Note: This show is a conversation about Sesame Street podcast for adults. It is intended for people above the age of 18. Everyone is welcome to listen, however there are discussions on social topics, so parental guidance is suggested.

Sesame Street began in 1969 as a result of a question posed at a dinner party: “Could television be used to teach children, could learning be a form of entertainment?”

After forty years, the award winning program not only taught oodles of children how to count and recite the alphabet, but also taught them to embrace diversity and inclusiveness.

Whether black or white, tall and yellow or small and green, everyone had a home on Sesame Street.

We love the muppets because, much like ourselves, they aren’t perfect creatures. We see our own humanity in those furry faces with beady eyes as they deal with problems of everyday life.

Sesame Street showed animals, monsters and people living together and working through their differences, which influenced a huge population of children that eventually grew up to enthusiastically support diversity, technicolor hair and our nation’s first black president.

Street GangOn today’s show we’re talking to author Michael Davis about his book Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. In his book Michael takes an in-depth look at the groundbreaking program from it’s inception to the present day, covering some interesting behind-the-scenes conflicts which were a part of the creative energy of the show.

Listen as we talk with Michael about hipsters and squares and the program’s counter cultural influence, KAMI, the HIV Positive Monster from South Africa and Bert & Ernie as Gay Icons

Find out how Sesame Street coped with the painful death of Actor Will Lee, who portrayed Mr. Hooper on the show, and the deaths of the behind the scenes masters: puppeteer Richard Hunt from AIDS, musician Joe Raposo from cancer and Muppet founder Jim Henson from toxic shock syndrome.

Plus questions from you, the listeners.