controversial clicky: bert and ernie

uwhuskygirl · August 2011

If you haven't heard here's the petition:

http://www.change.org/petitions/let-bert-ernie-get-married-on-sesame-street

[Poll]

jennlin · August 2011

they should just keep living together--

i don't think they're a couple. they are just bff's....they sleep in separate beds. i think if sesame street wants gay couples to marry, they should create new characters, because bert and ernie aren't *together*. also, if they were to get married, i think that promotes living together before marriage, which is not something i'd want to teach the kids is okay to do.

uwhuskygirl · August 2011

jennlin:
they should just keep living together--
i don't think they're a couple. they are just bff's....they sleep in separate beds. i think if sesame street wants gay couples to marry, they should create new characters, because bert and ernie aren't *together*. also, if they were to get married, i think that promotes living together before marriage, which is not something i'd want to teach the kids is okay to do.

why?

jennlin · August 2011

uwhuskygirl:
jennlin:
they should just keep living together--
i don't think they're a couple. they are just bff's....they sleep in separate beds. i think if sesame street wants gay couples to marry, they should create new characters, because bert and ernie aren't *together*. also, if they were to get married, i think that promotes living together before marriage, which is not something i'd want to teach the kids is okay to do.
why?

which part....the part that promotes? or the part that i don't want kids to think it's okay?

1) bert and ernie have been living together for 35+ years. this (to my non-fan knowledge), would be the first wedding on sesame street. it would be viewed as the "normal" schedule....be friends, live together, get married.

2) i'm still traditional to the point where i don't think you should live together before marriage.

uwhuskygirl · August 2011

jennlin:
uwhuskygirl:
jennlin:
they should just keep living together--
i don't think they're a couple. they are just bff's....they sleep in separate beds. i think if sesame street wants gay couples to marry, they should create new characters, because bert and ernie aren't *together*. also, if they were to get married, i think that promotes living together before marriage, which is not something i'd want to teach the kids is okay to do.
why?
which part....the part that promotes? or the part that i don't want kids to think it's okay?
1) bert and ernie have been living together for 35+ years. this (to my non-fan knowledge), would be the first wedding on sesame street. it would be viewed as the "normal" schedule....be friends, live together, get married.
2) i'm still traditional to the point where i don't think you should live together before marriage.

1. Maria and Gordon got married at some point. I have vague memories of this happening.

jennlin · August 2011

uwhuskygirl:
1. Maria and Gordon got married at some point. I have vague memories of this happening.

i guess i don't watch SS enough...i don't even know who either of them are.

uwhuskygirl · August 2011

jennlin:
uwhuskygirl:
1. Maria and Gordon got married at some point. I have vague memories of this happening.

i guess i don't watch SS enough...i don't even know who either of them are.

I stand corrected. It was Maria and Luis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jNGa89pOA8

jennlin · August 2011

uwhuskygirl:
jennlin:
uwhuskygirl:
1. Maria and Gordon got married at some point. I have vague memories of this happening.

i guess i don't watch SS enough...i don't even know who either of them are.
I stand corrected. It was Maria and Luis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jNGa89pOA8

still don't know who either of them are. gordon was the more familiar name of the two earlier........

amandasw · August 2011

It makes me angry that people want to turn Bert and Ernie into a gay couple. Why? Why can't they just be friends? Just because they are best friends of the same gender =/= being gay. The fact that people want to make it into more than it is annoys me, hello your political agenda is showing.

jennuinne · August 2011

They should get married if they want to. Although, probably a kids show is not the right place to push this political issue. However, there has long been speculation and assumptions that Bert & Ernie are gay and Batman & Robin are gay...I don't think someone just made this up now to create an issue.

jennlin · August 2011

jennuinne:
I don't think someone just made this up now to create an issue.

this. i remember very clearly something in 2nd grade (91-92) about somebody mentioning that they were gay. and i had to ask what gay meant. i knew that there were people that were in love with others that were similar to them, i just didn't know the word for it (i knew it in chinese, just not english).

however, i still don't think they're gay. they are bff.

sarack · August 2011

amandasw:
It makes me angry that people want to turn Bert and Ernie into a gay couple. Why? Why can't they just be friends? Just because they are best friends of the same gender =/= being gay. The fact that people want to make it into more than it is annoys me, hello your political agenda is showing.

