Zari, the young 6 year old girl from Afghanistan will meet the folks on Sesame Street.
When Jim Henson Productions and the Sesame Workshop introduced to the public a new character, many praise the move as a way to show its commitment to diversity. Sesame Street introduces a new character to the show.
Zari, she is from Afghanistan and is a Muslim. She wears a hijab and will introduce the characters to the her family and her culture.
And guess what, it's winning praise across the country.
There are some who aren't keen to the idea of a Muslim Muppet.
Cue the conservative outrage.
The conservatives aren't happy about it. They believe that it's a deliberate attempt at "political correctness" and some of the comments that came from underneath the bandwidth bridge was pretty ugly.
Some conservatives resort to Islamophobia and downright sexist comments.
It's pathetic that conservatives would resort to this hateful rhetoric.
“Sesame Street has done more to educate and entertain than any other children’s program in Afghanistan,” said Saad Mohseni, the president of the MOBY group, which airs numerous TV programs for Afghani children. “We are especially delighted about the introduction of Zari to Baghch-e-Simsim, which reflects Sesame’s commitment to the country and the show’s positive impact here.”
Tavis Smiley and Dr. Cornel West are Black liberal agitators who complain about President Barack Obama not doing enough for Black America. When the president does something, these two nut farmers criticize him. These guys are just as worse as the conservative agitators I've often mention.
Black liberal extremist can't be satisfied.
This has to be one of the reason why I can't stand Black liberal activists. They want more and more.
They can't settle for compromise.
They always figure that the president isn't doing enough for one group or doing too much for one group.
There are some liberal extremists who can't be satisfied with the way the president does his job.
They're just as bad as the conservative agitators and White extremists.
On the positive note, SiriusXM has relaunched its networks. The relaunch includes the channels I normally listen to in my drive time. The channel SiriusXM LEFT will now be called SiriusXM Progress and SiriusXM The Power will be called SiriusXM Urban View.
Through Public Radio International and featured on WCPT AM, the nation's most popular progressive talk radio network comes Tavis Smiley. Smiley, who is a host on PBS program on late nights also goes to the radio to talk about the state of Black America. He also host a second show with Dr. Cornel West, professor from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York.
Tom Joyner dropped Smiley for Roland Martin after he kept complaining to the audience that Barack Obama in a theme that described him as a "HOUSE NIGGER!"
Anyways, on Obama News featured Meet The Press, David Gregory gets Smiley, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), and Michael Steele debate this controversy.
Smiley goes to the nut farm with this comment.
[I think that Obama was] pushed to the podium and these comments were as "weak as pre-sweetened Kool Aid." "I appreciate and applaud the fact that the president did finally show up," Smiley said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "[But however], this town has been spinning a story that's not altogether true. He did not walk to the podium for an impromptu address to the nation. He was pushed to that podium. A week of protest outside the White House, pressure building on him inside the White House pushed him to that podium. So I'm glad he finally arrived. "But when he left the podium, he still had not answered the most important question, that Keynesian question, where do we go from here?" "That question this morning remains unanswered, at least from the perspective of the president. And the bottom line is this is not Libya, this is America."On the Trayvon Martin situation, I think the president is leading from behind".
From Wikipedia.
Tavis Smiley is an American talk show host, author, liberal political commentator, entrepreneur, advocate and philanthropist.
Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, and grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana. After attending Indiana University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley, the mayor of Los Angeles. Smiley became a radio commentator in 1991, and starting in 1996, he hosted the talk show BET Talk (later renamed BET Tonight) on BET.
Controversially, after Smiley sold an exclusive interview of Sara Jane Olson to ABC News in 2001, BET declined to renew Smiley's contract that year. Smiley then began hosting The Tavis Smiley Show on NPR from 2002 to 2004 and currently hosts Tavis Smiley on PBS on the weekdays and "The Tavis Smiley Show" from PRI. Starting in 2010 Smiley and Dr. Cornel West have joined forces for their own radio talk show, Smiley & West. They were featured together interviewing musician Bill Withers in the 2009 documentary film Still Bill.
