’s the grand piano?  Where, Oscar????

My rating: 3

Bert and Ernie

You have two options: You can either vote for this design and hope everyone else votes for it so it might win and get printed, or you can just go to RedBubble.com and buy it right now.  Come on, artist, let someone else have a turn.

My rating: 1

Mulptimet

Yeesh, what a headache.  Don’t you know that it’s a fashion faux pas to mix fur and stripes?  And neon colors.  And eyeballs.  And migraines.

My rating: 1

BERT

Bert will stare unblinking into your eternal soul, and he will know your true self.  This is a nice, albeit slightly creepy, take on the “giant Sesame character face” t-shirts we’ve all seen before.  The shadows really make the features pop, which only adds to the unsettling nature of the design.  And now this image is etched into my corneas.

My rating: 4

Two Heads are Better than One

The idea of splitting the Two-Headed Monster onto the two sides of a t-shirt is inspired.  But the ring around their heads looks a little too much like a halo.  Perhaps it was divine inspiration!  Or just an orange circle or something.

My rating: 3

Transformation of Elmo to Frog

This is not the first time Elmo’s been froggified, but it may be the cutest.  I honestly don’t know why anyone would want a shirt with Elmo as a frog, but hey, more to them.  And today in missed opportunities: No Kermit-shaped pupils!

My rating: 3

Avoiding the Early Bird

Again, it’s hard to imagine anyone clamoring for a t-shirt with a sleeping worm on it.  But there are a few things I love about this picture: Slimey’s “S” headboard, the tiny, pointless sleeping cap, and the fact that it exists.

My rating: 3

To the Rescue

We’re seeing a lot of Super Grover pictures in this contest, so they really have to pop to make an impression.  I’m not sure that seeing the back of his cape (which is strangely bat-like here) is going to do it.  But props for pointing him downward, as if he’s just about to crash through someone’s ceiling while shouting for his mommy.

My rating: 3

Sesame Totem

The totem pole motif doesn’t really do it for me, but I’m captivated at the cylindrical shape all of the characters have taken.  Has anyone considered making Sesame Street brand soda?  Don’t you just want to take a swig of some lemon-lime carbonated beverage from one of these guys??

My rating: 2

[Can You Tell Me] How to Get

Bert is so angry at having to give someone directions!  And everyone else looks so shocked or scared.  What monster is asking how to get to Sesame Street?  At least the Sesame gang is doing their part by trying to throw them off the scent.  Oh, and bonus point for Elmo’s “Hubba Wha” face.  Someone should submit a design of just that.

My rating: 3

Cookie Monster Ice Cream

I can fool myself long enough to pretend that Cookie Monster ice cream is blueberry or blue raspberry flavored, but I have no intention of ever tasting one of those eyeballs.

My rating: 2

Tickle Me!

“Tickle Me, I’m Elmo” is the new “Kiss Me, I’m Irish”.

My rating: 1

One Man’s Trash is Oscar’s Treasure

Wait, so people actually throw away their old Nintendos and Playstations rather than shove them under their beds and promise that they’ll play them all the time just as soon as they finish this one level in Super Mario Galaxy?  Apparently I’m just as bad as Oscar.

My rating: 4

Bin City

“The Street’s as hot as hell. It’s a lousy brownstone in a lousy part of a lousy town – I’m staring at a grouch. He’s telling me he loves trash. I’m not going to waste one more minute wondering how I’ve gotten this lucky. He smells like grouches ought to smell, the perfect hairball… the Muppet. Oscar. He says his name is Oscar.”

My rating: 1

My Childhood Friends

Too many people have been submitting these pictures as entries to this contest (and those are the only ones I’ve been skipping in my reviews, because how many times can I really say that Elmo’s face is a boring idea?), but at least this person tried to tie a few of them together.  It’s still pretty lazy, but at least someone put two seconds of thought into it.

My rating: 1

Spread Your Wings

I’m usually okay with artists taking a little poetic justice in their designs, but for some reason, making Big Bird look more bird-like always weirds me out.  It’s almost like he’s de-evolving into the form of his ancestors, having lost his opposable thumbs and a larger brain that allows him to learn cognitive skills and roller skating.  But maybe that’s just me.

My rating: 3

Count the Numbers

Yet another example of The Count with numbers on his face.  Once is funny, twice is a coincidence, and three times brings the thunder and lightning.  Uh, in the bad way.

My rating: 3

I Want Cookies!

As we’ve seen before, Cookie Monster is intrinsically terrifying when he has teeth.  But I’m not sure if we’ve ever seen him as a vampire before.  It’s like Cookie Monster and The Count had a lovechild, who then began to crave the taste of chocolate syrup.

My rating: 1

8bit Bert & Ernie

This is sort of like the idea behind this t-shirt from Mighty Fine, except not as simple, and prone to giving people migraines.

My rating: 2

1 AH AH AH

Here’s that other “Count costume” design I hinted at back in Part 1!  They’re almost identical, except that this one has a bow tie, shows a little more of the sash, and has a more prominent collar.  Other than that, I guess two people had the same exact idea.  That probably happens a lot in this contest.  So I guess I’ll give it the same rating as the last one.

My rating: 3

Go Green Oscar!

Let’s take a vote.  Which is more unsettling: Two arrows taking the place of Oscar’s face or two letter ‘e’s as Oscar’s eyes?  The loser will be recycled into something less distracting.  And so will the winner.

My rating: 2

Adventures with Bernice and Duckie!

There is nothing in this image that doesn’t scream “fun”.  Bert’s throwing up the devil horns while riding a giant pigeon! This is a thing that’s happening on the computer screen in front of you!

My rating: 5

Sesame Street Says Hi!

I like the front-and-back of the characters here, but that’s about it.  Aside from that, it’s just four static images of the characters and some horizontal stripes, which would make me look fat.  Yes, that’s my excuse for not wanting to wear this.

My rating: 2

El Mouse

That is an awful short USB cord for the mouse!  Though I do like the idea of poking Elmo in the eye every time I want to click on something.

My rating: 3

Anatomy of a Cookie Monster

Ignoring the disturbingness (Disturbitude? Disturbution?) of seeing Cookie Monster’s innards, I’m bothered by the way he’s catatonically dropping whole cookies down his throat.  Chew your food, man!

My rating: 4

Cookies Are My Thing

Y’know, in case you didn’t get that from the cookie in his hand. Or his name.  Or the fact that he’s rarely seen not in the process of demolishing cookies as if he was The Hulk and they were Loki in that one scene in The Avengers.

My rating: 2

Flight of the Big Bird

There are a few “Big Bird flying” pictures in this contest, but this might be the best one.  I love how serene he looks, and how effortless his flight is.  Then again, it could look like he’s plummeting, Mad Men-style.

My rating: 4

Sesame Street Rocks

Hey, I’m all in favor of adding a little hard rock to Sesame Street.  But this picture is a little too cutesy for that idea.  It’s less “AC/DC” and more “The Wiggles”, if you know what I’m sayin’.

My rating: 1

Monster Bite

This picture comes courtesy of our pal Michael De Pippo, who is responsible for the amazing Electric Mayhem posters we talked about late last year.  Michael does a great job at finding the simplicity in his designs, which you can see above, as we get an idea of what Cookie Monster’s dental records might look like.

My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.

Open Sesame

Cookie Monster looks like an alligator after someone shoved a stick in its mouth to keep it from eating someone.  I have nothing else to add.

My rating: 3

Hairy Street

This one looks a little odd, but the more I look at it, the more I like it.  There’s a sweet sense of motion to the whole thing, and it resembles a wood cut more than a mess of fur.  It could use a few tweaks, like changing the character head sizes and making Oscar look a little less oval-y.  But I dig it.

My rating: 5

How Recycling Bins Work

I don’t know if anyone told you this, Oscar, but recycling bins work a lot better when there isn’t a giant hole in the side.  I mean, I’m no “garbage can scientist”, but you might want to just trust me on this one.

My rating: 2

Fly Me to That Delicious Moon

And this was how the movie Up led to Cookie Monster’s eventual asphyxiation.  Or you can blame the giant floating biscuit in the sky.

My rating: 5

Elmo Glee

I admit, I used to watch Glee.  But I stopped because, unbeknownst to me, it is a terrible show.  But this design actually makes a lot of sense.  The parody is spot-on, Elmo loves singing and dancing, and the spoof is subtle enough to work on multiple levels.  I wouldn’t wear the shirt, but I’ll totally support your right to vote for it.

My rating: 5

Golden Age Super Grover

Yes.  Yes yes yes.  This might be the greatest Super Grover/Superman parody anyone has ever done.  A million bonus points for Oscar as the guy freaking out in the bottom corner of Action Comics #1.

My rating: 5

Greetings. Hello. Greetings.

Never has an alien been so obsessed with a telephone since E.T.  I really love that everyone gets the connection between the Yip Yips and the telephone after that one Sesame Street skit.  It’s a pretty specific reference when you think about it, which is pretty dang neat.  Brrrrring!

My rating: 5

What’s Inside Herry?

Speaking of specific references, this was one of my favorite sketches as a kid.  I loved watching Herry behind the X-ray machine as we watched him eat a cracker and breathe in and out.  This design has the added benefit of being glow-in-the-dark, which is a neato idea.  But the bummer is that they put Kermit in there, thus making this shirt ineligible to win!  But I’m going to pull a reviewers prerogative and give it a high rating anyway, if only for my own nostalgia.

My rating: 5

Kids’ Savior

You know what the coolest part about seeing your favorite characters as astronauts is?  Seeing them float around in outer space! You know what isn’t the coolest part?  Watching them stand around and wave at no one in particular.

My rating: 2

Frazzle the Teester

Why aren’t there dozens of Frazzle t-shirts available??  I know I’d buy one in a heartbeat.  I’d even buy this three-headed, sideways Frazzle design, because that’s just how much I love the inarticulate guy.

My rating: 4

Doodled Elmo

I like this simple Elmo doodle, as it has everything you need to identify the character and nothing extra.  Then again, it leaves him blind and mute, but that’s just the sort of sacrifice he has to make in the name of art.

My rating: 4

Simple Elmo

Guess what Elmo’s thinking about today! That’s right, Elmo’s wondering what your armpit smells like!

My rating: 2

FUNdamentals

This is a pretty color wheel, but who is the lime green guy supposed to be??  The best I can figure is that it’s Kermit, with the eyes modified to do away with any copyright infringement.  But it would’ve been smarter to just do away with that pie wedge altogether.  It’s like being at a party with someone there who nobody knows, but you assume someone else brought them.  But no, it’s just some homeless guy who wanted a free slice of pizza.

My rating: 3

Sesame Street News Flash

I mentioned before that I own a shirt with this image on it, and although I have nothing new to add, I think that this should be on a piece of licensed apparel.  Can someone get on that please and thank you??

