Katy Perry’s cleavage-filled Sesame Street clip will never air


A lot of people were outraged at Katy Perry’s Sesame Street segment, in which she sang a cute kid-friendly version of “Hot and Cold” with Elmo. Katy’s very low-cut lime colored mini dress wasn’t kid-friendly though, and showed way too much cleavage for a kid’s show. Personally I didn’t find it offensive and I would have let my kid see it. We live in Germany and are ok with our child seeing nudity as long as it’s presented in a matter-of-fact way that is not sexual. This was just some cleavage so it wouldn’t have bothered me if my kid watched it. But I really understand why other parents would want to make sure their kids never saw this, and why it’s such an issue that a show aimed at preschoolers would have inappropriate content.

As Kaiser mentioned in our earlier coverage Katy’s boobs weren’t sexy necessarily and were just there. Still, she should have worn something with more coverage for a kids show. While Katy may be too dumb to realize that she needs to put it away around kids, someone from Sesame Street should have stepped in and made sure this never happened. It looks like they’ve taken care of that and are promising parents that this clip will never appear on the show. Poor half-dressed Katy is crying into Russell’s furry chest now. “I just wanted to play dress up!

Katy shot a segment for the show — which was supposed to air on New Year’s Eve — in which she sings a cleaned-up version of her song, “Hot N Cold” with Elmo.

The song made its way to YouTube Monday and racked up nearly a million views. But some parents started complaining her cleavage was too front and center. We’ve learned producers have decided not to air the song on the show.

Among the parental comments:

— “You can practically see her t*ts. That’s some wonderful children’s programming.”
— “they’re gonna have to rename it cleavage avenue”
— “my kid wants milk now”

Fact is … what looks like Katy’s bare chest is actually covered in flesh-colored mesh that goes all the way to her neck.

[From TMZ]

Sesame Street producers did the right thing. The “flesh colored mesh” that TMZ mentions is see through and it’s like she’s not covered at all. It’s not like it makes any difference.

Let’s move on to another attempt by Sesame Street to bring in pop culture to get parents to tune in. They made a parody of True Blood with a segment called “True Mud.” In this case the content does seem suitable for kids, with plenty of cute rhyming words and no references to vampires, werewolves, blood sucking, or head-twisting. It’s cute and they did a nice job with it. Here’s the clip:

And Colin Farrell is teaching kids the definition of “investigate” on the season premiere of Sesame Street. I would like to investigate his boxer shorts. I don’t think Colin Farrell is appropriate for moms to watch around their kids at all. He just oozes sex.

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55 Responses to “Katy Perry’s cleavage-filled Sesame Street clip will never air”

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  1. Dorothy says:

    OK the mesh makes it a little better, I would let my kids watch, but I would be annoyed!

  2. bellaluna says:

    We’re very open about nudity in our home, but I can see why some parents would object. I totally agree that someone (other than one of the puppets) at Sesame Street should have nipped (no pun intended) that outfit in the bud.

  3. Quinn says:

    I think it’s sad that she has no other identity. Sure, she wants the world to know she has a nice rack but is there anything else she’s proud of? And I also think it’s creepy that she needs that kind of attention on Sesame Street, that she can’t get by on something else for just one appearance.

  4. Chris says:

    Who are all these outraged prudes decididng what the rest of us are allowed to watch or show our kids?

  5. Bella Bella says:

    I turned this on the other day after reading the article. My toddler made me watch a zillion times after. I don’t think Katie has anymore cleavage showing than any Disney Princess. I’m definitely no Katie fan but her dress just didn’t bother me and I’m very careful with what my girls are allowed to watch.

    CB- have you seen the Mad Men Sesame Street parody? Really cute!

  6. trillian says:

    I am german and you are right, nudity just isn’t a big deal here. I take my son to the sauna and it’s mixed sex and of course everyone’s naked. I also think that kids the age that watch Sesame Street don’t even notice things like “cleavage”. That’s an adult thing.

