Oh No She Dinnit!

Mamacita says:  Last night in class we were discussing the original (excellent) Sesame Street and the present (sissy) Sesame Street, and the old seasons won, hands-down.

General consensus among twenty students, ages 18-56, was that Cookie Monster is SUPPOSED to be greedy and eat improperly, Oscar is SUPPOSED to be grouchy, the Count is a scary VAMPIRE, Bert and Ernie are little boys, Grover is cute and shares his voice with Yoda, and that Mr. Snuffelupagus is SUPPOSED to have a very, very deep, sonorous, sad, kind of creepy voice.  He’s also supposed to be invisible to everyone except Big Bird.  The new Sesame Street is toned-down, stuffed so full of euphemisms and political correctness, and so afraid of offending someone that it’s become bland and silly instead of vibrant and contemporary.  Condescending to children is NEVER wise.  Children always knew that some of the characters behaved in ways that nice people weren’t supposed to behave; it was a learning device.  Too bad so many adults don’t have the same contextual skills.

My contribution?  Elmo needs to grow a pair.

The summary?  Bring back The Electric Company.  And don’t anyone DARE dumb it down.  Sesame Street has been spoiled, but it’s not too late for some of the others.  And you know the others will be dumbed down too if the Political Correctness Monster (currently in charge of all the other SS monsters well as our government) is given his/her way.

Ah, dumbing things down.  It’s the American Way.  And it’s so much easier than requiring everybody to read and comprehend well!

Dear Political Correctness Monster:  you need to grow a pair, too.


Comments

Oh No She Dinnit! — 22 Comments

  1. We were spoiled by the original Sesame Street. Remember when Mr. Hooper died? I died inside a little, too. He was part of our FAMILY. He was a part of us. KWIM?

    And there was nothing like the SS/Electric Company shows back to back.

    Hey you guys!!!!

  2. We were spoiled by the original Sesame Street. Remember when Mr. Hooper died? I died inside a little, too. He was part of our FAMILY. He was a part of us. KWIM?

    And there was nothing like the SS/Electric Company shows back to back.

    Hey you guys!!!!

  3. In third grade, I loved going to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays because those were the days that Mrs. Nixon’s class go to see The Electric Company. I loved that show. The rest of the days I loved going to school because Mrs. Nixon was tough but made learning fun and easy. (which can’t be said for my 4th grade teacher whose name escapes me.) Thank you Mrs. Nixon!

  4. In third grade, I loved going to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays because those were the days that Mrs. Nixon’s class go to see The Electric Company. I loved that show. The rest of the days I loved going to school because Mrs. Nixon was tough but made learning fun and easy. (which can’t be said for my 4th grade teacher whose name escapes me.) Thank you Mrs. Nixon!

  5. Ok I have something to admit here.

    My name is Hula Doula and I didn’t watch Sesame Street (to my knowledge) until I was in college. I didn’t have a tv nor a clue what Sesame Street was.

    Whew…glad that’s over and done with.

  6. Ok I have something to admit here.

    My name is Hula Doula and I didn’t watch Sesame Street (to my knowledge) until I was in college. I didn’t have a tv nor a clue what Sesame Street was.

    Whew…glad that’s over and done with.

  7. I usually lurk on your blog, but I actually feel I must contribute here because I was *just* talking about this the other day! Luckily they have released a couple of DVD’s of “Old School Sesame Street”, which I will buy for my kids someday (when I, y’know, have them.)

    Sesame Street was also instrumental in helping me understand death. I was 6 or 7 when I saw the episode in which the adults talk to Big Bird about the death of Mr. Hooper. You just don’t see kids’ shows handling those kinds of important topics anymore. Tis a shame.

    And I still totally cry if I see that clip from the Mr. Hooper episode.

  8. I usually lurk on your blog, but I actually feel I must contribute here because I was *just* talking about this the other day! Luckily they have released a couple of DVD’s of “Old School Sesame Street”, which I will buy for my kids someday (when I, y’know, have them.)

    Sesame Street was also instrumental in helping me understand death. I was 6 or 7 when I saw the episode in which the adults talk to Big Bird about the death of Mr. Hooper. You just don’t see kids’ shows handling those kinds of important topics anymore. Tis a shame.

    And I still totally cry if I see that clip from the Mr. Hooper episode.

  9. This is the first time I’ve commented in writing, but definitely not the first time I’ve said out loud (to an empty room) Absolutely! haha! From first to fifth grade, we lived in Germany (USAF family) and we didn’t get American tv unless it was taped and sent over. I remember Johnny Carson, Sonny and Cher, and Sesame Street. I was only allowed to watch one of those…bet you can guess which one! :o) I am now an educator in search of a job, and have a hard time with all the politically correct stuff our kids are handed. Reality is life isn’t always fair, and you’d better ‘act right’ because while you may never seen those people again, they just might be your next job interviewer!

    Thanks for your reality checks here. I look forward to them everyday!
    Naomi

  10. This is the first time I’ve commented in writing, but definitely not the first time I’ve said out loud (to an empty room) Absolutely! haha! From first to fifth grade, we lived in Germany (USAF family) and we didn’t get American tv unless it was taped and sent over. I remember Johnny Carson, Sonny and Cher, and Sesame Street. I was only allowed to watch one of those…bet you can guess which one! :o) I am now an educator in search of a job, and have a hard time with all the politically correct stuff our kids are handed. Reality is life isn’t always fair, and you’d better ‘act right’ because while you may never seen those people again, they just might be your next job interviewer!

    Thanks for your reality checks here. I look forward to them everyday!
    Naomi

  11. My dad use to be politically correct, until he told everyone he’s going to vote for McCain, which wasn’t a good thing, because mom slapped him, which prompt him to drop politics when he came back from the dentist. He was so red!

    Nice to see you’re still blogging, Jane!

  12. My dad use to be politically correct, until he told everyone he’s going to vote for McCain, which wasn’t a good thing, because mom slapped him, which prompt him to drop politics when he came back from the dentist. He was so red!

    Nice to see you’re still blogging, Jane!

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