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LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Will the Children’s Television Workshop give way to same-sex puppet love? An online campaign is calling for the producers of TV’s “Sesame Street” to allow characters Bert and Ernie to get married in an attempt to “put an end to the bullying and suicides of LGBT youth”, according to the group’s Facebook page. The petition letter adds that “[w]e are not asking that Sesame Street do anything crude or disrespectful by allowing Bert & Ernie to marry”, suggesting that the show “even add a transgender character to the show…in a tasteful way”.

This idea isn't going to make a big splash with Rubber Duckie. An online campaign to pressure the producers of "Sesame Street" into having lovable roommates Bert and Ernie get married is gathering steam. Getting hitched would change things for Ernie, who has long sang about how his bath toy, Rubber Duckie, "was the one." More than 700 people have signed on to the petition, posted at change.org. "We are not asking that Sesame Street do anything crude or disrespectful," reads the petition for the muppet merger. "It can be done in a tasteful way. Let us teach tolerance of...

<p>The are-they-or-aren't-they gay jokes about Ernie and Bert have a long history. I think an image of them holding hands was carved by early man in the caves at Lascaux.</p> <p>But could the two actually get married? Huffington Post reports today that more than 900 people have signed petition urging the makers of "Sesame Street" get married. Lair Scott started the petition which reads, in part, "In this horrific age of LGBT kids taking their own lives, they need to know that they ARE Beautiful and their lives are worth living."</p>

Online campaign urges Sesame Street to 'teach tolerance' Big Bird could be best man. That's the image if an online push looking to join Bert and Ernie in gay matrimony is successful. "We are not asking that Sesame Street do anything crude or disrespectful," reads the petition at Change.org. "It can be done in a tasteful way. Let us teach tolerance of those that are different." Sesame Street spokesmen insist the muppet pair are merely "best friends" with "no sexual orientation," reports the New York Daily News. They were "created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with...

Conservative columnist and author Ben Shapiro accused television executives and writers of pushing a liberal agenda in several high profile American television entertainment shows. His book will show how the "most powerful medium of mass communication in human history became a vehicle for spreading the radical agenda of the left side of the political spectrum," according to the publishers HarperCollins. Shapiro interviewed dozens of leading industry figures, some of whom admitted to including a left wing bias in their shows. The results showed "unrepentant abuses of the Hollywood entertainment industry" and how movers and shakers in the television world tried...

The TV series Friends undermined family values; Sesame Street taught ethnic minorities about civil disobedience; Happy Days had a subtle anti-Vietnam subtext; and the 1980s cop show MacGyver tried to persuade pistol-packing Americans that guns are bad. That, at least, is the considered opinion of Ben Shapiro, an investigative author and right-wing columnist who will publish a detailed exposé tomorrow telling how Hollywood producers, writers and actors have been secretly using TV to promote what he calls a "radical" left-leaning political agenda. Shapiro's book, Primetime Propaganda runs to 416 pages and revolves around comments by 70-odd industry heavyweights who he...

It’s a good thing we’re flush with money, highly influential and well respected around the world. Otherwise, this plan might not seem like such a spectacularly fabulous idea. The United States is funding a Pakistani remake of the popular TV children’s show Sesame Street. In a new effort to win hearts and minds in Pakistan, USAID – the development arm of the US government – is donating $20m (£12m) to the country to create a local Urdu version of the show… The remake will star a puppet called Rani, the six-year-old daughter of a peasant farmer, with pigtails and a...

In a new effort to win hearts and minds in Pakistan, USAID - the development arm of the US government - is donating $20m (£12m) to the country to create a local Urdu version of the show. The project aims to boost education in Pakistan, where many children have no access to regular schooling. The show is to be filmed in Lahore and aired later in the year. "The programme is part of a series of ventures that is aimed at developing the educational infrastructure in the country," Virginia Morgan, a spokesperson for USAID, told the BBC. "Education is one...

As we all know, the Republican Party is the single most evil organization in human history. Republicans hate the poor, hate the environment, hate teachers, hate foreigners, and generally hate joy and happiness in all its forms. And now the Daily Beast’s Samuel Jacobs says the GOP is poised to undertake their most heartless act yet: “kill Big Bird.” Jacobs is citing a report in the New York Times which describes House Republicans’ latest batch of proposed budget cuts, meant to reduce federal spending by $100 billion. “Dozens of programs” are on the chopping block, including the Corporation for Public...

