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Big Bird is soon to be homeless as the cancellation of 'Sesame Street' is likely imminent

"Sesame Street has been teaching kids and celebrating the power of community for over 50 years."

Photo credit: Wikimedia

Big Bird is homeless as HBO cancels beloved 'Sesame Street'

Everybody's favorite bird is about to be without a home, along with all of his friends. The characters of "Sesame Street" have been a part of people's childhoods for multiple generations now, with it's first episode airing in 1969. It was a way that "television could help prepare disadvantaged children for school," according to Sesame Workshop.

"Sesame Street" teaches everything from letter and number recognition, counting, emotional regulation and what it means to be in a community. The show tackles difficult topics on a level that young children can understand. There have been episodes about autism, homelessness, even breast feeding. "Sesame Street" has been a massive family classic for more than 50 years, with all the educational goodness available for free on local PBS channels.

But with the rise of streaming, it became difficult for the preschool staple to maintain being on PBS due to licensing fees once DVD and video sales tapered off. "Sesame Street" simply couldn't maintain staying on PBS without the revenue needed to produce the show, which is when HBO stepped in. But after completing their five-year deal, HBO, now known as Max, is shifting its focus to content for adults and families according to Variety.

Sesame Street Fainting GIF by MOODMANGiphy

The 55th season of the children's classic will be the last new season premiered on the streaming service, which is set to air in 2025, though Max will host episodes from the "Sesame Street" episodes library until 2027.

“It has been a wonderful, creative experience working with everyone at ‘Sesame Street’ on the iconic children’s series, and we are thrilled to be able to keep some of the library series on Max in the U.S,” said a spokesperson for Max in a statement. “As we’ve launched Max though and based on consumer usage and feedback, we’ve had to prioritize our focus on stories for adults and families, and so new episodes from ‘Sesame Street,’ at this time, are not as core to our strategy.”

Happy Its Friday GIF by Sesame StreetGiphy

And just like that, the beloved characters of "Sesame Street" are homeless, looking for a new place to rest their feet. Being aware of the change in children's viewing habits, the legendary preschool staple is hoping to give the show a little update in the 56th season. The organization is hopeful it will get picked up by a streaming giant or be able to make its way back to PBS somehow so generations of kids can continue to benefit from the programming.

The news of the show's cancellation even got the attention of former secretary of state and former first lady Hilary Clinton, who shared it with her audience. People are struggling with the idea of such a beneficial show like "Sesame Street" getting cancelled.

Sesame Street Oscar GIFGiphy

"Sesame Street was such a big part of my childhood, along with the other PBS shows like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Reading Rainbow. My kids are teens so I haven't actively watched in a long time, and had no idea that HBO bought it! I am in the field of early childhood education though, and I know how important equal access to high quality programs is for children. I just donated, and I hope Sesame Street and Big Bird find a deserving home and continue to spread love, kindness, and education for generations to come," one person shares.

"This is so sad and wrong. Sesame Street has been the source of learning for millions of children. That show taught letters, numbers, character traits like kindness, compassion, and it made learning fun. Bring it back to PBS, find a way to make it happen. The money is there, corporations just don't want to invest in children," another commenter adds.

Sesame Street Reaction GIF by Muppet WikiGiphy

To be clear, Max does not own "Sesame Street," they were licensed to produce new episodes of the beloved show, which still air on PBS several months after they air on Max. It allowed for the show to make new shows behind a paywall while still being able to provide free episodes to underserved youth. PBS is funded by donations from private foundations and citizens, as well as membership dues and Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in order to keep shows on the air. Mr. Rogers once famously spoke in front of Congress to advocate for funding for children's programming on public broadcasting.

While "Sesame Street" is currently without a permanent home, there seems to be something that can be done that is within the power of regular citizens—contact members of Congress to ensure they fight to keep funding the CPB and increase the funding provided and donate to PBS and Sesame Workshop, which is the nonprofit that funds "Sesame Street."

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After Elmo's 'trauma dump' check-in, 'Sesame Street' goes all-in on mental health

Their first PSA offers a simple strategy for managing big feelings.

Sesame Workshop/YouTube

The Sesame Street gang is here for kids' mental well-being.

Remember when Elmo broke everyone simply by asking how people were doing on X? The viral check-in prompted a flood of responses in which people poured their hearts out onto the beloved Sesame Street character, and the wave of woes was so great all the other Sesame Street friends chimed in with their own words of support.

There's a reason Elmo's check-in hit people so hard. There's something viscerally comforting in the familiar faces and voices of our favorite childhood characters. Over 50-plus years creating high-quality shows for kids, Sesame Workshop has gained and retained people's trust and confidence, so engaging with Sesame Street characters feels safe and cathartic.

