The Sesame Street Right/Left Controversy (Yes, You Read that Right: SESAME STREET)

We here at TVOvermind have no political affiliations.  Well, we do, but we're not going to tell you what they are (actually, we have all sorts of affiliations amongst our various staff members).  However, there are people out there who feel that Sesame Street (the beloved, long-running children's TV series airing on PBS) is part of the Democratic agenda.  Those evil muppets!  It's a travesty!

Tomorrow marks the show's 40th anniversary (and First Lady Michelle Obama will be appearing as a guest star on Sesame Street to help celebrate) and the show recently re-aired an episode from two years ago where Oscar the Grouch started a news network called GNN (Grouchy News Network).  A caller complained that GNN wasn't grouchy enough and said "From now on, I'm watching Pox News. Now there's a trashy news show."

Naturally, some people have taken this to mean Sesame Street is beating up on Fox News Network and insulting Republicans and other conservatives.  That Oscar sure knows how to incite politician tensions, doesn't he? 

A blogger recently posted my favorite comment: "The message is clear, I can't even sit my kids in front of Sesame Street without having to worry about the Left attempting to undermine my authority."  Interesting choice of words: "undermine MY authority".  Draw your own conclusions.  In other words – in the immortal words of South Park's Cartman – "RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!"

I love children, but those who are watching Sesame Street are very unlikely to know much about Fox News and the Right/Left debate.  Those kids are more worried about counting to ten than getting involved in politics.  So let's chill out about this, OK? 

On a side note, if you've been visiting a certain search engine lately, you'll notice the Sesame Street Google images that have been showing up in the logo for the past two weeks in celebration of the upcoming anniversary.