  7. geenie says:

    Geez, parents get offended about EVERYTHING now a days. Women have breasts – it’s natural. There is nothing wrong with the video. It’s the parents that is the problem not the video. Welcome to lame America.

  8. A.K.A. says:

    I loved it!I think it’s very funny and cute.And it’s too bad it’s being cut out. I would let my kid watch this too.
    I don’t see anything wrong with it.

    Kids that age don’t think about boobs that way! Boobs are not sexual to them. They focus on the faces, the songs and the funny things. They don’t care about boobs.

    The adults who are uncomfortable watching it is because they are uncomfortable with their own thoughts . The daddies are all : “wow!!! I want to touch them” and the mommies are all: “stupid b*itch’s are still firm & perky and mine are all saggy !!! My kid can’t watch this! “

  9. Sandy says:

    I wouldn’t mind my kid seeing it, but its too bad that this stuff is becoming more and more common. I don’t have a problem with making Sesame Street just a little sacrosanct. I think its more a matter of parents saying “Are we gonna go down that road here too?” And I think that’s ok.

  10. happymom says:

    I have 4 kids-and honestly, at preschool age they’re not going to “get this” at all. I’m more annoyed by the smart alecky kids on Hannah Montana or the other shows that are targeted to the 7-10 year old crowd that my older children may emulate.

  11. Sandy says:

    HEY KATIE
    ITS SESAME STREET. PUT SOME CLOTHES ON.
    Why is that wrong?

  12. aang says:

    it was cute. my daughter nursed until she was 4 and saw more than that at meal time. that might have made her want a snack but thats about it. why are americans so hung up on breasts?

  13. Kaye says:

    I think she looks cute and I would have let my daughter watch this when she was a toddler. I’m embarrassed that we seem so prudish in America.

  14. sickofit says:

    @ a.k.a. lmao thats so true

  15. bizzy says:

    @aang: why are americans so hung up on breasts?

    because all other social, moral, and medical ills have been solved in this country, so inappropriate breastage is the sole thing standing between america and utter (udder?) perfection.

  16. Samigirl says:

    I really don’t think this is an issue of people being jealous of her boobs….aka and sick of it. Hell, lots of people could go buy them. I think it’s just because sesame street is SO wholesome, it was just shocking. They did one episode where the “word of the day” was fabulous! and I had to call my girlfriend to make sure she was watching…because SOMEBODY had to know, right?
    That’s where most of the outrage comes from,IMO

  17. Wicked SteppMom says:

    I wanted to see what the fuss was about so I clicked on the clip, thinking I had the sound off on my laptop (oops!)…my 2.5 y/o heard Elmo’s voice & beelined over. He stared at the screen when Elmo was on, looked away when Katy was on (Mickey was on tv) and back when he heard Elmo again. He even said “No girl, Mommy! Watch more ELMO!!!” Somehow I don’t think he’s scarred by her cleavage that was showing. Yeah, she probably should have had even just *a little bit* more coverage, but I wouldn’t have gone screaming to the network about it when there are teens/tweens on Disney/Nick that are dressed almost as skanky…that one’s much harder to explain to your kids. At least w/Katy, I can use the argument “She’s an adult.” When my daughter sees kids not much older than her dressing sleazy, it makes the discussion/argument much longer & more complicated. Especially since she adores Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana…ugh.

  18. lilred says:

    Children are exposed to more than that on a daily basis just going to the grocery store for pete’s sake…chill people.

  19. lucy2 says:

    If people are “outraged” that’s a bit much, and I wouldn’t tackle and blindfold a kid so they couldn’t see it, but I still think she should have worn something a little more substantial for appearing on a kids show. It was just unnecessary, and probably just another way to get attention because she seems to like that.