My rating: 4

How to Be an Elmo

Why is Elmo reading a book about how to be an Elmo?  What does it even mean to “be an Elmo”??  And why is there a light being reflected from either side of his eyeballs?  Call it a hunch, but I don’t think that book (or this design) was certified by Sesame Street.  Or by anyone.

My rating: 1

EL M n O

According to the artist, this Elmo is filled with “doodles, shapes, numbers, and letters”.  The numbers, letters, and shapes I get, but the “doodles” sounds like an excuse to just draw whatever he wants in there.  Whatever the reason, the final product actually looks pretty good, though I don’t think most people would bother trying to identify most of the shapes in there.

My rating: 3

Me Want Cookie!

It’s interesting, we haven’t seen many designs that depict the characters as puppets.  I’m not sure it’s exactly necessary for this idea, but the cartoony look to Cookie Monster’s face makes it worth it.  But how is this giant hand performing Cookie’s arms?? How???

My rating: 4

Monsters are People Too

Perfect!  I love the monster representation, from popular characters like Grover and Cookie Monster, to lesser-known like Herry and Frazzle, down to guys nobody knows the names of like Maurice and Harvey.  It’s a great design, and I would proudly wear it on my person.  Heck, I would proudly tattoo it on my person too!

My rating: 5

E(l)motion

Elmo loves you so much he could explode!!!

My rating: 2

Sesame Sudoku

Tell me the truth.  Did anyone out there actually look at this picture and think, “Oh, it’s a Sudoku puzzle!  Congrats to the person who solved it!”  Because you know what’s fun? Looking at finished Sudoku puzzles.  And also recognizing that that’s what you’re looking at.

My rating: 1

Sesame Street’s Badge Collection

“I got this badge for counting, I got this badge for paperclip collecting, and I got this badge for getting this badge!”

My rating: 2

Super Grover Flying Through the Clouds

I guess it’s the coloring job that differentiates this one from its photographic counterpart, but that’s just inherently lazy.  People need to stop cutting and pasting pictures onto dull backgrounds and start creating something new!  You can do it, I have faith in you!!

My rating: 1

Counting the Count

Ohhhh, I get it! He’s got numbers on his face because he’s The Count!  And he looooves counting!  I totally didn’t get that before.  But now I do.  Because I’m smart.

My rating: 3

Color Me Sesame

Here’s the next design by our pal Mike Boon!  There have been a lot of color-centric designs, but this is the only one that bothers to come up with a real reason for it.  Two blues, two yellows, and two oranges??? What are we, Rockefellers?

My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.

Sesame Space

Oh good, we’re back to astronauts!  It looks like the gang got off the ground this time, but they’re realizing the downside to space travel: Fogging up the inside of their goldfish bowl helmets.  Ernie looks like someone cut off his air supply, and I may not be a NASA employee, but I think Elmo and Big Bird should be wearing some sort of suit while they’re in the cold vacuum of space.

My rating: 3

Counting Threads and Going Threadless

It takes a second to see what The Count is doing, but it’s totally worth the payoff.  I mean, it’s worth it until your t-shirt falls apart in a heap of rags.

My rating: 3

Best Buds

Call me crazy, but I like my Big Bird with a neck, and I like my Snuffy without an empty, soulless gaze.

My rating: 3

I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon

Wait.  Is Ernie sitting on the moon, or is the moon off in the distance?  Or are there two moons??? How did Ernie get to Tattooine???

My rating: 4

Grover Using Siri

I don’t have Siri, but if I did, I’d imagine this is the very first thing I’d ask her.  And if she didn’t know, I’d throw her in the East River.

My rating: 4

It’s Time for Everyone’s Favorite Game Show Host!

Here’s how you know when you’re looking at a picture derived from the same Guy Smiley photo everyone uses: His head is cocked slightly to the left, his hair isn’t yet unkempt, and he’s not blurry from screaming his head off on live TV.

My rating: 3

Rub a Dub Ducky

Want a t-shirt with a picture of naked Ernie on it?  No?  Okay, you don’t have to buy it.

My rating: 2

Sesame Stop

I want to complain about the random red sweaters that Bert and Ernie are wearing, but I can’t get over the fact that Bert is wearing Crocs.  Crocs!!!

My rating: 2

Elmo and Little Butterfly

I love the amount of detail put into Elmo’s fur.  He really pops, although only in the fur.  His arm doesn’t quite look right, and his face is a little flat, but it’s still a nice example of Elmo drawn right.

My rating: 4

Cookie Revenge

Cookie Monster meets Pac-Man again!  But this time, the table is turned!  A great idea, and a good execution, but I’m not really sure what those little piles are.  Demolished cookies?  Or was Cookie Monster really… really scared?

My rating: 4

Better Days

It’s so true.  But then again, who says he’s not our hero anymore??

My rating: 3

Yip, I Believe

Simple, but effective!  Keep watching the skies, true believers!

My rating: 5

Sharing is Caring

At first, I couldn’t figure out why Elmo and Cookie Monster were throwing cookies into a garbage chute.  But now I see that we’re looking from the inside of of Cookie’s mouth, which is actually pretty brilliant.  Though it does accent the fact that Cookie Monster chews his cookies without teeth.

My rating: 5

Monster Snack

It’s hard to judge this one since it’s obviously intended for a onesie, but if I were the type to wear a onesie (and I’m not ruling it out), it would probably be one that looks like a big cookie.

My rating: 2

HahaHahaHahaHahaHaha

This is a nice picture of Elmo, but it turns creepy when you picture this calm, stone-faced monster laughing like a hysterical serial killer.  I’m the only one thinking of it that was, aren’t I?

My rating: 3

He’s a Monster!

“Me getting hungry. You no like it when me get hungry.  COOKIE SMAAAASH!”

My rating: 3

Pájaro Grande

Looks like Big Bird fell into a barrel full of highlighters and then got electrocuted.  Ummm… in Mexico.

My rating: 3

B is for Barkley!

It’s a Barkley shirt!!!  Vote for this thing!  Why do I say that?  Because it’s a Barkley shirt!!!!!!

My rating: 5

Big Oscar

I always wondered what keeps Oscar’s trash can lid on.  And now I know: It’s a bunch of letters stacked up on end.  That’s logical, right?

My rating: 3

Cookies!!!

What flavor do you think the cookie cookies are?  Probably something disgusting, since Cookie Monster isn’t in the process of rendering them unrecognizable.

My rating: 4

Me Love Cookie!

Why is Cookie Monster made up of all those “Wo Wou Wou”s?

My rating: 3

Street Bert & Ernie

This is fantastic.  I don’t care that Bert and Ernie are doing something uncharacteristic, I don’t care that they’re slightly off-model, and I don’t care that there are only two colors in this picture.  It’s amazing and I love it.

My rating: 5

Muumm, Muumm, Muumm, Muumm / I Love Trash

Here are two entries by the same artist that employ a lazy man’s method of coloring (just slapping some watercolors in the middle).  And y’know, it works.  Neither of these guys should look neat and clean, nor would they advocate coloring within the lines.

My rating: 5

Sesame Fruit Flavors

Fun Fact: Ernie is full of vitamin C!  Bert is loaded with potassium!  Oscar is full of seeds!  That last one is oddly appropriate.

My rating: 3

One Million Cookie!!!

I am not an Austin Powers fan, so my gut reaction is to dismiss this picture.  But if you enjoy the wacky antics of Mike Myers, then this is a well-made spoof.  The chair is a little distracting, but not overly so.  So I guess this one might work for some of you, but not for me.

My rating: 3

Street Signs

Six mediocre ideas can sometimes turn into one pretty good design.  I have to admit, this is clever, although maybe not meant for a t-shirt.  Though it should provide some inspiration for aspiring graffiti artists out there.

My rating: 3

Helpful Big Bird

As much as I like the idea of Big Bird helping to feed a tiny giraffe (or a giant Big Bird feeding a normal-sized giraffe), this design is just a little too juvenile for the Threadless masses.  If it were up to me, I’d probably call this shirt… Shirley.

C is for Case Closed

It was only a matter of time before someone called the cops on this guy.  What with all the theft, destruction, arson (probably), insurance fraud (most likely), conspiracy, and grand treason, he’s finally being brought to justice.  I wonder if they have cookies in prison…

My rating: 5

Snuffleupagus Revitalized

Wow.  I always wondered what was up with Snuffy’s long, luxurious eyelashes.  And now I see that it’s all a part of his morning routine.  A little mascara goes a long way, Snuffy!

My rating: 5

Bert Is Best

What is it about Bert that makes people think “Mr. Potato Head”??  This one is much better than the first one we saw, mostly because most of his pieces are actually in place.  And it also gives a good explanation for why he looks so upset.  You would be too if your arms and ears were falling off.

My rating: 4

Om Nom Nom Nom

It’s a cute idea to make Cookie Monster full of Noms, but I really like how the artist invoked the image of Cookie’s eyes in the “O”s.  It’s almost as if he’s been full of Noms this whole time and we never knew it!

My rating: 4

WNVi1

Wow.  I love a good design based on a single sketch, and this one takes the cake.  It’s a little obscure, a pretty design, and a flash back to one of the earliest Sesame Street episodes.  These are a few of my favorite things!  Also, be sure to zoom in and read the text in the background, which covers all of the dialog from the sketch!

My rating: 5

Hide and Seek

I’m almost a little sad that the artist didn’t keep going with this idea.  It’s cute to have Elmo, Ernie, and Cookie Monster hiding out, but it would’ve been great to make it a real challenge to find them.  Or to go even further, how about a Where’s Waldo-style picture?  Without the topless lady on the beach, of course.

My rating: 2

SUPPPPPPERRRRR GROVER!

Okay, that’s kind of adorable.  I like it when the characters take a turn for the cartoony.  Giant nose, tiny helmet, and knobby knees and all.

My rating: 4

8-Bit Om Nom Nom

Okay, so we’ve seen Cookie Monster as Pac-Man, we’ve seen a Pac-Man cookie chasing him, but we haven’t seen cookie ghosts chasing the Pac-Man Cookie Monster.  We’re running out of combinations here!  Also: Someone make this video game now!

My rating: 4

Hello Elmo Shirt

Hello, Elmo.  Yes, I see you there.  Hello.  I’m waving now, see?  Can I stop now?  No?  Okay.  Hello.

My rating: 1

Spreading Colour and Life

This is a cute one.  I like the idea of the color outside-the-lines, but I wish there was a little more variety in the styles, and not just a little messiness in the crotch areas.  I immediately regret typing that sentence.

My rating: 4

Puppet Show

The funny thing is, this is also how the US Government works.

My rating: 4

Imposter Elmo

Okay, I think I’ve got this one.  A baby has dressed up like Elmo, who then dressed up like Cookie Monster.  So even if you haven’t bought into the delusion that Cookie has shrunk down to infant-size and found a penchant for pacifier-suckling, you could be convinced that it’s just Elmo playing some sort of prank.  It’s the perfect storm.

