Cookie Monster: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Sesame Street character}}

:''This article is about the Sesame Street character. For other uses of the term, see [[Cookie Monster (disambiguation)]]''.

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}

{{About|the Muppets and Sesame Street character}}

{{redirect|Om nom|the video game character|Cut the Rope{{!}}''Cut the Rope''|the web series|Om Nom Stories{{!}}''Om Nom Stories''}}

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{{Infobox character

| name = Cookie Monster

| series = [[Sesame Street]]

| image = Cisforcookie.jpg

| caption = Cookie Monster singing his signature song<br>"[[C Is For Cookie]]"

| first = {{start date and age|1966}}: unaired Wheels, Crowns and Flutes commercials (as the Wheels-stealer)

| last =

| creator = [[Jim Henson]]

| lbl1 = Performed by

| data1 = [[Frank Oz]] (1969–2004)<br/>[[David Rudman]] (2001–present)

| full_name= Sidney Monster

| alias = [[Alistair Cookie]], Arnold, Wheel-Stealer

| species = Muppet [[Monster]] (Wheel-Stealer in 1966)

| gender = Male

| lbl2 = Birthday

| data2 = November 2<ref>{{cite tweet|user=sesamestreet|title=https://twitter.com/sesamestreet/status/661209890292109321|number=661209890292109321|publisher=Twitter|date=2015-11-02|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

}}

'''Cookie Monster''' is a blue [[List of Sesame Street Muppets|Muppet]] character on the [[PBS]]/[[HBO]] children's television show ''[[Sesame Street]].'' He is best known for his voracious appetite and his famous eating catchphrases, such as "Me want cookie!" As his name suggests, his preferred food is cookies, although he eats almost anything. [[Chocolate chip cookie]]s are his favorite kind of cookies. His speech is often [[grammatically]] nonstandard; for example, he always uses "Me" to refer to himself in place of "I", "My", and "Mine".<ref name="Nerdy Nummies">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o41k-faChfA&t=47 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/o41k-faChfA |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|time=0:47 |title=CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES w/ COOKIE MONSTER! - NERDY NUMMIES |website=[[YouTube]] |date=1 November 2016 |quote=We're gonna be making my favorite chocolate chip cookie. That me favorite too! Chocolate chip cookie.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Despite his voracious appetite for cookies, Cookie Monster shows awareness of [[Healthy diet|healthy eating]] habits for young children and also enjoys fruits and vegetables.

In a song in 2004, and later in an interview in 2017, Cookie Monster revealed his real name as "Sid",<ref name="bbc">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4432415.stm |title=Cookie Monster curbs cookie habit |date=2005-04-11 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=2008-03-02}}</ref><ref name="first">{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji2z4GqUSd8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Ji2z4GqUSd8 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Sesame Street - "The First Time Me Eat Cookie"|date=May 4, 2007|time=0:30|quote=Me was just a mild-mannered little kid. In fact, back then, me think me name was Sid. Yeah, yeah.}}{{cbignore}}</ref><!-- http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_4059 has Sesame Street episode info --><ref name="twitter">{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/sesamestreet/status/20796273130 |title=Cookie Monster: Me wasn't ... |work=Sesame Street (sesamestreet) on Twitter |date=10 August 2010 |quote=Me wasn’t born with name "Cookie Monster". It just nickname dat stuck. Me don’t remember me real name… maybe it was Sidney?}}</ref><ref name="YouTube">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc2yFoq09ug&t=442 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/fc2yFoq09ug |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|time=7:22 |title=The Cast of 'Sesame Street' Answer the Web's Most Searched Questions |work=WIRED Autocomplete interview |date=22 February 2017 |quote=Is Cookie Monster's real name Sid? Yeah, truly it is. Me real name Sid Monster.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> though in the first season he was referred to as both "tiny" and "Harry".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roe |first=Ryan |date=2022-10-17 |title=Cookie Monster Said His "Real Name" Is Sid, But Don't Get Too Worked Up About It |url=https://toughpigs.com/cookie-monster-real-name-sid-dont/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=ToughPigs |language=en-US}}</ref> He is known to have a mother, a younger sister, and a cousin, identical in design, who do not like cookies. All three share his characteristic [[blue]] fur and "[[googly eyes]]". He also has a father, who appeared in a ''[[Monsterpiece Theater]]'' sketch promoting [[energy conservation]], [[water conservation]] and [[environmentalism]]. Cookie Monster's mother and father both share his enormous appetite and craving for cookies.

