I posted this on Muppet Central, so I'd figure I'd post it here:
40 years. That's almost half a life span of a human being. An amazing accomplishment for any show, especially the world of kid's programming. And even with Tickle Me Elmo-centricity, the obsessive compulsive organization, and the great Vegan Monster scare off aught 4 the show is one of the greatest things to ever happen to television since the invention of the Sitcom (which changed TV as it was known to what we've seen since the 50's). No show in history has accomplished what this show accomplished... not even the Great Mr. Rogers. And it has been the target of idiotic knockoffs and competition since New Zoo Revue (bleccch!).

We've seen a Bird stay six while the world changed around him (and us)... we've seen the show take attacks from humorless crazies who whined about everything from the racially diverse neighborhood (coming at a time when it was still taboo) to making an innocent joke about a "news" organization (I don't wanna go into that). We've seen the characters rock out to the Beatles, boogie on down to the Sesame Street Disco, satirize Billy Idol, and change their theme song to Calypso and urban hip hop jazz fusion. But always the same tune.

We've seen Sesame Streets in Germany, Israel, Northern Ireland, Japan, India, Bangladesh, etc. all spreading their global message of peace. We've seen specials about a certain co-production to learn about its region and seen it dubbed back into it's native language for... well... some reason. We've seen everyone from Jessie Jackson to The Simpsons pop up as guest stars. We've seen the rise and fall of the around the corner era... we've seen 3 different Gordons. We've seen the show lose and gain so many people over the years.

Things are different now. When once there was a time where the show faced no competition, and was the front runner of the educational TV movement, it now faces competition from rival cable networks with slapdash kiddie shows whose only goal is to make money... I'm looking at YOU Nick Jr, Playhouse Disney. And unfortunately it absorbed some of the competition's methods in recent years. It's sad to see such a mighty giant in the TV industry become a dinosaur in some eyes, but long after people stopped watching Dora, SS will still be there. Even at the low, low 26 episodes a season model they have now.

So Happy Birthday, you amazing revolutionary television series. And Happy Birthday to al,l the amazing characters and stories and segments and songs we've grown up to.