“Bert and Ernie for Marriage Equality”. Photo courtesy of See-Ming Lee. www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/

When Sesame Street first aired in 1969 it instantly acquired a reputation as a ground-breaking children’s infotainment programme. Not only was the format stylish and innovative, it was also inclusive: characters – both human and puppet – came in a diverse range of shapes, sizes, ages, ethnicities and backgrounds.

Unsurprisingly it was only a matter of time before people began to wonder just how inclusive Sesame Street was. And in 1980, the spotlight turned for the first time on to the real nature of the relationship between ‘room-mates’ Bert and Ernie.

It may have been made as a spur-of-the-moment, light-hearted throwaway comment at the time but it clearly touched on a sensitive issue. The debate has raged on ever since.

The saga began when heterosexual author Kurt Andersen  included in his satirical book The Real Thing the statement that:

“Bert and Ernie conduct themselves in the same loving discreet way that millions of gay men, women and hand puppets do. They do their jobs well and live a splendidly settled life together in an impeccably decorated cabinet.”

He had little idea of the storm of speculation and outrage that this observation would ignite. Right-wing politicians and evangelical Christians have repeatedly claimed that Bert and Ernie are subtle propaganda tools used to indoctrinate innocent young minds into the ‘homosexual agenda’.

On the opposite side of the political spectrum, there have been calls to have the pair come out so that young audiences can be presented with positive gay role models. There’s even an online petition to the producers of Sesame Street calling for them to arrange the first same-sex Muppet wedding!

The producers have resisted and since the early 90’s have repeatedly issued strenuous denials of any romantic link between Bert and Ernie. As one statement put it:

“Bert and Ernie, who’ve been on Sesame Street for 25 years, do not portray a gay couple and there are no plans for them to do so in future. They are puppets, not humans…Bert and Ernie are characters who help to demonstrate to children that despite their differences they can be good friends.”

However, the speculation about the two characters has reached such a pitch it has even been parodied in the stage musical Avenue Q. During an encounter between room-mates Nicky and Rod, Nicky bursts into song to re-assure Rod that “If you were gay, that’d be OK.” (Rod repeatedly denies the suggestion throughout the song).

As for the man who first initiated the speculation, he’s surprised by subsequent developments – although also quite happy to be known as the man who started it all:

“As far as I know, it was simply and purely a joke of mine. (As it happened, my wife-to-be had gone to work for Sesame Street in 1978.) And no, I had no notion, of course, that this idea would become an enduring urban legend. But it pleases me that it has.”

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