The real musical hits of the summer?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we've all heard Icona Pop's "I Love It," Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" dozens of times. (Or in my case, hundreds.) But I bet you've never seen them like this!

First up, Sesame Street's Cookie Monster covers Icona Pop's "I Love It" with "Me Want It (But Me Wait)":



Next, Jimmy Fallon and the Roots join Robin Thicke for the classroom instruments version of "Blurred Lines":



I only have two questions: 1) What, no scantily dressed teachers, boys? 2) What exactly is that guy in the corner doing with that banana? (I also enjoyed Jimmy Kimmel and Guillermo's version of "Blurred Lines." Thank God they kept their clothes on.)

And finally my favorite, Stephen Colbert and friends "performing" Daft Punk's "Get Lucky."


I can't wait to see Stephen Colbert perform with the Rockettes in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular! (That man can kick!)

He's gone to that big bat belfry in the sky

I was saddened to learn that Jerry Nelson, the man behind (technically under) Sesame Street's Count von Count just died at 78. (You can read a short obit here.)

While it's been a while since I watched Sesame Street, I can't count the number of times we listened to "Ninety-Nine Bats (In My Car Today)" on car trips with our daughter when she was younger. Even today, every time I see that Delta Faucet "Hands" commercial, I immediately think of the Count (Jerry Nelson).



And who could forget doing "The Batty Bat"?



RIP Jerry Nelson. Tonight when I count the number of stars I can see out my window, I'll think of you, up in that big bat belfry in the sky.

C is for Cookie Monster cover version

Apparently C is not only for Cookie but also for Cover, as in Cover song.

Adding to the already impressive (or annoying, depending on your POV) collection of cover versions* of Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Call Me Maybe" (perhaps the most covered song ever, followed closely by Gotye's "Somebody I Used to Know"**) comes Cookie Monster's "(You got cookie) Share It Maybe."



Forget topping the Billboard Top 100 chart for five weeks in a row, all you singers and musicians. You know you've really arrived when Sesame Street covers your song.

Give that blue monster a cookie.

*This is still my favorite "Call Me Maybe" cover, though, which the teenager and I do whenever we hear it in the car -- until she tells me to put my hands back on the steering wheel.

**Love the Peyton Manning/Tim Tebow and Star Wars covers.

Sesame Street's Grover gets his Old Spice on

"Look at yourself. Now back to me. Now back at yourself. Now back to me. Sadly, you are not a monster. But if you listen to Grover, you will know all about the word on...."

Looks like Isaiah Mustafa, the hunky actor featured in those great Old Spice ads, has some competition -- in the form of a furry blue monster. But I don't think Isaiah minds, as it's for a good cause (and his daughter thinks its way cool) -- Sesame Street's Grover teaching kids about the word on (though not as in "let's get it on") via a send-up of Isaiah's now classic original Old Spice ad.

Here's the Sesame Street version of the Old Spice ad, titled "Smell Like a Monster," featuring Grover:



And here's the original Old Spice ad, "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like," featuring Isaiah Mustafa:



I'm on a blog. [Insert Old Spice whistle. Fade to black.]

Katy Perry does Sesame Street

Personally, I thought singer Katy Perry, she of the whipped-cream shooting breasts, was a bit of an odd choice to be singing a duet with Elmo on Sesame Street. But is Perry's cleavage really harmful to young children? I don't think so. And I think millions of dads would agree.



However, after Sesame Street received a number of complaints about the video, which to date has only been available on YouTube, the producers decided to not feature the video on Sesame Street after all. Which means Perry will have to remain a teenage dream.

Note to Elmo: I saw you trying to sneak a peak up Katy Perry's skirt, you naughty little red monster.

FYI: More about Cleavagegate here.

UPDATED: Best tweet/comment on the subject, courtesy of Katy Perry's fiance, Russell Brand: "Today's Sesame Street will NOT be brought to you by the number 34 or the letter D."