I Hereby Unilaterally Declare February 15th To Be International Grover Appreciation Day

Posted on February 15, 2010    Posted by      131 Comments

Because he is The Greatest Muppet Ever. Search your heart. You know it to be true.

Tell everyone you know that today is International Grover Appreciation Day. Because it is THE BEST HOLIDAY EVER.

That is all. Thank you.

Update, 11:38 am: Quote from Athena: “Is there an Elmo Day? Because if there is, I’m going to have to punch someone.” I AM SO PROUD.

Also, feel free to download the picture above from here.

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131 Comments on “I Hereby Unilaterally Declare February 15th To Be International Grover Appreciation Day”

  2. Not Kermit? C’mon, put up a video of “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” so everyone can watch the true master at work.

    Alex

  3. Dave:

    Grover needs not slavish imitation! Although if you’d like to scream “Near! ………………. and far!” at random times of the day, it will not be looked upon askance.

    Alex:

    Kermit? That corporate shill? GROVER KEPT IT REAL, YO.

  6. Well, let’s just hope that it’s more auspicious than March 15th.

    Although, I think that Mr. Snuffleupagous is pretty neat, too.

  7. Oh, please.

    He’s a sociopath, the only real monster on Sesame Street. He *consistently* torments that poor bald guy.

    If the other monsters say nice things about Grover, it’s only because they’re afraid of him.

  8. Because he is The Greatest Muppet Ever. Search your heart. You know it to be true.

    ::searching::

    ::searching::

    hoooonk!

    Nope. Cookie Monster’s still the king. But better Grover than Elm…::choke::… Excuse me. Better him than El…::gag::…

    Ahh. You know.

  16. YAY!

    I still have my Grover doll from when I was a wee lass. It’s looking a little ratty these days, but I wouldn’t part with it.

    I will spread the word as a true devotee of the Great One!

  17. I must respectfully disagree. Cookie Monster is clearly the best followed closely by Beaker. Grover might be third. Might.

  18. Captain Noble:

    Infidels such as yourself are lucky Grover is a kind and tolerant Muppet who celebrates a diversity of views instead of CRUSHING YOU UNDER HIS TERRY CLOTH BOOT. Which other Muppets, less merciful, might do.

    I’m just sayin’.

  19. There is a certain merit to your contention, and I will concede the point as long as you restrict your claim to Sesame Street muppets. But I am and always will be a Rowlf partisan.

  23. I’m personally devoted to Animal myself. His musical talent… His way with women… He kinda reminds me of former President Clinton if he were addicted to meth.

  24. Who was the only Muppet on Sesame Street who could pull off wearing a cape and look as pimp as the Count?

    Super Grover, that’s who.

    I full endorse Grover Appreciation Day.

  25. For some reason any mention of sesame street always ends up with me singing the Captain Vegetable song…

  26. @John, 18

    Speaking of tyrannical Muppets, did you ever encounter the Evil Burt meme that was around back in the 90’s?

  28. Few people know his full name.

    Grover 3000: Autonomous Assault Muppet

    Watch your back around that one…

  30. My sister just gave my son “The Monster at the End of this Book.” I was much more excited than he was, but he’s still been asking for (alternatingly) the Monsta boot(k), the Almo boot(k), the Doohie Monsta boot(k), and the Osta boot(k). He hasn’t quite picked up on Grover yet…

  31. I have to go with Rowlf on this one. He was the kind of Muppet you could take home to meet your folks. Especially if your folks liked the Jimmy Dean Show.

  33. I used my Share on Facebook button, and the quote from the post facebook chose was Athena’s, so I also suggested an Athena Scalzi appreciation day. because between this post and the last, I definitely appreciate her.

  34. I always rather liked Basil the Bear and Louis the Otter. But those were strictly Canadian characters who spoke French anyways. ;)

    Out of all the Muppets though, personally, I’ll all for Gonzo, followed by the Swedish Chef and Beaker. Sorry.

  35. I think you’ve got a case of the look-at-me’s. Isn’t there some awesome science fiction you could be writing instead of looking for attention? Or is that all over with now?

  36. While I bow to no-one in my fondness for Rowlf and Beaker, and can even sympathize (if not truly understand) those who champion Gonzo or the Cookie Monster, I’m gonna have to go with Scalzi on this one.

  37. I’m a Rowlf girl at heart, but there’s a very long list of Muppets who come before Grover in my affections.

    Athena, on the other hand, is officially Top Kid on my list of Great Kids of the World.* I think we should declare Athena Scalzi Day, with celebratory punching of Elmo dolls.