He is the new host of "Tavis Talks" on BlogTalkRadio's Tavis Smiley Network.
In 2008, Tavis Smiley announced that he would resign in June 2008 as a commentator on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. He cited fatigue and a busy schedule in a personal call to Joyner. However, Joyner, referring to several commentaries in which Smiley was critical of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, indicated otherwise on his program, stating: "The real reason is that he can't take the hate he's been getting regarding the Barack issue—hate from the black people that he loves so much."
Prior to the public controversy and being elected President, Obama had been on Smiley's PBS show six times.
In 2012, Smiley participated in a "Poverty Tour" with professor Cornel West in promoting their book The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto.
The stated aim of the tour was to highlight the plight of the impoverished population of the United States prior to the 2012 Presidential Election, whose candidates Smiley and West stated had ignored the plight of the poor.
GOP Sundays often have a Republican on there. Usually it's a requirement that Senator John McCain (R-Arizona), Senator Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina), Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Michigan), Congressman Darrell Issa (R-California) and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) be on GOP Sundays. There's a 3:1 ratio when it comes to Republicans being featured on GOP Sundays.
For some reason the president's talk about being racially profiled became the talk of the town.
Elmo gets retribution. The puppeteer Kevin Clash was handed a legal victory in his federal case against three men who accused him of having sex with them while their underage teens.
Sesame Workshop is laying off people and one of them is the famed voice of beloved child monster Elmo.
Kevin Clash, the 52 year old former puppeteer was in some major heat during his time at Sesame Street.
Last year, the man got caught in a sex scandal involving young gay men. Two of them, publicly showed their faces and threatened lawsuits alleging that Clash was having affairs with them and molesting them while on set of Sesame Street.
Clash denied the allegations and took a leave. When the news broke, everyone including myself was shocked.
For one thing, who knew that Clash was a Black guy?
Who knew that Clash was an openly gay man?
Well all that came out last year when the man publicly acknowledged that he slept with the young boys but only when they were at the "age of consent". But like with these allegations, there's probably more to come and likely a police investigation into his daily conduct on and off screen.
Clash was fired from Sesame Workshop on November 20, 2012, and released a statement saying,
"Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work 'Sesame Street' is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer. I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately."
Of course, you knew that the inevitable was bound to happen. After all Sesame Street became a topic of discussion when that perennial loser Mitt Romney mentioned that he would give Big Bird the ax if he passed a budget that cuts off government funding for PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Sesame Workshop also released a statement: "Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Kevin's personal life has become a distraction that none of us want, and he has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job and has resigned from 'Sesame Street.'" They stated that other puppeteers had been trained to serve as Clash's understudy and would take over his roles on the show.
And recently with the DOMA law repealed by the Supreme Court, the New Yorker goes forth and publish their cover article with muppets Bert and Ernie embracing the court's decision. Giving a notion that the two longtime friends were a same sex couple.
On July 1, 2013, the three cases against Clash were thrown out due to the statute of limitations running out. Lawyers for the plaintiffs said they would appeal the ruling, and Clash's lawyers expressed his hope that the ruling would allow him to restore his personal and professional life.
The Associated Press reports that federal Judge Kevin Koeltl (KOH’-toll) threw out the lawsuits Monday. He said the claims came more than six years after each man reasonably should have become aware of Clash’s alleged violations and more than three years after each turned 18. There’s at least one other lawsuit pending.
His resignation came after college student Cecil Singleton sued him for more than $5 million, accusing Clash of having sex with him when he was 15. Singleton’s lawsuit was among those thrown out Monday.
For over 25 years, Kevin Clash voiced the famous Muppet character Elmo. Last year, he was axed after accusations of sexual conduct with underage boys came into the limelight.
A few more new things to add to the list. Senator Tom Carper (D-Delaware) and Senator Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) come out in favor of gay marriage. The count is growing.
