President Obama: “The world is a better place” with Sesame Street

Sesame Workshop honored Mattel, Inc. with a Corporate Leadership Award at its seventh annual benefit gala. Mattel chairman and CEO RobertA. Eckert (right) accepted the award on the toy company’s behalf. With him are Joan Ganz Cooney and Gary E. Knell of Sesame Workshop, and Sesame Street’s Elmo, who co-hosted the event.

“There are many adults who could stand to learn again the lessons that Sesame Street offers: lessons of compassion, and kindness and respect for our differences. The world is a better place for the world you create on Sesame Street — a world that enriches our children's minds and hearts each and every day,” he continued.

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams and Elmo hosted the dinner, and Muppets such as Grover, Abby Cadabby, Zoe and Rosita rubbed noses with celebrities, including singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow, Al Roker, Paula Zahn, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

In addition to celebrating Sesame Street’s birthday, the seventh annual gala was also an opportunity to honor Mayor Bloomberg and Mattel, Inc., the toy company, who have “exemplified the organization’s mission to help all children reach their highest potential,” Gary Knell, president and chief executive officer of Sesame Workshop, said.

Sesame Workshop honored Mayor Bloomberg with its Global Leadership Award, while Mattel chairman and chief executive officer Robert A. Eckert accepted the Corporate Leadership Award on behalf of his company.

Singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow gave a special performance at the Sesame Workshop annual gala. When asked which Muppet she most identified with, Crow said: “Abby — and Oscar the Grouch on some days…”

“Tonight we celebrate Sesame Street and what it has created for generations of children around the world. Mattel understands the importance of play and how it can enrich mind and soul,” Knell continued.

When Mayor Bloomberg was introduced, Elmo morphed into a Muppet version of the Mayor in a puff of confetti, courtesy of fairy-in-training Abby Cadabby.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had my identity stolen before,” the Mayor laughed.

“Sesame Street promotes a culture of diversity and respect. And it doesn’t shy away from the hard topics, either: military conflict, parents who get deployed overseas, HIV/AIDS. Sesame Street really does help children understand the world around them,” Mayor Bloomberg said.

Vincent A. Mai, chairman of the board of Sesame Workshop, announced that the benefit had raised $2 million, money that will go towards Sesame Street’s “renewed pledge to champion the potential of every child.”

“Tonight we have raised two million dollars. It’s a very special night for us,” Mai said. “We are in hard times. But all of us know that during hard times, often some of the best ideas materialize. The Sixties was a particularly turbulent decade. And at the end of that decade, an idea was born to change the definition and the impact of using television to promote early childhood education. And that was Sesame Street. And over the part 40 years, some beloved characters have emerged. They’ve become household names.”

 

Sesame Workshop thinks New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is quite the character! The folks behind Sesame Street honored the Mayor with a Global Leadership Award at its seventh annual benefit gala. On hand to present the award was the newly created Muppet Bloomberg.

And some of those beloved characters, of course, are human — like Bob and Maria.

Bob McGrath, who has been on the show since the very first episode on November 10, 1969, was on hand at the gala.

So, how does it feel to be on Sesame Street after 40 years?

“Even after being on the show for 40 years it’s still amazing to see what it’s doing in different parts of the world. The secret [to its longevity] is a combination of a lot of things. It’s the most well-researched show in television history. We have great writers and a great research staff and directors and cast. And the cast is really like a real family. Nothing is taken for granted from one year to the next. It’s been an incredible 40 years!”

“It’s just remarkable — and not — that we’ve been able to last so many years, when shows come and go so quickly — especially children’s shows,” added Sonia Manzano, who has portrayed Maria since 1971. “As Joan [Ganz Cooney, co-founder and chairman of the executive committee of Sesame Workshop] said, the landscape of television is changing. But I always believed that if we address the needs of the current crop of children — and their needs are changing — we’ll stay important. And the Muppets are universal, because they’re wild and crazed — and we all like to connect with that sensibility.” (Read Sonia’s impressions of the gala evening.)

Before she sang a duet of “Every Day is a Winding Road” with Elmo, Sheryl Crow hung out with the Muppets on the red carpet. “I grew up with Sesame Street,” she said, clearly charmed by her company. “It’s been a part of my life. I literally feel like Muppets are my family. I love Sesame Street and what it’s taught not only my little brother, but my son as well.”

Gary Knell remarked that Sesame Street, which is broadcast in over 140 countries, “has become the longest street in the world, teaching more children, across more cultures, than any other children’s show in history.” And Sesame Workshop celebrated Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary with a renewed pledge to champion the potential of every child, every day.