Come away - everythings a-okay

I MEANT to post on this before now and have just been so busy, this is my tribute to Sesame Street and its forthcoming contribution to teaching tolerance, I can’t wait to see what they come up with for northern Ireland.

You may have seen the other Irish Blogosphere’s coverage here on Slugger, on Shitty First Draft, and Most sincerely folks and in the Irish Times (subscription site).

Now while Sesame Street is American, and I have the utmost respect for many many Americans, still I hope this doesn’t go arseways.

I think we can imagine just how cringy and bad it could be but I think there are enough brains there to do good. I would imagine that intensive consultation for want of a better phrase with those who know will take place as part of the programme’s research.

Still I love Sesame Street and think there is enough brains there to do good. After all they are the ones who brought us the Muppets and Pigs in Space.


Piiiiiiggggggsssss iiiinnnnnnnnn SSSSPPPPPPpppacccccceeeeeee

I remember when the Young Wan was wee Sesame Street was one of the few kids programmes on telly during the day. At that time there was no Tweenies, no Tellytubbies – as hard to handle as these programmes are for adults, kids just love them and that’s what it is all about.

I have seen friends with young children be able to get time alone, sometimes it is only five minutes but it is some time alone while the babies watch all manner of fun programmes, ‘Again, again’.

When the Young Wan was wee we had Barney from when she was about three to four years old, thank GOD that stage is long over, and thankfully the telly has more now.

Anyhow there was Sesame Street and I vividly remember watching one clip with the Young Wan featuring a cute bird in a tree singing about how it lived with its mummy in one tree and its daddy lived in that tree over there.

I was transfixed by this, I mean, wasn’t this fantastic? Here was a programme which would be on in the background in our home when it was on. (While the Young Wan is a telly addict like many of us and many, many teenagers, she was never really bothered when young. I would say partly to do with the fact that when she was younger few programmes catered for children of that young age.)

But Sesame Street was doing in its own wonderful way depicting a scene showing normal life as normal people know it, in all its wonderful, remarkable and varying ways.

Or there is the wonderful sketch Jordie told me about after a babysitting episode for gorgeous nieces G and A and watching Sesame Street where four beetles came out singing ‘letter b, letter b” before positioning themselves as a letter B - fantastic.
Course being a Beatles fan and of the belief that if you want to know about music you need to know the Beatles, I would think that.

Sesame Street has been going strong since I was a child, I remember it vividly though I have to say I always felt too old for it, but it never stopped me watching it and I learnt my first Spanish word there ‘aqua’. Hands up who remembers that ongoing theme?

I also loved the Muppets, like everyone in our household in the 1970s and for those of you who also loved the Muppets here’s an iconic scene which even the Young Wan can sing and I do not know if she has even seen it – I will be sure to show her tomorrow.


I loved Kermit's nephew Robin.

Repeat after me Ma na ma na, do doo do dodo.



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