View source for Big Bird

{{short description|Sesame Street character}}
{{About|the character from Sesame Street|species of birds of notably large size|List of largest birds|other uses}}
{{pp-pc}}
{{Pp-pc|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Big Bird
| series = [[Sesame Street]]
| image = Barbara_Bush_and_Big_Bird.jpg
| caption = Big Bird (left) during filming of a 1989 episode of ''Sesame Street'' alongside [[First Lady of the United States]] [[Barbara Bush]]
| first = Gordon introduces Sally to Sesame Street (November 10, 1969)<ref>Footage of this episode, including Big Bird's debut, was seen two days earlier on ''This Way to Sesame Street''</ref>
| last = 
| creator = {{ubl|[[Jim Henson]]|[[Kermit Love]] (builder)}}
| lbl1 = Performed by
| data1 = [[Caroll Spinney]] (1969–2018)<br />Daniel Seagren (stand-in, 1969; 1970)<ref name="Daniel Seagren">{{Cite web|url=https://13thdimension.com/tvs-original-spider-man-breaks-his-silence/|title=TV's Original SPIDER-MAN Breaks His Silence|date=July 11, 2019}}</ref><br />[[Matt Vogel (puppeteer)|Matt Vogel]] (1996–present)
| nicknames = Grandsonny, by Granny Bird<br />Bird, by his best friend, [[Mr. Snuffleupagus|Snuffy]]<br>Turkey, feather face, and others, by [[Oscar the Grouch]]
| gender = Male<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/bio/bigbird|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703210316/http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/bio/bigbird|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 3, 2008|title=Muppet Bio: Big Bird|date=July 3, 2008}}</ref>
| species = [[The Muppets|Muppet]] bird
| family = [[List of Sesame Street Muppets#G|Granny Bird]] (grandmother)<br/>[[#International versions (adaptations)|Eight foreign cousins]]<ref name="cousins tweet">{{cite tweet|user=BigBird|author=Big Bird|number=1357795422283173890|title=I heard my friends on Twitter were asking about my cousins around the world! It's true, I have a lot of bird cousins in different countries. Here's a little bit about them|date=2021-02-05|access-date=2021-02-06 }}</ref>
| lbl2 = Birthday
| data2 = March 20<ref>{{cite tweet|user=BigBird|title=Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes! I can't wait for my party on Wednesday at @CB_TimesSquare!|number=843889339243384835|publisher=Twitter|date=2017-03-20}}</ref>
| nationality = American
}}
'''Big Bird''' is a [[List of Sesame Street Muppets|Muppet]] character designed by [[Jim Henson]] and built by [[Kermit Love]] for the children's television show ''[[Sesame Street]]''. An {{convert|8|ft|2|in|cm|spell=in|adj=mid|-tall}} [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] bright yellow bird,<ref>{{Cite news|first=Bill|last=Bradley|title=Cookie Monster Finally Tells Us How To Get To 'Sesame Street'|date=November 2, 2016|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cookie-monster-finally-answers-the-biggest-sesame-street-mystery_us_581a304ae4b01a82df6448fa|newspaper=Huffington Post}}</ref><ref name="G_Growing">{{Cite book|first1=Shalom M.|last1=Fisch|first2=Rosemarie T.|last2=Truglio|title="G" Is for Growing: Thirty Years of Research on Children and Sesame Street|year=2014|publisher=[[Routledge]]|isbn=978-1-1356-6495-4|pages=39–40|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iMiQAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA39}}</ref> he can [[Roller skates|roller skate]], [[ice skate]], [[dance]], [[Aquatic locomotion|swim]], [[Singing|sing]], write [[poetry]], [[Art|draw]], and ride a [[unicycle]]. Despite this wide array of talents, he is prone to frequent misunderstandings, on one occasion even singing the [[English alphabet|alphabet]] as a single word (pronouncing it as {{IPAc-en|æ|b|k|ə|d|ɛ|f|ɡ|i:|dʒ|ɛ|k|ə|l|m|ɪ|n|ɒ|p|k|w|ər|ˈ|s|t|u:|v|w|ɪ|k|s|ɪ|z}} in the song "[[List of songs from Sesame Street|ABC-DEF-GHI]]"). He would refer to grocer [[Mr. Hooper]] as "Mr. Looper", among other mispronunciations. He lives in a large [[Sesame Street (fictional location)#Big Bird's Nest|nest]] behind the [[Sesame Street (fictional location)#123 Sesame Street|123 Sesame Street]] brownstone and right next to [[Oscar the Grouch]]'s [[Sesame Street (fictional location)#Oscar's trash can|trash can]]. In Season 46, the nest sits within a small, furnished maple tree, and is no longer hidden by used construction doors. He has a teddy bear named Radar.