[[image:CookieMonstersMom.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Cookie Monster (right) and his mother in a season 33 [[Letter of the Day]] segment, 2003.]]

'''Cookie Monster''' is a popular [[Muppet]] character on the [[children's television show]] ''[[Sesame Street]].'' He is covered with blue [[fur]] and has "[[googly eyes]]", but he is most known for his voracious appetite. He can (and often does) eat anything and everything, but his favorite choice of [[food]] above everything else is [[cookie]]s. The character has been performed by [[Frank Oz]] and David Rudman.

==Origin==

The book ''Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles'' explains Cookie Monster's origin which follows: "In 1966, Henson drew three monsters that ate cookies and appeared in a Canadian [[General Foods]] commercial<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QngRWeEJGo Jim Henson's 1966 test commercial for General Foods Canada snack products Wheels, Flutes and Crowns] on the Jim Henson Company's YouTube official channel.</ref> that featured three crunchy snack foods: Wheels, Crowns and Flutes. Each snack was represented by a different monster. The Wheel-Stealer was a short, fuzzy monster with wonky eyes and sharply pointed teeth. The Flute-Snatcher was a speed demon with a long, sharp nose and windblown hair. The Crown-Grabber was a hulk of a monster with a [[Boris Karloff]] accent and teeth that resembled giant knitting needles."<ref name="jhdd93">{{cite book | last = Inches | first = Allison | title =Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles: A Muppet Sketchbook | publisher = Harry N. Abrams | date = February 2001 | ___location = New York City | pages = 93 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=VQcMAQAAMAAJ | isbn = 9780810932401}}</ref>

Cookie Monster was derived from a one-off Muppet which appeared in an episode of ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''. A short sketch depicted a monster that greatly resembled Cookie Monster (albeit with frightening eyes and fangs) who devoured a complex [[machine]]. After being informed that the machine was a [[bomb]], the monster promptly exploded. According to Frank Oz, the character's original name was 'Sid'.

{| style="float: right"

|-

|[[Image:TV_cookie_monster_monsterpiece_theatre.jpg|right|250px|thumb|As "Alistair Cookie" in a 1980s or 1990s ''Monsterpiece Theatre'' segment.]]

|-

|[[image:tv_sesame_street_kermit_peeks_down_at_cookie_monster.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Kermit peers down at Cookie Monster in an early 1970s skit.]]

|-

|[[image:Tv_sesame_street_cookie_monster_interested.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Cookie Monster interested in a baking sheet of cookies in a 2000s Street scene.]]

|}

"These monsters had insatiable appetites for the snack foods they were named after. Each time the Muppet narrator, a human-looking fellow, fixes himself a tray of Wheels, Flutes and Crowns, they disappear before he can eat them. One by one, the monsters sneak in and zoom away with the snacks. Frustrated and peckish, the narrator warns viewers that these pesky monsters could be disguised as someone in your own home, at which point the monsters briefly turn into people and then dissolve back to monsters again."<ref name="jhdd93"/>

In his early appearances on the show, Cookie Monster seemed somewhat scary to younger viewers, as he personified the childhood [[fear]] of "being eaten by a monster". However, this fearsome image did not last long, and Cookie Monster quickly become one of the most popular and beloved characters on the show. Cookie Monster's theme song, "[[C is for Cookie]]", is one of the most famous songs from ''Sesame Street''.

As it turns out, these commercials were never aired — but all three monsters had a future in the Muppet cast. The "Crown-Grabber" was used in a sketch on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'', in which he ruins a girl's beautiful day. Known from then on as the [[Beautiful Day Monster]], he made a number of appearances on ''Sesame Street'' and ''[[The Muppet Show]]''. The "Flute-Snatcher" turned into [[The Frackles|Snake Frackle]], a background monster from ''[[The Great Santa Claus Switch]]'' and ''The Muppet Show''.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}

==History and evolution==

Cookie Monster has a deep, growly [[voice]], and speaks with a simplistic diction (e.g., ''"Me want cookie!"''). He is at his most gentrified when presenting [[Monsterpiece Theater]], a reference to the real-life [[Masterpiece Theatre]], as "Alistair Cookie", a reference to broadcaster [[Alistair Cooke]]. Cookie Monster has been performed from his earliest appearances until 2000 by [[Frank Oz]] and in Oz's absence by [[David Rudman]]. Cookie Monster's voice is similar to the ''[[Star Wars]]'' character [[Yoda]] also voiced by Oz, although the voice of [[Grover]] (also by Oz) is closer.