    *It helps that I have none of my own, and my friends’ kids are all pre-verbal.

  38. Grover is so talented, he successfully re-made The 39 Steps for Monsterpiece Theater. Years later, after having attended an advanced screening of 1998’s Psycho he is reported to have said: “SUCK IT, VAN SANT, I GOT THERE FIRST.”

  40. Grover taught me to read so he is the king. After repeated reading of “The monster at the end of this book” my parents pointed out that the letters made words and the words here what they were reading. Since I knew the story by heart at that point it was a pretty easy jump to reading. We lived in the boonies so every two weeks was the trip to the big town and the Library. No longer was the Library that annoying place where I had to be quite. It became the place of books.

    I owe a lot to grover.

  41. EAT DRUMS! [/Animal]

    Um, yeah. I might agree with you, Mr. S., if you qualified your “greatest” to include “from Sesame Street.” Grover rocks.

    (Then again, I might not. I’m a big Oscar the Grouch fan, too.)

  42. Athena is awesome, and has excellent taste!

    I don’t know if Grover is my favourite, but it’s irrelevant, because he’s wonderful no matter what. I have a special place in my heart for Oscar the Grouch, however; it’s he who gave me my head start into curmudgeonliness.

  46. When I saw Empire Strikes Back for the first time, I was shocked that Yoda sounded just like Fozzie Bear

  50. Athena is right. I started calling Elm* “The Red Menace” after being subjected to him for so long. My daughter has thankfully grown out of that…to the point of visibly cringing when she hears him.

    As for my favorite Muppet on Sesame Street (other than Grover, who is indeed groovy)…has to be the Count. I also like some of the “minor characters” such as the pair of construction workers (Sully and ????) and Guy Music.

  51. The Monster at the End of this Book is my all time favorite book from my childhood. When I read it to my kids, with groans, panting, yelling and screaming, I barely had to look at the pages, I knew it by heart. Interestingly, I’m 42 and Grover has always been my Mother’s favorite muppet, so I’ll be forwarding this blog post to her, she’ll love it.

  52. Why shouldn’t Grover Appreciation day actually fall on his official birthday, October 14th? My opinion, that would be the best day (since it’s my birthday too, yeah!).

    Go..go..Beaker!

  53. YAY!!!! Grover has been my favorite muppet since the very beginning. I’m 63 years old and I still have my Grover finger puppet. I lost my doll somewhere over the years, though.

    I agree with Athena, because I was incensed when Elmo became the big deal and I couldn’t even find a Grover toy for my grandson.

    GROVER FOREVER!

  55. I might have agreed with you before, but I am under the Count’s spell after watching this video.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUeN6LZNPVQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

  56. And I thought you were going to laud Grover from The Lightning Thief movie, the only one who captured a sliver of the wittiness of the book. I’d be in favor of a day for the half-goat as well.

  58. The Mrs. tells me that “E” who shall not be named does indeed have a day of celebration dedicated to him. The Mrs. likes the dichotomy of the giant black man doign to voice for the tiny red monster. Myself – he kept my kids amused and out of my hair long enough that I do not hate him – but everyone blue or green comes long before him in my heart.

  59. remember when the muppets were dysfuctional? They all seemed to have ‘issues’ What’s Elm*’s issue? what makes him so durned ‘special’ that he gets his own segment that seems like it’s 1/2 the entire show? Grover rocks becuse Grover is flawed/human – has issues with confidence and self esteem – and OVERCOMES (by becoming Super-Grover). Elm* is just saccharine and annoying.

    My favorite muppets (on Sesame Street) were Kermit (yes – he WAS on Sesame Street– I remember the “News Flash” segments fondly) Grover and Oscar

  61. #59 The kids and I used to watch Sesame Street and when their father was home he would join us. After completing his PhD, when he was teaching students working toward their MSW’s, he would sometimes have assignments where they were required to diagnose a muppet, using the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). I don’t think there was a muppet unworthy of diagnosis.

  62. What was the name of the big creepy blue bird muppet? Big beak, blue hair, five times the size of Gonzo (who, incidentally, always seemed to be in need of a straight jacket to me). He wasn’t on sesame street. Him and the brown monster muppets that looked like they were from Where the Wild Things Are were more than a little scary.
    Anyway, I wish they’d make a short where they feed Elmo to this lot.

  64. Good thing you didn’t tell Athena that today was Elmo Appreciation Day, then. Although if there were such a day, I would show my appreciation for Elmo by sticking him in a garbage disposal and hitting the ON switch.

    Personally, my inclinations are more toward Oscar.

