A 2-year-old skit on 'Sesame Street' that referenced a "trashy" news channel called POX News came under fire this week when conservative bloggers accused the long-running PBS series of a liberal bias. In the clip, Oscar the Grouch is a reporter for the Grouch News Network (GNN), but he bored one female viewer, who responds: "From now on, I'm watching Pox News. Now there's a trashy news show!"
Big Hollywood, the celeb blog founded by conservative writer Andrew Breitbart, called out the old skit (re-run this week) as a jab at the mega popular news network. "The message is clear," a blogger named Stage Right noted, "I can't even sit my kids in front of 'Sesame Street' without having to worry about the Left attempting to undermine my authority."
Since then, the ombudsman for PBS has weighed in and agrees the parody "should have been resisted" by producers.
Writing on his PBS blog, Michael Getler told his readers:
"Everybody who wrote to me heard this as "Fox News," and I can't really blame them. When I went and watched the tape for the first time, I thought I heard "Fox" as well, perhaps because of the association one assumes when you hear "news" right after the word.
I don't know what was in the head of the producers, but my guess is that this was one of those parodies that was too good to resist. But it should have been resisted. Broadcasters can tell parents whatever they think of Fox or any other network, but you shouldn't do it through the kids."
While PBS' ombudsman may believe the dig at FOX may have been a bit over the line, the show itself doesn't know what all the hubub is about. In comments to Yahoo! News, Sesame Workshop VP of communication Ellen Lewis called the offending skit "just another one of the many parodies that 'Sesame Street' has done over the years." (Our Fave 'Sesame' Spoofs Here)
First let me start by saying that, there's a problem with this country! What the heck is wrong with people nowadays? What ever happened to the so called "Land of the Free" and the so called "Freedom of speech"? Nowadays, no one can't say anything without having someone on the other side yelling: "take it back, apologize!". I would think if someone said something in the first place it's because they meant what they said, otherwise they wouldn't have said it at all!....Why would they have to come out a few days later, being hypocrits and apologizing for something they meant to say in the first place?
Second, Sesame Street is a childrens program, what do children know the difference between "Pox News" or "Fox News" or whatever news?, they probably could off as well had said "Fox News" and in a childrens mind they are thinking of an actual fox (a four legged animal). Sesame Street has been around for as long as I can remember!....and now my son loves it as well as I did! (As a matter of fact I played this clip above, and my son came running all the way from the kitchen to see what I was watching!)
Honestly, this is so dumb! Why don't people worry more about what their kids are playing on their game consoles (PS3, XBOX, etc...) and stop worrying about what "the Grouch" could off had said on Sesame Street! C'mon people!
For goodness sake, it's a KID'S show!!! If a kids show has more control and influence over your children than you do as a parent, you are doing something wrong. Besides, the only person who is going to know/remember this is the adults watching it. The average child watching Sesame Street isn't going to remember/understand the reference.
In making the argument with sesame street that the kids won't remember anything, then what is the point of the show all these years. The point of the show is to TEACH children.
Go2theant, do you remember every single sketch you watched on Sesame Street as a child? My guess is no. But do you remember your numbers and letters and to share and be polite? My guess is yes. Most children do understand shows on the visceral level that adults, do, and they only remember things that are repeated on a regular basis, ie, numbers and letters. This sketch was only repeated once in two years, I doubt a child watching as a one year old will remember it as a three year old, and still won't understand the reference.
Yes, this is a kid's show - leave it as such. There is no reason to inject politics into the show; none what-so-ever. Pox News is dangerously close to Fox News and that never should have happened. I have a nearly 14 month old who pays attention to the TV, when it's on. He really watches the Google Chrome commercial with the blocks deleting and bouncing about. Do I want him thinking "Pox News" is bad? No (not that he would at his age). It's a difference of opinion. This was wrong and I agree with Michael Getler in saying that "I don't know what was in the head of the producers, but my guess is that this was one of those parodies that was too good to resist. But it should have been resisted." It comes down to this: I have my beliefs, you have yours. How I raise my child is my right, how you raise your child is yours. It should never be political on a child's show because that violates our rights as parents. I’m sticking with this being wrong and, in the future, will watch the show with my son so I know what he is learning. Jynnipher
Yes Elizabeth, it is a kids show, And it is a parents responsibility to teach their children but if children view a particular subject matter day after day, then that is called reinforcement, as for the child not remembering a particular episode, i seriously doubt if you can find a parent in America that has allowed their child to watch only one episode of Sesame Street.
