Cookie Monster "eating healthier" in news

[Ziffel]

I have the radio on and a few minutes ago the news came on at the top of the hour (10pm eastern time USA). One of the stories a few minutes in was about how the Cookie Monster is eating healthier in Sesame Street's new 36th season. How he will be promoting vegetables and fruits (I believe Grover alluded to this on Jimmy Kimmel this past Monday night) and says cookies are a "sometime food."

On USA today's website, a story about this item was just posted about 20 minutes ago. Here a few excerpts:

'H' is for healthy eating
Think Sesame Street's Cookie Monster and think ... broccoli? In a fit of drastic behavior modification, the cookie-addicted bundle of fur is declaring that cookies are, in fact, only a "sometime food."
With any luck, the PBS kids show is onto something significant as it opens its 36th season next week: a new way to tackle childhood obesity affecting even preschoolers.

Regulars Big Bird, Elmo and others are being joined by new vegetable Muppets. They'll encourage kids to "eat your colors," play the "healthy foods name game" and sing The Mango Tango. And they'll tackle one of the most painful repercussions of obesity in kids: teasing and bullying.

A few episodes of Sesame Street do not a slim and healthy new generation make. But they can help mold informed behavior that, in the end, may be the best answer to the obesity epidemic. The preschool years are critical to forming habits and attitudes.
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Well it's good for the show to promote healthy eating and lifestyles, but to make changes in the classic Cookie Monster character seems a rather unnecessary and unfortunate method of doing so. Cookie Monster is just a fun character that has tickled children for years now with his, " Cookie! Ahm num num num num num!". Remember the classic songs and skits like,"C is for cookie, that's good enough for me", " nobody love cookie as much as me oh please give cookie to me," and "the smallest one gets the cookie" ( he shrunk himself and said, " I do anything for cookie"). I think children already understand that cookies are just a tasty treat and not to be over indulged in nor considered a good source of nutrition! And Ernie also had a real sweet tooth. Guess all those skits (like the hilarious one where he eats cookies in bed, then in Bert's bed!) would be discouraged against on today's SS.
Anyway, it's neat that SS made the mainstream news tonight and thought I would share that story.

 

[Kimp the Shrimp]

it's not all a bad thing i think he still will eat cookies but will also instill the Veggies he has been eating veggie's for years now i remeber early 90's he loved califlower and broccli

 

[Kimp the Shrimp]

or maybe he is just a Coroprite Schill selling his backing and NAME to the Highe$t Bidder $$$$$$$$$$ Veggie Monster lol

 

[JaniceFerSure]

On CNN.com about Cookie's new eating habits...

First PBS announced that "Sesame Street" would kick off its 35th season this week with a multiyear story arc about healthy habits. No problem there; childhood obesity rates are soaring. Then I learned of changes that turned my "Sesame Street" world upside-down.

My beloved blue, furry monster -- who sang "C is for cookie, that's good enough for me" -- is now advocating eating healthy. There's even a new song -- "A Cookie Is a Sometimes Food," where Cookie Monster learns there are "anytime" foods and "sometimes" foods.

"Sacrilege!" I cried. "That's akin to Oscar the Grouch being nice and clean." (Co-workers gave me strange looks. But I didn't care.)

Being a journalist, I did the only thing I knew how to do. I investigated why "Sesame Street" gave Cookie Monster a health makeover.

The answer would lead me into a world where television producers worked with health experts and politicians, a place where Cookie Monster does care about his health, and by association, the health of children.

The first place I headed was the Internet. On the Sesame Street Web site, little had changed. There was Cookie Monster, in all his blue furriness. He was holding a plate of cookies. He was chomping on a cookie. He still looked the same. But as we all know, looks can be deceiving.

So I searched the site for news on Cookie Monster and up popped a press release about the show's "Healthy Habits for Life" emphasis. Buried near the bottom was a one-sentence mention about Cookie Monster eating fewer cookies.

But what did that mean? Scarfing one plateful instead of two?

Talking vegetables

I picked up the telephone. "What's going on with Cookie Monster?" I asked the "Sesame Street" press office. "Why are you doing this?"