So far 43 Republicans, and 7 Democrats are standing in the way of progress. Again, let the LGBT community have the right to marriage. They're not hurting anyone.
Now onto another issue here. Kevin Clash, the guy formerly known as the voice of Elmo. He resigned from Sesame Workshop last year after accusations of him having numerous affairs with gay teenagers.
He came out as a gay Black entertainer after the first accuser went to the press about a sexual relationship with Clash during his early teens. The second accuser came forth and told his story and Clash got the ax.
He all but disappeared from the limelight. But unfortunately, his problems haven't disappeared.
The number is five. Five accusers and one major lawsuit going against him. As Elmo, Clash made millions with the voice of the world famous preschool icon. E! News is reporting that the lawsuit is on and Clash is trying to get the lawsuit dismissed.
In the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in New York and obtained by E! News, Kevin Kiadii claims that back in 2004 when he was 16-years-old, he went on a gay telephone chat line and Clash initiated a conversation with him.
According to the plaintiff, who is now 25, Clash subsequently sent a luxury car over to pick him up and brought him over to Clash's apartment where he was given alcohol and engaged in sexual conduct.
"This was Kiadii's first sexual experience with an adult male," states the suit.
Kiadii's complaint says the incident left him with severe mental, psychological and emotional trauma that is permanent—prompting him to seek unspecified damages.
However, like the other four plaintiffs who've since sued the former Sesame Street puppeteer, the New York native notes he did not become aware of the adverse psychological and emotional effects of the incident with Clash until much later—2012 to be exact.
"As a compliant victim showered with attention and affection, Kiadii could not reasonably have been expected to know that he had been injured and that Kevin Clash had caused his injuries until calendar year 2012," states court papers.
Herman, who represents all five accusers in the sexual abuse suits, said in a statement that what allegedly happened to Kiadii follows the "same pattern" as the other cases.
"Each of these victims alleges that Kevin Clash was a father figure who groomed them with attention before engaging them in sexual contact. By coming forward and standing up for his 16-year-old self, Kevin Kiadii has taken the first step in his healing process," said the legal eagle.
Last month, Clash filed a motion to dismiss three of the lawsuits on the grounds that the statute of limitations on the cases had passed. The 52-year-old's attorney argued that if the boys wanted to file suit, they would have needed to file within six years after turning 18. As it turns out, all of the men filed after that period had passed.
Clash's attorney, Michael Berger, tells E! News: "This lawsuit is meritless and barred by the statute of limitations. This case has been brought by the same lawyer, Jeff Herman, who brought three other similar cases in federal courts in New York, and we have moved to dismiss all three of those cases. Mr. Clash continues to deny any wrongdoing, and we intend to defend this case forcefully."
End of the road for Kevin Clash, the famed voice of Elmo.
This controversy is ongoing. We'll keep you informed over here at Journal de la Reyna. Also portions of this comes from E! News, TMZ and CBS New York.
Kevin Clash thought his troubles were over! I guess not!
The famed voice of preschool icon, Elmo has officially resigned from the Sesame Workshop after another accuser came forth with accusations that he had underage sex with Clash.
Clash was suspended from Sesame Workshop after he exchanged emails with the first accuser. The first accuser is now public and telling his story.
Before we continue, there's something we have to get out the way! The Drudge Report and many conservative outlets already found a reason to get upset. Of course, they're going to insert President Barack Obama into the fray. Despite this having nothing to do with him, the gay conservative agitator Matt Drudge will make it an "I told you so" moment! The reasons why!
President Barack Obama and supporters of public television hammered perennial loser Mitt Romney.
Romney wanted to cut the Corporation For Public Television which funds PBS and NPR.
Now with the Clash controversy, many Republicans and their conservative allies are throwing down their gauntlet of hate!
This controversy force him out of the closet.
Clash admits he's a Black gay man after the accuser known as Sheldon Stephens told Sesame Workshop about their relationship. The individual is now 24, and he claimed that Clash met him when he was 16 and they had sex soon after.
Sheldon Stephens, the first accuser's mugshot.
