This week Sesame Street’s 40th birthday, and everyone is celebrating. Google is honoring the fabulous Muppet-tastic show with a prime spot for Cookie Monster (surrounded by cookies—none of this “sometimes food” nonsense,” please). And we’re reminiscing ...

When we were kids, we watched “Sesame Street” with the same fervor and obsession that we now bestow upon “Mad Men” and, OK, we admit, “The Real Housewives.” Today the show is celebrating its 40th anniversary. With that in mind, we look back at the 14 most awesome female guest stars. Above, Madeline Kahn sings with Grover. At the time I didn’t realize he was kind of ... flirting. Keep clicking for more!

The best address in America has always played host to the cutest and brightest puppets, and now like a grand socialite giving her 40th birthday celebration, the show has created a simply amazing guest list for the upcoming season. Set your DVRs, volunteer to babysit, or call out sick and stay home to watch kids’ TV, because the new episodes, beginning Nov. 10, are going to be awesome ....

Hipster porn aside, you know you love those shirts. Something else that’s near and dear to your heart? Sesame Street. To commemorate the show’s 40th anniversary, American Apparel sifted through the archives to select original line drawings of Jim Henson’s characters for limited edition T-shirts that will be sold in 25 stores and online later this month. Not only are they cute and—given our current obsession with all things ‘70s and ‘80s—surprisingly modern-looking, unlike Lindsay Lohan and Ungaro’s design FAIL, this is one designer collaboration we’re actually feeling.

Those wacky Muppet operators over at “Sesame Street” have created a wonderful send-up of “Mad Men.” In it, puppets Don Draper and Co. at Sterling Cooper learn how to be ... happy! Who would have thunk it? I love the idea of Draper the cad going to teach the little kiddies that what’s important in life is not being a mad ad man, but finding happiness through honey advertising. It would have been awesome if Kermit played Don and Miss Piggy played Betty, but maybe they’re saving that for “The Muppets Take Mad Men.” [BuzzFeed]

Oy gevalt! How psyched are we that Jake Gyllenhaal, Christina Applegate, Ben Stiller, and Debra Messing are helping Grover out in a 12-part series called “Shalom Sesame,” a Jewish version of “Sesame Street.” The show will teach bubbelehs about Jewish culture, complete with a visit to Israel to check out important landmarks. The show has been done before in 1986 and 1990, with stars like Joan Rivers, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Mary Tyler Moore. The premiere of the new version will be circa Hanukkah 2010. I’ll totally be breaking out the Manischewitz, matzo, and macaroons for that one! Now let’s see if I can convert, marry a nice Jewish boy, and produce some half-Jewish babies in time for the launch! [E! Online]

You can’t clash with puppets! Sheryl Crow effortlessly blended Elmo, Abby, Grover and other pals for one chic Sesame Street look. [Sesame Street’s 7th Annual Benefit Gala, NYC, 5/27/09]

What a day it is for Paul Rudd fans! Ahem, today:

1. We discovered the above clip of Paul Rudd on “Sesame Street,” dressed up as the Earth, singing about environmentalism!
2. We listened to Paul Rudd read from a bodice ripping romance novel on ABC News.
3. We bookmarked the blog Paul Rudd Loves You—and you should too!

When did Sesame Street get to be so cool? This video of Feist singing a variation on her song “1 2 3 4” will air in the season 39 premiere on August 11. Also making appearances on Sesame Street episodes this season: Will Arnett, Jessica Alba, David Beckham, Heidi Klum, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jack Black. Would it be strange for a 25-year old to DVR Sesame Street? [Videogum]

Apparently not. Yesterday, Simcha and I were comparing notes on our first celebrity crushes—my first serious one was Wil Wheaton from Star Trek: The Next Generation (waving my nerd flag!), while Simcha was hot for The Count from Sesame Street. Even now, Simcha says she still goes for guys who seem a little like vampires, whereas Wil was my first and last dork crush after he replied to my loving fan letter with a generic postcard of himself decked out in Batman memorabilia (hat, shirt, buttons on his light jean jacket, the works). But up until that point I was convinced we were destined for each other. Talking about all of this with Simcha made me want to find out who Emily and Catherine’s crushes were when they were boy crazy tweens. Unfortunately, both of them said they never crushed on celebrities.

David Beckham comes across as a pretty awesome dad. He’s arguably the most popular soccer player in the world and could probably get his kids to meet any of their heroes, especially if they’re into Elmo, Big Bird, and Oscar. David recently taped a guest appearance for Sesame Street. In it, he talks to Elmo and introduces viewers to a new word: persistence. Not sure when this episode will air, but it might be worth adding Sesame Street to your DV-R. You’re sure to be inspired. [The Spoiler]