The Martians
From Muppet Wiki
The Martians, sometimes called "The Yip-Yips", are interplanetary visitors, presumed to be from the planet Mars, who are terrified by things like clocks, telephones and computers on Sesame Street. They rarely come face-to-face with other characters on the show.
In their skits, these creatures, with squid-like tentacles, large eyes, and antennae, materialize into a room and converse with each other in their native tongue: "Yip-yip-yip-yip... Uh-huh. Uh-huh," done in monotone voices. They often come across common objects and, curious as to their names and functions, the Yip-Yips will consult a book presumably containing information about things on Earth. In one skit, for example, the Yip-Yips call a computer a television and a typewriter before deciding what it actually is.
Multiple performers have taken on the characters, including Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Martin P. Robinson, Kevin Clash, and Julianne Buescher.
Contents |
Skits
- Telephone (EKA: Episode 0697)
- The Martians discover a telephone. They say hello to it, and then try mooing, meowing, and clucking at it. None of these bring any response. Then the phone begins to ring. The Martians, thinking it's talking, start making ringing noises back.
- Bob makes friends with the Martians, and they all sing together.
- Grandfather clock (EKA: Episode 0736)
- The Martians discover a grandfather clock and wonder if it's an earth person. They consult their book, which says an earth person is tall, has a face, and has hands. The clock fits the description perfectly!
- Book (EKA: Episode 3729)
- The Martians come upon a book which they try to eat, smell and hear before a gust of wind blows the pages open and they realize that they can read it.
- Letter A (EKA: Episode 3954)
- The Martians investigate the letter A.
- Radio
- The Martians discover a radio. They tune into three different styles of music, none of which they like. Then they tune into some static, which they start joyfully dancing to.
- Was Bert captured by Martians?
- Ernie wakes up and tells Bert it's time to get up, but notices that Bert isn't in his bed. He slowly ponders what happened to his best friend, coming to the conclusion that maybe some Martians took him away in their spaceship. As it turns out, Bert just got up early to fix some oatmeal. Ernie is relieved... until a real spaceship lands and the Yip Yip Martians enter the room!
- Sesame Street News: Old McDonald had a spaceship
- Old MacDonald tells Kermit that a spaceship has landed on his farm. A dog runs in, with a frisbee in its mouth, and MacDonald says that it's the spaceship. Kermit sets him straight. But before long, a real spaceship lands on the farm, and out of it come the Yip Yip Martians. The scene ends in chaos. (YouTube)
- A song with Kermit, a cow, the Martians, Twiddlebugs, and greasers
- Finding Earth
- Stars, moon, pigs, earth discovery by Martians
- Faucet
- The Martians discover a faucet.
- Brush Brush Boogie
- Nonspeaking cameo in the song Brush Brush Boogie, sitting on a wall brushing their nonexistent teeth.
- "Family"
- A song with two Martians and their baby.
- Fan
- The Martians examine a fan.
- Love
- Discovery of Love and silly Martian kisses.
- Sesame Street 25th Birthday
- Big Bird is looking for some 'la-la-ers' throughout the show. At one point brings in two Martians saying he's found his la-la-ers, but they disappear.
- A song by Telly with the Martians
- While Grover is driving the Sesame Street adult to the theatre, he picks the Martians and some penguins up as passengers.
- Computer
- The Martians observe a new computer at the Fix-It Shop.
- Bert is trying to read his book when Ernie starts singing a song about addition. As Ernie sings, he's joined by Cookie Monster and Grover, some cows, an elephant, and a Martian. At the end of the song, Ernie leaves Bert with a room full of singing monsters and animals.
- Journey to Ernie: Outerspace
- Small cameo.
- Guy Smiley Takes His Audience to Lunch
- Cameo appearance as audience members when Guy Smiley takes his entire studio audience to lunch.
- Cameo appearance when En Vogue travels on a rocket ship to another planet.
- Old MacDonald Cantata
Street scenes
Merchandising
Around the time of the 35th Anniversary of the program, licensors finally started to notice and recall the characters. In mid-to-late 2003, retail outlet Hot Topic led the way with the first-known official Yip Yip merchandising, a "vintage"-looking t-shirt with two martians (pictured). This was followed in the fall of 2004 with Gund bean-bag toys (pictured).
Light switch plates and other merchandising were released featuring a vintage art style created for many of the characters in conjunction with the anniversary celebration.
The 2006 Sesame Street calendar features the Yip Yips for November, and they make an appearance on the front cover scene.
The most attention given to the characters prior to 2003 was a feature in the 30th anniversary book Sesame Street Unpaved, and an appearance in The Monsters on the Bus.
Two appeared in "Out of This World!", a Sesame Street Live touring show that launched in 2003.
Book Appearances
- Grover's Guide to Good Manners (1992)
- The Monsters on the Bus (2001)
- The Counting Carnival (2003)
External links
- Yahoo Groups: The Yip Yip Club
- Yip-Yip: an experimental band from Orlando, Florida (named after the Sesame Street characters)
