A few weeks ago, I was still in a slightly hungover stage one morning, and I tripped upon Ricky Gervais on Sesame Street. I hadn’t watched in years – I’m a single, childless woman, why would I? But I sat there, totally enchanted by Gervais singing and joking with Elmo. It was amazing. Unfortunately, Katy Perry also got an invitation from Elmo, and the results were… um… Katy, can you put on some clothes?
I mean, I get it. Her tits are harmless. She’s fashioned herself into a state of childish, immature sexuality – it’s not about “Oh, it’s so HOT, I need you now, look at my tits.” It’s about “Gum drops, rainbows, and boobies!” But this is inappropriate for Sesame Street, it really is.
Also featured (beyond Katy’s rack): Katy’s horrible acting. Jesus. She definitely has no crossover potential, does she? And she’s not singing live on The Street either – she pre-recorded that dumb song so that she wouldn’t sound like ten kinds of hell (aka, “how she sounds live”).
I don’t want to give the impression that I’m only blaming Katy – someone at Sesame Street had to approve this junk, from the outfit to the song to having Katy on. That person needs a vacation, right now. YIKES.
A little to much cleave, yes. But I am much more offended by her horrific singing and “acting”.
She’s all window dressing and no substance. Do not want.
I agree with everything you’ve said. I have a six year old and this is something I wouldnt want him to watch. Not that she’s doing anything innapropriate, but dissapointed with whoever approved this.
@ME I’m with you. Mother of an 8yo and it’s not that boobs are bad (I have fun with mine!) but kids just don’t need to be sexualised by this ambient stuff – much less on young kiddie programmage! Don’t want to sound all puritan but I feel there is too much osmotic exposure from billboards/commercials/general media inclusion without it being on sesame street too! Sorta why I limit my boy to dvds (although last 3 months he’s been pushing against that).
Sigh: kids! Let’s high five for parental guilt!
Uch. My son would NOT be allowed to watch this episode, plain and simple.
And yes, her voice is horrific.
trashy clothes + she is ugly and has a dumb face
Sure you can see the tits but they’re not really big enough to impose themselves on the viewer. Lets hope they don’t invite Jordan on to the show. But seriously guys, how many entertainers in Hollywood or the mainstream music industry are doing anything of substance these days? I can’t think of any.
Totally inappropriate. Why are they trying to sexualize OUR children at such a young age? Very subversive. Why are they doing this??
I´m european. When I was a child I saw my parents getting out of he shower naked, or dressing, or whatever. I also went to beaches where people went naked sometimes. And my mother and her friends used to do topless ALL THE TIME.
Today, here everybody is topless at the beach, and the kids are around. Kids who are most of the time naked.
Nothing bad, the human body is something natural and kids understand it that way, they don´t sexualize things as we adults do.
Why is Kate Perry SO innapropriate to you???
Wait, isn’t someone actually in charge of dressing these people, not merely “approving” their outfits?
Sesame Street has really gone downhill since I was a kiddo.
@#9 First of all, in case you didn’t notice – European & American cultures are a little different from each other, sooooo what you may find acceptable for children a lot of American parents wouldn’t. Secondly, Sesame Street is neither a nude beach, nor parents walking around the house. And lastly, Katy Perry is a vapid whore – I mean bore.
I see nothing wrong with this… I guess she could have had them all jacked up in the air… that would have been bad. SS could have said… get ms. Perry a sweater…and she was playing dress-up.
😉 But I was watching Elmo not her so much..
it’s too much.
jeez! there should be some refuge from that for kids, even just a little.
@Kim, I DID notice our cultures are different, that´s why I started with “I´m European”, and that´s why I asked. I knox Sesam Street isn´t a nude beach (and I was talking about regular beaches here, not nude ones), but Kate isn´t naked there!
And I was asking WHY you americans find the human body so inapropriate for children… I don´t know, I´m not judging, just curious.
I grew up on Sesame Street and it was about learning in a fun way and never about marketing upcoming stars and their asinine song. Where were the ABC’s and 1,2,3’s in this song? I also watched the clip on the Today Show and if this is what you call singing talent then crap, anyone of us can sign up. PBS, which I believe distributes Sesame Street, should not try to mess with the parents by sneaking this crap on their kids programming. Is there nothing sacred anymore?