But Tony, it's not as if Sesame Street runs the same episode every day! As a nanny I have watched that show week in and week out, and I can tell you that with 40 years of material, not to mention new episodes that come out all the time, they don't rerun sketches all that often. As it was stated in the article, the last time the sketch was on was two years ago. Once every two years is hardly reinforcement. It's one line in one sketch that isn't aired all that often. I don't see what the big deal is.
It's not just the allusion to Fox news, it's the insight to the decision making process at sesame street. It's the potential slippery slope. I remember a lot of the songs from the uber liberal 'free to be you and me' indoctrination that we had to sit through at every other assembly. And that was 25-30 years ago. I'm not going to put blinders on as to what my kids are viewing under your convenient mantra 'It's just a kids show'...Kids are sponges. They're the reason for the saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I pay attention to the message exactly BECAUSE it's a 'kids show'!
This is such a stupid argument, I cant believe I am wasting my time posting this. If your 14 month old kid ( or any little kid ) gets the reference to Fox News then as a parent you need to be spending more time teaching them kid stuff and less time teaching them adult stuff!!! As a child all you care about is toys and food, a show that might reference something like that every great once in a while is not going to influence a kid. The way you raise them and the way their teachers treat them will be the deciding factor for who they are and what they believe as an adult.
If I read this right wasn't this a rerun? Did anyone complain about it then? Let's all wake up people. They have taken all but 7 of Loony Toons with Bugs and Elmer because someone said they where gay( a cartoon) Now someones upset because they thought they heard " FOX" My my, have they nothing else to do. I grew up with all of this and so did my siblings and the other half of the country and with no side effects. I personaly thought they where funny. If your worried about what you show your child on tv, take him/her outside to play!
What universe are you living on. I just did a research paper on media bias and the impact it has on our children. Even the liberal educated people agree that it does have a tremendous impact on our children. Television is one of the biggest! Get a clue. Sesame Street as well as PBS in general has always been liberal. And FYI it's called informational TV programming. Get it!!!!!! They are learning as they watch. Proven fact. Even the educated liberals know this. No argument.
I completely agree that it is only a children's show. The children learn from Sesame Street because it is repetative. Maybe if they continued to tell the children that GNN News is better than POX News then the children would learn bias. I think this is all ridiculous and people who are so completely offended by this shouldn't watch Sesame Street but they're children still should because we don't need any more idiots running around in this world!
The fact the people are getting on you for what you said is ridiculous. I understood exactly what you meant and people need to comprehend the your writing before commenting and assuming that you meant that the children won't remember the entire show. In addition, I am getting fed up with all the damn political bullsh!t that is being thrown around out in our world today. It's a damn kid's show and it always WILL be a kid's show. DON'T HATE ON A KID'S SHOW JUST FOR A DAMN SENTENCE!
We already have 80% liberal media now, the last thing we need is to enforce this in our childrens minds. Keep the Political Agenda out! Silent brainwashing is EXACTLY what this is. We all know that Hollywood is LIBERAL somehow I do not see them doing a Republican agenda, nor would I want them to. Its just like that new song the are teaching kids, bashing Obama and his TRILLION $ Debt, the first song was praising him and now the other side trashs him.........DO NOT USE KIDS FOR YOUR POLITICAL CRAP. I am very against Obama and his Socialist Views but do use our children either way to promote or condemn it!! Where are your morals, integrity, pride?????
Jesse, yes, children are sponges and they do pick up things, but honestly, does your TODDLER watch FOX News? If not, then I doubt they will understand the reference, and if you make a big deal about this and not let your children watch the show, they won't see it as "protecting" them from "liberal bias." What they will see is Mommy and Daddy being mean and not letting me watch Elmo anymore, something that could potentially cause deep seeded resentment in years to come.
And Robin, since you brought it up, Obama did not create the trillion dollar debt, he inherited it.
There are so few "true" children shows on TV, let's keep politics out of Sesame Street. True, the children watching do not comprehend the adult world but those writing the show should not write their views into the show. It is getting to the point that you cannot sit down and watch any program without political views being written into the dialogue. There is enough to worry about just watching and reading the news, give us a break when we sit down to watch these mindless shows in the evening or try to enjoy them with our children.
