Street Gang Coming to HBOMax!

At long last, the excellent documentary Street Gang How we Got To Sesame Street, is coming to HBOMax. 

To announce the premiere HBO released a new poster (above) and a new trailer (below). 

Street Gang How we Got To Sesame Street will begin streaming December 13th on HBOMax.

"Elmo Gets a Puppy" in Upcoming Sesame Street Special and More!

Next month Sesame Street welcomes a new neighbor - Elmo’s newly adopted puppy, Tango, in a 30-minute special Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy.

In the 2D animated special, Elmo and Grover discover a sweet, stray puppy – whom they quickly name Tango – and embark on an adventure throughout the neighborhood with Sesame Street friends Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and Oscar the Grouch. Together, they search for the local pet adoption fair in the hopes of finding her a “forever home.”

In the sneak peek below Elmo and Grover come up with the perfect name for their newest

friend.

To welcome Tango, Sesame Workshop content featuring Elmo, Tango and other furry friends on the Sesame Street's YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. Games and printable activities are also available on Sesame Workshop’s Furry Friends Forever webpage. 

Tango won't just be related to specials though, she will join the show's 52nd Season as both an animated character and a live-action Sesame Street Muppet debuting this fall on HBO Max and PBS in 2022.

Tango will also be featured in a slew of new products. 

The new products featuring Tango include:

• Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy from Studio Fun.
  This book tells the story of Tango and has touchable textures throughout
  
  
• First Look and Find: Furry Friends Forever from PI Kids.
  
  Elmo and his new puppy Tango search for hidden items in seven scenes based on the “Sesame Street” special, “Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy!” The end of the book features Look and Find challenges. Learning concepts include counting, rhyming, shapes and more
  
  
• Storybooks on General Mills “Sesame Street” cereals.
  
  This summer, six Furry Friends Forever stories including “Elmo and Tango Go for a Walk,” “Elmo Teaches Tango a New Trick,” “Elmo and Tango Play Fetch,” “Elmo and Tango Do a Happy Dance,” “How to Meet a Puppy” and “Hide and Seek” debut. A dual-language storybook featuring Elmo and Tango is attached to every box of 123 Berry and C is for Cinnamon
  
  
• Dance and Play Elmo and Tango from premium plush brand GUND
  
  
• ASO bandages. The new bandage box, available in January, features Elmo and Tango
  
  
• Tango books from Random House Children’s Books
  
  
• Lerner Publishing Group and Bendon
  
  
• Organic toddler snacks from Earth’s Best
  
  
• Custom apparel and pillowcases from CPS
  
  
• T-shirts from Trevco
  
  
• Apparel from Children’s Apparel Network
  
  
• Toddler bedding and nap mats from NoJo
  
  
• Toddler footwear from SG Companies 
  
  
• Customized products from Zazzle.

2D-animated Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy debuts on HBO Max August 5.

"Street Gang" Set for 2021!

After being delayed, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, will finally premiere in 2021.

The documentary takes audiences inside the minds and hearts of the “Sesame Street” creators, artists, writers and educators who together established one of the most influential and enduring children’s programs in television history.

From Warner Media's Press Release:

In the late 1960s, socially conscious media executive Joan Ganz Cooney and Sesame Workshop co-founder Lloyd Morrisett took on a revolutionary experiment: To harness the burgeoning power of television and create an educational,  impactful, and entertaining show that could reach children nationwide. Cooney recruited visionary Muppets creator Jim Henson and acclaimed children’s television writer and director Jon Stone to craft the iconic and uplifting world of “Sesame Street.”
 
Inspired by the civil rights movement, STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET focuses on the first two experimental and groundbreaking decades of “Sesame Street,” highlighting this visionary “gang” that audaciously interpreted radical changes in society and engaged children in ways that entertained and educated them like never before.  
 
