Big Bird & Creative Evolutions

A look into Caroll Spinney's life, book & golden wisdom for us all

“If you are lucky, you become who you always were.” - Caroll Spinney

Hello Creative One —

I loved Sesame Street as a kid. Loved, loved, loved. “Sunny days, sweeping the cloooouds away.” Songs store so deeply, and when I hear that opening song, I am a giddy child again. I loved that show, and it felt like that show loved me back.

I would drop into a world and learn things that were intriguing, funny, and relevant to me, a place that made sense to my kid brain. I found out that was the creator’s intention - to create a space of learning and whimsy for children. I could laugh and learn and be swept away to 🎶 “ where the air, is clear. Let me tell you how to get — to get to Sesame Street.”

Here Big Bird talks about a nap - -pretty relevant to a six year old.

When I saw this at the library, I scooped it right up

It is a simple read, and worthwhile. First, what a neat era to help create. I found out the same man that played Big Bird, Caroll Spinney, also played Oscar.

“And I’ll say this: after playing Big Bird all day, it is almost therapeutic to switch to Oscar, to live awhile with the exact opposite attitude about life.” - Carol Spinney

Caroll Spinney shares what a puzzle Oscar was. Oscar said that being miserable, made him happy, which made him an honest guy, with a good heart, who would do anything for children. I never thought about him that way, but his creator did.

In the book, Spinney talks about the evolution of Big Bird, both as a puppet and in perspective. 🔗 It’s worth a peek to see his evolution here. It was interesting to me that he advocated to develop the depth of Big Bird, and that playing him as a gawky doofus, wasn’t really serving the kids (see the clip of the first episode at the bottom of this Substack). He raised Big Bird’s age a bit, I think to 12 or so, so he could have more depth of emotion and relatability to kids. Remarkable.

To note for the reader that is looking to make a change in their lives, Spinney took a huge pay cut to be on Sesame Street, because of his admiration for Jim Henson and his reknown talent. Here’s the part I thought to share: two weeks before the show exploded in fame, Spinney almost quit for financial reasons. He was not making enough, and he thought to go back to a previous puppeteering gig which had less depth, and definitely less heart, but offered a gargantuan supply of money. He walked into Muppet Headquarters up the stairs to quit, when one fellow employee interceded and said, he was too needed. To “give it a month and if it still wasn't working, come back and quit.” Two weeks later, Spinney passed a newsstand where he saw Big Bird on the cover of Time magazine and his life was never the same.

“Assumptions allow the best in life to pass you by.” - John Sales

We never know what seeds will sprout, and how big they will grow. It is a life pattern to be tested on your dedication, to be pressed to express your truest essence, to up level and bloom. You intend something. You are pressed to your limits. You have two roads: Quit or Double down. Sometimes the double down takes years.

When I think of Big Bird I think of this guy:

not this guy!

This is what the Muppets can teach us about the power of intention and following a dream through to fullness. Everything starts somewhere. A lot of firsts look like this bird ⬆️ a gritty and necessary first birth. I have recently been tuning into Myron Golden and he talks about: Be, Do, Have. It is a new way for me to hear a very old thing.

You have to be what you are wanting to create — that’s your mindset, set your mind; set it on your intention.

You need to do the thing; take the actions — run around in a bird suit, without being able to see where you are going, like Caroll Spinney did.

In order to have your desire take form—  to live a life as a puppeteer, traveling the world, making children smile and feel valued.

If you look at that bird, all legs and flimsy feathers, could you imagine he would become a cornerstone of childhood?

Did you know that Kermit the frog was initially made from the coat Jim Henson’s mother used to have? That fact made me chuckle. We are all kids creating from what our mothers gave us.

Spinney knew he wanted to be a puppeteer when he was a child. How many of us who enjoy the beauty and peace life has to offer, find that some clue of that was embedded in our childhood took form in adulthood? A glimmer or a love that never left, even if it was put on a shelf, or seemed to not be interconnected, when all it was is that you needed to go further down the growth of you, to become the person that could do and have your true purpose and passion come to be.

There is a lot of uncertainty these days, and yet when you pan the camera back, that is what we can count on. That things will change. That what is revered was once thought crazy, and that we are all in essence kids trying to make the most out of what we have to offer.

In the coaching worlds, first client interactions often begin with asking you what you are good at? List all the things that you love to do and think of how to serve the world with it — it’s the same advice from a multi-millionaire to a Big Feathered Bird — the world is a better place with you in it, and even more fun when you are doing and sharing what you love.

One more way to flap this wisdom home, Spinney, understandably, had a hard time seeing out of Big Bird, and so dancing was really difficult. He admits to being frustrated at not being able to get many choreographies. When faced with a number with the Rockettes, his friend Richard gave him this advice: “Forget what people are telling you to do. Just have Big Bird think he’s a good dancer — the best dancer in the world. Pretend he can dance!”

What happened you ask?

“I told myself Big Bird was a terrific dancer. Big Bird got so carried away that he wouldn’t stop dancing, and Mary Sixx had to dance him off the stage. It was the best dance number I have ever done, and it worked because Big Bird believed that he could do it and I believed in him.” - Caroll Spinney

Find your purpose, follow it through, and it will uplift you just like Big Bird did for Caroll Spinney. You will succeed in leaving the world a better place. Maybe internationally, maybe the only ones see your contribution will live on your street. A lot can happen on one street, you know.

The greatest joy for a human being, is to “become who you always were.”

Keep going!

Kate

📝 Writing Reflections:

What part of my life do I lean on, like Caroll Spinney leaned on Big Bird, to carry my belief when I can’t see?

What could I “pretend” I am GREAT at, instead of talking about how I can’t? How will I celebrate changes that arise when I commit to changing my mindset to be, what I say I want to do and have?

Here is a gorgeous tribute into the man who used his talents to be, do and have an impact of joy and laughter on the world. Thank you Caroll Spinney!

And for those that are curious, the very first episode of Sesame Street