Sesame Street celebrated its 40th Anniversary yesterday. I’m so happy this show is still airing on PBS. It played such an important part of my childhood. The songs, the characters, and the lessons they taught me still remain with me today. Of course, it wasn’t all ladybugs and picnics, rubber duckies and baths, and obsessions with cookies.
There were some bad moments too…l had nightmares about Guy Smiley. That guy scared the hell out of me. He used to chase me down the street and I never knew what would happen if he caught me…I should have realized back then I didn’t like boys.
Out of all the monsters, Harry Monster kept popping up in my nightmares as well. Maybe because I felt he didn’t get enough attention. And for some reason I was always getting lost in Oscar the Grouch’s labyrinth of a garbage can. You can’t imagine how many rooms he had in there.
I loved loved loved Bert and Ernie’s friendship…whether they’re gay or not. Whenever I’m near water, I always want to fish like Ernie.
But out of all the characters, the one I loved the most is Grover. His NEAR and FAR lesson still plays in my mind after all these years. However, I love him best whenever he is Super Grover. I desperately wanted to be his sidekick and help him save the world…and himself. I could identify with him because he had the noblest of intentions despite everything always going horribly wrong. And yet, each and every time, he’d pick himself up, and carry on believing he could do good and make the world a better place…never realizing that the people he wanted to save could save themselves…just like any true blue klutzy SUPER HERO.
And if all of this still doesn’t refresh your memory as to why Sesame Street is so great…maybe this will help:
PS: Who is your favourite Sesame Street character and why?
Mr Hooper, Hooper!
i didn’t have a tv growing up, so my exposure to sesame street was limited at best. i have a weird sort of affection for snuffleupagus. i don’t know why really… maybe i liked the kind of laid-back friend he was for the high-strung big bird.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L073xTrriZE
what i remember MOST from sesame street, was being DEEPLY DISTURBED by an episode where ernie removes bert’s nose and puts it on a sculpture. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2UDWZM35vM
i didn’t know i would still find it to be a little disturbing after all these years….