Clash denied this and took himself out of the public eye for a moment. When the accuser didn't provide enough information, the accusations were dismissed. Clash released a statement of relief.
That's until the next accuser came forth with accusations of Clash engaging in sex with him. This second accuser doomed the famed entertainer's career.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Sesame Workshop called the controversy surrounding Clash’s personal life “a distraction that none of us want” and that Clash “has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job.”
The company called Clash’s resignation “a sad day for Sesame Street.”
“Sesame Workshop’s mission is to harness the educational power of media to help all children the world over reach their highest potential,” the company said in a statement. “Kevin Clash has helped us achieve that mission for 28 years and none of us, especially Kevin, want anything to divert our attention from our focus on serving as a leading educational organization.”
As the announcement was made, a lawsuit was being filed in federal court in New York charging Clash with sexual abuse of a second youth. The lawsuit alleges that Cecil Singleton, then 15 and now an adult, was persuaded by Clash to meet for sexual encounters.
The first reports on the incident with Singleton said it happened in 1993, but a corrected complaint said was actually 2003, according to a published report.
“Since I found out that there were other people or victims in a similar circumstance, I felt very guilty,” Singleton said at a news conference. “I felt really guilty because regardless of my maturity or my experience at 15, they were likely not the experiences of any normal 15-year-old.”
Last week, Sesame Workshop announced that Clash was taking a leave of absence from the popular kids’ show following allegations that he had a relationship with a 16-year-old boy.
Clash denied that charge, calling it “false and defamatory.”
That accuser, Sheldon Stephens, now 23, recanted his claims a day later and said through an attorney that his sexual relationship with Clash was adult and consensual.
Clash, 52, has been with “Sesame Street” since 1983.
Clash is not the first member of the “Sesame Street” troupe to puppeteer Elmo – Brian Muehl and the late Richard Hunt also had brief stints with the little red monster – but Clash is responsible for creating the character’s distinctive voice and personality.
On its own Web site, “Sesame Street” says “it wasn't until Clash started performing him in 1984 that the effervescent monster became the huge international sensation that he is today.”
Clash also performs Hoots the Owl, and has portrayed the characters Dr. Nobel Price and Baby Natasha.
Cecil Singleton, the second accuser, a transgender woman.
This is not the first time that a member of the “Sesame Street” cast has been hit with controversy. Back in 1980, Northern Calloway, the actor who played Hooper’s Store assistant and later owner David, was arrested amid a nervous breakdown in Nashville, after beating a woman with a metal iron and damaging two homes before being found by police in a state of psychosis wearing only a T-shirt.
But Calloway, who was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder, remained with the show for another nine years, until he was dismissed and his character was written out. He died in 1990.
Clash and Sheldon Stephens entered into a settlement in which Clash agreed to pay Stephens $125,000, but in return the agreement provides the following:
"Stephens agrees that immediately upon execution of this Agreement, his counsel, Andreozzi & Associates, P.C., shall release the [following] statement ... 'He [Stephens] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship.'"
Kevin Clash's newest accuser, Cecil Singleton, held a press conference Tuesday afternoon in which he described in detail the nature of the sexual relationship he had with the puppeteer nine years ago when he was just 15 years old.
"[There was] groping, masturbation, and just a lot of intense kissing, touching, that kind of thing. Dry humping," he said. "But we did not have sex and it's imperative to note that. We did not have…sexual intercourse until years later when I was an adult."
Singleton added that he broke things off after two weeks.
"I just remember telling myself that he seemed to really like me and... let me spare him now because I know that I can't do this," noted the accuser. "If I had to make an educated guess and say if we had stayed together we more than likely would have had sex at that age."
Now we're starting to get a better idea of the "distraction" in Kevin Clash's personal life that prompted Elmo's right-hand man to tender his resignation from Sesame Street on Tuesday.
More than a week after a 24-year-old wannabe model recanted allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with the famed puppeteer when he was 16, a second man has now come forward claiming to have had a sexual encounter with Clash when he was a minor.
