I grew watching Sesame Street on Detroit Public TV. I adored it, but that’s all I remember.

Seems that, if I were to show Beast and Diva Jr. the same shows today, it may be deemed “inappropriate.”

In this New York Time’s article, Virginia Heffernan asks what exactly the warning is about. Turns out that Oscar isn’t just grouchy, but downright mean and sarcastic, Cookie Monster smokes (gasp!), then eats, his pipe on MonsterPiece Theater (oh I so remember that!) and Gordon takes a little girl he doesn’t know home to his house for cookies and milk…

So, let’s see. First, my kids would absolutely adore Oscar like that. Heck, he’d probably be their hero.

Second, eh, I’m not sure if my kids know what a pipe even is, but, yeah, it’s probably time.

Third. Gordon. I don’t know. My kids happen to be old enough that they are already ingrained with the TV is fantasy knowledge, so this wouldn’t be a problem for them, particularly. I would wonder about the impression this would make on younger kids (any younger kid moms out there?)

Those were different times, weren’t they?

Sesame Street buzz:

The community forums at Amazon think that the warning is a bit of overkill.

FoldedSpace pulls all the best Sesame Street clips into one cool, time-wasting page. Don’t go there if you have work to do! This is one to be enjoyed!

Marye at 7BabesaBlogging finds Elmo disturbing.

Jen Chaney at the Washington Post thinks the warning is so that the Cookie Monster of today doesn’t get his cover blown.

So, would I leave my kids alone in a room with the Old School Sesame Street? Eh, only if they are simultaneously playing with a tub of Aqua Dots.

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