Research Paper: Sesame Street
Sesame Street Then and Now: Changes For Better and For Worse
Forty-three years after its visionary beginnings, Sesame Street has weathered changes in educational philosophies and societal transformations, resulting in the accomplishment of greatly influencing its audience, but sustaining a loss of core values. In addressing these changes, it will be beneficial to determine whether they are necessary and fruitful. For the purposes of this paper, the term ‘necessary change’ will be defined as being essential for the fulfillment of the audience’s needs. The term ‘fruitful change’ will be defined as having impacted the audience for the better in light of the initial goal of educating preschool aged children and closing the school-readiness gap. Ultimately, it can be determined that although Sesame Street was born out of exemplary motives, due to many changes that were neither necessary nor fruitful, the program has lost much of its original innocence and capacity for educating.
The humble beginnings of Sesame Street were brought about by a desire to reach out to disadvantaged preschool-aged children, and with the visionary determination to teach through television. In the 1960’s, preschool was solely an option for the upper and middle class, as government funded nursery schools did not yet exist. It was in light of these circumstances that the creators of Sesame Street sought to bring preschool education to disadvantaged children using television as a medium. This concept of an educational children’s T.V. program, which would eventually take its form as Sesame Street, was concocted in the mid 1960’s around the dinner table (Davis 15). Never before had television been viewed as an opportunity to teach young people, so the first question at hand for the creators of the now-iconic show was whether it could actually be done.
The creators of Sesame Street took on the difficulties of pioneering a new educational medium. In order to gain support and bolster confidence for the venture, Joan Cooney, fellow-creator of Sesame Street and eventual producer, set out to perform the necessary research to prove that it was possible for children to learn via television. There were those who had their doubts as to the possibilities; worries regarding children and the emphasis that T.V. could have upon them have been present since the medium was first invented (Rydin). However, due to the constantly growing gap between preschoolers who attended nursery school and those who didn’t, the majority of teachers and psychologists interviewed by Cooney were receptive to the idea (Davis 66). Today the notion of teaching through television is normative; an ample amount of children’s programs are dedicated to the idea. But in the 1960’s, color television was still novel, let alone using it as a medium for anything besides entertainment. In pioneering this new method of education, Sesame Street impacted television-users and paved the way for more programs of its kind.
Sesame Street was first conceptualized during the time of Dr. Spock, who advocated a revolutionary approach towards raising children that included instant gratification of needs; building upon this philosophy has led to America’s current approach to education, utilizing multiculturalism and egoism. Dr. Spock was a prominent voice in the realm of childcare in the 1960’s and 70’s, encouraging generous affection towards children, accommodating their preferences, and telling them that they were unique, talented and special (“Dr. Benjamin Spock: Childcare and Controversy”). Up until the mid-1940’s, children had been raised rather rigidly, thus in the 1960’s it was still a novel idea that Dr. Spock proposed. ‘Egoism’ is defined by Professor Stephen Hicks as seeing the primary goal of life to be for individuals to achieve happiness. Egoism in education purposes to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and character necessary to achieve a happy life (Hicks). Egoism can be seen in Sesame Street often as the characters deal with issues of life, such as deciding which career to choose or what actions to take in certain situations; each of the life issues share a common goal of achieving happiness. One example of this philosophy can be seen in a recent episode of the program, titled “The Good Bird’s Club.” In the episode, Big Bird deals with being bullied, finally realizing that he simply needs to love himself the way he is in order to be happy (“Sesame Street: The Good Bird’s Club”). This encouragement of self-confidence is ordinary in contemporary children's programs, but was rare before the influence of Dr. Spock. The venerable doctor condoned Sesame Street for its achievements in reaching such a wide range of children; no doubt he was also happy to see his philosophies applied to popular culture.
The 1960’s culture, rife with changes in human rights and education, fostered the multiculturalism and egoism that are prevalent in society today. Sesame Street, with its diversity and promotion of self-confidence, has helped to advocate these popular societal ideals and bring them to upcoming generations while they are still very young. The beginnings of multi-culturalism in education can be traced back to the 1960’s, says Paul Gorski in his history of multiculturalism. “It is important to remember that multicultural education is a relatively new concept that will continue to change to meet the needs of a constantly changing society” (Gorski). As Sesame Street has morphed in accordance with the culture, it has also impacted it in a give-and-take sort of phenomenon. The television show may have changed over the years to accommodate each new generation, but it has helped to create the needs of upcoming generations by having already influenced their parents. Perhaps the power that pop-culture sensations, such as Sesame Street, have over the lives of Americans is underestimated by most.
