NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Sesame Street will soon introduce its first HIV-positive Muppet character to children of South Africa, where one in nine people have the virus that can lead to AIDS.
The upbeat female Muppet will join "Takalani Sesame" on September 30 for its third season on the South African Broadcasting Corp.
The character -- which has yet to have a name or final color or form -- will travel to many if not all of the eight other nations that air versions of the educational children's show that began in the United States in 1969, said Joel Schneider, vice president and senior adviser to the Sesame Street Workshop.
Schneider said talks are under way to introduce an HIV-positive character to U.S. viewers.
Schneider announced the new character this week at the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain, where he spoke by telephone on Thursday.
"This character will be fully a part of the community," Schneider said. "She will have high self-esteem. Women are often stigmatized about HIV and we are providing a good role model as to how to deal with one's situation and how to interact with the community."
The program is aimed at children from 3 to 7 and the messages delivered by the new character will be "appropriate," said Schneider, meaning that there will be no explicit mention of sex.
"Not every show will deal explicitly with HIV/AIDS," Schneider said. "We want to show that here is an HIV-positive member of our community who you can touch and interact with.
"We will be very careful to fashion our messages so they are appropriate to the age group. What do I do when I cut my finger? What do I do when you cut your finger? That sort of thing."
"Takalani Sesame" will be the second children's show in South Africa to have an HIV-positive character. But it is believed to be the first among shows designed for preschoolers, said Beatrice Chow, spokeswoman for the Sesame Street Workshop in New York.
In some parts of South Africa, 40 percent of women of child-bearing age are infected with HIV, and in 2000, about 40 percent of adult deaths in South Africa were attributed to AIDS, according to the U.S. State Department
We had lots of fun in the office this morning when this story and the whole "bert and ernie" thing was brought up.
Someone said they had heard Bert died of cancer. Where do these things start?
“The function of a good teacher is to discourage film as a course of study for the non-avid. There are film societies and cinemas galore for the serious non-film student.” – Robert Steele, “Film Scholars at the New York Film Festival,” FILM COMMENT 2, Fall 1964, p. 41, as quoted in It’s Only a Movie, by Raymond J. Haberski Jr.
Originally posted by odessastepsSomeone said they had heard Bert died of cancer. Where do these things start?
I haven't the foggiest idea. But it sounds like you got an mutated version of another popular UL:
"...But some rumors are just too bizarre to figure. One of the most recent urban myths is one claiming that Ernie, Bert's roommate on "Sesame Street", is dying of leukemia.
"Oh no, not again," groaned Ellen Morgenstern, spokeswoman for Children's Television Workshop in New York, when asked about Ernie's health. "Ernie is not dying of AIDS; he's not dying of leukemia. Ernie is a puppet." The Ernie stories have circulated for the past year, Morgenstern says. But the furor is sort of flattering.
"It's amazing that a rumor like this could send shock waves throughout the country," Morgenstern says. "It's an indication of how much Ernie is loved."
Of course, my favorite is the UL saying Mr. Rogers used to be a dead-shot sniper for the military.
Yes, I knew the wedding was an UL, I was just wondering if the HIV Muppet was one of those we would look back on and laugh at.
The thing is, I've just read that Republicans are upset about the character, because it is 'unsuitable for the age group'. Two issues I have with this:
1) HIV in SA is becoming a fact of life. Surely it is best to educate the kids, especially when many relatives and friends may have this illness. 2) WHY SHOULD THE REPUBLICANS GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT WHAT IS SHOWN IN SOUTH AFRICA??
Must be that annoying Republican need to stick their noses in every damn thing, regardless of whether or not it even affects the U.S.
And one wonders why several European countries are highly upset with us.
“And each and every one of you, when you see me, you will not put your eyes directly on me-- you will look to the ground and you will refer to me as 'Lord Master.'”
Kevin Nash, January 17, 2000
Two-Time, Two-Time Randomly Selected Weiner of the Day, 5/27/02 and 7/3/02
Originally posted by ekedolphinMust be that annoying Republican need to stick their noses in every damn thing, regardless of whether or not it even affects the U.S.
And one wonders why several European countries are highly upset with us.
That's quite a stretch there, Mr. Bash the Republicans.
BBC news story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/tv_and_radio/newsid_2129000/2129144.stm
Five congressmen have written to the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which broadcasts the series, to say they do not believe the character would be appropriate given the average age of its viewers.
The letter, quoted in the trade newspaper Daily Variety, said it was "important to teach children in an age-appropriate manner about compassion for those who contract certain diseases".
But it added: "We would like to inquire as to whether there is other PBS programming, aimed at an older age group, which may be more suitable for such sensitive messages."
WOW THAT'S TERRRRRRRRRIBLE THOSE NAAAAAASTY REPUBLICANS WRITING A LETTERRRRRRRRRRRR TO THE PBS
Thread ahead: Hope someone's acquiring the rights to the velvet Dogs Playing Poker Next thread: Thesaurus Quiz Previous thread: Calling this a "reality show" may be stretching it.