In a lawsuit filed against Clash in federal court in New York and obtained by E! News, Cecil Singleton, who's also 24, claims he met the 52-year-old children's entertainer on a gay phone chat line in 2003 when he was 15.
Per the complaint, Clash "was an unmarried adult male living a prominent public life centered around the entertainment of toddlers, while at the same time he was, in secret, preying on teenage boys to satisfy his depraved sexual interests."
The court docs noted that Clash "persuaded, induced, coerced, or enticed Cecil Singleton to meet him," whereby the former "groomed [his accuser] to gain his trust by, among other things, taking him to nice dinners and giving him money."
Elmo, one of America's most famous Muppet!
The complaint went on to add that as a result, Singleton suffered personal injuries, but while the sexual improprieties happened years ago, the plaintiff "did not become aware that he had suffered adverse psychological and emotional effects from Kevin Clash's sexual acts and conduct until 2012."
Singleton's lawsuit seeks $5 million in damages.
The plaintiff's attorney, Jeff Herman, said: "According to our lawsuit, Kevin Clash preyed on vulnerable teenage boys, like Cecil Singleton, to satisfy his depraved sexual interests. By coming forward now, Cecil hopes to spare the lives of others like him and to begin his own healing process."
A lawyer for Clash could not be reached for comment.
But after resigning from Sesame Workshop for good on Tuesday following what he initially described as a leave of absence, the Being Elmo star told E! News in a statement: "Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work Sesame Street is doing and I cannot allow it to go any longer. I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately."
The only thing my hand going into is my friend Elmo! - Kevin Clash.
The controversy involving Kevin Clash is apparently settling down. The accuser has taken back his accusation. The man admits that he had a sexual relationship with Clash, but it was consensual adult sex.
Clash for his part, came out the closet and admitted that he's a Black gay man. He denied that he messed with the accuser when he was a boy. Clash's accuser claimed that he was 16-year-old when they had a sexual encounter. The accuser at age 23, could not produce enough information to make the case against Clash.
Clash was suspended by Sesame Workshop for using emails to exchange contact with the accuser.
Clash is the iconic voice of Elmo, a role that he's done for over twenty years.
Although the accuser recanted his story about the relationship, this controversy opens up a potential for more accusers. But in the meantime, Clash issued a statement through his representative: "I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest. I will not discuss it further."
The 2011 documentary about his life, Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey. In that film, Clash opened up about his upbringing in a black suburb of Baltimore, his early obsession with Disney and puppets, and that he was teased in school for playing with dolls. But despite the personal nature of the documentary, Clash, who is now 52, did not come out as gay.
On Monday, that changed, under the worst possible circumstances: "I am a gay man,” he said in a statement issued by his representative. “I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter."
Big scandal plagues Sesame Street performer Kevin Clash!
The famed voice of Elmo finally admits he's a gay Black man!
The more shocking stories that unfold from this sex scandal!
Sesame Workshop suspended Kevin Clash after they've determined that personal emails were exchanged with the accuser. The person that brought this scandal to life stated that he was then 16-years-old when Clash had a sexual encounter.
New York-based Sesame Workshop said in a statement that its own inquiry, including interviews with the now 23-year-old accuser, concluded that claims of underage sexual conduct against puppeteer Kevin Clash were unsubstantiated.
Clash, 52, the voice of Elmo for nearly three decades, acknowledged a past relationship with his accuser but said in a statement that the allegations against him were "false and defamatory."
Clash denied he had slept with this person but finally acknowledge to the world that it's time to put his business out there.
CNN obtained his statement from the entertainer.
"I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter. I had a relationship with the accuser. It was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to characterize it as something other than what it was. I am taking a break from Sesame Workshop to deal with this false and defamatory allegation."
Again, this is very shocking and I know this will be an ongoing issue! This also gives into other accusers who may have been in contact with Clash.
Clash has played the role of Sesame Street's breakout character Elmo for most of his time.