Sesame Street has always been a haven for diversity, exhibiting not only different races coexisting in harmony, but also hosting guests with disabilities, a practice that was unheard of when the show first had its debut in the 1960’s. Diversity was not a commonly televised notion then, and Sesame Street aimed to change that by incorporating a variety of nationalities in the show. Loretta Long, a one-time actress on Sesame Street, recalls the innovation of depicting diversity on a television show at the time, stating that it wasn't Dick and Jane's type of neighborhood, that is, the suburban neighborhood of blond-haired, blue-eyed white children, as was commonly portrayed at the time. “People are so used to diversity in learning today that they forget how innovative it was in the 1960’s” (Long). Other conscious moves to feature multiplicity on the program included the hiring of Buffy Sainte-Marie, a Native-American singer, to promote curriculum about modern Native American Culture (Davis 235). One of the goals of Sesame Street was to teach children to avoid stereotyping and ignorance about different cultures, races, and disabilities, and this has been one of the few original intents that remains intact today.
Besides utilizing American Sign Language in the curriculum of Sesame Street, another way that the program introduced its viewers to people with disabilities was through Jason, a preschooler with Down syndrome, who tore down misconceptions of his capabilities through his appearances on Sesame Street. During the 1970's, Jason was featured on the show a total of fifty-seven times, mingling with other children on the set. As many people were ignorant as to the potential of kids with this disability, it had become extremely important to Jason's mother to let others know that children with Down syndrome had potential to learn, and “need not be invisible” (Davis 233). This proactive approach to introducing preschoolers to diversity at a time when such things were not condoned by society is an example of Sesame Street influencing the culture, as opposed to submitting to what was culturally correct at the time.
Although the show from its beginning was focused on transforming the culture, it was not too long before the culture began to influence Sesame Street. Society's impact upon the show included changes to the philosophy of Sesame Street, particularly in the way that gender differences are portrayed, the environmentalist movement, and a health-conscious shift. Each of these changes can be seen to indicate the following of cultural trends and political correctness. Some of these changes will be seen to be necessary and/or fruitful, though many did little to benefit the audience, but rather distracted the show from its purpose. Originally, the producers of the show made a stand to do what they believed to be right, embracing diversity and promoting it to the preschoolers in their audience. Sesame Street grew out of a conscious attempt to impact society, and over the years has become more of a follower of trends rather than a creator of them. This seems to indicate that the culture has progressively come into line with the ideals of the show's producers, explaining why the program hasn't continued to deviate from societal norms.
In the early years of Sesame Street, women were generally portrayed in the traditional roles of wife and mother; but as the Sexual Revolution began to transform societal views of women, Sesame Street followed suit. One example of the traditional portrayal of women is from an early episode of the show. Buffy Sainte-Marie, an actress on Sesame Street who had recently had a baby, was shown breastfeeding her child and explaining what she was doing to a curious Big Bird. “He’s drinking milk from my breast . . . he likes it because it’s nice and warm and sweet and natural. And it’s good for him” (Davis 236). This portrayal of a woman in the role of a mother, doing something so natural and intimate as nursing her baby and explaining it to young children, was partially what ruffled the feathers of feminists and caused many an outburst towards the show. These outspoken activists saw Sainte-Marie, as well as the wifely character of Susan, to be powerless and subservient, their sole purpose being to feed and care for others (Davis 213). Whether the claims made by the rankled group of feminists were legitimate or not, the producers of Sesame Street eventually decided that different types of female characters needed to be created. In 1992, the first quirky and strong-of-character female Muppet arrived. Zoe was born out of the desire to give little girls a role model, and in reaction to criticisms of the show for not having a female character that more girls could relate to (Davis 324). In later episodes of the show, music themes such as the 2003 song “Women Can Be” appeared on Sesame Street, empowering girls to explore all of the different careers they could chose to have (“Sesame Street: Women Can Be”). Changes such as these demonstrate societal shifts and expectations having impact upon expressions of popular culture like Sesame Street. It is important to recall that whether these changes are agreed with by parents or not, they were not necessary to continue the primary purpose of the show, teaching. Neither are the transformations fruitful in relation to imparting academic knowledge to toddlers. This is not to say that the accommodation of societal views of women was a wrong decision necessarily, merely an example of the broadening focus of Sesame Street over the years, and the impact that cultural standards began to have upon the show.
Originally Sesame Street’s intended audience was made up of poor, inner-city children, but as a greater range of viewers from diverse backgrounds began to grow, the program felt the need to change the way the street was portrayed. Catherine Kutz, who grew up watching Sesame Street in the early 1970's, described the feel of the show as being urban and inner-city, also remarking that as she was raised in a suburban, mostly-white middle class neighborhood, she didn't quite relate to the setting of Sesame Street. Producers eventually changed the sets to depict a brighter, less urban feel to the street in order to relate to a wider range of viewers. These changes may not be absolutely necessary, but can be seen to be fruitful in allowing the program to be easily relatable to a broader range of children.
