On TV's Sesame Street, the characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch have been enormously popular for decades; I Am Big Bird gives viewers a glimpse of the man who's been behind both of them since the beginning: Caroll Spinney. Hired by Jim Henson, Spinney was ready to give up before he even started, but eventually Big Bird became Sesame Street's most popular character. He was apparently even invited (but did not go) onto a space shuttle to orbit the Earth (that shuttle turned out to be the ill-fated Challenger). Now in his 80s (and still performing both of his beloved characters!), Spinney tells stories of his rough childhood, of how he grew to love puppets, and of his love story with his wife, Debra.