Fox News v. Sesame Street: Beck, O'Reilly fans angry over Oscar's parody
Filed under: Media, News Corp.
On the eve of its 40th anniversary, Sesame Street is courting a strange political controversy. A two-year-old episode featuring Oscar the Grouch as a (what else?) grouchy TV news reporter for (who else?) the Grouch News Network has caused a minor Internet kerfuffle among steamed fans of News Corp.'s (NWS) Fox News.In the episode in question, Oscar the Grouch is a reporter covering, in breathless cable-news fashion, the trials and tribulations of Horatio the Elephant, who's trying to extricate himself from a bathtub. Oscar's quest for "all grouchy, all disgustin', all yucky" news goes awry when there's "breaking news" -- namely, Cookie Monster breaking a cookie.
Oscar explains to Cookie that he's now got two treats instead of one; Cookie hugs and kisses Oscar with joy; and Oscar's girlfriend, Grundgetta -- that's right: Oscar the Grouch has a girlfriend -- is so sickened by the outpouring of cheer that she threatens to change the channel to "Pox News." "Now there's a trashy news show," she says.
Some Fox fans who caught the Oct. 29 showing of the episode apparently mistook the "P" in "Pox" for an "F" -- as in "Fox News," which employs grouches of its own, like Bill O'Reilly. PBS Ombudsman Michael Getler wrote on his blog that this was the first time he had heard a complaint about the episode.
Getler sided with the offended viewers. "Now, on one level, Pox News as an alternative and competitor to the Grouch News Network would seem to be a clever and appropriate title," he writes. "But you would have to be anesthetized as a producer not to assume that many parents will hear this, or assume this, to be a clever shot at Fox News....Broadcasters can tell parents whatever they think of Fox or any other network, but you shouldn't do it through the kids."
I have a lot of respect for Gelter, but he's missing the bigger picture. The parodies are not for the young fans of Sesame Street but their long-suffering parents, who sometimes watch two and three episodes a day. Young kids could care less about Fox News, or any channel that doesn't feature Elmo.
After 40 years of trying to entertain both children and parents, Sesame Street has aired almost as many take-offs as Saturday Night Live -- in recent years it's gone after Mad Men, 30 Rock, The Amazing Race, the Indiana Jones movies, Law and Order, and Deal or No Deal. i would hate to see the writers stifled by one dust-up over one skit.
Head writer Joey Mazzarino told me during a recent visit to the set that most of the targets are flattered to be featured on Sesame Street. He hadn't heard a peep out of Fox News over the Grouch News Network.
Representatives from Fox News and Sesame Street's parent nonprofit, Sesame Workshop, did not comment. But maybe Sesame Street was too harsh on Fox News -- and too easy on its competitors who would have covered the story of an elephant stuck in a bathtub with the same slant.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 10)
11-05-2009 @ 6:10PM
Allan Bendert said...
Get a life people. Do you know how petty you look?
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11-08-2009 @ 2:14PM
John said...
Pettty, get real.....O'Reilly disciples invented the word. If you have to find something that petty to bitch about, you need to get a life outside Fox News.
11-08-2009 @ 5:09PM
DawnD13 said...
Right on, Allan! This is so utterly ridiculous...I would have thought I was reading it on "The Onion"!!!! C'mon Fox News fans...get over yourselves!
11-08-2009 @ 5:04PM
Gina said...
Caring what is being taught to our children is petty? Really??
It's only petty to you because it happens to correlate with your line of thinking. Let a conservative fill your child's brain full of their ideals and we'll see how petty it is then. Let them teach something conservative and watch how quickly you stomp your feet and start crying for tolerance.
11-08-2009 @ 5:54PM
Lisa said...
Do ALL OF YOU actually know how utterly ridiculous ALL OF YOU sound????? Don't any of you have something in your lives to really bitch about?? Come on people!!!
11-08-2009 @ 7:36PM
Coleen said...
Just another Faux controversy. These fox followers have to be the most paranoid people on the planet. I wonder how long it will take for O'Reilly to start with the fake anti-Christmas outrage. It would be funny if it weren't so pathetic.
