Mystery Guest
Sesame Street has had many game shows over the years, hosted by Guy Smiley, Sonny Friendly, and other characters.
Recurring Game Show Sketches[]
| Picture | First Appearance / Host | Description |
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Episode 0131 Guy Smiley |
What's My Part? The object of the game is for the blindfolded contestants to guess what part of the body is the guest on the show, based on clues from the guest. At least two segments were made. A parody of What's My Line? |
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Episode 0406 Guy Smiley |
Here Is Your Life Guy surprises somebody (usually an animated version of an inanimate object) by showcasing that person or thing's life, with surprise appearances from people in that guests life. This segment was later retitled "The New Here is Your Life", with Sonny Friendly taking over hosting duties. |
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Episode 0423 Guy Smiley |
Beat the Time The object of the game is to bring in a number of related items within a given time frame. An obvious parody of Beat the Clock. |
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Episode 1643 Guy Smiley |
Name That Sound! In this game, a number of sounds are heard, and the contestant must name the items that make those sounds. There was also a "traveling edition" hosted by Sonny Friendly. |
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Episode 4083 unseen announcer |
The Letter of the Day Games Hosted by an unseen announcer, Cookie Monster must accomplish three tasks that involve The Letter of the Day. |
One-Shot Game Show Inserts[]
| Picture | First Appearance / Host | Description | ||
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Episode 0026 Big Bob |
Big Bob hosts "Can You Guess?", the first-ever Sesame Street game show. A take-off on To Tell the Truth, Billy Monster must guess which of three (non-monster) panelists is the mother. Billy can't get the right answer because his own mother possesses monster traits. | ||
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Episode 0067 Sonny Friendly |
Pick Your Pet A game show from the first season, parodying The Dating Game. The object of this game is to, while blindfolded, ask three different animals some questions about themselves, and then pick one of them to be the contestant's pet before taking off the blindfold and seeing what kind of pet was chosen. The three animals include Little Bird, Baskerville, and Beautiful Day Monster. | ||
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Episode 0072 Guy Smiley |
The Mr. and Mrs. Game A game show similar to The Newlywed Game, where a monster couple could win a prize if Mr. Monster's wife could guess her husband's answers. | ||
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Episode 0279 Guy Smiley |
The Trading Game In this game show similar to Let's Make a Deal and Treasure Hunt, contestants Sally Screamer and Oscar the Grouch bring in items that they can trade for an item in a mystery box.
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Episode 0310 Guy Smiley |
The Remembering Game This game show similar to Concentration/Classic Concentration is a matching game, where the contestants have to match two pictures. The prize won is whatever the contestant correctly matches. Unlike the real show, there are no rebus puzzles to solve. The contestants in this skit are Cookie Monster and Bill Smith.
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Episode 0370 Guy Smiley |
What's My Letter? Another What's My Line? title parody, hosted by Guy Smiley. In this game show, the contestant has to figure out the featured letter of the day. In this skit, the contestant is Prairie Dawn, and the letter is E. | ||
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Episode 0629 Guy Smiley |
Dialing-For-Prizes Movie Guy Smiley gives the lucky caller a group of monsters as a prize. Spoof of Dialing for Dollars. | ||
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Episode 0834 Guy Smiley |
The Mystery Mix-up Game The object of this game is to unscramble a word. The word to unscramble is "SCHOOL", and when the contestant Mrs. Rooney wins, she rearranges her prizes.
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Episode 0915 Guy Smiley |
The Anything-in-the-World Prize Game Guy Smiley asks questions to random people on the street. The winner gets to choose the prize. His guest for this skit is Oscar the Grouch, who doesn't want to be bothered by Guy Smiley and accidentally gets every answer right. Since Oscar gets to have whatever he wants for a prize, he asks Guy Smiley to get lost.
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Episode 0960 Guy Smiley |
The Addition Game The contestant, Herry Monster, has to add numbers to win the prize. Herry can solve all the questions except "3+1=_", so he brings four cars into the studio to add them together.
