The Day Sesame Street Died

[@EntertainTheElk]

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[@jordancambridge4106]

Sesame Street is the area between buildings without a real road and where the garbage cans are. That is an alley. The reason I dislike Sesame Street because it should be called Sesame Alley because its an alley not a street.

[@jordancambridge4106]

My Favorite muppet is Gonzo. Yes he is a muppet. He is my favorite because he was weird for the reality that he was weird but that did not change the fact that he was a great alien and fun to hand with and he was goofy but also reliable and smart and funny and friendly but really really weird like me.

[@Eldorriots]

2:33

[@Missjjade]

I liked but didn’t sub because you made me cry lol😂

[@Dowlphin]

_"I am still blown away by how high these desks go."_ The marvels of modern technology. 😏 They said it cannot be done, that there are physical limits. But then a bunch of fearless engineers proved to the world that only the ceiling is the limit.

[@pgj1997]

"You've got to remember that you're not merely writing for children. You're writing for the unfortunate people; mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandfathers, grandmothers... who've got to read the children the stories aloud. Not just once, but over and over and over again." - The Rev. W. Awdry, Creator of "Thomas & Friends"

[@itskevinjustkevin]

that reverend is spittin straight facts

[@Chuck_EL]

That goes for all genres too He definitely was spot on

[@mrburgess1698]

Yep and I’m sure he’d be maddened at how his creation has become so dumbed down and zany for the recent Thomas cartoons!

[@TiroDvD]

"All architects should be forced to live in houses they designs and all children's authors should be forced to read them every night to hyperactive five year olds for the rest of thier lives" --Bill Waterson.

[@trevortuominen8233]

It's just a shame the Thomas producers and Mattel failed to heed the Reverend's advice.

[@Anthonycheesman33]

If you watch Sesame Street in 2023 it literally feels like the Elmo and friends show . At least in the 90s it felt like the Elmo and big bird show and friends lol.

[@roberttreacy8271]

At this point, I’m actually surprised they haven’t cancelled Sesame Street and made a spin-off series called Elmo & Friends.

[@Thomperfan]

@@roberttreacy8271 Sesame Workshop has more dignity than that.

[@alyssalindsay976]

It's the Elmo and Abby show and the Valentine's episode confirmed they're a couple

[@Allanapolis83232]

Elmo and Abby are the Mickey and Minnie Mouse to Sesame Street.

[@creed8712]

@@Thomperfanthey probably also have enough leverage in the industry to keep themselves afloat

[@TheJoemm]

My four year old does not call the show Sesame street, he calls it Elmo. It really shows how dominant the character became.

[@formerevolutionist]

That's sad. I'd hate for Sesame Street to be renamed Elmo's World or something like that.

[@tyliekinc.]

That’s how it was when Steve Urkel became the star of Family matters people called it Urkel or the Urkel show

[@tytar1037]

My daughter called it Abby lol

[@jinx18e]

My 2 year old does the same thing

[@alansnow1129]

Yeah that’s sad and pathetic they did that to all the other characters. Brett Jim Henson wouldn’t like it at all

[@googleirl289]

I feel as though Elmo as a character wasn't the root of the issue but was definitely representative of a growing problem of trying to make it more entertaining than educational.The move to HBO was the final nail in the coffin, because finally they were saying the quiet part out loud: it is no longer about education. It is about money.

[@eatatjoes6751]

I'll say it again: Elmo isn't the issue. He was an unfortunate victim of it. Like how Arthur haphazardly crammed in smartphones once those blew up to stay relevant.

[@victorgaminglounge3967]

Don't forget Barney as well@@eatatjoes6751

[@Attmay]

“Staying relevant” always reeks of “how do you do, fellow kids”-ism.

[@PapperAmate04]

​​@@AttmayI miss when Elemo Actually Had a World and not Just seassme street bein his world

[@PapperAmate04]

​@@AttmayEven the Word on the street era had life

[@Leron...]

"Who's your favorite vampire?" "Probably that purple dude from Sesame Street." "He doesn't count." "Oh, I assure you, he does..."

[@DuckDodgers69]

🤣🤣🤣

[@EB-wl9st]

I love that!! 😂😂😂😂😂

[@heathercontois4501]

The Count or Telly?

[@michaelsnider2484]

😂🤣😅

[@superhans85]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@homerhat420]

Big bird singing at Jim Henson's funeral makes me cry everytime

[@memyname1771]

For me, the loss of Kermit was far worse than anything related to Elmo. Many segments of the show revolved around Kermit doing parodies of regular television shows, such as news reports. These helped children associate Sesame Street with other they might see on television. I watched children learn from the earliest days of Sesame Street to the present. In the early days, letters, numbers, colors, shapes, diversity, and other important life lessons were presented in a way children could relate to. Segments were short, while the show was long enough to repeat the lessons multiple times to reinforce each one. Now the show is too short, and depends far too much on cartoons. The multiple lessons are no longer presented in the way they previously were. With the number of choices available on cable and online, Sesame Street no longer attracts and holds the attention of children, as it used to do.

[@staringatthesun861]

When and why was Kermit even removed? I've been watching Sesame Street with my daughter since last October.....it's the first time I've seen the show in ~25 years. What happened?

[@1978garfield]

@@staringatthesun861 Disney bought the Muppets. Used to the Muppet Show Muppets and the Sesame Street Muppets would comingle. Now they have different cooperate overlords. Because of this we will never get a decent reissue of Muppet Family Christmas. It came out on DVD but they were too cheap to pay for the rights to Christmas songs so several performances are cut. Since it contains SS Muppets and Muppet Show Muppets it will never be rereleased, not that physical media is still a thing anyway.

[@geophat75]

@@1978garfield dang disney why you doing us wrong?

[@fawziekefli2273]

I love watching Kermit doing his news skit. He hates his job, it never goes the way he or we expects it (subversion of expectations) and hilarity always ensues.

[@1978garfield]

@@fawziekefli2273 "Hi Ho, this is Kermit the Frog with another fast breaking news story" will never fail to bring a smile to my face.

[@AishaRaison]

This hit home for me. I'm a 70s baby, so I grew up loving Grover and watching Sesame Street as a poor Black girl from Tennessee. I fell in love with reading, numbers, and music because of this show. When my son was born, it was the beginning of the Elmo years, and I tried to hold on to a bit of what survived from my time. It's sort of sad that the next generation will never have what I had back then.

[@colleen4ever]

I was always a Cookie Monster girl

[@ShaneyBright]

I always wondered what the inside of Oscar's can looks like. Was there a bed? A kitchen? I enjoy Sesame Street even more now, and I still watch the 70s and 80s episodes for fun, although my own kids are grown up.

[@abcdeshole]

@@colleen4ever I was a Bert Boy.

[@alrighttumbleweed4782]

​@@ShaneyBrightyou should watch Elmo in Grouchland. Unfortunately there's a lot of Elmo but luckily there's also a lot of Grouchland

[@gingeralice3858]

I remember my dad being so confused when I told him I just didn't like Sesame Street as a small child, but I was a 90's baby growing up in the 2000's. Watching these clips felt like watching a totally different show than what I was familiar with. No wonder my family was so shocked that I didn't like it.

[@papwithanhatchet902]

I agree. Before Elmo, Sesame Street characters were fun but never made kids feel like they were being talked to in an extremely simplistic and therefor different way than their own parents would communicate with them. Elmo always felt like a form of condescension, even if kids couldn’t identify exactly what that was.

[@SarahNGeti]

Having a 3 year old as a leader, what could go wrong? LOL, oh wait, we had Trump

[@AmandaHugandKiss411]

I agree 💯

[@jorgecarreras4214]

@@SarahNGeti And now we have Biden (sarcasm) What a lovely improvement! (/sarcasm)

[@SarahNGeti]

@@jorgecarreras4214 It actually is a great improvement over a wannabe Autocracy!!

[@lavinder11]

​@SarahNGeti You should have never brought politics into it, but the fact that you experienced both presidencies and can only call one a wannabe autocratic is astonishing.

[@Bookman230]

This should really be called ‘How HBO ruined Seasame Street’

[@kootunesscrewy]

I agree. It wasn't Elmo that ruined the series.

[@wendyokoopa7048]

I agree to a point. The point being that in the 200s before the HBO takeover it was very elmo centric.

[@joes9954]

No. It’s how Sesame Workshop (CTW to us old folks.) ruined Sesame Street. They wouldn’t be on HBO if they did not say yes. Most likely HBO offered more money to the business but that also meant less for the production hence overboard went the expensive human talent. I suspect had Jim Henson survived, I don’t think Elmo would have been the disaster for the show he became because he would not have allowed it.

