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The 10 best celeb visits on 'Sesame Street'

The new season of “Sesame Street” kicks off on Monday, and like many seasons before it, in addition to the academic basics and Muppet fun, kids will have the chance to enjoy a host of celebrity talent.Joining Elmo and the gang in the months to come will be top film and television names such as Nicole Kidman, Mila Kunis, Robin Williams, Amy Adams, James Marsden, John Krasinski and many, many ot

The new season of “Sesame Street” kicks off on Monday, and like many seasons before it, in addition to the academic basics and Muppet fun, kids will have the chance to enjoy a host of celebrity talent.

Joining Elmo and the gang in the months to come will be top film and television names such as Nicole Kidman, Mila Kunis, Robin Williams, Amy Adams, James Marsden, John Krasinski and many, many others. But before the tykes, not to mention plenty of their grownup pals, tune in to catch the latest star-studded skits,  let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable guests that have already hit the “Street.”

Here are 10 of the best “Sesame Street” celebrity visits:

Ricky Gervais

Some celebrities and behind-the-scenes bigwigs had a problem with Ricky Gervais’ no-holds-barred humor at the Golden Globes earlier this year. But frankly, those stars had it easy compared to what Gervais put Elmo through with a less than relaxing lullaby.

Anderson Cooper

Anderson Cooper took a break from his usual work at CNN to take over for Oscar the Grouch and GNN (the Grouch News Network, of course). Reporting from a trash can alongside monsters journalists Dan Rather-Not and Walter Cranky, Cooper investigated whether or not “G” is in fact a grouchy letter. (Spoiler alert: It is!)

Patrick Stewart

Get ready for some high-brow letter learning as you watch film, stage and “Star Trek” star Patrick Stewart recite a “Hamlet”-worthy soliloquy about the letter “B” -- “or not a ‘B.’ ”

James Earl Jones

From a “Star Trek” great to a “Star Wars” legend (take your pick): In this clip, James Earl Jones offers his lengthy take on the entire alphabet, in which each letter gets its own distinct delivery.

Tina Fey

Talk Like a Pirate Day may have passed, but it’s never too late to get your “arghs” and “mateys” on just like Tina Fey did in this skit about the “Pirates of the Care-to-Be-Reading,” aka the Bookaneers.

John Leguizamo

Vegetables have never had a more passionate advocate than actor John Leguizamo, who put on a cape and a few crunchy morsels to teach his pal Elmo all about veg appeal.

Jon Stewart

“Daily Show” host Jon Stewart showed kids the importance of practicing by completely blowing his line-reading about the meaning of the word "practice."

Neil Patrick Harris

There’s nothing like a singing, dancing shoe man to explain everything one needs to know about footwear. Good thing a winged Neil Patrick Harris was on-hand when Telly needed a pair.

Johnny Cash

The late, great Johnny Cash was a frequent visitor to “Sesame Street.” When he wasn’t acting as the inspiration behind Ronnie Trash, or simply offering up one of his songs to entertain, sometimes he actually changed up the words of classics in order to turn it into a teaching tool. That’s how his sad cowboy hit “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” turned into a counting ditty called “Don’t Take Your Ones to Town.”

Feist

In the same spirit of Cash’s song switcheroo, Feist joined the resident monsters, chickens and penguins on the “Street” to show just what a blast counting to four can be with an alternate take on her hit “1234.”

See more stars join in the fun when the 42nd season of “Sesame Street” premieres Sept. 26 on PBS Kids.

Which “Sesame Street” guest star delivered your favorite performance on the show? Tell us your pick on our Facebook page.

 

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