I was a Sesame Street kid. Like, hardcore. I wanted to link to this entry I wrote about the Joe Raposo songs, but I can't find it. I think it was on some national holiday? But I'm not finding it. Anyway. LOVED Sesame Street.
So when I discovered that there was a book, Street Gang, about the creation of Sesame Street, imagine my glee.
Except I was little bit trepidatious. Because sometimes when you read books about the adults involved in kid's shows, particularly shows that you absolutely loved and quite literally defined your life, you discover that they were all horrible people who were all sleeping with each other and getting high and coming to the set drunk and whatever. I really didn't want to find that out about Sesame Street. However, I picked up the book anyway.
AND I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.
Because Sesame Street? Is as awesome as you remember. It was created by an incredibly gifted group of people (no, seriously, they like all had PhDs in early childhood education or something) who were concerned entirely with providing underprivileged children with a good example and strong background in basic skills so that they would enter kindergarten preliterate.
AND THEY DID THIS ALL WITHOUT BEHAVING LIKE DRUNKEN ASSHOLES. (Well. Okay. There was one drunk. But even he was nice.)
It's an absolutely adorable book, and so interesting, and everyone should go read it. There was a lengthy section on Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, including some of the dialogue. Which I remember. And it made me cry.
Except they seem to be operating under the illusion that there are people? Playing the characters? Which is OBVIOUSLY COMPLETELY FALSE because um, Big Bird is totally real. Obviously. He is in no way the same person as Oscar the Grouch. They are completely separate and are not put away at the end of the day.
Other than this fallacy, perfect book.
1 comment:
Did they perpteuate that silly fallacy???? Maybe he is just starting to get confused, but I just do not understand why a seventy-some year old gentleman thinks that he has had something to do with Big Bird since he was a 35 year old young guy (big Bird is clearly a six year old big yellow bird...)...and Oscar the Grouch...what does he have in common with Big Bird except that they both, of course, live on Sesame Street, the most beautiful street in the world....a street where they sing the best songs ever written...songs that you can sing outside in your backyard while you and your children all play together on beautiful sunny days and cool, crisp fall days...songs that you may possibly have on your iPod (in a playlist with Raffi's "All I Really Need" and "Baby Baluga") when you are 53 years old so that you can listen to them and they take you back to those absolutely glorious days...I think I need to read the book...or maybe I need grandchildren...no, let's just stick with the book for a couple of years yet...:)
Post a Comment