AS AN engaged parent, I try to monitor the media my children take in and break down the messages they contain. This is not an issue for the 5-month-old, who's too young to be much of a consumer of anything at this point, except for what she's fed, but the 5-year-old watches TV, is read to often, listens to music, and plays games on her PC. And so after this morning's episode of Sesame Street, I'm trying to figure out how to break the news to her that Ernie is kind of, well, a dick. Twice this episode, he awoke a sleeping Bert -- first by singing to him, then by playing his bugle -- in the middle of the night, then went to sleep himself, leaving his "old buddy" wide-eyed and trembling. And that's just today -- in nearly every episode, we see Bert minding his own business, reading a book, say, only to have Ernie barrel into his life, flap his gums incessantly, and annoy Bert to the point of deserving a serious beat-down. Some friend -- he's like that roommate in college who's always telling you "lighten up" and "have fun for once," when all you want is two hours to write a paper so that you don't flunk out. One day Ernie is going to "move away," and then, years later, after Bert has gone off to the great Muppet Show in the sky, someone's going to find a bunch of tiny orange felt chunks in Bert's freezer. And no one who knew the two of them will be surprised.
While you're educating her about Bert and Ernie, don't forget to point out how sad it is that they don't live in a state that recognizes gay marriage, and therefore have no legal recognition of their decades-long relationship. I bet those two don't get domestic-partner benefits at work, either.
Posted by: Jason | Thursday, February 01, 2007 at 08:32 AM
TD, you need to start working out of the house again. You are thinking way too much about Bert and Ernie. And Jason, that's just wrong!
Am I the only Dad who thinks Gina the Vet is kind of cute?
Posted by: Bill | Thursday, February 01, 2007 at 08:22 PM
Jason: I dunno, the folks at CTW seem to be a pretty liberal bunch. I'd bet every Muppet there is doing just fine, no matter their orientation.
Bill: Gina's hot.
Posted by: Tom Durso | Friday, February 02, 2007 at 05:52 AM
"Ernie is kind of, well, a dick"
I just fell out of my chair laughing! That was a great way to cheer up from a disappointing (Vinatieri's missed FG cost me 500 bucks)and rather boring "big game"
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