The MuppetCast - Show #59 - Proud on Memorial Day

[stephenjlizard]

I have to say I'm very happy that this episode has sparked some discussion and exchange of opinion. I don't always aim for that, but when you're dealing with a topic like we are this week, it's inevitable that people will be moved to speak their minds.

I think we all agree that Sesame Workshop is an organization that eixsts to assist and serve the children of the world. The Talk, Listen, Connect program was developed, as you heard, to help children deal with the situation of a parent having to leave them for an extended period of time. Children not only have a hard time when the parent leaves, but also when the parent returns. Elmo didn't know how to react when first seeing his dad Louie home again, and many kids can relate to that confusion. I imagine many children, like Rosita, are initially very sad and angry when a parent comes home needing additional mechanics or is permanently physically or mentally wounded. This program tells children that what they're feeling is okay, and shows them ways to talk about how they're feeling. It also helps parents facilitate those talks, which I think is invaluable, since many parents are often as clueless on how to approach this as children are.

TLC was developed not out of any support (or lack thereof) for any military operation. They're a non-profit company that produces children's educational entertainment, run out of one of the more liberal areas of the country. Probably not a war-hungry bunch of people.

I'm actually very impressed how neutral this production seems to be toward the military. So many programs that are meant to be neutral in situations like this, where the military is involved, do their due diligence to present some information, but just can't help themselves, and somewhere just BARELY manage to get that little jab in at the military. I was shocked that I didn't see that here, and I commend Sesame Workshop for it. It isn't any entertainment company's place to condemn a child (who doesn't know anything about the military, Iraq, or George W. Bush)'s parents for serving in the military. The entire program revolves around kids and their families, and how to keep them whole.

On a less serious note, I want to thank everybody for their comments about the "What If" show for All About The Mouse! These helped me form some really good thoughts that I'll present when we record tonight. Their new show should be posted on Friday, so I hope you all go over and listen to it! Bryan and Jonathan do a great job co-hosting that show. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject even after tonight when we record; I think they have a place on The MuppetCast, too!

 

[dwayne1115]

I have to say I'm very happy that this episode has sparked some discussion and exchange of opinion. I don't always aim for that, but when you're dealing with a topic like we are this week, it's inevitable that people will be moved to speak their minds.

I think we all agree that Sesame Workshop is an organization that eixsts to assist and serve the children of the world. The Talk, Listen, Connect program was developed, as you heard, to help children deal with the situation of a parent having to leave them for an extended period of time. Children not only have a hard time when the parent leaves, but also when the parent returns. Elmo didn't know how to react when first seeing his dad Louie home again, and many kids can relate to that confusion. I imagine many children, like Rosita, are initially very sad and angry when a parent comes home needing additional mechanics or is permanently physically or mentally wounded. This program tells children that what they're feeling is okay, and shows them ways to talk about how they're feeling. It also helps parents facilitate those talks, which I think is invaluable, since many parents are often as clueless on how to approach this as children are.

TLC was developed not out of any support (or lack thereof) for any military operation. They're a non-profit company that produces children's educational entertainment, run out of one of the more liberal areas of the country. Probably not a war-hungry bunch of people.

I'm actually very impressed how neutral this production seems to be toward the military. So many programs that are meant to be neutral in situations like this, where the military is involved, do their due diligence to present some information, but just can't help themselves, and somewhere just BARELY manage to get that little jab in at the military. I was shocked that I didn't see that here, and I commend Sesame Workshop for it. It isn't any entertainment company's place to condemn a child (who doesn't know anything about the military, Iraq, or George W. Bush)'s parents for serving in the military. The entire program revolves around kids and their families, and how to keep them whole.

On a less serious note, I want to thank everybody for their comments about the "What If" show for All About The Mouse! These helped me form some really good thoughts that I'll present when we record tonight. Their new show should be posted on Friday, so I hope you all go over and listen to it! Bryan and Jonathan do a great job co-hosting that show. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject even after tonight when we record; I think they have a place on The MuppetCast, too!

Very well put that is preety much everything I was trying to say, but you said it much better Steve! Now what about a Muppetcast care pack or something for that soldger over seas who was looking for some Muppet stuff anyone have any ideas?

 

[stephenjlizard]

Tell you what, let me start a new thread for that. Seems like that's a good conversation to have here on the forums

 

[dwayne1115]

I think so to, and I hope this grows into something big. how did the interview go?

 

[Drtooth]

My Take

Talk, Listen Connect:

Let me start off by stating the obvious. The war was a morally bankrupt possition formulated by a bunch of morally bankrupt politicians that crammed fake morals down our throats to get elected. Somehow having children lose their mommies and or daddies doesn't sound like a proper family value to me.

But let me add, we've got off lucky. We're not fighting this thing. Dispite the fact that i have issues with the TLC programs, it's a sad, sad state off affairs when a children's television company cares more about the soldiers and their families than the government that sent them their. These are people who signed up on September 12, not to mention some that signed up for the GI bill, so they could afford to go to college and get a better life. These people are coming home to horrible health care, a dwindling job market, and in some cases, horrible mental problems. I applaud SW for caring about the families of these people.

However, I agree. I don't like how they're doing it, and I definately think that Jim would have objected to the use of the muppets in this way. Jim is, and I coined this term, a Road Runner Pacifist. Muppet segments tend to have a lot of violence in them, but it's cartoony and no one really gets hurt. As opposed to real violence with horrible outcomes. Somehow I could see Jim saying I can appreciate what you're doing, but I'd rather not see my muppet characters in that light.

I feel they should have used human characters being deployed and used the muppet characters as friends of the family, comforting them. Or, think about this. Soldiers aren't the only ones whos lives are in jeopardy every day. Firefighters, police officers, and even various construction jobs can have fatal consequences. Why not have Elmo's dad be a Fire fighter with the same results?

Now that I put that to rest, another issue, less serious and dramatic:

Disney owning everything

There would be possitive things I could point out, but one thing sticks out like a sore bum.... you think SW's over use of Elmo is bad enough, think of what would happen if Disney, behind Pooh, Lilo and Stitch, and 101 Dalmations had him in their gloved claws.
Shudder.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Are you saying that SW should not have done or be doing this because of the war that we are in? Or are you saying that regardless of if we are in a war or not this should not have been done?

I think it was fine for them to make a video helping kids to cope with the absence of a parent. But in the case of this particular conflict, I would not get into talking about the actual war in such a video. If it were a different conflict, I might feel differently.

In this case, I would only concentrate on the kids and how they should cope in their day to day lives.

 

[dwayne1115]

well here is the thing, I am going to say this and I hope not to many people get upset. the Listen Talk Connect videos are not about President Bush and what he believs is right. It is not about how we as Americans should be aginst the war. It is about how familys deal with the fact sometimes Mommys and Daddys have to go away to work for a long time, and how to deal with that. They did not do to show to tell everyone "Hey we are pro- War" no they did it to help kids and parents deal with a very hard and difficult time in a familys life. Yes they could have used policeman or firemen, but with them they would see there parents more. You also have to realize that Elmo is a great tool for little kids because like him or hate him he really reaches kids in a woderful way. The way they handled the sittuation was very good and also very moving.

Now on the issue of the war: It does not matter if you believe we should be fighting. It does not matter if you hate the way Bush has done. It does not matter what Politcal Party you belong to. What matters now is our young men and women are risking there lifes to fight for this country, and they need all the help and suport they can get. that is one reason I am proud of Sesame Workshop for doing the Listen Talk and Coneccet