The Grouchketeers

The Grouchketeers is a club led by Oscar the Grouch consisting mostly of kids with dirty faces who dress in green t-shirts with trash can lids for hats. Their gatherings include the enactment of grouchy behavior such as how to be messy or noisy.
The first use of the term was in Episode 1118 when Oscar called a meeting of the club to disorder, with their official slogan ("How can you tell a Grouchketeer?/He's the one with the thumb in his ear!") used to close the meeting; in later shows, it would be moved to the beginning of most get-togethers. Similar gatherings had been taking place on Sesame Street for years before, however. In Episode 0571, Oscar gathers neighborhood kids around his can to impart some grouch lessons, and began assembling an unnamed grouch club in Episode 1041. Oscar had also previously started a "Grouch school" in Episode 0710, and in Episode 1132 it is implied that he had combined the school as part of a Grouchketeer meeting.
Aside from the kids, the Grouchketeers count a number of Sesame Street residents among their ranks, such as Telly Monster who was first inducted into the group in Episode 1566, and Mr. Snuffleupagus who became a member in Episode 2058.
On occasion, meetings can be held by other leaders, such as Grundgetta when she organizes a game of "Cross it Out" in Episode 1952. Grundgetta calls the kids up and asks them to cross out a different thing on her card. David calls her out on something; the kids are good at crossing things out, but she's done nothing. She gets the card and crosses the whole thing out.
Rosita wanted to become a Grouchketeer in Episode 3963, and was grouchy because she didn't get to be one. She became so angry at Oscar, that he was impressed and made Rosita a Grouchketeer.
After the club was featured during season 38, it didn't appear again until season 52. In their latest incarnation, the Grouchketeer uniforms have been changed. The trash can lid hats are designed similar to mortarboards, with various bits of trash and garbage stuck to them. The members also wear dull grey t-shirts that bear an image of Oscar's scowling face.
==Songs==
* "Doin' the Grouch"
* "The No-No-No!"
* "A Very Unhappy Birthday (To You)"
* "Grouch Come Out"
* "Grouch Melody"
* "Honk, Bang, Whistle and Crash"
* "Mud! Mud! Mud!"
* "My Grouch Family"
* "Oscar's Do Re Mi"
* "Oscar's Trashtime Band"
* "There's a Big Heap of Trash at the End of the Rainbow"
* "You've Got to Learn How to Wiggle"
==Book appearances==
* My Name Is Oscar the Grouch
==See also==
* The Disagreeable Order of Grouches
* Clubs and organizations: A list of more "-keteers" clubs
* The Three Grouchketeers (CD-ROM game)
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Category:Sesame Street Culture
Category:Sesame Street Characters
Category:Character Groups
Category:Grouch Culture
Category:Sesame Street Human Characters