It's Not Easy Being Yellow

Well, actually it is.  At least for Caroll Spinney, who has been inside the Big Bird suit for almost 50 years.  Now, at the ripe old age of 80, he's still in there and clomping around Sesame Street with no end in sight.

That's the total gist of this pleasant documentary now in theaters and On Demand, the latter being how I caught the story.  "I Am Big Bird" is truly, as the subtitle states, "The Caroll Spinney Story."   It's nothing deep or provocative or juicy.  For instance, you don't learn that the Cookie Monster and Kermit the Frog secretly hated each other.  All you are exposed to here is a man and his craft.

Oddly, as far as this documentary is concerned, that's more than enough.

Truth be told, I'm one of those who was not raised on the Street of Sesame and its denizens.  But, millions of children were and one of the most iconic characters there was the Bird of Big.  Created solely by puppeteer Caroll Spinney, whose chance meeting with Jim Henson changed his life forever and ever.  Before that, Spinney was a supporting character on the Boston edition of the Bozo Show and there's probably a Teddy Kennedy joke there some place.   After Spinney hooks up with Henson, he's off to the races and provides the personality for Big Bird and also Oscar the Grouch.

Sure, Spinney had some tough times.  His first marriage ends in divorce and he was so depressed that he longed for a window to jump out of.  Good thing he didn't because I doubt Big Bird could fly a lick.  But, for the most part, life was good for Caroll and you see just that in this film.  

What's most fascinating is the process that happens when he suits up as Big Bird.  Yep, he's actually inside there.  With one hand, he controls Big Bird's left arm.  With the other outstretched over his head, he makes Big Bird's mouth move.  Apparently, Big Bird doesn't move his right arm.   Just like Bob Dole.

You see excerpts of the Big Bird movie and his trip to China cavorting on the Great Wall with Bob Hope.  You see Big Bird singing a sad song to Jim Henson at the latter's funeral.  It's all Big Bird all the time.

And I guess that's not so bad.

In the "new information to me" department, I learned that NASA, at one point, wanted to send a positive message to kids and invited Spinney into space aboard the Challenger.  For some reason, Caroll nixed the idea.  He was replaced by teacher Krista McAuliffe and you all know how that turned out.  A shock like that would have been more than Elmo could bear.

Actually, you hear that the move to Tickle Me has reduced Big Bird and other characters to secondary status.  Yes, there's a bit of jealousy.  And, oh, yeah, there is a succession plan for a new Big Bird comes the day when Spinney turns in his feathers.  Plus you meet a bunch of Muppet wranglers and I'm dying to read that job description when it becomes available.

But there's nothing terribly gossipy about this film.   Like Spinney, it's just nice. And, maybe, for once, you can watch a documentary that's not presenting us with world problems.  Indeed, this is one that actually, in a small way, has tried to alleviate them.

LEN'S RATING:   Three stars.

Dinner last night:  Sausage and peppers.