HBO Documentary Films presents a Macrocosm Entertainment production, in association with the Exchange, Bondit Media Capital, and Citizen Skull Productions. It is directed by Marilyn Agrelo; produced by, Trevor Crafts, Ellen Scherer Crafts; producer, Lisa Diamond; executive producers, Brian O’Shea, Nat McCormick, Matthew Helderman, Luke Taylor, Mark Myers, Heather Kenyon; co-executive producer, Michael Davis; editor, Ben Gold.  

No air date has been announced, but Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street will air on HBO and will be available to stream on HBOMax.

Sesame Street's 51st Season Launches Tomorrow On HBO Max!

Sesame Street begins it's 51st season tomorrow on HBO Max.

Below is the official press release: 

Beloved Children's Series Begins Two-year Curricular Focus on Playful Problem-Solving, Brought to Life Through New Anthem 'I Wonder, What If, Let's Try" Performed by Hailee Steinfeld

Additional Celebrity Guests in Season 51 Include Kelsea Ballerini, Stephen and Ayesha Curry, Billy Porter, Issa Rae, and Maggie Rogers

(New York, N.Y.) – Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind a half century of award-winning children’s television, will launch Sesame Street’s 51st season on Thursday, November 12 on HBO Max, marking the first season to debut on the streaming platform. New episodes – 35 in all – will be available every Thursday on HBO Max, with the season coming to PBS KIDS in Fall 2021.

“We are proud to announce our newest episodes of Sesame Street, designed to entertain and educate kids as we help them build curiosity, creativity, and persistence – an especially crucial focus as families continue to face unprecedented challenges,” said Steve Youngwood, Sesame Workshop’s President of Media & Education and COO, who becomes the nonprofit’s CEO in January 2021. “This season debut on HBO Max marks another key moment in our partnership with WarnerMedia. We are grateful to them and our longstanding partners at PBS for their continued support as we work together to help children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.”

 

“Sesame Street has a longstanding legacy of doing incredibly important things for children by shaping culture and sparking important conversations among all of us. For me personally, I’m thrilled to be reunited with all the exceptional people that make Sesame Workshop the force that it is,” added Tom Ascheim, President, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics.

Sesame Street's latest season marks the beginning of a two-year curriculum focused on playful problem-solving, designed to build critical thinking skills in young children and better equip them to handle challenges in school and beyond. As Sesame Street Muppets, human cast members, and guest stars alike face obstacles – while building a castle, staging a circus, fixing the inner workings of a grandfather clock, and more – they approach these problems with curiosity, creativity, and perseverance, together using phrases and corresponding gestures as starting points in finding solutions: I wonder…? (pointer finger to temple); What if…? (pointer finger to chin); and Let’s try! (pointer finger in the air).

 

A new anthem – “I Wonder, What If, Let’s Try” – performed by celebrity guest Hailee Steinfeld, brings this curriculum to life and makes its season debut on Thursday, November 26. The anthem will appear in Sesame Street episodes throughout the year. 

Check out the sizzle reel for the season below:

Today on #VeteransDay we are proud to honor all veterans who served and protected our country. Thank you for your service! pic.twitter.com/tW68OPsnRj

— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) November 11, 2020

51 years later and everyone's favorite furry friends are still keeping us laughing, learning, and playing together! Watch a brand-new season of Sesame Street, streaming November 12 on @hbomax. pic.twitter.com/L6JkHge6NG

— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) November 10, 2020

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Celebrity Airdates:

Nov. 19: Maggie Rogers
Nov. 26: Hailee Steinfeld
Dec. 10: Issa Rae
March 25: Steph and Ayesha Curry
April 1: Billy Porter
June 17: Kelsea Ballerini

More info and select episode descriptions can be found at Season 51's press kit. 

Sesame Street will continue to be available on PBS stations and on the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel, and anytime on the free PBS KIDS Video App. 

Sesame Street "The Power of We" Special!

Sesame Street has brand new special "The Power of We" designed as a co-viewing experience for children and families to addresses racism and how to can stand up to it.