  20. A.K.A. says:

    Samigirl, I know it’s not. I’m making fun of this whole situation because I think it’s the parents who have issues with boobs here, not the kids. Kids don’t look at boobs that way , actually – at all! Like someone here said, they want the puppets. 🙂 Sweet innocence.

  21. Bella Bella says:

    LMAO @ the ridiculous “jealous women” argument. No one is jealous of Katy’s ginormous rack. Barbie and half of the Disney Princesses have bigger boobs than Katy and no one here is lining up to boycott them. Some of the moms just don’t want someone shaking their big boobs around their kids.

  22. spanks says:

    I just dont get the hype with this chick. Katy has to be one of the most over-rated, over-exposed ‘pop singers’ out there now. If it wasnt for her attention getting stunts like this, I doubt anyone would talking about her. Her singing is is soo… blah.

  23. gem says:

    @WickedStepMom and @happymom I don’t have kids, but i have twin younger siblings that just turned 4 I’m completely agree,(Im 18 btw) i find myself having to turn from disney and now more recently nick shows because my younger sister wants 2 imitate Hannah Montana Or Icarly because while its obvious she’s older, they are not adults, meaning that its easier for her to emulate.

  24. freckles says:

    “They’ll have to rename it Cleavage Avenue”
    “My kid wants milk now.”

    LOL!!!!!! Am I the only one that found these comments hysterical??

  25. iriD says:

    Do you ppl saying she should have been wearing more really think that she just grabbed something from home to put on? I seriously doubt that Sesame Street itself didn’t put her in that dress. It’s just a little cleavage. I think it’s an ugly dress, but it’s no wonder so many girls are ashamed of their bodies when they get a little older when they are taught that it is unacceptable to show anything. Maybe we should all just wear burqas so as not to tempt the men or… what? What negative effect is it this is supposed to have on the very young?

  26. shay says:

    What most people don’t understand is all the subliminal messages in television that are being used to sexualize children early…they don’t notice boobs, but the subliminal mind does. Nowadays everyone is okay with a lot of things they were once appalled at and it the reason for the decline of sociey and the dumbing down of our children. How about turning the tv off? Just a suggestion..

  27. wonderful says:

    It’s not about her actual boobs, or jealousy, or anything else, stop being so ridiculous. I am sure kids wont be traumatized, but dont claim they dont notice. When I was a little girl, I noticed every set I saw once I realized I would one day have them myself.
    It’s about what’s appropriate and what is not. Would you go babysitting wearing that dress? And why is that? That’s what I thought.

  28. BethL says:

    When I think Sesame Street, I don’t think boobs. So it was shocking that they let Katy show so much cleavage on a children’s show. I would still let my child watch and wouldn’t care enough to complain but I think most people were caught off guard seeing so much cleavage on a show like this.

  29. omondieu says:

    I saw this clip on YouTube the other day. While I agree that kids are not likely to see Katy’s breasts as sexual objects, I can understand why parents would be concerned. Kids like to mimic what they see on television, and Katy’s “dress-up” costume is not something that is appropriate for a little girl to be dressing up in. There’s no reason she could not have worn a similar outfit that covered her breasts.

  30. Statler says:

    @CB-

    My European friends find it incredibly twisted that, as a culture, Americans have such issues with children witnessing any nudity or adult sexuality (which are a natural part of life, after all) but far fewer problems with exposing them to extreme amounts of violence. Upon reflection, I have to agree.

  31. MarenGermany says:

    NO FUCKING WAY! You live in Germany??
    I´ve loved loved loved your page for such a long time, reading your posts every day, and you are -like- around the corner???
    That is so cool!!!!!!!!

  32. DetRiotgirl says:

    @Samigirl What exactly are you inferring with the comment about “fabulous” being the word of the day? I’m not sure I see the importance there.

  33. CandyKay says:

    Sesame Street is a cross-cultural program, which in the US, means it has to appeal to people of a variety of backgrounds.

