Entertainment

Theo Wargo/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Elmo — Yes, Elmo — Is Getting A Talk Show & It Has The *Cutest* Name

by Casey Suglia

Something you never knew you needed is about to become a reality, thanks to the worlds of HBO and Sesame Street colliding. Believe it or not, but Elmo from Sesame Street is getting a talk show where he'll interview a slew of celebrity guests. The puppet may have a longstanding role on the beloved children's show, but this sounds like his most amazing gig yet.

Sesame Workshop is still developing the talk show, which will air on HBO Max, but it already has the most perfect title: The Not Too Late Show with Elmo. But since the show is still in development, not a lot that is known about it just yet. For example, details like whether it will take place on Sesame Street, the kind of celebrities who will be interviewed, or when it will air are still unknown. But, according to the Associated Press, production begins next month, so wheels are motion.

Not like you need reminding or anything, but Elmo is going to be a terrific talk show host. I mean, he already has plenty of experience after appearing as a guest on talk shows for years, of course. Remember when he cooked waffle grilled cheese on The Tonight Show?

Elmo's talk show is part of Sesame Workshop, the production company behind Sesame Street, and HBO's new partnership, according to USA Today. This new partnership will bring four brand new series (including Elmo's new talk show), five new seasons of Sesame Street, and a new docuseries that will explore key issues impacting kids and their families, according to a press release from Sesame Workshop.

"As we celebrate 50 years of Sesame Street, and look to the future, we are thrilled to enter into this powerful partnership with HBO Max and their growing offering of best in class content," Steve Youngwood, Sesame Workshop's President of Media and Education and Chief Operating Officer said in a statement. "Producing this broad slate will help us deliver our mission to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder."

HBO Max is one of the newest streaming services set to arrive in 2020. The service will reportedly have 10,000 hours of content, including Friends and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, according to DigitalTrends. Though it's not been confirmed yet, a monthly subscription to HBO Max could cost up to $14.99 a month, as CNET reported.

The price tag might be worth it for TV lovers with kiddos, though. Sesame Workshop and HBO Max's partnership will bring brand new Sesame Street specials and the show's entire library to the streaming platform, according to a press release from Sesame Workshop. It's all of the Sesame Street content that anyone could ask for, and don't worry — Sesame Street will still be available to watch for free on PBS.

The decision to give Elmo his own show will undoubtedly be a hit with kids. After all, according to Slate, there's a scientific explanation behind why children love Elmo so much. As Tovah Klein, director of the Center of Toddler Development at Barnard College in New York City explained to Slate, Elmo is "just like toddlers who are in an exploratory stage of life — like little scientists, trying out and exploring what is around them, delighting in it."

Now kids will get to watch Elmo explore the talk show world in his newest venture. Elmo interviewing celebrities? Can't get much better than that.