Sesame Street to introduce HIV-positive Muppe

Reuters ^ | Jul. 11, 2002 | Bernie Woodall

[Saturnalia]

Sesame Street will soon introduce its first HIV ( news - web sites)-positive Muppet character to children of South Africa, where one in nine people have the virus that can lead to AIDS ( news - web sites).

[Saturnalia]

Mind you, this IS in South Africa, but they do plan to introduce the character in other locations as well.

[RAT Patrol]

The new muppet, Sod O. Me

[Dallas]

The first HIV-positive Muppets character will join the existing cast of the 'Takalani Sesame', shown here, the South African version of the popular children's television show, it was announced this week at the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain. The new Muppet, which does not yet have a name or final color or form, will join 'Takalani Muppets' Moshe (yellow), Neno (red), Zuzu (purple), and Zikwe (blue). (Sesame Street Workshop/Reuters )

[R. Scott]

But of course when the character shows up here, the HIV will be the result of a blood transfusion – not sex or drugs.

[parsifal]

Maybe this is a positive development! Maybe Sesame Street plans to show the consequences of sex with strangers outside the bonds of matrimony! Maybe Sesame Street plans to teach kids not to associate with drug users, or go to gay bars, or to have one-night stands! Maybe Sesame Street will have the character on for a few shows and then have a funeral for the muppet! What do you think? parsy the cockeyed optimist.

[Bob J]

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[Vidalia]

Latest is that it is a gay-sex cooking on the street thaing using the puppets like the over zealous lesbians did with the children in many of the bogus child-molestation cases...

[NeoCaveman]

I'm shocked it wasn't one or both of these two...

[oline]

LOL! you beat me to it....

When I was little and watched I thought these two were weird ones ----

Maybe it's The COUNT!! wish I had an image of him/it...

[JZoback]

Already posted

But I'll add my same comment

This is truly sad.

The only way to impact these kids is to show the HIV Muppet dying from a slow horrible painful death from AIDS to show that bad behavior does have consequenses.

[oline]

"This is truly sad."


Normally I would agree but this is so effing insane it's funny....

[cajungirl]

Well, just when I think I have seen everything insane, something else comes up. I just can't keep up. But on the other hand, maybe Tinky Winky will get the virus too.

[ellery]

Uh, maybe you hadn't heard that Africa's having a bit of a problem with AIDS? How many children are being born with AIDS because the disease is rampant in the heterosexual, yes, heterosexual population? How horrible that Sesame Street would create a character that those poor sick children can relate to...who might be able to generate a little understanding among their healthier peers. It must be a libertarian plot. /sarcasm

[Mr. K]

I know that Africa has a problem- but it is not with Heterosexual SPREAD of AIDS. It is the lack of needles and their frequent re-use.

[ellery]

Maybe that's the original source...but once you get anywhere near an infection level of 40% of women of childbearing age, I guarentee that there's a whole lot of heterosexual spread of AIDS. Especially since none of those walking corruptions that pass for African leaders will agree to any public education on the subject.

[yooper]

"Tickle-me-butt-mo'"

[NewsFlash]

He's pink. Is the NYC on his leather vest supposed to make him more acceptable for the kids or the adults?