[[Caroll Spinney]] performed Big Bird from 1969 to 2018. [[Matt Vogel (puppeteer)|Matt Vogel]] began as an understudy in 1996<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 October 2016 |title=Matt Vogel is Big Bird |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/furchester/vogel |access-date=26 May 2022 |website=[[BBC Online]]}}</ref> before becoming the character's full-time performer in 2018.

In 2000, Big Bird was named a [[Library of Congress Living Legend|Living Legend]] by the [[United States]] [[Library of Congress]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/about/awards-and-honors/living-legends/big-bird/|title=Awards & Honors &#124; About the Library &#124; Library of Congress|website=Library of Congress}}</ref>

==Performing Big Bird==
Big Bird was performed by [[Caroll Spinney]] starting in 1969. In the later years of Spinney's career, the show gradually started training new performers to play Big Bird. The apprentices included both [[Rick Lyon]] in the opening theme song of the show's 33rd season, and later [[Matt Vogel (puppeteer)|Matt Vogel]] in the show's "Journey to Ernie" segment. Vogel became Big Bird's primary performer after Spinney's retirement.

Spinney was sick during the taping of a few first-season episodes, so Daniel Seagren took over the role.<ref name="Daniel Seagren"/> He also performed Big Bird when he appeared on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' in 1969 and on ''[[Hollywood Squares]]'' in the 1970s.<ref name="Daniel Seagren"/> According to ''The Story of Jim Henson'' by Stephanie St. Pierre, the costume was built for [[Jim Henson]] to perform, but when Henson tried it on, [[Kermit Love]], who had built the costume, did not think that Henson was walking like a bird is supposed to walk, and so Henson decided not to perform Big Bird. [[Frank Oz]] was offered the part, but since he disliked performing full-body characters, he turned down the job.<ref>Stephanie St. Pierre. ''The Story of Jim Henson, Creator of the Muppets''. New York: Dell Publishing, 1991. {{ISBN|0-440-40453-3}}.</ref>
[[File:Big Bird puppeteer monitor harness, 1970s -1.jpg|thumb|Harness with small monitor worn by Caroll Spinney when performing Big Bird in the 1970s]]
Director Jon Stone, in the 1994 documentary ''The World of Jim Henson'', revealed that the Big Bird costume actually did not have any openings that would allow the actor to see; a small television was strapped to the actor's chest to allow him to navigate.<ref>Jon Stone, Director/Writer. ''The World of Jim Henson'' (1994)</ref> The camera was set up for Spinney by technician Walt Rauffer, on the suggestion of director Bob Myhrum. Rauffer rigged the camera to a harness strapped to Spinney's chest; Spinney reported that they called the camera "the electronic bra".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gikow|first=Louise A.|title=Sesame Street: A Celebration— Forty Years of Life on the Street|publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers|year=2009|location=New York|page=36|isbn=978-1-57912-638-4}}</ref> When Big Bird's performer is performing on location and cannot get a video feed, a small hole is made in the costume to allow him to see. In such cases, Big Bird wears a [[necktie]] to cover the hole. This can also be seen in the ''[[Sesame Street Live]]'' shows.

In scenes where Big Bird and [[Oscar the Grouch]] (both characters performed by Spinney) interact in a scene together, the situation has varied depending on the number of lines one or the other is given. When Spinney performed Big Bird, a second puppeteer operated Oscar to Spinney's vocals. Beginning in 1997, Vogel would operate Big Bird and Oscar was performed by Spinney as usual until 2015.

In 2015, due to being diagnosed with [[dystonia]], Spinney no longer puppeteered the Big Bird suit full-time. Matt Vogel took over puppetry duties, manipulating the puppet to Spinney's vocals (either pre-recorded, dubbed in post-production, or provided live on set). Spinney continued to provide Big Bird's voice on the series for seasons 46 and 47, as well as select commercials, online videos, and the special ''[[Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas]]''. Afterwards, Spinney entered semi-retirement, and Matt Vogel fully assumed the role. Despite this, Spinney continued to receive onscreen credit for playing the characters through Season 50.

