Sesame Street Old School DVD's: Not For Kids

[wwfpooh]

Are these PCers trying to be The Grinch-esque persons of the world by stealing away all of our character personalities and leaving the characters with a lack of personality? I mean, if they want that, then they must also get rid of programs they themselves viewed as a child, for every character--whether cartoon or otherwise--has a personality befitting their characterization.

 

[Drtooth]

Exactly the point. That is part of the reason why making characters who aren't white and male are so difficult. If you add any personality to them, it's deemed racist or sexist. Which is why Token females or non-whites are just that. Devoid of personality out of fear of retaliation.

I mean, with Sesame Street, all the characters have some problems.

Telly isn't just a worrywart... he overly emotes all his feelings. The Count's counting can be seen as obsessive cumpulsive disorder. Zoe's personality could be misconcieved as ADD or ADHD. Rosita's panicking (where she speaks only in spanish and really fast) can be concieved as a stereotype..... when you get down to the bottom of it, the only characters that these people have no problem with are the kids that don't really do or say anything, and are just in the background. And that's not beneficial.

To me, the world is full of people with problems and quirks. How does it look when your kid grows up around characters with no personality? How can they relate to real people? There's a bit of Oscar, Cookie, Bert, Snuffy (et.c) in everybody.... I feel these characters having quirks, emotions, feelings, are better for kids.

 

[wwfpooh]

And the same can be said for many characters and not just Henson's.

Heck, Disney's own Sensational Six members have lost most of their personalities via the "Clubhouse" to the point that the stereotypes we often know them for having essentially were the basis for their character in that series. Poor Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Pluto. *shakes*

I just hope the holiday season of peace and good will changes the Scrooge-esque hearts of those whose greed lead them to power. But, it doesn't look likely, sadly.

*sings "The Twelve Days of Christmas" with the Disney gang (Chip n' Dale, Carabelle, a fourth of the Sensational Six [Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy], a children's choir, and a narrator)*

 

[CensoredAlso]

Firstly... hard to believe kids wouldn't get references to Christmas Carol... since every cartoon character in the history of man kind has milked that one.

Hard to believe, but I have experienced this.

Secondly... who says kids have to get the references now? I mean, a lot of stuff on SS did go over my head, mostly a couple song parodies (but that was when I was really young). That's not a bad thing. I mean, look at Bullwinkle. Half their stuff is pretty esoteric. The Ruby yacht of Omar Kayam? Can anyone explain that off the top of their heads? It took me a history class back in High School to get it. I started cracking up in class and no one knew why. It's those references that take years to get that I think are the best.

Oh yeah, I don't mean kids need to get the references now. I said kids just need to be exposed to them now, so they mean more later on. I'm talking about kids years down the line who have never heard of these things, because they were never even exposed them. These references are just random history lessons, and the kids feel no connection. And yes, the Ruby Yacht thing was very amusing to me years later as well, lol.

 

[wwfpooh]

Oh yeah, I don't mean kids need to get the references now. I said kids just need to be exposed to them now, so they mean more later on.

Agreed. Especially when they could be essential in other endeavors.

 

[erniebert1234ss]

I'm going to jump in here.

I was born pre-1996, and I have to say, I'm really unhappy with the way SW has underestimated all the children. If they keep making these sets, I'll keep buying them.

Also, I think that shows like "Play with me Sesame" are better for all ages, mainly because the show isn't so condescending to the children. The disclaimers on these DVDs smack of arrogance and ignorance more than anything else.

(although the LTGC disclaimers that came in after v3 are just as bad IMHO)

BJ

 

[wwfpooh]

The disclaimers on these DVDs smack of arrogance and ignorance more than anything else.

They're just made to satisfy PCers needs, IMO.

 

[Drtooth]

They're just made to satisfy PCers needs, IMO.

And to detract first time parents from buying anything and everything with the SS label on it so they can quite down the baby for 2 minutes...

 

[wwfpooh]

And it's funny...the Street isn't even for babies, anyway, for what 1 or 2 year old is going to get anything out of most segments (sans Elmo's World, which is a spat on the Sesame legacy in order to shove the red menace onto TV screens for 12-20 minutes at the end of each show)?

 

[MuppetQuilter]

The disclaimer is necessary. Television censors have different guidelines today than they had in the early 70s. In the early 70s, adults smoked all over television. Today, you can't show adults smoking in a kids show (unless it is part of a very clear 'smoking: bad' segment). Early SST followed a different set of rules-- completely separate from culture references and comfort zones.

I don't believe any of it has anything to do with Cookie monster eating lots of cookies or Oscar (who still lives in a trash can). There are people who buy SST for kids-- any SST-- and don't look at what they're getting. Plunk an Elmo-obsessed three year old in front of SST Old School and the kids is going to be confused. I'm not saying the kid won't enjoy it-- but if you promise a three year old Elmo you better deliver Elmo. If you promise a three year old something different, that's fine (they are perfectly capable of adjusting) but don't say the "E" word if you don't plan on delivering.

When SST premiered it was aimed at 5 and 6 year olds. Today it is aimed at 3 year olds. That's a huge difference. Six year olds are reading, writing, going to school... Three year olds are (often) still learning to use the bathroom.