…sweeping the clouds away…la la la…anyone remember the lyrics to Sesame Street? That and Electric Company were the two shows of my childhood. The kid next door, the one I used to ride Big Wheels with, loved watching Batman, but my sister and I never did. We were Sesame Street kind of kids.
Reason I’m trotting down this memory lane? You know; you saw it, too. This week’s Google pictures.
Like everyone else, I’m used to Google’s many changing faces. But not many make me smile on impact — except these. Much as my own uber-cool pre-tween and tween kids now mock Sesame Street, it was part of their childhood, too. Google’s helping celebrate SS’s 40th anniversary. Is that some kind of record for a kid’s show? Let’s look:
- The granddaddy, Howdy Doody: 1947 to 1960 (13 years)
- Captain Kangaroo: 1955 to 1984 (29 years)
- Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: 1968 to 2001 (33 years)
- Blue Peter (British show): 1958 to present (a mind-boggling 51 years and counting)
Answer to my question: No, it’s not a record. That belongs to Blue Peter, a show I’ve never heard of before making this list.
So, I started writing this post a couple days ago when the first Sesame Street Google image appeared (Big Bird). I thought it was cute. Blog-worthy. Then the next day, Cookie Monster’s gracing the Google page. Okay, cute. The next day, there’s Bert and Ernie. Getting a little old. Today is Oscar, who I like, but I’m thinking…is this Google’s longest-running Googlegram?
(Answer: Not yet. The holiday pix take that prize.)



Do they still have those old school characters on Sesame Street like Harry Monster and purple, two-headed guy? they were too funny
Hey, I’d forgotten about those guys! Seems like when Elmo came on the scene, everyone else became second fiddle.