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Episode 1042 Guy Smiley |
What is It? Panelists Grover, Biff and Prairie Dawn must guess what mysterious object Little Sammy Pottle has brought into the studio (a red rubber ball) while blindfolded. | ||
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Episode 1373 Guy Smiley |
Say the Word In the manner of Password, one contestant must get his partner to say the secret word ("Stop") by giving him clues. The contestants are Chester O'Leary and Maurice Monster. When Chester's clues fail to enlighten Maurice, Chester resorts to tickling. The monster finally yells, "Stop!" The pair win, but Maurice gets his own back by tickling Chester and Guy Smiley.
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Episode 1447 Guy Smiley |
Mystery Guest The contestants wear blindfolds and ask the guest who it is. In this skit, the contestants are Cookie Monster, Don Music, and Sherlock Hemlock, and the guest is the letter X. | ||
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Episode 1491 Don Carrot |
Name That Food The object of the game is to identify foods that appear on a screen and then eat that food. One of the contestants is willing to eat every food shown, while the other contestant refuses. | ||
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Episode 1631 Guy Smiley |
This Is Your Lunch Construction worker Sally Smith is the surprise contestant of the on-location game "This Is Your Lunch." Sally must guess the contents of her lunchbox correctly after each food item gives her clues.
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Episode 1640 Richard Dawson |
Family Food A parody of Family Feud. The Hungry Family must come up with the top five answers for foods that make up a healthy meal (chicken, broccoli, wheat bread, oranges, and milk). The prize is a smorgasbord of the food listed as answers, a trip to Florida, and a horse.
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Episode 2076 Guy Smiley |
The How Many Game ?? The object of the game is for the contestant to bring in a certain number of objects. The contestant is the Two-Headed Monster, who must bring in two of something. | ||
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Episode 2125 Guy Smiley |
To Tell a Face Another spoof on To Tell the Truth, the object of the game is to identify the face of a relative. The contestant in this skit is a baby, who must identify his grandmother.
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Episode 2185 Guy Smiley |
The Triangle is Right The object of the game is to answer every question with "a triangle" as the answer. Contestant Prairie Dawn has little patience for this format, inspired by the 1950s quiz show scandals. This segment was written by Mark Saltzman.[1]
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Episode 2258 Oscar the Grouch |
The Trash Is Right Hosted by Oscar on Sesame Street. The object of this game is for the contestant, Grundgetta, to match each pile of trash with the picture of the person who threw it away. | ||
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Episode 2282 Guy Smiley |
The School Game The object of this game is the contestant must figure out the correct answer about School and the teachers. The contestants are Timmy, Lynn-Lynn, and Rosa. All three contestant wins the game. The prizes, as displayed by a woman resembling a schoolteacher, are various Guy Smiley merchandise (such as a Guy Smiley Lunchbox, a Guy Smiley backpack, a Guy Smiley pencil set, a Guy Smiley coloring book, and a book about Guy Smiley's amazing life story.) | ||
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Episode 2318 Guy Smiley |
Where Do I Belong? A group of objects/people/animals try to figure out where they all belong. The first group is a sun, a star, and a moon, who all belong in the sky. The next group is a fish, a clam, and a scuba diver, who all belong in the water. The last group is a cow, a tree, and a haystack, who all belong on land. | ||
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Episode 2328 Gordon |
What Happens Next? Gordon asks the audience what would happen next with help from the Dinger and Maria (as Charlie Chaplin). We have to guess before Gordon rings the bell. On the 1st round, Maria as Charlie Chaplin steps on the banana peel on the ground. On the 2nd round, Maria sits on a bench with only Three legs and it knocks down. Then on 3rd (and final) round Maria used the cane to push cloud to the game show studio, causing Gordon to sneeze a lot. | ||
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Episode 2329 Guy Smiley |
The Eating Game Another spoof of The Dating Game, the object is for a plate (Fran Brill) is to ask questions to three different types of food, and then pick which one the contestant wants to take to dinner. The food choices are a fish (David Rudman), a corn on the cob (Kevin Clash), and a glass of milk (Martin P. Robinson). The plate ultimately chooses all three, thus making for a healthful meal.