My rating: 2

Best Friend

When your fruit starts to grow thick black hair, it’s probably time to throw them out.  Even if they have little smiley faces on them.  Ain’t nothing happy about food poisoning.

My rating: 3

This Show is Hahaha

Man, that show is totally hahaha.  The smiley face on the bottom looks a little like a half of a record, and the production clapper and numbers are a little unnecessary, but I like these depictions of the characters.  I’d like to see this one simplified, and then maybe add a few more Muppets in there.  Because I like Muppets.

My rating: 4

Phew!  100 more down, and we’re about halfway there!  Stay tuned for part 4, coming soon!

Click here to draw Cookie Monster as Pac-Man… again… on the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com

And the nominees (that we care about) are:

• Outstanding Pre-School Children’s Series: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series: Leslie Cararra-Rudolph as Abby Cadabby
• Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series:Kevin Clash as Elmo
• Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series:Caroll Spinney as Big Bird
• Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Directing in a Children’s Series: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Multiple Camera Editing: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Original Song – Children’s and Animation: “Don’t Give Up”
• Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Live Action: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing – Live Action: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Special Class Directing: Kevin Clash, Sesame Street
• Outstanding Special Class Writing: Christine Ferraro, Sesame Street
• Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction/Electronic Camera/Video Control: Sesame Street
• Outstanding Writing in a Children’s Series: Sesame Street

In addition to all of Sesame’s nominations, The Jim Henson Company’s Sid the Science Kid snagged a nom for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program.

Congratulations to everyone involved!  And the winners will be announced on June 23rd, so hold tight until then!

Click here to overuse the word “Outstanding” on the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com

While most of us will remember Sendak for his unforgettable works like “Where the Wild Things Are”, “In the Night Kitchen”, and dozens of other picture books that took us out of our imaginations and into other worlds.

Sound like anyone you know?  It’s no coincidence that he and Jim Henson shared so many of the same sentiments and philosophies.  The Muppets had their fair share of inspiration from Sendak, and even invited Sendak into their world on multiple occasions.  Among their crossovers:

• Jim Henson quoted Sendak in his short film, Youth ’68.
• Sendak served as a member of the National Board of Advisors for the Children’s Television Workshop in their early years.
• Bob read “Where the Wild Things Are” in Sesame Street‘s test pilot.
• Sendak provided several animated shorts for Sesame Street, which featured the voice talents of Jim Henson: “Bumble-Ardy” (which Sendak published as a book just this past fall), “Seven Monsters”, “Up & Down”, and “Broom Adventures”.
• In 1980, Maurice Sendak, Jim Henson, and Jon Stone began talks to produce a film called The Varied Adventures of Mischievous Miles.  The film never made it off the ground.
• “Where the Wild Things Are” appears in Sarah’s bedroom in Labyrinth, and Sendak is thanked in the credits.
• Sendak is interviewed in the Jim Henson documentary, The World of Jim Henson.
• Jim Henson’s Creature Shop provided the puppetry for the film version of Where the Wild Things Are.
• And although this hasn’t been explicitly stated anywhere, I suspect that Doglion was created as an homage to Sendak’s creations from “Where the Wild Things Are”.

Click here to help us remember Maurice Sendak on the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com

In the meantime, here are the next 100 entries!  Remember to keep voting!

So That’s How You Get There

Being a New Yorker, I’m a sucker for NYC-centric Muppet stuff.  So I really dig this design, which has potential for the hordes of hipster commuters.  Unfortunately, to those of you who walk or have cars, this is just a picture of Big Bird sitting down, looking bored.  Yet another reason why living in New York is the best: We can appreciate silly t-shirts.

My rating: 4

Muppet Chart

At first glance, I thought this Venn diagram was trying to say that mixing Elmo and Grover’s character traits results in The Count, or that Zoe is half-Elmo and half-Big Bird.  But now I see that  it’s all about the mixing of colors, and that’s pretty clever.  The kicker is really the Snuffy in the middle (which I think was the original title for that Frankie Muniz sitcom).

My rating: 4

Welcome to My World

Of course Oscar would be proud of a recession!  That’s joke got the biggest laugh out of me in this contest so far.  The “Obama Hope” poster references are getting a little old though.  Maybe there will be a new artsy poster for Oscar to parody in 2012.

My rating: 4

Birds on a Wire

We had a “Bird on Wire” design in the last set of entries, and I’m torn as to which one I like more.  This one has the happier Big Bird, as well as the random crows.  The other one had Big Bird on a sagging wire with some comically undersized telephone poles (or a comically oversized Big Bird).  I think this one may have the edge, and I’m not just saying that to avoid what he might do to a passing car.

My rating: 5

Super Grover

A while back, I sketched out some potential t-shirt designs.  This was one of them.  Now, I’m not saying that this artist stole my idea.  But I am saying that a lot of people had it at the same time.  Including this Cafe Press store.  And this officially licensed shirt from 80sTees.com.  Maybe if Threadless began selling capes and helmets too…  Hmm…

My rating: 1

Han Elmo and the Wookie Monster

If the artist responsible for this image is reading this article, then I have a message for you: Keep going!  Let’s see the whole Sesame Street cast as Star Wars characters!  Bert and Ernie as the droids! Zoe as Princess Leia! Grover Skywalker! Obi Wan Hooper!  Darth Oscar!  This thing practically draws itself!

My rating: 4

Minimalist St

I’m admittedly a little tired of the “minimalist” craze.  To make one stand out, it has to be something really amazing.  Making Bert really thin and Cookie Monster really fat isn’t going to cut it.  And making Elmo and Big Bird almost the same height is going to clinch the low rating from me.  Nor is Big Bird’s orange beak.  If you’re gonna go for minimalist, you might as well get those precious few details correct.

My rating: 2

3D Giggles

Is Elmo in 3D or just blurry?  Either way, he might make you throw up.

My rating: 2

Cookies… Cookies… Cooookies!!!!

If this image had a picture of George H.W. Bush off to the side, it could be a reenactment of the destruction of the Berlin Wall.  I’m just sayin’.

My rating: 3

Elmo’s Fur

That fur is getting a little out of control!  He’s got a Justin Bieber thing going on up top, and he’s bound to get a mouthful of fur every time he tries to eat soup.  It must be so inconvenient to be a monster.

My rating: 2

Yip Yip, the Martians are Here!

I like how the artist chose to give the Yip Yips rounded tentacles, rather than the velvety ones the normally have.  It suggests something slightly more squid-like in their ancestry.  But as much as I love a good octopus reference, and as pretty as this image is, it’s a little lifeless compared to most of the other entries.  But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t buy this shirt.  Nope nope nope.

My rating: 4

Remembering Mr. Hooper

It’s our second entry by ToughPigs’ pal Mike Boon! Although I haven’t seen all of his designs yet, this might be his best one.  Everyone remembers Mr. Hooper and what he meant to us.  I honestly can’t think of a better, simpler homage to his memory.  Well done, Mike.

My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.

The Count

According to the artist, this image is a parody of old wood carvings of Vlad the Impaler.  So if you got that without having to look it up, this is probably hilarious.  And if not, it’s still wonderfully Gothic.  This might be one of the best “The Count is a vampire” pieces I’ve ever seen, right after this one.

My rating: 4

Running Down Sesame Street

Screw being “on model”, this artist knows what he wants.  And he wants giant round heads, beady black eyes, and rosy cheeks, dammit!

My rating: 3

Sesame Eyes

Oh boy, I don’t know what to complain about first!  Could it be the abundance of negative space? Or the fact that not every character’s eyes are instantly recognizable?  Or that ugly, ugly green background?  Or just the fact that this idea is pretty boring and uninspired?  Why not complain about all at once??  The negative eyes aren’t recognizably green and uninspired!  That didn’t work at all.

My rating: 1

‘C’ is for Cookie

Cookie Monster looks like he’s saying, “Surprise! Me used your cookie jar as a toilet!”  And now I’ve ruined this design for everyone.

My rating: 2

Master of Puppets

Yes, we get it.  The Count is a vampire.  He has little vampire teeth and a cloak and a scary, bat-infested castle.  But that joke doesn’t really go too much farther when you stand him next to Dracula.  Unless it’s supposed to look like Dracula is performing the Count puppet.  Which is… slightly better.  But not much.

My rating: 3

Rubber Duckie

If you can detach the words from the song in your brain, you can read this as if you just remembered that Rubber Ducky [sic] is the one.  Like, “OH YEAH!  Rubber Ducky!  You’re that guy!  ‘Sup?”

My rating: 3

Counting “One” Monocle

Not enough attention has been paid to The Count’s monocle.  Has he ever actually used it to see things more clearly?  Did he ever count it?  Or even take it off?  I have so many monocle-related questions!!

My rating: 3

Cookie Bytes

Cookie Monster as Pac Man is a cute idea.  They’re both hungry and aggressive fellows.  But Oscar as the ghost (let’s say… Blinky) is a little lame.  Especially when you’ve got two perfectly good Pac Man ghost stand-ins already with the Yip Yip Martians.  Opportunity: Squandered!

My rating: 2

40 More Years!

I’m going to guess that this image wasn’t made with one of those automatic “Hope” poster websites, if only to give the artist a little credit.  But the fact that just about anyone can make the same picture takes a lot away from the idea.  And that is truly something to mope over.

My rating: 3

Everyday I’m Snufflin’

Even looking beyond the fact that this idea has been done officially, unofficially, and officially again, I’m predicting that nobody will get the “Snufflin’” reference in a couple more years.  And I like a t-shirt that I can wear for the rest of my foreseeable young adulthood.

My rating: 1

Super Grover – Exciting Adventures of

For a shirt that uses the term “Exciting”, this isn’t quite that.  But it is adorable.  Which Grover always should be.

My rating: 5

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.H.A.P.E.S.

It’s the perfect shirt for fans of Sesame Street AND shapes!  I love a good oval as much as the next guy.  But this design loses a zillion points for not making Telly the triangle.  That’s a bush league mistake right there.

My rating: 1

Elmoticons

I was originally going to write this one off for being a little bland, but now that I look at it, it’s actually pretty clever.  Rosita’s and Telly’s colors need to be tweaked, and a few of the characters aren’t instantly recognizable, but it’s a cute, simple design.  I’m tempted to start using these in my text messages.  The Amazing Mumford agrees. ({>|)

My rating: 3

Sesame Pop

I am floored by the boringness of this design.  No, it’s not boring, it’s predictable.  Big Bird is yellow! Cookie Monster is blue!  The art is the exact same art we’ve seen on a million different Sesame products!  I’m using a lot of exclamation points!

My rating: 1

RubbErnie

Now this is a design I wouldn’t mind taking into the bath!  It’s well drawn, makes a good reference without being too subtle or obvious, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before.  Oh Rubber Ernie, you’re the one!

