We had Sesame Street in Australia. I was six and already knew the alphabet and numbers bit. It was a whole new culture to me as I am from Britain originally where Noddy, Big Ears and Bill and Ben hail from.
I think that was where I learned about America from, this far away country where weird, strange but fascinating and friendly people lived.

Bert and Ernie rocked it for me.

Oh, and btw, I think the litigious absurdity of the ‘disclaimer’ bit for kids not wearing helmets etc. is just indicative of our bubble-wrapped childhood and legal beagle fear factors…

And tho you’re right the ‘smoking’ bit may not ‘undo’ all the other learning, I’d still say it should be ditched universally right along w/the ol’ candy cigarettes, as there are enough vices and habitual cues being sold to kids early and often (take a look at our ‘damaging drek’ category on Shaping Youth) from ‘Blow’ energy drink to ‘Snus’ & nicotine laced ‘smokeless tobacco’ to keep ‘em dodging toxicity for eons.

Media and marketing producers of today KNOW the impact of messaging, (whether it’s junk food/sugar slop or cigs) so it’s all the more exploitive when we see the reckless abandon targeting kids at ever younger ages, despite public health. NOT ok.

That said, a muppet eating a pipe or a monster cupcake is hardly anything to sound the ‘alarms’ about, ya know? We must ‘get over ourselves’… and bring some sanity and balance into the mix. I’d still take Sesame St. hands down over any vapid Nicktoon/tween sitcom airing as you rightly say…

According to the book “Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street” by Michael Davis, we have a guy named Kevin Clash to thank for the unfortunate Elmo phenomenon. I grew up on Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers. I remember the song about “chickens in the trees,” but I don’t remember what it was trying to teach me. I’ve been wondering who to blame for my inability to turn down sweets of almost any kind and I’m glad to know I can blame the influence of years of exposure to the Cookie Monster. I’m so relieved! I thought for a minute I was going to have to take responsibility for my own choices. Long live Sesame Street!

Carmella Broome
Adolescent, adult, couples, and family counselor in SC
Author of Carmella’s Quest: Taking On College Sight Unseen (Red Letter Press 2009)
http://CarmelllasQuest.LiveJournal.com

I Used to watch it, the Mexican version, I guess it was. I was so young I can barely make what I learned from it. I Remember Big Bird was called Abelardo. And I love the cookie monster, él mounstro come-galletas.