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Episode 2331 Pat Playjacks |
Squeal of Fortune A parody of Wheel of Fortune, hosted by Pat Playjacks with the help of Velma Blank. The contestants are Count von Count and Prairie Dawn. The object of the game is to spin a wheel with a pig in the middle and guess how many times it will go around (with one squeal per turn). The Count wins, but after being given his choice of prizes (including a larger-than-life portrait of Playjacks himself, grapefruit goggles, and a barrel of industrial-strength gray-green finger paint), he chooses the pig instead. Then an eel comes along to ask Pat Playjacks if the game is called Eel of Fortune.
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Episode 2404 Guy Smiley |
The Fairytale Newlywed Game The object of the game is for one Fairy Tales couple to get the same answer that the host asked them. | ||
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Episode 2460 Guy Smiley |
Bring that Thing The Yip-Yip Martians are contestants. They would have to find something that involves light (Such as a flashlight, a lamp, and the Moon). Similar to Beat the Time. | ||
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Episode 2466 Guy Smiley |
What's Prairie's Problem? The object of the game is to figure out why Prairie Dawn can't use one of her senses (i.e., which part of her face is covered). This segment was taped on December 18, 1987, and was directed by Jon Stone.[2]
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Episode 2467 Guy Smiley |
Happiness Begins At 40 The Sad Family counts to 40, with their emotions improving as they get to 40. This segment was taped on December 14, 1987, and was directed by Jon Stone.[2] | ||
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Episode 2573 Guy Smiley |
What's My Job? Another What's My Line? parody. Monster contestants wear blindfolds and must guess the occupations of three guests. The guests include a firefighter, a dentist, and game show host Sonny Friendly.
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Episode 3201 Sonny Friendly |
The Crying Game In this game, Sonny tells a sad story, and whoever cries the hardest wins. However, after Sonny learns that the prize is his own teddy bear, he cries the hardest and wins. The contestants, Luke Warm, Ida Nomer, and Gordon Blue, cry together after the announcer blurts out that there's no consolation prize.
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Episode 4123 Alex Trebek |
Special of the Day In a spoof of Jeopardy!, Telly has to give answers (in the form of a question) regarding foods he can have for a healthful lunch. | ||
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Episode 4138 Howie Eatswell |
Meal or No Meal A parody of Deal or No Deal. | ||
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Episode 4144 Tom Twinkletoes |
Dancing with Triangles In this Dancing with the Stars parody, contestants have to dance with a triangle. The first three contestants are rejected because their dancing partners are not triangles; Chris flamenco-dances with a hexagon, Gordon square-dances with a square, and Maria tangos with The Elephant. Audience member Telly Monster obliges to waltz with a triangle and becomes the show's winner.
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Episode 4179 Jeff Bawksworthy |
Are You Smarter Than an Egg Layer? In the game, the contestant must answer egg-related questions. This is a parody of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
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Episode 4230 Grover |
The Letter G Game Grover interrupts Mr. Johnson's reading at the park to have him be a contestant in "The Letter G Game", in which Mr. Johnson has to show one object beginning with G. Mr. Johnson doesn't have anything that starts with G, but wins due to Grover thinking of him as a gentleman. Prizes include a pair of gloves and glasses, which go with a new pet goat, who can play the guitar.
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Episode 4410 Guy Smiley |
Make it Fit Cookie Monster has to search through a bin of shapes to find the matching shape, an octagon, within a one-minute time limit (similar to Beat The Time). Cookie wins the game by ultimately chewing a circle into the shape of an octagon. The winning prize is a trip around the world, but Cookie opts to eat the shapes instead.
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Episode 4412 Guy Smiley |
The Waiting Game Guy Smiley puts Cookie Monster on "The Waiting Game". If Cookie Monster can wait to eat a cookie until Guy comes back, he can have two cookies. As Cookie waits, The Guy Smiley Singers show up and sing "Good Things Come to Those Who Wait", helping Cookie Monster resist the urge of eating the cookie sooner.