My rating: 5

Pocket Grouch

Our pal Mike Boon’s next entry!  I’m not sure if I’d want a tiny grouch in my pocket.  I’d think he would make my shirt smell funny.  Then again, if it’s anything like Oscar’s trash can, the inside could be bottomless.  Just imagine the convenience of carrying all your stuff in that little pocket!  Wallet, cell phone, books, groceries, swimming pool, pet elephant… Yeah, I could probably deal with the smell.  Good tradeoff.

My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.

Monster Cookie Game

Another Cookie Monster/Pac Man design??  Don’t you guys know that you’ll only end up splitting the vote?  It’s too bad there’s no game board, making the characters and cookies float in white space.  But props for making better use of the ghosts, creating a little more balance between the characters.  I wonder how many more variations on this idea we’ll see in this contest…

My rating: 2

Learn with Elmo

What is keeping those books up???  Elmo’s obviously not holding them.  Could it be dark magic?  Or something far more disturbing, which I’d rather not speak of on a Muppet-themed website?  And now your imagination went there too.  Sorry, folks.

My rating: 1

The Monster Behind You

Okay, this is beyond brilliant.  “The Monster at the End of This Book” is one of the best Sesame books ever printed, and we’re long overdue for a t-shirt homage.  But going the extra mile in having Grover talk about the shirt, rather than the book, is genius.  Totally worth Grover’s crippling embarrassment.

My rating: 5

Cookie Kong

Now this is how you do a Sesame Street/old school video game crossover.  Can someone please make this a playable game??  Or maybe don’t, since the Sesame fanatic and Mario fanatic in me might explode from the awesomeness.

My rating: 5

Sesame Six

I’m calling shenanigans.  Sure, this is a beautiful and brilliant Sesame Street parody, and the comic book fanboy in me is pleased as punch to see it here.  But this was already a t-shirt, as sold by TeeFury.com, which only sells one shirt at a time for 24 hours.  And the artist is currently selling it on RedBubble.com.  So come on, give someone else a chance.  It’s what the Sesame Six would do.

My rating: 1

I’m #1

The Muppetized letters and numbers are truly the unsung stars of Sesame Street.  So I’m glad to see one of them finally break into the spotlight.  Unfortunately, the Sesame reference would probably end up getting lost on, well, just about everybody.  It takes just a little more than eyes and a mouth to truly make this a contender for “#1″.

My rating: 2

Big to Small

Some of these designs would be perfect for other products, but not so much for t-shirts.  This one would make for a great set of nesting dolls, but there isn’t much out there to prove that people want a shirt with nesting dolls printed on it.  So, somebody make this please.  Just not as a shirt.

My rating: 3

Love

Is Elmo doing that thing where you pretend your hands are binoculars?  Stop pretending to look far away, Elmo! Your blocks are right there in front of you!  Right there!  Just look down… oh come on!  Nevermind.

My rating: 1

Sesame Street Gang

When I was in middle school, I had a t-shirt that changed colors depending on the temperature.  This shirt reminds me of that: Cool colors in theory, but pretty lame in practice.  Maybe it’d be better if you kept a black light shning on your torso whenever you wore it.  You’d need a long extension cord though.  And maybe a few extra bulbs, just in case.  I’m putting way too much thought into this.

My rating: 1

Scram!

This is a nice little Oscar spotlight.  I don’t think the toilet seat-shaped background is intentional, but it kinda works.  There’s not much else to say about it, which is both good and bad.  So I guess my score will celebrate those same principles.

My rating: 3

Elmo Not Bird!

Go ahead and Google “Sesame Street” and “Angry Birds”, and you’ll see a whole mess of parodies out there.  Thankfully, this one doesn’t tread on the same ground, which is a relief.  And it has some really clever uses of perspective, as well as a nice excuse for the front-and-back views.  I can’t say I’d be excited about wearing this one, but I can totally see it selling.  People sure do love those Irate Avians.

My rating: 4

Oscar the Couch

HAHAHAHAHA!  Oscar the Couch!  I don’t even need the visual, I’m laughing at the name.  Just perfect.

My rating: 5

Sweet Temptations

The Cookie Monster I know wouldn’t stop to think about it, he’d just dive head-first into the free samples pile.  Maybe he’s thinking hard about the best way to go about that.  Swan dive or cannonball?  Start chewing before he hits the cookies to save time?  Come up with a strategy to deal with the inevitable “floor crumbs”?

My rating: 5

Follow Bitter Big Bird

Any self-respecting Sesame Street fan knows that Big Bird does not smile when he’s painted blue.  But looking past that (which is difficult, believe me), I can’t get over how TINY he must be under that sign!  Look how little his feet are!  Who is this miniature blue bird, and why is he so intent on being followed??

My rating: 2

A Street by Any Other Name

I’m not sure this straightforward design is the best way to go, but I think the idea of a shirt with all the international Sesame Street logos is an inspired one.  And maybe slip a few fake ones in there.  I mean, who would know?  As far as I know, “Susam Sokagi” was totally made up!

My rating: 2

Ax3 + Hx3 = 1 Unforgettable Laugh

Even next to all those “The Count is a vampire” designs, this one is still the creepiest.  That isn’t a laugh that comes from the joy of counting, it’s a laugh that begins in the deep, dark recesses of one’s soul, where pain and suffering and doom are conceived, culminating in a chant to celebrate the utter agony and unrelenting torment of another human being.  Or maybe he just really likes the number 4.

My rating: 4

Sesame Corner Mondrian Street

I feel like some of these artists are just picking random pictures and slapping some eyes into them.  This actually isn’t a bad looking picture, but what’s the point?  Why does Sesame Street lend itself to the works of Piet Mondrian?  Or did they just see the squares and think that they wouldn’t be complete without a little Grover?  Please show your work on a separate sheet.

My rating: 2

Welcome to Sesame Street!

I’m curious as to what’s going on on the other side of that pole.  Is Cookie Monster precariously perched on Bert’s back?  Is Big Bird really that much taller than Ernie?  Am I just grasping for straws for something to talk about in regards to this picture???

My rating: 2

Oscar Recycling Dilemma

Oscar looks so naked without his can.  Thankfully he has so many fashionable options for a night out on the town!

My rating: 4

Japanese Cookie Monster

I can’t even tell you guys how terrifying the idea of a giant Cookie Monster who can shoot lasers out of his eyes is to me.  No carton of Oreos would be safe from his gaze, no tub of Edy’s Cookie Dough ice cream would make it out alive, not one of the nine ingredients required for the Tollhouse cookies recipe (or ten, including the optional chopped walnuts) would remain over the scorched earth left in his wake.  Anyway, I dig this design.

My rating: 5

Making Magic

Oh hell yes.  This is beautiful.  So very, very beautiful.  Notice how each puppeteer is drawn in the color of their signature Sesame Street character.  Also note how freaking brilliant it is.  Did you note that??  Well, note it again!

My rating: 5

A B See

Mike Boon already did the Sesame Street alphabet better than anyone else ever will, so this design just leaves me wanting more.  That’s not the fault of the artist at all, just the fact that Mike’s talent makes a lot of other people look bad.  It’s his fault, really.

My rating: 2

Let the Sesame Rumpus Begin!

Brilliant.  Not only are the “Where the Wild Things Are” characters inherently Muppety, but Maurice Sendak has a long history with Sesame Street.  He sat on the National Board of Advisors in the early years of the show, and he provided some cool animation spots too.  It’s like he invented the “friendly monster” concept, so this design is both appropriate and well-made.

My rating: 5

All the Wonderful Trash

This design does raise some interesting questions.  Where did Oscar’s can really come from?  They’re usually property of the city, but Oscar has not only moved in, but created a hammerspace for all of his belongings, pets, and a boom tube to Grouchland.  Could the city reclaim their property?  Well, they could probably try, but Oscar’s elephant Fluffy might prove to be quite the opposition.

My rating: 3

Elmo Loves Hugs!

Elmo’s hands taste like peanut butter! But Elmo doesn’t remember eating peanut butter today…

My rating: 1

One of These Things is Not Like the Others

I really dig this sort of simplistic style (as opposed to the eyes-and-nose thing that a lot of these contest entries contain).  The essence of the characters are solidified, and there’s a sense of motion and fun to them.  Except for Oscar, who I guess is taking a little nap.  But it’s okay, he’s an old man.  He deserves a rest.

My rating: 5

Silian Rail on Bone

In the early days of the internet, there was only one picture of Guy Smiley that anyone ever saw.  So it pleases me that we not only get to see a lot more of him these days (thanks mostly to the Muppet Wiki), but people are even creating fan art of everyone’s favorite game show host. This design mostly ignores the manic side of Smiley, but it still captures his look nicely.  And yes, I will gladly take one of your business cards.  I’ll call you if I ever find myself in need of a game show host.

My rating: 5

Groda

This video is quite possibly the best Grover/Yoda crossover that will ever be made.  But that doesn’t take away from the fact that this design is subtly hilarious for both Sesame and Star Wars fans.  Oh, and Frank Oz fans.  And fans of scratchy voices.  And small, mysteriously insightful characters.

My rating: 4

American Cookie

I’m not thinking about the fact that this scene takes place in someone’s sexual fantasy.  Uh uh, not thinking about that at all.  Not one synapse in my brain is firing at that thought.  Nope nope nope.  Ah crap, I thought about it!

My rating: 4

Super Grover No More

This isn’t Grover’s first time parodying Spider-Man, but it’s definitely the most clever.  It’s especially interesting since we usually see the Super Grover/Superman spoof, but this is a really clever use of Grover’s costume as well as the iconic(?) trash can.  I’m calling it now: This will be one of the big contenders by the end of the contest.

My rating: 5

The Eyes Tell All

I’ve seen this art style on official Sesame merch before (around the 40th anniversary, I think), and while it lends itself to a sense of play, watercolors, and imagination, it also teeters on the edge of just plain ol’ “messy”.  I’m not saying these sets of eyeballs are one or the other, but they definitely don’t pop enough to get me to commit to an opinion.  Except for Big Bird.  Dude looks like he’s been awake for a week and a half.

My rating: 2

Elmo Hugs You

This is what happens when Elmo wants to ask a baby, but is really impatient.

My rating: 3

Big Bird

What a nice picture of Big Bird’s back.  Now I understand why he moved from the forest to a back alley behind 123 Sesame Street.  That branch is not going to hold out very much longer!

My rating: 5

Dubber Rucky

Ernie’s Rubber Duckie has a very specific look to him.  Any changes, and he suddenly because any old duck you can buy at Bed Bath and Beyond.  Simplifying him and adding some strange lines to his wings only makes it look less like the bathtub toy we all like to sing about, and more like a real duck.  And nobody likes real ducks.

My rating: 1

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s…

There’s something inherently “South Park”-ish about this design.  Maybe it’s the blocky shapes or the solid colors, but I’m half expecting this Super Grover to be the butt of one of Cartman’s jokes.  This is a cute rendition of Grover’s alter ego, but not quite bold enough to make a statement.

