When I was a young parent (1976 – 1987) when I had young children at home with me, I turned on the TV to Sesame Street because it was educational. They learned manners, numbers, colors, songs among other positives. Sesame Street was entertaining to the children because the characters were different and their actions were outrageously funny to little ones. Nothing more, nothing less…it was what it was – an educational show for young children.

Last week I was listening to a local radio station on my way home from school. Virginia Heffernan, who writes a column/blog for The New York Times called “The Medium”, was being interviewed. When Sesame Street was mentioned, they caught my attention. Apparently, the first season has been released on DVD and you may have heard this, but did you also hear that it has a warning on it? It states that it is not appropriate for children…only parents.

The adult, distorted mind might find:

• Oscar the Grouch – mood disorder and lives in a garbage can
• Cookie Monster – eating disorder
• Alistair Cookie – smoked
• Older Muppet – takes little girl home and gives her cookies
• Bert and Ernie – living together
• Big Bird – talks to himself
• Kermit – obsessed with Miss Piggy

Well, as I think back on Sesame Street, I remember them helping children who felt different, bringing different cultures together, teaching how to get along - conflict resolution before it was a buzz word, showing what friendship is all about, that it was okay to be scared, okay to cry when you feel sad, good to eat your vegetables, try new foods, to have fun, dance, sing, exercise, and most of all, to use your imagination.

Who decided on this censorship and why? Some people take their jobs way too seriously. Does this make them feel more important to have such outrageous power to make such decisions? Have they viewed the shows through the mind of a small child? Young children do not grasp on inferences. Does this imply the writers were infusing adult humor into the young children’s shows? Were they trying to sneak them in such as we heard about the Disney cartoonists did in the beginning?

What about the animated movies of today? They are loaded with adult humor and inferences? Don’t get me wrong. We take our grandchildren to see the movies. They enjoy them for what they are, and so do Nana and Poppy.

Posted by Nana on December 3rd, 2007 at 12:16 pm
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