  65. Am I the only one out here who thinks Ernie is the funniest guy ever? “What, Bert? I can’t hear you. I have a banana in my ear.”

  66. I had Grover tucked into my wedding bouquet as my “Something Blue” Tell everyone Near and Far, Around, Over and Under and Through about Grover Appreciation Day!

  68. Mr Scalzi –

    Simply pointing out the brilliance of Henson, Oz et al would be good enough. They brought to life creativity, imagination, caring, hope, and taught also of the sweat that actually embody them.

    Although I must disagree with Grover being the “Best”. My favorite Muppet moment must still be the Kermit interview where they mic’d the frog…

  69. Having just finished reading The God Engines, all this my-muppet-is-better-than-your-muppet talk has really creepy undertones… Just sayin’.

    Perhaps there should be a sequel: There’s a God at the End of This Book?

  70. Grover rules, OK.

    He also provided the voice-over for Yoda in the Star Wars films, so do not doubt his multiple talents.

  73. You are correct, sir! Grover may be considered a B-list puppet by some, but he was always my daughter’s favorite. The Monster at the End of the Book totally rules!

  74. I just feel the need to remind folks that it isn’t “Super Grover”, or “SuperGrover”. It is, in fact

    SU______PER Grover!

    That is all.

  75. Well first off HAPPY GROVER DAY!!

    However I’m in Ontario which today is Family day… not really a good day since I’m still forced to go to work and everyone else in my household is at home.

  76. My personal favorite is Animal but Grover is pretty great too. I admire Athena’s taste. :)

    My all-time favorite skit on the Muppet show was when they had a pianist playing On the Beautiful Blue Danube and Dr. Teeth’s banf was playing backup. Animal’s eyebrows started going up and down in counterpoint to his “TICK TICK, tick tick.”
    The guitarist turned to Janice and said, “If Animal goes, I’m going with him.” Then the whole band went into the Danube Breakdown. It was awesome.

  77. grover is not a muppet (muppets are creations by jim henson, ie kermit, gonzo, miss piggy, and everyones fave beeker or any other from the muppet show), he is from sesame street.

  79. Mrs. Piggy is the coolest. She would take Grover down! But I’ll make sure to tell all my friends that it’s National Grover appreciation Day.

    Oh, and Mr. Scalzi, I just finished reading Old Man’s War, The Ghost Brigades, The Last Colony, and The Android’s Dream in that order. I just want you to know that your books were amazing!

  81. lanaswan – straight from wikipedia:

    Point 1 – The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson.

    Point 2 – Grover is a Muppet character on the popular television show Sesame Street. Self-described as lovable and furry, he is a monster who almost never uses contractions when he speaks and sings.

    Conclusion: Grover is a Muppet (what, you never saw Kermit on both Sesame Street and the Muppet show??)

  84. Having the last name “Grover”, you can only imagine how many times as a kid I was asked if I lived on Sesame Street. Although not directed at me, I will bask in the glow of Grover Appreciation Day.

  87. I would have liked to have downloaded the grover pic, but flickr tells me that it’s all rights reserved.

  89. Grover is the coolest, and has been my favorite furry monster since about 1968.
    Great Day for a holiday celibrating the only muppet to have a president named after him!

    Or was it the other way round?

  90. Mike @ 51: “The Monster At The End Of This Book” is also one of my favorites – and I’ve bought a copy for each of my neices to be sure that I continue to the tradition (FYI, it’s in pop-up now. I had to get a copy of that for my personal library – and to any skeptics, I’m not kidding, it was really for me :) ).

    I’m sure that I would have learned the meanings of “over”, “under”, and “through” without Grover…but I can’t for the life of me figure out why I would have wanted to.

  92. Thanks so much for this. Grover has long been my favorite, and I am having a blast introducing my four-year-old to him. I should point out that this introduction has been almost exclusively through the “Old School” DVD sets, which contain material from the pre-Elmo days. (I hate the Red Menace with every fiber of my being.)

  93. >>Dave Hall: Great Day for a holiday celebrating the only muppet to have a president named after him!

    Say What? I think you’re forgetting someone.

    In fact, this day rightfully belongs to the funkiest of all the muppets! The only muppet who had his own school named after him! The purple skinned muppet unjustly expelled from the show that’s never been as cool as when he was in it.

    Screw Grover. (That terry cloth bobble-head gets too much face time as it is).

    President’s day should be Roosevelt Franklin day!!!!

