Common Sense Got Lost on Sesame Street

OK, I am a bad parent. I admit it. You want to know why I think I am a bad parent?
Oh dear, I don’t think I can admit it. It’s hard to admit to these things. Ya know, when you see it in print. It sort of becomes permanent. Like affirming what you know in your heart is true.
Sigh, The reason I think I failed my children you might ask? I let them watch Sesame street. Jesus, Mary and Joseph and all the Saints, there, I said it. I thought I was doing the right thing, but you just never know.
I just read an article in today’s New York Times announcing the release of Season one of Sesame street.
Here’s the part that gets me. IT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN. Plllleeeeaaaasssseeee. Who are these people? Really, I want to know. How are you?
When asked why it was not appropriate for today’s toddlers, here’s the answer:
“Alistair Cookie and the parody “Monsterpiece Theater.” Alistair Cookie, played by Cookie Monster, used to appear with a pipe, which he later gobbled. According to Parente, “That modeled the wrong behavior” — smoking, eating pipes — “so we reshot those scenes without the pipe, and then we dropped the parody altogether.”

Devin and I were talking the other day. The conversation went something like this:
Mom: Devin why on earth would you start smoking? Was it peer pressure?
Movie’s? TV?
Devin: Well mom, now that you mentioned it. It was TV. I wanted to smoke ever since I say Cookie monster smoking that pipe on Sesame Street when I was 2.

Then there is this issue:
Back then — as on the very first episode, which aired on PBS Nov. 10, 1969 — a pretty, lonely girl like Sally might find herself befriended by an older male stranger who held her hand and took her home. Granted, Gordon just wanted Sally to meet his wife and have some milk and cookies, but . . . well, he could have wanted anything. As it was, he fed her milk and cookies. The milk looks dangerously whole.

Geeze, I remember when there was a rash of little girls missing because some big black guy wanted to take them “Home” to meet the family. When asked why he did it.
You guessed it "Sesame Street".

Come to think of it, they might be responsible for everything every person did wrong that was born after 1969.
A good defense lawyer might try that. Your Honor, my client begs for the mercy of the court. Having grown up watching Sesame Street, he thought the man he murdered was snaufalafagus, and thefore not real to anyone but himself. Ah, too bad Johnny Cochran is dead.

What has this word come to folks?

Along the same lines, I have a friend who is pregnant. I was going to pick up lunch.
I asked her what she wanted, a sandwich maybe? No, was her answer. Dr. told me I'm not allowed to eat lunch meat. Causes birth defects. How about a tuna sandwich? No, not allowed that either. The whole mercury thing. Hot Dog, sorry not allowed that either, causes birth defects. OK, skip lunch, how about a soda. No, too much sugar. Would you like a glass of water I ask? No can't do that either. Not allowed tap water.

I can't believe millions and millions of babies were born to someone who ate hotdogs while watching Sesame Street and guess what?

THEY LIVED TO TELL THE TALE!!!
HOW DID WE ALL SURVIVE?????

Let's get some common sense people. Put the nuts who study these things out of a job and just have some common sense.
Be a parent to your child, but let them be a child who learns from their mistakes. Enjoy your pregnancy, you are not going to harm the kid for life if you stop by the "Dirty O" a few times.
I did.
OK, so maybe I'm not the best example.

Have a happy Thankgiving all. I'm sure I won't be short of topics to write about next week after spending the weekend with my family.

Where to go next Thursday? Lets try somewhere new.
Give me some ideas.