Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake

Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake is a Sesame Street special which aired during the show's usual time slot on March 15, 1991 in most markets and in prime-time during the week of March 9. The special was produced for the PBS pledge drive season, and stars Big Bird and Snuffy, as they go to the roller skating rink for Big Bird's birthday. Meanwhile, Cookie Monster is tempted to eat Big Bird's cake, but staves off his desire by eating everything else on the street. Celebrity guests included Bo Jackson, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Ray Charles.

The special also appeared as a regular Sesame Street episode as show number 2835, with more inserts added to make it a complete sixty-minute episode.

Sketches

• Monsterpiece Theatre: Grover in "The King and I"

• Episode clip: Sesame Street Letter Segments: "I" animation (with Gordon voiceover)
• Episode clip: A film about a girl's horse at a Navajo ranch.
• Episode clip: The cartoon Jake the Snake demonstrates body parts.

• Robin Williams shows Elmo what you can do with a long stick

• Episode clip: Above it All

• "We Are All Earthlings"

• Episode Clip: Dicky Tick hosts "Lifestyles of the Big and Little."
• Episode clip: Craig Bartlett: Lillian, Big Sister

• "Monster in the Mirror" (celebrity version)

• Episode clip: Dan Haskett-"Cat's Can".
• Episode clip: Fay Ray shows 2 balls and 2 balls equals 4 balls.

• Whoopi Goldberg and Hoots talk about how proud they are about their different body parts.

• Episode clip: Skin

• The Oinker Sisters sing "A New Way to Walk"

Cast

• Muppets

Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Ernie, Bert, Forgetful Jones, Buster the Horse, Elmo, Telly Monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Alice Snuffleupagus, Barkley, Prairie Dawn, Ruby, Count von Count, Grover, Cookie Monster, Herry Monster, Hoots the Owl, Athena, Wolfgang the Seal, Two-Headed Monster, Bruno the Trashman

• Background Characters:

Honkers, Dinger, Duck

• Humans cast

Alison Bartlett, Linda Bove, Emilio Delgado, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bill McCutcheon, Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman, Lisa Boggs, Eugene Byrd, Alexis Cruz, Ward Saxton, David L. Smyrl, Lillias White

• Muppet Performers

Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Martin P. Robinson, Richard Hunt, Kevin Clash, Judy Sladky, Camille Bonora, Fran Brill, David Rudman, Jim Martin, Pam Arciero, Rick Lyon, Bryant Young, Joey Mazzarino, Carmen Osbahr

Credits

• Directed by Jon Stone
• Written by Judy Freudberg
• Head Writer: Norman Stiles
• Segment Writers: Sonia Manzano, Cathi Rosenberg-Turow
• Segment Directors: Lisa Simon, Emily Squires
• Songs by Carol Hall, Christopher Cerf, Sara Compton, Jeff Moss, Joe Raposo, Mark Saltzman, Norman Stiles, Jon Stone
• Music Director and Skating Waltzes Composed by Stephen Lawrence
• Skaters: April Allen, Michael A. Belgrave, Omar Gross, Suzin Baf, Samantha Spivack, Darrel Wacker
• Choreographer: April Allen
• Puppets, Costumes, Props: Caroly Wilcox, Ed Christie, Mark Zeszotek, Paul Hartis, Barry Link, Peter MacKennan, Connie Peterson, Stephen Rotondaro
• Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
• Associate Music Director: Dave Conner
• Production Supervisor: Frieda Lipp
• Associate Director: Ted May
• Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
• Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
• Graphic Artist: Mike Pantuso
• Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
• Art Director: Bob Phillips
• Production Stage Managers: Chet O' Brien, Ric E. Anderson
• Stage Manager: Robert J. Emerick
• Production Assistants: Cher Jung, Tim Carter, Gabrielle Howard, Leslie Brothers, Christine Ferraro
• Assistants to the Producers: Danette De Sena, Carol D. Mayes
• Script Coordinator: Thelma Moses
• Curriculum Coordinator: Diane P. Mitchell
• Children's Casting: Kim Wilson
• Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
• Audio: Blake Norton, Tim Lester
• Lighting Director: Bill Berner
• Camera: Frank Biondo, Dave Driscoll
• Unit Manager: Eleanor McIntosh
• Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
• Make-up: Lee Halls
• Hair Stylist: Karen Specht
• Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova
• Director of Research: Valeria Lovelace, Ph.D.
• Coordinating Producer: Arlene Sherman
• Producer: Lisa Simon
• Executive Producer: Dulcy Singer
• Vice President for Production: Franklin Getchell