- This article is about the muppet character from Sesame Street. Additionally, "Ernie" is a shortened form of the name "Ernest" or "Ernesto", "Ernie" is the former name of "Piranha Club", a comic strip by Bud Grace, and "ERNIE" is an acronym for Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment, used in the UK's Premium Bonds.
Ernie is a Muppet character on PBS' long-running children's television show, Sesame Street. He and Bert form a comic duo that is one of the program's centerpieces, with Ernie acting the role of the naïve trouble-maker and Bert the world-weary foil.
Ernie is well known for his fondness for baths with his Rubber Duckie and for (not) learning to play the saxophone because he wouldn't put down the duck.
Ernie was originally voiced by Jim Henson. Vocally, Ernie strongly resembles one of Henson's other character creations, Kermit the Frog. Since Henson's death, Ernie has been performed by Muppeteer Steve Whitmire.
Ernie is of a style sometimes known as a "human arm puppet", meaning that while operating the head of the puppet with his right hand, the puppeteer inserts his left hand into a T-shaped sleeve, capped off with a glove that matches the fabric "skin" of the puppet, thus "becoming" the left arm of the puppet. A second puppeteer usually provides the right arm, although sometimes the right arm is simply stuffed and posed. Other puppets of this type include Fozzie Bear and Sam the Eagle.
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