The Gentrification of SESAME STREET

delhi
patreon.com/delhi (double upload weekend maybe)
Had this sitting on my hard drive for a while. Literally stemmed from the Sesame Place controversy from two years back. Figured it should be completed some day so here it is lol
Sesame Street has changed a lot since the days before PBS. I don't pretend to know all or see everything but I think it's fair enough to yap about how it's changed and the rough timeline of shifts its made to compete for the attention of the nation's children. From Around the corner to Zithromax, we're gonna lightly tough upon a good chunk of its history.

[@LovelyTekki]

Elmo's dog was introduced as part of an initiative to get more shelter pets adopted. Even if he's most likely made to sell plushies, I can see potential for other ways they could make Tango useful in an educational setting, such as teaching children about the responsibilities associated with owning a pet, or even an episode teaching about service animals.

[@LovelyTekki]

I adore Julia and some of the segments I've seen with her, but it really was such a gut punch when they started using her in autism speaks related stuff. Thank you for discussing this.

[@Megamudkipz42]

That’s horrid.

[@stephaniewilliams6756]

Sesame street going from public access tv to HBO was the start of the decline

[@papachillothezappey4050]

PBS is not Public Access. There's a difference.

[@TheStarBot]

@@papachillothezappey4050 PBS isn’t public access anymore?

[@papachillothezappey4050]

@@TheStarBot PBS and Public Access TV channels are 2 completely different things.

[@achingforstrength]

​@@papachillothezappey4050 I'm familiar with PBS but not Public Access - what is it? 🤔 What's the difference?

[@papachillothezappey4050]

@@achingforstrength Basically Public-access television (also sometimes called community-access television) is a form of mostly non-commercial television where the general public can create their own television programs through local Public-access/ Community-access cable channels.

[@drxhenry]

I hate the way that lots of nonliterary lessons are executed now. Characters don't experience drama, real world concepts are just explained without the characters learning with the audience. It's like a PowerPoint and not a puppet show.

[@achingforstrength]

You SAID IT 👆🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾

[@nickramer9374]

Had you watch the recent season? I fell like the writing is getting better.

[@racheljackson4428]

Sesame street even included a gay couple and then Normalize it as if it was like any Marriage! Are they taking advice from Married at First Sight? unbelievable.

[@rjseditsandcleanytps]

@@racheljackson4428 i'm not even homophobic, but that is just plain wrong showing it to CHILDren on sesame motherfreaking seed street (no hate to sesame street)

[@fish2713]

@@racheljackson4428 Thats a weird thing to say about a married couple

[@TheFoxFromSplashMountain]

The whole point of Sesame Street from it's inception was to make diverse and educational programming that was accessible to kids of disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those of inner ciry communities. It's why the street itself looked the way it did, with trash and urban decay in plain view. It wasn't a bright, colourful, idyllic paradise like most other kids' shows. It felt more real and down to earth. But now, it feels like every other puppet show for kids. Everything looks so clean and overproduced, with less thought provoking stories and more mindless noise and bright colours. And it's not a nostalgia bias either. I never even watched Sesame Street growing up, yet I can still see the major difference in quality between old Sesame Street and modern Sesame Street.

[@pigslaundry5593]

As a a huge Sesame Street fan, this video was well done and researched! Ngl, I usually avoid most videos about the show because they're often too cynical and/or get a lot of information wrong. You seem to have a pretty even headed view on things

[@nickramer9374]

I wouldn't call it well-researched.

[@Princess_-gp3ep]

What’s worse is that they rarely show a number film now, celebrity appearances are only once or twice a season, and all the characters I grew up with are demoted to extra.

[@juliezimmerman3476]

A good and captivating video to watch, “Did Elmo ruin Sesame Street” Amazing description, with interesting details. In my opinion, it was not Elmo, but the format and structure of the programming. Nothing wrong with adding new characters if it meets the aesthetics and connection with the viewers.

[@punkysnarks]

The state of Sesame Street is so depressing now. It went from an hour of content to a fourth of that, with stock pop culture parodies, no sketches, almost nothing interesting.