[@kootunesscrewy]

@@joes9954 I still think Murray crushed Sesame Street's quailty, in which ditched all the old animations.

[@mournblade1066]

Nah, it started going downhill long before its move to HBO.

[@rosaazure]

Sesame Street had adults that were smart and could be trusted. They made mistakes but would own up to their mistakes. Modern children's television either remove the adults or dumb them down. I watched the show well into my early teens. It was comforting when I was home sick. Thank you for bringing back some of my childhood memories. You also broke me showing Big Bird at Jim Henson's funeral. I was crying my eyes out.

[@marchingham]

Honestly same. I was absolutely not ready to cry that hard.

[@Attmay]

I still can’t bring myself to watch the whole thing.

[@aval5098]

If you do want wholesome content where the adults own up to their mistakes, check out Bluey. Also Hilda the series. Bluey did a great job of displaying complex characters in a short amount of time.

[@rodneymcdermott5303]

As someone who never paid much attention to the series, even as a kid growing up in the 70’s-80’s, I do recognize the cultural and educational significance of this series, as well as Jim Henson. And yes, the scene TOTALLY blindsided me in a way I didn’t expect. Definitely needed to hit the pause button and take a moment.

[@jnb756]

Snuffy and the two aliens that had a conversation with a ringing telephone were my favorite characters

[@Rylosalex]

I have always loved the News Report segments "Hi ho Kermit the frog here." And the music videos

[@SA-Bean-Bean]

I LOVED the yip yip yip yip yip yip yips! My 2 yr old is freaked out by them 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂i still try tho! Maybe one day he will see the fun!

[@justinlloyd2446]

The Martians! They are my favorite as well.

[@TheTundraTerror]

Elmo is effectively everything Jim Henson didn't want the Muppets to turn into.

[@ryankelly369]

That process started years before Henson's death, but you're not wrong.

[@Schroefdoppie]

Pretty much.

[@edie4321]

Yes, I assumed that he was killed so that Hollywood could destroy everything he Loved.

[@astralclub5964]

Love the “Stop Touching Me Elmo” toy!

[@donotdiscard4430]

​@@astralclub5964😶 😲 😱 😭

[@BoyNamedSue4]

I’m at that age where I remember before and after Elmo took off. He definitely took over to the point where it felt less Sesame Street and more Elmo and his amazing friends.

[@PapperAmate04]

Thats like SML before Jeffy

[@sekovittol3124]

I see Elmo as stealing Cookie Monsters limelight, but he actually stole the whole show!

[@DissertatingMedieval]

I think part of it is that Kevin Clash really advocated for increasing Elmo's role on the show and treated it less like an ensemble than it'd been prior.

[@sekovittol3124]

@@DissertatingMedieval Less labour costs for puppeteers?

[@williambranum1392]

This show started 3 months after I was born in 1969. So I can say that it has literally been running for my entire life. And I started watching it when I was 2-3 years old. It is sad what has become of it. It is directly responsible for me being able to read before I even started school.

[@wknight5595]

I'm a 60's flower child as well, but seriously what haven't the likes of HBO, Disney, Netflix and Hollywood turned into a steaming mess in the last couple decades. My father who grew up in the 50's recently told me, "son i grew up in the best years of the American dream, and you grew up in the tail end of it" isn't that the truth, i don't even recognize this country anymore sadly....

[@nunliski]

Actually, it has not "literally" been running your entire life. You just explained that it didn't exist when you were born.

[@yoshiking6027]

@@nunliski🤓

[@DM_Curtis]

Ditto!

[@jeffrobodine8579]

​​@@nunliskiThe show was incepted the same year the person was born in 1969.

[@samuelbrock]

As someone who grew up watching Sesame Street during the "new" era, I had no idea the old era was so meditative and deep

[@MadScientist267]

Commercialism kills everything. There are so many things that have had their souls stolen out of them... there aren't enough hands to count

[@kerisaltchannel3817]

Same

[@tlazohtlalia]

Same

[@1Rez_EZ1]

Same

[@Zergito]

I was born in ‘96 and my favorite segment of Sesame Street was Elmo’s World lol

[@jvondd]

I think Elmo is more of a symptom than a cause of Sesame Street's decline. He's a good character, and I see why the kids like him so much, but the show runners didn't have to make him the focus of nearly every episode. To answer your question (which is tough because it's hard to pick just one), my favorite Sesame Street Muppet would probably have to be Cookie Monster.

[@MadScientist267]

14:57 If you time it right you can get you a twofer 🤣

[@fsugnome]

Ernie was mine

[@yoshikitte]

big bird was mine !

[@princesspikachu3915]

My favorites are Oscar and Cookie Monster. Grover comes in 3rd. I also like The Count and Bert and Ernie. I loved watching Ernie annoy the heck out of Bert.

[@FigureFarter]

@@fsugnomeSame along with Bert

[@DanielleJ-p6u]

Man, you nailed it. Even watching the segments you presented and observing my emotional response, there was a warmth and 'community' and sense of belonging to those scenes. The modern ones are a 'show', not a community.

[@KM-zn3lx]

Yes and Maria and The grocery store guy( Mr. ?) We're my favs! I also loved Bob a lot!

[@jeffrobodine8579]

​@@KM-zn3lxThe wise Mister Hooper.

[@humangarbage6559]

I clicked this thinking it would just be someone hating on elmo for a laugh. This actually hit pretty hard, I sort of just stopped thinking about sesame street when I grew up. Seeing Bigbird sing at Jim Henson's funeral is something I never new about and it brought a tear to my eye.

[@danwoodman5505]

Glad I got to be a child in the 80's. Elmo as we know him was just beginning when I was 6. He was just another character, not so irritatingly omnipresent. Big Bird will always be the star of the show for me. I really miss the more realistic, working class neighborhood, too.

[@lukebeakum1316]

Prairie Don wasn't in the new Sesame Street

[@hgwilt1]

Me too

[@barrystewart5946]

Old School Sesame Street = Welcoming Modern Sesame Street = Woke The irony is old school is diverse and not scolding.

[@patrickwilliams3108]

I was 16 in 1969 and found Sesame Street to be a relaxing way of winding down after school. My fave is, and always was, Grover.

[@danielprietog]

I love him as well. There are two very important reasons: 1. He plays the guitar in the park. 2. He does not use abbreviations.

[@metaltwister2536]

Haha, that was my secret mental hideaway. It felt welcoming and safe. My favorite was The Count. Even a sinister character can grow into a benevolent and useful member of the community. No one was evil just misunderstood. Patience, empathy and caring played integral roles in developing healthy behavior where even a vampire was an accepted part of the community.

[@reverbscherzo7850]

Grover was my favorite, too. I only experienced Elmo through my niece, but I was so disappointed, because I thought they had replaced Grover with Elmo.

[@formerevolutionist]

I loved most of the characters, but my favorites were Bert & Ernie. They were a great wacky/straight comedy duo. Ernie's antics would not be as funny without Bert's irritated reactions to them.

[@lit3home]

I love that. I'm 19 and I still watch sesame street for that exact reason.

[@australiazone3723]

It felt strange that I - a grown man without children of my own would watch a video about Sesame Street, but I found myself deepening my appreciation for everything Sesame Street achieved and everything children’s entertainment can be.

[@coltonk.3086]

My favorites were always Ernie and Bert, even as a little kid. They just hung around in their apartment, Ernie cracking a joke or getting into some weirdly charming antics and Bert would be slightly annoyed, but they were always great friends. And that was when Elmo's world was in the height of its popularity.

[@g8807]

Yeah same! They are not really on much Ernie and Bert.

[@Chuck_EL]

Loved their segments and I remember when I found out Jim Henson voiced Ernie I was really excited, I'll always remember seeing him sing "Rubber ducky" while puppeteering Ernie It was so awesome to me

[@albtckl]

I've never heard it said "Ernie and Bert"...always "Bert and Ernie".

[@popfanatic1]

@@albtckl I've always said "Ernie and Bert. All of the Sesame Street albums have them credited as "Ernie and Bert also!

[@lflagr]

I grew up with Sesame Street in the 80s and thought it was funny how Elmo slowly started taking over everything with the show. I always felt like Elmo was the "replacement" for Grover, who basically was disappearing once Elmo became huge. I always felt like there was an "old" and "new" Sesame Street, and this video basically nails exactly what I felt but couldn't exactly put my finger on. Great job.

[@ericstevendennis3206]

I was a 3-year-old New Yorker in 1969, and I think that I pretty much discovered the show. I went absolutely crazy over what must have been its very first episodes, and of course what attracted me was that it took place in an urban setting that I recognized and never thought I would see on TV, and the people looked just like people in my neighborhood. Later, in about 1972, my Dad starting writing music for Sesame Street, and the feeling of it was sort of like finding out he was writing poems for Mother Goose.