A 2-year-old skit on 'Sesame Street' that referenced a "trashy" news channel called POX News came under fire this week when conservative bloggers accused the long-running PBS series of a liberal bias. In the clip, Oscar the Grouch is a reporter for the Grouch News Network (GNN), but he bored one female viewer, who responds: "From now on, I'm watching Pox News. Now there's a trashy news show!"
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Tuesday 10 November
By J R
First let me start by saying that, there's a problem with this country! What the heck is wrong with people nowadays? What ever happened to the so called "Land of the Free" and the so called "Freedom of speech"? Nowadays, no one can't say anything without having someone on the other side yelling: "take it back, apologize!". I would think if someone said something in the first place it's because they meant what they said, otherwise they wouldn't have said it at all!....Why would they have to come out a few days later, being hypocrits and apologizing for something they meant to say in the first place?
Second, Sesame Street is a childrens program, what do children know the difference between "Pox News" or "Fox News" or whatever news?, they probably could off as well had said "Fox News" and in a childrens mind they are thinking of an actual fox (a four legged animal). Sesame Street has been around for as long as I can remember!....and now my son loves it as well as I did! (As a matter of fact I played this clip above, and my son came running all the way from the kitchen to see what I was watching!)
Honestly, this is so dumb! Why don't people worry more about what their kids are playing on their game consoles (PS3, XBOX, etc...) and stop worrying about what "the Grouch" could off had said on Sesame Street! C'mon people!
Friday 06 November
By Elizabeth
For goodness sake, it's a KID'S show!!! If a kids show has more control and influence over your children than you do as a parent, you are doing something wrong. Besides, the only person who is going to know/remember this is the adults watching it. The average child watching Sesame Street isn't going to remember/understand the reference.
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Friday 06 November
By go2theant
In making the argument with sesame street that the kids won't remember anything, then what is the point of the show all these years. The point of the show is to TEACH children.
Friday 06 November
By Elizabeth
Go2theant, do you remember every single sketch you watched on Sesame Street as a child? My guess is no. But do you remember your numbers and letters and to share and be polite? My guess is yes. Most children do understand shows on the visceral level that adults, do, and they only remember things that are repeated on a regular basis, ie, numbers and letters. This sketch was only repeated once in two years, I doubt a child watching as a one year old will remember it as a three year old, and still won't understand the reference.
Friday 06 November
By mrlecher
The purpose of Sesame Street is to TEACH children, make them smarter. In other words NOT REPUBLICAN SHEEPLE!
Sunday 08 November
By Jynnipher
Yes, this is a kid's show - leave it as such. There is no reason to inject politics into the show; none what-so-ever.
Pox News is dangerously close to Fox News and that never should have happened.
I have a nearly 14 month old who pays attention to the TV, when it's on. He really watches the Google Chrome commercial with the blocks deleting and bouncing about. Do I want him thinking "Pox News" is bad? No (not that he would at his age). It's a difference of opinion.
This was wrong and I agree with Michael Getler in saying that "I don't know what was in the head of the producers, but my guess is that this was one of those parodies that was too good to resist. But it should have been resisted."
It comes down to this: I have my beliefs, you have yours. How I raise my child is my right, how you raise your child is yours. It should never be political on a child's show because that violates our rights as parents.
I’m sticking with this being wrong and, in the future, will watch the show with my son so I know what he is learning.
Jynnipher
Sunday 08 November
By tony
Yes Elizabeth, it is a kids show, And it is a parents responsibility to teach their children but if children view a particular subject matter day after day, then that is called reinforcement, as for the child not remembering a particular episode, i seriously doubt if you can find a parent in America that has allowed their child to watch only one episode of Sesame Street.
Sunday 08 November
By Elizabeth
But Tony, it's not as if Sesame Street runs the same episode every day! As a nanny I have watched that show week in and week out, and I can tell you that with 40 years of material, not to mention new episodes that come out all the time, they don't rerun sketches all that often. As it was stated in the article, the last time the sketch was on was two years ago. Once every two years is hardly reinforcement. It's one line in one sketch that isn't aired all that often. I don't see what the big deal is.