[@dytamic]

the 9 month gap for Sesame Street on HBO and then everywhere else is so poetically ironic. considering the fact the show was originally meant to help CLOSE the educational gap lmao

[@Katy133]

I remember the recent Backyardigans KZbin channel update (of redesigning the main characters and redoing the songs to imitate Cocomelon videos) was being described as the Backyardigans getting gentrified. And I think that in part was why the remake rubbed me the wrong way so much compared to other remakes of shows I watched as a kid. Nickelodeon also did this shortly after Janice Burgess' passing, which I observed got people speculating on whether or not she had given her blessing on this redesign. Thank you for this video. I recently discovered your channel, and I enjoy hearing your thoughts on animation.

[@wizardoferror9942]

I feel privileged to have enjoyed Sesame Street as a little boy back when it was exclusive to PBS.

[@PelinalDidNothingWrong]

I'm seriously convinced that Seasame Street and The Simpsons are the two shows that will never end

[@corduroycrook]

Yes! There was this weird push to pacify so many forms of “representation” that started in the 80s but i think it really picked up in the mid to late 90s. All it ended up doing was couching any ideas for best practices for said representation and left a precedent for shows to feel like weird soulless mush

[@eatatjoes6751]

…the mid to late 90s actually gave a shit about representation, in my opinion, because they treated it as “character first/skin second.” The hell are you talking about?

[@corduroycrook]

@@eatatjoes6751 I beg to differ and I also think the attitude of "character first/skin second" is a part of that pacifying/gentrification.

[@NewSonyWonderHappyMadisonFan]

"Yes! There was this weird push to pacify so many forms of “representation” that started in the 80s but i think it really picked up in the mid to late 90s." So you hate Follow That Bird (a movie that was released in the 80s) and 80s/90s Sesame Street?

[@nickramer9374]

Souless my tailbone.

[@elphive42]

I disagree. There were some moral crusaders in the 90s, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that they got the power to really mess stuff up. I didn’t realize how obscenely gentrified media got in the early aughts until watching some VHS recordings of programming in that era. It got really bad.

[@supermariof0521]

Even though I'm not a fan of "Sesame Street's" current direction......................I friggin love the "Crumby Pictures" segment.

[@achingforstrength]

I remember those 🤩🤩🤩 I love them too 💙

[@exeggutivejudge3747]

Those segments came out pre-HBO airings. I loved those segments

[@supermariof0521]

@@exeggutivejudge3747 Ah

[@joshuachavers6456]

I used to think those were actual movies SS was releasing. Ngl I was dissapointed when Jurassic Cookie never came to a theater near me.

[@stardestroyer81]

​@@joshuachavers6456 I would pay an incredible sum for The Spy Who Loved Cookies to be made into a full length film

[@SuperCosmicMutantSquid]

A lot of it could be placed in the shoulders of after Jim died, 'no one was there to say no' when it needed to be. Looking at the older episodes long before I was born, the series does reflect an era but in a good way but it also shows how standards for children's educational content has changed over the years. You can see a clear difference between the original series and the ones 'we grew up with' going into the 80s to today and I think that's where a lot of hiccups happen. The HBO move is to be honest the worst though BUT I want to drop this; HBO has always had educational content as well despite how much of a premium channel it was so them landing Sesame Street was probably a deal of a lifetime for them ... despite that defeating the purpose of the show being assessable thanks to public TV in the first place. People will argue that getting HBO now is easy compared to the cable days but it's still putting new episodes behind a paywall that really doesn't need to exist but I wouldn't be at all surprised if the choice was made to supplement costs due to viewership dipping on PBS and production costs needing a boost....but that then begs the question of where the merch money is going because Sesame Street still makes bank. And as weird as this is going to sound, Sesane Street does benefit from some 'edge' not just as a means of entertainment but just as a means of showing that it's not brainrot mushy peas type of content where children aren't really TAUGHT but coddled. Cocomelon is there for garbage like that but Sesame Street was a place where kids learned not just basic school things but a lot of social interactions and that was thanks to the HUMAN KIDS AND THE HUMAN ADULTS. I think a few higher ups just see the series as baby fodder and as a result don't put much effort in a lot of the lessons they teach now as it feels so watered down and a lot of characters who are created to 'represent' a thing don't feel like they can move beyond that trope if you get me. Like over time I grew to love Rosita who was introduced to bring a Spanish speaking mupper to the show but she's utterly loveable in how she's her own character with such a cute design who teaches kids Spanish but is used for MORE than just that. I know this os a kids show but Sesame Street at least put effort in having their characters just be FUN without constant pressure to censor itself or lower it's own audience bracket 'for kids' without really offering anything new, if that makes sense.

