provided yet another reason for producers to target a more mature audience. A parent who
watches Sesame Street alongside his/her child, even without asking questions or interacting
with the content, plays an important role in the child’s learning process (Lesser 79-80).
However, even upon taking these aspects into consideration, Sesame Streets creators
were adamant that “nothing is included in the program solely to attract this older audience and
nothing is made to depend entirely upon their participation with the young child" (Lesser 120).
Nonetheless, there is no denying that several elements within the show, most notably parody,
are aimed at older family members. Guest celebrity appearances and parodies of well-known
works are two main features still employed today that are specifically designed to appeal to a
mature audience. In turn, the show not only provides us with a pastiche of different mediums
and styles, it consequently creates a shift in context on a macro and micro level. On a macro
level, Sesame Street has appropriated a number of established elements into the show, which
highlights a major shift in context from its original use (e.g., children’s education prior to
television or animation that was primarily used for entertainment) to its current use (e.g.,
televisual pastiche for children’s informal education). On a micro level, the best example of the
re-contextualization of information is through the show’s use of parody, which is doubly
complex when dealing with an audience of preschoolers, as well as older family members.
I argue that the micro level shift in context, specifically, allows for parody to serve a
purpose, which in the case of Sesame Street, is founded in the instruction of various literacies
to preschool aged children (e.g., correctly reciting the alphabet, visually recognizing objects or
successfully counting to the number 10). In the context of the show itself, parody serves a dual
function: 1) It aims to attract older audience members into viewing the show, and 2) It changes
the context of the original content, which was most likely designed for adult entertainment
(e.g., NYPD Blue), into educational content, which is aimed at teaching children basic literacy
skills (e.g., ABCD Blue). Consequently, many (if not all) Sesame Street parodies function as
both entertainment for the mature audience and children, as well as an educational tool that
can better prepare children for formal education. Following the path of productive parody on
Sesame Street leads us to the multitude of educational segments that appeal to individuals of
almost any age, and this is where I turn to next.
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