The extended Noodle Family includes, clockwise from upper left: Daveed Diggs, OG Bill Erwin , the late Michael Jeter, and Ilana Glazer. Photo-Illustration: Vulture and PBS This is what happens when Mr. Noodle demonstrates how to eat a banana. First, he does the ol’ banana-as-a-telephone. Then, he tries to play the piece of fruit like a horn. Next, he stands at a desk, pulls a tiny lamp out of his baggy pants, and begins to dip the banana in ink to write with it.
.youtube[data-uri="www.vulture.com/_components/youtube/instances/ckcuw30g8000s3c5tasqwoe2l@published"].border-top:before { content: 'Watch'; } Even with small variations, however, all of these seemingly disparate actors simply get Mr. Noodle’s vibe. Despite the range of age, color, size, and gender among them, each embodies the character, who is good-naturedly foolish, enthusiastic, physical, and predictably, satisfyingly ridiculous.
It all may seem uncomplicated and repetitive to adults familiar with such classic comedic rhythms, but children get a lot from those scant seconds of silliness. “I think what works for kids is that you’re expressing so much nonverbally,” says Lehmann. “Kids develop differently. Some kids have verbal abilities very early on and some take longer to develop them.”
But mindless as it may seem to adults, Mr. Noodle’s style of non-verbal communication is “a key in childhood development,” according to Walsh. “Infants and young children scan faces to determine if they are safe, if they are cared for, and to develop an attachment relationship that allows them to venture out and explore their larger world,” she says.
Zulkey But I love all the noodles! But also I have an mfa in acting and had a professor who’s expertise was clown and Bill Irwin is just an amazing performer and clown and mr noodle just really capitalizes on that.
Zulkey Aww I never found him annoying.
Zulkey I didn’t find him any more annoying than anyone else. He was silly. He made me laugh a time or two. It’s been a while I guess since youngest is 16 now bit annoying never crossed my mind as a way to describe an educational tool.
Zulkey Yo man eff mr noodle
Zulkey Bill 💙
Zulkey My priest used to call himself Mr. Noodle! He gets out of prison in a year. Can't wait to see him again
Zulkey I stan Mr. Noodle in every one of his/her forms.
Zulkey This was great. I am one of those rare adults who LOVES Mr. Noodle. I would love a follow-up deep-dive on what it means to be an adult Noodle fan. Are we more aware of our own 'dumbassery' and so see a kindred spirit?