Sesame Workshop VP: ‘Pox News’ Comment on ‘Sesame Street’ in Praise of Fox
by Big HollywoodLast night, VP of Sesame Workshop Sherrie Westin joined Bill on “The O’Reilly Factor” to defend a recent show where “Sesame Street” trashed Fox News:
So, PBS, if it is true, as VP of Sesame Workshop Sherrie Westin indicated in the above segment, that the GNN (Grouchy News Network) clip exposed by Big Hollywood three weeks ago was in praise of Fox, then how do you explain this?!?!:
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. -PBS Ombudsmen Michael Getler
I guess that means you were against Pox News before you were for it, or something?
Westin’s explanation is enough to make one’s BS detector go haywire. First, spinning the “trashy news show” comment to be not just a compliment, but “highest praise” is so outrageous I had to watch it a few times just to make sure she was being serious. Tack on the fact that the PBS Ombudsmen already acknowledged this line was a “shot at Fox News,” and one would recommend Ms. Westin check her shoe to see if she did in fact step in it.
Next, Westin states that the “Pox News” line was a throwaway to entertain adults, which does not comport with the last clause of the Getler quote cited about. And even if we granted her that the “Pox News” comment was directed solely at adults and would 100% fly over children’s heads (which we won’t), wouldn’t it have crossed the producers’ minds that the line might offend/disappoint/trouble/piss off parents that watch both “Sesame Street” and Fox News? Not like any such parents exist… We think it did cross their minds, and we think they decided to send their hostile, anti-Fox message anyway.
Stage Right posted the “Pox News” clip on Nov. 3rd, the PBS ombudsman weighed in on November 5th, but three weeks later on November 24th, all of a sudden the explanation has completely changed? Perhaps the reason is Sesame Workshop and PBS Ombudsmen Getler did not coordinate responses on this one, but we certainly hope they do, because at this point they have a lotta ’splainin’ to do.
On a lighter note, Spill O’Reilly was a delight.
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27 Comments
I really wanted Bill to get in the puppet's face and shout, "DO YOU HATE AMERICA?" Now that would have been good TV.
At any rate, I get the feeling that Sesame Street will be twice as cautious about this kind of stuff now. I hope Spill O'Reilly is a recurring character on the show.
This just gets better and better!
This is another one of those stories… Is it a story? Is it news? Is there room for opinion? Shouldn't we just get past this?
Yes. Yes. Yes. and Yes.
I re-read John's post and he used this as a jumping off point. I support what he said in the whole. We do need to protect the children from "mind control". Realize, PBS is just part of the Lamestream media. Their techniques to stimulate young minds might be admirable were it not for their ideologies wrapped up in good feelings much the way faulty-thinking adults are manipulated. Let's teach the kids to use and trust their brains instead of their feelings.
Wouldn't it cross their minds that they could offend parents? Nope. Entertainment elites don't care about ratings. That's been discussed on this site endlessly. When the flak starts, as an afterthought, they may try to control the bleeding by telling us that we're just not sophisticated and don't understand, we're too sensitive or we're too out of touch to "get it". But they don't think about ratings beforehand.
I would also like to add that I find Bill O'Reilly cringe inducing when he's trying to be charming.
Perhaps I need to speak more slowly:
These
Are
Grouches.
Grouches live in trash and filth. The messier and dirtier something is, the better. In Grouchland, soap is forbidden, so they wash with cheese. You drive your car through a place which throws dirt on it. Rotting, broken things are good.
For grouches, the dirtier something is, the better it is. To call something trashy is to call it high quality.
There are enough really offensive things that this just makes us look stupid.We should be offended by the government trying to break all constitutional boundaries to invade every aspect of our lives, under the auspices of protecting our health or the environment. We should be offended by the fact that terrorist dirtbags like Bill Ayers are breathing at all, much less breathing free air while 3 Navy Seals are going to court martial for arresting a murderer. We should be offended that our confiscatory-rate tax dollars are currently funding organized criminal groups SEIU and ACORN, and will soon be funding infanticide.