On October 17, 2018, Spinney announced his official retirement from both his characters. The following day, he recorded his final performances as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch as part of Episode 5022 for the series' landmark 50th anniversary, though, when the episode aired, none of his vocals were kept in.<ref>{{cite news|last=Itzoff|first=Dave|title=Original Big Bird, Caroll Spinney, Leaves 'Sesame Street' After Nearly 50 Years|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/arts/television/sesame-street-big-bird.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 17, 2018|access-date=October 17, 2018}}</ref> Spinney's final vocal performance as Big Bird to air was in the cold open for Episode 4920.

==Costume and portrayal==

Big Bird was designed by a drawing from [[Jim Henson]] and built by [[Kermit Love]] in 1969. The design was based on a previous Henson creation, a {{convert|7|ft|cm|spell=in|adj=mid|-tall}} dragon that the puppeteer created for a [[La Choy]] advertising campaign.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference|last=Gladwell|first=Malcolm|date=2000|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=0316346624|edition=1st|location=Boston|oclc=42397965}}</ref> The Big Bird performer is completely enclosed within the costume, and extends their right hand over their head to operate the head and neck of the puppet. The Muppeteer's left hand serves as the Bird's left wing, while the right wing is stuffed and hangs loosely from a fishing line that runs through a loop under the neck and attaches to the wrist of the left hand. The right hand thus does the opposite of the left hand: as the left hand goes down, the right hand is pulled up by the fishing line. A secondary muppeteer would be used in scenes where Big Bird uses both his wings or holds something in the right wing.[[File:Big Bird (original design sketch).webp|right|thumb|Henson's original sketch for Big Bird. Left: the puppet's exterior appearance. Right: Cutaway image showing how the puppet is operated.]]

Big Bird's body suit weighs ten pounds, and his head weighs four pounds. According to writer Louise Gikow, the heat inside the suit is "unbearable, and it's extraordinarily difficult to hold Big Bird's head."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gikow|first=Louise A.|title=Sesame Street: A Celebration— Forty Years of Life on the Street|publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers|year=2009|location=New York|page=37|isbn=978-1-57912-638-4}}</ref>

Different versions of Big Bird are portrayed in some international versions of ''Sesame Street''. For example, the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] version has a blue bird named Pino. In the Latin American version (Plaza Sésamo), Big Bird's parrot cousin, Abelardo Montoya, is featured. He appears similar to Big Bird, but he is green.<ref>{{cite web|title=Did You Know That 'Sesame Street's Big Bird & 'Plaza Sésamo's Abelardo Are Cousins?|url=https://remezcla.com/lists/film/sesame-street-big-bird-plaza-sesamo-abelardo-cousins-reunite/|website=Remezcla|date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>

Big Bird's appearance has changed over the years, as has his personality. He originally had very few feathers on the top of his head; his body feathers were also more shaggy and unkempt. As time went on he gradually gained more feathers on his head, giving it a more rounded appearance, and developed a blaze-like crest of lighter yellow feathers above his eyes. His body feathers got fluffier, rounder and more well groomed as well. His personality developed over time from a more dopey and "bird-brained" character into the gentle, childlike innocent he is known as today. Although all the ''Sesame Street'' Muppet characters are technically ageless, Big Bird is psychologically written to represent a six-year-old.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Borgenicht|first=David|title=Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets, and Songs|publisher=Children's Television Workshop (CTW)|year=1998|location=New York|page=[https://archive.org/details/sesamestreetunpa0000borg/page/34 34]|isbn=0-7868-6460-5|url=https://archive.org/details/sesamestreetunpa0000borg/page/34}}</ref>

The costume is partially assembled by company American Plume & Fancy Feather, using the tail feathers from [[Domesticated turkey|turkeys]]; as the feathers are rarely clean, company owner Anthony Trento calls the Big Bird costume his "toughest customer". [[Sesame Workshop]] is said to reject roughly 90 percent of all the feathers selected for use on the costume.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2008/04/03/smbusiness/Birds_feathers.fsb/index.htm?postversion=2008040415|title=The man who feathers Big Bird|last=Trento|first=Anthony|work=[[CNNMoney.com]]|date=April 4, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208220303/https://money.cnn.com/2008/04/03/smbusiness/birds_feathers.fsb/index.htm?postversion=2008040415|archive-date=December 8, 2008|access-date=November 12, 2019}}</ref>

