Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Parents of my generation will be happy to hear that early episodes of Sesame Street have just been released on DVD. Be warned though, the people releasing it are under the impression that the show is dangerous for children!
It seems that slapped across the front of the case is the message: "These early Sesame Street episodes are intended for grown-ups, and may not suit the needs of today's preschool child." What?!!?
Fair enough, the wobbly sets and puppets with strings probably are better suited to sentimental adults than children growing up on Pixar, used to the very best of computer graphics but this is not what concerns the censors. The problem apparently lies in the behaviour they think such a rebellious programme might encourage.
Cookie Monster chowing down on biscuits (shock horror) might encourage obesity!
As for his alter ego, Alistair Cookie who used to smoke a pipe before eating it, he's been dropped with Sesame Street producer Carol-Lynn Parente telling the New York Times that it "modelled the wrong behaviour".
For older children it might be a fair point but any smoking parent with small children will agree that younger children have no interest in the smelly cough inducing tobacco sticks.
They are in fact so turned off by it that they (understandably) complain often about it.
While modelling correct behaviour is a must for healthy-minded children, it seems sad (and in my opinon, pathetic) that so many of the programmes we grew up knowing and loving are now considered unsuitable for children.
No more Magic Roundabout because the implication was that the characters were all busy running around on drugs. No more Bill and Bob the Flowerpot Men because of the insinuation that two men living together must be gay - so much for the modern day insistence on political correctness and tolerance for all!
Nowadays such classic as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are often changed to suits political sensibilities.
Call me insensitive but Snow White and the Seven Vertically-Challenged People just does not have the same ring to it. I could go on and on but would probably result in putting you to sleep.
With such decadent programmes growing up it's a wonder that any of us turn out (relatively) unscathed, able to live functional lives! Bah Humbug!!