11-05-2009 @ 7:00PM
Bill Carithers said...
I am a strong follower of Fox News and Fox Business News, all I can say is it is amusing if not laughable how the so called main stream media and the government mouth piece public radio and television are putting out thinly veiled slams on Fox. I might suggest that PBS change the news outlet in the skit from "POX" to "Nutty Bird Calls" or "Mutty Nutty Bird Calls". In this way they would insult very few since the fan base is much much smaller.
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11-08-2009 @ 3:28PM
No Way said...
Fox gets what they deserve for being loud mouthed hate mongers. Someone needs to put a stop to them.
11-08-2009 @ 3:02PM
Steenbot7 said...
You're a "strong follower" of Fox? Sounds like a religion... Fox IS the MSM, dearie. Look at all you mainstream teabaggers they've roiled up! If you want real news, become a "strong follower" of reading, not listening to biased, self-proclaimed pundits who lead you by the nose by telling you just what you want to hear.
11-08-2009 @ 7:09PM
Keith said...
How utterly ironic. "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy" constantly trash FOX News, the network, and Rupert and his minions but not a peep from those poor hurt little garden gnomes about that. Would it be because they are highly rated shows that could find any network to go too if Murdoch and the wonder boys trashed their shows? Like Nelson would say. "Ha Ha".
11-05-2009 @ 7:23PM
Reyanna said...
Are you guys serious?? You know how stupid you guys sound for complaining for something so stupid get over it its a kid show plus did we forget sesame street is originaly for kids and adults. Its suppose to have some adult jokes in it just as long as they dont get out of hand plus grouch is a way for the children to learn how to deal with other peoples anger also another thing i would like to touch base with cookie monster that veggie thing is a load of crap i dont care who you are its up 2 the parents to feed there children a crap load of cookies or not. You the parent are suppose to tell your children wheather or not they can have that all the time. People these days are so rediculous they wanna blame thing that they are to lazy to handle on there own on the media and say that its all there fault its just a load of crap im sorry but think about it.
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11-06-2009 @ 6:14AM
stuart said...
You have got to be kidding!!!! LMAO!
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11-06-2009 @ 9:32PM
Frank said...
As Fox News Fans it is obvious Big Bird and the rest of Sesame St. don't have jobs. All they do is hang around the street and count to ten. That's a left wing mentality. Leave our grand children alone, and keep it a childs show like it is supposed to be. you liberals can't leave anything alone! Frank
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11-08-2009 @ 4:49PM
Ted said...
Frank, I'm just as shocked as you are that the giant yellow bird and his other animal friends don't have jobs.
What can we do for this? Please I need more of your advice. I'm so lost without your words of wisdom. Ted.
11-08-2009 @ 6:36PM
Michael said...
What the heck are you talking about???
11-08-2009 @ 8:12PM
George at The B-3 said...
You're right - these liberal Muppets hanging out on Sesame Street ARE without jobs - the economy that once provided them work has been effectively destroyed by the ultra-right conservatives, and now all the "up by their own bootstraps" Repubppets are unfairly blaming the new Mupppresident. Isn't make believe wonderful? Gee - imagine if this situation were REAL!
11-08-2009 @ 2:05PM
bouncer827 said...
figures. only o'reilly and beck fans would be watching sesame street. but that is about all those right wing, pinko, commie, perverts can understand.
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11-08-2009 @ 7:42PM
Truth Man said...
Right wing pinko commie? Oxymoron from a moron.
11-08-2009 @ 2:09PM
Maureen said...
FOX fans, O'Reilly and Beck? they are small minded /lots more small minded than the costumes alone of Sesame Street (sorry Big Bird etc.) This is way more than laughable. Insecurity boys???? Get over yourselves and act like men (if in fact that's what you are!!!!
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11-08-2009 @ 2:10PM
PB said...
This is as stupid as it sounds....its a kids show and making a play on words. Is everyone so uptight and PC nowadays that something like Sesame Street can incite anger? Give me a break!
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