Scandal On Sesame Street

   By drodriguez  Sep 23, 2010
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Many of us know pop sensation Katy Perry as a sex symbol who sings songs with risque lyrics and often dresses provocatively.  But kids may be getting to know her as something else entirely, just another one of Elmo’s friends on Sesame Street.  

Katy Perry recently shot a segment with Elmo on Sesame Street singing the PG version of the song “Hot N Cold”.  The music video segment was originally supposed to air on television but has so far only made it to Youtube after the video started receiving comments from parents about the way Perry was dressed, revealing too much cleavage.  

Katy Perry was obviously surprised when she took to her Twitter account after hearing news that Sesame Street was cutting her segment from the show.  She writes, “Wow, looks like my play date with Elmo has been cut short.”  While many parents showed their disdain for the singer’s attire, others thought it was no big deal and couldn’t understand why it was being taken out of the show.  

In the music video she is playing dress up with Elmo and is wearing a Tinker Bell dress that is cut in a heart shape at the top revealing some cleavage.  Sesame Street has responded to the negative feedback by withdrawing the segment from the television lineup and releasing a statement.  A rep for Sesame Street says, “Sesame Street has always been written on two-levels, for the child and adult.  We use parodies and celebrity segments to interest adults in the show because we know that a child learns best when co-viewing with a parent or care-giver.  We also value our viewer’s opinions and particularly those of parents.”  

What do you think of the way Katy Perry was dressed during her Sesame Street segment?

Do you think her attire is inappropriate for a kid’s show?

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Comments
GinaAlicia by GinaAlicia | Peabody, MA
Sep 29, 2010

I don't think that was inappropriate...remember she is a pop star and she is who she is! I think she looked pretty :)

NicoleSpeaksCA by NicoleSpeaksCA | Chico, CA
Sep 29, 2010

I thought it was funny that this made such an uproar. I did find her outfit a little inappropriate, but I didn't find it offensive, yet why make that call at all. Why not put on something more likely to be found in the dress up trunk? (though my kids do have a couple of dance recital outfits in theirs...) I do agree that I thought Elmo running around her legs, with the camera cut off at her crotch was a bit freaky. I don't know, I think it was kind of like the Janet Jackson slip up, where the fact that it was shown over and over again probably had more impact than airing it on SS would have.

mazo77 by mazo77 | Ayer, MA
Sep 29, 2010

yes, I think she's showing a little too much for kids! I am not really a big fan of her, so that's probably part of the reason why I think it's inappropriate!

fishersonia by fishersonia | TEMECULA, CA
Sep 28, 2010

lol, I agree with claudiaaydeea! She looked like a beautiful tinkerbell!

mandaliz by mandaliz | Jupiter, FL
Sep 28, 2010

It was a little jiggly in parts.... but then again, so is Jello and no one is crying foul and having it yanked off the shelves. I don't see the big deal, and I have 4 boys. *shrug*

LKostantin789 by LKostantin789 | W BROOKFIELD, MA
Sep 28, 2010

really in the ideal situation sesame street would have asked her to throw a sweater over the dress or something. The producers must have seen this coming before hand. We love Sesame Street in this house, but they may have dropped the ball here. Don't really think it needed to be banned though. over reaction.

satrntgr by satrntgr | LAKESIDE, AZ
Sep 28, 2010

We already have enough junk on TV - don't ruin Sesame Street with her!!!

lily8783 by lily8783 | VESTAVIA, AL
Sep 28, 2010

while i don't think that the kids are looking at the cleavage, why show it? women's images are sold as sex object often enough as it is. why start encouraging this view of women at such a young age? we don't have to be covered head to toe wearing a burqa (unless that is your religious preference), but showing so much skin on a kids show is out-of-line.

claudiaaydeea by claudiaaydeea | ATHENS, GA
Sep 28, 2010

ok kids at that age dont really notice the cleaveage!!!! plus their are worst things then this anyways the parents are the ones that are letting ther imagination run wild!!!!!!

obiwankendrobi by obiwankendrobi | Harlan, KY
Sep 27, 2010

I think it was inappropriate for a kids show. I know, kids are going to be exposed to things no matter what, but when it comes to shows that are made specifically for small children, there shouldn't be anything like that showing. Just because children will be exposed to things like this, doesn't mean we have to shove it in their faces when they're sitting down to watch Elmo. I agree with ermm1234 that parents are ultimately the ones who raise their children, but I still stand by my belief that it was inappropriate for a children's show.

mickeythescorpion by mickeythescorpion | FOLCROFT, PA
Sep 27, 2010

i think her dress was cute, it suits her well. what are you going to do? people walk around like this all the time. we can't shield our children's eyes from things like this when we take them to the mall, or the grocery store and they see something like this. this is how some people dress. our kids aren't looking at her cleavage, and if it bothers YOU so much then don't watch it, you might as well not leave the house, watch any t.v. or read any magazines either.

vyedr13 by vyedr13 | ELLENSBURG, WA
Sep 27, 2010

For one, She was wearing a figure skaters flesh toned top so that "cleavage" you are all seeing is just the way her boobs sit under her shirt. Children see worse things when they see the NEWS CHANNEL. Got the news running while preparing dinner? Guess what, your kid heard someone got shot, or perhaps saw a car wreck, or heard about some foreign country getting bombed to all hell and back. Nor do you have a problem with whats on the magazine covers you leave on your coffee table (got Redbook? there is usually something about sex right there on the cover)! All those anorexic models on the covers and in the pages are giving your daughter self image issues at the age of TEN, and you care more about what a pop star wears, when if you had paid attention, you'd have seen it wasn't inappropriate at all. (TsukinoHime said it best) "Kids are unselfconscious and they don't look at breasts and get disturbed or embarrassed...they think of breasts as just another body part.. like legs, arms etc"

customsurfartdotcom by customsurfartdotcom | Vista, CA
Sep 27, 2010

Honestly, do you think a five year old is going to notice? We make such a big deal out of everything sometimes. Regular commercials on daytime TV are just as bad!

butrcupluv by butrcupluv | Orange, CA
Sep 27, 2010

Inappropriate for Sesame Street and definitely innappropriate for a game of tag or hide and seek. Definitely should not see a grown woman dressed in a bustier topped minidress running down sesame street. Her breasts were not supported and bouncing in the close ups. The thought of it hurt! I don't think a child would completely understand nor sexualize it but it would set a precedence. And it is so difficult with all the pervasive advertising to keep my daughter dressed age appropriate. I would like Sesame Street to reinforce the values of preschool. I wouldn't let my 5 year old wear that to school or run around outside in it.

ermm1234 by ermm1234 | Fort Worth, TX
Sep 27, 2010

Give me a break! It is a non issue for me. Who is supposed to be teaching our children? We are as parents. If you don't want your child to see something don't let them watch. Really now, I think the segment with Katy Perry was fine. some of the cartoons as posted above have princesses that are portrayed with less clothing than Katy Perry's dress. Kids don't care about body parts as sex objects. They have to be taught these ideas. It is people with their minds in the gutter who have a problem with this. There are more things to worry about, like the commercials that show far more. ie: provocative advertising for underwear, perfume, etc.. Preschoolers could care less. They are not self-conscious about this stuff. They are more interested in seeing their favorite character on Sesame Street.