Things I learned as a kid watching Sesame Street

[bnm73]

As I was growing up in the late 70s, I watched Sesame Street just about every day. Some things I learned:

 

People die and don't come back (RIP, Mr. Hooper).

 

You can be a Grouch (like Oscar) and still be loved as part of the community.

 

Bert and Ernie may have slept in separate beds, but they were both in the bathroom when one or the other was in the bathtub.

 

Just because other people don't see a Snuffleupagus doesn't mean that it's not there.

 

"C" is for cookie.....that's good enough for me.

 

What about the rest of you?

Edited August 14, 2018 by bnm73

[prof]

Sadly, I already was grown up in the late 70s. lol But watching Sesame St with my nieces and nephews, it was clear that, while all people have quirks, no one is less than worthy simply because of being imperfect or different.

[JayCeeKy]

Diversity is beautiful.

[+ Seaninsf]

and it's not easy being green... but

it'll do fine, it's beautiful

and I think it's what I want to be

[bnm73]

and it's not easy being green... but

it'll do fine, it's beautiful

and I think it's what I want to be

I can still do a passable Kermit impression.....though it's easier for me to sing Rainbow Connection than It's Not Easy Being Green.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

One of these things doesn't belong.

[+ Seaninsf]

Impressive, @bnm73! and Rainbow Connection is another great song with a beautiful message!

[bnm73]

Impressive, @bnm73! and Rainbow Connection is another great song with a beautiful message!

Though from The Muppet Movie....so I've digressed a bit from the topic. I've hijacked my own thread.

[+ Seaninsf]

I wasn't going to say anything - it's your thread

[bostonman]

One of these things doesn't belong.

 

Actually, it's "one of these things is not like the other."

 

And I also learned who the people in my neighborhood were. (Not to be confused with the people in Mister Rogers' neighborhood - they came on after Sesame Street.)

[+ Avalon]

I was too old for it but good thread!!!

 

I was surprised to find out that the actor who played Tyrone the pimp on the soap "All My Children" was on "Sesame Street".

Edited August 14, 2018 by Avalon

[+ Seaninsf]

Actually, it's "one of these things is not like the other."

 

In a nutshell, isn't that a core principle of Sesame Street (and Mr. Rogers)? It's not that one of these things doesn't belong, it's that one of them is not like the other.

[bostonman]

In a nutshell, isn't that a core principle of Sesame Street (and Mr. Rogers)? It's not that one of these things doesn't belong, it's that one of them is not like the other.

 

That makes sense. Also - I'm not sure about this, but - it may have been the first large-scale kids' TV show to have a very diverse cast (among the actual adults, I mean). The Electric Company also had that. (THERE's a show I truly miss.)

[+ Seaninsf]

No doubt it was ahead of it's time regarding diversity, @bostonman, but I think the show got some grief later on (like the 90's/00's) for underrepresenting girls, so created some new characters to fill in the gaps.

 

I don't want to hijack @bnm73's thread, but can't help but comment on Electric Company's diversity, but also crazy talent! Rita Moreno and Morgan Freeman as part of the core company. Sesame had some amazing guests, but Rita and Morgan were part of the regular cast.

[seattlebottom]

My mother made us watch it so that we could learn English so to me it was more of chore than anything else. While it helped, it wasn't until we got cable tv that we learned the really important words.

[+ Avalon]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_Street_characters

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_human_Sesame_Street_characters

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animated_Sesame_Street_characters

[bostonman]

I don't want to hijack @bnm73's thread, but can't help but comment on Electric Company's diversity, but also crazy talent! Rita Moreno and Morgan Freeman as part of the core company. Sesame had some amazing guests, but Rita and Morgan were part of the regular cast.

 

You are right, though. And the writing - especially the humor - was really outstanding. Even at a young age, I realized how clever the writing was. (And all the puns that a lot of kids may not have understood - Morgan Freeman as "Easy Reader," or comedian Skip Hinnant as detective "Fargo North, Decoder.") Looking back on my memories of the show now, it almost feels like the Electric Company cast was more like a skilled comedy troupe than just a bunch of adults doing a kids' show. They really were a great ensemble.

[bostonman]

My mother made us watch it so that we could learn English so to me it was more of chore than anything else. While it helped, it wasn't until we got cable tv that we learned the really important words.

 

I had (have, I should say) rather progressive parents, lol - I can't remember how old I was, but probably in my early teens, when my parents let me watch the George Carlin HBO special that was on, with his "7 words you can't say on TV" routine. I had probably never laughed so hard in my life lol.

[bnm73]

That makes sense. Also - I'm not sure about this, but - it may have been the first large-scale kids' TV show to have a very diverse cast (among the actual adults, I mean). The Electric Company also had that. (THERE's a show I truly miss.)

 

HEY YOU GUUUUUUYS!

[+ azdr0710]

though I liked Sesame Street and The Electric Company, I may've been more of a Zoom kinda kid (the 70s version)......anybody remember that?!......I also, as a kid, really, really liked the WGBH Boston station identification graphic

 

 

Edited August 14, 2018 by azdr0710

[bostonman]

I always wanted to be on Zoom, lol. That was a fun show.

 

I can still speak ubbi-dubbi if I think about it lol.

[+ Seaninsf]

and it's where I learned about "say-zee" (SASE)

 

02134!

[+ FreshFluff]

If you have 6 cookies and eat 1, there will be 5 left. If you move the cookies around, there will still be 5.

[+ azdr0710]

02134!

 

SEND IT TO ZOOM!

[+ azdr0710]