[@davidhollenshead4892]

The idea of having real people in the show was great, something lacking in many suburban American settings. Ann Ann Michigan was allegedly a diverse place and yet I was the only Halfbreed in public school which was not at all easy. I suspect that the show had more impact outside of New York, showing " White America" that diversity means more than just two or three Black Families in the neighborhood. Okay, I had a Native friend for a year until his father completed a contract as a Construction Engineer...

[@Mezcon2]

Wow thats incredible!!

[@ericstevendennis3206]

People might remember his number painter segments, as well as the "Milk Milk Milk" song@@Mezcon2

[@proudamerican2133]

Same age as you, we are the very first sesame street audiences. Grew up just over the river from you. Got to meet Spinney b4 he passed.

[@flasquemask]

@@ericstevendennis3206so you’re telling me that you’re the son of Robert Dennis neat

[@zmr3352]

This video honestly hit me harder than I expected. I forgot that Sesame Street isn't even on PBS anymore. That feels so wrong to me. Now, and especially back then, it felt like a show that needed and deserved to be on public broadcasting for any kid to be able to see relatively easily assuming they had a TV at home. Edit: Okay, it actually seems that it's still on PBS to a certain degree. Doesn't really change my original comment though. Sesame Street never should have been on anything other than PBS IMO.

[@eatatjoes6751]

I'm watching what I think is a rerun on PBS and...yeah, it is utterly sad.

[@Purplax05]

It actually is still on PBS

[@icecreamhero2375]

To be fair 1) They still play Sesame Street on PBS. They just play reruns from 9 months ago. You have to get Max to watch the newest episodes and wait 9 months for them to be on PBS 2) Due to the advent of the internet children have more access to knowledge

[@studio7389]

It’s still a PBS mainstay, but much like Curious George (which was actually produced by Universal Pictures, believe it or not), PBS has to wait before it gets new episodes.

[@TravisNewton1]

It's still on PBS... but corporate greed of HBO or Warner Bros Discovery or whatever they're calling themselves today has really ruined it.

[@MrKirby2367]

Oh my gosh this brings back memories! I remember watching Sesame street in 1970 and in my retrospectascope. It truly was amazing, I’m not entering the Elmo issue as I stopped watching it mid 70s. However the ‘vibe’ it had back then highlights how much the world has changed since then, I was born in 67’ so I’m 57 this year and old Sesame Street did have an amazing impact on me that I only realise today. Every clip of the early stuff was literally my childhood. Now I’m gonna have a little cry. Have a great day.

[@Demonskunk]

My mom is pissed that they removed all those episodes. She's been babysitting, and the kids LOVE sesame street. But all they have is what feels like a small handfull of bite sized episodes. I still think it's a lot better than most other children's shows, though, and my parents are even learning things while they watch.

[@SMA2343]

I honestly believe it’s because Kermit is in the episodes. He’s owned by Disney. And I’m sure Disney doesn’t want to share Kermit, even if it was for Sesame Street. Jim Henson fought tooth and nail in the acquisition for only his muppets. No Sesame Street muppets at all.

[@FortWhenTeaThyme]

Yar har fiddle dee dee.

[@SLagonia]

The beauty of the internet is that I have been able to watch classic Sesame Street with my children without needing to deal with the new stuff at all. For anyone who thinks children can't relate to those older episodes - They can absolutely relate to them. They have a harder time with the modern episodes, actually.

[@Attmay]

By trying to copy the competition, they threw away the thing that made them unique. See also: Walt Disney Feature Animation

[@assassin8636]

​@@Attmaynot really to be honest

[@marmar3530]

@@assassin8636 Nah they have a point.

[@staringatthesun861]

Where are all the classic episodes? I've found bits and pieces, but where are the complete old seasons?

[@Maspets]

@SLagonia That's bull and you know it.

[@cacadodo666]

This is a wonderful evaluation Ive tried to convey to people. So great. There was a sense of gravitas to old SS. Im 50 and grew up with kermit as kind of SS’s emissary. He was like a dad, silly, sarcastic, kind, frustrated, pensive, serious, wise, empathetic, level headed, but always comforting and someone to look up to, especially towards maturitty. Elmo totally engrained infantalization in the show.

[@rubinhardin4183]

I don't think Elmo ruined Sesame Street, In the earlier seasons he was in he added something different both in age and personality to the other muppets on the show. And he had great comedic and emotional chemistry with the adult characters. The problem is when they decided to make Elmo the star. Because Sesame Street was never supposed to have a star. It's an ensemble show that still manages to have you deeply care about the characters while also being very funny and educational. Which isn't easy. Now Sesame Street still has a lot of characters but they're not evenly fleshed out due to this shift that was never fully formed. I know it was because of Elmo's popularity but Big Bird was also very popular and he never really recieved this same treatment. I like Elmo alot in his earlier seasons because that's when the show was still an ensemble show. I think the problem was once Elmo's World happened and they started to shift the show to be like Elmo's World throughout the whole show. I miss all the other characters. I'm glad they started to bring Grover back more consistently but we barely see a lot of the classic characters. Zoe even barely has any screentime now if it's not to bring back the Rocco conflict. Zoe used to be way more fleshed out besides a source of anger for Elmo. It feels like a lot of the characters now exist because of their relationships to Elmo. And they've have had a lot of their depth removed. Thank you for talking about this in such a thoughtful way.

[@colleen4ever]

They've really dumbed Grover down!

[@MrMariosonicman]

when I was a kid, I always felt like big bird was the star of the show. I always loved watching the show just to see big bird interact with someone. its a shame to hear that they arnt on the show much anymore due to it being all about elmo.

[@nsasupporter7557]

⁠@@MrMariosonicmanbecause Big Bird really was the star of the show, that’s why you felt that way 😉 Now, granted I had already grown out of it by the time Elmo became the star. I have to admit that it wasn’t the same even if it was a “positive change” so to speak.

[@joshuajackson3485]

Elmo took over the show since 1999 and that's crazy

[@rubinhardin4183]

@@joshuajackson3485 that's not even true. While I agree that the length of elmo's world was ridiculous Big Bird had alot of episodes still focused on him in the late 90s and early 2000s. They started to completely remove Big Bird from significant portions of the season starting in the late 2000s early 2010s. And part of that which Caroll Spinney talked about was that he was getting older and his health was getting worse and while he wanted to be on sesame street the rest of his life being the sole main character with another major puppet was alot on him. He talked about in countless interviews and in the documentary that WAS ABOUT HIM, that he was happy to give the Spotlight to Elmo because it allowed him to still be apart of the show while it being less on his body. Which was entirely reasonable for him to say. While I get that we all grew up with and love Big Bird I wish people would do more research before acting like this was some kind of Hostile takeover that left Caroll Spinney out of a job.. While I personally don't get why they don't give Big Bird more episodes now that Matt Vogel is playing Big Bird I do understand why Big Bird got less focus during that time.

[@sy_alty]

Finally someone with an insightful critique on modern Sesame Street. The show is basically unwatchable for adults now. By catering to current day children, there's a need for Elmo and Abby to hog up 80% of the screentime to keep up with their increasingly short attention spans. Can't have slow-paced sketches or educational sections anymore, too boring for kids! Also no more old-school muppets like Kermit, Oscar or even Grover cause kids can't relate to them! Bluey is now the new go-to show for both kids and adults imo

[@colleen4ever]

Grover still has his own segments of the show.

[@JarrodBaniqued]

I joked to myself watching this that Kermit was a champion of journalistic integrity on the show, and now look where his absence led us misinformation-wise

[@qwegol1]

all kids shows have a fall, whether they’re educational or not, just look at spongebob and the fairly oddparents to see the gravel they feed to everyone

[@PamperedDuchess]

It's not that kids have shorter attention spans. It's that executives meddle in everything and manufacture shorter attention spans to fuel impulsive consumerism.

[@racheldobbs2028]

@@JarrodBaniqued He was! And Grover was a hilarious introduction to the pitfalls of working in customer service as a waiter! 😅

[@timfischer]

As a kid growing up in a tiny town in rural Iowa, the "city street" setting was more foreign to me than all the crazy monsters lol.

[@mariecarie1]

Haha same! I had no concept of a city block or apartment building as a kid, so I never really knew where everyone lived 😂

[@trumpetbob15]

A great rundown. I agree with others it may not be Elmo exactly that was the downfall, but i would definitely agree it is what Elmo represented that is the issue. Famously, the original adult cast was purposely treated as equals to prevent anyone from hijacking the show and becoming the "star" of Sesame Street. Unfortunately, they forgot to do the same thing with the Muppets. It became Elmo's World, not Sesame Street!

