Zoe

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Fran Brill on gender

Fran Brill talks about gender and the creation of Zoe at the Museum of Television and Radio.

The smaller Zoe puppet originally created for Abby in Wonderland was used as the regular Zoe for Season 40.

Zoe and Rocco.

Zoe makes her first talk show appearance on The Phil Donahue Show in 1994.

Zoe and Abby Cadabby.

Zoe and Elmo.

Zoe and Ernie.

Zoe with her pet rock, Rocco.

Zoe at the park.

Zoe is a three-year-old orange monster who first appeared on Sesame Street in Season 25. She was designed in her color to complement Elmo, who was gaining popularity at the time of her introduction. Zoe was created to help balance what was then a predominately male cast of Muppets on the series.

Zoe was originally unclothed, apart from jewelry and barrettes (which she is never seen without). Starting in season 33, however, Zoe has often been seen wearing a tutu, because, like many girls of her age, she is obsessed with ballet. Her love of dance is featured in the video Zoe's Dance Moves.

She occasionally rides a soapbox-style car around Sesame Street, called the Zoemobile. She has a pet rock, Rocco, much to Elmo's constant dismay and she owns a doll named Mimi. Her birthday is September 30, however in a 2009 appearance on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, she states that her birthday is in January.

Her Aunt Chloe has been seen on the show, and her daddy has appeared in a few storybooks. Her Aunt Giselle, who lives in Swan Lake, sent her a tutu in season 34.

From Season 25 to Season 29, she went to the Day Care Center.

Development

From the book Sesame Street Unpaved: "From several possible designs of the character, 'I picked the one that had a face like Carol Channing,' says Fran Brill. 'I wanted her to be obviously female with jewelry and barrettes in her hair. Someone suggested we call her Frannie, since that's my nickname. But I didn't want a Muppet with my name, so I thought of the J.D. Salinger book Franny and Zooey, and suggested Zoe, which seemed to be just right."

To prepare for the character, Brill went to Manhattan preschools and watched 3-year-old girls play. One of the girls said to Brill the phrase which became an early catchphrase for Zoe, "Don't joke me." When the first Zoe puppet was built, Krewson's daughter suggested they put sparkles in her hair.

Beginning with the 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, more hair was added to Zoe, including pink and glittery hairs. Starting with season 40 in 2009, a smaller puppet was used, based on the one created specifically for her role as Mousey the Hatter Helper in Abby in Wonderland. This version was only used for season 40, and Brill uses the normal-sized Zoe puppet for the following season.

At William Paterson University, Marty Robinson explained that Telly hadn't appeared in any scenes with the rebuilt Zoe, and Robinson expected that the moment they would meet, Telly would freak out. Fran Brill proceeded to take out the Zoe puppet, and sure enough, Telly freaked out.

Notes

• Before Zoe wore her tutu as a permanent outfit, she wore it on street scenes for Episode 3851 and Episode 3916.
• According to the Sesame Street Unpaved (book), her favorite songs are "Let's Go Crazy," "Jump (For My Love)" and "Put on a Happy Face." However, in Episode 4169, her favorite song was Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
• In the 2008 video Love the Earth!, she was a member of the Bear Scouts.
• Zoe got her own bed in Episode 3207.
• Zoe learned how to play a trombone in Episode 3994.
• Zoe's favorite letter is Z because her name starts with Z.
• In Episode 4228, Zoe says she has a brother named Joey.

Filmography

• Sesame Street (1993-present)
• Sesame Street Stays Up Late (1993)
• The Best of Elmo (video) (1994)
• Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever (1994)
• Do the Alphabet (1996)
• Elmo Saves Christmas (1996)
• Elmo Saves Christmas: Holiday Favorites (1996)
• Imagine That! (1997)
• Sing Along Travel Songs (1997)
• Quiet Time (1997)
• Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs (1997)
• Learning to Share (1997)
• Elmopalooza (1998)
• Don't Forget to Watch the Movie (1998)
• A Brief History of Motion Pictures (1998)
• The Alphabet Jungle Game (1998)
• Elmo's World (1998, 2001, 2005)
• The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999)
• Kids' Favorite Songs (1999)
• CinderElmo (1999)
• Peter and the Wolf (2001)
• Kids' Favorite Songs 2 (2001)
• Bert and Ernie's Word Play (2002)
• Elmo's World: Happy Holidays (2002)
• Zoe's Dance Moves (2003)
• Play With Me Sesame (2003)
• The Street We Live On (2004)
• What's the Name of That Song? (2004)
• PBS Interstitials (2004)
• A Magical Halloween Adventure (2004)
• A Celebration of Me, Grover (2004)
• Happy Healthy Monsters (2005)
• We Are Family music video (2005)
• Elmo's Christmas Countdown (2007)
• Love the Earth! (2008)
• Count on Sports (2008
• Abby in Wonderland (2008)

Appearances

• The Phil Donahue Show (1994)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1997)
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2002-present)
• Daytime Emmy Awards (2003, 2004, 2009)
• Annual Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala (2003, 2006, 2009, 2010)
• The West Wing (2004)
• Hollywood Hits Broadway Benefit Gala 2004)
• Martha Stewart Living (2004)
• Muppets, Music & Magic (2007, 2009)
• CNN.com Live (2008)
• The Creative Coalition (2008)
• Lincoln Center 50th Anniversary TV spot (2009)
• Sesame Street at 40 (2009)
• Ad for Jim Henson's Fantastic World (2009)
• Today (2009)
• The 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Nomination Party (with Fran Brill) (2009)
• CBS News Philadelphia (with Fran Brill) (2009)
• InFANity (2009)
• The 60th Annual Christopher Awards (2009)
• Sesame Street Day (2009)
• Good Morning America (2009)
• Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (2009)
• Sesame Street's 40th Birthday Party (2009)
• Barnes & Noble (2009)
• Brooklyn Public Library (with Fran Brill) (2009)
• Cake Boss (2010)
• AFTRA Media and Entertainment Excellence Awards (2010)
• Today (Australia) (2011)
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2013)

Songs

• "Girl of the World"
• "Little Miss Count Along"
• "Be Doodle Dee Dum"
• "Sesame Street Theme"
• "Guess the Seasons Song"
• "The Alphabet Song"
• "My Name Is Zoe"
• "Because We're Friends"
• "A New Way to Walk" (remake)
• "Rubber Duckie (song)
• "I've Been Working on the Railroad"
• "Read Me a Story" (remake)
• "Moonshine"
• "You and You and Me"
• "My Name"
• "I Soaks Up The Sun
• "Two Princes"
• "It All Adds Up"
• "Picture a World"
• "Happy Birthday, Stinky"
• "Grover Work Song"
• "That's the Way I Read"
• "Fur" (remake)
• "Goodbye Fly"
• "Here Comes Santa Claus"
• "You Tickle Me"
• "How Do You Get from Here to There"
• "7th Inning Stretch Song"
• "Share" (remake)
• "We Hate the Rain"
• "Sing
• "Everybody's Song" (remakes)

See also

• Zoe Through the Years
• Zoe books
• Zoe walk-arounds
• Zoe (animated)
• Sesame Street Monsters