(edit)  But Bert has now ignited fresh debate about his sexuality after using a slang word for gay to describe himself. In a message posted on Twitter about the premiere of the recent A-Team film remake, the mono-browed Muppet said on his official page: "Ever notice how similar my hair is to Mr. T's? "The only difference is mine is a little more 'mo,' a little less 'hawk.'" The remark meant nothing to most readers, but sparked intrigue in certain gay circles, where "mo" is shorthand for "homosexual". Writing on the gay blog AfterElton.com, Ed Kennedy noted that the tweet...

Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog have some new friends, but they're a long way from "Sesame Street." One of America's best-loved children's shows, which began life on a fictional New York street over 40 years ago, is about to land in Nigeria under the title of "Sesame Square" -- bringing with it some distinctly West African twists. The show stars Kami, a girl Muppet who is HIV-positive, has golden hair and a zest for adventure; and Kobi, an energetic, furry, blue Muppet whose troublesome escapades help others learn from his mistakes.

"Sesame Street" started previewing its 41st season on the Web this week, releasing teaser clips featuring stars like Jude Law, Will.i.am, Colin Farrell, and Run-DMC's Reverend Run. One of the shorts, however, got a lot more attention than the rest: a two-and-a-half minute video of pop star Katy Perry singing a reworked version of her 2008 hit "Hot N Cold" with Elmo. The issue: the perception that Perry's outfit wasn't appropriate for a show geared toward children ages one to six.

This is an unaired clip from Sesame Street. According to the DailyCaller blog, the show's producer have already announced they are editing it out. Not terrible but not appropriate either.

Producers of the hit children's TV show Sesame Street have canceled an appearance by pop singer Katy Perry following feedback from parents. Perry, who rose to stardom in 2008 with the No. 1 single, "I Kissed A Girl, was set to appear on the premiere of the show's 41st season on Sept 27. But after a segment of the show appeared online on Monday Sesame Workshop, which produces the show, decided not to air it. "In light of the feedback we've received on the Katy Perry music video which was released on YouTube only, we have decided we will not...

If you can’t fool Big Bird, who can you?

Palestinians rehearse a scene for the "Shara'a Simsim," the Palestinian "Sesame Street," in a studio in the West Bank city of Ramallah. From left are Shaden Saleem, with her puppet named Kareem, Rjaae Sandoka and Fahdi Alghoul, with his puppet named Haneen. (CNS/Debbie Hill) By Judith SudilovskyCatholic News Service EL BIREH, West Bank (CNS) -- Muppet Haneen and her friend, Kareem the rooster, are learning how to dress themselves and have fun with their letters. They are discovering how to overcome their fears and accept differences in others. They also learn to channel their anger and analyze situations. Taping...

Google strikes yet another blow for p.c.: celebrating the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street on its front page, while ignoring the 234th anniversary of the founding of the USMC.Priorities ...

While Fox News may be used to taking a never-ending beating from the liberal folks at CNN and MSNBC, you can bet they were not expecting a jab from venerable kids favorite, ‘Sesame Street.’ But that’s just what happened. Sesame Street, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary tomorrow with a visit from Michelle Obama, recently reaired an episode from a couple years ago - when the 2008 presidential election was in full swing - that has Oscar the Grouch launching his own television new channel called “GNN” - Grouchy News Network. After an atypical lighthearted broadcast, Grundgetta, a female Muppet...

Google has always been surprisingly random in the historical events it chooses to highlight by changing the logo on the front page. All last week they chose to highlight Sesame Street by promoting different characters from the show to celebrate the T.V. show's 40th Anniversary. If you follow these things, you'll know that Google celebrated the birthday of H.G. Wells, the USB code, Comic Con, and crop circles in the same way. On today's anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, however, Americans get another Sesame Street theme featuring the "Count."

In honor of Sesame Street celebrating 40 years... Sesame Street explains a Ponzi Scheme Ten Top Ways to Tell if Your Kid is Watching Too Much Sesame Street 10) Always pointing out that "one of these things is not like the others". 9) Knows everybody in the neighborhood, and what they do, and can sing a little song about it. 8) Whenever running or jumping, is trailed by six afterimages. 7) Checks under garbage cans for furry legs. 6) Eats an entire box of cookies (including the box) in less than a minute. 5) Insists that pigeons have fascinating personalities....