The folks behind Sesame Street have always incorporated kids' feelings and emotions into it educational programming, but a new initiative is taking a direct approach to mental health awareness. Teaming up with Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Sesame Workshop and the Ad Council have launched the "Love, Your Mind" campaign with a kid-friendly PSA.

It begins with Elmo humming a familiar tune, the "Sunny Days" theme song from Sesame Street, before his friends join in. Then Elmo explains how humming is a good strategy for managing big feelings. Watch:

It may seem simple, but Dr. Amanda Fujiki, an expert in child and adolescent psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, tells Upworthy that humming can be "a calming experience for the brain that can give kids a pause from intense emotions and feelings."

"Humming is one of many coping activities that help kids identify and regulate emotions," says Dr. Fujiki. "Humming, deep breathing, engaging kids with their senses by listening to music, touching a cold item, like ice, or engaging in brief intense exercise, are all mindfulness based practices that can help kids take a pause to identify and regulate their emotions."

"There is research to show that mindfulness practices have positive influences for children and adults," she continues. "For example, studies show that mindful practices can reduce anxiety, depression, and improve physical health in children. By engaging in developmentally appropriate media focused on emotions, parents can offer young children opportunities to engage in dialogue where they can teach emotional literacy and validate big emotions when they come up by referencing examples, like Elmo."

The "Love, Your Mind" campaign comes at a crucial time as young people face an epidemic of mental health struggles. Feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness were rising rapidly even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Since 2020, it's been clear that we need more resources to help youth manage their mental well-being.

“The growing mental health crisis is one of the most pressing issues for parents today and children’s needs can so often be overlooked,” said Samantha Maltin, EVP, Chief Marketing & Brand Officer, Sesame Workshop. “We know that caring for a child means supporting their whole circle of care, whether that’s parents, teachers or other caregivers. We’re grateful for our partnership with the Ad Council and ‘Love, Your Mind’ campaign through which we can reach even more children and caregivers with these emotional well-being resources.”

The Ad Council announced a Mental Health Initiative in November of 2022 to unite brands, marketers, media companies and nonprofits in addressing the mental health crisis for people of all ages throughout the U.S. “We all have a role to play when it comes to supporting and destigmatizing mental health, and parents and caregivers are an important part of that equation,” said Heidi Arthur, Chief Campaign Development Officer at the Ad Council.

Parents and caregivers can find more resources to support children’s emotional well-being, from managing big feelings to coping with more acute mental health challenges, at sesame.org/mentalhealth and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok for more.

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Elmo did a well-being check-in with everyone and unintentionally opened the floodgates

The response was massive, and Sesame Street's follow-up was perfection.

Josh Hallett/BlogHer 08 Sesame Street Suite, @elmo/X

Elmo's check-in brought out thousands of emotional responses.

Few things evoke a visceral comfort response in people of all ages like the colorful characters of Sesame Street. Millions of us grew up with Elmo, Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, Grover, Oscar the Grouch and the rest, and have nothing but warm, positive memories associated with them.

So when Elmo asked all the grownups on X to how they were doing, it triggered a deluge that spoke to people's need to share their mental and emotional struggles as well as the safe place Sesame Street has been for generations.

It all began with a simple question: "Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?"

Elmo surely did not expect thousands upon thousands of people to dump their emotional loads on him like they were in a therapy session, but that's exactly what happened.

Not only did people respond that they were tired—a common refrain—but they also shared about the deaths of loved ones, their relationship struggles, jobs they'd been laid off from, their feelings of despair and depression. Clearly, some people needed a place to put their woes, and who better to receive them than a beloved childhood character who we know understands and accepts us unconditionally?

To Sesame Street's credit, they handled the trauma dump as best a fictional world filled with fictional characters possibly could. After the initial post's impact, Elmo posted, "Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon, friends! Elmo loves you." Elmo added the hashtag #EmotionalWellBeing.

And then the other Sesame Street characters started chiming in.

One by one, all perfectly in character, the Sesame Street crew showed up on their respective accounts to offer their support, all using the #EmotionalWellBeing hashtag.

"I'm here if you ever need a shoulder to lean on. I'll make us both a warm cup of tea," wrote Bert.

"If you need some cheering up, let me know! I love making others smile," wrote Ernie.

"Me here to talk it out whenever you want. Me will also supply cookies," wrote Cookie Monster.

"I, Grover, am here to be a good listener whenever you need it," wrote Grover.

Even Oscar the Grouch weighed in with some honesty and support. "I'm not great at listening to other share their big feelings, but my worm Slimey is. You should talk with him if you ever need to chat."