  94. Now if only they could replace the evil human Grover Norquist with the nice muppet Grover.

  96. i think everyone relates to a different Muppet based on their emotional state: Gonzo when you’re feeling a bit insecure, Fozzy Bear when you are blissfully unselfconscious, Grover when you are a bit manic, Animal when you are a lot LOT manic (or coked out of your brain, but that’s not healthy) and Elmo when you’re a douchebag.

  97. I LOVE GROVER! And, since Feb. 15th is my birthday, I think this is a perfect day for Grover appreciation!

  101. My brother claimed to know that Grover belly-meat was delicious and that made Grover his mortal enemy and now I know it, too. He said Grover hunted for people who know this by hiding under furniture and every once in a while proved it by being “dragged” under. Maybe that makes me biased.

    A kid’s show about monsters — what could go wrong?

    Besides, everyone knows those little pink aliens from the Muppet Show’s Munah Munah song are the best.

  103. I love Grover! I also love Bert. Actually, I pretty much love all the Muppets, but Grover and Bert just make my heart settle in right.

  105. Daniel B: I admit you have a point there. In fact, your funk-a-delic favorite was named for TWO presidents. And two presidents is one more president than one president! Count Von Count told me so.

    And let us not forget Loveable furry old Grover’s long and distinguished acting career.
    Monsterpiece Theatre Productions starring Grover include:
    Chariots of Fur
    The Sound of Music
    Upstairs, Downstairs
    39 Stairs
    The Taming of the Shoe
    The King and I
    The 400 Blows
    Monsters of Venice
    The Old Man and the C
    Much Ado About Nothing
    The Sun Also Rises
    Room at the Top
    Waiting for Elmo
    ABCD Blue
    The Postman Always Rings Twice
    A Streetcar Named Monster.

    And yet not one Oscar!

    Happy International Grover Appreciation Day Y’all!

    NEAR!!! FAR!!!

  109. Grover it totally awesome. And by strange coincidence, one of my friends was wearing a Grover shirt today. I wonder if she even knew it was Grover Appreciation day.

  110. I’m sorry, but I can’t agree.

    Grover was never serious about the craft. I mean, how many times did he eat Kep-mok blood ticks when the script called for it?

    None!

  111. Oscar showed up at my commencement when I went back for my bachelor’s degree (link goes to 2004 Wittenberg Commencement excerpt), along with his close friend Caroll Spinney.

    It was rather surreal watching the whole thing unfold with all the “traditional” college students, who never knew a Sesame Street without Elmo.

  113. I kingbiscuitpants make it a royal edict that February 15 as shall henceforth be a day where we give respect to the great spiritual master
    Grover.

  115. I loves my Grover. Second best monster ever. First best is a *real* monster.

    Look out for your Cookies!!

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shbgRyColvE&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

  117. Also my Birthday. I am happy to share this day with Grover.

    When I was a kid my brother would play Super Grover with me. He would lay on his back and push me up in the air with his feet. Then I stretch out like I’m flying until he makes me “crash”.

    I’m told the brain damage was minimal.

  119. Steven desJardins

    Ah, but this is (was, I suppose) “International” Grover Appreciation day, which means that it, like the Great Grover himself, is beyond the messiness of national politics and political parties.

  121. Coming in late here, but THANK YOU to Scott@83 – that was wonderful!

    And I must say that hating any of the Muppets is just …wrong. You can like one more than another, but hate is such an ugly word, people. Muppets don’t hate, and there’s a good lesson in that. That being said, I did find Sam the Eagle very creepy. He has dead eyes and never, ever smiled. I think Dick Cheney likes him best.

  123. The 15th was my wedding anniversary and my husband is a lot like Grover, so though I love all the Muppets, including the Angel Muppet they did for Angel and the furry dog thing in The Dark Crystal, I appreciate the special dedication.

  124. A belated thank you for International Grover Appreciation Day. We all need to be more blue, furry, and lovable.

  125. “There is a Monster at the End of this Book” was my favorite book as a kid, Grover has been with me a long time. Good reason for a holiday

  127. Grover was first; Elmo is redundant.

    Kermit was cool for a while, but then came the Muppet movies. Corporate shill, indeed. The same goes for his porcine sidekick/kick in the side Ms. Piggy.

    Animal is amazing, but unintelligible.

    Big Bird, Gonzo and Fozzie are bland.

    The only muppets comparable to Grover are Oscar and Cookie monster. But Oscar stinks from his garbage can and Cookie is just an ordinary monster with an obsessive/compulsive eating disorder.

  128. Dear God, forgive me.

    I forgot Ernie. And Bert, too, but Bert is meant to be forgettable.

    I guess Grover has to be the #1 monster muppet and Ernie the #1 humanoid. They are two sides of the same coin.

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