Katy Perry too 'hot' for Sesame Street

Watch: Elmo music video pulled after complaints from parents

By AP Staff Thursday, Sep 23, 2010 1:40 PM

Katy Perry is shocked her music video with Elmo got pulled from the season premiere of "Sesame Street."

Credit: Sesame Street

NEW YORK (AP) — Katy Perry's cleavage is fine for Russell Brand — not so for Elmo and Sesame Street.

The children's show says it won't air a taped segment featuring the "California Gurls" singer and Elmo. The pop star — who is known for her risque outfits — wore a gold bustier top as she sang a version of her hit "Hot N Cold." But some felt it was too revealing for the kid set.

Sesame Street said in a statement Thursday that in light of the "feedback we've received" after the bit was aired on YouTube, they won't include it on the show. While the show said it was still available on YouTube, it had been removed by the official Sesame Street YouTube channel. Other versions on YouTube have generated thousands of hits.

A rep for Perry said Thursday that Perry enjoyed her time with Sesame Street and Elmo, and pointed out that the clip is still online on her website.

Should Sesame Street have pulled the clip from their show? Or did they overreact to some parents concerns? Share your thoughts below.

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Kids have seen breasts before. Total overreaction on the part of the parents who are complaining.
September 23, 2010 at 2:09PM EST Reply to Comment
daggor

It's an innocent video, the only issue being the cleavage. I have no idea why they didn't just put a top on her that was a little less revealing. The real problem, though, is that Katy Perry's "California" video features Perry shooting cream from her tits and pot advocate Snoop Dog. Not really someone we need kids becoming familiar with too soon. I don't think it's an overreaction. Whatever kids see on TV is what becomes "normal" for them.
September 23, 2010 at 2:20PM EST Reply to Comment
- marvelguy Completely agree! Filtering some for the kids isn't wrong--especially with Sesame St.'s target audience.
  September 23, 2010 at 7:44PM EST
Well obviously it's an overreaction. daggor that is completely illogical, the point you just made is that "what kids see become the norm". A. Kids are not watching her music video, they are watching sesame street. B. Kids are not aware of the political or social agendas of singer in music videos, give me a break.
I mean I hate to break it to you all, but all kids have seen tits before haha. Its not like she's doing a pole dance here.
September 23, 2010 at 4:26PM EST Reply to Comment
Matt

This is absurd. Did no one complain about The Little Mermaid's cleavage over 20 years ago? The only thing children will learn from this uproar is that girls should be ashamed of their bodies.
September 23, 2010 at 4:27PM EST Reply to Comment
Katherine

Most of these viewers just finished breastfeeding and are not old enough to fully realize what a breast is. These are kids, not adults. They have not hit puberty yet so they are not paying attention to cleaveage, but rather puppets who are moving around and making them laugh and/or educating them. This is yet another strike against today's parenting skills.
September 23, 2010 at 4:34PM EST Reply to Comment
- AK Exactly right. Parents never want to admit the real problem: it's creepy to get sexually aroused by someone's cleavage when you're watching Sesame Street with your kids. :)
  September 23, 2010 at 5:57PM EST
Ed

It should have pulled for just playing a song even Autotune can't fix.
September 23, 2010 at 4:44PM EST Reply to Comment
- Ed Sorry about the typo.
  September 23, 2010 at 4:46PM EST
Sniper57

Katy Perry has the same googly eyes as the puppets on this show.
September 23, 2010 at 4:56PM EST Reply to Comment
Laura

If you pay attention, her cleavage is covered by a sheer material. I've seen similar and even more revealing outfits on figure skaters and that never seems to cause such a fuss.
September 23, 2010 at 5:04PM EST Reply to Comment
The dress is no more slutty than the one worn by Bell in Beauty and the Beast and I seem to remember that one getting a G Rating. Plus Elmo is wearing far less than she is, in fact he's totally nude ;)
September 23, 2010 at 5:26PM EST Reply to Comment
- Jag OMG, Elmo Bits!
  September 23, 2010 at 7:18PM EST
jack

Good! Little girls need to be taught that their bodies are shameful and disgusting and must be covered at all times. Go puritans! Woo-hoo!
September 23, 2010 at 5:33PM EST Reply to Comment
nic

I showed this to my 2 year old and she loved it. I think this has more to do with who Katy Perry is and parents reacting to her being on Sesame Street. If you ask me this all very innocent. I think its a shame that Sesame Street had to bow to this kind of pressure.
September 23, 2010 at 5:57PM EST Reply to Comment
- alyssa I agree completely. Where they should draw the line is WHO they actually put on the show, not WHAT they're wearing. She is not a good role model for children as displayed in all her music videos. Although this video is harmless, her actual music videos are not appropriate for children.
  September 24, 2010 at 12:14AM EST
Rowena

