By Mary Whitfill
Staff Writer
Nov. 10 marks the 40th anniversary of the beloved program “Sesame Street”, the longest running children’s show in television history.
Premiering in 1969, the show was originally created to be an educational television show – a revolutionary idea at the time. Rather than a substitute for reading and mathematics lessons, the show was created to teach children how to be good people and show learning can be fun.
The original episodes are available on DVD, now available for purchase, but they include an unusual disclaimer for parents and other adults. The warning reads:
“These early ‘Sesame Street’ episodes are intended for grown-ups and may not suit the needs of today’s preschool child.”
While the show is now upbeat and completely dedicated to children, the show was originally darker and not quite as colorful in its earlier years. Cookie Monster smoked. In his segment on the show, “Monsterpiece Theater”, Cookie Monster is seen smoking a pipe which he later eats, mistaking it for a cookie.
“Worse influences can be seen flipping through regular shows,” sophomore Ashlyn Laird said.
The modern Cookie Monster would not be caught smoking or doing anything that involving ‘unhealthy’ behavior. These days, the character has even adopted the idea of cookies as a “sometimes food”, changing his ways in 2006 to counter childhood obesity.
In another episode, the character Gordon was seen taking a little girl by the hand and leading her into his house for milk and cookies.
Some parents see these changes overly-sensitive about their influence on children.
“We are way too overprotective of our youth,” Coppell parent and coach John Robinson said. “’Sesame Street’ represented totally natural and normal behavior for the time.”
Four thousand episodes later, while many of the characters’ attitudes and morals have changed, the main concept and genuine way of living supported by Sesame Street residents has not. “Sesame Street” has taught children that sometimes they will be sad and lonely, but that they will also be happy and joyful, and that they need to embrace and be kind to everyone they meet.
“’Sesame Street’ should stay like it was in the beginning,” junior Sara Wulff said. “That’s the real ‘Sesame Street.’”
This anniversary is being recognized worldwide by companies such as Google, which will dedicate its ‘Google doodle’ to “Sesame Street” until Nov. 10. Google kicked off the week on Nov. 4 making the legs of Big Bird the Google L.
In keeping with anniversary, the show will update for the occasion. The newest version will include celebrity appearances, such as First Lady Michelle Obama.
Along with showing children that being nice to everyone around them is the best thing to do, the “Sesame Street” muppets support many public service announcements. Elmo was recently seen on a special with Al Roker about the economic crisis. Also, because the show is aired on the Public Broadcasting Network (PBS), the characters are used to present community information, art, music and current events in local homes.
After 40 years, “Sesame Street” has continually attempted to keep up with the ever-changing society and managed to keep its show on the air for four decades. Though the preschool child has changed, the overall idea of sincerity has remained.