===International versions (adaptations)===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Country / Region
! Big Bird's cousin
! Description
! Performer
|-
|{{BRA}}
|Garibaldo
| Original version was bright blue, with a long pointed beak and blue-striped legs; 2007 introduced a yellow version identical to the American Big Bird
|Laerte Morrone (1972–1977)<br>Fernando Gomes (2007–2014)<br>Hugo Picchi (2009)<br>Falcon Mantovani (2019)
|-
|{{flag|China}}
|大鸟 (Da Niao) (Big Bird)
| Identical to American version
|Zhu Ming
|-
|{{FRA}}
|Toccata
| Grey-white with brown brows, resembling a [[seagull]] or [[albatross]]
|Lucien Morisse<br>Claude Sonneville (singing voice)
|-
|{{MEX}}
|Abelardo Montoya
| Bright green with a pink throat, red face and [[parrot]]-like beak
|Alberto Estrella (1981–1992)<br>Héctor Marquez (1992–1995)<br>Eugenio Bartilotti (1995–2004)<br>Héctor Loeza (2004–present)
|-
|{{NED}}
|Pino
| Pale blue with yellow rings around eyes and multicolored feathered "sprigs" from top of head.
|Dirk Grijspeirt (1976)<br>Theo Joling (1977)<br>Bert Plagman (1979)<br>Erik J. Meijer (1980–1984)<br>Leo Dijkgraaf (1984–1991)<br>Renée Menschaar (1991–present)
|-
|{{POR}}
|Poupas
| Orange with white and brown on face
|Luís Velez
|-
|{{ESP}}
|Caponata
| Primarily orange and yellow feathers on body; red-and-white striped legs, red shoes with bows. Wears a curly pink wig.
|Emma Cohen
|-
|{{TUR}}
|Minik Kuş
| Orange with pink feathers on face
|Hakan Odabaşı
|}

==Select filmography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*''[[Sesame Street]]'' (1969–present) (TV)
*''[[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]'' (1978) (TV)
*''[[A Special Sesame Street Christmas]]'' (1978) (TV)
*''[[The Muppet Show]]'' ... episode #318 (1979) (TV, Crossover with ''[[The Muppets]]'')
*''[[The Muppet Movie]]'' (1979) (Crossover with ''The Muppets'')
*''[[Big Bird in China]]'' (1983) (TV)
*''[[Don't Eat the Pictures]]'' (1983) (TV)
*''[[Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird]]'' (1985)
*''Sesame Street: Play-Along Games and Songs'' (1986)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1">{{cite web|url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Sesame-Street/Big-Bird/ |title=Voice Of Big Bird |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors |access-date=2024-09-16}}</ref>
*''[[The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years]]'' (1986) (TV, Crossover with ''The Muppets'')
*''[[A Muppet Family Christmas]]'' (1987) (TV, Crossover with ''The Muppets'')
*''Sesame Street: Magic on Sesame Street'' (1988)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''Count It Higher: Great Music Videos From Sesame Street'' (1988)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''[[Big Bird in Japan]]'' (1989) (TV)
*''[[The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson]]'' (1990) (TV, Crossover with ''The Muppets'')
*''[[Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake]]'' (1991) (TV)
*''[[Sesame Street Stays Up Late]]'' (1993) (TV)
*''Sesame Street: Big Bird Sings!'' (1995)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''[[Elmo Saves Christmas]]'' (1996) (TV)
*''Sesame Street: Get Up and Dance'' (1997)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Songs'' (1999)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''[[The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland]]'' (1999)
*''Sesame Street: Let's Make Music'' (2000)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''Elmo's Musical Adventure: The Story of Peter and the Wolf'' (2001)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''[[Sesame Beginnings]]'' (2006–2007)
*''[[The Furchester Hotel]]'' ... episodes #201 and #216 (2016) (TV)
*''The Magical Wand Chase'' (2017) (TV)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''[[Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate]]'' (2020) (TV)
*''The ABCs of COVID-19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents'' (2020) (TV)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy'' (2021) (TV)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''See Us Coming Together - A Sesame Street Special'' (2021) (TV)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
{{div col end}}

===Guest appearances===
Source:<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*''[[The Electric Company]]'' ... episode #131 (1972)
*''[[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]]'' (1974–present)
*''[[Hollywood Squares]]'' (1976–1977, 2000, 2001)
*''[[Mister Rogers' Neighborhood]]'' ... episode #1483 (1981)
*''Kids Like These'' (1987)
*''[[Hey Hey, It's Saturday]]'' (1995)
*''[[Soul Man (TV series)|Soul Man]]'' (1998)
*''[[Jeopardy!]]'' (2006)
*''[[Deal or No Deal]]'' (2006)
*''[[A Capitol Fourth]]'' (2009)
*''[[Jimmy Kimmel Live]]'' (2009)
*''[[Extreme Makeover: Home Edition]]'' (2011)
*''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' (2012, 2015)
*''[[The Colbert Report]]'' (2013, 2014)
*''[[Super Bowl 50]]'' (2016)
*''[[The Kelly Clarkson Show]]'' (2019)
*''[[The Late Late Show with James Corden]]'' (2019)
*''[[The Drew Barrymore Show]]'' (2020)

