Racism on Sesame Street?

[SSLFan]

According to Muppet Wiki, the following episode link was from Season 25. Honestly, I didn't really start watching this show until around mid- 1994, and had no idea an episode like this existed! I was outraged when I saw this! Some cruel people. Who would ever expect there'd be a racist on Sesame Street?

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_3140

 

[Ilikemuppets]

I guess there helping children learn to deal with scary things and helping children to know that you can still be good friends despite differences.

 

[LincolnHeights]

What happened was Savion Gina and Telly were in Hooper's Store and someone started saying terrible things about Savion, then Gina yelled at him and Savion got on the phone and started yelling at him and he hung up. Then Telly Gina and Savion had a discussion on how there's some stupid people in the world who think people with different color skin shouldn't be friends. Gina then commented on how Sesame Street is full of people of different colors and how theyr'e all like a big family. Telly commented how he likes Oscar and Baby Bear and their fur is Green and Brown and Telly's fur is pink. It was episode 3140 and was the 5th episode of the 25th Season.

 

[D'Snowth]

The scene with the cruel phone call in Hooper's was shown on the A&E Sesame Street Biography, so yes, I knew an episode like this existed.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Yeah, saw that. Also remember when the episode aired.

 

[janicegroupie]

The scene with the cruel phone call in Hooper's was shown on the A&E Sesame Street Biography, so yes, I knew an episode like this existed.

You're right!I knew the episode sounded familiar but could not remember ever seeing it but that's where I saw it. I think it's good that SS covered the topic and it seems to have been well done too. Sadly in today's culture it is something children have to learn about and it's best they learn it from a positive source like Sesame Street that explains it in a clear, easy to understand way.

 

[Drtooth]

I also like how they added the segment "It's not easy being green" in there as well.

They did a similar episode a couple years or so back, when Big Bird met a bird pen pal of his. The bird gets very upset that Big Bird makes friends with other species. I forget how the rest goes, but it was another lesson in tollerance.

Racism is a vast and complicated subject (mainly cuz all the races have some tension to them, unfortunately, certain people all races perpetuate said tension). It's more than some hasbeen actor flopping at a comedy club and shouting things out of rage. Then having everyone say how bloody horrible it was, and hypocritically watching it on Youtube and laughing at it. I mean, the KKK is still around, and they breed their kids with messages of hatred. And there are other groups like that too, whom are other races.

Sesame Street can prove to set out teaching tolerance to those who's parents brainwash them otherwise.

But then again, if we try to teach tolerance now, some IDIOT group will come out and say how they're brainwashing our precious seeds...errr kids. Like that We are Family video. Yes Gina... these ARE stupid people.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah I definitely think that was a good episode to do.

The only think I didn't like about that episode was when Savion called the other guy on the phone a jerk or something similar, or calling people stupid. I mean, I know the guy on the phone was clearly being horribly mean. And I know Savion is a young guy and it was the heat of the moment and that's a typical response he would give. I might have done the same thing. But I wouldn't teach kids to insult back like that. I would take them aside later and explain how to walk away from a fight, while still defending yourself. Plus, experts I've read about say to avoid speaking ill of people too much in front of your kids, because they will learn that behavior. Of course, I didn't see the whole episode, so maybe I missed something,

You don't have to be friends with people like that, but everyone deserves respect, whether they respect you or not. It's no great achievement to only be nice to those who are nice to you. Plus, insulting back and forth like that can make the situation worse.

I know this isn't Sesame Street, but in The Muppet Movie Kermit tries to reason with the villian at the end, to appeal to his humanity. It didn't work in that case, it doesn't always work. But sometimes it does. It's important to try.

 

[Barry Lee]

Yep I remember that episode, and sadly that is life, I mean they talked about a lot of issues, and racism is a big problem, and many younger children attribute racism from there parents.
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[minor muppetz]

I wonder if it would have been a good idea to have shown the racist person. Surely it couldn't have been Oscar...