Today's Xmastime is Brought to you By the Letter DDD's

Some chick over at CNN bemoans the "power-washing" Sesame Street has gotten through the years. A lot of shows are like this now, including the sets - everything looks like it's in an IKEA museum. And some of the things are pretty absurd.

Now, some 4,000 episodes later, 123 Sesame Street has gotten that power washing. Peeling paint is nowhere to be found, and the only visible garbage can has a tenant. It's much more sanitized.

Early "Sesame Street" had some other elements that would not pass muster today. Oscar the Grouch is just plain nasty, children are seen riding their bikes without helmets, and there's even a sketch where the human character of Gordon can be seen approaching a little girl on the street. He takes her by the hand and brings her into his house for milk and cookies (again with the cookies!). Clearly, that could be misinterpreted by today's standards.

Today, Cookie Monster's diet is much more balanced, as he has adopted the philosophy that cookies are a "sometimes food." Cookie coincidentally changed his tune in 2006 amidst reports that childhood obesity had reached epidemic proportions.

I would like to point out that there has been exactly one person in America to combine the Cookie Monster and racism. America needs more heroes like this. (solemn pause)