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, will address racism – and model how children can stand up to it – in “The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special.” Designed as a co-viewing experience for children and families, the special will stream on HBO Max and PBS KIDS starting Thursday, October 15, and debut on PBS stations the same day (check local listings). The special will also re-air throughout October and November on PBS stations and the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel (check local listings).

“Sesame Street has the ability to entertain children while explaining complex issues like no other program and equips families and caregivers with the support they need to have empathetic conversations,” said Kay Wilson Stallings, Executive Vice President of Creative and Production at Sesame Workshop. “We believe that this moment calls for a direct discussion about racism to help children grasp the issues and teach them that they are never too young to be ‘upstanders’ for themselves, one another, and their communities.”

“The Power of We” features Elmo and Abby Cadabby, who are joined by 6-year-old Muppet Gabrielle and her cousin, 8-year-old Tamir, as they learn how to become “upstanders” to unfair treatment based on skin – or fur – color.

Current and former Sesame Street human cast members Alan, Charlie, Chris, and Gordon take part in the special alongside celebrity and musical guests Yara Shahidi, Christopher Jackson, and Andra Day. “The Power of We” includes two new songs: “How Do You Know?” and “Listen, Act, Unite!” the latter written and performed by Jackson and featuring Day.

Sesame Workshop has created a companion guide for families and caregivers to use as they discuss the special with children, available at https://www.sesamestreet.org/powerofwe

Coupled with the recent CNN Town Hall “Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism,” this special expands on Sesame Workshop’s long history of modeling inclusivity in its storylines and diverse cast of Muppets, human cast members, and guest stars. The Workshop will continue to tackle racism and its impact on children through an array of programming and Sesame Street in Communities content for families and caregivers.

"The Power of We" will stream on HBO Max and PBS KIDS starting Thursday, October 15, and debut on PBS stations the same day (check local listings).

The special will also re-air throughout October and November on PBS stations and the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel (check local listings).

HBO Max Launches with New and Classic Sesame Street!

HBO Max launched today and with it brought not only the first 3 episodes of The Not Too Late Show With Elmo, but a bunch of new and classic Sesame Street content as well. 

There are a few episodes from almost every season of Sesame Street including the entire run of the show's visits to Puerto Rico and Hawaii, both parts of R2-D2 and C3PO's visit, the week of hurricane shows, and many, many more. 

Navigating through HBO Max's interface to find them though is a bit of a challenge and is something I hope they fix. 

You can acces Sesame Workshop titles through the thier hub button:

or by doing a search for "Sesame":

Which is simple and straight forward enough, but here is where it gets tricky. 

As you can see above there are two different listings for Sesame Street. The one with HBO underneath contains the recent episodes includes the complete seasons 41-50, however for some reason there is also a selection of episodes from seasons 11-41 listed by default. 

You have to click on "Classics" to get to the menu which then lists the years or the selection of "Classics."

However, if you select the non-HBO subtitled Sesame Street, you get a list of available episodes by season instead. 

Here you will find a selection of episodes from seasons 1- 40. Some seasons have as little as 1 episode while other have 8 and, some reason, no episodes from season 13 are included at all. 

In addition to the new and classic Sesame episodes, and The Not Too Late Show With Elmo, the specials Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate, Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration, and When you Wish Upon a Pickle are also available, as are the Sesame Workshop series Esme & Roy, the new version of The Electric Company, and Pinky Dinky Doo.  

Even HBO Max's incomplete Sesame Street collection will keep you occupied for some time. 

If you have HBO through the HBO Now ap, or through your cable provider (except  Comcast for now) then you should have be automatically have been upgraded to HBOMax.  

The HBOMax ap is available on iPhone and Android devices as well as, Apple TV, and is compatible with chromecast. 

The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo Coming Soon to HBOMax!

The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo is coming to HBOMax next month. 