My rating: 3

Doodlelmo

Elmo looks like he’s peering into the abyss and seeing for the first time that it’s full of stars.  And maybe, if he’s lucky, those stars will sing him a lullaby before he falls asleep!

My rating: 3

Cookie’s Revenge

Hey, it’s another Monster Cookie!  This one seems to be in the process of ripping Cookie Monster’s arms and legs off.  Makes sense though.  I hear the neck is the tastiest part.

My rating: 2

Bert and Ernie’s Big Adventure!

Hey, remember that time Bert and Ernie found a chicken who laid a giant egg?  Okay, here’s a better question: Remember that time there was a chicken who laid a giant egg, and then Bert and Ernie were there for some reason?  The answers to both are “no”, and the addendum is that there is no reason for Bert or Ernie to be present for this miracle of animal husbandry, nor does their attendance add anything to the tableau.  Just leave the chicken alone, guys.  Go home and put a banana in your ear or something.

My rating: 3

Cookies MacMonsta

This Cookie Monster/Pac-Man crossover is a bit more subtle than the last few.  I like the 3-D rending of Cookie’s head, and that it works both as a Pac-Man reference and a Sesame design.  It also works in making me want a floating cookie.

My rating: 4

Dali Confuses the Count

Wow.  I have no words.  Why this person decided to slap a picture of The Count in front of “The Persistence of Memory” is beyond me.  Maybe it’s because the clocks have numbers on them?  Or The Count likes things that are melty?  The title is “Dali Confuses the Count”, but it should be called “This Design Confuses Everyone”.

My rating: 1

Cookie King

I recently watched this episode of Sesame Street, which features Cookie Monster as “King Cookie” (with an unleashed and ad-libbing Frank Oz as Cookie Monster), and it was one of the funniest Sesame episodes I’ve seen in a long time.  (It’s also available on iTunes, if you’d like to see for yourself.)  Cookie Monster is the uncontested King of Cookies, whether it be a pile of cookies like this design or an entire country like in the episode.  It’s good to be the King.

My rating: 4

Singer

I know this is supposed to be a picture of Elmo coming out of a phonograph record, but it looks a lot more like he’s being fed into a wood chipper.  And now you can’t unsee it.

My rating: 1

ABCDEFCookie Monster!

This is it.  Everyone else can just go home.  This is the single most brilliant t-shirt idea I’ve ever seen in my years as a t-shirt design reviewer.  If this doesn’t get printed, I will personally ink this onto a shirt with my own blood.  Or better yet, I’ll get it tattooed across my chest.  And next time, Cookie Monster can sing with you; I’m leaving.

My rating: 5

Abducted

Oh no!  The eyeball aliens are stealing the world’s tennis balls!  Someone call the Men in Black!

My rating: 2

Cookies in My Pocket

This is a clever use of the fictional pocket.  I kinda wish Threadless would consider making shirts with real pockets in them.  Can you imagine wearing something that was both funny and could hold your spare change??? I’m getting sweaty just thinking about it.

My rating: 3

Yip Yip Drip

Sometimes someone will create a design, and the rest of us will slap our heads in frustration at the obviousness of it all.  I’ve never noticed how the Yip Yip Martians’ tentacles look like dripping paint, but it almost makes too much sense.  The shirt is artsy, and the Martians are a little messy and illogical.  And this is a design I’d totally consider buying.

My rating: 4

Curbside Pickup

This is what happens when Oscar the Grouch makes fun of the Transformers movie.  (We know this would never happen.  Oscar loves trash!)

My rating: 3

Telly Time

It’s nice that some people still remember Telly’s origin as the “Television Monster”.  His TV obsession doesn’t come up much, but it’s always interesting to see how it manifests itself.  (See “Trianglebob Trianglepants” for the best, and most hilarious, example of this.)  The outline of the Sesame Street gang in the background is a great touch too.  And we need more Telly merchandise, dammit!

My rating: 4

Street Education

If the Street really did give you your education, you’d know that the proper grammar would be “I got my education from the Street.”  And then the Cookie Monster head.

My rating: 2

Sesame Street Fighter

If you type “Sesame Street” into the search bar on DeviantArt, several of the most popular results are from this artist‘s “Sesame Street Fighter” series, merging the Sesame Street characters with their Street Fighter counterparts.  It’s a clever and popular concept, and it most certainly can’t be duplicated or piggybacked by a design with just the words from someone else’s idea.  It’s pretty lazy, and not even a good design.  But mostly lazy.

My rating: 1

Sesame Circle

Didn’t someone do this exact same design for one of last year’s entries, but with the Muppet characters instead?  I’m sure they did, but it’s hardly worth my time to go back and find out.  In any case, this person forgot to swap out one of the boxes, as Kermit (owned by Disney, and ineligible for this contest) is still in there.  Whoops.

My rating: 1

Ramupzel

Speaking of which, I have no idea how this got into the contest.  For those of you keeping track, Miss Piggy is not a Sesame Street character, and only Sesame Workshop-owned characters are allowed in the designs.  So unless there are some big changes in character ownership in the next few days, this one’s over and done.

My rating: 1

Monster Diet

I don’t know which is more disturbing: The fact that Cookie Monster has been swallowing cookies whole, or the fact that he apparently ate a microwave.

My rating: 2

Yipping for 40 Years!

Nice design.  The “Yips” around the shirt are what make it interesting to look at, especially since the Martians are just photoshopped from a stock image.  It’s a little unmemorable though.  But quite agreeable.  (“Yip yip yip yip…”)

My rating: 3

Abbey Street

This artist came so close (accidentally, I assume) to recreating the Sesame Road album cover!  At least they got it right by making Grover barefoot, giving us a clue into the fact that he died in a car crash and was replaced by Billy Shears.

My rating: 5

B is for Bromance

I love the vintage look to this design!  More shirts should do that, I don’t care if it’s out of style.  Bert’s pretty out-of-style, and I’d wear pretty much anything with him on it.

My rating: 4

Fast Cookies

What a terrible idea!  Two minutes after buying this bike, Cookie Monster will be seen carrying a tire-less bicycle frame on his shoulders, with the trace of cookie tire crumbs on his face.

My rating: 2

Shadow of the Count

Yet another “Nosferatu” reference, but this one has the numbers in the stairway, which is a great touch.  It’s easy to make The Count look like a scary vampire, but it’s more difficult to do that while staying true to his character as a number-obsessed educator.

My rating: 3

T is for Shirt!

Oh god, it’s so obvious.  Even the typewriter seems to be saying, “See?  Anyone could’ve come up with this idea!”  He also seems to be saying, “Noo nee noo nee noo”.

My rating: 5

Keep Smiling

This is what Guy Smiley looks like when he wears a blue suit on a clear day.  Or visits the weather studio’s greenscreen on the news.  Or gets his head and arm cut off by an angry game show contestant who just lost last night’s championship game.

My rating: 3

Bertnie

I think this is a clever way to show Bert and Ernie in one compact design.  It might’ve been enough to just show their faces (or half-faces), but the vertical lines really adds a lot to the texture and motion of the piece.  I dig it.

My rating: 4

The Blue Knight Returns

Not only would I jump at the chance to own a t-shirt with this design on it, but I’d pay good money for someone to write and illustrate a comic book with this cover.  Brilliant ideas like this should not be ignored!  Someone get on this!!!

My rating: 5

Can I Sleep Over?

When Woodstock says, “|| | ||| || |”, do you think he’s really singing “What’s the Name of That Song”?  I’m just gonna assume so from now on, if that’s cool with all of you guys.

My rating: 4

Friends in Black

With no real connection to Men in Black, this design falls completely flat.  The only thing I really like about it is their choice in pocket squares.  I hope Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones wear them in the next MiB movie.

My rating: 2

Om Nom Nom

Does someone out there think that these guys are Cookie Monster?  Not only are there two of them (an obvious tip-off), but to my knowledge, they have never shown interest in cookies or said “Om nom nom.”  It’s just like illegal aliens to come to our home and try to steal the job of a proud American!

My rating: 1

The Girls of the Street

Zoe looks like Ernie and Animal had a daughter and then left her in the wilderness to be raised by tree nymphs.  But hey, bonus points for the return of Rosita’s armpit wings!

My rating: 2

Hooper’s Bird Seed

I didn’t realize Mr. Hooper had his own brand of bird seed!  I guess he’d have to manufacture his own, what with all the milkshakes Big Bird orders  (and never pays for).

My rating: 5

S.S.P.D.

Has Elmo been deputized??  Uh oh, we’re all in trouble.  Tickling will be prohibited.  Fines will be doled out for anyone not speaking in the third person.  Marshall Law will be declared in Elmo’s World.

My rating: 2

Me Love Cookies

I don’t know what the impetus of this design was, but it ended up being a nice design.  It’s a little subtle, but subtle can be good.  I especially like how it just flat-out tells people how you feel about cookies.  No beating around the bush, those things are freaking great.

My rating: 3

Elmo Wants Big Bird’s Ice Cream

What should I complain about first?  The fact that Elmo is being greedy by demanding some of Big Bird’s ice cream, despite the fact that he’s holding ice cream right there in his hand?  Or should I ask why Big Bird needed to order nine scoops of multicolored dessert?  Or shall I bitch about the fact that Big Bird is using a spoon to eat ice cream on a cone??  Just lick it before it melts!  It’s not rocket science, Big Bird!!!

My rating: 2

Jim, Frank & Richard

I don’t like the Tron-esque colors of this design, but man, I want this on a t-shirt so badly.  It’s one of the most iconic Sesame Street behind-the-scenes photos ever, and I want to proudly display it on my person, please and thank you.

My rating: 5

The Real Caped Crusaders

We don’t see Mumford and The Count together very often, for obvious reasons, but they really do seem to compliment each other.  Especially as superheroes.  Mumford can use his magic to thwart evil, while The Count can use his vast wealth and keen accounting skills (it’s like being a detective, right??) to solve crimes.  Evildoers beware!!!

My rating: 4

Another 100 entries down, only a billion more to go!  Part 3 of our Threadless coverage will be online shortly!

Click here to look at a lot of t-shirts with Cookie Monster on them on the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com

Ryan: Hey there, Tough Pigs’ own Joe Hennes!

Joe: Hello, Mr. Roe!

Ryan: How would you — and I do mean YOU — like to play an exciting game of Random Muppet Challenge?

Joe: I can’t think of anything I would rather do. And there’s a Wii, like, three feet away from me right now. So that’s saying something.

Ryan: Someday Random Muppet Challenge will be available on Wii. And PS3, XBox 360, and ColecoVision.  But anyway, do you remember the rules from that time I played with our pal Anthony?

Joe: Mostly. But why not refresh me? And our oh-so-patient audience.

