The Ones To Grow On

Spring 2004 Contents

Sesame Street: 35 Years on Public TV!

Sesame Street airs weekdays at 8:30 am and 6 pm

Even Count Von Count might have difficulty keeping up with the big numbers Sesame Street has racked up over the years: over 4000 episodes, 91 Emmys (more than Oprah, Jeopardy and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood combined) and dozens of other accolades including Parents Choice Awards, Peabody Awards and the adoration of generations of happy children. And now, there's one more number to add to their roster, "35," as Sesame Street launches its 35th season in April.

Celebrity guests have always visited the legendary Street, beginning with an appearance by James Earl Jones when the program launched in 1969. Actor Bill Cosby, who appears this season in a regular new segment titled "Sesame Street Moments," credits Jones' cameo with his decision to work with kids.

This season, the celebrity legacy continues with celebrities such as Norah Jones, Julianne Moore, Venus Williams, Martina McBride, Harvey Fierstein, Doris Roberts, Seth Green and Natalie Portman joining the Sesame Street family. Other top names featured in the "Sesame Street Moments" segment are Cher and Harry Connick Jr. reminiscing about their memories of the series.

Viewers can look forward to new live action and animated segments this season including parodies of pop culture icons including Dr. Feel (a character based on Dr. Phil), and Joe Hundred Guy (Joe Millionaire). Continuous innovations such as these keep Sesame Street relevant as the issues facing children become increasingly complex.