It's everyone's favorite 3-1/2-year-old-red monster, Elmo! The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo is the brand-new talk show transforming late night. Elmo, his sidekick Cookie Monster, and other favorite Sesame Street friends invite the whole family to tune-in together as they interview celebrities and musical guests, explore the latest in pop culture, and play trendy games, all with humor and heart.

Check out the official trailer below:

The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo begins streaming May 27th on HBOMax

Details For Sesame Street's 50th Season!

Sesame Street's 50th season is almost here. Find out what to expect. 

While technically, the new season began with Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, today we're just going to look at the regular season episodes that begin airing tomorrow Saturday, November 16 on HBO. 

This season’s celebrity guests include: Chrissy Teigen; musicians Charlie Puth, Dave Grohl, and Maren Morris; ballet dancer Misty Copeland; comedian Michael Che; and Olympic athlete Chloe Kim. 

The season also introduces “Big Bird’s Road Trip,” a special segment that tours the United States and beyond to find out what kids love about where they live. In each installment, Big Bird meets new friends – in person or via video chat – and learns all about their families, interests, and neighborhoods. (Nine of these segments were filmed on location during this summer’s “Sesame Street Road Trip.” NOTE: If you attended any of these events, you know they weren't filmed there, but beforehand in each city where they were hosted. 

“As we mark our 50th season, we want to remind families everywhere of the timeless lessons Sesame Street has always taught,” said Steve Youngwood, President of Media & Education and Chief Operating Officer of Sesame Workshop. “Everyone, no matter where they are from, is equally deserving of respect, opportunity, and joy.”

Later in the season, a new neighbor will come to Sesame Street. Played by Violet Tinnirello, 8-year-old Charlotte – her friends call her “Charlie” – is the first child to join the Sesame Street cast in more than 20 years. Charlie is a military child who moves to the neighborhood with her family, bringing viewers along for the ride as she explores her new home for the first time.

Charlie is outgoing and eager to make new friends; she can’t wait to meet all the birds, monsters, letters, numbers, animals, and people Sesame Street has to offer. In her debut episode, Elmo and Rosita welcome her to the block, introducing her to Big Bird, Snuffy, and the rest of the gang. She soon realizes that she’s on a street like no other!

Charlie joins in lots of adventures throughout her debut season – inventing a new game, catching a fireworks show, and even going on a treasure hunt through Sesame Street’s history.

Charlie will appear in the following episodes:

5013 - A New Neighbor on Sesame Street
5014 - Let's Draw!
5023 - Zoe Breaks Her Arm
5025 - A Very Special Fiesta
5029 - The Treasure of Yucky Mama
5034 - Fourth of July Celebration

“We can’t wait to share this season with families and fans of all ages,” said Ben Lehmann, Executive Producer of Sesame Street. “Even as we take time to look back and honor our history, we keep innovating to bring today’s preschool kids something that’s tailored just for them – holding on to all the fundamentals that make Sesame Street so magical.”

Season 50’s curriculum focus – “Oops and Aha!: Embracing the Power of Possibilities” –addresses a pervasive issue facing young children. “Today’s preschool kids are under an unprecedented amount of stress and pressure to meet certain academic and social-emotional benchmarks, often before they’re developmentally ready,” said Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Sesame Workshop’s Senior Vice President, Curriculum and Content. “That result-oriented mindset can make kids afraid to take even the safest risks – never trying to pour their own milk for fear of spilling it.” Fortunately, caring adults can help relieve that pressure by giving kids room to make mistakes and tools to persevere afterwards. In one episode, for example, Abby Cadabby’s brother Rudy feels upset when he “ruins” a drawing; Alan encourages him to keep trying, and Rudy eventually creates a new picture inspired by his mistake. By modeling positive thinking, self-confidence, and perseverance, this season offers children – and parents! – a fun way to practice essential self-regulation strategies and creative thinking skills.

