'Sesame Street' Pulls Controversial Katy Perry Duet

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'Sesame Street' Pulls Controversial Katy Perry Duet

posted by Caryn Ganz - Thu Sep 23 2010, 9:42 AM PDT

"Sesame Street" started previewing its 41st season on the Web this week, releasing teaser clips featuring stars like Jude Law, Will.i.am, Colin Farrell, and Run-DMC's Reverend Run. One of the shorts, however, got a lot more attention than the rest: a two-and-a-half minute video of pop star Katy Perry singing a reworked version of her 2008 hit "Hot N Cold" with Elmo. The issue: the perception that Perry's outfit wasn't appropriate for a show geared toward children ages one to six.

After the clip hit YouTube Monday, Gawker ran a story that called attention to the video and Katy's look. Parents checking out the video began leaving critical comments like, "Couldn't she wear something that was more. oh idk. APPROPRIATE" and "I DO NOT want my five year old lookin at [that]!" But, as TMZ notes, Perry wasn't actually half-naked -- her outfit featured a flesh-colored mesh top that went all the way up to her neck, like a figure-skating costume.

Sesame Workshop, the company that produces the show, responded to the controversy this morning by announcing that producers have decided to pull the song from the broadcast version of the program. The clip will remain online at KatyPerry.com, however, so the singer's more mature fans can watch it. "'Sesame Street' has always been written on two levels, for the child and adult," reads a statement from the show. "We use parodies and celebrity segments to interest adults in the show because we know that a child learns best when co-viewing with a parent or caregiver. We also value our viewers' opinions and particularly those of parents. In light of the feedback we've received on the Katy Perry music video, which was released on YouTube only, we have decided we will not air the segment on the television broadcast of 'Sesame Street,' which is aimed at preschoolers."

The original version of "Hot N Cold" depicts a less kid-friendly on-and-off romance, and includes words that wouldn't end up on network televsion, let alone a children's show. Perry cleaned up the song for "Sesame Street," singing instead about wanting to play dress-up with Elmo, who has decided to run off and play tag instead. As the singer chases the beloved puppet around a cartoon city, she sings, "You're up and you're down/You're running around/You're fast then you're slow/you stop then you go."

Perry tweeted about her visit to one of the world's most famous neighborhoods a day ago, writing: "I can totally tell you how to get to Sesame Street! I've been, Elmo & I hang out." When she taped the show back in March, Perry sent a Twitpic of herself, arm around the fuzzy red puppet, with the caption: "Sunny day today! I think I'm in lurv... Sorry @rustyrockets!!!" (Rustyrockets refers, of course, to her fiance, Russell Brand.)

Neither Perry nor her representatives have issued any statements about the video being pulled from the show.
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Source: 'Sesame Street' Pulls Controversial Katy Perry Duet - A-Line: the celebrity style blog - omg! on Yahoo

You can see a clip at the above link :)
 
lol aww, I can't believe Sesame Street actually did a parody on True Blood.

As for the Katy Perry thing, I don't see what the big deal is. Kids who watch Sesame Street are too young to care whether or not the top of her dress is cut too low. They're probably not even paying attention to her and more excited about Elmo. :rolleyes:
 
Well if I had just watched the clip with no preparation I probably would have said "What the hell is Katy Perry doing on Sesame Street", thought she's wearing another weirdo outfit, rolled my eyes and moved on. BUT I'm not a parent.

I do think we have to as a society stop telling ourselves that it doesn't matter what our kids see, that anything they don't get "will just go over their head". Cause it's not, clearly.

But it is time for 8 year old girls to stop being dressed like hookers. And Katy's boobs ARE falling out of her top and she should have considered the fact that she's going on a kid's show and she should be wearing something more appropriate. Whoever's decision it was to put her in that outfit.
 
Well if I had just watched the clip with no preparation I probably would have said "What the hell is Katy Perry doing on Sesame Street", thought she's wearing another weirdo outfit, rolled my eyes and moved on. BUT I'm not a parent.

I do think we have to as a society stop telling ourselves that it doesn't matter what our kids see, that anything they don't get "will just go over their head". Cause it's not, clearly.

But it is time for 8 year old girls to stop being dressed like hookers. And Katy's boobs ARE falling out of her top and she should have considered the fact that she's going on a kid's show and she should be wearing something more appropriate. Whoever's decision it was to put her in that outfit.

And once again, What the hell is Katy Perry doing on Sesame Street?
 
seriously though letting the outfit slide why is she on Sesame Street, thats not really a part you see for some celebrities
 
I dont know I think it's not that big of a deal.. I mean look at some of the cartoons people had growing up, or iconic characters in general like Wonder Woman and such. I don't know, I don't think I would have taken it as "that's how I am supposed to dress" if I was young and a girl.. I would have thought... KATY PERRY IS ON SESAME STREET! Cool!
 
As a parent, I an tell you that children that take cues on pretty much anything from TV are already doomed.

Children dress as their parents pay for them to dress. Katy Perry is a pop star who dressed her part. If she were Katy Perry the frumpy housewife she would not have been on.

One thing that I am starting to hate about having kids is dealing with the terribly afraid parents who think that their kids are drones who will follow any bad choice offered.

I think it is overblown.
 
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Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this.

I like Katy Perry and I don't think she was trying to look slutty or inaproppriate with her costume and she probably didn't think it was that bad. However, Vil does have a point about her costume showing alittle too much of her boobs and how isn't really good for young children to see on television. And I'm not a parent, but I don't really think it was alright or really bad for a kid to watch.
 
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