Overreaction. Could they have put her in something slightly less revealing - probably. Do the kids care at that age? No. So no harm done. The spirit of the clip seems quite innocent (even if her speaking voice is a bit irritating), and the song suitably modified. Kids will probably love her googly eyes and funny poses. I'd be more worried about the frenetic rythm of the music, which seems tailor-made to trigger hyperactivity in a toddler!
What stood out most for me was how knock-kneed Perry appears to be - I never noticed that before... Maybe all those adults should be more focused on avoiding calcium deficiency in their own kids, and less focused on her bosom!
September 23, 2010 at 6:36PM EST Reply to Comment
SlowFame

As a recent new parent I will say she is dressed very tacky and on this particular show ive never seen someone dressed like this. My kids wont care but I think its in bad taste. Plus she looks really bad and I would think she would want a re-shoot anyways.
September 23, 2010 at 7:34PM EST Reply to Comment
Kat

I see nothing wrong with what she is wearing and all the kids are going to see or care about is a big-eyed girl in "dress-up clothes" singing and playing with Elmo.
September 24, 2010 at 9:32PM EST Reply to Comment

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Kids have seen breasts before. Total overreaction on the part of the parents who are complaining.

marvelguy Completely agree! Filtering some for the kids isn't wrong--especially with Sesame St.'s target audience.

Matt This is absurd. Did no one complain about The Little Mermaid's cleavage over 20 years ago? The only thing children will learn from this uproar is that girls should be ashamed of their bodies.

AK Exactly right. Parents never want to admit the real problem: it's creepy to get sexually aroused by someone's cleavage when you're watching Sesame Street with your kids. :)

Ed It should have pulled for just playing a song even Autotune can't fix.

Ed Sorry about the typo.

Sniper57 Katy Perry has the same googly eyes as the puppets on this show.

Laura If you pay attention, her cleavage is covered by a sheer material. I've seen similar and even more revealing outfits on figure skaters and that never seems to cause such a fuss.

The dress is no more slutty than the one worn by Bell in Beauty and the Beast and I seem to remember that one getting a G Rating. Plus Elmo is wearing far less than she is, in fact he's totally nude ;)

Jag OMG, Elmo Bits!

jack Good! Little girls need to be taught that their bodies are shameful and disgusting and must be covered at all times. Go puritans! Woo-hoo!

nic I showed this to my 2 year old and she loved it. I think this has more to do with who Katy Perry is and parents reacting to her being on Sesame Street. If you ask me this all very innocent. I think its a shame that Sesame Street had to bow to this kind of pressure.

alyssa I agree completely. Where they should draw the line is WHO they actually put on the show, not WHAT they're wearing. She is not a good role model for children as displayed in all her music videos. Although this video is harmless, her actual music videos are not appropriate for children.

SlowFame As a recent new parent I will say she is dressed very tacky and on this particular show ive never seen someone dressed like this. My kids wont care but I think its in bad taste. Plus she looks really bad and I would think she would want a re-shoot anyways.

Kat I see nothing wrong with what she is wearing and all the kids are going to see or care about is a big-eyed girl in "dress-up clothes" singing and playing with Elmo.

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Matt

This is absurd. Did no one complain about The Little Mermaid's cleavage over 20 years ago? The only thing children will learn from this uproar is that girls should be ashamed of their bodies.

Ed

It should have pulled for just playing a song even Autotune can't fix.

Sniper57

Katy Perry has the same googly eyes as the puppets on this show.

Laura

If you pay attention, her cleavage is covered by a sheer material. I've seen similar and even more revealing outfits on figure skaters and that never seems to cause such a fuss.

jack

Good! Little girls need to be taught that their bodies are shameful and disgusting and must be covered at all times. Go puritans! Woo-hoo!

nic

I showed this to my 2 year old and she loved it. I think this has more to do with who Katy Perry is and parents reacting to her being on Sesame Street. If you ask me this all very innocent. I think its a shame that Sesame Street had to bow to this kind of pressure.

SlowFame

As a recent new parent I will say she is dressed very tacky and on this particular show ive never seen someone dressed like this. My kids wont care but I think its in bad taste. Plus she looks really bad and I would think she would want a re-shoot anyways.

Kat

I see nothing wrong with what she is wearing and all the kids are going to see or care about is a big-eyed girl in "dress-up clothes" singing and playing with Elmo.

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