PBS Addresses the Great Fireworks Scandal, and Fired ‘Sesame Street’ Cast Members
You may recall that PBS got into a spot of trouble for substituting taped fireworks for the fizzling ones that were actually being set off this past 4th of July in Washington, D.C. The scandal — oh, no, brightly glowing sparklers rather than drab, rained-upon ones! Is nothing sacred? — was a subject raised at the TV Critics Association session with Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, on Thursday morning.
“What should have happened this year [is that] we should have labeled [the taped fireworks] as such. … What was going to show up on the air was not a good viewing experience, [but] the mistake that was made was not labeling it as such.” One might think this was not a major mistake, said Kerger, “but this is PBS, and people trust us to be accurate, and in this case what was broadcast was not.”
The other timely topic was the announcement that Sesame Street — which airs on HBO while continuing to air on PBS as well — was booting some of its most senior human cast members: Bob McGrath (“Bob”), Emilio Delgado (“Luis”), and Roscoe Orman (“Gordon”). Because, you know, who wants children to see older people on the air, right? The massed body of TV critics wanted to know whether PBS had any hand in this — or at least an opinion. Kerger said that Sesame is overseen by “an independent production company. We did not know about it beforehand.”
This seemed like a great opportunity for Kerger to express solidarity with the ousted cast members (preferably with fist raised, and shouting “Free the Sesame Street Three!”), but, alas, this opportunity passed. On to Ken Burns, and some new Hamilton documentary!
