Joey Mazzarino

 Joseph   " Joey "   Mazzarino  ( born June 4 th 1968 ) has been a writer & performer  on  SESAME STREET  since 1990. Beginning with Season 40, he is the show  ' s Head  Writer. He wrote his 1 st sketch for the show , the Columbo  parody  " Colambo " , as an audition piece , & soon found himself cast in the title role. He was promoted to head writer  in Season 40.

With an inclination toward ad - libbing & a reputation as a cut - up on set, Mazzarino has become a prominent player  in the current cast of  SESAME STREET . His recurring characters include Murray Monster, Papa Bear , Stinky the Stinkweed , & the boisterous , tutu - wearing Elephant , known as Horatio. In recent years he ' s also taken over for 1 half of the Two - Headed Monster from Jerry Nelson  performing the character with  David Rudman , who  s been the performer of the horns up half of the  character sin ce 1992 , when  Muppeteer  veteran  Richard Hunt  passed away. Mazzarino received his 1 st Daytime Emmy nomination for the Outstanding Performer  in a Chil dren ' s Series i n 2010.

Mazzarino ' s writing credit s include Bear in the Big Blue House & the non - Muppet series  The Upside Down Show  &  Sheep in the  BIG  City  ( which was created by former  SESAME STREET  writer  Mo Willems, for which he also did voice - over s ). He also co - wrote the screenplay s for  The Adventure s of  Elmo  i n  GROUCH  land , Muppets from Space &  Kermit  ' s Swamp Year s.

His Grouch  - related characters are,  Itchy  ,  GrundGetta  ' s  pet   ROTTEN  doodle  , a  Grouch   Delivery Man  from  episode 4237  ,  Phooey Louie  ,  Swamp y  ,  Hairy Hairy More Contrary  ,  Spill O ' Reilly  , ( a parody of Bill O ' Reilly ) , & Bug from  The Adventures of  Elmo  in  GROUCH  land .

Mazzarino is married to actress Kerry Butler who has appeared on  Sesame Street  as [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Ms._Camp Ms. Camp ], the letter carrier. They have a daughter named Segi, whom they adopted from Ethiopia. His daughter is the inspiration for the  SESAME STREET  song I Love My Hair.

Muppeteer Credits

 *  SESAME STREET  character s : A . B . C - m ore, Alligator , Ant , The Banana King , Bernie Broccoli , Big Foot , The Cheese , Colambo , Cousin Bear , Cowboy with a Drawl , The Cream , Cricket ,  Dan Rather - n ot  , Davy Jones " Dinner Theatre " son , The Elephant , Eliot Stabler Muppet , T he Fairy God person , Geppetto ,  GROUCH   Deliver y Man  , Gulliver ,  Hairy Hairy More Contrary  , Helmet , Henry Piggins , Ingrid ,  ITCHY  , Izzy , J ack ( " Jack & the Beanstalk" , Episode 4211 ) , Jack ( " J ack B e Nimble " , Episode 4164 ) , James Bond Muppet , Jamie Foxx , Jitterbug , Joe Hundred Guy , Joey Monkey , Macaroni the Merciless , Mack , Mail box , Merry Monster , Mother Gross , Mr . MiCookie , Murray Monster , Murray , N arf , Number 0 , Nucky Ducky , Papa Bear , Pedro ,  Pestie  ( Episode 4260  )  Phooey Louie  , Philip , Pierre Blue , Pillow , Pipe Organ , Provenza , Ramone Bone Robin , Sharpay (  Muppetry  only ) , Slug , Spalding Monster ,  Spill O ' Reilly  , Stinky t he Stinkweed , The Sun ( in " The New Here i s Your Life " ) , " Super K " son ,  SWAMPY  , Tito , The Tooth Fairy , The Top Banana , Two - Headed Monster ( left head , 2 003 - present ) , Zostic , Zoe ' s Daddy , Leonardo da Crunch y
 * Muppet Meeting Films : Gimley ' s Boss, Wesley , Franklin , Coffee Guy , Smerdley , Others
 * City Ki ds
 * Dog City : Artie Springer, Officer Fuzzy
 * Billy Bunny ' s Animal Songs : Frog, Gopher
 * The Muppet Celebrate  JIM   HENSON 
 * A New Baby in My House
 * We All Sing Together : Murray
 * Sing - A long E a r t h Song s : John - Boy, Smokey the Salmon
 *  SESAME   STREET  Stay s Up L a te ! : MNN Logo Purple Monster
 *  Elmo  Saves Christ mas : Lightning
 * The Wubbulous World o f Dr . Seuss : Lester, Elwood
 * Big B ag : Chelli, Lyle the Sock
 * Quiet Time : The Wise Man
 * Muppet Time : I cky No - No, Kirby , 1 of the Frog Scouts
 *  The Adventures of  Elmo  in  GROUCH  land  : Bug,  Pestie 
 * Cinder  Elmo  : King Fred
 *  Kermit  ' s Swamp Years : Goggles, Joe the Armadillo ( DVD extras only )
 *  Elmo  ' s Wor l d : Happy Holidays : Lavender Caroler
 * A Magical Hallo ween Adventure : Murray the Mediocre
 * What's the Name of That Song ?
 * The West Wing : Muppet Doctor
 * The  STREET  We Live On
 * Happy Healthy Monsters : Bobby
 * Aliens in the Family : Spit, Yukkles ( Green & Yellow )
 * A  SESAME   STREET  Christ mas Carol : Joe Marley
 * Panwapa : Bill the Bug
 *  Elmo  ' s Christ mas  Count  down : Stan the Snowball
 *  Count  on Sports : Sir Harry the Tennis Ball
 * Hap p y, Healthy , Ready for School : Ready Stan , Rico
 * Here For You : Chester
 *  E lmo  &  Abby  ' s Birthday Fun ! : Pail of Water

Writing Credits

 *  SESAME STREET  ( including the Colambo skits, What ' s the Word on the Street ? segments , & many celebrity spots )
 * Muppets from Space
 *  The Adventure s of  Elmo  in  GROUCH  land 
 *  Kermit  ' s Swamp Years
 *  SESAME   STREET  4D
 * A Magical Hallo ween Adventure
 * Happy Healthy Monsters
 *  Elmo  ' s Magic Cookbook
 *  Elmo  palooza
 * Bear in the Big Blue House - " E pi sode 3 2 1 "
 *  SESAME STREET  Live - "  Super   Grover  ! Read y f o r Action ", & "  Elmo  ' s Healthy Hero e s "
 * Ha ppy, Health y , Ready for School
 *  Elmo  ' s Christ mas  Count  down
 * Here For You

Voiceover Acting

 *  Abby  ' s Flying Fairy School : Blögg

David Rudman / Joey Mazzarino Muppet Pairings

 * Dave y & Joey Monkey
 * The Two - Headed Monster
 * Humphrey / Ingrid
 *  Cranky  /  Itchy 
 * Baby Bear / Papa Bear
 * Baby Bear / Cousin Bear
 * Cookie Monster / Stinky the Stinkweed
 * Cookie Monster / Mr . MiCookie
 * Mallard Capone / Nucky Ducky
 * Sonny Friendly / Pierre Blue
 * MNN Logo Orange Monster / MNN Logo Purple Monster
 * Lieutenant Tao / Provenza
 * Gimley & his Boss
 * Luncheon Counter Monster & Gimley ' s Boss
 * Snails from " Telly ' s Aquarium "

External l ink s

 * Tough Pigs . com interview, part 1
 * Tough Pigs . com interview, part 2
 * Huffington Post interview

External l ink s

 * JOEY MAZZARINO on IMDb