Throughout 2019, Sesame Workshop has marked Sesame Street’s cultural and philanthropic impact through the decades with celebrations for fans and important new work. The nonprofit organization brought community events to ten US cities in a summertime “road trip,” published a signature research report about how identity impacts children, debuted a host of fashion and lifestyle collaborations for all ages, and expanded the Sesame Street in Communities initiative to help families coping with foster care and parental addiction. Earlier this year, Sesame Street received an institutional Peabody Award and a twelfth Primetime Emmy Award, bringing the show’s total number of Emmys to 193. In December 2019, Sesame Street will become the first television show to receive a Kennedy Center Honor in the history of the award.

Leading up to the Season 50 launch, celebrity fans are sharing their favorite Sesame Street memories under the hashtag #ThisIsMyStreet. Participating celebs include: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jack Antonoff, Garcelle Beauvais, Alessia Cara, Chance the Rapper, Priscilla Chan, Michael Che, Common, Misty Copeland, Terry Crews, Zoey Deschanel, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Ilana Glazer, Ellie Goulding, Andy Grammer, Josh Groban, Kathryn Hahn, Laurie Hernandez, Colin Jost, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper, Jack McBrayer, Keegan-Michael Key, John Legend, Blake Lively, Lucy Liu, Padma Lakshmi, Kate McKinnon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Olivia Munn, Bill Nye, Patton Oswalt, Busy Philipps, Questlove, Seth Rogen, Paul Scheer, Jason Schwartzman, Amanda Seyfried, Jenny Slate, and Allison Williams, plus all the guests from Season 50 and the primetime special.

Select Episode Descriptions:

5001 Big Bird Across America
Big Bird wants to visit Cousin Bird in California, but he learns that it’s too far for him to walk! Nina suggests a cross-country road trip, so they can stop off to meet new friends along the way. When Elmo worries that he’ll miss Big Bird too much, Nina explains that they’ll video chat him every day, so he can share their adventures.

5002 The Great Sesame Street Cake-Off
Cookie Monster and Gonger team up against Grover and Alan in a competition to see who can bake the best birthday cake for Nina. Elmo and Rosita help the two teams work together, combining one team’s cake and the other team’s frosting to make the ultimate birthday treat.

5011 The Great Fruit Strike
When the pineapples, bananas, and other fruits get tired of being passed over at snack time, they decide to leave Sesame Street. The gang gets together to sing songs about how much they appreciate fruit to get them to stay.

New Neighbor on Sesame Street- Photo Credit: Zach Hyman
5013 New Neighbor on Sesame Street

There's a new face on Sesame Street! With Elmo and Rosita’s help, military kid Charlie finds her way around the neighborhood and learns that Sesame Street is a place where everyone can be friends - no matter how different they are.

5021 The Fluffster Kerfuffle
When Rudy tries to use Julia’s special toy, Fluffster, as part of a game he’s playing with Elmo and Abby Cadabby, Julia gets very upset. Alan explains that Fluffster helps Julia feel calm, so it’s not a toy she likes to share. Rudy apologizes, and the friends find a different way to play together.

5023 Zoe Breaks Her Arm
When Zoe slips and breaks her arm during a ballet jump, she finds it difficult to play or do anything fun with her arm in a cast. The gang works together to put a twist on “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” so Zoe can join in.

5029 The Treasure of Yucky Mama
During Oscar the Grouch’s spring “cleaning,” he finds a fifty-year-old treasure map - but the neighborhood looks much different than it used to! Will Elmo, Abby, Nina, Oscar, and Charlie learn enough about Sesame Street’s history to complete three grouchy challenges and find Yucky Mama's treasure?

5034 Fourth of July Celebration

It's July Fourth on Sesame Street! Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and Rudy look for the perfect birthday present for America, but Alan teaches them that holidays are really about spending time with family and friends. Together, they do something kind for all their neighbors.

Sesame Street content continues to be available to PBS KIDS viewers daily on local PBS stations, the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel, and anytime via the free PBS KIDS Video app. 

Starting next year with Season 51, episodes of Sesame Street will debut on forthcoming streaming service HBO Max before airing on PBS KIDS.