In 1967, Henson used the "Wheel-Stealer" puppet for an [[IBM]] training film, ''Coffee Break Machine''. In the sketch, "The Computer Dinner", the monster (with frightening eyes and fangs) devours a complex coffee-making machine as it describes its different parts. When he is finished, the machine announces the monster has activated the machine's anti-vandalism system, which contains the most powerful explosives known to man. The monster promptly explodes. This sketch was also performed in October 1967 on ''The Ed Sullivan Show''. It was also later performed on the [[George Burns]] episode of ''The Muppet Show'' using the Luncheon Counter Monster.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}

Since Sesame Street's major reformat in [[2002]]&ndash;[[2003]], Cookie Monster has hosted a regular segment called "Letter of the Day". In each episode he is presented with a cookie, upon which is written the letter of the day, in [[icing]]. Despite his best intentions, and various implausible schemes, he always succumbs to temptation.

[[File:Vintage Jim Henson Commercials - Munchos.webm|thumb|Vintage Jim Henson Commercials - Munchos]]

To counter concerns that the character encourages poor eating habits, there are a number of [[Healthy Habits for Life]] segments and plotlines in which Cookie encourages viewers to have a balanced diet, albeit that cookies continue to form Cookie Monster's staple foodstuff. An [[April 7]], [[2005]] [[Associated Press]] article noted that Cookie Monster may be eating more healthy cookies, as opposed to [[chocolate chip]]. On [[April 15]], 2005, Sesame Street producers announced that Cookie Monster will be eating healthy foods and advocating "cookies are a sometimes food". However, the idea of Cookie Monster setting a good example for children with respect to their eating habits has been used since the [[1970s]] with [[public service announcement]]s and individual sketches.

Two years later, Henson used a similarly-designed and equally hungry monster for three commercials selling [[Munchos]], a [[Frito-Lay]] potato snack. This time, the puppet was named Arnold, the Munching Monster. After the three ads were produced, Henson had the opportunity to renew the contract. He chose not to, because at that point it seemed that the character was becoming popular on its own. He was working on ''Sesame Street'' — and that monster puppet was moving on to the next stage in his career.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} According to Frank Oz, in a later routine the then unnamed monster won a quiz show and for winning was "given the choice of $10,000 cash, a new car, a trip to Hawaii, or a cookie." He took the cookie and from then on he was Cookie Monster.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=439454321|title=Not My Job: We Quiz Frank Oz On L. Frank Baum, Author Of 'Wizard Of Oz'|date=12 September 2015 |publisher=NPR}}</ref>

Cookie Monster, still unnamed, made his ''Sesame Street'' debut in the first episode, interfering with [[Kermit the Frog]]'s "famous W lecture" by eating a model "W" bit by bit. He turns it into an "N", a "V", and finally an "I", to Kermit's frustration. He then tries to eat Kermit.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}

==International==

Sesame Street is localised for some different markets, and Cookie Monster is often renamed. In Sweden, he is "Kakmonstret"; in Israel, he is "Ugifletzet" ("&#1506;&#1493;&#1490;&#1497;&#1508;&#1500;&#1510;&#1514;"); in the Netherlands, he is "Koekiemonster"; in Mexico, he is the "Monstruo Comegalletas"; in Spain, his name is "Monstruo de las Galletas"; in Germany, he is "Krümelmonster" (Krümel means Crumbs); in Norway, his name is "Kakemonsteret"; and in Taiwan, his name is "Pingkan Kuaishou" ("餅乾怪獸"). He is not re-named in the [[UK]] however, despite the fact that the word ''cookie'' has a different usage there.

