Suddenly thrust into the middle of whatâs becoming the dumbest election sinceâŚthe last election, Big Birdâs gay parentage has come to light.
The Daily Beast interviewed Christopher Lyall, one half of the pair that originally created Sesame Streetâs eight-foot avian. A native of New Zealand, Lyall had worked as a dress cutter before leaving his homeland to pursue a career as a dancer. In London, he met the late Kermit Love [Ed. note: best. name. ever.], a costume designer, while rehearsing for a show in London.
âHe said, âWould you like to come to New York for a few days?ââ Lyall recalled. âI said, âI only have a few days.ââ
After Lyallâs visit, he and Love began a relationship that would last nearly fifty years and produce at least one child.
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Love enlisted Lyallâs help after being commissioned by Jim Henson to fashion something out of a sketch he did of one of those drinking birds that tip in and out of a glass. Each Big Bird they made took about three weeks with Lyall citing Loveâs commitment to perfection.
â[Kermit] was very particular about the way the bird looked, and he always got his way,â said Lyall. âHe was a very determined person.â
Big Bird began attending the White Houseâs annual Easter egg roll during the Nixon administration, though Lyall only accompanied Love once, in 1986 under President Ronald Reagan, who was probably unaware that he was hosting one big old gay happy family.
When Loveâs health began to fail and he was restricted to a wheelchair in the late-90s, Lyall remained dedicated and devoted to him. âItâs what one does,â he said. âYou do it.â
Kermit Love died in 2008 of congestive heart failure at 92. Today, Lyall, 75, is back in New Zealand but is none too happy with the way his baby is being used back in America during this election.
âItâs very frustrating having to observe the political games and the lies.â
Tell us about it.
Aidan8
Well well well… doesn’t it just figure that Big Bird is the brain-child of two radical-left-queer-family-destroyers. I’m getting out my checkbook right now and joining GOProud…
Mitchell
@Aidan: Cant tell if thats sarcasm or not and if not you are very ignorant and narrowminded sad to say.
Aidan8
@Mitchell: Um, yeah, that was sarcastic. đ
technicolornina
I grew up in a bad family situation and remember when Big Bird, et. al. were the only friends I had. By the time I hit kindergarten I wasn’t just reading (which I seem to have been some kind of savant at)–I was writing full sentences, knew all my colors, all my shapes, my numbers up to ten . . . .
Much credit to Sesame Street, and shows like it (Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, Professor Iris, Eureeka’s Castle) for that. I can’t believe some jackoff out there actually thinks these programs are a BAD THING. Oh wait–his grandkids can afford private schooling, so screw everyone else! The uneducated will make great peons!