Since November 10th, 1969, one show has been asking the same question: "Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?" It's been 44 years since the show's first episode, and Sesame Street is still going strong. Yet many things have changed in the last four decades: Kermit has left the show, Cookie Monster has eaten fruit, and Mr. Snuffleupagus is no longer invisible. But the one thing that hasn't changed is the celebrity guest appearances. Starting with James Earl Jones in 1969, the children's show has used the draw of celebrity guests to engage parents watching with their kids. A rep for the show says Sesame Street "has a long history of working with celebrities across all genres, including athletes, actors, musicians and artists. Sesame Street has always been written on two levels, for the child and adult ... because we know that a child learns best when co-viewing with a parent or care-giver."
So in honor of 44 years of Big Bird and the gang, here are some of the most memorable Sesame Street celebrity performances. This list was brought to you by the letter L and the number 10.
1. R.E.M performs "Furry, Happy Monsters". This version is arguably even better than the original and is guaranteed to stay in your head all day — but in a good way.
2. Norah Jones sings "Don't Know Y." (Get it? GET IT?!)
3. Neil Patrick Harris sings a song about pajamas that has only one word in it, but is frustratingly catchy.
4. Feist counts to four.
5. Katy Perry plays with Elmo and sparks "Boobgate" because she wore a low-cut dress and ran around. The segment was considered too scandalous and was pulled from the show when angry mothers protested that suddenly their husbands were taking too much of an interest in the children's TV show. Behold, the power of the boobgate.
6. Jack Black has trouble defining "octagon" when his example of one goes "octa-gone."
7. Anderson Cooper hosts a GNN segment alongside grouchy muppet newscasters Dan Rather-Not and Walter Cranky.
8. Ben Stiller sings about friends and neighbors and pokes fun at himself while dressed as a giant slice of cheddar cheese.
Muppet: "Ben, what are you dressed as?"
Ben: "I'm a person in the neighborhood. I'm a cheese!"
9. Amy Poehler: queen of everything.
Elmo: "Miss Amy, how do you like to exercise?
Amy: "Hahaha Elmo, you're hilarious."
10. Little Richard sings "Rubber Duckie" while sitting in the only place appropriate for singing such a song — a bathtub.
