This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Modemac (talk | contribs) at 18:54, 16 September 2002. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 18:54, 16 September 2002 by Modemac (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Sesame Street is an educational television program for young children.
It is produced in America, and has millions of viewers worldwide. It premiered in 1969 and has received more Emmy awards than any other program.
The program uses a mixture of puppets, animations and live action to teach young children basic literacy and numeracy, for example, colours, letters, numbers, days of the week. It also has segments focusing on basic life-skills, e.g., how to cross the road safely, the importance of basic hygiene and so on.
There is also a sly, subtle sense of humor in the show that has appealed to older viewers since it first premiered. A number of spoofs and parodies of popular culture appear on the show, especially ones aimed at PBS, the network that airs the show. For example, during a segment entitled "Me Claudius," the children viewing the show might enjoy watching Cookie Monster and the Muppets, while adults watching the same sequence may enjoy the spoof of the Masterpiece Theater production of I, Claudius. Several of the characters on the program are aimed at an older audience, such as the character Flo Bear (Flaubert); Sherlock Hemlock; and H. Ross Parot (based on Reform Party founder Ross Perot).
A large number of celebrities have made guest appearances on the show over the years.
Sesame Street has a strong multi-cultural element, and makes efforts to be very inclusive in its casting, incorporating roles for disabled people, young people, senior citizens, Hispanic actors, African-American actors and so on. It encourages children to realise that people come in all different shapes, sizes and colours, and that no one physical 'type' is any better than another.
Sesame Street is broadcast in many countries around the world and various countries have their own version of the program with their own characters. Broadcasts in Australia commenced in 1971. In Canada, 15-minute segments called Sesame Street Canada were broadcast starting in 1970 and eventually grew to a full program called Sesame Park in 1995. Separate programs exist in Germany, the Netherlands, Mexico and there are plans for a joint Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian project. International characters include: in Canada, Basil, a polar bear and Louis, a French speaking otter; in Germany, Rumpell, an Oscar-like character that lives in a rainbarrel; in the Netherlands, Pino, a blue Big Bird; in Israel, Kippi Kipod, a hedgehog.
Occasionally, the European version of the show airs segments that might not be considered acceptable to North American audiences. In 2002, an announcement that an HIV-positive character would be introduced to the South African version of the show was met with hostility from program affiliates in the United States.
Primary puppet characters, many of which were Muppets designed by Jim Henson, include:
- Bert
- Ernie
- Big Bird
- Oscar the Grouch
- Cookie Monster
- Count von Count ("The Count")
- Grover
- Mr Snuffalupagus
- Kermit the Frog
- Elmo
- Rosita
- Baby Bear
- Telly
Primary non-puppet characters:
- Mr. Hooper
- Bob
- Alan
- Susan
- Gordon
Famous guest stars and various children from New York schools and day care centers are a constantly changing part of the cast. Minor puppets also have come and gone over the years.
Sesame Street is known for its merchandising, including many books, magazines, video and audio media, toys, and the "Tickle-me Elmo" craze. There are also a live touring show and a theme park near Philadelphia.
Sesame Street is produced by Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop or CTW.