[@victorgaminglounge3967]

Yeah that's one thing I can agree on. I mean speaking of Elmo's World. Wouldn't it make sense if the OG Elmo's World was its own Show instead of being a segment of Sesame Street, so that way the main show can focus on the other characters as well, while Elmo gets his own show? I mean you could have Season 30 as the Backdoor Pilot to the OG Elmo's World and then making it an actual show after Season 30.

[@Allanapolis83232]

@@victorgaminglounge3967 I may be thinking the similar thing, but there was Play with Me Sesame, which is basically Elmo’s World, but with Bert and Ernie, Grover and Prairie Dawn and aimed at a much younger audience like 0-3, rather than 2-6.

[@trumpetbob15]

@Allanapolis83232 I don't remember that show but it would definitely be what I would have suggested. Basically, a spin-off dedicated to Elmo but aimed at younger kids while leaving Sesame Steeet for all.

[@Allanapolis83232]

@@trumpetbob15 There is a SS spin-off called “A Not Too Late Show With Elmo”.

[@raakone]

The biggest shifts started after Jim Henson's death. Jim Henson specifically DID NOT want this show to be too focused on one character, he didn't want it to be the "Big Bird Show" or the "Bert and Ernie Show" I'm surprised the show didn't end up getting renamed "Elmo's Show." He had the perfect balance. And it seemed they ended up moving towards ideas they speecifically wanted to avoid, became way less spontaneous. And a lot less organic. A lot less...of the show it was intended to be. And sometimes I get the idea that here, the tail is wagging the dog!

[@dr.jajabakagah5716]

That’s actually heart breaking to know Sesame Street got moved to HBO, to me that feels like the heart and soul of the show are just completely dead. The main point from the start was to help educate inner city children who might never have access to something like cable, and now the only way to watch it is through a premium subscription

[@VeggieTalesUnofficial]

The show still airs on PBS, and has hours of free episodes on KZbin.

[@austinreed7343]

Not to mention the various woke pandering characters they added shortly after that.

[@pizzario4986]

@@austinreed7343What do you mean by that? There’s always been a progressive nature in the show that promoted diversity

[@austinreed7343]

@@pizzario4986 The Muppets used to be color blind, yet nowadays they create all these characters with specific ethnicities.

[@kieranhair37]

@@austinreed7343 Citation needed. I've seen a few episodes around the time of the Peter Dinklage episode, and not one muppet talked about their ethnicity. Even if what you're saying is true, I'd just about wager money that it doesn't come up nearly as often as your comment would have people believe.

[@darthbeggus8202]

Sesame street had a rule that they wouldn’t have kids on who were actors, but now almost every kid is an actor on the show

[@alansnow1129]

Definitely send fake the past, what 20 years?

[@OcpCommunications]

What a phenomenal video. And that big bird clip where he says goodbye to Jim broke me down to tears. What a powerful and poignant moment that was.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you!

[@victorgaminglounge3967]

Hey Mike I didn't expect to see you in the comment section. And I agree at least that moment where Big Bird says Goodbye to Jim is a much better way of tugging the heartstrings to the audience then what Jason Reitman did with Harold Ramis and Egon in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Which BTW I'm gonna be uploading my review/rant on that film for your friend Matt AKA Ramboraph4life, and I do mention you in the video regarding one of the points you make in your review/rant on that movie. Also have you seen the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire trailer yet? If so what do you think of it?

[@syntheticsleep]

@@EntertainTheElk I had never seen that before and it absolutely wrecked me.

[@SteveL-qw4rp]

to me I'm gonna pretend that season 39 is the final season of sesame street

[@supermariof0521]

While I don't personally think Elmo was the primary culprit behind "Sesame Street's" downfall, the real downfall to me was the show gearing more towards a strictly preschool sudience shortly after Jim Henson's passing in 1990. Around the same time, Elmo started getting more prominance, so its easy to say Elmo more or less became a scapegoat. Like Elmo at least never outright stopped others from getting episodes to themselves after he became the new mascot. That being said, his movie "The Adventures of Elmo In Grouchland" brings out the worst aspects of his influence on "Sesame Street".

[@loriki8766]

There's nothing inherently wrong with Elmo - they just commercialized him. The shows producers saw Elmo as a money maker and gave him more and more show time and the show became aimed more and more at toddlers. When I see children's media today, it makes me sick. It's all sloppily illustrated with bight colors and loud noises. Books aren't any better, new children's books have over simplistic illustrations and zero stretch words. Everything is over explained so kids never get a chance to think about things - they are beaten with whatever the "moral of the story" is. No wonder children today have short attention spans, TV, phones, internet and even their books are loud, sloppy, blaring bright, spastic and condescending.

[@obi-onekenerdi]

Poor Frank Oz man. One of the only original muppet performers still working today, has just had to watch it whittle itself away. And he stays all because he feels it’s what one of his best friends would want. And I think that’s true, Jim would want especially this show to continue, but I don’t think he’d want it to continue like this.

[@fjpoggemann]

You're seriously making me well up with nostalgia. I watched nearly every day in the late 70s. I learned basic reading from Sesame Street and the Electric Company. The adults were just showing healthy, decent, ethical people who were trying to do the right thing for each other.

[@honesto4696]

Along with Elmo taking most of the spotlight, one of my greatest disappointments with modern day Sesame Street, is the almost complete removal of Herry monster. I loved how as a child, he demonstrated the importance of gentleness. I appreciate him even more today, now that I have matured into a rather large hairy fellow myself, who appreciates not only gentleness, but kindness overall.

[@Thomperfan]

No, Herry's still around. He's nowhere near as frequent as he used to be, but they haven't completely removed him.

[@honesto4696]

Considering his past on the show, he should have remained a consistent mainstay.@@Thomperfan

[@obtusedan]

Herry hasn't been a regular since like the 90s dude

[@Thomperfan]

@@obtusedan Yeah, but he still appears in some 2000 and 2010 episodes.

[@honesto4696]

@@obtusedan Yep. But they've still maintained Muppets that go all the way back to Sesame Street's premiere in 1969.

[@celestialnubian]

Anyone with kids should get DVDs or downloads of all the classic Sesame Street episodes as well as other CTW classics like The Electric Company and 3-2-1 Contact. Can't rely on streaming because platforms will make media disappear to save a dollar.

[@cmc5394oparva]

Or because the content doesn't reflect Current Year sensibilities.

[@donnamariefarrell533]

Most were removed from the library of episodes by HBO 😞

[@bringbackpbskidsgo4562]

Children's Television Workshop/Sesame Workshop of course.

[@Tolly7249]

I miss the old Sesame Street. I was a kid in the 80s and the show was a hit with my entire family, especially my parents. I remember that saxophone bit with great love! I watched it all through the 90s and into the 2000s until the series started changing and I couldn't bear to watch everything I'd grown up with being slowly torn away.

[@Demiurge13]

same, i would watch a lot of pbs shows back to back like sesame street, reading rainbow, mr rogers neighborhood, square 1, 321 contact. Ah memories

[@fkoff5150]

FUNNY HOW EVERYONE WAS INCLUDED IN THE 80-90S REMEMBER FAMILY MATTERS?? SAD TO SEE RICH AND POWERFUL DIVIDE US LIKE THIS. RICH OF ALL BACKGROUNDS SIT TOGETHER LAUGH AND TELL US THAT WE HATE EACH OTHER. WHEN IS USA GOING TO WAKE UP??? EXAMPLE: LABRON DONT HATE WHITES AND ASIANS..THATS HOW HE GOT HIS $$.... BUT HE SURE WANTS YOU TOO HATE THEM!! ITS CALLED PULLING THE LADDER UP😘😘

[@comkver]

Same, I think I was still watching Sesame Street up until Jr High before Elmo took over and then I watched an episode. It's so different from what I had watched it definitely wasn't the smart, musical or exploratory like before. I remember watching the dance group do a type of ethnic dance. I remember watching their music video of Wet Paint. The elevator counting the floors. And this new Sesame Street was Elmo's world which is really cute and all but I can only see Elmo for so long.

[@solouno2280]

my favorite elmo shot was the one when Elmo wanted to be THERE instead of HERE

[@freepilot7732]

I was born in the late 70's. So I agree with you message all the way. Especially the saxophone. Later I Brendan's a player. Interesting.

[@HeyitsBri_]

I love how people are like “Well Elmo didn’t do it exactly, it was the writers/production/whatever” like Elmo isn’t literally a just a puppet

[@MarvinHartmann452]

Elmo is very disappointed with your comment.

[@AhsimNreiziev]

@@MarvinHartmann452 I have to say, that feels more like The Boulder than like Elmo to me.

