the navel times and observer

I don't know when I missed it, but when did Sesame Street begin getting corporate sponsors?

To fill in some background, I have Mondays off and today I felt especially ambitious and woke up early just to keep things somewhat near normal. Naturally the only TV really worth watching at 9 a.m. is on PBS, so that's where I went.

What should I find on screen? 4 or 5 advertisements in a row heralding the virtues of McDonalds, AstraZeneca (at least a Web site they've established), an organic foods company and others.

I have to say it threw me, how long as this been going on? Where are Sesame Street's normal sponsors? "A," "3," "Q," the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, viewers like me?

I mean how far does a Sesame Street corporate sponsorship go? Is there now a McDonalds on Sesame Street with a bunch of obese monster children hovering around it? Can Oscar no longer comfortably fit in his can?

Poor Mr. Hooper's gotta be spinning in his grave to see a predecessor selling only Coke in his store or promoting only Hershey candy.

Oh Telly, at least you haven't changed.