LATimes: Linda Bove, ASL Consultant on “Sweet Nothing in My Ear”

April 21st, 2008

Linda Bove, of “Sesame Street” and Deaf West Theatre fame, was featured in my city’s newspaper, LA Times, recently. She worked as an ASL and deaf culture consultant on the CBS TV movie, “Sweet Nothing in My Ear”. With her years of experience with “Sesame Street”, co-founding DeafWest, and consulting for several performances, she is the ideal person for the job. In the article, she expresses appreciation when a production set shows sensitivity to deaf culture.

You can either:

visit the article directly on LATimes.com or
download a scanned version which includes a picture of Linda Bove

13 Responses

RLM | April 21st, 2008 @ 11:21 am

I strongly believe that Linda Bove could do more with the Ed Waterstreet character and other deaf culture materials. I will explain more in my blog posting.

I never knew that Linda Bove done her “Seasme Street” stint more than 32 years. I thought that was about the special guest appearances over time.

Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog
deafk | April 21st, 2008 @ 12:28 pm

Hi, Tayler,

Thanks for sharing this with us!

deafk
tayler | April 21st, 2008 @ 12:33 pm

Hi RLM, how about focusing on how much Linda Bove and Ed Waterstreet have contributed to the deaf theater community? Surely they cannot do everything. Their work created opportunities for future deaf actors and directors. Through Deaf West Theater, they open doors to these people for many more years to come. It is better to create something that will continue giving long after the founders retire their direct involvement.

Yes, Linda Bove was very much a permanent part of Sesame Street. I am one of those who grew up watching her on television. I can easily say I wouldn’t be the person I am today if not for the show.

@deafk, of course it is my pleasure Thank you for reading!
Virginia L. Beach | April 21st, 2008 @ 2:28 pm

Thanks for sharing this information, Tayler. I’m curious… have you or anyone else seen any type of article in which Jeff Daniels talks about what it was like for him to play the role of Dan in this movie? What was it that prompted him to take this role, and what was it like trying to learn sign language, working with Deaf actors, etc.? That would be an article I would love to read!
tayler | April 21st, 2008 @ 2:32 pm

Would this work for you, Virginia?
RLM | April 22nd, 2008 @ 8:56 am

Tayler,

With the due respect, I dearly love Linda Bove and Ed Waterstreet very much. I have seen them last time about last three years ago at the Ford Theatre in DC.

No questions about how much this real-life couple contributed to the world of deaf theatre!

Linda Bove was hired as the ASL and Deaf Culture consultant. She and Ed Waterstreet should make the requests in script change like making the Ed Waterstreet character to be more scholarly with his writing works as a college professor. Something like that!

At least, this telemovie probably will be forgotten in five years. Who knows?

RLM
GLathe | May 16th, 2008 @ 10:30 pm

Hi Linda
I am from Alberta, Canada.
I was jawdropped that you and Ed are couple. I admired both of you. I watched he seasame street. I used to sing the lord’s prayer with the bunch of girls (residental ) with Bob Mc Garth. It was amazed to watch you and Bob on tv.

It really influence the kids to watch the program.
I enjoyed watch you on the stage in Edmonton among the deaf students and adults in the Cidetal Theatre.

Ed is the most fanastic actor when i watched the movie on tv… ” love never silent with Phyllis: that is the first time i watched. Recently, movie with Marliee Martlin. My totally surprised to see Phyllis and Ed played the same parents roles in this movie with Daniel and Marliee. It amazed to see their faces has not much changed.

That movie really emphazie the people to think twice. I know it is not easy..
Keep up I GIVE YOU BOTH AND OTHER ACTRESSES NUMBER 1 THUMBS UP!!!!!!
Patricia moody | November 29th, 2008 @ 8:06 am

Dear Linda bove,
I ‘m 25 years old and I know ASL, I’m fluent I’m a ASL perfromer.
I teach Signing to Adults and their clients ASL… But I want to
get to konw you ?? and know you’r Favorites and Hobbies??
I want to be you”r ASL partner please?? you are my Fav. asl
person on SEsame Street.
asl 1 student | March 4th, 2009 @ 1:39 pm

yes i am doing a project on linda bove and she did contribute to the deaf community alot and she made the way for many deaf actors today
Rali | March 20th, 2009 @ 4:54 pm

