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BOOKS, MOVIES PRODUCTS............. Big Bird’s Salary Is $314K, But Don't Call Him A 1 Percenter The actor who has played Big Bird for more than 40 years is building himself quite the nest egg. According to the latest Form 990 from Sesame Workshop, the educational nonprofit behind PBS’ “Sesame Street,” Big Bird puppeteer Caroll Spinney was compensated $314,072 in 2010. Spinney, who has been with the show since its inception, also provides the voice and puppet work for Oscar the Grouch. As a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, Sesame Workshop is required to make its financial information public. The latest form, archived on the website GuideStar and posted by the Atlantic Wire on Tuesday, includes a detailed rundown of the organization’s expenses and revenues, as well as the salaries of its key personnel. Despite the expected backlash from critics claiming that Spinney's pay makes Big Bird a One Percenter, his salary is still significantly below the minimum $516,633 salary necessary for inclusion in a list of the top 1 percent of Americans. In fact, Spinney is not even the highest paid muppeteer on the Sesame roster. Joseph Mazzarino, a veteran puppet master who has been with the series since 1990, received $556,165 in compensation in 2010. On “Sesame Street,” he performs the voices of Murray, Stinky the Stinkweed, the Two-Headed Monster, Papa Bear and an Elephant in a tutu. He has also directed several episodes. https://www.ibtimes.com/big-birds-sala