KELLY: And also, not a quiet moment in American history. UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: (Singing) All of the kids in the neighborhood say Tootsie Roll Pops are triple good.ĬHUCK MCCANN: (As Sonny the Cuckoo Bird) Coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs.ĪGRELO: And there was no thought of educating them in any way. Basically, the programming was geared to sell children toys, Tootsie Rolls. In 1969, what was on TV for kids was a very dire landscape. Marilyn, explain what was on TV then for kids and how this was in fact radical, revolutionary.ĪGRELO: Oh. 'Sesame Street' launched - this was November of 1969. KELLY: So let me take you back to the beginning. KELLY: We are also joined by actor Sonia Manzano, who played 'Sesame Street' resident Maria for 44 years. MARILYN AGRELO: Thank you so much for having me. Marilyn Agrelo is the director of 'Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street.' It's been on air more than 50 years now, and a new documentary explores Sesame Street's controversial, even radical, early days. By 2000, most of us had lost the rabbit ears, but kids were still watching. Now the wild thing is, a kid in the '80s would have had pretty much the same experience. Mom would adjust the rabbit ears on top of the set, and I would sit glued to Big Bird and Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. When I was a kid in the 1970s, 'Sesame Street' was appointment TV.
