‘D’ is for Divorce: Big Feelings on Sesame Street
In early 1992, a census report predicted that 40 percent of children would soon live in divorced homes. As one of the most famous children’s television programs in the world, Sesame Street was determined to take on a topic most kid’s shows wouldn’t touch. They cast Snuffy, a.k.a. Mr. Snuffleupagus, for the part of child divorcee.
With a team of its best writers, researchers, and producers, a segment was scripted and shot. It went through a half-dozen revisions, with input from the foremost researchers in the field. And on a typical sunny afternoon on Sesame Street, the furry, red, elephantine muppet known as Snuffy prepared to drop the bomb on his loyal preschool viewers.
“My dad is moving out of our cave,” he confides to Big Bird one afternoon, distraught after knocking over a house built of blocks. “I’m not sure where,” he continues, crying. “Some cave across town.”
Big Bird, naturally, is horrified. “But why?” he asks his friend.
Snuffy blinks his long, dark eyelashes, and pauses. We know what’s coming. Well, he explains, “because of something called a divorce.”
(Source: temporarytattoo, via writersrelief)
(Source: youknowyoureabookloverwhen)
Just heard from my brother in Vermont. Irene demolished the restaurant where he was a sous chef. The structure is still there but the interior was gutted by flood waters.
He is now unemployed.
Say what you will about being over prepared and over-hyping storms by the media but if half the attention was being given to the devastation in the interior of New England today that was given to Irene yesterday, there would be a lot more hope for many.
I used to leave notes for my family written like this…just to piss them off. Ironically, it was the fact that I was capable of writing like this at the drop of a hat that pissed them off, not the actual note I left.
(via wondertwinc)
My ten month old nephew makes noises like a baby dinosaur when he’s on the verge of sleep. It is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.
(via agentrosetyler)