It was during the first season that Cookie Monster got his name and began using the growly vernacular (e.g., "Me eat cookie!") that would become part of his character. His signature song, "[[C Is For Cookie]]", was first aired during the 1971–72 season, and it became one of the best-known songs from ''Sesame Street''.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}

==Books==

Numerous children's [[book]]s featuring Cookie Monster have been published over the years:

==Cookies and nutrition==

Over the years, different approaches to the cookies have been tried. The cookies must be thin and soft so they shatter satisfactorily, preferably into many pieces.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Deb |first=Sopan |date=2023-11-27 |title=Nom Nom Nom. What's the Deal With Cookie Monster's Cookies? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/27/arts/television/cookie-monster-cookies.html |access-date=2024-06-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> They must also not make a mess on the expensive puppet.<ref name=":0" /> The ones made of [[Rice cracker|rice crackers]] crumbled well, but the crumbs tended to stick to Cookie Monster's fur.<ref name=":0" /> Artificial foam cookies did not look like cookies when they broke apart.<ref name=":0" /> In 2000, Lara MacLean developed a fat-free cookie recipe with [[no added sugar]].<ref name=":0" /> The main ingredients are dry [[pancake mix]], [[puffed rice]], [[Grape-Nuts]] cereal, and [[instant coffee]] (for color), mixed together with water and decorated with brown [[hot glue]] (to look like chocolate chips or raisins).<ref name=":0" /> The glue is inedible, and the edible parts of the cookie do not have an appealing flavor.<ref name=":0" />[[File:CookieMonster cropped.png|thumb|right|A [[Costumed performer|costume character]] of Cookie Monster in a 2011 live show]]

In 2005, in response to growing concerns about record levels of [[childhood obesity]] in the United States, ''Sesame Street'' began airing segments titled [[Healthy Habits for Life]]. In these segments, the Muppet characters of ''Sesame Street'' talk about healthy habits, such as eating properly and exercising. The ''Healthy Habits for Life'' segments spawned Internet rumors that Cookie Monster's name had been changed to Veggie Monster or would be taken off the show entirely.<ref name="npr">

{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18659731 |title=Cookie Monster: A Sweet, Sensual Id, Unfiltered |first=Elizabeth |last=Blair |date=2008-02-11 |work=[[All Things Considered]]: In Character |publisher=[[National Public Radio|NPR]] |access-date=2008-03-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-04-07-cookie-monster_x.htm |title=Cookie Monster: 'Me eat less cookies' |work=[[USA Today]] |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=2005-04-07 |last=Carter |first=Chelsea J |access-date=2008-03-02}}</ref> Since then, Cookie Monster has eaten not only cookies (and the plate they are served on) but also fruits and vegetables.<ref name=":0" /> There is a small hole in the puppet's mouth, so that something like an apple or banana can be "swallowed" by the puppet.<ref name=":0" />

In a 2007 appearance on [[Martha Stewart]]'s TV program, Cookie Monster explained his new philosophy that "Cookies are a sometimes food."<ref>{{cite news |date=November 20, 2007 |url=http://blog.sfgate.com/parenting/2007/11/20/why-is-cookie-monster-eating-carrots/ |title=Why is Cookie Monster eating carrots? |first=Mike |last=Adamick |work=[[SF Gate]] (blog)}}</ref>

On February 10, 2008, [[NPR]] host Elizabeth Blair interviewed Cookie Monster for the ''[[All Things Considered]]'' segment ''In Character''. He answered the [[Proust Questionnaire]], as well as revealing some of his favorite and non-favorite things.<ref name="npr"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/incharacter/2008/02/cookie_monster_comes_to_npr.html |title=On Air: Cookie Monster |first=Trey |last=Graham |date=2008-02-11 |work=The 'In Character' Blog |publisher=[[National Public Radio|NPR]] |access-date=2008-03-13}}</ref>

