AgentKGB: Representative of the unwashed masses: https://beta.ctvnews.ca/local/saskatoon/2022/12/4/1_6180603.amp.html

He also helped with charities as well. He made the trip up to Saskatchewan every year for 38 years to help host a Kinsmen and Kinnettes telethon called Telemiracle.

It would be on for 30 hours straight on network tv in my home province.

RIP Bob

Yup. He did so much good work with Telemiracle.

I remember really liking Bob. He was the comedy straight man.

[Youtube-video https://www.youtube.com/embed/KCsESf3dLUY]

Bob was the friendly everyman just trying to help others and make it through his day and weird stuff just happened around him. And it was glorious.

R.I.P. Bob. :(

He was also a mainstay of The Variety Club's annual show of Hearts here in BC - here's a pic from one in 1973 and a a story from one of his last:



https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/television/variety-club-telethon-turns-50-popular-event-on-global-has-raised-190-million-for-special-needs-kids

"Bob McGrath of Sesame Street is the longest-running performer: This year will be his 40th appearance on the telethon.

"I love doing them," said McGrath, 83. "It's so much fun on so many different levels. It's like going to your high school or college reunion, and you're seeing all your buddies. Shari Ulrich, I haven't seen her for a long time, and of course Jim Byrnes."

But the real reason he does telethons is the kids. McGrath never ceases to be amazed at the courage and spirit of the children he encounters on the show.

"I went through some of the kids that are going to be highlighted this year, and one that really caught my eye was Markus," said McGrath, who survived a recent bout with prostate cancer himself.

"He's 11 years old and went to the hospital to check for a concussion. The CAT scan found he had an undiagnosed brain tumor. He went through six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation.

"He lost weight and everything, but he's now cancer free. (They gave me a photo of him) with a sign saying 'Yes!' or something. He's so damn cute. It's like he's just won a basketball game, with his arm punching the air, 'Yes!'"

This will likely be McGrath's final telethon. Sesame Street is moving from PBS to HBO, and he won't be among the new cast. So he figures it is finally time to take it easy.

But he couldn't resist coming back for one final Variety Club Telethon.
"It's just incredibly wonderful, the pulling together of the whole province," he said. "I don't think anybody does it better, anywhere in North America, to tell you the truth. There's such love and giving. Everybody knows what it is, and knows somebody in their own community that's been helped by it.""

Rest easy, Bob, thanks for everything.