Building Big Bird Back Better
Building Big Bird Back Better
I don无毛视频檛 have anything against Big Bird.
He无毛视频檚 fine as far as I无毛视频檓 concerned.
But I无毛视频檓 73 years old. I无毛视频檝e never quite been in that big fellow无毛视频檚 target audience.
So, when that 8-foot 2-inch, anthropomorphic bird found himself in the crosshairs of a U.S. senator, I had some research to do.
So, I did it.
Now I无毛视频檓 Big Bird无毛视频檚 newest devotee 无毛视频� and I might add, defender.
How dare grumpy old Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) throw shade on Big Bird after he announced he无毛视频檇 gotten his Big Body vaccinated?
As soon as the word came down from those adults in Washington that kids aged 5 through 11 could go ahead and get their COVID-19 vaccinations, Big Bird flew on to his Twitter account.
无毛视频淚 got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but I无毛视频檒l give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy,无毛视频� he tweeted.
Cruz couldn无毛视频檛 help himself.
He knew he could win votes (I suppose) if he lets the world know it无毛视频檚 open season on giant birds.
(Maybe he无毛视频檚 confusing Big Bird with Tom Turkey.)
I digress.
无毛视频淕overnment propaganda 无毛视频� for your 5-year-old,无毛视频� Cruz furiously tweeted.
He implied that a kiddie无毛视频檚 character is nothing more than a clandestine functionary for the state.
Yet, Mr. Bird had done nothing wrong. He无毛视频檚 been helping to allay the fears of youngsters since the early 1970s, with no pushback from irritable, Washington politicians.
Thankfully, Big Bird无毛视频檚 feathers weren无毛视频檛 ruffled by Cruz and his angry tweet. (This particular subject screams for bad puns. I无毛视频檓 only being compliant.)
I don无毛视频檛 profess to speak for his giantness, but I无毛视频檓 pretty sure he无毛视频檚 aware that Sen. Cruz has a predilection for hyperbolic vote hunting.
Besides, President Biden got pulled into the fray.
无毛视频淕ood on ya, @BigBird. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep your whole neighborhood safe,无毛视频� Biden tweeted. (To be honest, I didn无毛视频檛 even know he had a Twitter account, unlike his predecessor无毛视频檚 daily diatribes.)
Cruz would not be silenced.
He shot back, 无毛视频淲e always knew the media were the Dems无毛视频� puppets, but this is getting ridiculous,无毛视频� he tweeted.
And over at Fox News, where there无毛视频檚 no political controversy worthy of ignoring, they cast their own anti-Sesame Street shadows.
无毛视频淣ot getting the information to the parents, so they can make that decision. But really getting it directly to the kids in some really creepy ways. Including Sesame Street,无毛视频� blurted out Rachel Campos-Duffy on Fox & Friends.
But she didn无毛视频檛 just say those words. She made sure to add emphasis to every 无毛视频� single 无毛视频� word in the phrase 无毛视频� as if it was she was alerting the Fox News audience to some ominous force field, directed from that death star Sesame Street, which had been activated for the sole purpose of vaporizing the nation无毛视频檚 5-year-olds.
The folks at Fox & Friends were enjoying their cheap shots aimed at PBS, Sesame Street, Big Bird, Democrats, and the mainstream media. In other words, just another day at Fox News.
Over there at Newsmax, the place where common sense goes to die, there无毛视频檚 a fellow named Eric Bolling.
Mr. Bolling mounted his own attack on Sesame Street, by calling out Kermit (he calls him the 无毛视频淕reen Monster Commie无毛视频�), and he challenged Miss Piggy to a debate.
He even claimed they无毛视频檙e 无毛视频渟tuck on stupid.无毛视频�
Well, Bolling says he wants to debate a puppet. But he happens to claim THEY are stuck on stupid?
I无毛视频檓 nearly at a loss for words.
(Admittedly, you might be thinking that无毛视频檚 a blessing. But I无毛视频檓 going to continue, anyway.)
I don无毛视频檛 know why folks on the right need to launch a fresh attack against somebody (or in this case something) every day.
Today, it could be Big Bird. Tomorrow it could be Dr. Seuss. The next day it would be Mr. Potato Head.
Why?
And in this case, I really don无毛视频檛 know what these people have against Big Bird无毛视频檚 gesture.
What is more detrimental to the nation无毛视频檚 youth? Stopping the influence of Sesame Street on them? Or, shielding them from getting a life-saving vaccine?
Edward A. Owens is a multi-Emmy Award winner, former reporter, and anchor for Entertainment Tonight, and 40-year TV news and newspaper veteran. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.