Big Bird facing criticism over vaccine message

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Big Bird is a popular and beloved character on the children’s television show “Sesame Street”. Recently, Big Bird wrote on his official Twitter page that he had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Big Bird wrote: “My wing is a bit sore, but it will give my body an extra protective boost that will keep me and others healthy.”

The COVID-19 vaccine has just been made available for children aged 5 to 11.

Conservative politicians in the United States immediately backed down.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, for example, criticized Big Bird for what he called “government propaganda.” Lisa Boothe of Fox News, a conservative media agency, described the Big Bird tweet as “brainwashing children.”

“Sesame Street” has been the subject of criticism in the past from conservatives unhappy with its ties to US public broadcasting, which receives federal money.

Almost 50 years ago, “Sesame Street” prompted children to get vaccinated against measles, another infectious virus. It showed Big Bird and other children having their picture taken. The move was similar to other public service campaigns that used characters from the show to teach children useful safety tips, such as looking both ways before crossing the street.

Thomas Doherty is Professor of American Studies at Brandeis University. He said, “What Big Bird does is part of a long tradition. But what’s different now, of course, is that everything is political and everything is contentious.

If something is contentious, people are likely to argue or disagree.

Doherty added, “Something we all wanted a year ago, the vaccine, is now a subject of great controversy. “

The conflict between American television and American politics has existed since the 1950s. In 1952, “I Love Lucy” did not use the word “pregnant” on a show because executives thought it would be a problem.

In the early 1990s, the show “Murphy Brown” found itself in a notable contestation during the 1992 presidential campaign. Dan Quayle, Vice President of George HW Bush, criticized Murphy’s unmarried pregnancy as an insult. to fatherhood and against American morals.

Candice Bergen is introduced as the character of Murphy Brown on “Murphy Brown” on November 10, 2004. The show ran from 1988 to 1998. The show was criticized by former vice president Dan Quayle for showing an unmarried pregnant woman.

Robert Thompson is director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University in New York. He said that when there is mass media as powerful and powerful as television, “… it will always be a battleground over the messages that are broadcast there. “

Big Bird’s message came at a time when educational messages aimed at children are increasingly being criticized. Schools face criticism from parents and elected officials for the way racial and social justice is taught. And education officials have faced conflicts over how they should deal with COVID-19 face coverings and testing requirements.

Some Republican lawmakers have opposed marketing the COVID-19 vaccine directly to minors.

In Tennessee, the state briefly halted its childhood immunization campaign. The state’s top director of immunization has been fired. This came after Republican leaders threatened to dismantle the health agency for marketing efforts to immunize children against COVID-19.

The Republican-controlled Tennessee state legislature then passed a law prohibiting some minors as young as 14 from getting vaccinated without parental consent. The measure, which Republican Governor Bill Lee promised to sign this week, has only a few exceptions.

I am Grégory Stachel.

Kimberlee Kruesi reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

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Words in this story

character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie or TV show

bad – adj. feeling or affected by pain

boost – n. an increase in the amount

brainwashing – v. getting (someone) to think or believe something using methods that make a person unable to think normally

tip – n. advice or useful information

teacher – n. a particular senior teacher in a college or university

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