A Big Win for Sesame Street at the Daytime Emmys

Sesame Street’s furry monsters light up the red carpet and go on to win four Emmys and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Showing no signs of jet lag after their trip to Los Angeles, the Muppets of Sesame Street were out in full furry force to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 36th Daytime Emmy Awards celebration at the famed Orpheum Theater.

The show picked up four other Emmys, including in the New Approaches — Daytime Children’s category, which recognizes the use of new media (associated Web sites, Web casts, and interactivity).

Executive Producer Carol-Lynn Parente accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes a remarkable 40 years of achievement in educational television.


“It’s really hard to believe that the founders of Sesame Workshop — Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett — weren’t even sure that the very first season of Sesame Street would make it past that season,” Parente said. She beamed as she accepted the award from Grey’s Anatomy’s Sandra Oh, alongside Cookie Monster, Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar, Abby Cadabby, and the Sesame gang. “This is for everyone who’s contributed to Sesame Street over our long history. But also to the fans and millions of graduates who have embraced our show. Share Sesame Street with your kids, and maybe we can continue to change the world — one street at a time.”

Cookie Monster Gobbles up the Emmy Statue

“Hold on a second!” yelled Cookie Monster, just as Parente finished her speech. “Stop the music! Me just want to say to Academy that me think that this award not only great honor, but it delicious!” He then proceeded to devour the golden statue, adding that it “taste even better than Latin Grammy.”

The Muppets — along with Bob, Chris, Gordon, Luis and Maria — also received a standing ovation for performing a special medley of beloved songs from the show.

The New Approaches — Daytime Children’s Emmy was awarded in Los Angeles on Saturday night, making the Sesame celebration a weekend-long affair.

“It’s an honor for Sesame Workshop’s digital team to be recognized by the Academy in this new category,” said Miles Ludwig, Vice President and Executive Producer of Digital Media at Sesame Workshop. “Digital platforms provide new ways for us to present 40 years of Sesame Street programming, while adding layers of interactivity that engage today’s children in exciting new ways.”

Bob McGrath, who has been on Sesame Street since its very first episode on November 10, 1969, called the Lifetime Achievement Award “appropriate and well-deserved.”

“It was a world breakthrough in terms of education,” he added. “It turned out to be probably the world’s largest educational experiment, thanks to Joan Cooney. It’s a wonderful tribute. We’re very excited about it.”

Carol-Lynn Parente says the Lifetime Achievement Award is a tribute to those in front of the camera as well as behind the scenes.

Commitment to the Same Goal

“I think it’s a wonderful honor, particularly because we have so many people who have been with the show since its inception,” she said. “Caroll Spinney, who plays Big Bird and Oscar, and Bob McGrath have been on the show since the very first season. Jerry Nelson — the Count — has also been around since the first season. Sonia (Manzano), who’s Maria, has been around since season three. We have cameramen and stagehands who have been around since before the first episode — they worked on the pilot. So what’s wonderful is it’s a real testament to the longevity and the work these people have been so committed to for all these years. The mission of what we do has been at the forefront from the very beginning. Everyone associated with the show lives and breathes that mission to reach kids and give them that jump-start. It’s pretty rare to work in a place where you have that many people committed to the same goal.”

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Emmy, Sesame Street won four other Emmys this year, making its 40-year grand total a whopping 122. Kevin Clash won Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series for the fifth time for his portrayal of Elmo (but poor Elmo had a hard time getting into the event because Oscar, the ticket-taker, said he wanted to sell Elmo’s seat on eBay).

“Talk about a family — a show that’s been on for 40 years,” Clash said during his acceptance speech.

The series also won Emmys for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling and Outstanding Directing in a Children’s Series.

And no red-carpet event would be complete without a brief fashion report. When asked which designer he was wearing, Elmo, looking very refined in a tux, said, “Barney’s — not the dinosaur, the store.” And what designer did dapper Big Bird wear? “Joan Ganz Cooney.”