Zanazaz here with a Special USG Report. After a post on facebook by the United States of Geekdom's illustrious leader Rick, about his son's accurate imitation of Count von Count's ( of Sesame Street fame ) laugh, someone commented about the Count's lack of vampire-like behavior, i.e. drinking blood. So I thought a bit of research was in order! After all, I imagine most geeks grew up watching the Street!

After my research it seems no one is sure if he is an actually vampire, or not. On his Muppet Wiki page he is described as vampire-like. In the Sesame Streets Muppet Drawing Guide it insists he is not a vampire. He really only has two maybe three vampire traits. The most notable one is that the Count has no reflection in a mirror. He also has really long canine teeth. The Count also lives in an old cobweb-infested castle with bats, but he cannot change into a bat.

                                                     

The Count also does not sleep in a coffin. instead choosing a more comfortable bed. The Count also has no vulnerability to being exposed to the sun, and in fact he enjoys being out in the sun. He has never shown a fondness for blood either, human or Muppet. Does this prove he is not a vampire? Not necessarily...

I can find no mention of him not being able to cross running water, or having an anathema to anything religious.

Of course over the years he has lost a bit of his sinister edge. When he first appeared he could mesmerize Muppets and people, but either stopped doing it or lost the ability. The Count also has his "personal cloud" which would boom with thunder and flash with lightning to signal he was done counting. I'm not sure that's a vampire trait, but it seems to be a supernatural ability.

His love of counting ( arithmomania ) is similar to the belief that some vampires would stop to count any small objects dropped by someone. So even if he was a vampire, everyone on Sesame Street knows this, so it is easy to escape him. All they have to do is drop a handful of bird seed ( which Bird Bird can later enjoy ), and he has to stop and count them. This gives the Muppet or human the chance to get away. ( At least that's my theory... )

My other theory is that he's a Muppet-vampire, and that could explain why he doesn't drink human blood, and being a Muppet-vampire he may not actually be able to drink human blood, much in the same way that the Cookie Monster doesn't really "eat" the cookies. If he does need to feed on Muppet-blood I fear he may feed off of Aloysius Snuffleupagus. Due to Snuffy's propensity for taking naps, and his slow speed due to his bulk, he makes the perfect victim for the Count. Of course this could also explain his lethargy, the Count frequently draining some his Muppet-blood. "Oh Big Bird, I'm so tired..."

So I believe the Count is a Muppet-vampire, that doesn't need to drink human blood, but maybe Muppet-blood. Sunlight doesn't harm him, and he may or may not have supernatural abilities. I also believe he is trying to live a fairly normal life on Sesame Street, spending his time counting, which he couldn't do if he got all vampy on all the humans and other Muppets.

Another one of my other theories is that one of the Muppets is a Muppet-vampire slayer. The Count may know this, and it keeps him in check. I think it might actually be Elmo. "Elmo doesn't like vampires!" Of course there is also Super Grover, but I don't think he's much of a threat to the Count, should the Count decide to go all fangy on the most famous street in the world.