A Sesame Street staple since 1985, Elmo has delighted generations of kids with his happy-go-lucky attitude and questioning mind. Now he’s bringing both those traits to his own (early) nighttime show, The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo, which hits HBO Max on launch day, May 27. Aimed at entertaining kids and their parents in that window between dinner and the bedtime routine begins, the quick little show features a full-scale talk show hosted by Elmo, complete with wacky sidekick Cookie Monster, a full band (fronted by a bear, of course), and all our Sesame Street favorites in backstage production roles. It also boasts a host of celebrity guests, including John Mulaney, Jimmy Fallon, Kacey Musgraves, and more.
The A.V. Club stopped by 123 Sesame Street earlier this year for a quick chat with Elmo. (It’s pretty hard to hold a three-and-a-half year old’s attention, after all.) We talked his show for a few minutes before he took our “Would You Rather?” challenge, answering all our burning questions about chickens, beaches, and why the lovable red monster just never seems to age.