Tonight marked the debut of network anchor Charles Blitzen of the CDN (Counter-Downer News) Report. Voiced by ABC’s Charles Gibson, Blitzen updated viewers throughout ABC’s Elmo’s Christmas Countdown special on the progress of Stiller the Elf (voiced by, yep, Ben Stiller) in overseeing a successful countdown to Christmas.
It was Blitzen who, in a final CDN update, assured the public that “Christmas was saved, thanks to Elmo and you.” Blitzen also bid viewers farewell for the evening, with what is apparently his signature sign-off: “This is Charles Blitzen, saying Good Night and Good Tidings.”
When it comes to TV journos making Sesame Street cameos, Gibson’s in good company: NBC’s Brian Williams made an August appearance as an anchor announcing the word of the day (“squid”), and CNN’s Anderson Cooper showed up in October as a GNN (Grouch News Network) correspondent.