To really appreciate the revolution that began 25 years ago, you have to remember television of the time. This was pre-Cosby, pre-MTV, pre-bilingual America. TV mommies wore aprons instead of business suits. Then along came this snappy, jazzy, racially mixed place where celebrities sang to puppets and the languages ranged from Swahili to Spanish to American Sign. "We started it all," says Michael Loman, the show's executive producer. The show was created in 1969 to help poor and minority kids prepare for school, and it was different. It was loud, fast...and respectful. "We were the first to say that differences are not scary," says Loman. Life on Sesame Street looked real: Maria could get exasperated with Big Bird, but still loved him. Kids can make mistakes, but be forgiven. That tradition continues in the anniversary season as Sesame Street ventures outside the nest to go "around the corner" to a new, larger set. It includes the Furry Arms Muppet Hotel, where some of Jim Henson's puppet heirs live and work. But what really opens Sesame Street to children, says Loman, "is that every little thing we do, every joke, is based on curriculum. We make children work. They come away with a feeling of pride." The show's greatest gift may be its consistent attention to children's feelings and fears. When a show on divorce proved too traumatic in previews, the producers shelved it. "Parents know they can leave the room," Loman says, "and their children will be safe on our street."
