Sesame Street Sesame Street is an educational television program designed for preschoolers , and is recognized as a pioneer of the contemporary standard which combines education and entertainment in children ' s television shows . " Sesame Street " also provided the first daily , national television showcase for Jim Henson ' s Muppets . In 2009 , the series celebrated its , making it one of the longest - running shows in television history . The series has now produced over . " Sesame Street " is produced in the United States by Sesame Workshop , formerly known as the Children ' s Television Workshop ( CTW ) . It premiered on November 10 , 1969 on the National Educational Television network , and later that year it was moved to NET ' s successor , the Public Broadcasting Service . In 2015 , Sesame Workshop struck a deal with HBO to air first - run " Sesame Street " episodes for the next five seasons , beginning with season 46 airing in January 2016 . Re - runs will continue to air on PBS , though with a nine - month window between their debut on HBO . Because of its widespread influence , " Sesame Street " has earned the distinction of being one of the world ' s foremost and most highly regarded educators of young people . Few television series can match its level of recognition and success on the international stage . The original series has been televised in 120 countries , and more than 20 international versions have been produced . In its long history , " Sesame Street " has received more Emmy Awards than any other program , and has captured the allegiance , esteem , and affections of millions of viewers worldwide . Overview . " Sesame Street " uses a combination of puppets , animation , and live actors to teach young children the fundamentals of reading ( letter and word recognition ) and arithmetic ( numbers , addition and subtraction ) , as well as geometric forms , cognitive processes , and classification . Since the show ' s inception , other instructional goals have focused on basic life skills , such as how to cross the road safely and the importance of proper hygiene and healthy eating habits . There is also a subtle sense of humor on the show that has appealed to older viewers since it first premiered , and was devised as a means to encourage parents and older siblings to watch the series with younger children , and thus become more involved in the learning process rather than letting " Sesame Street " act as a babysitter . A number of parodies of popular culture appear , even ones aimed at the Public Broadcasting Service , the network that broadcasts the show . For example , the recurring segment Monsterpiece Theater once ran a sketch called " Me Claudius . " Children viewing the show might enjoy watching Cookie Monster and the Muppets , while adults watching the same sequence may enjoy the spoof of the " Masterpiece Theater " production of " I , Claudius " on PBS . Several of the character names used on the program are puns or cultural references aimed at a slightly older audience , including Flo Bear ( Flaubert ) , Sherlock Hemlock ( a Sherlock Holmes parody ) , and H . Ross Parrot ( a parody of Reform Party founder H . Ross Perot ) . Over 200 notable personalities have made guest appearances on the show , beginning with James Earl Jones , and ranging from performers like Stevie Wonder to political figures such as Kofi Annan . By making a show that not only educates and entertains kids , but also keeps parents entertained and involved in the educational process , the producers hope to inspire discussion about the concepts on the show . History of the show . Following an initial proposal by Joan Ganz Cooney in 1966 , titled " Television for Preschool Children , " an eighteen month planning period was set aside , and with a grant of 8 million dollars from multiple government agencies and foundations , the proposed series would test the usefulness of the television medium in providing early education for young children . Apart from Cooney and the original planning crew included several veterans of " Captain Kangaroo " , such as executive producer David Connell , producer Samuel Y . Gibbon , Jr . , and writer / songwriter Jeff Moss , as well as head writer Jon Stone , and producer / writer Matt Robinson ( who later originated the role of Gordon ) . At Cooney ' s suggestion , Jim Henson and the Muppets were brought in , and composer Joe Raposo followed . The CTW research crew included Harvard professor Gerald S . Lesser as head of the board of advisers and Edward L . Palmer as director of research , tracking and observing how child audiences responded to the programming . Though the earliest pilot episodes involved dramatizing the inner thoughts of child actors in a studio set , Jon Stone suggested a more urban setting , " a real inner city street , " with an integrated cast of neighbors . The original human inhabitants were Bob , Mr . Hooper , Gordon , and Susan , and they dominated the street storylines which made up roughly 25 percent of the hour - long show . To maintain the realism of the street , the