Deep Dive: Tiny Desk Sesame Street

If you aren’t familiar with NPR Music’s Tony Desk Concert series, you can read the Wikipedia article. However, all you really need to know is that the public radio project has been featuring intimate performances by a variety of artists for about 15 years now. I’ve only seen a few that I’ve happened upon in my worldwide web travels but imagine my surprise when I came across one featuring the cast of SESAME STREET! It was recorded in June of 2019 and features some of the show’s beloved Muppets (Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, Grover, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Abby Cadabby and Zoe) singing musical numbers from the long-running children’s series. See and hear for yourself…

Our Speaker Today

David Brooks has been a political analyst for PBS NEWSHOUR for two decades. He’s also worked for The New York Times, The Washington Times, The Atlantic Monthly and NPR, among others. In 2015, Brooks took the stump (see for yourself) to offer advice to the graduating class of Dartmouth College. His address was humorous and sincere, giving thoughts to love, virtue, character and wisdom. The audio is a little low [side note: not really – PC I was watching it on had low audio] and the bloke behind him checking his watch should realize he’s on camera but nonetheless it’s a good speech from a personality with PBS ties…

Our Speaker Today

Charlayne Hunter-Gault is a civil rights activist and journalist, known to many PBS viewers as a correspondent for the PBS NEWSHOUR (in its various incarnations). She was one of the first African-American students to enroll in the University of Georgia in 1961 and there she studied journalism. In her decades-long career, Hunter-Gault worked for the New York Times and NPR, as well as PBS, and received two Emmys and a Peabody for her reporting. In 2016, Charlayne Hunter-Gault delivered the commencement speech at the University of Richmond in Virginia. Enjoy this address from a celebrated, talented and learned member of the extended PBS family…

Hey, It’s Photo Friday!

You may have heard of StoryCorps. Founded by radio producer David Isay, its “mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.” The project started in 2003, born out of Sound Portraits Productions, and has since recorded the stories of more than half a million people. These pieces have aired on NPR and some have been animated and aired as fillers on PBS stations. I know we’ve utilized them for years and they can be hilarious and heartwarming and powerful and emotional and everything you want good stories to be.

A while back, I came across this poster StoryCorps apparently sent to member stations to remind them of the availability of these animated offerings. I keep it pinned to a board in my office.

Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

An utterly conventional woman lands in Manhattan with an unusually rebellious teenager as her ward. See what happens as Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey) stars in THE CHAPERONE on MASTERPIECE – Friday night at 9 on the Explorer Channel.

David Oyelowo (MI-5) talks about playing the long game in an Esquire interview.

Ring in the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna City Ballet at the Musikverein. Hugh Bonneville hosts FROM VIENNA: THE NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION 2022 on GREAT PERFORMANCES – Saturday at 8pm on PBS NC.

Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

Follow Northern Arapaho tribal members as they travel to Pennsylvania to retrieve the remains of children who died at an Indian boarding school in the 1880s. More than a century later, will these Native American boys finally come home? Tune in as INDEPENDENT LENS presents HOME FROM SCHOOL: THE CHILDREN OF CARLISLE – Tuesday at 9pm on PBS NC.

The Power Of The Dog is the latest film starring Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock). NPR reviews the Jane Campion film, calling it “a tightly wound psychological thriller that just happens to play out on an epic canvas.”

It became an instant classic when it debuted on MASTERPIECE in January. On Thanksgiving, relive the delightful tales of veterinary life in the Yorkshire Dales with a season one ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL MARATHON! The fun starts Thursday afternoon at 1 on PBS NC.

RIP Neil Innes (1944-2019)

I think it’s safe to say that Neil Innes was never a household name but any true fan of British comedy should well recognize the songwriter and comedian who was a frequent collaborator of the Monty Python gang. Sadly, Neil Innes passed away of natural causes on Sunday at the age of 75.

Innes was a member of the avant-garde Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, a music group which appeared in the English children’s series Do Not Adjust Your Set (a show probably most famous for featuring then-future Pythonites Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam) and in the Beatles film Magical Mystery Tour. He was also instrumental in the creation and implementation of the Rutles, a pseudo-parody of the Beatles, which spawned TV specials and actual LPs.

Innes’ work with Monty Python included bits in the comedy series, record albums, stage shows and films. He appears to be one of the only two non-Pythons (along with the late Douglas Adams) to be credited with writing the groundbreaking series Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

Certainly it can be assumed that Monty Python would still be the force it is in comedy without Neil Innes but since music has become so much a part of the group’s oeuvre it’s hard to imagine Python without him.

To celebrate the man and his music, let’s check out his appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series from 2011…

Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

Learn the untold story of how tens of thousands of gay federal workers were either fired or denied employment in the 1950s. Relive THE LAVENDER SCARE – Tuesday night at 9 on UNC-TV.

Congratulations to Sir Michael Palin! The Pythonite received his knighthood from Prince William last week.

Wednesday Trivia Question

What was the title of the short-lived animated series starring Click and Clack of CAR TALK?

Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

Meet three young men who bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. Tune in as POV presents the Oscar-nominated film MINDING THE GAP – tonight at 10 on UNC-TV.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) is the latest addition to the cast of the upcoming TV series Good Omens based on the fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Cumberbatch joins stars David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Michael Sheen (Gallowglass) as … I don’t know … could it be … Satan?!

He was a singer, musician, dancer, actor, vaudevillian, comedian and he was one of the previous century’s favorite entertainers. Explore the vast talent and journey for identity of SAMMY DAVIS, JR. on AMERICAN MASTERS – Tuesday at 9pm on UNC-TV.