===Commercials===
Source:<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>
*[[Kmart]] (1997, 1999, 2003)
*[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] (1998)
*[[Ad Council]] (1990s, 2024)
*[[NBA]] (2003)
*[[IBM]] (2016, 2018)
*[[Doordash]] (2021)

==Species==
The book ''“G” is for Growing: Thirty Years of Research on Children and Sesame Street'' cites a producer of ''Sesame Street'' who refers to Big Bird as a [[Domestic canary|canary]].<ref name="G_Growing" /> In the [[List of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood episodes (series 11)|series 11]] episode, "Mister Rogers Talks about Competition" of the show, ''[[Mister Rogers' Neighborhood]]'', Big Bird was asked by King Friday XIII if he was related to the [[cassowary]]; he replied, "I'm actually a Golden Condor." On the January 23, 1976 episode of ''[[Hollywood Squares]]'', Big Bird was asked what kind of bird he is and said he was a [[lark]], causing host [[Peter Marshall (entertainer)|Peter Marshall]] to crack up.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCIeAJ5hRfE| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/tCIeAJ5hRfE| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|title=Big Bird on Hollywood Squares 1976|website=YouTube|date=September 6, 2006|access-date=February 5, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In the film ''[[Don't Eat the Pictures]]'', Osiris calls Big Bird an [[ibis]]. Zoologist Mike Dickison suggested in his popular [[PechaKucha|Pechakucha]] talk that Big Bird represents a unique species that evolved from the [[whooping crane]].<ref name=Dickison>{{cite web|last1=Dickison|first1=Michael|author-link=Mike Dickison|title=What, if anything, is Big Bird?|url=http://www.pechakucha.org/presentations/what-if-anything-is-big-bird|website=PechaKucha|access-date=June 17, 2015}}</ref> For decades, [[Oscar the Grouch]] has been calling Big Bird a turkey, more as an insult rather than a reference to his species.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuOlE-mDAgg&t=190s |title=Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Hospital |at=21:30 |via=YouTube }}</ref> Big Bird is always described as being flightless.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

==US politics==
During the [[United States presidential election debates, 2012|first presidential debate]] on October 3, 2012, [[Mitt Romney]] used Big Bird as an example of spending cuts he would make to reduce the federal budget deficit. Romney told the moderator, [[Jim Lehrer]], "I like PBS, I love Big Bird. Actually like you, too. But I'm not going to – I'm not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for. That's number one."<ref>{{cite news|title=Transcript of Wednesday's presidential debate|date=October 4, 2012|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/03/politics/debate-transcript/index.html|work=CNN Politics|access-date=October 10, 2012}}</ref>

[[Barack Obama]]’s campaign later released a satirical advertisement in which Romney described Big Bird as an "evil genius" and "a menace to our economy", and depicted Romney as more concerned with cracking down on Big Bird than on white collar criminals such as [[Bernard Madoff|Bernie Madoff]] and [[Ken Lay]].<ref>{{Cite news|first=Beth|last=Fouhy|title=Big Bird flies high in 2012 presidential campaign|date=October 10, 2012|url=http://www.freep.com/article/20121010/NEWS15/121010013/Big-Bird-flies-high-2012-presidential-campaign|work=[[Detroit Free Press]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006143437/http://www.freep.com/article/20121010/NEWS15/121010013/Big-Bird-flies-high-2012-presidential-campaign|archive-date=October 6, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Sesame Workshop]] subsequently asked that both campaigns remove ''Sesame Street'' characters from campaign materials, stating on their website: "Sesame Workshop is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and we do not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sesame Workshop Response to Campaign Ads|url=http://www.sesameworkshop.org/our-blog/2012/10/09/sesame-workshop-response-to-campaign-ads/|website=Sesame Workshop|date=October 9, 2012|access-date=October 10, 2012|archive-date=October 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010232319/http://www.sesameworkshop.org/our-blog/2012/10/09/sesame-workshop-response-to-campaign-ads/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In response to the mention in the debates, Big Bird made an appearance in a 2012 [[Weekend Update]] segment on [[Saturday Night Live]] with then host [[Seth Meyers]]. During the interview, Big Bird joked about how he suddenly "felt famous" after being mentioned in the debates, but refused to make any political statements so as not to "ruffle any feathers."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dv3tLVxng0 | title=Weekend Update: Big Bird on Mitt Romney Ending PBS' Subsidy - SNL | website=[[YouTube]] | date=September 17, 2013 }}</ref>

=== COVID-19 vaccine and parody Twitter account ===
{{Tweet
| name = Big Bird
| username = BigBird
| date = 6 Nov 2021
| text = I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.

