Archive for November 20th, 2009

DAVE TOMAR: I differ with Akie on the capacity of a guy like Tyler to reinvent himself. After 40 years as the face of a band suspended in the sexual maturity of a junior high locker room, the idea of Tyler doing anything else can be nothing less than a parody of himself. Evidence suggests that Tyler is probably not going solo, that he is in fact retiring.

JILLIAN LOVEJOY LOWERY: Growing up, we were a household that didn’t have cable, and my television intake was pretty heavily PBS programming. At the time I was jealous of my friends with Nickelodeon who could watch things like Pinwheel, but in retrospect, I am far better off for having focused on the piece de resistance of children’s programming, Sesame Street.

JESSICA BADER: It’s hard to describe exactly the impact that Sesame Street had on my childhood. I could point out some of the elements that are among everyone’s favorites – Rubber Duckie, each show being brought to you by this letter or that number, that classic theme song. I could go for the bits and pieces that are among my personal favorites – Monsterpiece Theater (hosted by “Alistair Cookie”!), the Christmas Eve on Sesame Street special (“Feliz Navidad” was always a festive singalong in my Jewish household), the beloved Big Bird’s Day on the Farm book. I could talk about how the overall message of the show reinforced the importance of learning and asking questions and being kind to others. In any event, the celebration of Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary has me looking back at the show that I grew up with and revisiting a fantastic book about it that was published last year.