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Joey Mazzarino
Joey Mazzarino
Born	Joseph Mazzarino; June 4, 1968 (age 56); New York City, New York, U.S.
Other names	Joe Mazzarino
Occupations	Puppeteer; writer; director; actor;
Years active	1986–present
Spouse	Kerry Butler (m. 1997)
Children	2

Joseph Mazzarino (/mæzəˈriːnoʊ/; born June 4, 1968) is an American puppeteer, writer, director and actor. He is best known for his roles on Sesame Street as Murray Monster, Stinky the Stinkweed and other Muppets,^[1] and being Head Writer and Director on Sesame Street, winning 22 Emmy Awards for his work.

Career

Former Muppet performer Camille Bonora influenced Mazzarino when she taught an improvisation class at his university, and eventually introduced him to Jim Henson. Mazzarino later became the head writer for Sesame Street and also worked on The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Muppets from Space, and Kermit's Swamp Years.^[2]

When Mazzarino auditioned for Sesame Street, he wrote a sketch called "Colambo" and soon found himself cast in the title role. Afterwards, he became a prominent member of the Sesame Street cast, performing Horatio the Elephant, Ingrid, Murray Monster, Papa Bear, Stinky the Stinkweed, and various characters until 2015, when he resigned after completing work on season 46, following changes to the show's format.

Mazzarino spent the next few years as a writer/producer on the Showtime original series Kidding starring Jim Carrey. He directed all 13 episodes of the Netflix series Julie's Greenroom starring Julie Andrews, where he also served as a writer. Mazzarino spent over 20 years on Sesame Street in multiple roles: Head Writer, Director, Lyricist and Muppet performer. He received 25 Emmy Awards for his work in multiple categories (Outstanding Original Song, Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series).

Mazzarino is currently a writer for the PBS puppet series Donkey Hodie and was also a writer for the animated series Nature Cat.

Personal life

Mazzarino is married to actress Kerry Butler.^[3] They have two adopted daughters, one named Segi for whom he wrote the Sesame Street song "I Love My Hair". The Muppet who sang the song was also named Segi.^[4]

Filmography

Film

A Sesame Street Christmas Carol – Joe Marley, Joey Dickens
CinderElmo – King Fred, Blue Mouse
123 Count with Me – Ingrid
Elmo Says BOO! – Joey Monkey, Sir Count-A-Lot
Elmo's Christmas Countdown – Papa Bear, Stan the Snowball
The Wild Wild West - Narf (Monster Clubhouse segment only)
Elmopalooza – Horatio the Elephant
Ghost Town – Food Delivery Guy
Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake – Additional Muppet Performer
Kermit's Swamp Years – Goggles the Toad, Turtle No. 1
Muppet Meeting Films – Gimley's Boss, Wesley, Franklin (2nd Time), Coffee Guy, Smerdley (2nd Time)
Billy Bunny's Animal Songs – Frog, Gopher
Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration! – Joey Monkey, Merry Monster
Sesame Street Celebrates Around the World – MNN Logo Purple Monster
Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration – Joey Monkey, Merry Monster
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland – Bug
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson – Additional Muppets
Demon Days Live - 2-D (Puppetry only, uncredited)

Television

30 Rock - puppeteer ("Apollo, Apollo")
Aliens in the Family – Spit (voice)
Big Bag – Chelli, Lyle the Sock
Blue's Clues – Boogie Woogie, Roary ("Blue's Room" segments)
Blue's Room – Boogie Woogie, Roary, Sprinkles (season 2)
CityKids – Captain (Inside the Head)
Dog City – Artie Springer
Donkey Hodie – Game Show Gator
Elmo's World – Big Foot, Brown Bunny (in "Elmo Has Two! Hands, Ears & Feet"), The Cheese, Papa Bear, Ingrid, Stinky the Stinkweed, Old McDonald, The Two Headed Monster (left-head)
Eureeka's Castle – Fluffy
Jack's Big Music Show – Spunky the Alien and Henry the Monster
Journey to Ernie – The Mighty Joke Tree, Sammy (squirrel), Artist Walrus, Penguin (voice), Kittens 2 and 3
Mo Willems: Don't Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! — The Pigeon
Muppet Time – Icky No-No, Kirby, one of the Frog Scouts
Nick Jr. – Flexy ("Little Big Room" segments), Tube, Smelly ("Play Along" segments)
Nature Cat – Cruiser
Panwapa – Bill the Bug
The Planet Matzah Ball – Oogie
Sesame Street – Murray Monster, Blögg ("Abby's Flying Fairy School" segments), Colambo, Horatio the Elephant, Ingrid, Joey Monkey, Merry Monster, Narf, Old MacDonald, Papa Bear, Stinky the Stinkweed, Two-Headed Monster (left head, 2001–2016), The Fairy Godperson, Zostic ("Super Morphin Mega Monsters" segments), Redhead Caveman (Primitive segments)
Sheep in the Big City – General Lee Outrageous, Buddy Somebody, Count D'Ten
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss – Elwood the Jester (in "The King's Beard"), Lester McBird (in "Lester Leaps In")
Team Umizoomi - Brachiosaurus (voice) (Uncredited)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - Pupazza
Gabby's Dollhouse - Catrat, DJ Catnip, Cakey Cat (season 2)

Crew work

Bear in the Big Blue House – Writer ("The Yard Sale")
Cyberchase - Writer ("Invasion of the Funky Flower")
Elmo's Christmas Countdown – Writer
Elmopalooza – Writer
Julie's Greenroom – Director/Writer/Co-Producer
Kermit's Swamp Years – Screenplay Co-Writer
Muppets from Space – Screenplay Co-Writer
Sesame Street – Writer/Director
Sheep in the Big City – Writer
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland – Screenplay Co-Writer
The Upside Down Show – Writer
Kidding – Writer

Awards and nominations

Writers Guild of America Award
- 2009 WGA Award for Elmo's Christmas Countdown^[5]
Daytime Emmy Award Nominations
Directors Guild of America Nominations
- 2014 DGA Award Nominee for Directing for Children's Programs (Sesame Street, "4504 Numericon")^[6]
- 2015 DGA Award Nominee for Directing for Children's Programs (Sesame Street, "The Cookie Thief")^[7]

References

^ "Interview With Sesame Street Head Writer Joey Mazzarino". April 5, 2015. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
^ Hennes, Joe (February 23, 2009). "A Chat with Joey Mazzarino, part 1". ToughPigs.com. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
^ Butler, Kerry (September 24, 2007). "Kerry Butler". Broadway Buzz (Interview). Interviewed by Kathy Henderson – via Broadway.com.
^ "'I Love My Hair': A Father's Tribute To His Daughter". NPR. October 18, 2010.
^ "WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2009 WRITERS GUILD AWARDS | Press Room". Writers Guild of America, East. February 8, 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
^ "Awards / History / 2014". www.dga.org. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
^ "Awards / History / 2015". www.dga.org. Retrieved January 14, 2021.

External links

Joey Mazzarino at IMDb

Preceded by None	Performer of Papa Bear 1992 - 2015	Succeeded by Martin P. Robinson
Preceded by Jerry Nelson	Performer of Two-Headed Monster (left head) 2001–2016	Succeeded by Eric Jacobson
Preceded by None	Performer of Murray Monster 2005 - 2015	Succeeded by None
Preceded by None	Performer of Horatio the Elephant 1994–2016	Succeeded by Peter Linz