But what if they are a gay couple? Why would it make you mad? If the writers always thought of them as a couple but never said it because it wasn't as accepted as it is now, why can't they live in marital bliss, just like you??

I think this just goes back to: how does some one else's relationship/marriage affect you (not just amandasw, i'm talking about everyone)? Why not just let two people be happy?

Now, if the writers didn't originally think they were a couple.. i'd say let things stay the same, why change it now? But if they are a couple, let them be happy. Maybe they'll adopt a baby!

jennlin · August 2011

sarack:
amandasw:
It makes me angry that people want to turn Bert and Ernie into a gay couple. Why? Why can't they just be friends? Just because they are best friends of the same gender =/= being gay. The fact that people want to make it into more than it is annoys me, hello your political agenda is showing.

But what if they are a gay couple? Why would it make you mad? If the writers always thought of them as a couple but never said it because it wasn't as accepted as it is now, why can't they live in marital bliss, just like you??

I think this just goes back to: how does some one else's relationship/marriage affect you (not just amandasw, i'm talking about everyone)? Why not just let two people be happy?

Now, if the writers didn't originally think they were a couple.. i'd say let things stay the same, why change it now? But if they are a couple, let them be happy. Maybe they'll adopt a baby!

*butting in*

i don't think it upsets amanda the fact that they are gay. i think it upsets amanda the fact that they are *changing* their status from bff, to boyfriends......which is how i feel too. i'm 110% FOR gay marriage, equality, etc...but i just don't think they were gay to begin with. and i'm pretty sure (correct me if i'm wrong) this is how amanda feels too.

sarack · August 2011

jennlin:
sarack:

amandasw:
It makes me angry that people want to turn Bert and Ernie into a gay couple. Why? Why can't they just be friends? Just because they are best friends of the same gender =/= being gay. The fact that people want to make it into more than it is annoys me, hello your political agenda is showing.

But what if they are a gay couple? Why would it make you mad? If the writers always thought of them as a couple but never said it because it wasn't as accepted as it is now, why can't they live in marital bliss, just like you??

I think this just goes back to: how does some one else's relationship/marriage affect you (not just amandasw, i'm talking about everyone)? Why not just let two people be happy?

Now, if the writers didn't originally think they were a couple.. i'd say let things stay the same, why change it now? But if they are a couple, let them be happy. Maybe they'll adopt a baby!

*butting in*

i don't think it upsets amanda the fact that they are gay. i think it upsets amanda the fact that they are *changing* their status from bff, to boyfriends......which is how i feel too. i'm 110% FOR gay marriage, equality, etc...but i just don't think they were gay to begin with. and i'm pretty sure (correct me if i'm wrong) this is how amanda feels too.

that's why i said that if the original writers wanted them to be gay and made them live together and be best friends because they wanted to say they were a couple but couldn't because it was frowned upon back in the day, then it would be no big deal to out them now.. that's also why i said if they weren't originally a gay couple they don't need to be one now. i agree that people can live together as friends for a long time and not be gay, but if the original idea for them was that they were gay, they just couldn't say it.. let it all hang out! and obviously, this is just my opinion.

jennlin · August 2011

sarack:

But what if they are a gay couple? Why would it make you mad? If the writers always thought of them as a couple but never said it because it wasn't as accepted as it is now, why can't they live in marital bliss, just like you??

this part just seemed offensive, and i felt like i needed to defend amanda while she wasn't around, because i know she's not shallow minded.

sarack · August 2011

jennlin:
sarack:

But what if they are a gay couple? Why would it make you mad? If the writers always thought of them as a couple but never said it because it wasn't as accepted as it is now, why can't they live in marital bliss, just like you??

this part just seemed offensive, and i felt like i needed to defend amanda while she wasn't around, because i know she's not shallow minded.

got it. i'm glad you're sticking up for your fellow nestie but it wasn't just meant for her, i should have said you & i or us.. i am not an attacker. i promise.

i think it's silly to change it now if that wasn't the case originally. i'm not mad about it though.. but i just think it is something that isn't broken so it doesn't need to be fixed.