Muppets were kept separate ; thus , Ernie and Bert , while they lived on the street , resided in a basement apartment . These framing scenes would surround segments of animation , live - action shorts , and Muppets . These sketches , in particular the short animated segments stressing and , were intended to function on a similar level to advertising commercials ( and indeed , the bits were often labeled as such , i . e . " the J commercial " , and during the earliest seasons it was common for letter or number films and cartoons to be shown multiple times in the same episode ) . They were quick , catchy and memorable , so as to convey information and maintain the interest of preschool children within their limited attention spans . CTW aired the program for test groups to determine if the new format was likely to succeed . Results showed that the elements which best held audience attention included cartoon segments , the Muppets , filmed footage of animals in motion , or musical skits with Susan or other human cast members . When the action stopped in the street scenes , and the adults engaged in lengthy dialogue , children stopped watching . Based on these results , and despite concerns from advising psychologists , that the inner - city street overlooked the real problems of the ghetto and needed firmer roots , the mixture of reality and fantasy was deepened , as Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird became permanent street residents , interacting with the human adults . " Sesame Street " is all filmed in New York City ( as was another CTW show , " The Electric Company " ) . Originally they were taped at Teletape Studios in Manhattan , but since " Sesame ' s " twenty - fifth season ( when the street expanded around the corner and needed more space ) , the show has been filmed at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in neighboring Queens . Broadcast history . The show is broadcast worldwide ; in addition to the U . S . version , many countries have locally - produced versions adapted to local needs , some with their own characters , and in a variety of different languages . One hundred and twenty countries have aired the show , many of which partnered with Sesame Workshop to create local versions . In the late 1990s , versions popped up in China and Russia as these countries shifted away from communism . There is also a joint Israeli - Palestinian - Jordanian project , called " Sesame Stories " , which was created with the goal of promoting greater cultural understanding . The show has also spawned the spin - off series " Play with Me Sesame " , and the classic episodes show " Sesame Street Unpaved " , both seen on the Noggin cable network ; as well as the segment - only series " Open Sesame " . " Elmo ' s World " and " Global Grover " , both segments on " Sesame Street " , have been distributed internationally as individual series . Ratings . As a result of its success in revolutionizing the standards of children ' s television , " Sesame Street " paved the ground for the development of similar competitors and thus inadvertently diminished its own audience share . According to PBS Research , the show has gone from a 2 . 0 average on Nielsen Media Research ' s " people meters " in 1995 - 96 to a 1 . 3 average in 2000 - 01 . Even with this decrease , " Sesame Street ' s " viewership in an average week comes from roughly 5 . 6 million households with 7 . 5 million viewers . This placed " Sesame " at 8th place in the overall kids ' charts in 2002 . It was the second most - watched children ' s television series for mothers aged 18 - 49 who have children under the age of 3 . A format change in 2002 helped the show ' s ratings , boosting the show 31 % in February 2002 among children aged 2 - 5 , in comparison to its 2001 ratings . As of 2005 , the show was in the top 10 shows for kids 2 - 5 , with 3 other PBS shows . Characters . " Sesame Street " is known for its multicultural elements and is inclusive in its casting , incorporating roles for disabled people , young people , senior citizens , Hispanic actors , black actors , and others . As recalled by CTW advisor Gerald S . Lesser in his book " , " this integration initially led the Mississippi State Commission for Educational Television to ban the series , as did other states , though it was eventually reinstated . Mutual tolerance and cross - cultural friendship is also conveyed through the Muppet characters , who come in a variety of sizes , shapes and colors and range from the humanoid Anything Muppets to various animals to , Birds , Grouches , Dingers and Honkers all of whom , especially the Grouches , have their own unique perspectives and ways of communicating with their neighbors . Yet they all manage to live in relative peace and harmony , setting an example for child viewers not to prejudge others . Tying in with its multiculturalist perspective , the show pioneered the idea of occasionally inserting very basic Spanish words and phrases to acquaint young children to the concept of knowing more than one language . This was expressed