Sesame Street's pioneering of teaching through the medium of television certainly began reaching a wide range of Americans each week; eventually other producers caught on. As more children’s educational television series began to appear, Sesame Street’s viewers grew younger, with the show reaching two to three year-olds, instead of the original three to five year-old age group. Technology has expanded and become available and integral to most families, meaning that many toddlers are familiar with television gimmicks, and harder to please than the children of 1969, who were wowed by the colorful scenes depicted on the screen (“Changes on Sesame Street”). As the audience grew younger, so did their ability to comprehend the concepts being covered on the show. The format was altered to become slower and more predictable for an age group uncomfortable with fast-paced and irregular storylines (“40 Years of Lessons on Sesame Street”). Uses of certain props, such as a pipe, has also been modified to fit audience differences, or perhaps to please cultural standards. “Political correctness has taken its toll. And aging down becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy’’ (Kahn). As the viewers have become younger, and Sesame Street has been forced to compete with other widely-popular programs, such as Barney or Blue's Clues, the show has come to rely upon parent's attraction to pop-culture references in order to ensure viewers.
Due to growing competition and an audience of toddlers who are overly familiar with televised entertainment, Sesame Street has been pushed to constantly keep up with trends in society to ensure an audience; however, in doing so it seems that the show may have sold out on its original goals in order to keep ratings high. Parents who are familiar with references made on the show, enjoy watching, and consequentially it becomes their program of choice for their children to view. Although celebrity guests have been a part of Sesame Street since the beginning, in recent episodes of the show popular culture references have become more adult than is comfortable for an audience of toddlers. As society has become more dependent and familiar with media and technology, what is broadcast on television and in tabloids enjoys greater influence over the culture and daily lives of people. The producers of Sesame Street certainly appear to have caught on to this trend, as recent seasons of the show have begun to install segments of “O”, a cartoon-version of The Oprah Winfrey Show, modified to incorporate the letter O and its function in language. This is not to say that references to what is popular in society are necessarily wrong or harmful; the very first episode of the show featured actress Carol Burnett. Rather, the point is that in leaning upon pop-culture references to ensure an audience, Sesame Street has lost focus on its initial goals and has fallen short in its primary purpose: teaching. Although audience demographics have changed, and preschool is available to the majority, the supposed focus of the show remains the same, though what is meant by “teaching” may have evolved. Sesame Workshop, the brainpower behind Sesame Street and its other-cultural counterparts, makes clear that its primary mission is to use television as a means of education (“Our Mission”). It appears that what is meant by the word “education” has changed to be primarily made up of entertainment.
Early episodes of Sesame Street featured parodies of popular theatrical performances such as Gone With the Wind, The Thirty-Nine Steps, Hamlet, and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, all of which are references to adult popular culture, yet of a high caliber of literature and film legend. The parodies were supplemental to the educational aspects of the show, not the primary source of drawing viewers. Current episodes of Sesame Street also parody popular adult movies and television shows; however, these parodies often reference concepts that are of a crude nature, and over the heads of the audience of toddlers. These current parodies include “Waiting for Big”, with Sarah Jessica Parker of Sex In The City, and “G” a parody of Glee, another program that focuses on themes of sexuality and drama, which is certainly not necessary or fruitful in the education of two and three-year-olds. These theatrical parodies, while amusing for adults who are acquainted with the original show being mocked, are not only inappropriate for the target audience of preschoolers, but are filled with humor that is above their comprehension (Healy). The question may be asked, how is it that references that are not understandable to children can be hurtful or beneficial to them? The answer lies in what young minds are being exposed to. Bringing in themes from literature and films that are highly influential to Western culture, such as Shakespeare, and will later be introduced in the upper grades of school, can only help children make connections to these great works. Referencing uncultured pop television shows is not likely to have that educational and beneficial effect on our youth. It seems that Sesame Street has forgotten not only their purpose of teaching, but also who their audience is.
At times many parents of preschoolers have perceived the material, which is aimed at them, to be inappropriate for their toddlers. Katy Perry, a pop-diva whose songs speak of adult themes, was originally filmed singing her song “Hot and Cold” with Elmo for a 2010 episode of Sesame Street. The song's lyrics had been modified, but parents were upset by the immodest attire of Perry, whose low-cut top and mini-skirt were perhaps more fitting for the stage than the sets of Sesame Street. Due to the outrage expressed by parents, the show never aired, though the song is still available for viewing on the Internet. However, more disconcerting than the attire of one pop star and a show that never aired is the commonplace familiarization of toddlers with pop-culture themes and celebrities. While their songs and references may be changed to fit children's educational themes, toddlers are unable to distinguish between a celebrity singing about the concept of 'big' and the same celebrity acting in a movie or T.V. show, or singing a song that deals with sexuality, drug/alcohol abuse, obscenities, or other adult concepts. The references may be above a toddler's comprehension level, but the connection is made between that celebrity and things that are child-friendly. Regardless of whether those connections are dangerous or permissible, the references are not necessary and not fruitful. The purpose of Sesame Street is to educate preschoolers and to help more children become ready for school, not to cater to pop-culture in order to snag viewers. The use of pop-culture references is not needed to please young children, nor is it needed to help toddlers understand or appreciate learning concepts. In the early days of Sesame Street it was the child-like Muppets who initially grabbed preschoolers' attention, compelling them to continue watching and learning by byproduct.
