This week’s Oracle is brought to you by the letter “DD.”
Even after lying naked on a cloud in the “California Gurls” music video and claiming that she is “not a role model,” Katy Perry was still somehow found to be a good candidate for a “Sesame Street” guest spot.
Perry was featured on a recent episode of “Sesame Street” that never aired on PBS Kids due to the revealing nature of her dress. Its first preview on YouTube created a fierce wave of angry parents, blockading the segments entrance to daytime TV and preschools everywhere.
Parents have a long-standing reputation of reacting harshly to indecencies. We all remember Miley Cyrus being mauled in the last Teen Choice Awards for her short shorts and minor pole dancing. But with Cyrus and now with Perry, parents have a point. Celebs whose target audience is early elementary schoolers should have to cover up.
The problem wasn’t really Perry’s low cut shirt. My childhood heroes were Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani, and I did not instantly join a strip club when either of them revealed some flesh. The question is why did Perry choose to wear such little clothing on a kids show? The controversy could have been avoided if Perry wore more conservative dress-ups.
If she just wanted attention (hint: yes, she did) then she certainly got it. Not only did the scandal land her a spot on “Saturday Night Live,” but it revived her face-time on news programs like “TMZ” and blogs all over the web.
Perry is not the only one to blame. As one person commented on the Los Angeles Times, Elmo was “totally naked.” But in all seriousness, “Sesame Street” has incorporated its fair share of double entendres.
The writers always try to entertain at two levels, one that teaches children through images and sound and one that amuses their parents. According to David Fargin, a former employee of the “Sesame Street” empire, the prop crew has a field day with Mr. Hooper’s store, by naming items like toilet paper “Poop Away,” and slipping boxes of condoms in the cereal section. Rest assured, the screen is too fuzzy for viewers at home to see the slip-ups, but the crew thinks it’s just a hoot.
Whether it’s deemed appropriate or not, the effect on children still exists. Perry claims that if kids want a role model, “they can have Miley Cyrus.” But Cyrus hasn’t exactly won the ethics awards of the year, and the shows on Disney are getting increasingly sassier. All girls seem to have to look up to is celebrities that can’t seem to keep their clothes on.
But there are strong, happy women that children can aspire to be like. All politics aside, Michelle Obama represents a self-assured, healthy and modest woman. Why couldn’t she be Elmo’s playmate?
Point being, someone who dresses like a pin-up girl may be entertaining to those old enough, but she should not be placed in a leadership position where her fashion choices could potentially promote promiscuity among young children. The media should be more aware about their audiences, and try to promote good morals.