Are Sesame Street’s target viewers (preschoolers) actually supposed to appreciate this? I wouldnt think thats necessarily Katy Perry’s audience. I certainly wouldnt expect or condone my 3 – 4 yr old child listening to her. I think she could have shown a bit less flesh as well. Her outfit is fun and flirty but I still think a little more fabric would have been better.
As to the person who thinks we should chill out about nudity. Thhere is a dutch saying which translated into English is “More naked than naked”. Basically meaning you can be more suggestive wearing a small amount of clothing than you can none at all. Tarting oneself up in a low cut top and parading in front of kids is sending a sexual message whereas stepping out of a shower nude in your own home or sunbathing on a nude beach is not.
Really? Sesame Street? I don’t find it innapropriate, I agree with @Malorie (not 100% though), but of course… I’m argentinian, our cultures are different and blahblahblah.
How did they come up with that? That’s all I’m wondering. Like, one day they said: ‘Hey! what if we invite Katy Perry to the show? Kids will watch the episode, and their dads too!’ No, I just don’t get it.
What we as adults see as ‘sexual behavior’ isn’t the same message our kids our getting. I highly doubt our toddlers and pre-schoolers are thinking, “Wow Mommy, that lady’s boobies are hanging out and I bet she’s a hot piece!” We imprint alot of stuff on our kids that they don’t understand/know yet. So, while I wish her top had a little more coverage, I don’t think she’s ‘sexxin’ up Sesame Street.
My son watches Sesame Street occasionally on tv or on youtube, and as far as I can recall the majority of the songs are pre-recorded. Feist, India.Arie, Norah Jones are some I can think of just off my head.
PS Kasier: Did you see the one where Ricky Gervais is singing Elmo to sleep and just as Elmo starts to doze Ricky starts screeching? It cracks both my son and I up everytime!
hmm… on the one hand, i am not a puritan and would not want to raise my kids to think that the human body or their sexuality is wrong, perverted or “dirty”
that being said, i am not a parent and ultimately parents should have the right to allow their children the entertainment they deem proper… which means, just skip this episode peeps! 🙂 [maybe if enough people dont watch it, TPTB will not bring pop-tarts to their show, an educational show at that]
The human body is ok as it is, but the american culture portrays it as sexual whenever it is nude– thats why people equate nudeness or near nude with overt sexual and dislike it. Combine that with a puritanical shame or fear of lust or sex itself, and you have an ironic, conflicted, and very destructive mentality about sex/bodies.
A small child will understand her body as beautiful, and will envy it- without necessarily thinking nasty. But I still think that she should dress more appropriately knowing that her audience are 3 and 4 year olds. She doesnt need to market herself to them so she can tuck her breasts away for a few minutes, cant she? That stage costume is overt and tacky.
I think my ears just bled a little watching that. Does Elmo have ear drums? KEEP RUNNING ELMO! SAVE YOURSELF!
Kaiser, I think you’re spot-on about the tenor of Katy’s sexuality… it’s this almost disembodied “teenage dream” where the image of her skin is just that: a glossy image, not tactile at all, just a play of shapes. Very different from, say, Megan Fox.
And I definitely second ppl pointing out that kids may not immediately “get” that Katy’s trying to be sexy unless we have already imprinted a certain ideal of sexiness anyway. Most of the kids wouldn’t have connected the outfit to a sexualized celebrity culture.
That said, Katy did disrupt the expectations that *adults* have, and we all know that adults end up seeing Sesame Street, whether it’s only for a moment as you put it on screen for kids or whether you are curious about a particular celeb on the show. So what she did was ridiculous, similar to the Top Chef where Amanda made a sherry sauce for chicken for a school lunch. Yeah, the alcohol all cooked off by the time the kids got it, but how tone deaf can you be?
Oh my freaking goodness! Are you kidding me? Is this real? What in the name of all that is holy is going on in our world? SEsame street??? her outfit…How could they allow this? holy crap I’m checking out of this place.