In a June 19, 2008, appearance on ''[[The Colbert Report]]'', Cookie Monster again explained that "Cookies are a sometimes food." Colbert had asked agitatedly why Cookie Monster had "abandoned the pro-cookie agenda" and thus caused [[fruit]] to become the favorite snack of American children, according to a study Colbert had heard. Colbert criticized Cookie Monster for not wearing a cookie [[lapel pin]]. Cookie Monster also claimed to have "crazy times during the '70s and '80s", referring to himself as "the [[Robert Downey Jr.#Substance abuse|Robert Downey Jr.]] of cookies." After eating a cookie to prove he still likes cookies, Cookie Monster asked if the [[Peabody Award]], a round medallion on a small pedestal, was a cookie.<ref name="Colbert interview">{{cite interview|subject=Cookie Monster|interviewer=[[Stephen Colbert (character)|Stephen Colbert]]|title=Cookie Monster|url=http://www.cc.com/video-clips/zcd35g/the-colbert-report-cookie-monster|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904002806/http://www.cc.com/video-clips/zcd35g/the-colbert-report-cookie-monster|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 4, 2015|type=Interview: video|work=[[The Colbert Report]]|publisher=[[Comedy Central]]|date=2008-06-19|access-date=2009-05-04}}</ref> When Colbert returned to speak to Cookie Monster at the end of the show, the award had disappeared and Cookie Monster was wiping his mouth with a napkin.<ref name="Colbert interview" />

On November 24, 2010, Cookie Monster started a Facebook page as part of a campaign to host ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/24/cookie-monster-auditions-for-snl-hosting-gig/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720231653/http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/24/cookie-monster-auditions-for-snl-hosting-gig/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 20, 2012 | work=CNN | title=Cookie Monster auditions to be 'SNL' host &ndash; The Marquee Blog | date=2010-11-24}}</ref> Though his bid to host ''Saturday Night Live'' failed, he was allowed to appear with [[Jeff Bridges]] when Jeff hosted the show and sang the Christmas song "[[Silver Bells]]".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/snl-clip-jeff-bridges-dueting-61580 | work=The Hollywood Reporter | title='SNL' Clip of Jeff Bridges Dueting With Cookie Monster Becomes Viral Video Hit | date=2010-12-19}}</ref>

==Select filmography==

*''[[Sesame Street]]'' (1969–present) (TV)

*''[[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]'' (1978) (TV)

*''[[Don't Eat the Pictures]]'' (1983) (TV)

*''[[Big Bird in China]]'' (1983) (TV)

*''[[The Muppets Take Manhattan]]'' (1984)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1">{{cite web|url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Sesame-Street/Cookie-Monster/ |title=Voice Of Cookie Monster |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors |access-date=2024-09-11}}</ref>

*''[[Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird]]'' (1985)

*''[[The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years]]'' (1986) (TV)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>

*''[[A Muppet Family Christmas]]'' (1987) (TV)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>

*''[[Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake]]'' (1991) (TV)

*''[[Sesame Street Stays Up Late]]'' (1993) (TV)

*''[[Elmo Saves Christmas]]'' (1996) (TV)

*''[[The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland]]'' (1999)

*''Bert and Ernie's Word Play'' (2002)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>

*''[[Play with Me Sesame]]'' (2003) (TV)

*''[[Sesame Beginnings]]'' (2006–2007)

*''Abby in Wonderland'' (2008)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>

*''[[The Furchester Hotel]]'' (2014–2017) (TV)

*''The Magical Wand Chase'' (2017) (TV)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>

*''[[Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate]]'' (2020) (TV)

*''[[The Monster at the End of This Story]]'' (2020) (TV)

*''[[The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo]]'' (2020–2021) (TV)

*''See Us Coming Together – A Sesame Street Special'' (2021) (TV)<ref name="behindthevoiceactors1"/>

==Casting history==

'''Main performers'''

*[[Frank Oz]] – From 1969 to 2001; occasionally until 2004

*[[David Rudman]] – From 2001 to present

Rudman officially became Cookie Monster's performer in ''Sesame Street's'' 2002 season (taped 2001). Oz continued to occasionally perform Cookie Monster until 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2004-03-21-0403210354-story.html|title=And an Emmy would be just right|publisher=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=2004-03-24|access-date=2021-05-11}}</ref>

==Merchandise==

Various toys and other icons of the Cookie Monster have been produced over the years. The most obvious is a [[cookie jar]], of which numerous types have been available.

Various children's books featuring Cookie Monster have been published over the years:

{{div col}}

*''[[Happy Birthday, Cookie Monster]]''

*''[[Cookie Monster's Kitchen]]''

*''[[Cookie Monster's Christmas]]''

*''[[BiggestA Cookie inGone theWrong World]]- Monster's Story''

*''[[Biggest Cookie Monster andin the Cookie Tree]]World''

*''[[Cookie Monster's Goodand Timethe toCookie Eat]]Tree''

*''[[Cookie Monster's BlueGood Book]]Time to Eat''

*''[[Cookie Monster,'s WhereBlue are You?]]Book''

*''[[Cookie Monster!]], Where are You?''