[@souldeep808]

That was an AWESOME explanation of the original Sesame St. I grew up with Maria, Bob, and Gordon. Grover is/was my favorite muppet. He is the one who made me laugh the most!!! The "Near and Far" explanation where he runs back and forth STILL makes me giggle. We can't forget Super Grover!! I felt a lot of the songs had actual feeling and warmth to them. They were fun and goofy but still well done. I agree wholeheartedly with your take on old vs new.

[@silajeep1]

Same! Near.......huff puff run.....far..... Repeat! Grover was definitely the funniest character in the show. Bring back Grover!!!

[@rirururu4697]

Elmo's World should've become its own show and left Sesame Street alone. They would've gotten their loud and energetic show for preschoolers while still maintaining their main show aimed at families.

[@drewt1717]

Heck yea... then at least I would know how long I needed to keep the earplugs in.. 😂

[@RedCroissantGames]

we're all in his world now... (tickle me elmo ate my mom btw)

[@yrooxrksvi7142]

What's weird is that outside of the US (I'm from Italy), Elmo's World was basically marketed as a standalone show, like a spin-off to the Muppets.

[@ShenDoodles]

@@yrooxrksvi7142 I remember it being that way.

[@radfatdaddy4169]

​@@RedCroissantGames My dad, and I used my little sister's tickle me Elmo for target practice. What was really funny, was every time he got hit he would do his whole " Hahaha hahaha That Tickles!"

[@joebove4]

I’ve got a three year old now myself, and like you, that’s brought me back to Sesame Street. And it’s a shame that what made the show great is all but gone. Too many animated segments, too many Muppets that could have been human performers, and too much focus on Elmo and Abby (sometimes Cookie Monster), leaving the rest of the characters no guarantee that they’ll even be in an episode at all. And no, I don’t count the filler songs that are in every episode as appearances. It’s sad to see a new episode of Sesame Street, make it to the credits, and find that Bert and Ernie weren’t there. That Big Bird made a token appearance to say “hey, is that Cookie Monster’s food truck?” to Elmo. It’s too focused on marketability, on selling Sesame Street as a product rather than an edutainment program. The goal now seems to be to sell toys and apparel, to keep a brand alive and profitable.

[@phillipgalan660]

I was 3 in '69 and loved watching Sesame Street. Thanks for the memories.

[@Tehgj385]

Yah, most human characters now are very forgettable, dull, and shallow.

[@nisa9327]

I’m only 20. I grew up watching Elmo, Grover as Super Grover and Abby Cadabby gaining more and more importance in the franchise. Elmo’s world was my favorite part of the show, I loved Mr.Noodle, Elmo’s goldfish, and watching Elmo’s emails. Very fun. Also Elmo’s feud with Rocco always was funny too.

[@JStryker47]

I couldn't agree more, with Frank Oz. I was born in 1983 and I still remember so much greatness that I used to enjoy on the show - Kermit the frog on Sesame Street News, Guy Smiley's game shows, Robin Williams just... being there, Cookie Monster just... being there, it was great. Even my oldest brother, who was in his late 20s at the time, loved the hell out of the Big Bird's Birthday special too. How it is that nobody can even try to make such great quality entertainment anymore, I'll never know.

[@Attmay]

Look at how many endorsement deals and product placement deals they have in place for the characters. That obviously has something to do with influencing the creative direction of the show, or lack thereof. Perhaps that is also another factor in the gentrification of the show, for lack of a better word.

[@guysmiley4830]

😄👍

[@coreyg2177]

Wow, I am glad they changed Snufffy's eyes. Holy crap those first eyes were terrifying.

[@kittygaillot2286]

Frank Oz couldn’t have been more right as to what Sesame Street has been reduced to what it is today. This is why I am glad I grew up in the 70s/80s and having had the privilege to watch Sesame Street in its golden age.

[@Ciborium]

But seriously... When I was a kid, Sesame Street and The Electric Company ("HEY YOU GUYS!") were staples of my childhood. I don't remember much at all from those early years, but I know I watched them.

[@Attmay]

The fact that they helped enable Bill Cosby to do terrible things should have come back to haunt them more than it did once those terrible things came to light.

[@SMA2343]

Yeah Frank Oz has a point. It’s no longer a kid’s show based about education. And now it’s a kid’s show based about entertainment that has education. I mean, it’s still way better than anything else on TV.

[@BeyondDaX]

But that's not saying much these days

[@EntertainTheElk]

Check out Bluey. Probably the best kid show going right now

[@EWOODJ]

That's what I thought early Sesame Street was.

[@rantingrodent416]

Bubble Guppies was superior to modern Sesame Street, in my experience, if you're talking about the youngest age range.

[@SuaNam08]

I feel like Bluey is the most similar kids show to old Sesame Street now, in terms of it being loved by adults too and teaching children about some more emotionally complex topics.

[@MedievalWerewolf]

Another beloved property destroyed by short-sighted corporate greed.

[@formerevolutionist]

Imagine what would happen if Disney got their grubby fingers on Sesame Street.

[@kevstacey8639]

This sure took me back. I'm old enough to remember Sesame Street pre-Elmo, and the ongoing "There's no such thing as a Snufflupagus" storyline; I can also vaguely remember Mr. Hooper. The older episodes are much more interesting on multiple levels.

[@tyeishaleisure]

I had some of the Mr. Hooper episodes on tape due to that being the version that my brother and sister grew up with. You’re right totally different. The show felt way more genuine as well. This current version of Sesame Street just feels commercial and corporal and just doesn’t have any heart in it. I’m so curious what Jim Hansen would’ve thought if he lived to see this current version. He definitely wouldn’t like that. It’s behind a pay wall.

[@jeancunha6796]

Same, I loved Sesame Street as a kid. I loved watching the weatherman, Kermit, the piano player! Grover was my all time fav.

[@bnic9471]

I actually saw the pilot of Sesame Street as a little kid and aged out of it way before Elmo showed up. Checking in when my son was little, it was all Elmo and super-annoying. Fortunately, my son didn't like it, either.

[@johnmanno2052]

​@@bnic9471 Me too!! I remember that

[@Demiurge13]

same, grew up watching sesame street in the 80s

[@missingaria2503]

Old school Sesame Street is the reason why I'm 37 and STILL can't get that gd "If I could only paddle like a doggy" song out of my head. In all seriousness though, watching all the old clips you put in here really sparked some great memories. I was only ever allowed to watch PBS as a kid.

[@WTFG78]

No river too wide, or lake too deep...

[@noonesishome]

I'll paddle my way to youuuu, I grew up near the ocean, that's my go-to swimming song when I go to the beach, while doggy paddling

[@spiderjeranimo4992]

I still get the pinball number count song pop into my head, its quite a tune.

[@AndrewGreenaway]

As a 35 year old who has never watched Sesame Street. I had no idea there were real live characters. I bought my daughter a tickle me Elmo in the late 2000s I thought he was sesame street 😂

[@M567dk]

Let me first say that I get what you are saying. Believe me I do. I was born in 87 and looking back on the show now it felt like it has lost some of its edge just to say relevant in the changing times we live in. Honestly, I think Sesame Street needs more human adults in the show to remember us of the unique balance between the human cast and the Muppet cast of characters. Maybe a refocus on what original work and trying to make it work for modern audiences of today.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Agreed!

[@colleen4ever]

Yeah, did ya see the Macy's Parade Float this year? I think there were only 2 adults riding on it! That's all we got now, just 2! And they don;t even appear in every ep!

[@BerlinTrainStation1]

I think this video reveals what makes Bluey so beloved. It's as much for children as adults, it doesn't avoid difficult conversations, and it has adults making mistakes and owning them. I think Bluey's massive popularity speaks to this generational divide in kids shows.

[@princesspikachu3915]

And Bluey has an even shorter run time of around 7 and a half minutes per episode. It tackles difficult conversations. And instead of Elmo we get Muffin. 😁

[@BerlinTrainStation1]

@@princesspikachu3915 I've never considered the parallel of Muffin and Elmo but my goodness is that accurate!

[@Fideothedog2021]

@@BerlinTrainStation1they’re both even the same age!

[@BadgerOfTheSea]

But why should a kids show be for adults? Why can't children have something for themselves?

[@davidhollenshead4892]

@@BadgerOfTheSea It could be for both adults & children, in the sense that parents learned from the early show too, being young parents perhaps raising their first child. But if "a kids show" isn't educational, then it isn't for children either...

[@thygrrr]

Thanks, a lot of these things really needed to be said. Excellent analysis.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you so much for the kind words and donation. It means a lot.

