So in the debate Mitt Romney's key policy moment advocated firing of Big Bird, basically calling a crusade against Sesame Street. Well as someone who grew up with Sesame Street, I gotta say not only is he a fool to think that somehow Sesame Street is a drain on the nation's economy, but he also ignores the HUGE cultural and educational value of Sesame Street. And I mean it goes DEEP into our culture.
Sesame Street has been Progressive in a big way from the beginning. I mean REALLY progressive. As in they showed blacks and Hispanics equal to whites (intentionally casting whites in the minority on the show from the beginning), they promoted Spanish as part of American culture, and they believed in being proud of cultural differences. All from day one. And at a time when such ideas were considered controversial. They also had probably the first female executives in American television. They also used Will Lee in the original cast (a blacklisted actor during the McCarthy era who played Mr. Hooper).
In honor of Sesame Street, which I grew up with, I dedicate this diary to some of their best moments.
Stevie Wonder rocks on Sesame Street:
Sesame Street and BB King, an American Icon, pay tribute to the Letter B:
Going further back, Cab Calloway joined the Sesame Street cast a few of times:
And I can't resist this one, which I still remember from when I was a kid (Okay, it's the Muppet Show, not Sesame Street, but so what??): (and Heaven Forfend, it includes Spanish!)
Ray Charles and Kermit the Frog about being Green:
And what I consider a major find, and probably the kind of thing why Mitt and the Republicans hate Sesame Street so much, Nina Simone on Sesame Street:
And in case you think pride was brought in by Nina Simone, here is the Sesame Street character Roosevelt Franklin speaking about the Skin he's in...no wonder Republicans hate it!
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