19 Sep, 2018 14:36

Sesame Street disputes writer’s claims that Bert & Ernie were a ‘gay couple’

Sesame Street has denied claims by a former writer that the kids show’s beloved characters Bert and Ernie were in fact a same-sex couple.

The show issued a statement clarifying that Bert and Ernie were “best friends,” and “do not have a sexual orientation,” in response to comments made by Sesame Street writer Mark Saltzman, suggesting the puppets were gay.

Please see our statement below regarding Bert and Ernie. pic.twitter.com/6r2j0XrKYu
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) September 18, 2018

Saltzman told Queerty in an interview that when he was writing for the characters, he had always felt that they were gay. “I didn’t have any other way to contextualize them,” he said, adding that they were inspired by his own relationship with his life partner Arnie Glassman.

For many, his remarks appeared to confirm what they had long speculated about the TV roommates’ sexualities. However, the affirmation was short lived as Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization that produces Sesame Street, countered the claim, reiterating that the characters were puppets with no sexual preference.

Frank Oz, the man who created the grumpy puppet Bert, also took to Twitter to declare the characters were not gay. He said that there was more to a person than their sexuality and dismissed the question as irrelevant.

It seems Mr. Mark Saltzman was asked if Bert & Ernie are gay. It's fine that he feels they are. They're not, of course. But why that question? Does it really matter? Why the need to define people as only gay? There's much more to a human being than just straightness or gayness.
— Frank Oz (@TheFrankOzJam) September 18, 2018

Both tweets resulted in a backlash from angered fans questioning why the creators felt the need to refute Saltzman’s comments.

WTF @SesameWorkshop? Why do you feel compelled to make that statement? @HBO corporate? #PBS Donors? Why are you afraid of the 'gay' title? Why not be inclusive? What a COP OUT! Well, since they're just 'puppets' to you, I'm gonna feel free to call them #GAY! ❤💚💜💙💛✌ https://t.co/wPNAlphWpF
— DuckBert (@TheRealDuckBert) September 18, 2018

If Bert and Ernie are not gay they're not gay but your excuse can't be that they're puppets. Kermit and Miss Piggy are in an on again/off again relationship and a muppet wedding between them is even a major feature of the most recent movie
— Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) September 19, 2018

So, basically Muppets possess every single human trait except the ability to love each other in a romantic way?
— Charlotte Clymer🏳️‍🌈 (@cmclymer) September 18, 2018

You may have created him, but you don't seem to realize or appreciate what he meant to thousands of little boys growing up. You digging in your heels (and wrongly conflating romantic orientation with sexual orientation) with what seems like disgust is abjectly disappointing.
— Reed Brice (@thatdangdingus) September 18, 2018

Meanwhile, other users pondered how in this day and age people were arguing over the sexuality of puppets.

They're puppets incase no one has noticed 🙄
— Maisie (@Yahyah56) September 19, 2018

There's an actual active discussion about puppet sexual orientation on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/0VQhFukVUN
— Louise Perry ✡ (@louise__lep) September 19, 2018

They are in a world created for children, and children don’t want or need to address that question yet! Adults and their obsessions are ruining childhood!
— Randy Adams (@randalladams) September 19, 2018