Original Big Bird aalis na sa ‘Sesame Street’
MATAPOS ang halos 50 taon sa Sesame Street, ay magreretiro na ang aktor na nag-boses kay Big Bird, sa iconic children’s television series na ipinalabas simula pa noong 1969.
Ngunit may pinili naman ang puppeteer na si Caroll Spinney, na siyang gumanap bilang si Oscar the Grouch, na papalit sa kanya para sa dalawang roles. Ang mga ito ay tinuruan niya sa loob ng mahigit dalawang dekada.
“Big Bird brought me so many places, opened my mind and nurtured my soul,” sabi ni Caroll sa isang pahayag na inilabas ng Sesame Workshop, ang nonprofit organization na siyang nagpo-produce ng show, nitong Miyerkules.
“But now it’s time for two performers that I have worked with and respected — and actually hand-picked for the guardianship of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch — to take my alter-egos into their hands and continue to give them life.”
Tinulungan ni Caroll, 84, ang dalawang karakter na magkaroon ng marka sa kabataan ng milyong katao.
Nagwagi na rin siya ng ilang Daytime Emmys para sa kanyang mga performance, at ng Lifetime Achievement Award. Mayroon din siyang natanggap na Grammy Award para sa best children’s recording.
Ang istorya ng buhay niya ang tampok sa 2014 documentary na I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story. Si Big Bird, ang malaking kulay dilaw na ibon na may malaking tuka, ay mahigit eight feet (2.5 meters) ang tangkad. Noong 2000, siya ay tinaguriang Living Legend ng US Library of Congress. Mayroon din siyang star sa Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“Caroll has been one of the leading lights of Sesame Street from the very beginning,”sabi ni Sesame Workshop co-founder
Joan Ganz Cooney sa pahayag.
“His genius and his talent made Big Bird the most beloved yellow-feathered friend across the globe. But the sheer artistry of Caroll is that he also brought Oscar to life and made him the most lovable Grouch in the world.”
Si Matt Vogel, puppet captain ng show, ang magboboses na kay Big Bird. Si Eric Jacobsen naman ang gaganap sa role ni Oscar the Grouch, ang grumpy green character na tumitira sa garbage can.
“Before I came to Sesame Street, I didn’t feel like what I was doing was very important. Big Bird helped me find my purpose,” sabi ni Caroll.
“Even as I step down from my roles, I feel I will always be Big Bird. And even Oscar, once in a while!”