Famed entertainer Kevin Clash admits to having a sexual relationship with an accuser. Clash denies he had slept with the accuser when the man was a teenager. This is a shocking story!
The Drudge Report will never concede to dropping stories that involve scandals around the Black community. Any story involving a Black person or President Barack Obama posted by The Drudge Report is guaranteed for conservative agitating.
One of the most interesting was clicked upon by me today was a story that involves the famed voice of Sesame Street, Kevin Clash being involved in a relationship with a teenage boy.
Kevin Clash is the famed voice of preschool icon Elmo.
This story motivates the conservative ire against the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The organization funds many shows on NPR and PBS. Sesame Street became a rally call for President Barack Obama and his progressive allies.
The former presidential candidate Mitt Romney once stated that he "loves Big Bird and Jim Leher", but he wanted to cut funding to save the economy. That comment drew outrage from many Americans who felt that Romney's attack on Sesame Street was a pathetic attack on a minor player in the growing debt.
The Drudge Report puts this story online to draw an "I Told You So Moment"! And of course it's going to be another word salad of racial slurs and Obama bashing because the entertainer Clash was in a picture (as Elmo) with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sabelius and First Lady Michelle Obama.
It's a shocking story. I am shocked!
It's getting national buzz and it's going to have some effect to the longtime television program.
Elmo with then first lady Laura Bush and daughters Jenna Bush-Hager and Barbara Bush.
The Daily Mail UK has reported that Kevin Clash, 52, has taken a leave of absence from the popular children's show after the programme's lawyers were contacted by a 23-year-old man who claims he had a sexual relationship with the puppeteer seven years ago, when he was aged 16.
TMZ, who reported the allegations, said that Mr Clash had admitted he had a relationship with the man, but only after the accuser was an adult and said the accusations were both false and defamatory.
The website reported that after the accuser's initial meeting with Sesame Street lawyers, he felt that that he was being silenced so he hired a lawyer.
He is now being represented by Andreozzi and Associates - the firm that worked with one of the victims in the Jerry Sandusky child rape case.
They claim rather than trying to hush up the accuser, they asked for evidence of his allegations, which was not received.
First Lady Michelle Obama with Elmo.
The website reported they had seen an email supposedly sent to the accuser by Clash, acknowledging they had the affair when he was 16, but officials believe it is fake as they say the accuser never mentioned such an email existed.
Sesame Street disciplined Clash for inappropriate use of company email after they found emails between him and the accuser, but they did not indicate an illegal sexual relationship, according to TMZ.
It is unclear why Clash wanted a leave of absence, since he denies the allegations of underage sex, but the program told TMZ it was to allow him to defend his reputation in the wake of the damaging allegations.
Clash has been the Elmo puppeteer for two decades, performing on the show as well as for PBS specials, DVD releases and TV movies while earning nine Daytime Emmy Awards.
Clash has been a longtime fixture with Jim Henson Productions. He was hired to perform in ten episodes of Sesame Street. However, at the time, Clash was performing full-time on two other shows, and the producers of both shows refused to work around his schedule, so he was forced to tear up his contract to appear on Sesame Street.
Some of his earliest characters included Hoots the Owl, Baby Natasha, and Dr. Nobel Price, but it was Elmo who became his main character. Clash has also sung in voice-over in a variety of film and animation songs on Sesame Street, including "In My Animal Book" and "Take Care of That Smile". During the late 1980s, Clash was involved with a variety of Henson productions. He performed P.J. in the Play-Along videos, and Father Bunny and Be-Bop in Tale of the Bunny Picnic. He would also perform Eliott Shag on Dog City, various characters in Muppet Time series.
He is also most notably Baby Sinclair, but also Howard Handupme on the 1990s sitcom Dinosaurs. He also performed the title character in the Muppet Sing-Along video Billy Bunny's Animal Songs.
Sesame Workshop officials tell TMZ the puppet is alive and well: "Elmo is bigger than any one person and will continue to be an integral part of Sesame Street to engage, educate and inspire children around the world."