But to flip because you can't understand the concept of a grouch, when any 2-year old has no problem understanding it? Pathetic.
Let's teach the kids to use and trust their brains
Yeah, that's the one-half of Sesame Street's original mission that was left by the wayside years ago.
With so many folks out of work…and food pantries in this country running on empty….why would anyone with even a quarter of a brain give any money at all to the stooges at PBS? And is this where our tax dollars should really be spent? PBS can stand firm and tall with liberal criminal organizations like ACORN and SEIU. Obama's left has done enough damage to our nation…..and it's time to say enough is ENOUGH!
I have enough ire for both kinds of offenses, thank you very much.
LOL – I also find O'Reilly cringe-inducing when he's trying to be funny. He seems so unctuous and oily, sort of a modern-day Charles Dickens' Uriah Heep kind of character.
I'm willing to be offended at all the examples you gave, and STILL have enough energy to be offended at PBS's blatant bullshit.
You are correct that other stories are more outrageous and more important. However, you're defending the indefensible. There is no good excuse for PBS's bullshit. All the good points you made kinda got lost by your attempting to "explain" this feeble attempt at politically correct humor. No reasonable person would interpret this the way you did, using the "concept of a grouch." Pathetic? Yes, your attempt was pathetic, ,but don't be so hard on yourself.
While I agree, somewhat, that we might be making a bit too much out of this, I couldn't help but wonder at the "highest form of praise" line. Do the people behind Sesame Street considered all the slams of president Bush as "high praise"? I'm guessing no.
Sesame Street has always had a sort of multi-cultural, communist oppressiveness to it. Oh well, I would advise everyone to just turn the crap off and buy a dvd of classic, uncensored Bugs Bunny. The kids will be happy to leave Sesame Street.
So the people who like to watch fox news are smelly trashy people who have bad hygiene and like it?
Yep. That sounds about like what a liberal producer of a government funded kids show would think
Especially the WWII wartime produced episodes.
If PBS is the "mainstream media", what is Fox News?
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck – it's probably a duck.
Amen. The Senate is poised to pass a bill that will make every citizen of this country a criminal unless they buy a product the government is selling, and we're throwing a fit about sock puppets.
Of course not. They don't know anyone who watches FOX.
Here's a solution everyone can support – let's stop giving PBS our tax dollars, then let them program whatever they can get the funds for from private donations. They can do whatever they want with their own money, but not mine.
The grouch reminded him of Barny Frank., now that's a good dig.
Sherrie Westin self-praises: "There's a method to our madness. The reason you have an Oscar the Grouch is because it's a way to teach children that they can still be friends with people who have very different world views than them."
But,
'Spill O'Reilly' spews: "We can't stand anybody! You all drive us crazy! So, what I've got to say to everyone from every political persuasion in the nation is this: Scram! Get outta here!"
One of the demands of Political Correctness on these two government-funded apologists apparently includes dstructive Leftist Moral Relativism.
Gee. I feel much better now after reading your post…NOT.
Did I think the Sesame Street lady was spinning? Sure.
Did I appreciate the gesture? Absolutely.
LOL, getting worked up about kiddie shows now? What little children. Go cry to mommy; she might kiss your boo boo.
Spill O was lame. Why must the news be treated as grouchy? Are parents who watch and discus the news grouchy too? Grouch News Network shows just how lame it is to grow up kids and get tuned into reality. Instead, don't forget your imagination and ignore the news. Yeah! Reading Is Fundamental to understanding the world around you but the news is grouchy while multicultural hands on experiences are where your friends are. Remember, you are not American first but something less.
Seriously? Are you all insane? Me couldn't have said it better. If you really think that this will affect your child's lives then I feel very sorry for you. Kids are smarter then you give them credit for. If you think your kids will be, " brainwashed," maybe you should look into your own parenting skills!
I think you missed the point that PBS and Sesame Workshop are two totally different entities. Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit organization which produces Sesame Street. In fact, Sesame Street's EVP of Content, Miranda Barry replied to PBS Ombudsmen with an explanation of the parody, which is posted below his original criticism of Sesame Street.
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