The Origins Of Your Favorite Muppets, Revealed

Bert and Ernie really are just friends, but there are plenty of other secrets about the inspiration for some of the characters on Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

Even though we all grew up watching the Muppets, most people have no idea that Cookie Monster got his start in a 1967 IBM training video, Miss Piggy was driven to the beauty pageant circuit by a rough childhood in Iowa, or that when in Pakistan, Oscar the Grouch lives in an oil barrel. [Mental Floss]