The 2024 Paris Olympics through Cookie Monster’s and Elmo’s eyes

Cookie Monster and Elmo are leading a team of Muppet reporters who have been covering the Summer Olympics, adding a much needed dose of whimsy and innocent fun to the pressure-filled games.   

The Olympics is—and should be—all about the athletes. After all, it’s the grandest sporting stage where the world’s best come together in a display of sporting excellence and sportsmanship.

But the Olympics—or any sporting event for that matter—aren’t complete without the equally passionate and tireless people who do the coverage, making sure we make better sense of what’s going on (especially casual viewers such as myself who know next to nothing about the intricacies of sports) and keeping us updated on the latest developments. We have our sports analysts and correspondents, photographers and cameramen, people who further enrich the whole experience. 

Speaking of sports coverage, the 2024 Paris Olympics has a rather unusual yet charming set of correspondents who flew in from a place called Sesame Street to cover the games. Cookie Monster and Elmo are leading a team of Muppets who have been covering the Summer Olympics, adding a much needed dose of whimsy and innocent fun to the pressure-filled games.   

The POST gathers some of Cookie and Elmo’s most memorable moments that add a splash of sunshine as the games wind down to its last few days. 

Cookie Monster and Elmo arrived in Paris on August 2, a few days after the Paris Olympics opened. They have with them their friend Abby Cadabby, a pink monster and fairy-in-training, who acts as their field correspondent of sorts. Elmo also brought his pet dog Tango with him, while Slimey, Oscar the Grouch’s pet worm, flew in a few hours ago to join in on the fun.

Since they started covering the events, with a special focus on Team USA of course, the Muppets have rubbed elbows with some of the Olympics’ biggest names, as well as notable ones watching from the sidelines.

Elmo, for instance, boasts selfies with Team USA’s bemedalled gymnasts Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and the GOAT herself, Simone Biles.

Cookie Monster, meanwhile, had baguettes with Team USA fencers Lauren Scruggs and Lee Kiefer. Scruggs is the first Black American woman to win an individual Olympic fencing medal after she won silver and also helped her team clinch the gold. Kiefer, on the other hand, became the most decorated female foil fencer in American history after bagging two gold medals in Paris.

The trio also had some fun with American swimmer Katie Ledecky, who is the United States’ most decorated female Olympian. Abby was even able to have a selfie with the swimming superstar taking the shot herself.

But it’s not all work for our Muppet friends—they’re in Paris after all. They ought to have some fun on the side! Cookie Monster, for instance, is having the time of his life in the City of Light, which is known for its breads and pastries—the blue monster’s absolute favorites! He was seen enjoying a croissant in one post and waxing poetic about Parisian cookies in another.

Cookie Monster was also spotted with Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart enjoying some yummy-looking macarons at a posh-looking place. Our friend looked like he was having the time of his life! We would have a grand time, too, if we were eating macarons in Paris.

Elmo had some fun as well. He played a round of tennis with Tango, his faithful canine buddy, on his time off. Tango could only be so happy to fetch the balls.

Thank you, Cookie Monster, Elmo, and friends for making the 2024 Paris Olympics even more enjoyable!