The news breaks across the internet and it's a buzz worthy story.
We here at Journal de la Reyna will keep you informed about this controversy.
Additional details could come at any given time.
The last controversy involving Sesame Street was the Elmo's World episode they scrapped. They had singer Katy Perry sing her famous "Hot 'N Cold" with Elmo. The conservative Media Research Center/Parents Television Council founder Brent Bozell called upon a boycott of the network for allow it to happen.
Big Bird thanks Mitt Romney for his rebound in popularity!
The controversy surrounding Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo will be covered. Click on this link here!
The most famous Muppet has responded to the Republican nominee's shout out! Although Big Bird kept himself out of the political fray, the Muppet maintains his rebound in popularity is thanks to Mitt Romney.
Last week's national debate between Romney and President Barack Obama has been the talk of the nation.
How bad was President Obama's performance?
Why would Mitt Romney want to "kill" Big Bird?
The crew over at SNL (Saturday Night Live) got first grabs at Big Bird.
The controversy about Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo will be covered. You have to click on this link here.
Conservatives are rejoicing after the first presidential debate. Republican nominee Mitt Romney has won the debate, and conservatives are feeling the bounce back! The bounce back has Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity declaring that Mitt Romney's getting his groove back!
These foolish conservatives ignored the feisty Mitt Romney interrupting moderator Jim Lehrer and President Barack Obama. Even more the fact that the Republican nominee had went forth boldly acknowledge that he's willing to cut PBS (through severing ties with Corporation for Public Broadcasting). And to top off his plans to cancel out PBS, he's a fan of Sesame Street star Big Bird.
"I'm sorry Jim. I'm gonna stop the subsidy to PBS. I'm gonna stop other things," Romney said. "I like PBS, I like Big Bird, I actually like you too."
"But I'm not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for."
Well those comments lit up Twitter and yes it's became viral.
USA Today reports that 30 minutes into the verbal contest between President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, the former governor explained that he would cut what he considers non-essential items in the budget, including cuts to PBS, which employs debate moderator Jim Lehrer.
The Daily Mail reports the official Sesame Street Twitter account revealed that the giant yellow avian was unaware of his political role.
The show's creators sent out a tweet purportedly from Big Bird saying: "My bed time is usually 7.45, but I was really tired yesterday and fell asleep at 7! Did I miss anything last night?"
Moments later, a more serious tweet appeared distancing the show from partisan politics.
"We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization,' the message read. 'We do not comment on campaigns, but we’re happy we can all agree that everyone likes Big Bird!'"
Minutes after the Republican candidate made his remarks, a Twitter account with the handle @BIGBIRD was created. The first tweet was "WTF Mitt Romney... :("
Later, the account wrote: "Yo Mitt Romney, Sesame Street is brought to you today by the letters F & U! #debates #SupportBigBird."
Moments later, a photo began circulating on Twitter of a forlorn-looking Big Bird holding a cardboard sign that reads "will work for food."
In less than an hour, thousands of Twitter comments about Romney's Big Bird remark poured in -- most of them sympathetic of the ubiquitous childhood stable.
"Tonight's debate winner: Big Bird," one Twitter user wrote.
The Los Angeles Times tweeted: "Mitt Romney loves Big Bird, will kill funding for him anyway."
Another user said: "Children around the world traumatized about Romney promising to kill Big Bird."
Public broadcasting funding, including PBS and NPR, has long been in the sights of conservatives.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting receives about $450 million from Congress each year. About $280 million goes to PBS and the local stations.
Federal funding makes up about 12 per cent of the PBS budget.
Supporters were quick to point out that the figure amounts to 0.007 percent of the federal budget - about 80 cents per American.
Romney promised he wouldn't 'kill Big Bird' while he was campaigning in Iowa last year, but still pledged to cut PBS funding.
"Big Bird is going to have advertisements, all right?" he said. "And we're going to have endowments for the arts and humanities, but they're going to be paid for by private charity, not by taxpayers."
