Dear Sesame Street

Somewhere in the recesses of every mind born after 1969, there is a memory of you, Sesame Street. Whether learning to count with the Count, or hanging out with Bert and Ernie in their tub (PAUSE), or fiending for cookies with Cookie Monster, you were always there for infantile mornings and sick days from school. More important than all of those instances though, was the unavoidable fun that took place while learning. You never pushed the ABC's down our throats or tried to force-feed us numbers. While other shows tried to entertain, you kept us engaged. You never dumbed downed to us like Blue's Clues or tried to preach at us like Face on Nick Jr. or bored the hell out of me like Little Bear.

What's awesome about you, Sesame Street, is the fact that you could meld the interactions of humans and puppets so seamlessly. Never did the prospect of an adult having a conversation with a Mr. Snuffleupagus seem out of the realm of possibility on Sesame Street. Unlike Binya-Binya Polliwog, or other fictional children's show puppets, every character on Sesame street had a personality. They weren't just a bumbling caricature with a funny name. Elmo's voice is immediately recognizable. There is no other Big Bird. Sesame Street, you were a show ahead of your time. No wonder every other children's show bows at your feet. As your viewers get older and we become more and more cynical, it's easy for us to forget how pivotal you were, shrouding it in Ernie & Bert gay jokes and homeless jokes about Oscar the Grouch (word to Dave Chappelle). Just know that at 40, nothing looks as good as Sesame Street does. I'd visit there today if somebody can just tell me how to get there...

PS: Check out some of Sesame Street's best moments at age 40. And I'll give $10 to anyone who can tell me where the REAL Sesame Street is..