They sent me to Dr. Rosemarie T. Truglio, the show's vice president of research and education.

She said the show changes every year, focusing not just on teaching numbers and letters but also emotional and physical health. With the rise in childhood obesity, Truglio said "Sesame Street" is concentrating on the need to teach children about healthy foods and physical activity.

This season, each episode opens with a "health tip" about nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest.

Truglio said "Sesame Street" also will introduce new characters, such as talking eggplants and carrots, and offer parodies, such as "American Fruit Stand." Even guest stars will address healthy activities, such as Alicia Keys talking and singing about the importance of physical activity.

Even politicians have gotten into the act, filming public service announcements with "Sesame Street" residents. In one taping, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist taught Elmo to exercise -- jumping up and down. In another, Sen. Hillary Clinton and the small red monster discuss the various textures and tastes of foods.

But what about their position on Cookiegate?

"Even Cookie Monster is learning to control his cookie cravings," Frist told me by e-mail. "His sage advice opened our eyes to the simple joys of a tasty cookie and now reminds us that moderation is the key to healthy living."

Cookie Monster was not available for comment. (I'm hoping he hasn't gone too Hollywood.)

"We are not putting him on a diet," said his spokesman, Truglio. "And we would never take the position of no sugar. We're teaching him moderation."

'Sometimes food'

The furry one also plans to try different kinds of cookies (read: healthier cookies) rather than his just staple, chocolate chip.

But will he still scarf his food? Yes, plus the occasional object, Truglio said.

But isn't that unhealthy? Her reply: He's still Cookie Monster.

Cookie Monster appears to be happy with the new "sometimes food" song, because at the end he warbles: "Is sometimes now?"

"Yes," he's told.

So there it is. Cookie Monster still gobbles cookies, he's just a healthier version of his old self. His eyes are still googly, his fur is still scruffy and he's still messy.

Even "Sesame Street" recognizes that we all need guilty pleasures.

 

[Vic Romano]

Cookie monster eats everything though... does frying pans, blindfolds, snow and verious metals also count as "sometime foods"?

 

[Jonathan]

Jim Henson is Turing over in his Grave! The Street is starting to (Pardon My French) SUCK!!!!!! Its Getting Worse and worse, And this is the straw that broke the Camels back!

 

[beaker]

I don't think the word SUCKS is french. Maybe ********
But seriously, as much as I hate tinkering with canon and politically correct stuff(wheres Franklin Rosevelt???) I am happy to see this new direction. It's 2005...kids are getting fat but noone talks about it. This country is becoming one giant stan winston effects company of obese people. I used to be about 300 pounds in 1998...heck in the Muppetfest photos ya can tell I was sitll a bit overweight. Ive since radically changed my lifestyle, and now eat vegetables, fruits and other healthy stuff on a daily basis along with exercise.

When eating healthy is ingrained into American culture as something thats hip, it will be a good day. Shame on Macmurder, Taco H*ll, FCK, Booger Fling, Crack in the Box, and Lardy's for enslaving this country under their fat fascism.

 

[MuppetQuilter]

Every year Sesame Street makes some changes. Every year they tweak things to better serve the needs of children as they see them. Some years there are more changes than others, but something is always different. They have some of the top child development specialists guiding them-- psychiatrists, sociologists, educators. Every year there is an uproar among Muppet fans that the latest changes are the end of Sesame Street as we know it.

36 years and still counting. Cookie Monster still eats cookies, the Count still counts and Oscar is still a grouch.

And every year it seems CNN gets something wrong in their SST article-- kicking off the 35th season this week? *sigh*

 

[FISH'N'WOLFE]

Does frying pans, blindfolds, snow and various metals also count as "sometime foods"?

Sure it's how you get your fiber, water and iron!

 

[guysmiley4ever]

Wow, I was a bit shocked at the news about Cookie Monster.
He is the 'cookie eater', like Ma Bear called him. hee hee...
I've been watching Sesame Street since 1978 and I didn't sit around
and eat cookies all day as a result of Cookie Monster. sheesh.
He's a monster. And each one has their own distinct personality.

Grrr...we can't go overhauling all their attitudes.
That's what's makes them fun...and special.