Put Down the Duckie: A Sesame Street Special VHS (1996) (USA)

Printed on the 176th day of 1995 (though Brandon Bott pointed out that it probably should have had a second 6 where the 5 is.) Put down the duckie and enjoy this 1994 condensed version of 1988's SESAME STREET, SPECIAL. This tape combines new material with repeat segments from the series.
The cassette has guest appearances from Phil Donahue, Martina Navratilova, Barbara Walters (of NBC and, by that point, ABC News), Gladys Knight and The Pips, Ralph Nader (an independent politician known for his passing successful legislation protecting American consumers), James Taylor, Patti LaBelle (who had many big hits in the mid-'80s), Seiji Ozawa, Robert MacNeil (co-host of what was then known as the MacNEIL/LEHRER NEWSHOUR; his segment is a spoof of the Iran-Contra scandal involving Oliver North), Celia Cruz, Danny DeVito, his wife Rhea Perlman, Itzhak Perlman (no relation to Rhea), John Candy (who unfortunately died just prior to the original Random House release of this tape), Broadway veteran Andrea Martin, Paul Reubens (as Pee-Wee Herman), Madeline Kahn, Jean Marsh, Joe Williams, Paul Simon (whose-then-latest album GRACELAND had been credited with ending apartheid in the South Africa whose culture it reflected), folk legend Pete Seeger, Keith Hernandez, Mookie Wilson of the New York Mets, the New York Giants, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Jeremy Irons, Gordon Jackson, Wynton Marsalis, and Jane Curtin (one of the original SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE cast members).
This tape excises a segment from the original program (which aired during a March 1988 pledge drive) in which Kermit the Frog discusses public television with Oscar the Grouch. A number of other segments are re-edited as well. Pee-Wee was surprisingly left alone here (the original print of this tape came out well after Pee-Wee's career, and that of Mr. Reubens, were damaged by a July 1991 incident in which Mr. Reubens, presumably out of character, masturbated at an adult theatre in his hometown of Sarasota, Florida).
Sony Wonder #LV51318
NOTE: This VHS was distributed by Sony Music Entertainment, Inc. It is a (rather two-headed) reprint of Random House ISBN #0-679-86713-9.
Sesame Workshop has monetized this video in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
Contents:
Previews: Elmocise, Do The Alphabet, Imagine That, Kids' Guide to Life: Learning to Share, Slimey's World Games
FBI Warning: "Federal law provides severe civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized reproduction, distribution or exhibition of copyrighted motion pictures, video tapes or video discs. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and may constitute a felony with a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine."
Logo: Sony Wonder
Logo: Children's Television Workshop
Program
Text: "©1988 Children's Television Workshop (CTW). Sesame Street Muppets ©1988 Jim Henson Productions, Inc. 'Sesame Street' and the street sign are trademarks and service marks of CTW. All rights reserved."
Preview: My Sesame Street Home Video
Text: "Duplication in whole or in part of this video cassette is prohibited. WARNING: Federal law provides severe civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized reproduction, distribution or exhibition of copyrighted works."