Big Bird, a bird-like puppet, got his COVID-19 vaccine over the weekend, leading Senator Ted Cruz, a human-like puppet, to attack the Sesame Street institution as, “Government propaganda… for your five year old!”
“I got the COVID-19 vaccine today!” Big Bird tweeted on Saturday, November 6th. “My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.”
The decision to inoculate the eight-foot anthropomorphic canary is unlikely to be controversial with the vast majority of the population, considering that 67% of Americans of all ages, and 78% of those 12 and up, have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. Besides that, health experts agree that the vaccines are safe for children (Big Bird is canonically a six-year-old) and inoculating young people is an important step in curtailing the spread of the virus and preventing rare but severe health complications. But feelings don’t care about your facts, and members of the Republican party feel that this is unimaginably sinister.
Related Video
Senator Cruz’s assault on Sesame Street was joined by Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe, who said the tweet was, “Twisted,” and “Brainwashing children.” Newsmax host and onetime Trump advisor Steve Cortes called the post “actually evil.” Both made the false claim that children are “not at risk from COVID.”
Of course, not everyone came out against Big Bird’s vaccination, because not everyone is a lunatic. President Biden replied on Twitter, “Good on ya, @BigBird. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep your whole neighborhood safe.”
This is not the first time Big Bird received a vaccine; a 1972 episode of Sesame Street showed him being inoculated against measles. You can check out a clip below. This is also not the first time the right wing establishment has feuded with Sesame Street. Last year, Tucker Carlson went on an unhinged rant after Elmo tried to teach children about racism. Season 52 of Sesame Street debuts on HBO Max on November 11th.
Good on ya, @BigBird. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep your whole neighborhood safe.
Advertisement— President Biden (@POTUS) November 8, 2021
Government propaganda…for your 5 year old! https://t.co/lKUlomnpq1
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 6, 2021
Brainwashing children who are not at risk from COVID. Twisted. https://t.co/KPjdHJjpUy
— Lisa Boothe (@LisaMarieBoothe) November 6, 2021
This kind of propaganda is actually evil.
AdvertisementYour children are not statistically at risk, and should not be pressured into a brand new treatment.
Do Not Comply! https://t.co/cnS1GAqowi
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) November 6, 2021
Big Bird is so polite. Be like Big Bird. pic.twitter.com/gQRT7ZSmOk
Advertisement— Muppet Wiki (@MuppetWiki) November 7, 2021
