For nearly 42 years, Sesame Street has captivated audiences of all ages with its mix of music, muppets and, at times, trenchant social commentary.
The crown jewel of children’s public television is still going strong after an unprecedented 4,256 episodes, successfully wedding the concepts of children’s education and entertainment, a task many children’s shows have struggled with.
Sometimes though, even such a revered show makes questionable decisions regarding its content.
By 2005, the legendary Cookie Monster had been educated about his habit. In addition to suppressing his voracious appetites for cookies, he took the opportunity to explain to children that cookies are a “sometimes” food rather than an “anytime” food.
Many cried foul at the sudden discretion the previously-crazed Cookie Monster was showing, but the creative forces behind the show realized it was an appropriate time to address this issue with childhood obesity rapidly increasing in the United States.
An attempt to educate children about an important physical or mental health issue took priority over the show’s plot continuity, but it was not necessarily to the show’s detriment.
In a recently aired special called “Growing Hope Against Hunger,” Sesame Street added a new character to the mix, a puppet named Lily who is, in their words, “food