Sesame Street Old School DVD's: Not For Kids

[wwfpooh]

The disclaimer is silly, and we all know it. Censors are biased, air-headed idiots, and we know that, too. It all ties into political correctness, which shouldn't be controlling things meant to entertain, educational or not.

Three year olds are (often) still learning to use the bathroom.

That's what's wrong with things now. How many little kids younger than 4 will take away anything from any TV show, no matter the format? Almost none, that's how many. This is way parents--regardless of their own lives--should always put in time to teach their children before putting them in front of the 'tube, because--as we know--TV shouldn't be made a babysitter, because a good portion of TV now talks down to kids and makes them feel stupid and--for older kids--uses MTV-style humor done in bad taste to sell themselves to the public.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I do agree more with the experts who have been saying 1 to 2 year olds do not benefit from watching TV the way slightly older kids do. It's a system of a much larger problem. Parents have to work more and don't have the support systems they used to, and so have less time to be with their kids and the TV takes their place.

I bought the DVD for Big Bird in China recently. I'm very happy to have it, but also distressed to see there had been a couple cuts. In the original version, there was a running gag that Big Bird mistakenly says "do you speak American?" as opposed to "Do you speak English?"

This new DVD very obviously cut those moments out. Now I can only speculate why but it could be because someone thought it now sounded insensitive or ignorant. Or that they didn't want kids learning the wrong wording.

I personally thought it was completely unnecessary to do that. Children do have a life beyond Sesame Street, and do eventually learn (either from their parents or teachers) that the proper phrase is "speak English." There's no need to shield children from a simple joke.

In any case, it seems to be the same issue as the Old School disclaimer. There's too much emphasis on little PC issues and meanwhile we're ignoring much bigger problems our children are facing.

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

Right: the Henson crew and CTW intended Sesame Street to be a supplement to what the kids learned from their parents and in school - not a complete replacement. The purpose was to get adults and kids down in front of the set together, so they could discuss it afterwards.

And you know - as someone who used to watch the classic SS and similar shows in her early years, I believe that those esosteric puns make the show very fulfilling, whether you get them the first time around or not. They make you think...and even if you don't get them, they still sound funny or cool.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Also, as far as kids expecting to see Elmo. Yes, they may initially be disapointed. But they often get over these things if they are encouraged to give something different a chance. Kids are very smart, but they also needs parents to guide them, and not just give into their every wish.

In kids in school don't want to learn History, we don't tell them "Oh ok, if you don't want to, we won't teach that." We explain to them that History is important and that they will benefit from it.

 

[mikebennidict]

The disclaimer is necessary. Television censors have different guidelines today than they had in the early 70s. In the early 70s, adults smoked all over television. Today, you can't show adults smoking in a kids show (unless it is part of a very clear 'smoking: bad' segment). Early SST followed a different set of rules-- completely separate from culture references and comfort zones.

I don't believe any of it has anything to do with Cookie monster eating lots of cookies or Oscar (who still lives in a trash can). There are people who buy SST for kids-- any SST-- and don't look at what they're getting. Plunk an Elmo-obsessed three year old in front of SST Old School and the kids is going to be confused. I'm not saying the kid won't enjoy it-- but if you promise a three year old Elmo you better deliver Elmo. If you promise a three year old something different, that's fine (they are perfectly capable of adjusting) but don't say the "E" word if you don't plan on delivering.

When SST premiered it was aimed at 5 and 6 year olds. Today it is aimed at 3 year olds. That's a huge difference. Six year olds are reading, writing, going to school... Three year olds are (often) still learning to use the bathroom.

Don't think it was ever limied to age 5 I've even read 3 or 4.

Even this article says 3 as wel as 4 or 5.


http://members.tripod.com/~hooperfan/Allaboutsesamestreet.html

 

[CensoredAlso]

Right: the Henson crew and CTW intended Sesame Street to be a supplement to what the kids learned from their parents and in school - not a complete replacement. The purpose was to get adults and kids down in front of the set together, so they could discuss it afterwards.

Exactly, a supplement! Nowadays, the show seems to have the impression that it's supposed to do everything for parents and not with them. And again, that may be because parents just don't have the support system they used to have. It's unfortunate.

And you know - as someone who used to watch the classic SS and similar shows in her early years, I believe that those esosteric puns make the show very fulfilling, whether you get them the first time around or not. They make you think...and even if you don't get them, they still sound funny or cool.

Yes, and I remember hearing the "American/English" joke years ago. Looking back, it was good that I was exposed to both phrases and concepts, which are similar but slightly different. Again, kids are not as clueless as so many seem to think. They do not need to be protected from confusion, heh.

And I think Mike is correct, classic Sesame Street was for 3 and 4 year olds as well.

 

[wwfpooh]

In kids in school don't want to learn History, we don't tell them "Oh ok, if you don't want to, we won't teach that." We explain to them that History is important and that they will benefit from it.

And yet, as children go into their high school and college years, history sadly becomes more of an elective more than a requirement.

 

[CensoredAlso]

That's true and perhaps that's partially explains why our world is in such crummy shape. We are on a mission to ignore and forget everything that came before us, as is we've got it all figured out now. We will have nothing left to preserve if we keep thinking this way. Plus it's rather immature and self centered of us to think that the past was "so different" from today. People haven't really changed that much in reality.

Also, I don't think kids start smoking because they see Cookie Monster do it. I saw adults smoking on kid's show, but I never wanted to take it up, because it was explained to me by my family and teachers how harmful it was. And also even if you saw smoking on kid's shows a few years ago, it was used for humor or to develop a character's personality. Not to encourage smoking; they were always talking about how harmful it was.


Again, Sesame Street is supposed to be used by a parent, not instead of a parent.

 

[wwfpooh]

That's true and perhaps that's partially explains why our world is in such crummy shape.

More than perhaps. It is true, because if we don't learn from our history, the mistakes made in years past may return to repeat themselves or if we don't preserve our history, we would forget where we came from in terms of what got us to where we are currently.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Very true!

Also about the smoking issue, kids often start smoking because they want to fit in with their peers, which indicates an insecurity within themselves. If adults focused more on building kids' self worth and not what Cookie Monster is or is not doing, things might actually improve in this world.