10 stories you might have missed: 'Sesame Street's Bert & Ernie officially aren't gay
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'Sesame Street' favorites Ernie & Bert officially aren't gay
In response to a online petition and Facebook campaign advocating that longtime roommates Bert and Ernie should celebrate their domestic union by getting married, the Sesame Street Workshop had to release a statement this week saying that the two characters are not, in fact, gay.
They're not straight either, mind you.
But they're definitely not gay.
The statement reads: "Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves.
Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most Sesame Street Muppets™ do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation."
Be that as it may and "Avenue Q" aside, it feels like a slightly knee-jerk reaction for the Workshop to have any opinion at all on a Facebook group "liked" by under 5000 people and an online petition with under 7500 signatures. And note that while the statement says that Ernie and Bert don't have a sexual orientation, it doesn't say that they lack a political ideology, nor that they absolutely, positively will never get married.
In any case, "Sesame Street" will return in September for its 42nd season and Ernie and Bert will continue to co-habitate.
Photo Credit: PBS
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