Sesame Street

Overview

Sesame Street uses a combination of puppets, animation, and live actors to teach young children the fundamentals of reading (letter and word recognition), arithmetic (numbers, addition and subtraction), colors, and the concept of time (clocks and days of the week). Included are segments which focus on basic life skills, such as how to cross the road safely and the importance of proper hygiene and healthy eating habits. Skits and segments are sometimes parodies of popular or well-known television productions.

Related Topics:
Hygiene - Eating - Parodies

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There is also a subtle sense of humor on the show that has appealed to older viewers since it first premiered. A number of spoofs and parodies of popular culture appear, especially ones aimed at the Public Broadcasting Service, the network that hosts the show. For example, during the "Me Claudius" segment, the children viewing the show might enjoy watching Cookie Monster and the Muppets, while adults watching the same sequence may enjoy the spoof of the Masterpiece Theatre production of I, Claudius; this series of segments is known as "Monsterpiece Theater."

Related Topics:
Public Broadcasting Service - Cookie Monster - Muppet - Masterpiece Theatre - I, Claudius - Monsterpiece Theater

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Several of the characters on the program were conceived to attract an older audience, such as the characters Flo Bear (Flaubert), Sherlock Hemlock (a Sherlock Holmes parody), and H. Ross Parrot (based on Reform Party founder Ross Perot). Well over two hundred notable personalities, from celebrities like James Brown to political figures such as Kofi Annan, have made guest appearances on the show. Wikipedia's list includes 179 different individual/group appearances, and does not include multiple appearances. The inclusion of sophisticated humor is purposely intended to encourage parents to watch with their children. By making the show something that not only educates and entertains kids, but also keeps parents entertained and involved in the educational process, the producers hope that more discussion about the concepts on the show will occur.

Related Topics:
Flaubert - Sherlock Hemlock - Sherlock Holmes - Reform Party - Ross Perot - James Brown - Kofi Annan - Guest appearances on the show

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