[@punkysnarks]

As a 2000's kid, I remember when Sesame Street was an hour long and full of content. Seeing it chopped down to twenty minutes, majority of it taken by Elmo, no classic segments recycled, full of stock pop culture parodies, and not even on PBS anymore, is really disheartening. And it's a cold feeling to think I was the last generation to have entertainment that was more than all stimulation, no substance.

[@benjaminkellog7311]

Cookie Monster was the one I gravitated to early on. The voice, the fixation, the subtle marketing of a healthy diet through a convincing Trojan horse, he had it all. Count von Count is also a personal fave, and I'm glad to see he's still pushing early numeracy to this day. I didn't think Elmo was a bad character (and really, reaching three year olds as well as sixes helped the show serve a much bigger audience), but I do remember being a bit miffed when "Elmo's World" took over the last half-hour in '98, then caused the rest of the show to be divided into short character-specific chunks a few years later, which the HBO shortening greatly exacerbated. The show really lost its original voice once every segment started sounding like badly written "Blue's Clues." Also, as a viewer woth autism, it's been nice to see Julia be such a prominent character, but she has a whole host of problems related to how she was introduced and marketed that are a fascinating rabbit hole of wrongness.

[@NitroIndigo]

What were the issues with Julia?

[@tamagotchiplanet27]

Elmo was my favourite as a baby, but Blue's Clues became my favourite show (and still is) since I was just old enough to be aware of things. As an autistic person, the introduction of Julia made me interested in Sesame Street again, although it's incredibly upsetting how they partnered with Autism Speaks. Also, as much as I think Elmo is adorable, it seems he made the target audience shift from Kindergarten/primary school down to babies/toddlers. Edit: Regarding Blue's Clues, wasn't Blue's Room basically Nick Jr.'s attempt at making something similar to Elmo's World? I know that many Steve-era fans didn't like Blue's Room, but I still love it and was upset when it ended after 2 seasons.

[@raydgreenwald7788]

@@NitroIndigoshe became a mascot for Autism Speaks

[@Chuck_EL]

Cookie monster was my favorite as a kid , I even had my bed design of him and every type of action figure and including stuffed animals Then Tully, Grover, Oscar, Big Bird and Snuffy And I loved the sarcastic green bald puppet with the mustache that always broke the fourth wall with his mouth smushed in lol😂

[@Attmay]

I hate to say this, but I lost a lot of respect for the show after they partnered with Autism Speaks. We also need to talk about the six years that Buffy Sainte Marie was on the show in light of her claim to be a Native American being called into question along with her claims of being a CSA survivor. Nobody who lies about something like that belongs on a children’s television show. Her family told Children’s Television Workshop she was a pretendian, but she threatened her brother with that scurrilous lie, and they believed her!

[@formerevolutionist]

I was born in 1972, so I basically grew up watching Sesame Street. That is where I first learned the alphabet, numbers, and even a little Spanish. As a boy from a small Nebraskan town, I almost never saw anyone who wasn't white. This show helped me see blacks and Latinos as just normal people. I also liked the adults. They were friendly, caring, and trustworthy. One of my favorite characters was Ernie. Ernie was nothing without Bert, though. They played the wacky/straight comedy duo very well. I love how the Muppets each had their own voices and personalities. That made them seem less like puppets and more like characters in their own right.

[@mk_wizard]

The sad part is... I love Elmo and don't blame him. It's the fault of the execs for milking him for all he was worth.

[@answerman9933]

How can an inanimate object be blame?

[@SarahNGeti]

Blame Canada

[@corvus1970]

@@SarahNGeti "It's not even a real country anyway!"

[@thecreatedvoid117]

I will never forget the Elmo toy craze of the 90’s. I remember my sister desperately trying to find one for my nephew when they were sold out everywhere.

[@shadowstalker1515]

I had a friend in middle school that was so obsessed with Elmo to the point that he brought his Tickle Me Elmo doll (shudders) to school with him and even talked in the Elmo voice. It was my first experience with cringe and, sadly, ruined the whole image of Sesame Street for me. Now, 30 years later, Elmo is one of my two year old’s favorite muppets and I’m even able to hear the Elmo voice without dying of cringe. I actually think of my son now when I hear the Elmo voice so it’s even become a little endearing.

[@thecreatedvoid117]

@@shadowstalker1515 that’s what it was - Tickle Me Elmo. Hey I’m glad you were able to find a way to have a positive link to the voice. 🙂

[@supme7558]

Thats when it died in my book

[@papabird4425]

This is what happens when you don't explain to children what marketing propaganda is.

[@Zizumia]

I got a Tickle Me Elmo the year it dropped. Apparently my aunt dedicated a lot of time to get it. My mom still has it and it still works.

[@juliebeans5000]

It was the breaking down of stereotypes that I really came to appreciate. After spending a couple of sick days watching the deliciously retro 'TV Land,' it was shocking to realize how many criminals and shady characters were portrayed by people of color in the late 60s/70s. On Sesame Street, we got to see everyone as just regular people with similar joys and fears as their neighbors, and always modeling kindness and respect to one another. With the cancerous Disney-fication of kids entertainment, multiple 24/7 cartoon networks, and the commercial coopting of little minds as a consumer tool, the idea of educating kids got thrown into the back seat and eventually out the window like a greasy fast food bag.

[@Shorty_Lickens]

God damn i'm old. Elmo wasnt even there when I left Sesame Street.

[@Undomaranel]

So Elmo didn't ruin Sesame Street. The writer's immaturity in helping to curtail a 3yo's attitudes was the issue.

[@shadow51090]

What's my take away. I think the argument is that the writers used Elmo as a conduit for their shift in writing style. It's sad to see, but not entirely surprising Sesame Street is over 50 years old that this point. The writers room has probably changed fully multiple times and now they're competing in the modern age where people have so much access to all kinds of entertainment educational or otherwise. Being on HBO/Warner Bros/Discovery now instead of PBS also means they have to help bring a profit to justify being made. Which means appealing to the lowest common denominator.

[@BeyondDaX]

Not just the writers but today's society as a whole including the desire for more money once it moved from PBS to HBO. So yes, in some way Elmo did ruin it but wasn't solely responsible. But yeah what the previous responder already pointed out.

[@christianryan7207]

Yup.

[@Tudomummeum]

= Boomer parents 😁

[@xxcoopcoopxx]

Actually it's the Ebs and Flows of life. Nothing last forever. From here to the end of the Universe, Seaseme St. is not going to do well for kids. The conspiracy theories are right, the shadow of what it was turns it into a brainwashing device. Order the old Seaseme Street and keep those alive. Let the degenerate version die and preserve the golden times and share it with others.

[@jen7834]

Born in 69! Grew up with it. Loved it! Looking back seeing those Characters- Susan, Bob , Mr Hooper , Maria - thanks for the memories! Never watched after Elmo arrived , I grew up and never had kids. Really a special part of my childhood hood.

[@formerevolutionist]

Same here. I was born in 72 and saw almost all the episodes, some with just a black & white TV. Simpler times...

[@CrazyMazapan]

I still sing "Oh, everyone makes mistakes. Oh, yes they do." in Big Bird's voice everytime I make one. Old Sesame Street was simply fantastic. When I was a baby, my parents moved from Argentina to the US for a few years. My mother didn't know a word of English, but she learned with us, watching Sesame Street. Old Sesame Street was creative, original and so fun to watch. And they didn't baby you. I appreciated that even back then.

[@socalautisticman1975]

I lived in Argentina🇦🇷 I'm US born mexican race,I grew up there in Argentina (long story), went to school there and perfected my español (they call "castellano") there. I still use "che" with spanish speaking people, argentino or not.

[@cerrida82]

Elmo started the downward trajectory, sure, but his early appearances weren't all bad. There are plenty of times there characters interact with him as a 3yo, teaching him some skills like the song One Fine Face. What really did it for me was Abby. Once they decided to create a literal fairy to appeal specifically to the girls and solves all of her problems with magic, they showed they cared more about marketing to children than teaching them

[@assassin8636]

This is not true they still do teaching right?

[@marmar3530]

Imagine disliking Abby.

[@jhillst]

My most hated character is Baby Bear.

[@garblegarble8065]

Have you actually watched an episode with Abby? Typically her magic BACKFIRES, and the characters need to use real world skills to solve the mess she made.

[@101jir]

After thinking about what character I particularly dislike, I am really curious whether anyone actually does have an issue with Grover. I can see how Oscar could be off-putting, Ernie can be a bit of a bully, Bert is a bit of a stick in the mud, this video of course is about Elmo, but I can't think of any reason a person would take issue with Grover, and now I am curious if there is a reason.

[@username5155]

Main point: Muppets were added to Sesame Street to keep kids’ attention, not run the show.