mgoss228 · August 2011

hmmm... I never took this to be a "serious" issue. But I'm pro-wedding for Bert and Ernie. SS should put out a separate DVD for the wedding, and when they start filming the show B & E can wear wedding bands but still sleep in different beds. I thought the two beds was because on of them had sleepless legs syndrome or something. They have always been a romantic couple in my eyes, even as a child. I don't see anything wrong with it, and I'm with sarack in hoping they adopt a baby Muppet . Smile

jennlin · August 2011

sarack:
got it. i'm glad you're sticking up for your fellow nestie but it wasn't just meant for her, i should have said you & i or us.. i am not an attacker. i promise.

i take my nestie relationships very seriously!!!

sarack:

i think it's silly to change it now if that wasn't the case originally. i'm not mad about it though.. but i just think it is something that isn't broken so it doesn't need to be fixed.

ditto the bold.

amandasw · August 2011

thanks jenn - that's what I was saying. Also, like you said, just make new characters if you really want that, but in general I don't think Sesame Street is about dating...

mgoss228:
hmmm... I never took this to be a "serious" issue. But I'm pro-wedding for Bert and Ernie. SS should put out a separate DVD for the wedding, and when they start filming the show B & E can wear wedding bands but still sleep in different beds. I thought the two beds was because on of them had sleepless legs syndrome or something. They have always been a romantic couple in my eyes, even as a child. I don't see anything wrong with it, and I'm with sarack in hoping they adopt a baby Muppet .

this super confuses me. why would they be a couple? just because they are roommates? and even though the show has been on for 35 years, it's not like the muppets age and are 'growing old together' or anything. It would never have crossed my mind.

mgoss228 · August 2011

amandasw:
thanks jenn - that's what I was saying. Also, like you said, just make new characters if you really want that, but in general I don't think Sesame Street is about dating...
mgoss228:
hmmm... I never took this to be a "serious" issue. But I'm pro-wedding for Bert and Ernie. SS should put out a separate DVD for the wedding, and when they start filming the show B & E can wear wedding bands but still sleep in different beds. I thought the two beds was because on of them had sleepless legs syndrome or something. They have always been a romantic couple in my eyes, even as a child. I don't see anything wrong with it, and I'm with sarack in hoping they adopt a baby Muppet .
this super confuses me. why would they be a couple? just because they are roommates? and even though the show has been on for 35 years, it's not like the muppets age and are 'growing old together' or anything. It would never have crossed my mind.

I'm used to people living together before they're married; parents, aunts/uncles, cousins, DH and I, and even my widowed grandma all lived in sin before they married (or in grandma's case, remarried). Them sharing the same room equaled relationship in my eyes, like Lucy and Ricky on the I Love Lucy show. I didn't really think about gender so much, I thought (and still think) they were both kinda androgynous.

jennlin · August 2011

amandasw:
this super confuses me. why would they be a couple? just because they are roommates? and even though the show has been on for 35 years, it's not like the muppets age and are 'growing old together' or anything. It would never have crossed my mind.

this! exactly!!

amanda, you and i are on the same page when it comes to bert and ernie.

sarack · August 2011

amandasw:

Also, like you said, just make new characters if you really want that, but in general I don't think Sesame Street is about dating...

This.

amandasw · August 2011

jennlin:

ok, seriously, did you just google "on the same page" !? lol that is so funny. Someone was like "there needs to be a clip art image to depict when two people agree on something and want to use the phrase 'we're on the same page'"

jennlin · August 2011

amandasw:
ok, seriously, did you just google "on the same page" !? lol that is so funny. Someone was like "there needs to be a clip art image to depict when two people agree on something and want to use the phrase 'we're on the same page'"

the exact words i googled were "same page". that's the *only* option available, so only one clip-art-artist felt like that would be a useful image to illustrate.

jennuinne · August 2011

FWIW, I always thought Bert & Ernie were more than friends. I guess people see things differently...

jennlin · August 2011

jennuinne:
FWIW, I always thought Bert & Ernie were more than friends. I guess people see things differently...

gold star for uwhusky, for a truly controversial clicky!

uwhuskygirl · August 2011

jennlin:

gold star for uwhusky, for a truly controversial clicky!

*curtsy*

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

KST_ · August 2011

I'm late to the game, but FWIW, I voted No because I don't think they're gay. I didn't think they were gay when I was a toddler/child!! And yes, I knew the concept because one of my dad's brothers is gay. I STILL think the original concept was that two people who are complete opposites of each other can still learn to get along and be best of friends. Weren't they sort of modeled after The Odd Couple?

Anyway, Jennlin, scoot over and make space for me on that page, too!

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