Whenever I see “Ted Cruz responds to (x)” in the news I prepare myself to either be thoroughly exhausted, or amused, or both. In the case of him (and other conservatives) throwing a tizzy about Big Bird getting vaccinated for COVID, I’m somewhere between “laughing my ass off” and “they can’t be serious with this shit right now.”
Government propaganda…for your 5 year old! https://t.co/lKUlomnpq1
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 6, 2021
Oh, Ted Cruz, you precious, moronic muppet you.
This isn’t Big Bird’s first vaccination—or any kid’s, really
Big Bird announced on November 6th that he’d gotten the COVID vaccine.
I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.
Ms. @EricaRHill even said I’ve been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea!
— Big Bird (@BigBird) November 6, 2021
This coincides with the fact that children haven’t been able to get the vaccine until recently, but now, children from ages 5 to 11 can get vaccinated. This is a relief as, according to a statement from the CDC Newsroom, “COVID-19 cases in children can result in hospitalizations, deaths, MIS-C (inflammatory syndromes) and long-term complications, such as ‘long COVID,’ in which symptoms can linger for months.”
Big Bird, despite being on the air for a little over 50 years, is said to be around 6-years-old. This means he wouldn’t have been able to be vaccinated until now.
That doesn’t mean he’s never had vaccines before, as he says, he’s been getting vaccines since he was a “little bird.” If you’re like me, you were required to get certain vaccines before going to school. From my early school years to when I did an internship overseas in London in college, it was just an accepted part of growing up.
This is par for the course with children’s programming
Now sometimes, when I see someone say something so out of pocket about an ongoing series I think, “Well maybe they’re just too young to realize that this isn’t new territory for the show.”
But Ted Cruz is a whole ass 50 year old, and Sesame Street has been around for just as long as him (longer, actually, by one year). Sesame Street isn’t some new television program that just aired yesterday. Everyone knows that Sesame Street is all about educating children about a myriad of topics at a young age, which includes vaccinations and ways we can work to take care of each other during times like this.
On top of offering information and resources during COVID, they’ve had other characters talk about, and even get the vaccine.
But that’s just in regards to COVID. Sesame Street has been talking about vaccines as far back as 1972.
Big Bird may have just received his COVID-19 vaccine, but as many of you pointed out, he was learning how to keep himself and his neighbors healthy long before that! Watch as Dr. Marzullo teaches @BigBird about vaccines and administers his measles shot back in 1972. pic.twitter.com/voDs8x5vvt
— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) November 8, 2021
Which everyone was quick to point out when Cruz decided to attempt to take a muppet bird to task about being completely in character at a time like this.
Was it “government propaganda” in 1972?
You are such an embarrassment to Texas. https://t.co/o4HkTHWH4l
— Leah McElrath (@leahmcelrath) November 7, 2021
BigBird’s been getting vaccinated since 1972, but you’re just now squalling about it.
You might learn quicker if you had been watching regularly. https://t.co/SyeJVQhJSV— KellieMc (@SaidItOwnIt) November 7, 2021
Big Bird has supported public health since the 1970’s, bird brain. pic.twitter.com/nTkUH4mTt7
— JJDiane ❤️🏳️🌈🗽 (@JJDianeM) November 7, 2021
Of course, others pointed out some other important bird facts to Cruz:
At least it’s acceptable for birds to fly south for the winter- unlike some senators who left millions of their constituents to fucking die in the cold.
— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) November 7, 2021
Honestly, though, this is exactly what children’s programming does. No one should be surprised that Sesame Street is addressing COVID. I certainly wish it didn’t have to touch the topic (as in, I’d prefer COVID wasn’t around at all), but when the pandemic hit I knew that children’s programming would dedicate some time to explain what was happening in simple terms, and in a way that put children’s minds at some sort of ease as to why everyone was suddenly talking about wearing masks and maintaining a certain distance.
Or why people they know might be sick all of the sudden.
If you’re in these replies asking, “Why would a public tv show that focuses on education be trying to educate the public about a matter of public health!?” maybe you should think a little harder!
— Miss Alissa (@themstems) November 6, 2021
At the end of the day, this is the part that matters most, which is why Sesame Street continues to do what it does.
Thanks Big Bird for continuing to set such a good example of caring about your community! My daughter gets hers tomorrow and it meant a lot to her to hear that you got yours!
— Mike Anderson (@Mikestweeting) November 6, 2021
(Image: Patrick Semansky-Pool/Getty Images and Matthew Peyton/Getty Images)
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