[@stephaniewilliams6756]

The title ALONE i'm hooked

[@disneycartoonfan1137]

Honestly from what I’ve seen the Modern Sesame Street isn’t too bad. Like aside from the lack of human characters the main Puppet Characters still act the same as they’ve always been, Unlike most other shows that have been going for years. And there’s still some charm there. That’s just what I think though.

[@dannythehipster5644]

"Ya especially cause we're the last neighborhood in New York City that hasn't been gentrified". "Until today!!"

[@JeremiahsFiles]

Big Bird is still my most favorite Sesame Street character because he was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress & has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame & he recently started the Yellow Feather Fund, & I always wanted to be there for Big Bird for years, seeing him feel so sad always makes me want to help him feel better. I also like Julia because she has autism, just like me. I think Sesame Street still deserves a White House reception for being the first TV show to get a Kennedy Center Honor, & I strongly denounce the culture wars that some extreme Republicans like Ted Cruz waged against our beloved furry & feathered friends on Sesame Street.

[@Tacom4ster]

Great essay, but no clips of James Earl Jones? He was like the first guest

[@achingforstrength]

May he Rest in Peace 💔🕊

[@siyahseeker]

I cried when I figured that out.

[@snbsixteen6stars201]

Waiting a whole school year for sesame street, thats criminal

[@muppetsretrofan8873]

Another thing that doesn't get talked about as much is Sesame Workshop literally backstabbing PBS to work with Nickelodeon to create Noggin. I still have fond nostalgic memories of Noggin, but learning about how Sesame Workshop betrayed PBS to help Nickelodeon to basically make a HUGE rival channel sort of tainted those memories for me. I feel like ever since the Tickle Me Elmo doll, Sesame Workshop became EXTREMELY greedy. Why else would they continue to support Autism Speaks when they've been told time and time again how harmful AS actually is?

[@CraftyArts]

Its so ironic that things get scaled back when billions of dollars are involved. Cause they cant just make a profit, but make ALL THE PROFIT. Time to cancel my max subscription. Sail the seven seas.

[@Shewhospeakesinverse]

The comedian shalewa sharpe talk abt growing up sesame street n how she resents the change tht she sees elmo bringing on.

[@marcusbrothers5221]

Between the lions forever!

[@jorgerosado2087]

Glad to see more people talking about it. The last vid I saw on this issue was Entertain the Elk on The Day Sesame Street Died. Pretty solid.

[@achingforstrength]

I've seen that one too Rest in Peace, Sesame Street 😢💔 (Though I hope there's still hope the more we talk about it...)

[@jadstudiosofficial]

⁠@@achingforstrengthdude, Sesame Street never died, it’s still around.

[@Jacob.Anglican1290]

I actually was thinking of Barney the Dinosaur.

[@SleevesVR]

In my opinion, I watched the show in the early-mid 2010s mainly. Once they shortened the episodes, it felt like it didn’t have that same spark

[@Tacom4ster]

Awesome! I been waiting for you to drop something, instant watch

[@McDumDum]

The narration for this video turned me off to this video for awhile, but now I'm kicking myself because this is such a thought-out and well researched video that gets the point across nicely without relying to high-strung emotional reactions or hatred. You did an amazing job on this video.

[@DaksDoesStuff]

I'll tell ya why Elmo now has a dog... *MERCHANDISE!*

[@NewSonyWonderHappyMadisonFan]

Hey man I don't like the current state of Sesame Street but don't insult Tango.

[@DelhiWacky]

acknowledging the dog helps move merch is an insult?

[@NewSonyWonderHappyMadisonFan]

@@DelhiWacky Well yeah. When people say "it's made to sell toys", it's usually in a negative context.

