Wow. Sesame Street Actually Went There

[Deleted]

Bert has some rather interesting reading material.

[JTG Fan]

Ah, I was really hoping this would be about a murder or rape scene or something.

[CMWaters]

Bet the Sesame Street version reads better than what it's parodying though.

[Push R Truth]

He's using the book to cover up the raging boner he's rockin'

[Bub (BLM)]

Man, I really don't like the idea of Sesame Street making any kind of reference to an S&M trash novel. As a parent, that really bugs me, and I'm not the uppity type.

[Orange]

Sept 23, 2013 12:18:11 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

Man, I really don't like the idea of Sesame Street making any kind of reference to an S&M trash novel. As a parent, that really bugs me, and I'm not the uppity type.

I don't think most kids are going to know unless it's pointed out to them, like that story a while ago about the porn star that wanted to be a substitute teacher or whatever that was about.

[Bub (BLM)]

Sept 23, 2013 12:21:03 GMT -5 Orange said:

Sept 23, 2013 12:18:11 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

Man, I really don't like the idea of Sesame Street making any kind of reference to an S&M trash novel. As a parent, that really bugs me, and I'm not the uppity type.

I don't think most kids are going to know unless it's pointed out to them, like that story a while ago about the porn star that wanted to be a substitute teacher or whatever that was about.

That's a bit different. I think the retired porn star who was doing volunteer reading to kids is a good, positive story. And it's real life. This is just someone who works on Sesame Street not understanding appropriate humor for a kid's show.

[Citizen Grimm]

To me, this looks more like a subtle joke for any adults watching the show with their kids. Any kids, especially those at the age that watch Sesame Street, aren't going to get the joke at all. Hell, they probably won't even be aware of the joke.

[hassanchop]

The last thing they need is to give trashy works some exposure.

[Stone Cold Eleanor Shellstrop]

Sept 23, 2013 12:18:11 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

Man, I really don't like the idea of Sesame Street making any kind of reference to an S&M trash novel. As a parent, that really bugs me, and I'm not the uppity type.

The neat part is that as a parent you have the opportunity and responsibility to explain to your child what the reference means in case you're asked. You have the chance to actually parent, to teach your child about knowledge of sexuality and its various and complex expressions, rather than being like groups such as the Parents Television Council who attempt to police the content of Sesame Street because they are offended by the content merely because its existence alone or who are otherwise too lazy to communicate such information about people in the real world.

[Bub (BLM)]

Sept 23, 2013 12:39:32 GMT -5 Stone Cold Eleanor Shellstrop said:

Sept 23, 2013 12:18:11 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

Man, I really don't like the idea of Sesame Street making any kind of reference to an S&M trash novel. As a parent, that really bugs me, and I'm not the uppity type.

The neat part is that as a parent you have the opportunity and responsibility to explain to your child what the reference means in case you're asked. You have the chance to actually parent, to teach your child about knowledge of sexuality and its various and complex expressions, rather than being like groups such as the Parents Television Council who attempt to police the content of Sesame Street because they are offended by the content merely because its existence alone or who are otherwise too lazy to communicate such information about people in the real world.

You're saying it's okay to reference S&M on Sesame Street, essentially. Hey, while we're at it, let's reference meth and prison rape. I mean, why not? It'd force all of us "lazy" parents to explain stuff to our children that they don't need to be thinking about yet. Programming like Sesame Street when I was growing up was a safe haven for kids to enjoy something innocent, which is damned important considering the fact that we live in a far from innocent world.

Don't ever, EVER come at a parent with that condescending bullshit.

[BrianZane]

Ooooooookay. Let's take a breather.

First off, I don't agree that you should explain to your kids what the book is a reference to. They're too young to understand what any of that is and they're not at the right age to learn about it to begin with.

But that first point shouldn't even be an issue because of my second point: Like people have previously posted, the title of the book is going to go completely over the kid's head. He's not going to turn to you and ask you what it's about, or what it's a reference to. Hell, kids that age won't even know what a "reference" is! And chances are their attention span is so crappy they're not even going to remember the book in the first place.

