Fox hosts accuse Sesame Street of “programming” children because Elmo got vaccinated

Fox contributor Sean Duffy: “Parents put their kids in front of a television and think they're going to be learning the ABCs and how to count to ten, but in reality they're trying to indoctrinate your children”

Video file

Citation

From the June 29, 2022, edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends First

JOEY JONES (GUEST HOST): Let's move onto another topic, Sesame Street is under fire following their latest video about Covid-19 vaccines for kids under five years old. Let's watch this.

[Begin video clip]

ELMO'S DAD: I had a lot of questions about Elmo getting the Covid vaccine. Was it safe? Was it the right decision? I talked to our pediatrician so I could make the right choice. I learned that Elmo getting vaccinated is the best way to keep himself, our friends, neighbors, and everyone else healthy and enjoying the things they love.

[End video clip]

JONES: I didn't know Elmo had a dad myself, Sean.

CARLEY SHIMKUS (HOST): Neither did I!

JONES: But with nine kids, how do you feel about Sesame Street programming parents to get their kids vaccinated?

SEAN DUFFY (CONTRIBUTOR): Joey, Elmo is three years old. I've got a lot of kids, they all got Covid, they are pretty safe. Listen, we are advocating a vaccine for a pandemic that has waned. It is absolute insanity but this is what they do. They – parents put their kids in front of a television and think they're going to be learning the ABCs and how to count to ten, but in reality, they're trying to indoctrinate your children that they should go in and get a vaccine or tell their parents they should go get a vaccine. This is outrageous and, again, you can't trust liberals at PBS or liberals in unions in your school system. Parents have to know what their kids are watching and viewing and how they are being educated. You got to take more control because there is no trust left. It's not just a simple education on PBS, it's indoctrination. Ted Cruz stood up against this pushback and God bless him for that. This is insanity.

SHIMKUS: Yeah, you're right. And it's more about programming the kids themselves and then it becomes a huge issue for parents who want to wait to vaccinate their child. So I could see where this would really anger a lot of parents.