Sesame Street is turning forty! Who knew? I had no idea Sesame Street was “born” in 1969. The pioneering PBS show was intended as a learning tool to help inner-city kids with reading and math but it seems like almost everyone checked out the show at one time or another. Sesame Street is famous for weaving fun into an educational message.
The show has eight million viewers in over one hundred and forty countries around the world and an impressive twenty-two Emmy Awards on the shelf. But with 4,169 episodes in the can (is it Oscar the Grouch’s Garbage Can?), Sesame Street still has some tricks up its sleeve: First Lady, Michelle Obama, is set to guest star on the first show of the 40th season. She’s going to help Elmo teach children the benefits of healthy eating and exercise.
I asked my friends and co-workers about their memories of the show and both children who watched the show and their parents who encouraged them to watch it had vivid memories of episodes and the over two hundred and fifty celebrity guest hosts.
You can check out Sesame Street DVDs from the library. The early episodes come with a disclaimer. Maybe because Cookie Monster smoked a pipe. But then he ate it.
- Happy Birthday, Harper Lee
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- A Good Yarn
- Happy Birthday to…
November 10th, 2009 at 7:12 AM
One of my favorite quotes from Sesame Street is from Big Bird, I think, who was always forgetting things and being told to “walk backwards through your mind” to find the lost item. Still works today!
November 10th, 2009 at 8:11 PM
Speaking of forgetting things, Foretful Jones on the set of “Oklahoma” always made me laugh.
Ernie’s “Imagine That” song is another classic that I remember seeing when I was younger.
Happy 40th birthday, Sesame Street.
November 10th, 2009 at 8:14 PM
I forgot to put a ‘g’ in Forgetful’s name. How appropriate.
November 10th, 2009 at 8:19 PM
I’ve had the pleasure of writing several little books for Sesame Workshop, and there is no place better than “the Street”! Happy anniversary to those who have educated and entertained countless numbers of children and adults around the world.