Hi Mr. Ed Waterstreet, Be still my heart! How are you?
You used to directed me as your Lydia, twice, Ed, you and Liz Tannabaum as Sarah Leeds, twice, right.
Do you recall of me played as Ear Implant Cohler Specialist in “Sweet Nothing In My Ears” in Chicago’s Victory Garden Theatre 1994 and again, starring Liz Tannabaum?
My mother has loved all of your work through me when you directed me, I’m very grateful that I worked with you has been the most remarkable grand times working with the most talented person. She last saw my last performances were with Sweet Nothing In My Ears/Chicago I was so glad to played as the Doctor because it’s became dedicated my honors/prides thanks to my mother for I became today.
My mother passed away too suddenly, since then I haven’t been in actings since.
Thinking about returning back in acting again, Mr. Ed Waterstreet. Boy, I haven’t meet your wife, Linda Above, never yet! I would love very much to meet her I’ll be awe if I did meet her!
Phyllis, Mr. Ed, I became an actress today because of Phyllis when I was asked by Mr. Mark Medoff and Gordon Davidson/NYC I to audition for The Children of a Lesser God, I started my debut as Lydia for Milwaukee/Wisconsin. I in years with The Children of a Lesser God, I haven’t met the dynamite Phyllis F. I wanted so much to thanking her, Phyllis the one and only!! (SMILE) I haven’t truly ever meet her yet, she is the true star before Marlee Matlin’s!! If the Hollywood didn’t waited too long for making a finally a film of The Children of a Lesser God, Phyllis was too old to playing Sarah Norman Leeds, you know. Unfair, I feel her. Her and all of the remarkable colleagues whom worked over the years/NTD-DeafWestTheatre-Teams of All Casts of Children Of A Lesser God. As all are true legands to us all, forever, from bottom of my heart more than you know, Mr. Ed Waterstreet. And it surely wasted what a true multi-talented Phyllis F, she would make a huge big differences in Hollywood to International than Marlee Matlin. Marlee has alots of money genes runs in her family/contacts/favors along side was in right place in right time/Oscar that had already under her wings, just like Paris Hilton. Marlee doesn’t have the right chemistry being an actress or a dancer/Dancing with the Stars. Please open more doors for other talented performers out there should be seen, I have seen ALOTS are not enough to be notice, Mr. Waterstreet?
I wish you very well and all the bests! I would like to come back as an actress, if there were anything going on around by your work or Mr. Mark Medoff?
Give my bests to Mr. Mark Medoff, if you can please give him my email I would like to reach him, alright.
Arms up in air~CHEERS, Rali Popcheva
Joel Wasson | March 25th, 2009 @ 5:03 pm

Hi Linda,
I’m from Lawrence, Kansas. I enjoyed watching you in the show Sesame Street. You became one of my favorites on the show. I also enjoyed Bob who you had alot of scenes with. I remember watching some of the signs you did. There was a time in my childhood days when I took a sign language class.
You have done great helping alot of kids understand sign language. I think you’re wonderful. I also enjoyed the muppets like Big Bird, Ernie, Bert and the count. It’s nice to meet you!

Joel
Patricia moody | June 13th, 2009 @ 4:57 am

Hi linda Bove,
My name is patricia Moody and I know ASL too. I’m 25 years
Old… and I realy want to meet you. I know you live in
Califorina But I hope we get Together Soon I Love you.
Joel Wasson | August 16th, 2009 @ 2:20 pm

Hi Linda,
I have met you before! I have read all about your biography. It’s really neat. I see you had 32 years on “Sesame Street” which was the longest role for a deaf person. I remember in the 1980′s watching the show and the time you had long brown curly hair. I saw you in some clips with Northern Calloway who played David. There were the clips of the signs for disappear and wind with David going out of the circle frame for each of those. Then, the sign for pie and then you got a pie in the face. I also remember another episode of you in Oscar’s trash can and David coming by thinking Oscar was in there when you were in there. I’m sorry Northern Calloway died. I didn’t remember it at the time. I remember 4 months later when Jim Henson died.
I own ‘Don’t eat the pictures” and “Follow that Bird”. I know Bob is still on the show today. I watched the archive interview of him and I know he enjoyed the scenes he had with you. I’m 31 and continue to keep track of the show by reading on the internet about it continuing. How wonderful the show has gone on this long.
I sometimes think about you. I love you! You’re wonderful with kids and teaching sign language. Take care!

Joel