Does Not Translate: K.M.X. Ernie
November 9th, 2008 | by Kayt Sukel 13 comments
If you own any Sesame Street DVD or video, you probably know that they do programming across the globe. You can find Vila Sésamo in Brazil, Zhima Jie in China and even Alam Simsim in Egypt. Usually, these versions of the show feature completely new and culturally specific puppet characters. Here in Germany, we have Sesamestraße. And on first glance, you’d also think it was unique. Most advertisements feature the show’s big star, Samson, a bear who likes to dance the mambo.
But as it turns out, Sesamestraße also features a few familiar faces. Muppet icons, Bert and Ernie, also appear on the show. But they appear, as it were, dubbed. And in completely different voices at that.
I had no idea. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have dropped the Euro on Kitzel-Mich-Extreme (K.M.X.) Ernie, Germany’s hot ticket Christmas toy two years ago. Sure, he giggled and wiggled as advertised. But anyone who grew up with Ernie couldn’t help but be seriously disturbed by what happens when you press on his belly.
Observe:
Travel Savvy Mom presents “Does Not Translate: KMX Ernie” from TravelSavvyMom on Vimeo.
Decorum prevents me from expounding on his potentially offensive hand gestures. And not only does K.M.X. Ernie totally creep me out but he takes a weird, odd number of batteries that means I’m always one short. My husband and I often refer to him as Teuffel-Ernie (Devil Ernie).
Let’s face it. K.M.X. Ernie just does not translate.
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Jane Rytina on November 9th, 2008
That’s just not right…..on many levels.
Jody on November 10th, 2008
Holy smoke. Did they just go to a biergarten and record some random guy? And for a split second, just a split second, I thought…with that right hand…no. I’ll leave it there.
Kim@Galavanting on November 10th, 2008
Um…that was hilarious.
soultravelers3 on November 10th, 2008
That’s funny! It is amazing what we all adjust to as “normal”.
I never knew Ernie or any of the Sesame Street Characters before having a child, so it did not bother me a bit that the Spanish Sesame Street voices were completely different than the American ones.
I am just thrilled that someone pointed me too them. Our Spanish Sesame Streets videos were the only TV/Vids/DVD’s that my child watched as a toddler & preschooler growing up in California.
They are a fantastic aid for bilingual children…especially those with monolingual parents! ;)
Since we didn’t know the difference, it did not bother us that the voices were different. We did think it was funny, the first time we heard the American English version! ;)
Perspective is everything.
Jamie Pearson on November 10th, 2008
There are no words.
Rebecca on November 10th, 2008
I’m kind of with Jamie. There *are* words, of course. But, uh, no words I should probably express here.
JoAnne on November 10th, 2008
Hola, Your story is hilarious!
Roaming Tales » Best of the web: From autumn in Suffolk to art in Jeddah on November 11th, 2008
[...] win a cool prize of Rosetta Stone language learning software up for grabs. And Kayt has posted a hilarious video about Ernie from Sesame [...]
Kayt Sukel on November 11th, 2008
Ernie haunts my dreams. Usually because he kind of randomly goes off in the middle of the night when his batteries are low.
But worse, Chet *loves* him. The weird voice and offending hand gestures don’t bother him in the least.
texasholly @ June Cleaver Nirvana on November 11th, 2008
OMG. This is seriously the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. It reminds me of CHUCKIE instead of Ernie.
I am doing a Mr. Linky tomorrow about MISUNDERSTANDINGS at my website tomorrow and this would be great if you have the chance to participate!
SO funny.
Connie @ Young and Relentless on November 12th, 2008
Oh me, oh my! That is a little disturbing!
franticallysimple on November 12th, 2008
That was so creepy. Funny, but creepy!
texasholly @ June Cleaver Nirvana on November 13th, 2008
Yeah! Thanks for linking. I loved this.
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