Monday 09 November
By Jesse
It's not just the allusion to Fox news, it's the insight to the decision making process at sesame street. It's the potential slippery slope. I remember a lot of the songs from the uber liberal 'free to be you and me' indoctrination that we had to sit through at every other assembly. And that was 25-30 years ago. I'm not going to put blinders on as to what my kids are viewing under your convenient mantra 'It's just a kids show'...Kids are sponges. They're the reason for the saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I pay attention to the message exactly BECAUSE it's a 'kids show'!
Monday 09 November
By Matt
This is such a stupid argument, I cant believe I am wasting my time posting this. If your 14 month old kid ( or any little kid ) gets the reference to Fox News then as a parent you need to be spending more time teaching them kid stuff and less time teaching them adult stuff!!! As a child all you care about is toys and food, a show that might reference something like that every great once in a while is not going to influence a kid. The way you raise them and the way their teachers treat them will be the deciding factor for who they are and what they believe as an adult.
Monday 09 November
By rachel
AMEN!!! thank you elizabeth
Monday 09 November
By David
If I read this right wasn't this a rerun? Did anyone complain about it then? Let's all wake up people. They have taken all but 7 of Loony Toons with Bugs and Elmer because someone said they where gay( a cartoon) Now someones upset because they thought they heard " FOX" My my, have they nothing else to do. I grew up with all of this and so did my siblings and the other half of the country and with no side effects. I personaly thought they where funny. If your worried about what you show your child on tv, take him/her outside to play!
Monday 09 November
By Ron
What universe are you living on. I just did a research paper on media bias and the impact it has on our children. Even the liberal educated people agree that it does have a tremendous impact on our children. Television is one of the biggest! Get a clue. Sesame Street as well as PBS in general has always been liberal. And FYI it's called informational TV programming. Get it!!!!!! They are learning as they watch. Proven fact. Even the educated liberals know this. No argument.
Monday 09 November
By Amythest
My thoughts exactly!!! How ridiculous was this story! It was made two years ago, they didn't have a problem with it then did they?? Honestly!
Monday 09 November
By Bridget
I agree with you completely.
The real problem is that Fox has become such a joke that they have become easily parodied. They are the one's who should be ashamed of themselves.
Monday 09 November
By Melissa
I completely agree that it is only a children's show. The children learn from Sesame Street because it is repetative. Maybe if they continued to tell the children that GNN News is better than POX News then the children would learn bias. I think this is all ridiculous and people who are so completely offended by this shouldn't watch Sesame Street but they're children still should because we don't need any more idiots running around in this world!
Monday 09 November
By J.J.
The fact the people are getting on you for what you said is ridiculous. I understood exactly what you meant and people need to comprehend the your writing before commenting and assuming that you meant that the children won't remember the entire show. In addition, I am getting fed up with all the damn political bullsh!t that is being thrown around out in our world today. It's a damn kid's show and it always WILL be a kid's show. DON'T HATE ON A KID'S SHOW JUST FOR A DAMN SENTENCE!
Monday 09 November
By Robin DeMent
We already have 80% liberal media now, the last thing we need is to enforce this in our childrens minds. Keep the Political Agenda out! Silent brainwashing is EXACTLY what this is. We all know that Hollywood is LIBERAL somehow I do not see them doing a Republican agenda, nor would I want them to. Its just like that new song the are teaching kids, bashing Obama and his TRILLION $ Debt, the first song was praising him and now the other side trashs him.........DO NOT USE KIDS FOR YOUR POLITICAL CRAP. I am very against Obama and his Socialist Views but do use our children either way to promote or condemn it!! Where are your morals, integrity, pride?????
Monday 09 November
By Elizabeth
Jesse, yes, children are sponges and they do pick up things, but honestly, does your TODDLER watch FOX News? If not, then I doubt they will understand the reference, and if you make a big deal about this and not let your children watch the show, they won't see it as "protecting" them from "liberal bias." What they will see is Mommy and Daddy being mean and not letting me watch Elmo anymore, something that could potentially cause deep seeded resentment in years to come.
And Robin, since you brought it up, Obama did not create the trillion dollar debt, he inherited it.
Friday 06 November
By Enough Already
There are so few "true" children shows on TV, let's keep politics out of Sesame Street. True, the children watching do not comprehend the adult world but those writing the show should not write their views into the show. It is getting to the point that you cannot sit down and watch any program without political views being written into the dialogue. There is enough to worry about just watching and reading the news, give us a break when we sit down to watch these mindless shows in the evening or try to enjoy them with our children.
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