>>> 50 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH.
A SHOW CALLED SESAME STREET
PREMIERS ON NATIONAL EDUCATION
TELEVISION.
"SESAME STREET" AND ITS CAST OF
LOVABLE PUPPETS WERE AN
IMMEDIATE HIT WITH YOUNG VIEWERS
AND THEIR PARENTS.
BIG BIRD WAS ON THE COVER OF
"TIME" MAGAZINE WITH THE
HEADLINE "SESAME STREET."
>> BIG BIRD AND HIS FRIENDS
TAUGHT KIDS TO KACOUNT AND LEAR
THEIR ABC'S BUT ALSO
UNDERSTANDING THEIR COMPLICATED
TOPICS IN OUR FUTURE.
WE LOOK BACK IN OUR SUNDAY'S
SPOTLIGHT.
>> WHEN YOU THINK "SESAME
STREET."
IT IS OFTEN MEMORIES OF LOVABLE
CHARACTERS.
>> COOKIE MONSTER HERE WITH
COOKIES OR LEARNING TO COUNT.
>> THREE BUTTERFLIES.
BUT WHAT YOUR PRESCHOOL SELF DID
NOT REALIZE THAT YOU WERE ALSO
LEARNING SOME REAL LIFE LESSONS.
>> THAT'S A PRETTY BROWN.
>> THINK OF THE YEAR IT
LAUNCHED,
MOVEMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DID THAT
MAKE SURE YOUNG CHILDREN AND
BLACK AND WHITE AND LATINO WOULD
ALL BE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES ON
SCREEN.
>> CASTS HAVE TACKLED SOME OF
OUR TOUGHEST ISSUES.
REALIZING FOR CHILDREN SOMETHING
IS BEST EXPLAINED BY A FURRY RED
MONSTER AND THE FLUFFY FAIRY.
>> WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT KIDS
LEARN THEY CAN TALK ABOUT SAD
THINGS?
>> MY MOMMY AND DADDY GOT
DIVORCED WELL, I HAD A LOT OF
BIG FEELINGS SO I WAS CONFUSED
AND ANGRY AND SAD.
>> CHARACTERS TO TALK ON A
CHILD'S LEVEL AS THE NATION'S
DIVORCE RATE OR HOMELESSNESS
SKYROCKETED.
>> WE DON'T HAVE OUR APARTMENT
ANYMORE.
>> IN THE '80s.
AS SEX ABUSE SCANDAL ROCKED THE
HEADLINES.
THEY REALIZED THE CHILDREN NEED
TO KNOW THAT GROWN UPS BELIEVE
THEM.
HE'S NOT IMAGINARY.
YOU NEVER BELIEVED ME.
FROM NOW ON WE'LL BELIEVE YOU
WHEN EVER YOU TELL US SOMETHING.
>> SO-CALLED MUPPET DIPLOMACY
WAS BORN.
>> A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP
CHILDREN SEE ONE ANOTHER AND NOT
JUST A TDIFFERENCES BUT
COMMONALITY.
>> A VERSION OF "SESAME STREET"
CAN BE SEEN IN 50 COUNTRIES,
REDUCING THE STIGMA OF HIV AND
AID.
>> WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T GET
HIV JUST BY TOUCHING SOMEONE OR
BEING FRIENDS WITH THEM.
>> IT IS ONLY WHEN IT IS BROUGHT
TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THIS IS
HAVING A REAL IMPACT ON YOUNG
CHILDREN.
>> IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING BIG
AND SOMETHING WHERE WE KNOW WE
CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
OFTEN IT IS NOT SESAME WHO?
>> INSTEAD OF RECASTING THE
BELOVED MR. HICKENOOPER, SESAME
DECIDED TO CONFRONT HIS DEATH
HEAD ON.
>> WHEN PEOPLE DIE, THEY DON'T
COME BACK.
>> EVER?
>> NEVER?
>>.
>> WHEN MR. HOOPER PASSED AWAY,
WE WERE ALL REALLY SAD.
EVERYBODY TOLD US IT IS OKAY TO
BE SAD AND WE CAN LIVE ON HIS
MEMORY.
>> SADNESS IS NEVER SOMETHING TO
SHY AWAY FROM.
SESAME HELPS KIDS PROCESS 9/11
AT THEIR LEVEL.
IF YOU ARE AT A FIRE, GO TO THE
FIREFIGHTERS, THEY MAY LOOK A
LITTLE SCARY BUT THEY'RE THERE
TO HELP YOU AND TAKE CARE OF
YOU, OKAY?
>> WE ARE ALWAYS BRINGING HOPE
AND OPTIMISM AND RESILIENCE TO
CHILDREN.
>> IT TURNS OUT "SESAME STREET"
AND MAIN