Does anybody think you're weird for watching Sesame Street?

[mikebennidict]

Actually, I just realized something. Okay, I'm a member of this message board called Radio-Info.com. It's for fans of radio and TV. I mostly post in the TV section. And it just so happens, that out of all the TV networks, PBS is usually the one that's talked about the least. I think the reason for this is, well, first of all, PBS isn't really a "network." This is because unlike the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, etc.), each PBS station has its own schedule for most of the day. And unlike PBS, the main network affiliates are always changing their news images and music packages, so therefore, there isn't really that much about PBS to talk about. A lot of people think of PBS as "boring."

Another way that PBS is different is that they cater to a slightly different audience than most of the networks. You see, PBS is often considered to be "Viewer-supported." That is, PBS stations get most of their money from the viewers themselves. Though they do make money that way, they cannot possibly make as much money as commercial stations, which get their money from all their advertisers.

So, anyway, as most of you may know, PBS happens to be the "network" that Sesame Street has been on for all the 38 years that it has been on the air. And I think that MAY be one of the reasons why it's labelled a "baby show." Because a lot of other kids shows on real networks like Nick Jr. and Playhouse Disney aren't labelled as being for babies as much. And what's funny is, even though a lot of the shows (Blue's Clues, Dora the Explorer, JoJo's Circus (not our JoJo, the other one lol), etc.) are designed for the same target age group as Sesame Street, a lot of people associate them as being for older kids. And for awhile, Noggin actually DID have episodes of Sesame Street from the 1993-94 season, along with older Nickelodeon shows like Blue's Clues, Gullah Gullah Island, Eureeka's Castle, and Allegra's Window. And if you can believe it, Sesame Street is the ONLY preschool show from PBS that was ever on Noggin. And so it was kinda cool seeing it bunched in with all those Nickelodeon shows, and there was thought that MAYBE it would appeal to older kids since it was with all of them. And the show was WAY better in 1993-94 than it is now. They must have had about 50 different characters, great music, and it was all crazy and wild. So, they thought that was the place for it. But apparently, nobody watched it, and it got taken off.

Where did you hear those Cable TV show being associated with older kids?

And I'm sure Classic SS and the other CTW shows were watched. Otherwise they wouldn't of lasted more that a year.

 

[mikebennidict]

I was raised in a very protective home but even my ma did not think anything about SS and other shows talking about issues and having troubles...
I wonder if that is why they never show Mr. Rogers anymore?
No wonder so many little kids are rebeling so early now, so many shows are'nt helping them deal with (or even saying that they have) bad feelings and emotions :\

Mr. Rogers is still being shown.

It's certainly still on is the Chicago area.

 

[mikebennidict]

While no TV show can solve all of a child's problems, at least shows like these can point us in the right direction. Once in a while, I think it's OK for shows to talk about the big issues that may be concerning kids. Not every Sesame St. episode talked about "death" or "marriage," but a few did. Unfortunately, today, subjects like these are rarely part of children's TV programming.

But as for Mr. Rogers, I don't think his show is being dropped from many stations just because they don't like his views. I think they're just trying to get new material out there. That's unfortunate, because I like his shows! I'm hoping someday in the future we'll be able to "download" all the episodes we want from him, so we can show them to our kids, and their kids, etc.

And if Mr. Rogers is being dropped from some PBS stations it's probably because his show isn't watched as much in those markets.

 

[frogboy4]

hey! I'm a generally unhappey guy without too many friends, and I LOVES me muppets and cartoons. I exaggerate, of course, but I'm quite a bit darker than my tastes and cartooning style let on.

Aw...I can be dark too and have had many "dark days" in the past. Actually the Muppets are an indication of how low is too low for me. If a classic Muppet or Sesame sketch can't make me laugh then that's too low in my book.

As for friends - some people are more selective than others. I am. I know so many perfectly normal people who use dating services or organized gatherings and have never understood that. I'm generally a nice guy, but not the friendliest fella in the world. I could easily meet a new friend or companion in my normal routine of going to the bank or the grocery store. That's certainly no dig at anyone. I sometimes don't see what makes that difficult for others. I suppose it's a gift.

The point I was making earlier was that in my experience many people who think cartoons and Muppets are beneath them have inferiority complexes and try too hard to be serious which results in not being terribly magnetic.

There's a difference between acting childish and retaining child-like qualities. When people abandon their sense of humor and wonder about the world they might as well be dead because they certainly aren't living. Life is hard enough - it's those special things that not only make it bearable, but they are a big part of why I believe we are here!

 

[CensoredAlso]

Mr. Rogers is still being shown.

It's certainly still on is the Chicago area.

It's not really being shown in mine though. It really depends. ::shrugs::

 

[CensoredAlso]

There's a difference between acting childish and retaining child-like qualities. When people abandon their sense of humor and wonder about the world they might as well be dead because they certainly aren't living. Life is hard enough - it's those special things that not only make it bearable, but they are a big part of why I believe we are here!

Absolutely, there's a big difference between being childlike and being childish. Childish means you're immature and not taking responsibility and not contributing to life. Childlike means you retain a sense of fun and innocence in everything you do, which is very important.

 

[Drtooth]

Aw...I can be dark too and have had many "dark days" in the past. Actually the Muppets are an indication of how low is too low for me. If a classic Muppet or Sesame sketch can't make me laugh then that's too low in my book.

The point I'm trying to make is that a lot of people pretend to be dark, and don't know how good they have it. A lot of indie comic writers write a lot of pathos and suffering... I don't. And a lot of people listen to depressing music and dress like they're depressed. No matter how bad I feel, I put on my TMNT T-Shirt and listen to my Weird Al, or Sesame Street parody music. I'd be the most likely candidate to wear and act "Emo", but By Toutatis, I don't look like that.

But what I want to say is I like what I like, and I don't care what people think. I like a lot of mainstream things, some indie things, but I like a lot of things out of the public eye. Look at my Avatar. A character from a french comic book. I tend to think like Kingston Livingston. i do my own thing. I feel lonely liking it sometimes (and half the time I have to explain stuff I like to everyone), but there's a good feeling I get for finding out stuff no one else would show me. And the best thing is sharing it.

 

[Redsonga]

And if Mr. Rogers is being dropped from some PBS stations it's probably because his show isn't watched as much in those markets.

How can it be watched if it is never shown anymore? My PBS channel dropped it about ten years ago and in its place show reruns a lot .
As far as a 'market' goes I think it has been gone for so long where I live many parents have forgotten just how good it is. It has become a 'remember when' thing rather than a ' Remember him? He helped me and I think he could help my child now to.' The same goes for older SS shows to, if they are never shown in a place where everyone can get it of course the market is going to be weak

 

[CensoredAlso]

How can it be watched if it is never shown anymore?

Yeah I mean, they may be afraid kids will get turned off by "outdated" shows, but it's not fair when kids don't even get the chance to see them. And the world isn't black and white. To say "kids don't like old shows" is too simplistic.

 

[mikebennidict]

How can it be watched if it is never shown anymore? My PBS channel dropped it about ten years ago and in its place show reruns a lot .
As far as a 'market' goes I think it has been gone for so long where I live many parents have forgotten just how good it is. It has become a 'remember when' thing rather than a ' Remember him? He helped me and I think he could help my child now to.' The same goes for older SS shows to, if they are never shown in a place where everyone can get it of course the market is going to be weak

What I mean is the statioons in those markets probbaly axed the show because of low ratings!

Do you get in now?

And can we get back on topic here?