Cookie Monster Tests His Strength
skit with Cookie Monster (Frank Oz) and a Muppet barker
(Opening: A carnival with music playing. We see a Muppet barker who runs a test of strength game where you hit a platform with a huge hammer and try to make the bell ring. The numbers on the device run from 1 at the bottom to 10 at the top.)
Barker (calling out): Step right up, step right up! Ring the bell and win a prize!
Cookie Monster (entering): Dum de dum dum dum ...
Barker (to Cookie Monster): How 'bout you, young man? You look nice and strong.
Cookie Monster: Oh, thank you. What me do?
Barker: You just take this hammer ...
Cookie Monster: Take hammer ...
Barker (pointing to platform): ... and hit it right here, and it knocks the little weight up. And if the little weight goes all the way up to the top and rings the bell, then you win a prize!
Cookie Monster: Oh, me like to win prize! (Takes the hammer.)
Barker (in a low voice to himself): Little does he know that I've fixed this thing so that nobody can ring the bell! Nobody's strong enough. (Laughs.)
Cookie Monster: Uh, what you laughing at?
Barker: Hmm? Oh, never mind. Go ahead. I'll bet you ring the bell the first try!
Cookie Monster: Okay, here me go!
(He hits the platform, knocking the weight up to 5.)
One, two, three, four, five!
Barker (as the weight goes back down): Four, three, two, one. Well, sorry, kid. You didn't ring the bell, and you don't win a prize.
Cookie Monster: Oh, this harder than me thought! Me hit it as hard as me can!
(He picks up the hammer again.)
Barker (in a low voice to himself): He'll never do it! (Laughs.)
Cookie Monster: Hey, you laughing again!
Barker: Hmm? Oh, never mind. Go ahead.
(Cookie Monster hits the platform again, this time knocking the weight up to 7.)
Cookie Monster: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven!
Barker (as the weight goes back down): Six, five, four, three, two, one. Too bad, kid. You didn't ring the bell, and you don't win a prize.
Cookie Monster: Oh, me give up. Me guess me just not strong enough.
Barker: Well, that's the way it goes.
Cookie Monster: By the way, what was prize?
Barker: Oh, a cookie.
Cookie Monster: COOKIE? Why you not say so? Me do anything for cookie! COWABUNGA!
(He takes the hammer and hits a tremendous blow which not only makes the weight ring the bell, but breaks the device!)
Oho, me did it! Me ring bell! Gimme cookie! Gimme cookie now!
(He finds the cookie and gobbles it up.)
Barker: Maybe I shouldn't have told him about the cookie.
Transcribed by Silvery Shoe