Elmo's Christmas Countdown
Elmo's Christmas Countdown is an hour-long Sesame Street Christmas special that first aired on December 23, 2007 on ABC.
Plot synopsis
In Elmo's Christmas Countdown, Stiller the Elf (Ben Stiller) is telling Stan the snowball how Christmas was almost ruined. He recounts how he visited Sesame Street because he believed Oscar the Grouch would start the official countdown to Christmas. However, Oscar tosses the magical counting blocks into the air and they disappear. Stiller is worried that he destroyed Christmas, and it is up to Elmo and Abby Cadabby to help him find the blocks and the true meaning of Christmas miracles. They find the blocks one by one:
- Block #10 features Jennifer Hudson singing "Carol of the Bells" with the Forest Animals (including Hoots the Owl). It is found by Abby Cadabby.
- Block #9 has the reindeer newscaster Charles Blitzen (a spoof of Charles Gibson) of CDN (short for Counter Downer Network) reporting on the incident caused by Stiller the Elf. It is found in Bert's Christmas oatmeal.
- Block #8 has Anne Hathaway singing "I Want a Snuffleupagus for Christmas" (a parody of "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas") with Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus. It is found in Super Grover's cape.
- Block #7 has Tony Sirico and Steven Schirripa failing to star in a Christmas Special as Bert and Ernie, Christmas is finally saved. It is found by Big Bird.While Abby and Stiller hunt for Block #6, Block #5 is found by Ernie. Elmo sings "Do You Hear What I Hear" with Alicia Keys.
- Block #6 has Charles Blitzen reporting that mass-hysteria is happening after news of the incident caused by Stiller the Elf was happening. It was found by Alicia Keys.
- Block #5 (which was found by Ernie) has Jamie Foxx singing the "Nutcracker Suite" with a Nutcracker version of Elmo.
- Block #4 has Charles Blitzen sticking out his tongue to Stiller the Elf. It was found by Papa Bear.
- Block #3 has Count von Count singing "I Saw Three Ships" with Ty Pennington during an "Extreme Makeover: Christmas Edition" where more ships are being made for the song. It was found by Mama Bear.
- Block #2 has Brad Paisley singing "Jingle Bells" with Grover and the Penguins. It was found Baby Bear.
- Block #1 was found by Stiller the Elf. Unfortunately, it had a cookie in it and the Christmas Counter Downer is eaten by Cookie Monster.Stiller the Elf states that Christmas will never come as Oscar the Grouch celebrates. Elmo states that he and Abby can believe in Christmas miracles as Stiller joins them. Their believing attracts the appearance of Santa Claus (Kevin James). Santa Claus then sings "You Gotta Believe" with Elmo, Abby, Stiller, Big Bird, Snuffleupagus, Ernie and Bert, Count von Count, Grover, Prairie Dawn, Baby Bear, Telly Monster, Rosita, Zoe, and Cookie Monster. Santa Claus then takes his leave as he quotes "Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night." After the story is over, Stiller the Elf and Stan the Snowball wish everybody a Merry Christmas.
Sesame Street's broadcast history
Elmo's Christmas Countdown marks the ninth time the Sesame Street characters have crossed over into broadcast television. All other Sesame Street material have aired on PBS, a public television network. 25th and 30th anniversary specials, as well as Elmopalooza, have also aired on ABC, while NBC aired an introductory show to Sesame Street called This Way To Sesame Street, Big Bird in China, and a 20th anniversary special. CBS aired the independently produced A Special Sesame Street Christmas, and Fox aired the special CinderElmo.
Cast
- Ben Stiller - Stiller the Elf (voice)
- Anne Hathaway - Herself
- Ty Pennington - Himself
- Jamie Foxx - Himself
- Alicia Keys - Herself
- Sheryl Crow - Herself
- Charles Gibson - Charles Blitzen (voice)
- Steve Schirripa - Famous Ernie
- Tony Sirico - Famous Bert
- Jennifer Hudson - Herself
- Brad Paisley - Himself
- Kevin James - Santa Claus
Muppet performers
- Kevin Clash - Elmo, Mouse King, Hoots the Owl, Wolfgang the Seal
- Jennifer Barnhart - Mama Bear
- Fran Brill - Prairie Dawn, Zoe
- Leslie Carrara-Rudolph - Abby Cadabby
- Eric Jacobson - Bert, Grover, Sam the Eagle
- Joey Mazzarino - Papa Bear, Stan the Snowball, Murray Monster, Jamie Fox
- Jerry Nelson - Count von Count, Herry Monster
- Martin P. Robinson - Mr. Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster
- David Rudman - Cookie Monster, Baby Bear
- Caroll Spinney - Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch
- Matt Vogel - Stiller the Elf (puppeteer)
- Steve Whitmire - Ernie
- Bryant Young - Rear end of Mr. Snuffleupagus
Additional Muppets performed by Pam Arciero, Heather Asch, Tyler Bunch, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Ryan Dillon, Artie Esposito, James Godwin, BJ Guyer, Andy Hayward, Patrick Holmes, John Kennedy, Tim Lagasse, Bruce Lanoil, Peter Linz, Michael Lisa, Noel MacNeal, Amanda Maddock, Ed May, Paul McGinnis, Tracie Mick, Carmen Osbahr-Vertiz, Marc Petrosino, Karen Prell Mike Quinn Andy Stone, Ian Sweetman, David Stephens, John Tartaglia, and Gabriel Velez.
Muppet cameos Zoe Telly Monster Rosita, Hoots the Owl Grundgetta the Amazing Mumford Herry Monster Honkers Dinger Wolfgang the Seal Googel Mel Phoebe, Lulu Murray Monster Karina the Ballerina AM Monsters, Merry Monster, Penguins Dancing Mice Sam the Eagle Stella the Stoat Stinky the Skunk Ralph the Moose Robert the Red Deer Morton the Beaver Galahad the Grasshopper Mouse Hetty the Hedgehog Humphrey the Badger Billy Bunny
References
External links
- Elmo's Christmas Countdown at Internet Movie Database
- Elmo's Christmas Countdown at Muppet Wiki