Ms. 
@EricaRHill
 even said I’ve been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea!
| ID = 1456971880666046465
}}
On November 6, 2021, Big Bird's official Twitter account posted that Big Bird had received a [[COVID-19 vaccine]], in an effort to promote vaccination of children, and [[President Biden|President Joe Biden]] responded in support. Senator [[Ted Cruz]] criticized Sesame Street, calling the post "Government propaganda... for your 5 year old!".<ref>{{Cite tweet | first = Ted | last = Cruz| user=tedcruz| number=1457108504498642953 |access-date=2023-07-17 |title = Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!|language=en}}</ref> An unapproved parody account called "Big Bird for Senate" was created, and portrayed Big Bird as a candidate for Cruz's senate seat.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Senator Big Bird? The Twitter account trolling US Senator Ted Cruz |url=https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3156127/senator-big-bird-twitter-account-trolling-texas-republican |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=Young Post|date=November 15, 2021 }}</ref> The account has since been deleted.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Senator Big Bird Twitter Account |url=https://twitter.com/senatorbigbird |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>

==Other appearances==
[[File:Big Bird Walk of Fame 4-20-06.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Big Bird is one of two Muppets to have a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]]]
[[File:Flickr Big Bird.jpg|150px|left|thumb|A walk-around character of Big Bird, at a theme park.]]

===''Follow That Bird'' (1985)===
In 1985, Big Bird was the star of his own film, ''[[Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird|Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird]]'', alongside the cast of ''Sesame Street''. The plot focused on him being moved away to live with a family of dodos by a meddling social-worker named Miss Finch (voiced by [[Sally Kellerman]]). He is not happy with his new home and he runs away and embarks on a cross-country adventure. Along the way, he finds help from a friendly truck driver ([[Waylon Jennings]]) and two farmer kids ([[Alyson Court]] and Benjamin Barrett). But on the bad side, there are two unscrupulous carnival-owning brothers ([[Dave Thomas (actor)|Dave Thomas]] and [[Joe Flaherty]]) who want to kidnap and make him perform in their carnival for their own profit. In the meantime, his friends [[Bert and Ernie|Ernie and Bert]], [[Cookie Monster]], [[Grover]], [[Count von Count]], [[List of Sesame Street Muppets#T|Telly]] and [[Oscar the Grouch]] are in pursuit of him to find him and bring him back home safely. Also joining them are their human friends, [[The Robinson family (Sesame Street)|Gordon]], [[The Rodriguez family (Sesame Street)|Maria]], [[The Robinson family (Sesame Street)|Olivia]] and [[Linda (Sesame Street)|Linda]] with [[Bob (Sesame Street)|Bob]] aiding them from Sesame Street.

===1970s and 1980s===
In the mid-late 1970s, Big Bird made several appearances on ''[[The Hollywood Squares]]''. As with [[Mr. Hooper]], Big Bird frequently mispronounced host [[Peter Marshall (entertainer)|Peter Marshall]]'s name, calling him "Mr. Marshmallow" or "Mr. Masher". When Marshall asked Big Bird what kind of bird he was, he replied "I'm a lark", causing Marshall to laugh and [[Corpsing|break character]].

He appeared in a [[List of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood episodes (series 11)|series 11]] episode of ''[[Mister Rogers' Neighborhood]]'' in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe segment, in which he enters the "Draw the Neighborhood" contest.

He made an appearance as a guest star on the third season of ''[[The Muppet Show]]''. A portrait of Big Bird also appeared in the pilot ''[[The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence]]''. Big Bird also made brief appearances in ''[[The Muppet Movie]]'' and ''[[The Muppets Take Manhattan]]''. He appeared in ''[[A Muppet Family Christmas]]'' holiday special, in which he dissuades the [[Swedish Chef]] from cooking him for Christmas dinner by offering him a gift of homemade chocolate covered [[Bird food|birdseed]]. They then sing a duet of "The Christmas Song".

