Over the years there have been some strange celebrity cameos on kids shows. People that have no business showing up in children's programming and that kids would probably never recognize anyway. Here's 6 of the best.
6. Todd Barry (Sesame Street)
Todd Barry might not exactly be celebrity cameo material. An institution in the New York alternative comedy scene, Todd is best known for his slow, understated delivery. Sounds like the perfect fit for a Sesame Street skit huh? For one reason or another, the people at Children Television Workshop decided to tap a comic who manages to mention Victoria's Secret, 9/11 and sodomy in one joke to play the number 7 in a police interrogation sketch. Decked out in tight yellow spandex and cape, chest hair peeking over, Todd acts out the old "7, 8, 9" joke, vehemently denying that he ate the number 9.
5. 2/3 of Strangers with Candy (Sesame Street)
How did two out of the three minds behind a show designed to skewer after school special programming end up on an actual kid's show? In two separate appearances, Stephen Colbert and Amy Sedaris both graced Sesame Street, Stephen as the letter Z and Amy as Snow White. What better team to foster the minds of our children than one that brought us storylines as diverse as capturing the retarded and dealing with the devouring of one's father by rabid dog's? Watching Amy on the Street (that's what cool people call it) is intriguing, mostly because she's one facial expression away from giving the children of America the user, loser prostitute fans of SWC know and love. As for Stephen, the kid's show appearance can only help his image for the upcoming election. Now if only Paul Dinello would get a guest spot as Peter Pan or something we could have the full set.
Wanna see Colbert's clip? Follow this link, but be forewarned... a moron with no concept of irony is narrating it.
4. Quentin Tarantino (Muppet's Wizard of Oz)
Sure, QT is best known for obscenity laced dialogue and graphic violence, but he's made it clear that he always intended his films to entertain children. While promoting Kill Bill he argued that "cool" parents would take their children to see it and that he included so much bloodshed in the film because it's "fun." So there's something honest about watching Tarantino enthusiastically terrify Kermit with his ideas for a fight scene in this made for TV Muppet feature. Waving a samurai sword in the puppet's face and crawling across the table, he spouts off ideas about kung-fu fights and "busty vampire vixens" exploding into pools of blood. For all we know this could be Tarantino's actual Muppet movie pitch that the Henson people just happened to catch on tape.
3. Larry David (Hannah Montana)
Larry David thrust into a guest role on a popular Disney show with annoying kids and even more annoying adults. It would make a hell of an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but when it happens in the real world it's just painful. How did the neurotic Seinfeld co-creator, known for his love of awkward situations, manage to land himself in this one? Answer: he had kids. On the show he appears alongside his two daughters who receive a couple of lines each while they are turned away from a restaurant as Hannah Montana walks right in. Larry acts like usual Larry while the overacting of those around threatens to suffocate him. Larry is usually always irritated at something, but this might be the best reason he's ever had.
2. Iggy Pop (The Adventures of Pete and Pete)
As one of the most subversive shows ever to air on Nickelodeon, The Adventures of Pete and Pete tended to have some relatively bizarre guest appearances. Besides Steve Buscemi, Chris Elliott and Janeane Garofalo also made appearances. But none are as weird as Iggy Pop playing James Mecklenberg, the father of young Pete's friend Nona. Dressed in a modest button up sweater and dockers, you would never assume he was the crazed rocker that fronted The Stooges. Known for their wild stage shows, it was not uncommon for Iggy to smear raw meat all over his body or spill his own blood on the stage by cutting himself with broken bottles or any other sharp objects handy. Unfortunately we never see him stage diving at a PTA meeting or anything, but at least he does get to call a vandalizing teen a "stooge."
1. George Carlin (Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends)
The mantle of Mr. Conductor has been passed on to some interesting people, including Alec Baldwin and Pierce Brosnan, but none can top Ringo's immediate successor: George Carlin. The idea that somebody went to Carlin and asked him to be a kid's show host is an incredible one when you consider what Carlin is famous for. He created perhaps the most well known stand-up bit of all time with "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," an act that should have placed him at the top of the list of people you should never hand a kid's show over to. But somehow he managed to make his way through 4 seasons without ever calling Thomas a bitch.