as early as the show ' s second season , with Susan and Gordon speaking a second language or learning phrases from newer Hispanic characters such as Antonio , Rafael , Luis , and Maria . One 1973 storyline involved the opening of a bilingual library , while other segments taught French or sign language . In 2002 , the show ' s format allowed Rosita , the bilingual Muppet who joined the cast in 1991 , more time in front of viewers , and also introduced the more formalized Spanish Word of the Day segment in every episode . French phrases were used very occasionally during the 1970s , and sign language has played a major role throughout the years , through Linda and visits from the National Theatre of the Deaf . Many of the Muppet characters have been designed to represent a specific stage or element of early childhood , and the scripts are written so that the character reflects the development level of children of that age . This helps the show address not only the learning objectives of various age groups , but also the concerns , fears , and interests of children of different age levels . The Muppets . Big Bird , an 8 - foot - tall yellow bird , lives in a large nest on an abandoned lot adjacent to 123 Sesame Street , located behind the building ' s trash heap . A regular visitor to Big Bird is his best friend Mr . Snuffleupagus , or Snuffy as everyone calls him . Oscar the Grouch , Sesame Street ' s local Grouch and his pet worm Slimey live in a trash can in the heap . Oscar ' s most - seen regular visitor is his girlfriend Grundgetta . Best friends Ernie and Bert room together in the basement apartment of 123 Sesame Street where they regularly engage in comedic banter . Ernie ' s window box , though seen less often in recent years , is the home of the Twiddlebugs a colorful family of insects . The bear family from " Goldilocks and the Three Bears " resides on Sesame Street . The family , headed by Papa Bear and Mama Bear welcomed their second child Curly Bear in 2003 . Their son Baby Bear is a good friend of monsters Telly , Zoe , Mexican - born Rosita and Elmo . Beginning in 1998 , Elmo was given his own segment , " Elmo ' s World , " occupying most of the show ' s second half as viewers explore topics in a crayon - drawn , imaginary version of Elmo ' s apartment . In 2012 , " Elmo ' s World " was replaced by a new segment , " Elmo the Musical . " Grover ' s segment , " Global Grover , " followed the self - described " lovable , furry pal " around the world exploring local cultures and traditions . Grover also has a super hero persona , Super Grover , and starting in 2010 , he received an upgrade and appears in sketches as Super Grover 2 . 0 . Cookie Monster fought with his conscience daily during the Letter of the Day segment , as he tried to control his urges to eat the letters , drawn in icing on cookies . Prairie Dawn often attempted to help Cookie refrain from eating the letters , but would always leave frazzled . Count von Count had fewer problems during the Number of the Day segment where he indulged in counting until the mystery number was revealed by his Pipe Organ . From 1993 to 1998 , " Sesame Street ' s " set expanded to Around the Corner locations , which introduced several new Muppets , such as Humphrey and Ingrid , they worked at Sherry Netherland ' s hotel , " The Furry Arms " , with their baby Natasha in tow , while bellhop Benny Rabbit begrudgingly helped out . In 2006 , fairy - in - training Abby Cadabby moved to the street , and in starting 2009 , she received her own CGI animated segment , " Abby ' s Flying Fairy School " , which includes new characters ; her fellow students Gonnigan and Blögg , teacher Mrs . Sparklenose , and class pet Niblet . Murray Monster looks for the word on the street , explores different types of schools with Ovejita in Murray Has a Little Lamb , and finds out about the scientific process in Murray ' s Science Experiments . Kermit the Frog hosted the segment " Sesame Street News Flash " . His most recent appearance on " Sesame Street " was a brief cameo in in season 40 . The Two - Headed Monster sounded out words coming together , and the the Martians discovered telephones and typewriters . For two seasons , Googel , Narf , Mel and Phoebe hung out in the " Monster ' s Clubhouse " . Other characters over the years have included game show host Guy Smiley , construction workers Biff and Sully , the large Herry Monster ( who does not know his own strength ) , and The Big Bad Wolf , who is not a terror to the Street . Forgetful Jones , a cowboy with a short - term memory disorder , rode trusty Buster the Horse with his girlfriend Clementine , and Rodeo Rosie was an early cowgirl character . The humans . A slate of human regulars pull the zaniness of the Muppets back to reality , and serve different pedagogical functions , showing literal integration and tolerance rather than metaphorically through colorful Muppets , and representing different personalities and adult " roles " and occupations . Music teacher Bob has been on " Sesame Street " since its inception . For several