[@DelhiWacky]

usually /=/ always

[@NewSonyWonderHappyMadisonFan]

@@DelhiWacky ok

[@Flameheart_]

I knew it was Barney because I grew up on both shows equally, even the vhs tapes. 😂😂

[@Shewhospeakesinverse]

The reason big bird was invented according to ppl working at sesame like development at the time in the book discussing the creation of sesame street is the fact that the viewership changed naturally into a younger demographic so they included someone to better speak to that group. I think its a similar story w elmo and abby.I dont think its necessarily all trying to chase after barneys viewership but barneys viewers watching pbs for the first time started watching sesame street which changed the viewership demo. N older kids mightve not wanted to watch bc suddenly its sth younger kids were watching. I really would recommend the book Street Gang: the complete history of sesame street bc it gets into stuff in a very nuanced way. The changes made were partially made bc it was starting to become popular to white children which gets discussed in discussed in the bookbook

[@DelhiWacky]

i think we're saying the same thing i actually have read the book several times before i even thought to make this; there's an excerpt from the book that referenced in this video. there's also a specific section in the final chapter that documents barney's path to success and how that's relevant to sesame street. the author chose to tie it into the genesis of the Around the Corner era: Regardless of whether Barney was an abomination or a fascination (Barney made People’s list of 25 Most Intriguing People of 1992), the show took a big bite out of Sesame Street’s ratings. David Britt, installed as Joan Cooney’s successor as CEO in 1990, took heed. He assembled a SWAT team of executives to shake up Sesame Street, summoning Emily Swenson, executive vice president and chief operating officer; Marjorie Kahlins, group vice president for programming and production; Dr. Valeria Lovelace, research director for Sesame Street; and Franklin Getchell, vice president for programming and production. i didnt bother to explain the full connection but it stand to reason that the attempt to secure the younger demographic was in part because pbs' target demographic lowered, in part because of barney. it's also worth noting that in the early days of the latter, its rough age range was 2 - 8 year olds, which overlaps into sesame street's audience share. but again, it was never just barney, but rather the explosion of preschool media in the 90s that forced them to make changes during and after him.

[@Shewhospeakesinverse]

@DelhiWacky honestly thanks for being kind enough to explain that all to me. I wrote the comment in an irritable mood for other reasons and i think that shone through. I really did enjoy the video, i was just watching it with my own blinders on that made me misunderstand.

[@joelman1989]

I credit a lot of my love for learning to Sesame Street, bill nye, LaVar Burton, and Mr Rogers. I’m first generation college student and I owe some of that to PBS. Losing that is sad. Shout out Ms Rachel tho.

[@StarlightPrism]

Damn, the title wasn't kidding about Sesame Street being gentrified.

[@achingforstrength]

Spoilers 8:12 I don't get it - Why not let Barney have the preschool crowd and stay unique by leaning slightly older, as much as it could and keep teaching the same curriculum - that would have played to the strengths Sesame Street had a lot better, any changes to the format *could* have not been as dramatic, etc. ...right?

[@charlesbennett7484]

Because that made too much sense. TV execs aren't used to using their actual brains, they just see something doing big numbers and go "ooh! Let's do that!"

[@NewSonyWonderHappyMadisonFan]

10:08 Elmopalooza was a television special celebrating the show's 30th anniversary. Not just an album.

[@padillac16]

I loved that special when I was a kid, it had one of the greatest duets of all time: Jimmy Buffett and Kermit the Frog

[@LillyTheLonelySock]

I would really love to see a well-made television series dramatizing the initial creation of *Sesame Street.* Not a documentary series -- a drama series taking place in the '70s. I'd love for people to really get to see how ground-breaking it was for its time and why, and I'd love for it to show why the show was made the way it was. I would also love for them to show scenes reenacting dilemmas they had to solve, controversies, and reactions from the public. It would be nice if it could show how it's helped children as well. There are so many shows with recycled plots and useless remakes. Why not film a series about the actual _making_ of an important part of television and our culture?

