Cookie Monster - Furry blue Muppet monster with bulging eyes and large gobbling mouth on the children's educational program SESAME STREET/PBS/1969+. Cookie Monster debuted in 1969 as an anonymous monster who ate the letter "W" during one of Kermit the Frog's lectures. His obsession for Cookies became apparent when Cookie Monster chose a cookie over a trip to Hawaii. Cookie Monster once said "Chocolate cookie very important. Mean a lot to me...oh and this butter cookie, me not want to make butter cookie feel bad. Butter cookie very important. Mean a lot to me. In fact all cookie mean a lot to me...COWABUNGA!" Cookie Monster in the role of Alistair Cookie also hosted a segment called MONSTERPIECE THEATRE.

In 1992, the phrase "Me want cookie!" made its debut in the classic reference book Barlett's Familiar Quotations.

Other monsters on the show were Herry Monster (first seen in 1970) and Rosita, la Monstrua del las Cuevas (The Monster of the Caves), the first bilingual monster (debuted in 1991). See also - "Cookie Bear"

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In 2006, NBC news anchor Matt Lauer had a chat with Cookie Monster who had been seen eating fruit instead of cookies. Here's the transcript.

Matt Lauer: Cookie Monster, the world wants to know, why have you stopped eating cookies? Isn't it true that only moments ago you decided to eat a fruit salad instead of a cookie? So will you have to change your name now? Should we be calling you "Fruit Monster"?

Cookie Monster: Well, dat got nice ring to it, but...

Matt Lauer: Cookie Monster, the question on everyone' lips is --

Cookie Monster: That a lot of lips!

Matt Lauer: Why?

Cookie Monster: Me like fruit.

Matt Lauer: And there you have it. Cookie Monster likes fruit, and not cookies.

Cookie Monster: No! You members of the media blow story way out of proportion! Me still like cookies!

Matt Lauer: Then why fruit?

Cookie Monster: Why not fruit? It delicious! And healthy. Me still eat cookies, like me world-famous for doing, but now me eat other things too.

Matt Lauer: So what you'e saying is, if I were to offer you this cookie, you would eat it right now?

Cookie Monster: No. Me eat fruit salad -- and then me eat cookie for dessert!

Matt Lauer: Well, you heard it here first! Cookie Monster has not given up cookies. From the looks of it, he eats just about everything.

Cookie Monster: You got dat right.