Ryan: This game is based on the magic of Muppet Wiki’s ”Random Muppet” button, which takes you to a randomly chosen Muppet character page every time you click it. For each round of play, one of us clicks the button, and reads the name of the character that comes up. Then it’s up to the other player to provide a basic description of the character, the Muppeteer who performed the character, and what production the character comes from.

Also, we’re on the honor system. It would be really easy for us to cheat by looking up the characters we’re supposed to be identifying from memory, but we’re not going to do that because Muppet fans don’t play that, yo.

Joe: Shoot no, homey! Also, I want to add that you are most definitely better at this game than me, since your Muppet memory is off the charts.

Ryan: Has someone been making charts of that?  I would love to see those charts. Another thing: We’re not going to cheat by looking at each other’s monitors. That’s right — ludicrous though it may seem, we’re typing these words to each other while sitting in the same room.

Joe: Right, we’re in adjoining desks at ToughPigs HQ.  Because… we have an HQ.

Ryan: Right. Say, where’s that intern with my coffee?

Joe: He left for Kinko’s a year ago and never came back. Okay, I’ll push the Wiki button first, and then you can show a chump like me how it’s done.

Ryan: Do your worst!

Joe: Okay, your first character is… George!

Ryan: Hmmm… Just “George?”

Joe: Well, there are some parentheses after his name, but I’m curious as to if you know which George.

Ryan: Does that mean the parentheses give away what production he’s from?

Joe: That is correct.

Ryan: Fair enough. So it’s probably not George the Janitor… and the George who fell into a brook and drowned himself in Rowlf’s song probably doesn’t have a wiki page… So I’m just going to go for a wild guess here.

Joe: Because you’re just wild about guesses!

Ryan: And guesses are just wild about me!  George is a rat from Mopatop’s Shop.  He was performed by Mike Quinn. And he came into the shop looking for a cheese grater.

Joe: You are going to kick yourself. Literally.  George is the Anything Muppet, played by Jerry Nelson, who sang about the two “G” sounds with Grover on Sesame Street.  Classic Georgie!

Ryan: GOSHDARN IT.  (Another G-word)  Man, I can’t believe I didn’t get that — and it’s a bizarre coincidence —  because as you know, I was just singing that song on the G subway train this past weekend.

Joe: I remember! I was with you, singing the Grover part.

Ryan: And you were in fine voice.  We should have put a hat out for people to toss money in. We would have made at least five G’s.

George

Ryan: So are you ready for your first Random Muppet?

Joe: I was born ready!  Which is strange, since I’m about 25 years older than the Wiki.

Ryan: Okay then. Tell me about… Andrew the Humpback Whale.

Joe: Well, let me just tell you all about that guy.

Ryan: Please do!

Joe: Because, as you may or may not know, Andrew (or Andy, to his pals) is my most favorite Muppet of all time!

Ryan: Weren’t you the one who started that petition for Palisades to make an Andrew the Humpback Whale figure?

Joe: Why, it seems like just yesterday when I saw him on The Animal Show, being performed by Bill Barretta, singing a song about being an ocean-dwelling mammal.

Ryan: You’re right about the Animal Show part, of course.

Joe: Of course!

Ryan: But he was performed by John Eccleston, whom I’m sure you will agree is a puppeteer that I don’t know who he is. He actually didn’t sing a song, he just told Stinky and Jake about different kinds of whales.  Also, according to the wiki, “He was interviewed in a leaky tank which started to flood the studio. By the end of the episode, the entire studio was flooded and Andrew had already swam out to sea.”

Joe: I suppose I could’ve said “talks about his species” for any Animal Show character, but I wanted to play the odds.

Ryan: Sure, why not go big? Speaking of which, there’s no picture, but I’d be really curious to see how big the Andrew puppet actually was.  Was it a life-size humpback whale?

Joe: I wonder if he was just an eyeball looking through an open doorway.

Ryan: No, that’s “Andrew the Creepy Co-worker.”

There's not a picture of Andrew on the wiki, but here's another Muppet whale.

Joe: Okay, I have an easy one for you.  Your Random Muppet is… Captain Pighead.

Ryan: Oh, I could explain this guy with both hands tied behind my back and typing with my nose!

Joe: Could you?

Ryan: Sure, like this: cagodtjnb st6cer whiornkre obn mupoiuetd tonigt

Joe: WRONG!  No points for you!

Ryan: Which translates to: Captain Pighead was the captain of the new Swinetrek in the “Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine: The Next Generation of Pigs in Space” sketches on Muppets Tonight.  He was performed by Steve Whitmire. And there was this one time where he became the personal slave of supermodel-with-no-last-name Vendela.

Joe: Yes, you are correct. Because you have actually bothered to pay attention during Muppets Tonight.

Ryan: It’s more because I’m a Vendela fan, really.  I especially loved Vendela Treasure Island. By the way: “Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine: The Next Generation of Pigs in Space.”  Is the title of that sketch long enough or what?

Captain Pighead

Ryan: Okay, here’s your next Random Muppet… Sam-I-Am.

Joe: He is Sam?  Sam he am!

Ryan: Yes, he am. He am Sam.

Joe: Well, he obviously am from The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss.

Ryan: Obviously.  And wubbulously. Wubbulobviously.

Joe: And I recall him trying to pawn off his moldy brunch on people.  And probably other lighthearted wackiness on the TV show.

Ryan: I’ll allow that.  The wiki says he’s a “helpful if still cajoling figure.”  So if you need anyone cajoled, he’s your man.  Your man he am.

Joe: Having seen exactly one episode of the show, I’m going to have to make a random guess at the performer.

Ryan: I’ll give you a hint: Not Stephanie D’Abruzzo.

Joe: Thanks, bro. I’m going to have to guess… Peter Linz?  Was he even on that show?

Ryan: In fact, it was Mr. John Kennedy.

Joe: Ah, John Kennedy!

Ryan: He was Sam.  Sam he wam.

Joe: John was Sam, Sam was on a TV show I didn’t watch.

Ryan: Dr. Seuss totally should have written a book about you not watching a TV show!

Joe: What do you think Hop on Pop was really about?

Ryan: Whoa, you’re right.  Not once in Hop on Hop does Dr. Seuss ever depict Joe Hennes watching TV.

Joe: And stomping on my father was one of my favorite non-TV pasttimes!

Sam-I-Am

Joe: Okay, here’s your next Muppet of Randomness.

Ryan: Lay it on me!

Joe: Co-Dependence Day therapist.

Ryan: What is it with me and Muppets Tonight characters?

Joe: The Muppet Wiki has gained sentience and is targeting you!!

Ryan: So this guy — as his name suggests! — was in the “Co-Dependence Day” sketch.

Joe: WRONG.  Okay, right.

Ryan: As I recall, he was performed by Dave Goelz, and he served as a moderator in a therapy session between the president (played by Jerry Nelson) and an alien named Meepzorp (played by Steve Whitmire).  And boom goes the dynamite.

Joe: You are good.  Or cheating.  Probably cheating.

Ryan: Not cheating. Just a nerd.

Joe: Same thing, when you think about it.  (I have no idea what I meant by that.)

Ryan: While all the other boys were outside playing football, I was at home watching and re-watching Muppets Tonight.

Joe: In preparation for THIS GAME. Was it worth it, Ryan??  Losing your football scholarship?

Ryan: I have no regrets.

Joe: And the NFL Draft?

Ryan: No regrets!

Joe: And the other.. sports.. references?

Ryan: Okay, okay. I regret “Tales from the Vet.”

Joe: Yeah, everybody regrets that.

Co-Dependence Day therapist

Ryan: Okay, now let me ask you: Are you mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared for your next Random Muppet?

Joe: Yes/Yes/No.  Let’s do this thing.

Ryan: Your Muppet is… Mac.

Joe: Mac?  MAC????

Ryan: And before you say anything: No, it’s not the lovable alien from the classic motion picture Mac and Me.  He was most definitely not a Muppet.

Joe: You totally knew that I was going to make that reference.  Okay.  You can do this, Joe. It’s just mind over matter.  Don’t forget to breathe…

Ryan: There’s a chance that it’s buried somewhere in your brain. Or perhaps you can divine the answer by tapping into the collective consciousness that links all of our minds together on a cosmic level.  Or just make something up.

Joe: Mac is the second singer in “Meet Me at the Bus Stop” on Sesame Street, performed by Jim Henson, opposite “Joe” as performed by Jerry Nelson.  YEAH!  NAILED IT!

Ryan: I admire how specific you got there.  And I love that song, which makes waiting at the bus stop sounds like the coolest thing ever.

Joe: That means I’m right, right????  RIGHT???

Ryan: You are 0% right.

Joe: Oh, balls.

Ryan: Mac is the dog who sweeps up the Dog House bar in Dog City on The Jim Henson Hour. ”Let sweeping dogs lie” and that whole gag.

Joe: Wow. If Mac was anywhere in the recesses of my mind, he was buried deeper than his own bone.

Ryan: Well, dig this: He was performed by Steve Whitmire in one scene, and by Rickey Boyd in another!

Joe: And somehow, I didn’t guess either one. Bummer.

Ryan: Doggone, you might say.

Mac

Joe: Okay, I’ve got another Random Muppet for ya.  And it’s NOT from Muppets Tonight.

Ryan: Aw, I was hoping it would be Refined Young Cannonball #3.

Joe: Nope. It’s Tungar the Tiger!

Ryan: The fact that his name is “[Name] the [Animal]” suggests that he’s from the Animal Show.

Joe: It does suggest that.

Ryan: And I’m going to say he was performed by Bill Barretta, and he showed a film about how tigers use their stripes to camouflage themselves from predators.  And then he told everyone to buy gas at Exxon.

Joe: Sadly, you are incorrect on all counts.  It was Shell, not Exxon.  Tungar is one of the stars of your favorite Muppet production: Panwapa!

Ryan: Oh!

Joe: You should know this, since you have that Panwapa tattoo.

Ryan: Yeah, but my tattoo is of Azibo.  It’s been a while since I saw that Panwapa stuff. I did enjoy it, though… It’s too bad it never quite took off as a TV show, or whatever they were trying to do with it.

Joe: Well, if it had, you’d know that Tungar was performed by Nigel Plaskitt and Martin Robinson.

Ryan: Both of them? At the same time?

Joe: Yep. Nigel did the voice, Martin did the puppetry.  And Tungar teaches sheep how to play football.  So, that’s a thing.

Ryan: Somebody’s got to do something to keep those sheep off the streets.

Joe: It’s either that or selling candy on the subway.

Ryan: “Excuse me, ladies and gentleman! Would anyone like to BAAAAA some candy?”

Joe: “Unfortunately, all I have today is M&M Peanut and Starburst. And bales of hay.”

Tungar the Tiger (left)

Ryan: Okay, Joe. Here comes your next Random Muppet!  Are you ready for this?  I’m not sure you’re going to be ready for this. Because it’s Haman’s Ear.

Joe: Wow.  The whole ear?

