Recently it has been revealed to me that in Quebec, children do not grow up with Sesame Street and children’s programs of a similar cheery ilk. Cartoons in Quebec, apparently, are an amalgam of Edward Gorey story plots and Japanese anime. As Le Clown put it “we were raised on cartoon characters that were orphans; miserable, sad, abused and ignored, and more often than not, beaten up”. It puts me in the mind of a Gorey favorite, The Hapless Child
Photo credit: http://www.Mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/18989
At any rate, I always took it for granted that Sesame Street characters are recognizable, almost iconic, in most of the western world. It seems that I was dreadfully wrong and completely ethnocentric. But I do find it amusing that our Canadian neighbors to the North do not always recognize America’s most famous friends, Ernie and Burt.
So today, while biking along to meet a friend for coffee, I realized I was wearing my one of my favorite shirts and how apropos it is to both Movember and Sesame Street. Then I realized I still needed to post a Movember post while at the same time posting some ego-stroking material for Le Clown, because everyone is doing it and I feel compelled to jump on the bandwagon. I even stopped on my bike to whip out my notebook and make notes. Pretty impressive, eh?
So, Le Clown, a test for you – here we go…
(It’s 12 seconds – listen for god’s sake)
Ahem –
Rule #1) If you are Le Clown, and you’ll know this by looking in the mirror and/or checking your government issued ID, take note of the tee-shirt picture below. If you are not Le Clown, my sympathies, and you may look at the picture as well- but that is all…
Photo Credit: ME!
Rule #2) Le Clown, without using the Internet Tubes OR The Ringmistress as a research resource, name the Mustachioed characters above. I will give you a hint, to my knowledge, not one of them has been beaten into submission by a drunkard in an orphanage.
Rule #3) Be amused that I own a mustache shirt and sleep on flannel sheets with penguins.
Rule #4) Listen to the song below. Because I’m pretty sure it was written for you, Le Clown. Note the circus intro and it is aptly titled: The Man on the Burning Tightrope
Good luck – and may the farce force be with you
That is all ~
The Mercenary Researcher 
I love that shirt! I’m not sure what Le Clown is doing over in that part of Le Canada or what kind of programming they have. I grew up on the west coast of Canada, and could name all those friendly mustachioed pals. I love to Count! Hah hah hah.
123~ it must be those serious French Canadians that have the dour cartoons…
Yes, far too serious. (Red noses notwithstanding)
I concur ~
Children watch a story about a girl who DIES because her father kills her?! It’s like the Little Princess – only completely different because her story is HAPPY! No wonder Canadians are so nice; they probably expect people to get run over by their families or sold into slavery, so they don’t want to add rudeness into people’s super sad lives…
Are you referring to “The Hapless Child”? That’s a short illustrated story by Edward Gorey – his stuff is very gruesome but so well done that one ends up loving it.
I think it’s the French Canadians that have the non-cheery children’s cartoons!
I guess I’ll have to read it – now that I’m older and *maybe* can handle the sadness ^.^
Edward Gorey is amazing
Denise,
Now that I have passed your test with brilliance, I myself have a test for you:
In your title, you have a mistake. Did you find it? Of course you did.
“LE” Clown
It was intentional – b/c normally it’s all English with a nice French Le Clown…this was all French with the English “the Clown” I thought you’d like that 🙂
Denise.
It makes my eyes sore.
Le Clown
Le Clown – are you requesting an edit to my title?
Denise,
Of course not. Well played.
Le Clown
I did – I am very flexible
Denise,
Here we go:
Big Bird, Ernie, Vampire on Chocolate Cereal Box, Cookie Monster, Ernie’s boyfriend, Grover, Oscar and Elmo!
HA!!!!! I want my prize!
Le Clown
Hee hee – Count but not on a chocolate cereal box – but excellent just the same! Very well done ~ Burt is the boyfriend!
I want that shirt! You should auction it off or something.
Nev-ah! My lovely son bought it for me for my Birthday!!
Fair enough 🙂
Could you ask your lovely son where it came from? 🙂
Hee hee – I believe he got it from Hot Topic! It’s quite a shirt, eh?
Caillou is Canadian. That’s all I’m saying.
Probably not a French Canadian….
Bob the Builder is Canadian as well – and much more tolerable!
That is an AWESOME shirt!
Where can I get one?
Thank you! Hot Topic used to sell them – but I didn’t see anything right now – and amazon has nada either.
Love Edward Gorey. I have several postcards with some of his sketches. I bought them in college and they have traveled all around the world with me, always taped to a kitchen cabinet so I can see them front and center.
Ha! We had Ghastlycrumb Tinies in our kitchen until my friend had it framed for me and now it’s in the bedroom. I love Gorey ~ I love his books as well!! I found some lovely Gorey Xmas cards as well. You should read his biography – he was pretty interesting.
I know who those characters are! I know I know I know! Can I answer? Please Please Please? *waving my hands wildly*
We have a framed print of the Gashlycrumb Tinies in our living room. I love Gorey too.
You can email me privately OR wait until Le Clown gives it go tomorrow.
I am always the kid that wants to answer everything… “Teacher, teacher, call on me, I’m oh so clever!”
I want to get a tattoo of the picture of death surrounded by all the little tinies.
You mean the picture at the beginning of the Gashlycrumb print? That would be a FANTASTIC tattoo. I never would have thought of a Gorey image for a tattoo, but that’s an amazing idea.
I have a tattoo of a very gorey-esque tattoo on my FB page – I love his work and I’d love any kind of Gorey tattoo on me
Okey dokey, Madame W – you may show your clever and name the names 🙂
YAY! Not that all other Americans and many Canadians don’t already know these:
Big Bird, Ernie, the Count (I have a bunch of Count von Count t-shirts and knickknacks), Cookie Monster, Ernie, Grover, Oscar, and Elmo. But to me Elmo doesn’t count because he’s not old-school Sesame Street.
I would have to agree – I miss the amazing mumford!
you win a Mustache for your old age….and maybe some stray chin hairs too!
Denise,
You are magnificent!!! I will take the test, from work tomorrow, and be paid for it! But this is incredibly clever, and I am up for the challenge!! And this really, really made me laugh… No answers from other bloggers please, as Denise said…
Le Clown
Ha! I was hoping you’d like this post – I even had to learn how to make an audio clip and then post it to YouTube… I have every confidence that you are up for le défi (is that right?)!