Monday, November 26, 2007

C Is For Cookie

During my busy week, I did have a chance here and there to do one of my favorite activities...scour the internet. Sometimes I like to just start at Yahoo! News and click on links and see where it takes me.

Dangerous
, I know. What can I say? I like to live on the edge.

Busily clicking around, I stumbled across an article saying that the original Sesame Street (called “Old School”) was now available on DVD! How cool! As a child I adored Sesame Street and I watched the first one air back in 1969. Yes, I did. My mom made me.

I poked through the “Sunny Days” article only to learn that these DVDs have a warning on them. It seems that the old school Sesame Streets are for adults only and not suitable for today’s toddlers.

WHAT?


I admit, times were different back then. We rode bikes without helmets and when we fell and got road rash, our moms would “kiss it better” and send us back on our way. We were free to roam the neighborhood until the streetlights came on and I totally remember sleeping across the back seat of our station wagon not seatbelted on long car trips.

It was a time when gym shoes were for gym and not for fashion and in order to get only mediocre Sesame Street reception, you had to persuade your little sister to stand behind the black and white TV and hold the aluminum foil covered antennae.

Still I wondered what could be so wrong with The Old School Sesame Street? Everyone my age watched it and we all turned out relatively alright.

It seems in the first episode (of which I have no recollection, by the way) that a little girl goes off hand in hand with a man who wants to give her whole milk (gasp!) and cookies and wants to introduce her to his wife. Fortunately, that is all that happened and I admit, that’s not good at all.

We did have weirdos back then, too. From the time I could walk, my parents told me never to go anywhere with strangers and I didn’t.

The rest of the “not suitable for today’s children”, though seems a little over the top. Cookie Monster could be an addict? Apparently, you can’t just like something anymore and not be an addict. Ridiculous.

Bert and Ernie? Gay?
Can’t they just be friends rooming together to share expenses? Even if they are, what business is it of ours?

Oscar The Grouch. Yes, he was cranky. His name is GROUCH for goodness sake. Suffering from an untreated depression? I think that’s taking it a little far. He is by far the most RANTastic muppet ever!

It also seems that today’s toddlers could be disturbed that Big Bird hallucinates Snuffleupagus until 1985. Hallucinates? It’s called imaginary friends, people or don’t kids have those anymore? I had one. Her name was Sharon and not only was she an ace detective, she took the blame when I smeared jelly all over the floor so I could have pet ants. She totally rocked!

I only have fond memories of Sesame Street and no one rocked like The Cookie Monster. Times may have changed, but Cookie, Cookie, Cookie, still starts with “C”.



That's good enough for me!

11 comments:

Jessica Morris said...

haha - people are so weird about things! Have they rated the older Sesame Street, or just recommend it for adults?

My mum was telling me that somewhere in Europe they're making Santa go on a diet because he's a bad roll model being overweight!

Malcolm said...

I'm all for protecting kids, but deeming old school "Sesame Street" as being suitable for adults only is taking it too far. There are countless instances in movies and TV shows of the past of things happening that wouldn't play in today's world. I think that the DVDs should have come with disclaimers that aid in putting the show in its proper context. Perhaps a voice over warning children that they shouldn't go off with strangers.

As for the alleged sexuality of two puppets, calling Big Bird's imagination into question, and making The Cookie Monster a candidate for an intervention... complete and utter nonsense!

Jenny McB said...

This is so funny that you wrote this..Yesterday my son tried to tell me that they tried to change Cookie Monster to Vegie Monster. All internet lies, but he had me worried.

My kids grew up on the Sesame St. tapes, all classics. I just loved how Ernie would just drive Bert crazy. My favorite skit is the guy going to South America, but I think I am the only one to remember that.

The Rock Chick said...

Jessica: I also heard that in Australia, the malls would like the Santas to use "Ha, ha, ha" instead of "Ho, ho ho" because the word "ho" could be offensive. Gimme a break! I don't think the videos were rated, they just have a warning on them.

malcolm: agreed 100%! I think your voiceover idea is a great one! I've been looking for a video clip of the scene of the girl walking away with the neighbor...can't find one...if I do, I'll be sure to send you the link.

Jenny McB: I heard the Veggie Monster thing, too. Glad to hear it's only internet rumor because C is for Carrot just doesn't have the same catchy ring to it. I vaguely remember something about that skit you are talking about. I'll see if I can find that one, too!

Anonymous said...

Thank god for censorship! I would probably go right over the edge if they didn't keep me in check.

As I read this, I thought of the Australian Santa thing too...thank you Don Imus!

Well, I'm off to watch some Looney Tunes. Love that cigar smoking bull dog!

Anonymous said...

Love this post! Malcolm directed me here, knowing I'd enjoy it. I'm so glad! I actually read a little blurb about this in my Time Magazine the other day. The article is titled "Stay off the Street" and my husband and I were laughing about it. I'd say we turned out just fine watching those shows. The little article said, "Some concerns? Cookie Monster eats too many cookies, and Oscar the Grouch is too grouchy." Bahahaha.

Anonymous said...

Girl, this is hilarious. I realize that these can be very scary times, but yep, I think we go off the deep end sometimes. Maybe it's better to be safe than sorry...but I'm sorry that we have to take it so far that we make the muppets out to be bad guys.
I love your imaginary friend. Hey, that's a whole post in there!

Rebecca said...

Ya, I heard about that and I think its ridiculous. 8-\ Good post :P

Kendra said...

they have totally gone overboard with the whole sesame street thing! ridiculous i tell you!

cindy kay said...

This makes me think of so many things to say at once that I'm speechless. Good grief!

Crystal said...

I watched Sesame Street growing up and I came out.... well... never mind. ;o)

I had an imaginary friend too. His name was Fodiox. My parents thought I was saying Goldilocks and said, "you mean Goldilocks?" I'm told that I put my little hands on my little hips, furrowed my brow and said in the sassiest tone I could muster, "No! It's FO-DEEE-OX! Get it?!?"

They had to leave the room, laugh, then come back and punish me for my sassiness. Apparently they had to do that often.