Ryan: I know, right?!

Joe: The Muppet Wiki is an amazing thing.

Ryan: It really, really is.

Joe: Okay, so there’s not a whole lot of Purim-related Muppet stuff, so that narrows it down.  It’s either Rechov Sumsum or Shalom Sesame.

Ryan: See, you have an advantage here simply because you know what Purim is.

Joe: Finally, a good use for all that Hebrew school!

Ryan: If you were a lifelong Presbyterian, you would be out of luck on this one.

Joe: I’m gonna guess that he’s from the Purim episode of Shalom Sesame.  And he’s not an actual ear, just a vizier-like guy who assists the evil Haman. (Booooo!)  And he’s performed by David Rudman. (Hissssss!)

Ryan: That’s a great guess!  Unfortunately, it’s wrong.

Joe: BOOOOOO!

Ryan: “On Rechov Sumsum, in a Purim episode, Moishe Oofnik, as Haman, explains how he invented the pastry [hamantashen], having rejected Haman’s Foot and Haman’s Nose.”

Joe: I should’ve known Moishe Oofnik was behind it!

Ryan: “In a follow-up segment, Kippi Ben Kippod reports that a giant Haman’s Ear has escaped from a bakery in Ramat Gan. This monstrous, ravenous foodstuff, with a lolling tongue and sharp teeth but no limbs, proceeds to chase Moishe around the studio.”

Joe: Wow.

Ryan: A sentient, bloodthirsty hamantashen!

Joe: I’m totally okay with not having guessed that.  Because it’s ridiculous.

Ryan: In Israeli Sesame Street, hamantashen eat YOU!

Joe: Boo.

Haman's Ear

Joe: I think you’re rigging this contest. Because you’re getting all the easy ones.  Your next Muppet is… Chuckie.   It is also.. not fair!

Ryan: The only Chuckie I know (besides Telly’s pet hamster Chuckie Sue, of course) is Fozzie’s ventriloquist’s dummy.  When he spoke, he was performed by Jerry Nelson, but he failed to deliver the punchline in Fozzie’s ventriloquist act, mostly because Fozzie didn’t understand how puppets work.  I think that was in the Edgar Bergen episode.  Of The Muppet Show.

Joe: Man.  This game.  Watch, my next Random Muppet will be “Charlotte the Stoat”, and then your next one will be “Grover.”

Ryan: Ha!  Although it’s worth noting that there are probably lots of people who would call themselves Muppet fans who couldn’t tell you who Chuckie was.

Joe: That’s possible. But you are not most fans, friend.

Ryan: By the way, Joe: Who was that lady I saw you with last night?

Joe: That was no lady, that was Charlotte the Stoat.

Chuckie, with Fozzie

Ryan: Here’s another Random Muppet comin’ at ya… Stan (police officer).

Joe: Okay, I think I can get this one.

Ryan: I think you can.

Joe: He’s the MAN!  I’m his biggest FAN.  I’ve got this one in the CAN!  Stan’s the cop who arrests the guy trying to steal the Golden AN on Sesame Street, and he’s performed by… Jim Henson, I think?

Ryan: Not to be confused with Jim HensAN.

Joe: Why would anyone.. nevermind.

Ryan: But yes, you are correct.

Joe: Oh, thank the Good Frog!  This game is finally going according to my PLAN!

Stan busts Lefty

Joe: Your next Random Muppet is the one and only Galahad!

Ryan: Galahad is a frog! He was in The Frog Prince, where he joined his fellow frogs in telling Robin how much fun it was to be a frog!  And he was performed by… Frank Oz!

Joe: You would be 100% correct… if we were talking about Gawain!

Ryan: Awwwwww.

Joe: This dude isn’t a frog at all.  Not even close!

Ryan: GASP!  I thought all those frogs were named after knights of the Round Table.

Joe: Galahad is a knight (natch), played by Kevin Clash.

Ryan: Oh!  Was he on Muppets Tonight?

Joe: From the way this game has been going, that’s really the only possible answer.

Ryan: In an Elvis sketch?

Joe: You betcha!  And the King Elvis makes fun of his name.  The “Gal I Had’, etc.

Ryan: Sure. That’s what I would do if I knew anyone named Galahad. If anyone reading this is named Galahad, please write in and let me know so I can make fun of you.

Galahad

Ryan: Okay, here’s a Random Muppet for you… Bart.

Joe: Well, I can think of a few Barts.  It’s probably not Bad Bart, the black hatted cowboy. Or Bart the Bear, the famous ursine movie star.  Or Bart Simpson, the spiky-haired non-Muppet.

Ryan: He was a puppet, though, on that one Christmas episode.

Joe: He sure was! Still not a Muppet, though.  Just a poser.

Ryan: But not a poser Muppet.

Joe: An important difference. Bart is Bert’s brother.  They may be twins, because they have the same floppy arms and little tuft of hair.  And he laughs like “HWAAA HWAA HWAA!”  And he may be Brad’s father, but that has yet to be confirmed.  And he is played (with gusto) by Frank Oz. On the Sesame Streets.

Ryan: ”Gusto” is right. Bart is hilarious.

Joe: He’s one of my favorite one-off Sesame characters.  Mostly because of the HWAAs.

Ryan: Exactly. And yet, that’s exactly why I would never want to sit next to him at a restaurant.

Joe: There are few Muppets who I would want to sit next to at a restaurant.

Bart

Joe: Okay, so let’s tally up the scores.  Because this article is getting to be pretty long.

Ryan: It sure is!  Well, if we use actual math, you have a total of 9 points.  And… I… have… a total… of…

Joe: The suspense is giving me a slight sense of uncomfortableness!

Ryan: 9 points! It’s a tie!

Joe: Whaaaaa???

Ryan: Can you believe it?

Joe: Are you using the Metric system?

Ryan: Good game, old chap.

Joe: Yes, good game, old bean.

Ryan: Too bad we can’t shake hands across the internet.  Oh wait, you’re still sitting in the same room as me!

Joe: It’s true. Though I still don’t want to touch.  But I’ll give you a “good game” wave!

Ryan: Oh hey, you really waved at me.  I should wave back.  Okay, I’m waving back at you! Do you see me waving?

Joe: Eh, nope. I’m already watching Game of Thrones in the other room.

Click here to brag that you totally knew all of these on the Tough Pigs forum!

by Ryan Roe – Ryan@ToughPigs.com

• SesameStreet.org is the People’s Voice winner in Websites – Home/Welcome Page
• The Never-Ending Mahna Mahna Phenomena is the People’s Voice winner in Websites – Movie and Film
• SesameStreet.org is the Webby winner in Websites – Youth
• The Muppet Show Theme Song (with OK Go) is the People’s Voice winner for Online Film & Video – Viral

Congrats to everyone involved!  And watch the awards ceremony, hosted by Patton Oswalt, on May 21 at 4:30pm EST on WebbyAwards.com.  With any luck, the Muppets will be back again to deliver one of their five-word acceptance speeches!

Click here to visit the People’s Voice winner for best Muppet fan forum, the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com

Threadless has once again deemed the Muppets worthy of another contest, but this time they’re focusing on the Sesame Street family.  As of this writing, there are over 260 entries, so we’ll be tackling them with some reviews a bunch at a time.  With a little luck, we’ll get them all online before the contest ends!  (Click here for contest and entry rules.)

Just like last year, I’ll be talking up (or down) each of the entries.  Apologies in advance if I end up dissing your design.  These are just my opinions, and everyone is allowed and encouraged to disagree with me.  Some notes about how I vote: I love originality in theme and design.  Catering to my “Muppet Fanatic” side will get you bonus points.  I generally despise the theft of others’ ideas and when I can blatantly tell where you took an image from.  Also, my ratings hardly matter.

So let’s get to it!  Remember to click on the images to embiggen, and then click on the links below to cast your own vote!

The Street / Grouching

These two entries were made by the same person, so I bunched them together.  They’re also the ones that helped kick off this contest, and already I’m torn.  One of my biggest rules is that the stealing of images is wrong and should be punished.  And both of these pictures are stock photos of the Sesame gang and Oscar, with just a little Photoshop filtering.  But I’ll be damned if they didn’t come out looking good.  I’d buy a t-shirt of either of these designs.  Still, it’s getting a low rating from me, if only because it takes away from some of the talented and creative artists we’ll be seeing later in this contest.

My rating: 2

Origins / Origins 2

The Sesame references are subtle in these designs, which is exactly what I love about them.  Ideally, I’d rather have an actual Bert or Ernie striped shirt, rather than a t-shirt with striped screen printed onto the front.  Also, I’d want the Bert shirt to come with a pair of saddle shoes.  It just wouldn’t work without them.

My rating: 3

Sesame Twister

Right foot Elmo?  The Twister motif gets a little lost here, but we can ignore the design titles in this contest since no one will know the titles when they see you wearing the shirt.  I want to say this is a cute idea, but the end result is a little dull.  Then again, I can see a set of coasters like this.  Can someone at Sesame licensing get on that??

My rating: 3

Respect!

Wait, Oscar is throwing trash away??  This design loses points for inaccuracies!!!  Except that it doesn’t, because I think it’s hilarious.

My rating: 4

Oscar the Prankster

Strangely enough, this design was entered by someone different from the one above.  Coincidence??  Or a sneaky move by a desperate artist?  In any case, I don’t like it as much as the previous one.  It’s a lot less subtle, and nobody thinks of Oscar as being scary.  He’s a grouch, not a monster!

My rating: 3

Stripe the Street

In the other contests, we ended up with a lot of designs that featured stock sketches of the characters’ faces in simple rainbow patterns.  We’re bound to get a bunch of them again, and this is the first of many.  The Sesame gang does lend itself to rainbow colors a little more than the Muppets (as seen here, in reverse ROYGBIV), but it still feels a little uninspired, despite the cute factor.

My rating: 2

Who Says I’m Imaginary?

Someone Photoshopped a picture of Snuffy, entered it into a design contest which often has professional artists as participants, and assumed it could be in the running to win.  This is a thing that has happened, folks.

My rating: 1

Sibling Love

And then you get a Snuffy picture that just  melts your heart!  Now I feel like a jerk for mocking the last one.  But maybe I can get over it by thinking of this design as an Alice shirt.  Yeah, that worked.  Go Alice!

My rating: 4

Telly / Grover

Here’s another duo from the same artist.  And while I love Grover’s expression, as well as the idea of a Telly shirt, there’s one thing that would make these designs amazing, but won’t happen: Texture! You can see the grains of fur drawn into the faces, and they’d be double awesome if they could actually be made to be fuzzy.  Unfortunately, I doubt that’s in Threadless’ budget, so these will go down as just “pretty good character heads”.

My rating: 3

Deleting Cookies

The “Cookie Monster deletes cookies” joke has been done to death.  And then done some more to reanimate its corpse.  And then killed once again.  This one gets a bonus point for the poor cookies trying to escape certain doom, but then loses it again because I thought that was a TV at first.  Nom indeed.