[Deleted]

Thought that this thread was going to be about this:

[Deleted]

What kid sees the title of a book Bert is reading on Sesame Street and openly wonders what it could be a reference to? And at the same time, what parent gives their kid a straight answer to that question even if it comes up?

Seems like some rabble rabble outrage to me.

Edit: For the record, I was actually watching Sesame Street with my nephew the other day when that episode was on and it got a laugh from me.

[Johnny B. Decent]

.....Anyone surprised Bert would be reading something like that?

[Malcolm]

If they ask you what "Fifty Shades of Oatmeal" is about, just tell them it's a reference guide to the many varieties of oatmeal.

[BrianZane]

Sept 23, 2013 13:14:58 GMT -5 Malcolm said:

If they ask you what "Fifty Shades of Oatmeal" is about, just tell them it's a reference guide to the many varieties of oatmeal.

Exactly! Just tell the kid a little white lie, they're not going to care or remember in 5 minutes anyway!

[Malcolm]

Sept 23, 2013 13:18:08 GMT -5 BrianZane said:

Sept 23, 2013 13:14:58 GMT -5 Malcolm said:

If they ask you what "Fifty Shades of Oatmeal" is about, just tell them it's a reference guide to the many varieties of oatmeal.

Exactly! Just tell the kid a little white lie, they're not going to care or remember in 5 minutes anyway!

It's probably not even a lie. Knowing Sesame Street, that's probably what it's about anyway.

[Orange]

Sept 23, 2013 12:54:34 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

Sept 23, 2013 12:39:32 GMT -5 Stone Cold Eleanor Shellstrop said:

The neat part is that as a parent you have the opportunity and responsibility to explain to your child what the reference means in case you're asked. You have the chance to actually parent, to teach your child about knowledge of sexuality and its various and complex expressions, rather than being like groups such as the Parents Television Council who attempt to police the content of Sesame Street because they are offended by the content merely because its existence alone or who are otherwise too lazy to communicate such information about people in the real world.

You're saying it's okay to reference S&M on Sesame Street, essentially. Hey, while we're at it, let's reference meth and prison rape. I mean, why not? It'd force all of us "lazy" parents to explain stuff to our children that they don't need to be thinking about yet. Programming like Sesame Street when I was growing up was a safe haven for kids to enjoy something innocent, which is damned important considering the fact that we live in a far from innocent world.

Don't ever, EVER come at a parent with that condescending bullshit.

Who's to say Sesame Street still isn't that? Kids programming has always thrown in little jokes for the adults and this is no different.

I highly doubt any kid is going to pause the show, point to the book and ask his/her parents to explain the book in vivid detail, so I guess I'm just not seeing the huge deal here.

Now, if they dedicated time to working the book into a joke, then I'd get the outrage. But just by having it there? I guess I don't get the big deal.

[The OP]

Sept 23, 2013 12:54:34 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

Sept 23, 2013 12:39:32 GMT -5 Stone Cold Eleanor Shellstrop said:

The neat part is that as a parent you have the opportunity and responsibility to explain to your child what the reference means in case you're asked. You have the chance to actually parent, to teach your child about knowledge of sexuality and its various and complex expressions, rather than being like groups such as the Parents Television Council who attempt to police the content of Sesame Street because they are offended by the content merely because its existence alone or who are otherwise too lazy to communicate such information about people in the real world.

You're saying it's okay to reference S&M on Sesame Street, essentially. Hey, while we're at it, let's reference meth and prison rape. I mean, why not? It'd force all of us "lazy" parents to explain stuff to our children that they don't need to be thinking about yet. Programming like Sesame Street when I was growing up was a safe haven for kids to enjoy something innocent, which is damned important considering the fact that we live in a far from innocent world.

Don't ever, EVER come at a parent with that condescending bullshit.

Sesame Street and the Muppets at its best has always had subtle humor that is put in there for the parents, that's kind of the genius of the Muppets and if anything they did it a lot more often when you were a kid than they do now. You probably didn't notice because you were a kid, which is pretty much my point exactly. Those Sesame Street "old school" DVDs even have parental warnings on them. The stuff today is much more tame on average.