Sesame Street Turns 40!

I don't think any kid's TV show has had a more sustained, more far-reaching, more worldwide reach than Sesame Street, which celebrated its 40th anniversary yesterday. Every generation that grew up since 1969 (that's basically most of us) has fond memories of Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, and other friendly neighbors they meet on Sesame Street.

Sesame Street began in November 10, 1969 as a simple experiment to help underprivileged kids learn through TV. That simple experiment has since landed on the shores of more than 140 countries, teaching kids the values of honesty, eating healthy, reading and writing, and -- this year -- global warming.

Okay, not global warming per se -- but this year, Sesame Street is all about knowing about the Earth and loving the world we all live in. Climate change, apparently, is a grown-up topic, but that doesn't mean kids can't do their part in making the world a better place.

Guess who got to Sesame Street on its 40th birthday -- US First Lady Michelle Obama. Popular for teaching kids about home-gardening at the White House backyard, the First Lady gamely played with a multi-ethnic group of kids at Sesame Street and told Elmo and Big Bird that vegetables were what made her "big and strong." Yup, take it from her.

YouTube videos about Sesame Street have enjoyed a surge in popularity lately, owing to the approach of the Street's 40th anniversary. My favorite? Cookie Monster teaching Rocketboom's Ella Morton the finer points of eating a cookie. See video below, for a good dose of nostalgia.

This article has been brought to you today by the number "40."