My rating: 2

Big Bird on a Wire

This might be our very first contender!  It’s a little too simple to win, but it’s the best design yet.  It’s funny, it has a great rendition of Big Bird, and the design work is unique (just look at that shadow).  Though if you think about it too long, you’ll notice that those telephone poles are only about 9′ high.

My rating: 5

Life in Technicolor / Say Elmo

This artist made one picture, then zoomed in to make the second.  Since he spent so little time on image #2, I thought I’d do the same with my review.  The rainbow picture is pretty cute, and would probably work well as a kid’s shirt.  But in the end, it’s pretty forgettable.  The closeup, even moreso.  See?  You’ve forgotten it already!

My rating: 2

C is for Cookie

I love a design that only hints at the Sesame Street characters and concepts without actually infringing on any copyrighted material.  This blob of letters and eyeballs would make a really fun and recognizable t-shirt.  And I can envision a sequel with The Count and the number sponsor, or Murray and the Word of the Day, or Mumford and the daily dark magic incantation.

My rating: 5

Caution! Cookie Monster

Ever wonder how the deer know to cross at the “Deer Crossing” sign??  I’m thinking the same thing here.  Cookie Monster is notorious for showing up wherever cookies may be, so what sort of warning could the sign provide?  Unless people are instructed to only eat their cookies near the sign.  Or if there are signs everywhere.

My rating: 2

Elmo / Cookie Monster

Here’s another one that would benefit from being fuzzy, rather than screen printed.  The 3-D effect could make it look like Elmo is really reaching out to you, or Cookie Monster is really handing you two cookies.  And really, isn’t the flawed logic of the latter the reason why that design would never work??

My rating: 3

REVENGE

Oh boy, it’s a t-shirt based on everyone’s favorite Sesame Street character, the Monster Cookie!  Nothing terrifying about that guy at all.  Kids love him, parents want to be him.  Oh, and Cookie Monster is in there somewhere too.

My rating: 3

Circle of Friends

We don’t really get to see the dejected, melancholic Bert very often.  Maybe he’s sad because his unibrow has been dyed orange.  Or, more likely, he’s upset at being included in a dull, lazy t-shirt design.

My rating: 1

Elmo

Yep, that’s Elmo from Sesame Street alright.  My favorite part about this one is that the designer didn’t even bother to remove Sesame Workshop’s copyright.  There’s something admirable about someone being so proud of their image theft. But then again, there really isn’t.

My rating: 1

I Wonder

Oh, this is just lovely.  It’s based on Ernie’s Daytime Emmy-nominated song “I Wonder“, but it’s also reminiscent of “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon” (aka, That Song That Makes You Cry), enough so that both fans of the current show and the classic episodes would get something out of it.  It’s also an interesting angle on Ernie that we don’t see very often, and it really shows that sense of wonder on his face.  This design really speaks to me, so I’m giving it a high rating.  So there.

My rating: 5

A Lovely Bunch

So, the Sesame Street name is the “Alice”?  I guess that makes as much sense as The Count as the “Cindy”.

My rating: 2

Bite Out of Life

Okay, so one of two things is happening here.  Either Cookie Monster has found a giant cookie, which doubles as lunch and a bed, or Cookie Monster has shrunk down to the size of a cookie, allowing him to enjoy his tininess in a way only he can.  If it’s the latter, then I hope nobody passing by thinks he’s just a dollop of blue frosting and decides to have a little snack.

My rating: 3

Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip… / A Little Yip

This artist managed to create two Yip Yip t-shirts in two totally different styles.  The first one, based off a stock photo, makes for the better t-shirt design, but the second one is an original sketch.  It does look a little strange with the tentacles splayed out like that, as if it was a squid rather than a floating space alien.  Uh huh, uh huh.

My rating: 3

Grover

Wow, what a great idea for a shirt!  Too bad it already exists.

My rating: 2

News Flash!

Confession: I own a bootleg “Sesame Street News Flash” t-shirt, and it is amazing and there’s no reason why it doesn’t officially exist.  That said, this is a nice variation on the theme, with the hat and microphone standing in for Kermit (who can’t be included in this contest due to the fact that he’s owned by Disney).  Still, the design would work a bit better without them, and I can prove it.  Bootleggedly.

My rating: 4

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Is it just me, or is there something genuinely “Troy and Abed”-esque about this one?  In any case, this design is hilarious.  Everyone should dress like Bert once in a while.  Or at least make a Bert’s Head party hat.

My rating: 4

Doing the Brrr Brrrr Pigeon

Y’know, I would buy the hell out of a shirt that has this picture of Bert on it.  That hat, the saddle shoes, the awkward dancing position.  It’s just gold.  The pigeon adds exactly nothing, but I’d sacrifice that much to own this shirt.

My rating: 4

41… 41 Seasons!

This would’ve made for a great shirt… two years ago.  Or for someone celebrating that “41st birthday” milestone.  Even if Sesame wasn’t entering their 43rd season this year, it’s the kind of design that would only work for a year.  Then it’s outdated, obsolete, and relegated to the bottom of a t-shirt drawer.

My rating: 1

This is Bert

I can only assume that this artist wanted to mimic the stripes of Bert’s shirt, but I’m thrown as to why they would’ve made them diagonal, rather than vertical.  I actually would’ve liked to see that, possibly next to an Ernie silhouette with horizontal stripes.  Opportunity: Missed.

My rating: 2

You Make Elmo Giggle

I know this is supposed to be a picture of Elmo covering his mouth as he laughs, but all I see is Elmo trying to block his face from the paparazzi.  “Elmo said no pictures, you TMZ vultures!!”

My rating: 2

I LOVE ELMO

This t-shirt technically says, “I Elmo Elmo”.  And if Elmo was reading it, he’d say, “Elmo Elmo Elmo”.  Think about that, folks.

My rating: 1

The Incredible Grouch

This really is incredible.  And topical!  (The Avengers: In theaters May 4!)  I wonder how Oscar keeps that trash can lid on his head as he rampages through the city…

My rating: 5

Terrorizing the Waters of Sesame

I totally dig the Jaws pastiche, but I really love the use of watercolors in this image.  It could’ve been a pretty simple design, but the style really makes it pop.  And now I’m doubly afraid to go in the water.

My rating: 5

I Heart Sesame

Aw, this is cute.  It’s a great use of the characters, with a style that suggests the Sesame house style.  If anything, it’s a little too similar to the Sesame style, which will probably keep it from standing out against the artsier entries in this contest.  But I love it anyway.

My rating: 5

C is for Cookie

Here’s the first entry by ToughPigs’ own Mike Boon, the chap responsible for the Muppet and Sesame Street alphabet posters.  In that vein, he’s taken “C is for Cookie” literally.  And fuzzily.

My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.

Mr. Potato Bert

Bert got Picasso-ized!  This is a really cute idea, and I guess Bert lends himself to being Potato Headed more than most characters.  Still, the end result isn’t actually attractive.  The red dots look like acne at first glance, and the eyeball on the ground is a little disturbing.  Still, A for effort.

My rating: 4

The Moon Cookie Monster

What if the moon was a cookie?  Well, Cookie Monster probably wouldn’t be wasting time holding a Sesame Street sign, he’d be fashioning his own Tower of Babel to get up there and destroy the earth’s tides.

My rating: 2

Cookie Monster Surprise

This design looks like it could be a pre-existing Sesame design, stolen by the artist for this contest.  But for the life of me, I can’t find any proof of that claim.  So either they managed to take a rarely-used design, or they mimicked the Sesame house style so well, it fooled me.  I suppose we’ll have to assume the latter, which makes it a decent design, but hardly a contender in the contest.  But really, I’m just bitter about the possibility of being “fooled”.

My rating: 3

Cookie Love

Aww, Cookie Monster’s in love!  And then he took a bite out of his ladyfriend’s cranium.  If that doesn’t mean true love, I don’t know what does.

My rating: 3

Fungi Street

Huh.  Cookie Monster and Oscar, eating mushrooms.  That’s a possibility for a thing you could wear on a t-shirt someday.  It’s also a great lesson for kids: Feel free to eat stuff you find on the ground!  Especially strange fungi!

My rating: 1

Besties

Bert looks a little better than Ernie here, but even if they both looked pristine, they still wouldn’t be good enough for this contest.  Smilin’ buddies may be heartwarming, but they’re not contest winners.  Sorry bros.

My rating: 2

Count On Me

This is a nice twist on the “tuxedo shirt” idea, and a subtle nod to The Count’s outfit.  Unfortunately for this artist, I cheated and looked ahead in the contest, and I found a much better variation on this idea.  So although this one came first, it’s still only number 2.  Ah ah ah.

My rating: 3

The Count

I usually dig pictures of The Count that showcase his vampirism, reminding us that a murderous beast lives on Sesame Street.  This is a nice nod toward that side of The Count without going overboard with the fangs and blood and screaming villagers.

My rating: 4

Best Friends!

Wow, Bert and Ernie are really excited to see your nipples!

My rating: 2

Cookiee

The longer I stare at this picture, the stranger it seems that Cookie Monster is just holding that cookie in between his lips.  It’s rare that we’d see a picture of him eating a cookie when the cookie isn’t blurred by the motion of being thrown into his mouth and crumbled into tiny flying pieces.

My rating: 2

The Usual Suspects

This artist made a few variations on his design, including one without the eyes, and that probably would’ve been preferable to this one, since OH GOD THEY’RE STARING AT ME MAKE THEM STOP!!!

My rating: 3

Them All

Hey, more creepy eyes!  I’m not sure what this artist was going for, since he uses the rectangular bodies, but the designs of the characters are supposed to be thinner (look at Bert and Ernie’s shirts).  It’s a strange use of space, and a lack of dedication to the design.  If it was planned out better, it might’ve made up for the strangeness of seeing square Muppets.

My rating: 2

Last Day’s Meal

So Cookie Monster is Jesus?  Yeah, okay.  I can see that.  I would’ve liked to have gotten more out of this idea, with all of the disciples and their Muppet counterparts, in their “Last Supper” positions.  Elmo can even be Judas.

My rating: 2

Lala La La, Lala La La

And the seas shall boil with the blood of Elmo!

My rating: 3

Block Friends

I have nothing new to say.  Because neither did the artist.

My rating: 1

<3 Elmo

This is a nice, simple Elmo design.  I imagine the heart will go over the t-shirt wearer’s heart, and Elmo will be dancing along the ribcage.  Where he belongs!!!  (Nope, I had no idea what I meant by that.)

My rating: 3

Hello Elmo

Elmo is full of tinier Elmos!  We have reached critical mass, folks.

My rating: 3

Head back here soon for part two of our Threadless Sesame Street T-shirt Design Contest coverage!

Click here to make the creepy eyes stop staring on the ToughPigs forum!

by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com