*''[[Cookie Monster!''
*''Cookie Monster's Activity Book]]''

*''[[Cookie Monster Mammoth Color]]''

*''[[Cookie Monster's Book of Cookie Shapes]]''

*''[[Monster and the Surprise Cookie]]''

*''Sesame Street: Wanted, the Great Cookie Thief''

{{div col end}}

{{clear}}

==Cultural references and parodies==

Familiar to generations of ''Sesame Street'' watchers, Cookie Monster is remembered for his gluttony and his deep, rumbly distinctive voice.<!-- detailed and sourced below -->

*In the 1990's, many [[Grindcore]] and other Metal bands began employing what are known as Cookie Monster Vocals, named after the Cookie Monster's guttural vocalisms.

*The character of the [[Trekkie Monster]] in the [[Broadway]] musical [[Avenue Q]].

===Immoderation===

*Parodied as addicted to cookie dough in [[Family Guy]], season 4, episode 10.

In 1990, U.S. Budget Director [[Richard Darman]] wrote an introduction to the [[United States federal budget|federal budget]] with a section "Green Eyeshades and the Cookie Monster" in which he called Cookie "the quintessential consumer", and the enormous budget "the Ultimate Cookie Monster."{{blockquote|As all monsters are, Cookie Monster was initially intimidating. His manner is gruff and his clumsiness occasionally causes damage. But quickly, Cookie Monster comes to be seen as benign&mdash;indeed, downright friendly. He has a few bad habits which can be that he cannot resist gobbling up anything and everything that might be consumed, especially cookies. And he cannot quite control the way he spews forth crumbs. He is the quintessential consumer... The budget, for all its intimidating detail, might be seen similarly: as the Ultimate Cookie Monster. ... Its massive presence might be understood as little more than a compilation of cookies received, cookies crumbled, and crumbs spewed forth. Yet, apt though the Cookie Monster perspective may be, it does not suffice...|U.S. Budget Director [[Richard Darman]]|unpublished version of the introduction to President Bush's 1991 federal budget<ref>{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0DF1338F934A15752C0A966958260 |work=[[The New York Times]] |title=The 1991 Budget: Excerpts from Darman |date=1990-01-27 |access-date=2008-03-29 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Paul Charles |last=Light |year=1999 |publisher=JHU Press |isbn=0-8018-6066-0 |edition=3rd |pages=[https://archive.org/details/presidentsagenda00ligh/page/235 235] |title=The President's Agenda|url=https://archive.org/details/presidentsagenda00ligh |url-access=registration }}</ref>}}

In the [[Food Network]] program ''[[Good Eats]]'' episode "Three Chips for Sister Marsha" (first aired December 13, 2000), a puppet named Maj. Wilfred D. Cookie who looks like a green version of Cookie Monster appears. Asked about his well-known "brother", he responds, "I told you never to mention that ruffian. All he knows about cookies is how to shovel them into his face."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season3/EA1C05.htm |title=EA1C05: Three Chips for Sister Marsha |access-date=2008-03-29 |work=Good Eats Fan Page |archive-date=2008-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080508083903/http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season3/EA1C05.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] animated series ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "[[Model Misbehavior]]", Cookie Monster is shown in a [[psychiatric hospital]], repeatedly foiling [[Drug rehabilitation|drug rehab]]-styled efforts to cure his cookie addiction.<ref>{{cite episode |title= Model Misbehavior |episode-link=Model Misbehavior |series=Family Guy |series-link=Family Guy |network=Fox Broadcasting Company |air-date=24 July 2005 |season=4 |number=10}} &ndash; Cookie Monster hides a plate of cookies under his sheets. Later, [[Lois Griffin|Lois]] finds him in the women's bathroom, cooking a spoonful of [[cookie dough]] with a [[lighter|cigarette lighter]] in the same manner as a [[heroin]] addict.</ref>

