When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Hunter S. Thompson
I HAVE SO MUCH TO WRITE ABOUT WEIRD. I started this post and it was short. And then I fell into a rabbit hole of my people, and the interconnected web of brilliance expanded beyond comprehension. One of my main aims is to take the word “weird” and put it into the space that I align with – positive connection and connotation. So we begin this quest with Big Bird.
My favorite Sesame Street character was Big Bird. Part of it relates to the relationship he had with an (initially) imaginary (then real – that’s some good manifestation) best friend named Snuffalupagus Aloysius (thankfully not Devadander Abercrombie).
The Snuffy/Big Bird relationship is beautiful. And offers lovely meditations on connections with others.
But where Big Bird really connected for me was the movie “Follow that Bird“. When I was a wee one, this movie was the most honest thing I had ever seen in my life, even before I knew the word honest. Watching it as an adult, the subtle brilliance of every component of it is astonishing.
In short: He is a large, bright yellow bird with giant emotions who easily fits in everywhere except where he is “supposed to.” (i.e. with the Dodos…an ingenious choice of bird and place-making, Sesame Street.) “I should be happy here. What’s wrong with me?”
And it isn’t because of him. He is himself, always, in every scenario. It is the behaviors of those around him. Big Bird has feelings that he acknowledges, and the people of Sesame Street simply accept him. He is never too much. And while in places where he isn’t accepted, he doesn’t change to fit in; he tries to understand why certain places are awkward and feels his emotions.
There is a wealth of wisdom from this enormous and bright bird, not just in the movie, but in who he is, and how he moves through life. Playfulness and tension, brilliance and shadow are deftly acknowledged in Big Bird. This seemingly simple, innocent character, holds meaning and messages everywhere, including his color.
So, grab your teddy bear. Snuggle into your nest. Give hugs to your friends. Share love freely and openly. Be honest with your emotions and give them space to exist. Recognize that you aren’t your emotions – they are exchanges of energy between you and what is around you. Embrace the tension. Find home within yourself, and you will always belong.
Other watching for more depth to the character and actor: “I am Big Bird“, the Carroll Spinney documentary.
P.S. The Grouch anthem at the beginning of Follow that Bird bears a remarkable resemblance to Denis Leary’s A55hole. Also, Carroll Spinney was both Big Bird and The Grouch, which just makes all of this click into place.
Leah Moss 