I think Sesame Street is to blame not Katy. They could have told her to wear something else. Any other place she would be fine but for a kids’ show the boobs are too much. Also I don’t understand bashing her for pre-recording. Everybody on all shows do that. Even Glee pre-records.
My 2 year old loves the skit with Ricky Gervais and Elmo and wants to watch it every night before bed. There is a hilarious video of “outakes” from his visit where he is saying some really messed up stuff to Elmo and the pupeteer just rolls with it. I don’t have a link but you can find it on you tube. Not for the kiddies but the parents will get a much needed giggle!!!
Scarlet Vixen – Yes, that’s the episode I saw one morning! Ricky was singing Elmo to sleep. It was hilarious. And Ricky didn’t have his tits out.
@ teehee
You took the words right out of my mouth!
Even Elmo didn’t want anything to do with her.
yeah, I dont like Katy Perry either. She´s all about “look at me, look at me”.
Never really liked her songs, but ever since shes with that comedian guy and Lady Gaga goes all about image, she feels desperate to find her spot which is nothing but :”Im a teenager, I´m naive, and I´m dumb and I´m funny” and bullshit. She is not funny. Neither a good actress or singer. And for god sake she´s not a teenager anymore.
Wow – this was essentially just a music video. I don’t recall anybody on Sesame Street being that auto-tuned before! I have a 3-yr old girl, and am more offended by the crappy music than Katy’s boobs. It seems like mostly moms of boys are complaining here, so maybe I’d feel differently if I had a boy?
Has anyone seen the Yo Gabba Gabba where the Dancey Dance is the Twirly Whirly? My husband and I die laughing b/c we think the girl teaching it seems so skanky to be on a kids’ show and she seems like she’s one step from teaching them pole dancing.
Wow that is just all kinds of wrong.
You people are a bunch of prudes and hypocrits. Explain to me, how this is any more damaging then having a hangover???
I never watched Sesame Street as a child, I found it very boring. I guess I was already two steps ahead of children my age. I didnt need “dumbed down” t.v. programming to teach me what my mother steadily taught me since I was a baby. At least Katy will keep the kids’ attention!
@Marlorie, cultural relativism means you *can’t* actually judge Americans for being prudish. Standards of sexuality and appearance are created by a culture, not independently of that culture. You can call us prudes all you want, but you are just referring to your own standards and not to any “right” way of being. According to European standards, our reaction might be prudish, but that doesn’t matter – at all – because we aren’t Europeans. The problem is not her sexuality; the problem is her lack of tact and her unwillingness to follow the terms set by the culture around her.
Even if, in their minds, they can justify putting her in that outfit, nothing justifies her solo running sequence.
Yes geegee and pyschic eyes this issue isn’t american puritanism vs. european enlightenment; It is first that was pathetically awful both singing and the acting. Does this no talent famewhore realize she makes Elmo appear to be an Oxford scholar compared to her untalented brainlessness. Second, the other issue is a no talent famewhore using every avenue to market herself and shame on the people at Sesame Street for their collusion. Her pr team deserves every award in entertainment for keeping her relevant despite her total lack of talent and substance. Maybe Elmo could give her pointers on how to develop a real personality.
@ Jen LOL, I thought the exact same thing when I watched the clip. Elmo just wanted to escape. He’s sly, using the tag excuse.
The debate about cultural nudity really has no place here, I don’t think, as she isn’t naked (nor would it be appropriate if she were!), she is wearing sexualized clothing. Bustiers, even if everything doesn’t pop out, are associated with dressing sexily.
And I don’t think that children need to be introduced to those kinds of grow-up behaviours.
The human body is indeed nothing to be ashamed of. I used to sit and play in the shower while my mom got clean if I was awake when I was little (3 and under, or so), because she was a single parent, and my daughter saw both her father and I naked when she was little. it shouldn’t be a big deal.
But I don’t like this. Sesame Street has always had big name guests, but things used to be at a kid’s level, without talking down to them.
How could she have thought that costume was a good idea? I’m sorry, but you cover up your tits on Sesame Street. I’m sure even Lady Gaga would know that.
