Episode 2624

	Sesame Street
	Big Bird tells a joke
Air date	November 23, 1989
Season	Season 21 (1989-1990)
Written by	Cathi Rosenberg-Turow
Production	September 26, 1989
Sponsors	D, I, 10

Picture	Segment	Description
	Insert	Count von Count introduces Luis to his grandparents, who also love to count. In song, they demonstrate that while the Count's counting elicits thunder and lightning, Grandpa Count's counting brings snow, and Grandma Count's counting brings rain. When they count together, then comes all weather. (First: Episode 2357)
	Cartoon	A man (voice of Richard Hunt) answers the TELEPHONE and gives it to the plant. (First: Episode 1828)
	Muppets	Kermit draws a square on-screen using his "magic finger." (First: Episode 0838)
	Cartoon	Pinball #10 Artist: Jeff Hale (First: Episode 0990)
	Cast	Maria as Chaplin obeys the word HOP, then switches it to STOP. (First: Episode 1982)
	Cartoon	I-Ink (angry bird) (First: Episode 0462)
	Film	Hands build things out of triangles and squares while off-screen voices try to figure out what the constructions will be. (First: Episode 0004)
	Insert	Mr. Snuffleupagus wants to play football with Slimey, but Oscar the Grouch thinks the size difference will make the game unfair to Slimey. He suggests Hide and Seek. Snuffy looks everywhere and can't find Slimey. Oscar shows Snuffy that Slimey is hiding in his fur, and says the joke is on him. Instead of getting angry, Snuffy thinks it's funny and leaves to tell Big Bird that the joke was--literally--on him. (First: Episode 2140)
	Animation	D / d (drums and drumsticks) (First: Episode 2188)
	Muppets	Grover is going to teach the audience about "surprise" by sneaking up on Ernie. He sees Ernie sitting in his chair -- and he knows that it's Ernie, because he can see Ernie's shirt and Ernie's hair. Grover sneaks up to surprise Ernie -- but then it turns out to be Herry Monster, disguised as Ernie. (First: Episode 0183)
	Animation	The big green balls and one little orange ball ride over the top of the hills. The little one can't make it over the big hill, but conquers the small hill. (First: Episode 1896)
	Song	A girl invites the listener to "Swing Up High." Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0408)
	Muppets	Ernie & Bert — Bert asks who Ernie is decorating the room for. It turns out to be the viewer at home. (First: Episode 0352)
	Animation	A montage of boys, all of whom are named Joe, saying what their favorite sports are. The last one turns out to be a girl named Joanne. Artist: John Korty (First: Episode 1871)
	Cast	Linda shows a boy how to sign the word "telephone." (First: Episode 2581)
	Film	A girl and her friend David, a blacksmith, talk as he makes an iron wolf for his door. (First: Episode 2276)
	Muppets	The Rhymies go camping, but a bear disrupts their campsite. (First: Episode 1389)
	Insert	Alaina Deleon does some speed jump-roping with the Double Dutch Jumpers. (with music) (First: Episode 1424)
	Cartoon	The Typewriter: D - Daisy (First: Episode 0795)
	Muppets	Anything Muppets perform an opera about front and back (to the tune of "The Blue Danube"). (First: Episode 1391)
	Cartoon	The Bellhop must take 10 terriers for a walk. (First: Episode 2507)
	SCENE 1	Big Bird finds Gordon waiting at the bus stop, and wants to tell him a joke. He keeps getting drowned out by different city noises, until Gordon's bus comes.
	Cartoon	Geronimo 10-0: Instead of a parachute, she has a helicopter propeller. (First: Episode 2262)
	Muppets / Celebrity	"Pretty Great Performances" features Placido Flamingo singing "Italian Street Song" with the All-Animal Orchestra, led by conductor Seiji Ozawa (First: Episode 2485)
	Film	Maria and some kids count katydids hiding in the leaves. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 2364)
	Muppets	Two Anything Muppets (Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson) use a tape measure to figure out how far apart they are from each other. It turns out that thirty-seven feet separate them. (First: Episode 0905)
	Cartoon	"Pirate Plan" Artist: Michael Sporn (First: Episode 2236)
	SCENE 2	Gordon's bus returns, and Big Bird is waiting to tell him the joke. What does a duck eat for a snack? Milk and quackers! Gordon doesn't laugh, and Big Bird is disappointed. Gordon suggests he tell it to someone else. Bob and the kids don't laugh either.
	Song	"Mom and Me" (First: Episode 2462)
	Cartoon	A janitor sweeps up his own footprints the wrong way, then the right way. Just then, a giant centipede leaves tracks all over the floor. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0247)
	Muppets	Teacher Little Chrissy sings about how important it is to "Raise Your Hand." (First: Episode 1959)
	SCENE 3	Big Bird tells his joke to Maria, who pretends to laugh, but Big Bird isn't fooled. He thinks Gabi is laughing at his joke, but Gabi is too little to understand words.
	Cartoon	A man laughs out loud as an alligator uses the telephone to call his wife - then he eats the phone booth. (First: Episode 1113)
	Muppets	Harvey Kneeslapper asks a man, "Do you want me to keep an eye on your hat?" The man says yes. Harvey then puts a letter I on top of the man's hat, crushing it in the process. (First: Episode 0288)
	Cartoon	A shoemaker shows how he measures (human) feet with his ruler. (First: Episode 0618)
	Film	Two boys working at the family Mexican restaurant show how they prepare for the day, and how tacos and enchiladas are made. (First: Episode 1890)
	Cartoon	What if I looked like George Washington... (First: Episode 0586)
	Muppets	The Two-Headed Monster drives a car, but puts on the seat belt first. (First: Episode 1966)
	Cartoon	A stubborn hippo sits on a girl's ball, and she tries to figure out how to get it back. (First: Episode 0765)
	SCENE 4	Big Bird tells his joke to a duck, who laughs. He realizes that you just have to find the right audience. The duck doesn't laugh at his next joke: What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence? Time to get a new fence! He tells it to Fluffy, and she laughs. Bob announces the sponsors.