At his age, there's no reason that Sir Ian McKellen couldn't be peacefully enjoying his retirement somewhere, spending the golden years of his life relaxing in solitude (presumably in a castle). Thankfully, that's not the case, as it would mean everyone would lose one of the best actors in the business. Despite being 75 years old, McKellen is still incredibly active - it's not easy playing Gandalf the Grey, especially since Peter Jackson keeps insisting on making The Hobbit movies as long as possible.
That being said, even if McKellen wasn't still making movies all the time, it'd be hard to resist a chance to be on Sesame Street. It's been one of the most influential shows on television for decades, and being able to teach kids alongside Cookie Monster is almost as big an honor as being knighted.
Of course, teaching someone like Cookie Monster the meaning of the word 'resist' was never going to be easy:
If, for whatever reason, you're not a fan of Sesame Street or Cookie Monster (what is wrong with you?), the video is still worth watching just to hear McKellen's voice. It's somehow silky and booming at the same time - how someone who's been alive for three-quarters of a century manages to maintain a voice like that is anyone's guess.
Plus, the video's got Cookie Monster - the best character on Sesame Street - doing what he does best. Who wouldn't want to watch it?
Sesame Street airs weekdays at 10am on PBS.