[@Spiritstage]

please don’t leave use we love you and I love Barney too

[@Mr.Foxtroting2008]

🎶Can you tell me how to get? How to get to GENERIC STREET!🎶

[@Shewhospeakesinverse]

Wait... pbs had commercials for actual merch in the 70s???? Woah.

[@debbieganger]

No. They are sponsor bumpers.

[@DelhiWacky]

the commercials for s.s. merch was produced for the distributors of said merch, not pbs. they also didnt air on pbs for obvious reason.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@DelhiWacky Yep, you might see commercials where Sears or whoever mentions having Sesame Street merchandise/toys but that was it.

[@AiLoveAidoru]

It’s sad to see Sesame Street become a shell of itself But to be fair, I’d still rather kids watch it over cocomelon. -in terms of a marketable pet, I’m surprised that they didn’t revive Chaos the cat from Sesame Street’s defunct Canadian version Sesame Park. You can find clips of her around KZbin and she was ADORABLE in her design! I have no doubt American kids would’ve latched onto her antics. Regardless, good video, bud.

[@amandaford8730]

Is this why Barney hasn't been given a millennial redemption arc yet? 😂

[@SKOT_3]

As sad as it might be i feel it was inevitable. If anything I'm surprised the series managed to hold itself together for that long. It's impressive when you think about it. Alas, change is inevitable for better or for worse.

[@dinosaysrawr]

The thing I've always wondered is, why'd they cancel Snuffy and Barkley? Did they get caught with drugs or something?

[@SuperCosmicMutantSquid]

I think one of the logistically reasons was how difficult those Muppets in particular are to do. The puppeteer of Alice has to stop due to the physical strain of constantly being on your knees and hunched and I believe Barkley was built the same way. Granted, this could have been solved by having a few people to do the work in tandem but at this point who knows.

[@ChrisTalkz]

I never saw any problems like this with current Sesame Street!

[@EnragedM0nkey]

When something merely becomes a product to be sold instead of a story to tell, a game to pkay, or another experience to have, it has truly failed.

[@Luke-ep7zk]

Imo the show went downhill when they cut it down to 30 minutes instead from an hour.

[@mellojoe9421]

I still think the start of the decline was back in the early 2000’s. The period of Sesame Street from the early 70’s to the mid late 90’s was peak Sesame Street

[@theotherjared9824]

Robot Chicken did a skit about this exact scenario.

[@allysoncashdollar1119]

I really want my future children to experience the good Sesame Street and the good Barney somehow

[@adco9850]

In my personal experience, season 40-45 felt a more exaggerated version of how I saw my area, if anything, things like it made a major impression on how I view that area, “the playground in the opening looked like the one by my house, the only difference was I had two friends maximum

[@adco9850]

anything past HBO is when it started to be lost

[@adco9850]

Also: WLIW 21 LONG ISLAND MENTIONED, RAHHHH, WHAT THE FUCK IS A REGIONAL PBS KIDS CHANNEL

[@jadstudiosofficial]

I don’t mind the changes.

[@sonicranger5418]

I actually grew up during the 1990s era of Sesame Street.

[@DevonLeSuer]

0:35 I should NOT be laughing as hard as I should be at this, I am SO sorry!

[@JALENACE]

Your an awesome youtuber, thanks for this vid

[@jaylencninjaturtlesandbarn3454]

I knew Barney atole sesame Streets popularity but i love both shows

[@itskevinjustkevin]

I'm hoping 1 day that sesame street gets back to its roots

[@BugsyFoga]

Sunny days

[@Tacom4ster]

Oh hey, I know you from Jim Gisrel's streams, small world

[@achingforstrength]

Sweeping the Clouds away

[@LovelyLivelyV]

On my way

[@dorothyallspice1862]

To where the air is sweet

[@E-102gamma_stan]

Can you tell me how to get-

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Sesame Street died after the 1980's.