years , he had a close friendship with Linda , the local librarian who was the first regular deaf character on television . The Robinsons are an African - American family that includes schoolteacher Gordon , nurse Susan , and adopted son Miles . Maria and Luis Rodriguez are a Hispanic couple who run the Fix - It Shop . Maria gave birth to daughter Gabi in 1989 , and her pregnancy was covered on the show . In 2011 , Maria became the superintendent of 123 Sesame Street . Candy store operator Mr . Hooper was a mainstay at Hooper ' s Store during the show ' s first decade . Actor Will Lee died in 1982 and when the producers opted to help their young viewers deal with the death of someone they loved rather than cast a new actor in the role , the character ' s death was discussed in a landmark 1983 episode . Afterwards , Mr . Hooper ' s apprentice , David , inherited the store and was assisted by Gina . Next came Mr . Handford , who ran the store for several seasons before turning it over to Alan , the current proprietor of Hooper ' s , in 1998 . Gina stopped working at the store in the 1990s to earn a degree , and is currently a veterinarian . The show ' s most recent humans are Gordon and Susan ' s nephew , Chris , who works at Hooper ' s Store , Leela , who runs the laundromat , Armando , a Puerto Rican resident and writer , and Nina , a babysitter who works at the bike shop . Mr . Noodle and his brother and sister , who appeared only in " Elmo ' s World " were meant to provide a vaudevillian perspective on subjects , contrary to most of the show ' s current human characters . Inserts . In addition to the street scenes and the Muppet segments which would eventually dominate the show , " Sesame Street " has made considerable use of film inserts subcontracted to a variety of filmmakers and artists . These inserts have used a variety of techniques , from filmed skits and documentary footage to cel animation , stop - motion , CG , and pixillation . Some of the innumerable contributors have included William Wegman ( with Fay Ray and his other dogs ) , Bud Luckey , Jeff Hale and his Imagination Inc . studio , Sally Cruikshank , Bruce Cayard , and Pixar , as well as staffers such as Mo Willems , David Rudman , Frank Oz , and Jim Henson . Notable recurring inserts , which became as much a part of the show ' s fabric as the Muppets and human cast , include the Mad Painter , " Pinball Number Count , " the Number Song Series with its falling baker , and Teeny Little Superguy , to name a few . Regional variations of the show . See Research . " Sesame Street " has maintained a rigorous research standard since its foundation , to ensure that the programming is addressing the needs of its viewers . The Education and Research ( E & R ) department of Sesame Workshop is currently headed by Rosemarie T . Truglio , Ph . D . and Jeanette Betancourt . Truglio states that the level of interaction between E & R , Content , and Production is " intimately hand - in - hand . They are not creating anything without our knowledge , our guidance and our review . We are involved in content development across all media platforms . " This close - knit organizational structure has been an integral part of Sesame Workshop since it began . Writers create plots for " Sesame Street " scenes and segments , and the content is reviewed by the E & R team . They have authority to reject a script and force rewrites if the content is not acceptable . When a script is factually correct , but includes gray areas that may not be comprehensible to children , the writers and E & R work together to tweak everything . " A balance between content and humor " is always maintained , according to Truglio . Since 1998 , Sesame Workshop has provided extensive content on its website and others such as Random House . Content ranges from birth to school - age , and includes information on dozens of topics , such as appropriate parenting techniques , dealing with children ' s fears , development of literacy , and maintenance a good health . Research is funded by government grants , corporate and private donations , and the profits gained from the sale of Sesame Workshop merchandise . Healthy Habits for Life . In 2005 , " Sesame Street " launched its Healthy Habits for Life programming , to encourage young viewers to lead more active and nutritious lifestyles . A major catalyst for this was data published by the US Centers for Disease Control regarding obesity in children . Health content has existed on " Sesame Street " for years , but to a limited extent . In one instance press kits for a project were made available , news wires latched onto the story , and literally hundreds of newspapers touted that Cookie Monster was " going on a diet " . In actuality there was no change to Cookie ' s character . The new season featured a new segment with rapper Wyclef Jean singing the praises of fruits and vegetables , similar to the 1990s segment " Healthy Food " , with a rapping Cookie Monster backed by a healthy food chorus . According to people from Sesame Workshop , " Health has always been a