Sesame Street Anounces Layoffs

[Drtooth]

Things look terrible, but I cannot stress this enough... we as fans have an obligation to help these guys out. We need to sure up any money we have set aside for collectible stuff and put it towards Sesame Street collectibles. Nothing major, either. Check out the Target dollar section... they have a Sesame Street book Starring Herry... as well as stickers and other little fun things. And then there are the collect a pals (See merchandise section)... at 3 bucks each, they're not too shabby... A little bit goes a long way. I'm not saying to go out and buy Elmo Live dolls... but if you're looking for a T-shirt and they have Sesame Street ones, and something else you like... go for the SS one.

 

[CensoredAlso]

If people want to buy things like that right now, that's fine. But honestly, a lot of people are looking for work right now and need to save money. Again, it's a company, it's not the big one in trouble.

 

[Colbynfriends]

I'll support them by getting the 25th anniversery DVD of Follow that Bird, and I already got Street Gang, provied that money goes towards the CTW.

 

[Drtooth]

If people want to buy things like that right now, that's fine. But honestly, a lot of people are looking for work right now and need to save money. Again, it's a company, it's not the big one in trouble.

Cutting back is something that we unfortunately have to do,... no debate there. What really costs us in the end is that by cutting back, we're contributing less to the economy... and when people don't buy stuff, that's money taken from other workers... and then we have less and less people buying useless stuff... the capitalist system works only if people can buy as much useless stuff as they can afford in their income bracket.

What really got us in trouble wasn't people spending money and buying the little things (Toys, meals at inexpensive local restaurants, spending the mark up at an independent/local retailer because they can offer things that WalMart and Kmart can't), it's spending money they didn't have to buy the big big things they really didn't need (giant TV's, clumsilly erected McMansions, i-Stuff, the latest video game consoles as SOON as they come out with a nonpexistant library of games and wiring bugs). All on credit too.

There's nothing wrong, however, with going to a Dollar Store and picking up a couple SS coloring books to stuff in a kid's Easter basket. I'm talking small things or things you're about to buy anyway... even the smallest things make a difference.

 

[CensoredAlso]

What really costs us in the end is that by cutting back, we're contributing less to the economy

No you are very right about that, it's a confusing call to say the least. hehe.

There's nothing wrong, however, with going to a Dollar Store and picking up a couple SS coloring books to stuff in a kid's Easter basket.

Yeah I know what you mean, every little bit helps. I have bought SS coloring books in the past for my future kids, hehe. I wish there was more variety of characters, ::wink wink:: that's the only thing that makes me hesitate.

 

[beaker]

It is a shame, but I can't blame SW. They're not even a company, rather an organizaion, so they don't have much money to start with.

Actually a lot of their money is coming from the US defense and military industrial complex sadly.

I do not think Jim Henson would approve of how the US government military has been using Sesame Street songs in their torture programs in Iraq and Gitmo, nor how the RAND corporation and the Pentagon have been having such an incestuous relationship with Sesame Workshop the last few years. I do not believe Jim Henson would approve of all the pro war propaganda Sesame is now entrenching itself into, distorting and warping Sesame canon to "show why Rosita and Elmo's dads are cripled from fighting and killing in the war".

Im sorry, but Muppets DONT fight wars. Muppets are about peace. And now the Sesame Muppets are being pimped out by these government, military and corporate execs to brainwash children into thinking war is somehow moral and normal.

These politicians threaten to strip PBS of funding, essentially killing off Sesame...then they turn around and flood SW with Pentagon money in order to sell the public their immoral and unjustified wars in the middle east. People were so outrages that SW dared to have a Muppet with HIV for young South Afrikaan children to relate too, and now the Muppets have truly been perverted with all this war crap.

And then the total disrespect of Caroll Spinney from Sesame's corporate world, giving him an extreme pay decrease and what seems like pay threats. As well as the disrespect some other creative wonks there seem to give.

It's all this post Elmo era, post EM.TV era. And it's really unfortunate.

 

[beaker]

And us fans gotta help out by buying T-shirts and stuff like that. I almost wish there was more merchandise that appealed to me.

I'm just worried if this effects the future of the show at all. And productions overseas (which are even more important than our own in some cases).

Bro, I hate to say it but they don't care about the collectors or older fans. They've forsaken them.

The ONLY Sesame merch you're ever going to be seeing is
Fisher Price garbage for infants.

I'm starting to realize just how important International Sesame is, and I wish there was a way we could all see it. Im getting really disgusted with how anathema American Sesame has become in relation to its original intension.

Remember when "Old School" was released, they dared to freaking have advisory warnings? Gosh forbid we show black children in the slums playing in New York inner city areas!

 

[StreetScenes]

Im sorry, but Muppets DONT fight wars. Muppets are about peace. And now the Sesame Muppets are being pimped out by these government, military and corporate execs to brainwash children into thinking war is somehow moral and normal.

i agree with many of your points, but i have to say the shows with elmo's and rosita's dads were done very well. no mention of war, fighting, military, sacrifice, freedom, duty, or even doing something for your country. they basically treat the families as victims of something beyond their control (in the same way they did with the show on serious illness, and in the regular show itself with the hurricaine, poverty, racism, etc.), and it's all about what kids feel happening to them and how they can cope and turn it into something positive. you could show those shows to the child of a truck driver who is gone from home frequently and the child of a factory worker who was injured on the job or someone who had been in a car accident, and they would be perfectly applicable.

 

[StreetScenes]

Bro, I hate to say it but they don't care about the collectors or older fans. They've forsaken them.

of course. and they shouldn't be focused on collectors and older fans. their goal is to produce something that helps kids. they have found ways through their podcast and their website to integrate a lot of older material in a way that does that. and gets parents excited to watch with their kids, which also helps their goals. collectors and older fans should be more focused on what will help kids--if we all want to see older material, i think the workshop would respond better to an argument about how it will help reach kids than how older fans like the nostalgia.

I'm starting to realize just how important International Sesame is, and I wish there was a way we could all see it.

me too. if they're trying to save on production costs, why not run some international segments--there are some animations without words that would require no alteration at all, and other segments that would only require some dubbing. they've dubbed our sesame street into other languages so often, and you're right, a lot of great creative work is coming out of the coproductions. it worked so well bringing the swedish number segments and the claymation bert & ernie to our sesame street, i'd love to see more.

 

[Drtooth]

Bro, I hate to say it but they don't care about the collectors or older fans. They've forsaken them.

I mean the T-shirts, but exactly right on that one. Of course, let's not forget the Sesame Street action figure curse that killed 2 toy companies. I do mean to say, buy this stuff for your nephews and kids and stuff like that.

I've been pushing for a new line of PVC's for a while now... there was one they sold at dollar stores back 2 years ago (I got the whole set, and I'm looking for a camera so I can take pictures of it)... it was basically the same Elmo and Ernie stuff... I don't see why they don't take more chances with little things. I'm not calling for a Tickle Me 2 Headed Monster... a nice 40th anniversary PVC set would be nice.