[@danieldean8953]

I was born in ‘79, and I’m so glad I lived the classic years of Sesame Street. This video hit me in the nostalgia…got kinda teary if I’m being honest

[@nailsarecruel]

Same birth year, same sentiment. Worse yet, the first two Sesame Street grownups shown in the video aren't with us anymore. Tears were shed.

[@TravelingBibliophile]

Same age and feelings here. I remember watching it as a kid, I always laughed at how Grover the waiter never got the poor guy’s order right. I started tearing up both at the Mr. Hooper death explanation, but even more so at the clip of Big Bird singing at Jim Hanson’s funeral.

[@zacharyfindlay-maddox171]

I was born in '81, and I totally agree!

[@michaelmaurer6923]

Don't forget just how integral Joe Raposo's music was to the early years of Sesame Street!

[@CSGraves]

Yes! Old school Sesame Street was also the first exposure many of us had to Philip Glass via the 'Geometry of Circles' animated segments.

[@Deviantygr]

AND Bud Luckey! "The Alligator King - #7" and "The Ladybugs Picnic - #12" were 2 of my favorites

[@jackhargreaves1911]

Mr Hooper dying was so moving. I’ll never forget it.

[@EricAllerton]

I really liked the retrospective about old Sesame Street. I was born in 1980 and the first 5 or so years of my life were dominated by it. I still get misty-eyed whenever a video like this shows Henson's funeral. I agree that it is all Elmo, all the time now but the good thing is that my newborn LOVES Elmo. We live in Japan so it is hard to get Sesame Street here but thankfully their KZbin channel does a good job. I think that may be thanks to HBO, so it ain't all bad. This video feels a little incomplete and I would love to see it picked back up again either on this topic or a similar. It feels like we jumped from 1985 to 2015 in less than 30 seconds. However, I loved watching this. Thank you for making it.

[@MTech74]

Sesame Street in the 70s and 80s was fantastic and unforgettable. The same certainly cannot be said of today’s version.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

Agreed

[@supme7558]

Nore the 90s

[@renakonar3733]

I loved all the adults on the show, especially "Luis." He was so cute with the dimples. I used to watch when I was sick and home from school. It was calming and amusing at the same time. Love the Muppet band called "The Beetles," which were beetles. I forget what they were singing about.

[@drockwell1583]

So basically sesame Street went through gentrification and the government uses Elmo as a figure head.

[@Attmay]

Pretty much.

[@arthurdurham]

I didn't expect to see a takedown of a beloved fictional children's TV show character today, but here we are.

[@GayPopeye]

PREACH

[@MrSteeljazz]

I remember some of those early clips. And the one where Big Bird learns about Mr. Hooper ‘s death still gets me in the heart, even after all these years. Sesame Street was a major part of my childhood, and it saddens me to see and hear what has become of it. May the Sovereign Lord have mercy on and bless all of the original cast members for their contributions to improving the lives of children everywhere. Great video and analysis. Thanks.

[@melloone611]

In 1969 I was three and living in Va. Some people came door to door about a new television show made for children. They wanted my mom to encourage me to watch and fill out a questionnaire about how I responded to the show. I LOVED IT and to this day accredit Sesame Street to giving me the building blocks to read at a very early age.

[@danielprietog]

That was a very important part on the development of the show. I've read a lot about it as an educational revolution, even subversive to some. ♥

[@PuppetsByPalmieri]

Big Bird is one of the primary reasons I became a puppeteer. The idea that puppets could really be there with you and live alongside us in our world. It’s kept me loving the art form ever since.

[@Mutski1579]

Remember "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"?. We need to make that movie, but also add puppets. 3 species film. :)

[@claytonbouldin9381]

If you're ever in Atlanta you need to visit the Puppetry Museum. They have a Big Bird there along with many others from Jim Henson's creature shop. You won't be disappointed.

[@PuppetsByPalmieri]

@@claytonbouldin9381 I’ve actually performed there a couple times as part of a guest company of artists! It’s a beautiful exhibit and I always love visiting that city in general.

[@youtubecensors5419]

Punch and Judy fan checking in! I have a set of the puppets, can talk with a swazzle, and have attended May Fayre in London multiple times. Never performed though. So rare to meet a puppeteer, thanks for keeping the art alive!

[@TheColleenDabeanShow]

I loved the grittiness of old Sesame Street. You could find the same aesthetic in the background of Mad Magazine illustrations. A lot of my 3D sets for my puppet show use a texture on the walls that I called 'grunge wall', trying to keep that funkiness alive.

[@DabbyDom]

Sesame street got gentrified. Seems like a real place to me.

[@koboldcatgirl]

It's funny, because I seem to remember they had not one, not two, but three episodes featuring a Trump-parody villain trying to gentrify the neighborhood.

[@elobservadorobservante1605]

@@koboldcatgirl white people move into a neighborhood: "no that's gentrification" white people move away from a neighborhood: "no that's white flight" just say you hate white people

[@Attmay]

That was the 25th anniversary special on ABC. And even independently of him, they already expanded the street for that “Furry Arms” business. They even signed Ruth Buzzi as a recurring character. But all that got pushed aside for 15 minutes of Elmo per day. Everything since then feels like *Diet Sesame Street.*

[@electrojones]

Elmo is the answer to, "What if the entire cupcake was just frosting and sprinkles?"

[@WoefulMinion]

The original Sesame Street had bright, flashy segments to draw attention away from the other frenetic shows, but was wise enough to have longer, less chaotic moments on the street to balance it. I feel the new Sesame Street has lost that balance. It's over-stimulating all the time, with no opportunity to take a break from the noise.

[@redangelsophiasvideoproduc92]

My favorite Sesame Street muppet is Count von Count. He is a vampire - but seems to be unfazed by sunlight -- and he is more interested in teaching kids to count than in drinking blood.

[@shameikasmith2910]

MY FAVORITE AS WELL.....❤❤❤

[@catreecemacleod7556]

Clearly The Count was was used to stealthily prepare for a vampire uprising if it ever occurred. The thing is, the whole counting thing is a legitimate part of the mythology of vampires, that if you scatter grains of sand or something similar before them, they have to obsessively count each grain of sand one at a time, giving you time to escape or deal with them otherwise. Someone obviously knew this, and it's why it makes perfect sense for him to be a play on that aspect of the mythology, and "Count" Dracula as two fairly obvious connections to vampires. You may already know all this, but someone somewhere will learn about the counting thing and suddenly Sesame Street will make a bit more sense. Also, millions will be saved during the vampire apocalypse. Obviously.

[@jamie1602]

Elmo does have segments where he has a lot more depth to him. Yes, it's on a young child's level, but it's always done well. Elmo does get a moment to express his confusion when his uncle dies and honestly, I felt like that was fantastic. When paired with Big Bird's heartbreak over Mr. Hooper, I think both segments show two ways children can perceive death. But then we have the sudden whiplash where Elmo is back to where he is again. Sure, three year olds can give you whiplash, but if you have a three year old or you've spent copious amounts of time with them, it's a specific kind of whiplash they give you. This kind? It's uneven writing, and the kind that says that you're underestimating your demographic either on purpose or because you have someone breathing down your neck. This is why, even as a child, I hated Elmo. He feels like he's insulting my intelligence at every step. As an adult he's just a painful reminder of being insulted as a child. He can't keep his own personality together. Is he a brat? Is he the original Calliou? Or is he just a three year old learning? Pick one and stop making my head hurt. It's why I preferred Big Bird and Grover. Even when Big Bird had moments, it was meant as a moment to grow and learn. And even the parents watching with a child could also learn something, too. It's great to look back on Big Bird centric segments and watch the human cast help him learn how to manage his emotions and explain what he's feeling and why. Honestly we could use this today. They tell you why you shouldn't take your emotions out on a person (or in this case I'm thinking of, a baby) but changes are hard and you're going to feel pretty crappy! I also loved the human cast. Luis and Maria were couple goals, but I also loved Gordon and Susan. Miles made me feel normal because I was adopted. Linda helped me learn a few signs so I could communicate with my cousin when he was still non verbal. It's why I'm partial to Alan these days. He's all we have left of what the old days were and I fear what might happen when he's taken from us. We wouldn't just have the humans leading the "children" muppets, sometimes Oscar, Count, and Tellie would lead as well... even if they failed miserably. And I miss having that, too. I miss Grover giving the worst advice he could to the younger cast, muppet or human children. I could write many paragraphs about all of the people I miss on Sesame Street that have gone away. Sesame Street should not be locked into nostalgia... but it should also grow and change. And it should not ever underestimate its audience. Sesame Street once had that in common with Mr. Rogers. We can go back to that. We absolutely can. Don't take Elmo away. Make him learn and grow. He can still be fun and silly and comforting. But he's going to experience things and change. Big Bird changed after Snuffy was revealed to the audience. He changed after Mr. Hooper died. He was constantly growing and changing. That is not happening for Elmo, despite the fact he keeps experiencing milestones. It has to happen, even with his limited emotional control and grasp of memory. If he can remember beefing with a rock, he better remember more stuff. Sorry for the essay but... if Bear in the Big Blue House can make me care about a raccoon who has limited speech skills and give that raccoon emotions and carry over some plot points, Elmo is OVERDUE for a little plot reckoning, what little plot Sesame Street has.

