Ernie Has A Banana In His Ear

Two-part classic 1971 skit
with Ernie (Jim Henson) and Bert (Frank Oz)


Ernie Has A Banana In His Ear

Pic courtesy of Silvery Shoe


Part 1


(Ernie is standing in his and Bert’s room of the apartment humming to himself.
He’s holding a banana in his ear. Bert enters.)

Bert: Hey, Ernie? Hey, uh, Ern?

Ernie: (notices that Bert is here) Oh! Hi, Bert!

Bert: Uh, yeah. Hey, Ernie, uh, you know that you have a banana in your ear?

Ernie: (Loudly) What was that, Bert?

Bert: I said, you have a banana in your ear, Ernie.
Bananas are food, they are to eat, but not to put in your ear, Ernie.

Ernie: (Very loud) Whaddya say, Bert?

Bert: (Yelling) WILL YOU JUST TAKE THAT BANANA OUTTA YOUR EAR!

Ernie: (Yelling back) I’M SORRY, BERT, BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER!
I CAN’T HEAR YOU! I HAVE A BANANA IN MY EAR!

(Bert rumples in anger.)

Part 2

(Ernie is still standing in his and Bert’s room of the apartment.
He’s still holding a banana in his ear. Bert enters again.)

Bert: Ernie …

Ernie: (loudly and notices that Bert is here again) Hi, Bert!

Bert: You still have that banana in your ear?

Ernie: (loudly) What was that?

Bert: I said you still have that banana in your ear!

Ernie: (loudly) Yeah, I know!

Bert: You know? But why did you put it in your ear?

Ernie: Listen, Bert, (loudly) I use this banana to keep alligators away!

Bert: Alligators??? Ernie, there are no alligators on Sesame Street!

Ernie: Right! Works pretty good, doesn’t it, Bert? Keeheeheeheee!
(trademark laugh as Bert rumples in anger again)

Words and actions of part one from the “Sesame Street Unpaved” re-written and memorized words and actions of part two by Mikealan802@aol.com