In the ''Sesame Street'' parody ''[[Avenue Q]]'', the character of Trekkie Monster is loosely based on Cookie Monster, sharing his speech pattern and addictive personality.{{blockquote|We wanted his name to indicate that he was obsessed, like Cookie Monster is obsessed with cookies. So we used "[[Trekkie]]" both because it sounded like "cookie" and because Trekkies are, by definition, obsessive fanatics.|[[Jeff Marx]], ''Avenue Q'' composer and lyricist<ref>{{cite book |title=Avenue Q: The Book |first=Zachary |last=Pincus-Roth |date=November 2006 |publisher=Hyperion |isbn=1-4013-0298-X |pages=84 |quote=Trekkie Monster is much like the Sesame Street character Cookie Monster—but with a more adult weakness... Marx: We wanted his name to indicate that he was obsessed, like Cookie Monster is obsessed with cookies. So we used '[[Trekkie]]' both because it sounded like 'cookie' and because Trekkies are, by definition, obsessive fanatics.}}</ref>}}

===Music===

The [[Death growl|guttural singing style]] in [[death metal]] bands is commonly (if facetiously) compared to Cookie Monster's low-pitched, gravelly voice.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fusilli |first=Jim |url=http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110007902 |title=That's Good Enough for Me |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=February 1, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103110228/http://opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110007902|archive-date=January 3, 2009}}</ref>

[[John Lennon]]'s song "[[Hold On (John Lennon song)|Hold On]]", recorded in 1970 (only a year after ''Sesame Street'' debuted), features Lennon shouting "Cookie!" in Cookie Monster's voice, in the middle of the song.<ref name=jackson>{{cite book|title=Still the Greatest: The Essential Solo Beatles Songs|author=Jackson, A.G.|page=85|year=2012|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=9780810882225}}</ref><ref name=words>{{cite book|title=The Words and Music of John Lennon|author1=Urish, B. |author2=Bielen, K. |page=18|year=2007|publisher=Praeger|isbn=978-0-275-99180-7}}</ref> [[Ringo Starr]], aware of Lennon's love for Cookie Monster, also screams "Cookie!" in Cookie Monster's voice in his song "[[Early 1970]]", released in 1971.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-06 |title=Ringo Starr, ‘Early 1970’ (1971) |url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/-56378/ringo-starr-early-1970-1971-56454/ |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=Rolling Stone Australia |language=en-AU}}</ref>

===Entertainment===

In the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "[[Back to the Pilot]]", due to alterations in the past, Stewie thinks Cookie Monster could have invented [[Facebook]]; in this timeline, he would have called it "Cookiebook".<ref>{{cite episode |title= Back to the Pilot |episode-link=Back to the Pilot |series=Family Guy |series-link=Family Guy |network=Fox Broadcasting Company |air-date=13 November 2011 |season=10 |number=5}} &ndash; Stewie ponders if Brian changing the past may have resulted in Cookie Monster inventing Cookiebook instead of Facebook.</ref> In ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' spoof "[[Something, Something, Something, Dark Side]]", Cookie Monster is cast as the [[Wampa]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Something, Something, Something, Dark Side |episode-link= Something, Something, Something, Dark Side |series=Family Guy |series-link=Family Guy |network=Fox Broadcasting Company |air-date=23 May 2010 |season=8 |number=20}} &ndash; Cookie runs away crying after [[Luke Skywalker]] ([[Chris Griffin]]) cuts off his arm.</ref>

In another [[Science fiction|sci-fi]] related takeoff, the ''[[Star Wars]]'' spoof ''[[Hardware Wars]]'' features "Chewchilla the Wookiee Monster" in the role of [[Chewbacca]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/20-greatest-star-wars-parodies/|title = The 25 greatest Star Wars parodies|date = 9 December 2015}}</ref>

Cookie Monster also appears in ''[[Mad (TV series)|Mad]]'', first in "Mouse M.D", a parody of ''[[House M.D.]]'', then as the main character in "Cookie Blue", a parody of ''[[Rookie Blue]]''.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