[[NASA]] was in talks to take Big Bird in the 1986 [[Space Shuttle Challenger|''Challenger'' space shuttle]] but instead took a teacher, [[Christa McAuliffe]], who died along with the rest of the crew in its televised breakup 73 seconds after launch.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-05-04 |title=NASA Confirms Talks to Fly Big Bird on Doomed Shuttle Challenger |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/nasa-confirms-talks-fly-big-bird-doomed-shuttle-challenger-n353521 |access-date=2025-08-25 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Spinney |first=Caroll |date=2015-04-24 |title=Experience: I am Big Bird |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/apr/24/experience-i-am-big-bird-sesame-street |access-date=2025-08-25 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

===Henson memorial service (1990)===
On May 21, 1990, Big Bird appeared at Jim Henson's memorial service at [[the Cathedral of St. John the Divine]] in [[New York City]], singing [[Kermit the Frog]]'s signature song, "[[Bein' Green]]".<ref>{{cite web |last=Barry |first=Chris |title=Saying "Goodbye" to Jim |date=September 7, 2005 |work=JimHillMedia.com |url=http://jimhillmedia.com/guest_writers1/b/chris_barry/archive/2005/09/08/1722.aspx#.Unj7m_lON8E |access-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref> Performer Caroll Spinney nearly broke down several times during the deeply touching performance, which was later described by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' as "an epic and almost unbearably moving event".

===21st century===
[[File:Big Bird and Michelle Obama (8555066920).jpg|thumb|240px|[[Michelle Obama]] participates in a ''[[Let's Move!]]'' and ''[[Sesame Street]]'' public service announcement taping with Big Bird in the White House Kitchen, 2013]]
[[File:Big Bird, Billy Eichner, and Michelle Obama (22122974910).jpg|thumb|240px|Big Bird with [[Michelle Obama]] on ''[[Billy on the Street]]'', with host [[Billy Eichner]]]]
Big Bird made a non-speaking appearance in ''[[The West Wing]]'' Season 5 episode "[[Eppur Si Muove (The West Wing)|Eppur Si Muove]]". During a visit by [[The Muppets]] to the White House, Big Bird sat down on a bench next to [[C. J. Cregg]], who had complained during the episode of past comparisons to Big Bird due to her height.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reid |first1=Joe |title=Today in TV History: 'The West Wing' Met 'Sesame Street' |url=https://decider.com/2016/03/03/today-in-tv-history-the-west-wing-met-sesame-street/ |access-date=22 February 2024 |work=[[Decider (website)|Decider]] |date=3 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Entertainment Weekly The West Wing |date=11 September 2020 |publisher=Time Home Entertainment |isbn=978-1-5478-5478-3 |page=119 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q3r-DwAAQBAJ&dq=%22big+bird%22+%22west+wing%22+cregg&pg=PT119 |language=en}}</ref>

He appeared briefly at Qualcomm's [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]] Keynote on January 7, 2013, to show off [[Sesame Workshop]]'s newest app, 'Big Bird's Words', due in Summer 2013.<ref>{{cite web |first=Shara |last=Tibken |url=http://live.cnet.com:80/Event/CES_2013_Qualcomm_keynote_live_blog?Page=5 |title=CES 2013: Qualcomm keynote live blog |work=[[CNET]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112212356/http://live.cnet.com:80/Event/CES_2013_Qualcomm_keynote_live_blog?Page=5 |archive-date=January 12, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bohn |first=Dieter |date=2013-01-08 |title=Qualcomm's insane CES 2013 keynote in pictures and tweets |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/8/3850056/qualcomms-insane-ces-2013-keynote-pictures-tweets |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>

He appeared in the final episode of ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' in 2014 along with [[Cookie Monster]] and dozens of other celebrities singing "[[We'll Meet Again]]".<ref>{{cite news |title='Colbert Report' Final Episode Includes Santa Claus and Tons of Celebrities |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/colbert-report-final-episode-includes-santa-claus-tons/story?id=27709606 |access-date=23 February 2024 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=19 December 2014 |language=en}}</ref>