[@sheanartisthunty]

im going absolutely feral beCAUSE I WAS GONNA MAKE THE SAME VIDEO SOMETIME LMAO I'm a total nerd for muppets and puppet stuff relating to jim henson so i cant wait to see what you go over

[@sheanartisthunty]

I genuinely wish the idea of “black” or “Asian” muppets didn’t even have to happen in the context of Sesame Street. It feels unnecessary because all the other puppets are meant to be inserts of children already. On top of that, older seasons of the show would incorporate ACTUAL children from lots of backgrounds to have some cute moments and interact with the puppets for educational and entertainment purposes. The adult human characters were also very diverse and were great role models for children too, and it’s sad that they lean so much into surface level Sesame Street when there really was more to it. I wish they’d bring back more experimentation, honestly. The fact that the set looks like a playset that’s so clean and manufactured and not an actual street that looks lived in is just not the vibe. I could also be biased by the nostalgic warmth and fuzz of old clips from back in the early seasons though. I could go on about it but I haven’t watched an episode in so long for it to necessarily matter anyway, but I truly believe kids deserve good shows and I think they need to start rerunning the oldest episodes alongside new ones.

[@brandongovreau9218]

there's a buzzfeed cartoon with a character that has a medical condition that makes an adult sound like a child do you have that does that even exist?

[@epicboyo4883]

Chikn Nuggit? I love that series

[@solarboyaaron4652]

The fuck kind of comment is this. Why do you care about their voice.

[@Dylan-ru9du]

love this video omg like no I get what your saying!!!!!!

[@Maximum4power]

"Gentrification" is a funny lil word

[@JesusMartinez-rr2ry]

Gentrification is when an area of lower income is renovated by middle class or wealthy people, resulting in increased property values but driving away lower-class residents that lived there before. This word definitely describes the gradual changes of Sesame Street, as it once took place in a common New York city street, a show for children of lower income households to rely on for learning the ways of the world. But eventually, in the more recent years, the neighborhood now became glossy and cleaner-looking but at the expense of the charm, along with the vibe in general lacking the flavor of the classic episodes. HBO'S meddling didn't help at all in this situation.

[@Maximum4power]

@@JesusMartinez-rr2ry cool

[@geraldinemilo2804]

Guys I wanted to let you guys know that it is the last days. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 states "You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. People will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" If you're not in the word, you need to get into it. If you are, read more. The enemy is getting trickier and we need to strengthen our armor. God bless you all.

[@solarboyaaron4652]

Who the fuck is Timothy and why should we care about some shit he said.

[@vgamer11]

lol

[@LonelyGamer4]

Why do you sound like that

[@TheStarBot]

I'm gonna give this the benfit of the doubt but we gotta stop using the serousness of the word Gentrification and loosely putting in on everything

[@SnowpawShaw]

Okay but Sesame Street is a genuine example of gentrification in media. It was a show specifically made to educate low income, inner city kids, that specifically was meant to help a lot of kids who were black or latino since they're usually in that neighborhood. That's why they went with the theme of sesame street being set in a lower middle class area of a big city, and why there were a lot of POC kids and recurring human characters. In earlier seasons everything looked lived in and old and real. Even the animation was lower budget. Now the entire aesthetic from the sets to the animation is sanitized and looks like rich kid, glossy stuff that neatly fits into The Brand™ and increasingly representation only happens temporarily and is always a publicity stunt instead of being a character who's permanently put in as real representation. You can say I'm mansplaining or whatever, but sitting there and using this as an example of "overusing" the term completely misses the point

[@achingforstrength]

​@@SnowpawShaw YOU SAID IT👆🏾 👆🏾 👆🏾 PREACH

[@NewSonyWonderHappyMadisonFan]

@@SnowpawShaw I get using the set as an example, but using the animation?

[@Ashley._17.]

​@@SnowpawShawbravo 👏

[@blazryvlogs2535]

Bros acting like animation is dying while indie shows are being picked up by networks 😭

[@DelhiWacky]

Bros acting like they don’t get exploited on indie too 😭

[@solarboyaaron4652]

Animation isn’t dying but people who work in the industry are being exploited and treated poorly.

[@blazryvlogs2535]

@DelhiWacky since when did employers expecting their employees to actually work become exploitation?

[@mlgodzilla4206]

Name at least 5

[@nickramer9374]

It has a better identity than this KZbin channel..........

[@CutMan567]

19:08 When I'm at the cartoon reviewer meet-up and The Wacky Delhi shows up