[@MadScientist267]

Newer vision (this applies to so much more than just sesame street unfortunately) is also missing the nuances. As mentioned, the original was very thought out to explicitly target multiple audiences and engage them. Comparing the old to the new, to me, is night and day. It's like they got rid of Einstein and replaced him with a valley girl. There's no question which one is superior.

[@ddoyle11]

To me, Elmo reduced what was a vehicle for children to explore and understand a big and complex world into a medium for the satisfaction of infantile self will. He wasn't the only one, but the first in a string of characters who represented the show's shift from an educational tool into something that validated the mindset of doting parents and placated children.

[@gewhiz1494]

I grew up with early seasame street. My parents didn’t and I think it shows a lot about how our world views differ. The educators who made this show possible were ground breaking and being a father myself I have yet to see another show that teaches kids numbers and letters or how to treat others better. Even Bluey (which we all love here) falls short of the benchmark Seasame Street set.

[@Kitunekld]

I don’t have kids, so I haven’t seen Sesame Street in decades. But I’m very sad to see what’s happened to it. I have so many fond memories growing up watching it. It’s sad to think kids now get a watered down version and can’t enjoy the older episodes. My favorite muppet was Grover

[@dcocz3908]

Todays letter isLGBTQ and the number +0, clap of thunder, diversity, haha ha haaaa

[@KM-zn3lx]

My kids mainly watched it from 1987-1993 or so. I was born in 1962 but never watched it as a child.

[@arjovenzia]

Im in the same boat, I also havnt had a TV antenna plugged in, nor was I ever watching TV at Kid appropriate times. so I missed that whole transition in the kids tv space. I was appalled when I saw the new CGI Thomas the Tank Engine, I felt something inside me die (mum knew if she wanted to leave the house it must be either before or after thomas, as I simply would not leave otherwise, apparently I didnt tantrum much but that was one way to do it).

[@anablackwood6141]

I was a sickly little kid with undiagnosed autism/ADHD until adulthood. My parents used "Big Bird goes to the hospital" to prepare me for a short stint in there because I had a terrible flu/ear infection and was screaming my head off that I didn't want to go. Watching exactly what would take place helped me in a way that just telling me wouldn't have. I'm a very visual person by nature and still absorb more info by seeing and hearing it done than just being told. To this day, I'm grateful they knew how my strange mind worked even if they didn't have a name for it. Not only did the hospital trip go well, I wanted to be a doctor for many years after that. I've had tons of different jobs but my ultimate goal now is to be a professional artist.

[@russellharrell2747]

I was already crying at the typewriter, but then you had to make me sob like a baby with big bird singing it’s not easy being green. Thank you

[@wstine79]

I can imagine a segment where Big Bird is trying to figure out how to use this Flexispot table in his bird nest.

[@kristenhanisch8508]

Well, he IS pretty tall... 😂

[@ryue65]

I am late to the game, but this is why i love ‘entertain the elk’, but also it alludes to how pivotal Sesame Street was. The role of Big Bird as a transitional species is key. ( BTW: I was always able to believe in snufullocipus)

[@EntertainTheElk]

Hey thanks!

[@jonathanross2304]

I completely forgot how deep and authentic sesame Street was. Honestly, I probably never realized it in the first place. At the time, it just seemed... Right. And it was.

[@bluemyst42]

Same here. My favorite educational shows as a kid were Sesame Street and Mr Rogers Neighborhood. It never really struck me as weird that adults were on the show or anything, I think it reinforced that adults are figures we learn from, but they also made mistakes occasionally. Watching an episode now just feels weird because its just a bunch of kids and muppets running wild.

[@midoribookstore]

It was done so, so right.

[@WTFG78]

"God save us... the Elmo Era." -Robert California, "The Office" To say that I was a fan of Sesame Street when I was a kid in the 1980s is a massive understatement. Back when I started watching as a toddler, the show retained some of the sketches and segments they produced in the 70s (I distinctly remember songs like "Me Left Me Cookie at the Disco" and "Born to Add"), so I was able to watch segments from before I was born in repeats. When Jim Henson died in 1990, it affected me more than I anticipated for two reasons- 1) it was my first real cognizant exposure to death, and 2) Henson's work on Sesame Street (and other shows) were pivotal memories of my childhood, and at that point, his contributions would end forever. I continued to watch Sesame Street some years after the show's target age at the time because I appreciated the stories of the monsters, Muppets, and humans on the show, and also because of its humor. I was teased by my classmates for talking about a show made for kindergarteners in later grades, but I still watched... that is until Elmo essentially took over the show. There's a Sesame Street 20th Anniversary special that understandably couldn't be featured in this video because of the host, Bill Cosby. In it, Bill talked (with Elmo, coincidentally) about Sesame Street having a curriculum that is constantly changing. "In the first year [of the show], the children counted to 10. Now they're counting up to 40." However, after the popularity of "Tickle Me Elmo" and the increased competition from children's television options from cable, the curriculum was adjusted dramatically from early elementary school children to Teletubbies levels of infants and toddlers. Any classic sketches that were included in these newer episodes had extra sound effects to keep this new audience's attention, and the aforementioned "Elmo's World" took up a large chunk of the show. The move to HBO sealed its fate, and as you mentioned, the show became sanitized in both its setting and its content. Sesame Street used to be an ensemble show that had different characters getting their time in the spotlight. While there were always Street segments with Big Bird and the human characters (and probably an Ernie and Bert sketch) in each episode, they didn't have their own theme song aside from the main theme, and other characters would rotate throughout the series. Elmo's World could have been spun off to its own show, but instead it became a daily departure from the rest of the show and its characters. It really demarcated a drop in quality in the show overall. Thanks for bringing this to the Internet's attention.

[@Attmay]

Was this how boomers felt when Walt Disney died?

[@WTFG78]

@@Attmay I don’t think so. Uncle Walt was already approaching the life expectancy of a man born around the turn of the 20th Century, and he also smoked like a chimney. Plus, his involvement with movies and theme parks at that point had been minimized so that he could focus on his EPCOT project in Florida, so he personally wasn’t really working on anything new for audiences. Henson passed quite unexpectedly from what was later determined to be a treatable disease that he simply didn’t take care of in time, and he still had a lot of irons in the fire with the Muppets. Maybe if a ten year old who grew up watching Walt from infancy found out about his passing, it would have a similar effect.

[@BrendanJSmith]

I honestly think the 20th Anniversary Special is the perfect place to stop watching Sesame Street. It was right before Jim's passing and before Elmo took over the show. Right in that sweet spot where everything was working in perfect balance.

[@WTFG78]

@@BrendanJSmith Honestly, yeah. 1989 to early 1990 is a perfect jumping off point for the series. A lot of the major modern plot points of the show (like the reveal of Snuffleupagus, the marriage of Luis and Maria, the adoption of Miles by Gordon and Susan, etc.) were also complete at that point. That was probably the peak.

[@WTFG78]

And to answer the question, my favorite Sesame Street Muppet depends on what age I was. In my very early years, I loved Big Bird. It also helped that when my mom helped me read the credits as I was learning to read, I would remember the credit "And Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar"- the idea that one guy could play two diametrically different characters floored me. When I finally got to meet Mr. Spinney decades later, I got a flood of nostalgic memories on the way back to my car that admittedly brought me to tears. As I got older, the favorite title was in a bit of a tie between Ernie, Grover, The Count, and Cookie Monster depending on my mood (or if I was hungry). Now... I don't think I can pin down which of the pre-Elmo Sesame Street Muppets as a favorite. They were all special in their own way. Though I probably do Cookie Monster impressions more than any other character. Especially around actual cookies. OMMM NOM NOM NOM NOM

[@enigmalfidelity]

Lol Just gonna skip right past the Elmo puppeteers arrest? When you said "all was safe on set..." Yeah.. no it wasn't. Lol.

[@1978garfield]

The guy who played David bit someone on set. This happened years after he caved in a woman's skull with an iron.

[@josephwright5921]

@@1978garfieldWhat are you talking about?

[@sarahpalmer411]

@@1978garfieldDavid?

[@1978garfield]

@@sarahpalmer411 search northern calloway wikipedia Sorry for ruining your childhood. I like to think David didn't do anything wrong, just the actor that played him.