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Episode 4525 Guy Smiley |
Estimation Vacation Bert and the Estimation Crustacean face off to see who make the closest estimate of animals on the beach.
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Shalom Sesame, Show 6: Chanukah Jeremy Miller |
Dreidel of Fortune A spoof of Wheel of Fortune. When no one can guess the answer, Co-Host Lavana White (parody of Vanna White) provides the missing clue and completes the puzzle: A Great Miracle Happened Here. Since Mrs. White works on the show, all contestants get a prize. |
Featured Game Shows[]
| Picture | Featured in / Host | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Episode 1079 Guy Smiley |
The Big Trip A game show that rewards big prizes to contestants dressed in outrageous costumes. |
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The Alphabet Game Sonny Friendly |
Alphabet Treasure Hunt This game show involves a screen that randomly picks a letter, and whenever that letter is presented, the contestants must find an object that starts with that letter and bring it to the studio. Whoever correctly finds something beginning with that letter gets a piece of cookie, and when the contestant gets three pieces, which form a full cookie, the contestant wins. If there is a tie then the contestants must correctly answer a question. |
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Episode 2274 Sonny Friendly |
The My Best Friend Game Show The contestants talk about their best friends. |
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Episode 2428 Matt Playback |
Sight Word Another Wheel of Fortune parody, hosted by Matt Playback with the help of Velma Bland. Maria is the contestant for all three segments, and tries to solve the titular "sight word" by calling out letters. |
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Episode 4065 Mr. Square |
Sesame Street Squares This game show involves its contestants in a search for 7 squares before a mouse reaches the top of the clock and rings the bell. |
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Episode 4085 Mr. Healthy Food |
The Healthy Foods Game This game show involves its contestants in a search for healthy foods of various colors, but the contestant must find foods of all colors before a mouse reaches the top of a refrigerator and plays the piano. |
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Episode 4100 Oscar the Grouch |
What Happens Next? Oscar sets up some things, and his contestant must guess what will happen next. |
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Episode 4129 Mr. Pattern |
What Comes Next? The contestant tries to figure out what comes next in a pattern of things before an unnamed mouse rings a bell. |
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Episode 4182 Guy Smiley |
Hurry Up! You're Running Out of Time! The contestant has a task they must complete without getting distracted by Denny the Distractor (Gilbert Gottfried). |
Other Game Shows[]
| Picture | Featured in / Host | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Ready to Learn Guy Smiley |
Double Get Wordy A parody of Jeopardy!. Contestants include Cookie Monster and cartoon characters T-Bone (Clifford the Big Red Dog) and Thora (Arthur). |
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The Sesame Street Dictionary Guy Smiley |
The Matching Game Six contestants hold shapes, with the player having to match the shapes. |
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Elmo's Breakfast Bingo Elmo |
Breakfast Bingo Elmo hosts a game show with the purpose of teaching kids about healthy eating for breakfast. The game is structured as a multiple-choice format, often with silly incorrect answers. Occasionally, Elmo makes jokes such as that the contestant has won a new car or that they've reached the one million dollar question. |
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Sesame Place Oscar the Grouch |
Oscar's Big Game Show |
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What's That Snack various |
What's That Snack The contestant has to guess the healthy snack they'll be having based on three clues. |
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The Not-Too-Late Show Elmo |
The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo: Game Edition The second season of the series pivots the format from a late night talk show to a game show with children as contestants. At the beginning of each game, the child and their parent perform "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." Round 1 is the Celebrity Challenge, where the kid competes againt a celebrity guest in some physical activity. Round 2 is Musical Seek-and-Find, where the kid identifies three themetic things in a musical number. Finally, round 3 is Elmo's Arcade, where the child plays a short video game. |
Real World Game Shows[]
The Sesame Street characters have been guests on many outside game shows, including:
- 1 vs 100
- Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
- Deal or No Deal
- Hollywood Squares
- Jeopardy!
- To Tell the Truth
- What's My Line?
Sources[]
- ↑ Tough Pigs "An Interview with Muppet & Sesame Street Writer Mark Saltzman, Part 3" by Ryan Roe, August 10, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Documents provided by trusted source