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Big Bild utth Rosita, a neu tuppet 0n the Stroet

ONG BEFORE "politically correct" became a loaded term, "Sesame Street" was politically correct. Black and white Americans mixed with
green and purple puppets, and a housewife was given as much dignlty as a businessperson. Best of all, there was no starry-eyed Utopian sweetness about it
how could there be with a co-star any backlash.
named Oscar the

Now, as the acclaimed PBS' children's series enters its 23rd year to- tionally meant lessons that getting along with other people morrow CWNffi l8 at just works better than 7 and I a.m. and 3:30 Look for frG tanin not. This season p.m.'; WLIW I Zt at 8 along with all the ABC's a.m. and 5 p.m.), the l$tm.an $u$qt $[ow 123's it means and song remains the same f,ort Sundar

Grouch?

We just do the things we feel should be done." On "Sesame Street," that has tradi-

with or without the

PC police.

"'We're all aware of the political-@rit's an important aspect of the current , atmosphere in this country," observes Harvard education and psychology Prof. Gerald Lesser, chairperson of the "Sesame Street" advisory board and a tmstee of the production company, Children's Television Workshop. "But we haven't said to ourselves that in
rectne6s debate, and know

cans; this yeff, it's Native Americans. As plans now stand, Hispanic-Ameri-

addressing divorce for the first time, and entering the second year of a four-year racerelations surrictrlum. Last yeff, special emphasis was given to African-Arnericans and Asian-Americans will follow, next season and the season after, respectively. Sounds pretty PC. But also little different from what "Sesame Street" has

light of this we should change anything or be more careful or be worried about

always done. "The marn difference," Lesser describes, "is we started out

SESAI'IE STREET
Bert & Ernie category. Aside from sweet li'l Prairie Dawn, essentially asemal baby Alice, and a female Grouch (and that's no role mo.lgl), there are no significant recurring
blue, green or orange females. "'We've been working very hard to develop female Muppet characters over the years," Iresser says with a sigh. "But for some reasion, it's very hard to develop distinctive female Muppets. We'll try one out, and then with the writers and the

istics of a jungle lion. Only inbounces on cabbages." The puppet had appeared briefly as a ge-

wildebeests, he stal.ks and

stead of stalking and bouncing on

neric lion without a name, "but lMuppeteer] David Rudman developed the character very guickly, and the writers leapt on it." Conversely, sadly, if Muppefs
can be born, Muppets can

puppeteers, it just kind of lies there." The best analory may be

Clash, who also voices Baby on ABC's "Dinosaurs," is trying to

dig or at least retire. Muppeteer Kevin

with old cartoon characters, where

for no discernible reason writers and animators burst with great Bugs Bunny ideas, but just didn't
get into the dl-but-forgotten Gabby

So, they'll try, try again. New young hopefuls this year are Rosita, a Hispanic monster-Muppet; Roxy Marie, from Canarsie; and tiny Merry Monster. But as if to point out the problem, the most

Goat.

revive one, the long-gone Roosevelt Franklin, a streetwise African-American Muppet. No one, however, has any plans to touch Kermit, Ernie or Bert, the frrst two of which were done by the late Muppet all-father, Jim Henson.

'since last season are recycled

All their

segments we'Ye seen

promising character is Chicago,

the vegetarian lion. Not lioness. In any case, he sounds. grBt. "We'll use him for nutritional bits, but it's also good for gags," says Stone. "He's got all the character-

from the countless shows since Nov. 10, 1969, when "Sesame Street" premiened. "For the time being and foreseeable future," says head writer Norman Stiles, as much out of grief as respect, "there will be no new ones." E Frank Louece is a free-lanee write4 i r ;. refri
'

lllrector Usa Slnon on the set with Lillias White, who plays lillian

APartBelongs ToDaddy,Too
tl
N THE '.SESAIVIE STREET" set at Uni-

But here comes the real test: Veteran Muppeteer Carroll Spinney, human from the waist up, zooming by on rollerskates on Big Bird's feet and legs; he keeps the rest of the hot, heavy costume removed until an actual take. An assistant wheels it by us on a rolling orange post.

is required, Sodoes keeping up with the times.

H,

The rest of the crew and cast members a.s if takingtheir cue from the one person /character that
could be considered the show's star - are all equally gracious and lmse. Yet as happy and interested as Vincent and the others are, the biggest smiles, oddly, are on the faces of adults. One thirtysomething guy with lit-

"So **y feathers," Vincent says, unamazed lopking at the costurne. So rnuch for the boulevard of broken'dreams. Spinney keeps the costume on after this take, and poses with sorne of the kids. Later he dons Oscar, slipping into character and ad-libbing for a gpest.

in the early days," notes produber Lisa Simon, the direetor of today's edition. "Kids now are used to hrghly sophistidted vizuals. That keeps it interest-

ft's ertainly interesting to a gaggle of visitors, mostty guests !f Ute cast aia creoi. ffie brought *y soil, 3-year-old'Vineent Thomas [.ovece, \irith me ,this Monday aftefnoon,-"SeJannE to gauge his reactions anfl
it?s the offrcial show of childhood, an it the same to hirn as it was to me?

ing for directors,and everybody."

tle hair and an dccountant's mien has a face

lighted up like the sun. Truth to tell, I'rn sure ['m getting a bigger kick out of being here than

get a handle on'what Street" meanr to kids. It was a brand-new, definitely very '60s kind of innovation to my peer group and younger. Now

institution. Is

duction area, where three television cameras negotiate a maze of cables on the floor, the apartmenthouse stoop of L23 Sesame Street liei straight ahead. Off to the left is Hooper's Store, in a futt enclosure with doors and a roof, half of it a"esr"a as V*i" and Luis' fixit shop. Stretching out behreen the apartment house and Hooper's is the farriliar (paintq) bilck-covered yard bordered by big green garage double-d@rs.
,

I almost didn't find out the minimum age for - But they graciously kiddie visitors is 4 years old. make an ex@ption for Vincent, and and true to my promise that he's an old 3, he sunreys the set with a bemused curiosity, staying quiet when Sirnon calls for rehearsal or a take. _ From my vantage point next to him in the pro-

Oscar

Fnnk lorece and;is $-icar-old son, fie GrouGh, played by Garoll $pinney.
Seeing

the kids. And why not? "sesame Street" was ours before it was theirs. Kermit the Frog went on to become a Muppet zuperstar, but we had him first, back when "Sesame Street" was born. I and my peers may have been older than the 2- to 5-year-old target audience, but the show was fun. Even in the years before Vincent was born, ['d channel-zap to it occasionally to revisit the old gang and occasionally see a parody of Ingmar Bergman's "The
Nowad&ys, of course, I see it as much a,s most other new parents my generation, watching on TV and tape with Vincent. No offense to the Ninja Turtles, but we've neuer sat and watched that show. After all these years '"Sesame Street" still goes to all the right places. The weird part is, I always keep watching

CD

Seventh Seal."

c z g
o
rn
@ = rn

'z

kids, aged 3 to about 8. Conventional wisdom says kids will be disillusioned if they see the puppeteer behind the puppet. But the tias aren'f fdiea ty ggeing Marty Robinson on the floor doing Telly Monster, or a limp Snuflleupagus hangiqg Fom the ceiling lihe a trophy skin.

lity"

that "Sesame Street" is only a set doesn't any discernible effect on the seven visiting

u
@ @

I
.ll D t .n

And I'll bet I'm not the only first-generation

"Sesame Street" daddy f,s do so.

whenever Vincent gets bored and leaves the room.

-;'IrOveee

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