Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie not a couple
Ex-writer says he wrote for the puppets as a couple, but producers deny they have any sexual orientation.
- Published by David Knox
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Sesame Workshop has denied claims by a former writer that much-loved puppets Bert & Ernie were treated within as a ‘couple.’
Sesame Street writer Mark Saltzman has told LGBTQ lifestyle website Queerty, saying the audience should trust their intuition.
“I remember one time that a column from the San Francisco Chronicle, a preschooler in the city turned to mom and asked ‘Are Bert & Ernie lovers?’ And that, coming from a preschooler was fun,” Saltzman said in the interview. “And that got passed around, and everyone had their chuckle and went back to it.
“I don’t think I’d know how else to write them, but as a loving couple,” Saltzman told Queerty. “That’s what I had in my life, a Bert and Ernie relationship. How could it not permeate? The things that would tick off Arnie would be the things that would tick off Bert.”
But the Sesame Workshop has denied the claims.
“As we have always said, Bert and Ernie are best friends,” said the nonprofit education organisation in a statement. “They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves. Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics … they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.”
Source: Hollywood Reporter, Variety
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12 Responses
Why do they need a label? Lets just enjoy them as who they are.
Why can’t they just be friends! Why does this story have legs, they are not humans, why do we want puppets to have a sexual orientation?
No, that was a stage romance, like Kidman and Cruise, kardishian and Kenya West.
But if they are all fictional what’s the difference? The topic has ignited debate on social media today.
Bert and Ernie have separate beds.Enough said .
Can’t they just be mates. Why does everything have to have a sexual connection.
Aren’t Kermit & Miss Piggy romantically involved? They did break it off at one point.
Have B1 and B2 clarified their status?
Only to clarify that they are bananas!
This reminds me about the once speculated special relationship between Enid Blyton’s Noddy and Big Ears, those who choose to see things from an adult relationship perspective must be firmly reminded that characters like Bert & Ernie are children’s characters, so they are essentially innocent, and long may they be so.
I remember one of the tele tubbies was supposed to have a gay symbol on his head and didn’t Thomas come under scrutiny because being male he always lead and some of the carriages had female names … hence they followed? Huge problem most adults don’t even think about it, let alone children. Bert and Ernie were always my favourites.
They are just confirmed bachelors who live together.