===Apple===

When the [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] personal assistant [[Siri]] is asked the question, "what is [[division by zero|zero divided by zero]]", Siri responds with the answer: "Imagine that you have zero cookies and you split them evenly among zero friends. How many cookies does each person get? See? It doesn’t make sense. And Cookie Monster is sad that there are no cookies, and you are sad that you have no friends."<ref>Marlow Stern, "[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/30/ask-siri-what-zero-divided-by-zero-is-and-receive-the-best-response-ever.html Ask Siri What Zero Divided By Zero Is and Receive the Best Response Ever]", ''The Daily Beast'', 30 June 2015.</ref><ref>Stephanie Webber, "[http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/cookie-monster-responds-to-siris-amazing-zero-divided-by-zero-answer-201517 Cookie Monster Responds to Siri's Amazing Zero Divided By Zero Answer]", ''Us Weekly'', 1 July 2015.</ref>

On March 16, 2016, [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] released an ad titled "Timer" starring Cookie Monster, where he uses the "Hey Siri" feature in the [[iPhone 6S]] to set a timer and play an album while he waits for cookies to bake.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/03/16/apple-enlists-help-of-cookie-monster-to-highlight-hey-siri-in-new-iphone-6s-ad|title=Apple enlists help of Cookie Monster to highlight 'Hey Siri' in new iPhone 6s ad|website=AppleInsider|date=17 March 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=2017-01-27}}</ref>

===Other===

A popular internet parody of ''[[The Great Wave off Kanagawa]]'', titled "Sea is for Cookie", was created for an [[Adobe Photoshop]] competition on [[Reddit]]. The piece features the wave with [[googly eyes]] and cookies in the crest, resembling Cookie Monster eating cookies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://laughingsquid.com/sea-is-for-cookie-a-mashup-of-cookie-monster-and-the-great-wave-off-kanagawa/ |title=Sea Is for Cookie, A Mashup of Cookie Monster and 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' |last=Streams |first=Kimber |work= [[Laughing Squid]] |date= 2014-01-24 |access-date= 2018-02-27}}</ref>

And it is revealed that his real first name was leaked on the [[Sesame Street]] episode: "First Time Me Eat Cookie" that reflects on when Cookie Monster ate his first 20 cookies. and in fact one of the lines it doesn't say "Cookie Monster" before he ate the cookies, in fact he was named "Sid" by his parents.

In July 2025, [[Caitlin Clark]] debuted a new Player Exclusive (PE) shoe with [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] called "Cookie Monster" in honor of the character and Clark’s own love of chocolate chip cookies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Caitlin Clark Debuts Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Cookie Monster” PE |url=https://sneakernews.com/2025/07/13/caitlin-clark-nike-kobe-6-protro-cookie-monster-pe/ |work=Sneaker News |date=July 13, 2025 |access-date=July 13, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Indiana Fever Shootaround Media Availability (vs Atlanta Dream) – May 9, 2024 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tHekOLw9Q4 |website=[[YouTube]] |time=14:15 |date=May 9, 2024 |access-date=July 13, 2025}}</ref> Her Kobe 6 Protro PEs were bright primary blue with a cookie-colored tongue, and promotional pictures featured fuzzy blue shoelaces.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Pat |last=Benson |title=Caitlin Clark Debuts Nike Kobe 6 "Cookie Monster" Colorway |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/on-court/caitlin-clark-debuts-nike-kobe-6-cookie-monster-colorway |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=July 13, 2025 |access-date=July 13, 2025}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Cookie Monster Munch]]

* [[SesameC Street:Is For Cookie Monster's Best Bites]]

* [[Monster Hits:Death growl|Cookie's BestMonster Bitvocals]]

==References==

This article incorporates [[Creative Commons license]] CC-BY SA 3.0 text from the Muppet Wiki article "[http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Cookie_Monster Cookie Monster]".

*{{Web reference|title=Cookie Monster Eating Less Cookies|work=Associated Press - Carter, Chelsea|URL=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/04/07/entertainment/e123204D96.DTL|date=July 25|year=2005}}

{{reflist|30em}}

*{{Web reference| title=Cookie Monster curbs cookie habit|work=BBC News|URL=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4432415.stm|date=July 25|year=2005}}

==External links==

* {{Muppets}}

* [http://www.toughpigs.com/anthstreet03.htm Transcript] of Cookie Monster's appearance on ''[[Martha Stewart]] Living''

*[http://pbskids.org/sesame/ Public Broadcasting System - Sesame Street]

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{{wikinews|Sesame Street's Cookie Monster sent on a diet}}

{{wikinewspar|Sesame Street's Cookie Monster sent on a dietCharacters}}

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