Sesame Street censorship

[Ryan]

So let me get this straight, Sesame Street characters aren't allowed to say words like: heck, darn, or fudge; but Pepe was allowed to say "sexy", "hot", and the phrase " it sucks"? I thought that was very inappropiate for a Muppet movie.

How were they inappropriate??

 

[somethingofafan]

So let me get this straight, Sesame Street characters aren't allowed to say words like: heck, darn, or fudge; but Pepe was allowed to say "sexy", "hot", and the phrase " it sucks"? I thought that was very inappropiate for a Muppet movie. And what about Long John Silver saying "Damnation" and "****" in Muppet Tresure Island.

That's because Sesame Street's target audience is very young children, while the other Muppets skew, in theory at least, to an adult audience.

And besides, Big Bird did say the word that means "to mend socks" on last season's Journey to Ernie segments.

 

[billyk]

In an old animated short (I think it was for the letter A with a witch and 2 boys.), the little ant who wanted to eat an apple and couldn't states "Darn-it, I'm hungry".

I have a copy on a SS noggin episode.

 

[Drtooth]

So let me get this straight, Sesame Street characters aren't allowed to say words like: heck, darn, or fudge; but Pepe was allowed to say "sexy", "hot", and the phrase " it sucks"? I thought that was very inappropiate for a Muppet movie. And what about Long John Silver saying "Damnation" and "****" in Muppet Tresure Island.

Sucks is not technically a swear... I've heard it used on severl Kids shows, Including Pepper Ann (Moose says, "Peppy, I thought you said that Drama sucked!") plus, I've heard Crap used on Ren and Stimpy (after John K was fired!) and in Hey Arnold (Helga says, "They're going to beat the crap out of each other)

Plus, Sexy was uttered several times on Animaniacs, it was on the cover of an ALF comic book, and in several Garfield strips, amoung others.

 

[rjschex]

Three more examples of sketches withdrawn from circulation:

Jazz #2 (w/Grace Slick)
---shown on the premiere episode, this installment of the 1969 psychadleic animation series was removed presumably because of a scene toward the end in which two men draw guns. (The kind used in kiddie westerns, where a banner pops out.) The Jazz series was last seen in the 90-91 season; only #3, #4, #6, #8 and #10 were shown. (I presume #5 was withdrawn because of the obsolete "5-cent" sign on the gumball machine.)

"H"-TV (my title, not official)
---B&E sketch in which Bert is trying to watch a show on TV, but instead sees an annoying, repetitive robotic "H" flash on the screen. Discontinued because Ernie apparently takes the TV set apart--very dangerous! (Inside, he finds objects beginning with "H.")

Mad Painter #8
---Paul Benedict (Mr. Bentley of The Jeffersons) at his naughtiest. He paints the #8 on a bald man's head! Painting on human skin is dangerous, because the paint blocks off the skin's pores. Also, after the man finds the "8" on his head, he chases Paul around the pool. (You know the rule--NO RUNNING NEAR THE POOL!)

 

[Splurge]

Three more examples of sketches withdrawn from circulation:

Jazz #2 (w/Grace Slick)
---shown on the premiere episode, this installment of the 1969 psychadleic animation series was removed presumably because of a scene toward the end in which two men draw guns. (The kind used in kiddie westerns, where a banner pops out.) The Jazz series was last seen in the 90-91 season; only #3, #4, #6, #8 and #10 were shown. (I presume #5 was withdrawn because of the obsolete "5-cent" sign on the gumball machine.)

I've often wondered something else regarding the 5¢ gumball machine in Jazz #5... was that cartoon dubbed in other languages to show to other countries? And if so, did they have to deal with the "5¢" part? I don't really expect a definite answer, just once of those things that make you go hmmmmmm........

I know other Jazz cartoons were dubbed into other languages like Hebrew for Rechov Sumsum and Spanish, presumably for Plaza Sesamo and here on the American show. It stands to reason that #5 was probably one of them.

Do you think the 5 dudes who were riding on the crocodile (?) were meant to be the Jackson 5?

 

[Mad Lil' Jerry]

Violence & Grover

I do remember a skit featuring Grover talking about a one way sign. This was way back in the early to mid 70's that when he would say that it was a one way sign, a group of muppets would walk in the opposite direction stomping on grover.

I thought it was fairly graphic because he would throw his arms in the air and make some kind of scream, he would get up with the sign facing the other direction. When he tried to explain it again... again the gang of muppets stomped Grover again.

I don't believe that is currently replayed.

-MLJ

 

[D'Snowth]

Plus, it had Bert calling Ernie names like Meatball (a weight insult).

Poor Ernie, I feel your pain. I didn't realize how many things you COULDN'T say on Sesame Street, but about this "heck" thing, I remember Huxley said heck in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, where he said "I didn't borrow this blanket, I didn't rent this blanket, heck, I didn't even sing a 36 month lease on the this blanket"

 

[Drtooth]

There was one short cartoon, if memory serves, with 2 cartoon cactuses singing "Here we are", and one of them replies, "To heck with there.."

I'm guessing it was cut out by now, but that wasn't too long ago.

 

[D'Snowth]

There was one short cartoon, if memory serves, with 2 cartoon cactuses singing "Here we are", and one of them replies, "To heck with there.."

I'm guessing it was cut out by now, but that wasn't too long ago.

This one can still be seen on Noggin on 123 Sesame in one of the season 29, 30, or 31 episodes.