On February 16, 2015, Big Bird appeared alongside [[Michelle Obama]] on ''[[Billy on the Street]]'', a comedy game show hosted by [[Billy Eichner]].<ref>{{Cite news |first=Phillip |last=Bump |title=Michelle Obama pairs with noted Internet weirdo (and Big Bird!) to talk carrots |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/02/17/michelle-obama-pairs-with-noted-internet-weirdo-to-talk-carrots/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=February 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801193232/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/02/17/michelle-obama-pairs-with-noted-internet-weirdo-to-talk-carrots/|archive-date=August 1, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Before the quiz, Michelle Obama talked about "eat brighter", a campaign to promote healthy food in kids which she and a number of ''Sesame Street'' characters, including Big Bird, participated in.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Frazier|last=Moore|title=Best random story today: First lady dances with Big Bird|url=https://eu.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/kids/2015/02/17/michelle-obama-big-bird-billy-on-street/23579069/|date=February 17, 2015|work=azcentral.com|publisher=[[The Arizona Republic]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Michelle|last=Obama|title=Michelle Obama: Marketing Can Make America Healthier|url=https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/michelle-obama-marketing-can-make-america-healthier-171814/|work=[[Adweek]]|date=June 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712150036/http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/michelle-obama-marketing-can-make-america-healthier-171814/|archive-date=July 12, 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=August 1, 2018}}</ref> The short was [[67th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards|nominated for an Emmy Award]] later that year.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Tribune wire reports staff|title=Show with Michelle Obama appearance nominated for Emmy|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-michelle-obama-emmy-20150716-story.html|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=July 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150718082733/http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-michelle-obama-emmy-20150716-story.html|archive-date=July 18, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Big Bird appeared with Caroll Spinney in a spoof of the Academy Award-winning film ''[[Birdman (film)|Birdman.]]''<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mazza|first1=Ed|title=Big Bird Spoofs 'Birdman' As Caroll Spinney Is Stalked By His Alter Ego|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/22/big-bird-birdman_n_6733068.html|access-date=February 25, 2015|work=The Huffington Post|date=February 23, 2015}}</ref> Published on YouTube on February 19, 2015, the video shows Spinney sitting in a dressing room with a poster of Big Bird behind him. Spinney hears the voice of his [[alter ego]], just as [[Michael Keaton]]'s character Riggan hears his alter ego Birdman in the movie. He uses [[telekinesis]] to throw a box of tissues at the Big Bird poster. The spoof uses similar music to the ''Birdman'' film. The Big Birdman spoof appears as if it were shot in one long take, mimicking the long scenes of the movie.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lee|first=Ashley|title=Watch Sesame Street Perfectly Spoof 'Birdman' With One Continuous, Ego-Filled Shot (Video)|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/video-sesame-street-spoofs-birdman-775607|access-date=February 25, 2015|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 20, 2015}}</ref> It follows Spinney out of the dressing room, down hallways, through doors, and out onto the sidewalk, where he is joined by Big Bird.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/oscars/big-birdman-sesame-street-star-spoofs-oscar-nominated-film-10060158.html "Big Birdman: Sesame Street star spoofs Oscar nominated film"]. ''The Independent''. Zachary Davies Boren, February 20, 2015.</ref>

In an advertisement for [[AT&T]]/[[DirecTV]], Big Bird and other film/television personalities such as [[David Hasselhoff]] (as his ''[[Knight Rider (1982 TV series)|Knight Rider]]'' persona [[Michael Knight (Knight Rider)|Michael Knight]]) and the [[Oklahoma Sooners football]] team appear interspersed with the daily workings of a major city as someone walks around using the service's [[TV Everywhere]] initiative.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AirC/at-and-t-everywhere|title=AT&T TV Commercial, 'Everywhere'|website=iSpot.tv|access-date=February 3, 2017}}</ref>

At the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors, which was filmed on the day Spinney died, Vogel made an appearance as Big Bird for the event to celebrate ''Sesame Street'' being honored by the [[Kennedy Center]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Simon, Ellen. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080620234803/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hMcWtG5WTmu3Hj4tkvUoAxKiBN0AD91B4PVO0 "He's Big Bird: Caroll Spinney loves every feather"], [[Associated Press]] via [[Google News]], June 16, 2008. Accessed June 19, 2008.
* Demara, Bruce. "Sesame Street's Big Bird: Brought to you by the letter C". ''Toronto Star'', April 23, 2014, E1.

==External links==
* {{muppets}}
* {{commons category-inline|Big Bird (Sesame Street)}}

{{Sesame Street Characters}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sesame Street Muppet characters]]
[[Category:Anthropomorphic birds]]
[[Category:Fictional flightless birds]]
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1969]]
[[Category:Fictional canaries]]
[[Category:Film characters introduced in 1979]]