Elmo, Elmo, Elmo

Sesame Street has been around since 1969, a production of the Children's Television Network. The show was created with the best of intentions -- to educate youngsters before entering their school years. And to instruct with delight proved effective on young minds, with the use of beloved Muppet characters, a neighborhood scenario with diverse cultures, and cartoon shorts.

The Sesame Street of my time began circa 1979, when I was 3 years old. Virtually the same scenario as it had been for the past 10 years, with the exception of added cast members (i.e. Maria) and an actor change for one character (that would be Gordon, who was played by 2 different actors, a la Darrin from Bewitched).

I remember fondly Big Bird and the gang, the classic skits, and the educational cartoons. I remember the pinball cartoon that helped kids learn to count...the blue screen with 20 yellow dots that each had their own personalities...Bob's singing....Maria and Luis' marriage...Mr. Hooper's death...The chef who tripped down the stairs with like, 10 chocolate cream pies..."One of These Things"...Snuffy becomes a recognized member of Sesame Street...I could go on and on. I had Big Bird toys, slippers, Bert and Ernie bedsheets, and even more recently, a gold Big Bird pendant. Yes, I watched reruns of the show on Noggin well into my 20s, just for fun and to reminisce. I actually was a "regular" until about the 6th grade, knowing damn well I was too old to watch a preschooler's show. But I still loved revisiting my younger years and was delighted to see the familliar things I watched growing up with the show.

Then along came Elmo.

Elmo, as folks with children know, is a Muppet who is about 3 or 4 years old, mentally. Physically he's been there since the '80s. He is bright red with a great big smile.

So why do I dislike Elmo so much?

In the third grade, I learned about "red herrings"...unnecessary things textbook writers throw into mathematic problems. Elmo, to me, is a red herring. I did not grow up watching Elmo.

His laugh annoys me ("hah-hah-hah-hah"...ugh, shudder) and, like Paris Hilton, seems to be out to take over the world.

He wasn't there when the show began -- he came along a good 15 or so years afterward. Why did CTW feel the need to add an annoying new character?

No doubt about it. Elmo is the most popular Muppet on the show. And if he wasn't enough, they added a friend for him called "Zoe" who I tolerate slightly more than the red furball. Granted, I'll take Elmo over Barney any day. But Elmo is still quite the annoying little thing. Grover had a point and kids learned lessons from him. Same goes for Oscar and the rest of the gang. But Elmo is just there for his cuteness and nothing more.

I continue to watch the show occasionally because I do enjoy remembering my younger childhood years. I also plan on watching it with my own future children. If little kids enjoy Elmo, fine. But I just don't think I will ever warm up to him. He takes up so much of the show now that's it's practically impossible to avoid him. He even has his own show within the show called "Elmo's World."

Even the people in my age bracket, twenty- to thirty-somethings, adore Elmo. "Oh, Elmo, he's so cute, blah-blah-blah..." People have knock-down, drag-out brawls over Elmo dolls during the holidays. I don't get it. Imagine that. Little Elmo a ca$h cow. Though I will always hold a special place in my heart for this classic children's television show, I think Sesame Street has officially jumped the shark.

Then again, I have never really cared much for overrated things or people. And on that note, folks, we'll save for another day (those damn celebrities...).