I think boobs are boobs and whatever, but what worries me is kids’ self-image and body image more than the exposure to sexuality. I mean she could stand to eat 5 cheeseburgers, at least. Sex is everywhere and it’s not going away, but we could at least delay the dimorphism of body image in children/teenagers that is so prevalent these days and leads to so many other emotional problems later on in life. It’s bad enough that as a relatively young woman; I will never be thin enough, sexy enough, have big enough boobs, young enough or perfect enough, like ever. Most of us (men and women) get over it with age and time, it’s the youngsters I worry about. We’ve all been there. 🙁
i have a wee one and we watch ss most mornings. theyre known for their parodies. i dont really get the katy perry thing, i dont like her music or anything, but i thought the episode was cute. they sang and learned about opposites. whats so bad about that. its not like her boobs were pushed up and the cleveage wasnt all pushed together.
Shawna, great explanation of cultural relativism.
I think Sesame Street is more to blame. They should realize that American cluture finds outfits that cover only half the breast count as deliberate sexualization and are innapropriate for a preschool audience.
Not that I have a problem with boobs, but come on, she dresses like that to look like a pin-up girl–basically a vintage centerfold girl–and that’s not OK for a kiddie show in American culture.
Imagine where we would be without “unwillingness to follow the terms set by the culture around” us! That was a ridiculous statement, imo.
I watched this yesterday and didn’t think sexy at all when I watched it! I thought it was cute, and DID have a point… opposites!
I’m way less impressed with the shooting whipcream bra she wore in one of her videos than this harmless piece of fluff.
I thought her dress was interesting, I did not find the boobs offensive or even noticeable. I thought the song was cute and her and Elmo adorable. Good job Sesame Street-you are still current.
Shame on Sesame St for having a totally inappropriate guest for a childrens show on!!! Whoever hired her for the show needs to be canned asap!
Remember a post about Sofia Vergerasomething talking about how she had to be careful what she wore so she didn’t look like a stripper?
If it were me and my flat chest up there, no one would have batted an eye.
But she was really horrible, ugly outfit or not.
If it were me, I’d have chosen to wear something a bit more substantial for a kids show. But then again, I’m not basing my career on showing off my boobs like she is, so I’m guessing we’d have differing ideas on what is and isn’t a good idea.
Ugh her “acting” was pretty dreadful.
Co-sign: boobies on Sesame Street is highly inappropriate!
What has happened to Sesame Street? The graphics are so badly and unimaginatively drawn these days.
Also, whoever they have doing Elmo’s voice now is shocking.
That little rant aside, the thing about this isn’t that boobs are wrong, it’s that women who trade on their sexuality (a big part of which is bosom-use with Katy Perry) is being proffered to the kidlets as a role model. Bogus.
boobs for kids? how about not.
speaking of boobs, i did believe her when she said they were real but that lace top has NO support yet they are round all the way around. boob job! tsk tsk katy.
FYI: TMZ is reporting that Sesame Street will no longer be showing this clip, due to a flood of complaints about the boobage.
http://www.tmz.com/2010/09/22/katy-perry-sesame-street-apperance-banned-hot-n-cold-elmo-breasts/
Gawker is reporting the same — Kerry Perry’s Boobs Banned from “Sesame Street”. Here’s the Gawker article: http://gawker.com/5645486/katy-perrys-boobs-banned-from-sesame-street
I am late at reading this post, but I have to add my two cents.
Not ALL of American culture deems something like this inappropriate. Just the prudes. Therefore, it has nothing to do with culture. I am American and think this video is absolutely adorable.
She urks me. I don’t get the appeal and I really don’t think she’s particularly attractive. I don’t get it. Her hair is fug, she kind of has kankles and wears too much make-up.
Katy Perry shouldn’t be on a kids show regrdless of how she dresses or her level of talent. Her claim to fame are songs filled with sex and inappropriate behavior.
Who in their right mind thought Katy Perry is proper role model for kids? What’s next porn stars?
My sister love Angel and all costimes looks pretty good and nice.These are perefect costumes for baby