Yes, it's silly. But it's also not, because Sesame Street truly has been a lifeline for countless kids who found solace, support and celebration of themselves in those beloved characters, sometimes even more than they found at home.

The main Sesame Street account also shared a link to mental health resources.

But the wave of support and words of kindness and understanding didn't stay confined to Sesame Street. All kinds of big accounts, from NASA and the United Nations to Xbox and Verizon—even the President of the United States himself—weighed in with gratitude for Elmo checking in and reminders that we're all making our way through this life together.

Does it get more wholesome than NASA reminding us we're made of stardust?

The entire phenomenon was a testament to the enduring influence of Sesame Street, but also a good reminder to check in with people once in a while. You never know who might need to offload some emotional weight, and as cathartic as it might feel to drop it all on a beloved icon like Elmo, nothing compares to a real-life friend who offers a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.

Thank you for the inspiration, Sesame Street creators. Still managing to nurture the children within us, all these years later.

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The Gen X grief when a 'Sesame Street' character dies is so real

We're the first generation to have educational programs molding our core memories.

"original-sesame-street-cast" by walt74 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Bob McGrath, one of the original "Sesame Street" actors, has passed away.

"A loaf of bread, a container of milk and a stick of butter."

It's a simple, repeated line from a one-minute sketch, but as a Gen Xer raised on public television, it's one of thousands of "Sesame Street" segments etched into my brain. Such memories still pop into my head at random times, clear as day, well into my forties. Bert singing about his oatmeal box while playing it like a drum. Kermit lamenting that it's not easy—but it is beautiful—being green. Buffy Saint-Marie breastfeeding her baby and explaining it to Big Bird. Mr. Hooper—the sweet, bow-tied man who ran the Sesame Street corner store—dying.

I was 8 when Mr. Hooper died. It was a big deal. I rewatched part of that episode recently to see what I'd think of it as an adult. The "Sesame Street" gang of 1983 handled it masterfully, helping us all process his unexpected death through Big Bird's own experience of learning about what it means to die.

"Big Bird, when people die, they don't come back," said Susan.

Big Bird let that reality sink in, then said that things wouldn't be the same without Mr. Hooper—exactly the sentiment we all had.

Bob comforted Big Bird, saying, "You're right, Big Bird. It'll never be the same around here without him. But you know something? We can all be very happy that we had a chance to be with him, and to know him and to love him a lot when he was here."

And now the always kind, always gentle Bob has joined Mr. Hooper and the original Big Bird, Carol Spinney, in whatever comes next. Bob McGrath passed away this past week at age 90, and I found myself mourning the loss more than I would have expected.

I suspect I'm not alone.

Those of us in the original "Sesame Street generation" were the guinea pigs on which the theory of educational children's television programming was tested. It was an experiment that proved beneficial for millions of us, helping us grow up smarter, stronger and kinder, according to research—but it also gave us a unique relationship with the people and characters who lived on Sesame Street.

The generation that came before us didn't have anything like "Sesame Street" or "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" or "The Electric Company," and the generations after us have had so much more educational programming to choose from. But those shows were all we had besides mostly-horrible-in-hindsight Saturday morning cartoons. For us, the people and characters on "Sesame Street" formed a core part of our most wholesome childhood memories. They weren't just entertainers, but teachers. They helped us become better humans in addition to teaching us our letters and numbers, and the emotional connection created from that mentorship during our formative years is profound.

I'm not a huge crier, but I cried when Mr. Rogers died and I cried when Jim Henson died. I didn't expect it, but I couldn't help it. And when I saw the news this weekend that Bob McGrath from "Sesame Street" had died, I had the same visceral reaction. A piece of my childhood is gone, just like that, never to come back. I didn't know him, of course, but I felt like I knew him. And in some odd way, I feel like he actually knew me, because he knew and understood kids.

Perhaps that's why so many of us feel an emotional attachment to our childhood educational show icons. We weren't just mindless consumers of cartoon entertainment to them, but precious children with the potential to learn and discover, to become more caring and more knowledgeable. We knew they saw us and understood the stages we were going through. I felt that genuine respect for me as a human being even as a young child. And as an adult, I've learned about the sincerity and earnestness of the "Sesame Street" creators and how hard they worked to create the absolute best for kids, which only crystallizes what I felt back then.

"Sesame Street" didn't just make learning the alphabet and counting entertaining. It taught us about life, about people, about relationships and about ourselves—lessons that became part of our identities. I've often thought that the world would be an entirely different place if every young child was raised on a steady diet of "Sesame Street," and the older and more experienced I get, the more I believe that. It really did make us smarter, stronger and kinder.

Rest in peace, Bob. Thank you for everything you taught us and for being such a positive part of our childhood memories.

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