Sesame Street Old School DVD's: Not For Kids

[wwfpooh]

But really, should the youngest of the young really be watching the Street in general? It seems all dumbed down since its earlier days, IMO.

 

[CensoredAlso]

But really, should the youngest of the young really be watching the Street in general? It seems all dumbed down since its earlier days, IMO.

When I have kids, I will prefer to show them the more classic material, I think it's ultimately more helpful. And I'm all for teaching kids to be open to new things. I don't like the idea of kids learning so young that if they don't like a popular character, they're out of luck. Again, kids do need to be guided to a certain extent. We can't sit back and assume everything will be fine as long as they are watching a popular character. We can't sit back and say "Oh well, my kid likes this, there's nothing I can do!" Parents are supposed to lead by example, not trust the mainstream to raise their kids.

Also, just because a particular genre is all over TV, doesn't mean it's what the majority wants. There are a lot of Elmo fans, but a lot of "other character" fans too. We just don't get to hear from them.

 

[wwfpooh]

Exactly. I love The Count, for example (he's my fav. Street character), but since Elmo took over, he's been drastically toned down since his early days.

 

[Drtooth]

But really, should the youngest of the young really be watching the Street in general? It seems all dumbed down since its earlier days, IMO.

I really think SW is trying hard to move away from it. problem is, the kids won't let them. This year seemed really low key, but the simple fact of the matter is there were drastic changes. We lost all the segments that were implied 2002, except the letter and number segments. We still have EW, but they tried to get rid of it. Unfortunately the kids clammored for it, and it's still going to be a part of the show. And I jumped 5 feet out of my chair when I saw they had the episode with 2 letters of the day. Unfortunately they only did that once. I can't say the show has been dumbed down, so much as over sanitized.

But what burns me up is when people say, "I won't let my kid watch Sesame Street because it got so dumb. So we watch Blues Clues and Dora." That's like saying that you go to a restaruant your entire life, they discontinue thier signature dish that you love, because they're competing with a restaraunt that just opened up across the street. Now, they are blatantly trying to copy their most famous dish, but trying to give it their own spin. You suddenly leave and say, this is terrible. I'm going to th competition that caused the first restaraunt to become lousy.

I think kids could love classic SS. I think the easiest way to ease them into it would be a 1980's or early 90's episode. 70's would take some getting used to, but I can't see too many things objectionable.

Mr. Rogers once said that kids never change, but that can't be said for child psychologists. They're constant Wembling over what kids should be exposed to is clearly what's wrong with SS. And I only blame SS for following it. Taking things way out of context is what they do for a living. We're letting the lifestyles of the upper middle class corrupt SS, and it's all the fault of these psychologists who deal mostly with those kinds of kids.

We don't have a representitive for the poorer kids. In fact, I'm sure if Fat Albert were made today, the kids would hang out in Fat Albert's condo, playing with their X-box. And half of the kids would be white. I feel its a shame SS is now part of the grand scheme of sweeping lower middle class and lower class under the rug.

But then again, they live in the city, and who hasn't seen once poverty stricken cities bought up by hearltess execs to put up luxury condos? Yeah. That's what I want to do. Pay over 1000 bucks per square foot to overlook an off ramp.

Sad thing, if SS was real today, Hooper's store, the Fix it shop, Big Bird's nest? All bulldozed, and replaced by condos and up scale selfish pig stores (with goods made in third world sweatshops), and snotty restaraunts that make burgers and fries for 10 times the price and 10 times smaller than a Big Mac. And Luis, Gordon, and Bob would all have to live in government subsidised housing, because they make an honest wage that just can't pay for anything.

 

[wwfpooh]

'Tis sad really.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Made in 3rd world countries by KIDS. You forgot about the kids.

 

[wwfpooh]

Indeed. The kids were the reason for the Street in the first place and sadly, as kids change and actually accept the new corporate stuff (note that I am referring to the Elmo-obsessed generation from the late 90's to the present here), we older folks get upset at how our version of how things were apparently must be gotten rid off for either update reasons, political correctness, or mere executive whim. And not any of those reasons seem like a good one for sticking us classic fans with that nasty disclaimer.

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah. All I can say is this. You want something to blame for SS's over sanitization? Mommy and Me Yoga Classes. Play Dates. Baby Einstine Videos. Prenatal Classical music. All bullcrap. None of it helps a child any more than traditional parenting. It just goes to show your class status.

I will tell you, the first time I heard the words "Play date" on Sesame Street, my heart sank a lot further than any combination of Elmo's World, Monster Clubhouse and Hero Guy. Truely a sign of uppper class parenting.

When I think about these kind of parents, I think of the ultra white bread "hot Moms" sipping appletini's watching their kids at a distance saying, "Oh yes, my little Suzie loves Dora the explora. I think it's good to expose her to the 'ethnics'." I.e. the people they hire for help around the house as they can pay them as little as possible, and if the help complains, they'll bring up their status to INS.

In other words, evil, selfish people with quite a lot of money that think their little spoiled brat will grow up to be smart in any sense. That's where these ADD spazfest kids' shows (on Nick Jr, of course) come in.

If Sesame Street were made today, it would take place in a Condo, and most everyone would be white, with one African American guy and one Hispanic person, both devoid of personality, and delivering one line per episode.

 

[wwfpooh]

That and "Little" Jerry & his "monotone" band would be ringing on cellphones instead of booths! Actually, that's not a bad idea...Getting Jerry and the Monotones to pester corporations with Telephone Rock until they give fans a good balance of old and new school, like the 80's and early 90's did. But in all seriousness, the corporations would just probably think we older folks are living in the past, but you would be too if it's been proven that the past is coherently and ultimately better than the "babysitter" garbage that's on now!

 

[Drtooth]

That and "Little" Jerry & his "monotone" band would be ringing on cellphones instead of booths!

That's one of the differences between "Dated" and "inapporpriate." I never see Phonebooths in my area. I never even see payphones. And anytime I see a phonebooth, I can't cease to be amazed.

I wonder where Superman has to transform now.