Here's the way the cookie crumbles....

[BasketCase]

This morning, I was devastated to discover the following on CNN:

The article

Has Cookie Monster Given Up Sweets?

NEW YORK (AP) -- Something must be wrong in the land of Muppets.
First PBS announced that "Sesame Street" would kick off its 35th season this week with a multiyear story arc about healthy habits. No problem there; childhood obesity rates are soaring. Then I learned of changes that turned my "Sesame Street" world upside-down.

My beloved blue, furry monster -- who sang "C is for cookie, that's good enough for me" -- is now advocating eating healthy. There's even a new song -- "A Cookie Is a Sometimes Food," where Cookie Monster learns there are "anytime" foods and "sometimes" foods.

"Sacrilege!" I cried. "That's akin to Oscar the Grouch being nice and clean." (Co-workers gave me strange looks. But I didn't care.)

Being a journalist, I did the only thing I knew how to do. I investigated why "Sesame Street" gave Cookie Monster a health makeover.

The answer would lead me into a world where television producers worked with health experts and politicians, a place where Cookie Monster does care about his health, and by association, the health of children.

The first place I headed was the Internet. On the Sesame Street Web site, little had changed. There was Cookie Monster, in all his blue furriness. He was holding a plate of cookies. He was chomping on a cookie. He still looked the same. But as we all know, looks can be deceiving.

So I searched the site for news on Cookie Monster and up popped a press release about the show's "Healthy Habits for Life" emphasis. Buried near the bottom was a one-sentence mention about Cookie Monster eating fewer cookies.

But what did that mean? Scarfing one plateful instead of two?

Talking vegetables
I picked up the telephone. "What's going on with Cookie Monster?" I asked the "Sesame Street" press office. "Why are you doing this?"

They sent me to Dr. Rosemarie T. Truglio, the show's vice president of research and education.

She said the show changes every year, focusing not just on teaching numbers and letters but also emotional and physical health. With the rise in childhood obesity, Truglio said "Sesame Street" is concentrating on the need to teach children about healthy foods and physical activity.

This season, each episode opens with a "health tip" about nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest.

Truglio said "Sesame Street" also will introduce new characters, such as talking eggplants and carrots, and offer parodies, such as "American Fruit Stand." Even guest stars will address healthy activities, such as Alicia Keys talking and singing about the importance of physical activity.

Even politicians have gotten into the act, filming public service announcements with "Sesame Street" residents. In one taping, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist taught Elmo to exercise -- jumping up and down. In another, Sen. Hillary Clinton and the small red monster discuss the various textures and tastes of foods.

But what about their position on Cookiegate?

"Even Cookie Monster is learning to control his cookie cravings," Frist told me by e-mail. "His sage advice opened our eyes to the simple joys of a tasty cookie and now reminds us that moderation is the key to healthy living."

Cookie Monster was not available for comment. (I'm hoping he hasn't gone too Hollywood.)

"We are not putting him on a diet," said his spokesman, Truglio. "And we would never take the position of no sugar. We're teaching him moderation."

'Sometimes food'
The furry one also plans to try different kinds of cookies (read: healthier cookies) rather than his just staple, chocolate chip.

But will he still scarf his food? Yes, plus the occasional object, Truglio said.

But isn't that unhealthy? Her reply: He's still Cookie Monster.

Cookie Monster appears to be happy with the new "sometimes food" song, because at the end he warbles: "Is sometimes now?"

"Yes," he's told.

So there it is. Cookie Monster still gobbles cookies, he's just a healthier version of his old self. His eyes are still googly, his fur is still scruffy and he's still messy.

Even "Sesame Street" recognizes that we all need guilty pleasures.

NOOOOO!!1!

 

[Zwelgje]

Another icon down the drain.

 

[Double Barrel]

I don't see the problem to be honest with you. It's not like he's being changed to the "Tofu Monster"!

It's a simple formula really: children learn from Sesame Street + children are getting fat = opportunity to teach them about proper nutrition to reduce obsity in kids.

Now, if we can just get something done about that hamburger selling clown!

 

[Communisto]

noooo! those hippie sons of B****es! i grew up to that guy and im not fat! if you want your friggin kids to stop being fat then get them to excersise once and a while instead of letting them sit infront of the tv for hours.

can you tell i'm pissed?

 

[stormbind]

Cookie monster made me dislike cookies. I didn't like the idea of growing blue hair.

 

[Tomoyo]

I'll be seeing these episodes, whether I like it for not, though.

Not sure if "though" is appropriate.

Eh.

EDIT: Little Sister

 

[blindside]

Wow cookie monster was my favorite. I remember wearing a cookie monster costume back when I was 3 or 4.

 

[general_kill]

elmo was my favorite. I loved the awkward pauses he sometimes gives. evertime theres a pause, i'm always putting words in elmo's mouth. like if he asks a child what color water is, and the child give a cute but stupid answer, elmo would sometimes just pause, i think that elmo must be thinking bout something like "damn thats a stupid kid". lmao funny

 

[Yom]

I don't see a big problem with it. Obviously, those who have seen Sesame Street before have a certain nostalgia regarding the show and are averse to change, but childhood obesity is becoming a large (no pun intended) problem.

 

[newfangle]

Maybe fat kids shouldn't be such gluttons.

 

[CoolioVonHoolio]

oh god thats bogus. i used to love the cookie monster and the count! i ATE A LOT as a child fatty foods too and im not a pound overweight! i eat 4 meals a day with snacks inbetween an maintain a healthy 5'11" 154 pounds (mostly muscle i might add) i just dont see how the kids matabolism doesnt take care of it like it did to mine (i think?)

 

[AA-battery]

This reminds me of a feature in a mad magazine that showed "Sesame street characters in the real world". It was pretty funny, changed the characters to be like Freddy Freebase, B.I.G Bird, Carp.L.Tunnel, and many more.

 

[Xen]

EDIT: Little Sister

do you mean the songf by QTSA (for soem reason), or that your little sister wrote that?

*regardless* tis a sad -but needed- day; to be hoinest, i would expect no less from the Street to try its damndest to give the world a good lesson.

however, the bastards also replaced grover with the sickeining little incarnation of evil known as Elmo.the F-ing wicks.

 

[Bluemofia]

Thats messed up.

Why don't they just fade him away, as in use him less and less and when people ask, they say that he died of obesity from cookie consumption or they got bored with him?

It draws less attention.

 

[JohnRM]

What else is new? Society has been turning kids into wimps for twenty years now. This is only the latest manifestation.

 

[Masquerouge]

'C is for Cookie, that's good enough for me'

Great line there

Other than that, well, the times, they are a-changin, ya know ?

 

[Rik Meleet]

This April fool's joke is exactly 1 week too late.
Except that it is probably true

 

[The Last Conformist]

Parents can't bring up there kids properly anymore - let's call the cookie monster!

 

[Nobody]

who cares if he says cookies are a sometimes food, i am sure they had things about vegitable on it when i was little. little kids wont notice the change in cookie monsters but they might change their eating habits, i think its a good idea for the show to help kids.

 

[Zarn]

Parents are responsible for their children's diets and not a muppet, even if it is the great Cookie Monster. On the other hand, companies can do what they like. It is stupid, but it's their call.