part of our Sesame Street curriculum , therefore we will always be committed to ensuring kids are given information and messages that will help them become healthy and happy in their development . For season 36 , we have turned up the dial in health , but it will always be part of our curriculum . " The Workshop formed an Advisory Board consisting of experts like Woodie Kessel , M . D . , M . P . H . , the Assistant Surgeon General of the United States . This board examines the research of other organizations , and also conducts pilot studies to determine which areas of research should be expanded , based on social , ethnic and socio - economic sections of the population . Merchandising . " Sesame Street " is known for its extensive merchandising , which includes many books , magazines , video / audio media , toys , and the " Tickle Me Elmo " craze . Its fiction books , published primarily by Random House , always display a notice stating that money received from the sale of the publications is used to fund Sesame Workshop , and often mention that children do not have to watch the show to benefit from its publications . Today there is a live touring show , " Sesame Street Live " , which has traveled across North America since 1980 . There is also the Sesame Place theme park in Langhorne , Pennsylvania , near Philadelphia , and a " Plaza Sésamo " theme park in Monterrey , Nuevo Leon , Mexico . In addition , there is a three - dimensional movie based on the show , at Universal Studios Japan . Current licencors include Nakajima USA , Build - A - Bear Workshop ( Build - An - Elmo ) , ( Sesame Street Monopoly ) , Wooly Willy , and Children ’ s Apparel Network . For Sesamstaat , Rubotoys has been a licensor since February 2005 . In recent years , adults have been encouraged to remember their childhood through retro - targeted products , like action figures from Palisades Toys , though only one , a special con edition of Super Grover , was released . The Sesame Beginnings line , launched in mid - 2005 , consists of apparel , health and body , home , and seasonal products . The line is targeted towards infants and their parents , and products are designed to increase interactivity . Most of the line is exclusive to a family of Canadian retailers . Creative Wonders ( a partnership between ABC and Electronic Arts ) produced Sesame Street software for the PC . Internationally . Alam Simsim , Plaza Sésamo , Rechov Sumsum , Sesame , Sesamstraße , Sesamstraat , Barrio Sésamo , 1 Rue Sésamo , 5 , Rue Sésame , Zhima Jie , Sesam Stasjon , Sesame Street Japan , Sisimpur , Takalani Sesame , Ulitsa Sezam , and Vila Sésamo have all had merchandise of their local characters . Shalom Sesame videos and books have also been released . In 2004 , Copyright Promotions Licensing Group ( CPLG ) became Sesame Workshop ' s licensing representative for the Benelux . Criticism . Some educators criticized the show when it debuted , claiming that its format would contribute to shortening children ' s attention spans . This concern still exists today , although there is no conclusive proof of this being the case , even after more than 40 years of televised shows . In a letter to the " Boston Globe " , Boston University professor of education Frank Garfunkel commented , " If what people want is for their children to memorize numbers and letters without regard to their meaning or use - - without regard to the differences between children , then Sesame Street is truly responsive . To give a child thirty seconds of one thing and then to switch it and give him thirty seconds of another is to nurture irrelevance . " In the magazine " Childhood Education " , Minnie P . Berson of State University College at Fredonia asked " Why debase the art form of teaching with phony pedagogy , vulgar sideshows , bad acting , and layers of smoke and fog to clog the eager minds of small children ? " These " vulgar sideshows " have since won a record 101 Emmys , suggesting a measure of disagreement from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . For an animated segment on the letter " J " , the writers included " a day in jail " , justifying it by stating that words beginning with " J " were sparse . This drew criticism from " San Francisco Chronicle " columnist Terrence O ' Flaherty , despite executive producer David Connell ' s assertion that kids would be familiar with the word through shows like " Batman " and " Superman " . Even with its attempts to help the underprivileged , the series received criticism . Educator Sister Mary Mel O ' Dowd worried that the show might start to replace " personalized experiences " . " If Sesame Street is the only thing ghetto kids have , I don ' t think it ' s going to do much good . It never hurts a child to be able to count to ten or recognize the letters of the alphabet . But without the guidance of a teacher , he ' ll be like one of our preschoolers who was able to write " CAUTION " on the blackboard after seeing it on the back of so many buses , and told me ' That says STOP . 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