Lighten Up, Francis

Jonah links to a "serious dad" who takes him (Jonah) to task over his excellent Cookie Monster column from the other day. Go on over and have a look. Make sure to read the comments, too.

Jesum Crow, as they like to say in my parents' neck of the woods.

I got thinking about an old Sesame Street Christmas special that we have on tape. One of the running gags is that Cookie Monster is trying to let Santa know that he would like a cookie for Christmas. But every time he tries to communicate this, he gets so excited at the thought of cookies that he eats whatever it is he's got in front of him. It starts with paper and pencil. Then he eats a typewriter. Then he eats a telephone.

As a flippant and irresponsible father myself, I realize now how remiss I've been all these years in laughing at this routine with the Llama-ettes when I instead should have been providing them thoughtful advice and instruction about the dangers of consuming such items.

My bad.

YIPS from Steve: You know what would be hilarious? Treating the Children's Television Network like the tobacco companies, and forcing Cookie Monster to do really lame public service announcements about the dangers of cookies, about how they make your life crumby....

Also, come one: what type of parent would let a child eat a phone? I mean, sure, a little cellular number, particularly if the child baked it first in the microwave. But one of those old big black steel clunky ATT pre-breakup phones, with like cords and everything?

Damn that Jim Henson!