There is no denying the necessity of change to a television show such as Sesame Street, following the culture to grow in it’s strengths and insights, deviating in order to impact culture when it lags. However, changes to the program, such as introducing overly adult themes to ensure viewers, have detracted from Sesame Street’s usefulness rather than adding to it. Sesame Street has followed the cultural shifts over the years, and whether or not parents agree that those shifts are for good or ill, Sesame Street is a mirror of what is the societal norm. This mirroring has been deliberate, an attempt to raise ratings and gather a greater audience, for fear of being “left behind”, according to current Producer, Executive Vice President of Research and Education, Lewis Bernstein (Bernstein). Producers have felt great pressure to keep up with an ever-changing audience (Bauder). It would be ignorant to assume that adapting to upcoming generations is unnecessary for a television show like Sesame Street. However, ought not accommodations stop when learning becomes compromised? Or when accommodating cultural expectations would result in losing core values and no longer benefiting the target audience? Perhaps rather than continuing to claim education as the primary purpose of the show, producers of Sesame Street should bow to the inevitable and promote the program as entertainment incorporating life issues and cultural values.
One of the great aspects of the original Sesame Street model was that the street was presented as a “safe haven” for young viewers, a world created expressly for them, not catering towards their parents; as this has changed, the original innocence of the show has been lost. This is not to say that sheltering children from every undesirable aspect of life is to be encouraged, rather it is to suggest that a toddler's educational program ought to focus on learning themes suitable for their audience, not incorporating adult concepts above their understanding. Catherine Kutz, a mother of three, became wary of the show, which her children viewed in between the mid-1990’s and the early 2000’s, after perceiving changes from the original format. It had become “even more culturally relevant, relying on pop culture themes”, and “too adult-like with the way it portrayed the Muppets as a rock band, TV talk show, etc . . . it had become really hyper” (Kutz). As a parent, Kutz was disappointed with the lack of innocence presented in the show, particularly because Sesame Street was targeting preschoolers. Rather than giving young children the means to succeed in school, Sesame Street had turned into a source of entertainment for the parents of the intended audience.
So, if a television show that was initially created with the purpose of educating disadvantaged children is no longer required to fulfill that need, where lies its future? Not only are the majority of children able to attend preschool, but also due to an ever-aging downward audience, and the rise in academically centered children’s T.V. programs, Sesame Street has sustained a drastic change in audience’s needs. Besides these difficulties in demographics, the show has begun to cater to adult-humor, and broadened its focus to an extent that detracts from its ability to teach. Despite these deficiencies, Sesame Street remains an iconic legend, built upon a foundation that has impacted the lives of multiple generations. Recently the program has embarked on a global scale, beginning to bring culturally relevant Muppets to varying continents and cultures (Dr. Lewis Bernstein, Production Bios”). Perhaps it is here that the future for Sesame Street belongs. After all, it was with the determination to enhance the progress of education, as well as impact the culture for better by introducing diversity, that the show was first launched in the U.S. As the tables have turned, and societal changes have influenced Sesame Street rather than the program impacting society, perhaps the show would do best to move on to underdeveloped countries with a need for education and cultural impact.
Sesame Street began with the great intention of readying disadvantaged preschoolers for kindergarten. Originally, the producers of the program sought to influence the culture, including novel concepts such as diversity, and introducing viewers to people with disabilities. However, Sesame Street no longer attempts to make an impact upon the culture, as it did by portraying a culturally diverse neighborhood, and through the help of Jason, the toddler with Down syndrome. Rather, the show has become more and more influenced by society, and dependent upon pop-culture. As the show has grown over the past forty-three years, it has made many changes to fit in with the societal norms, such as making conscious shifts towards egoism, multiculturalism, environmentalism, and a reliance on pop-culture references. A certain amount of the changes to Sesame Street have been necessary, even fruitful. However, the majority of modifications, such as broadening the focus to include unnecessary issues, or relying upon adult references to ensure an audience, have begun the demise of Sesame Street’s initial potential. If it is to regain its original value, the show must either move on to new cultures, or change its goals and recognize that overly broadening its focus and catering to adult humor is not compatible with the goal of educating. Through change, much of Sesame Street's original greatness has been lost, surrendering the basic innocence and simplicity that had once made it great.