    Some of them – like the posters above – don’t seem to mind big, blatant boobs. Others do – among them conservative Christians, Muslims and Jews.

    Why is is small-minded to want the show to appeal to the largest possible audience, particularly when it’s not a matter of educational importance?

    I live in Europe myself, have no body issues, and a child of Sesame Street age who is welcome to see nudity.

    But I believe in diversity, and don’t believe Katy Perry’s boobs are a cause worth fighting for.

  34. PsychicEyes says:

    Children are impressionable and absorb the subliminal messages. I don’t believe or agree with Sesame Street’s cross-selling upcoming talent on their show — children are sacred. Here’s a thought for the Sesame Street producers — pink slip the idiot(s) who thought this was a good idea and hire REAL creative people who CAN write better learning shows — new rhyming songs and new character(s). What about programming that teaches new languages to name a few. My first impression of Miss. Perry in the video above was “what the Hell”??? Never mind the booby thing — it was obvious to me that it was a cross-selling and nothing to do with learning for tots. Sesame Street is about learning in a fun way. I truly hope that the excutives of that show get a loud earful from the parents. BTW, nudity is NOT an issue for me; I just don’t believe in sexualization the little ones from a young age.

  35. Dannii says:

    they shouldnt have gone with katy in the first place-like someone else said when madonna was selling her childrens book even she dressed differently.

    i dont think human bodies are necessisarily automatically sexual however we do live in an extremely one sided sexualised culture (as in women bodies are always sexualised) and katy perry seems to be at the forefront of this at the moment. had it been someone else on there who has not sexualised themselves so much or was known for always making their breast the centre of attention it probably would not have gotten so much controversy.

  36. Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

    Second verse, same as the first.

    Time was, if you exposed too much flesh, you were a harlot. Now, if you choose not to expose large amounts of flesh, it’s because you’re jealous or a prude of suffer from some kind of backsliding compound chic hivemind.

    I think I’m feeling increasingly that if I were American, I would be on a fast track to becoming very tired of the idea that Americans are to have an inferiority complex about themselves when compared to Europe. I say that a person who has devoted her life to the music, literature and history of the continent, so clearly, there’s a deep love on my part. I just want to make that clear, as I fear that I’ll come off as a crazed rager if I’m not perfectly on point.

    Even as a non-American myself, I kind of glaze over when I see another ‘This Why You Should Prize Our Cultural Exports And Mores Over Your Own’ speech. Why must we always return to the idea that culturally, Europeans exist on a higher plane and is it up to the States to accept that incontrovertible truth and try to emulate the continent because of it? It doesn’t necessarily follow that little Lula Mae is going to be forcibly drowned in a baptismal font for exposing her toenails at the 4-H Club, or that Fabrizio is going to cure all cancers because he’s been watching Silvio Berlusconi-era children’s programming. There’s culture and there’s true character, and the latter is not defined by one’s mailing address.

    Anyway, the real reason for her clip getting passed over is because she’s an asinine snot who is no thesbian and should use her bra cups to carry a note.

  37. hanh says:

    Was there really a reason why she HAD to show cleavage on a kids show?

    I mean she does the cleavage thing for sex appeal and to bring in male viewers, but how is that necessary for a kids show?

    That much cleavage is not appropriate to show for work, why should it be ok for a kids show?

  38. Persistent Cat says:

    @Wonderful, I agree. Dressing like that for a children’s show is not appropriate. As well, are little girls going to look at that rack and make that what they expect for themselves.

    @Mama Besser, I agree with what you said about how Europeans always believe they’re better than Americans, they’re like that to Canadians as well. It’s annoying.

  39. Jover says:

    While I won’t gloss over the sexual aspect the real issue is CAN’T the people that make our pop culture find real talent. What, was no real singer available that this shameless vacant corporate famewhore the best choice.
    What about ALlison Ireheta, India Arie (she’s only teaming up with the legendary Carlos Santana – wonder if KP has ever heard of Santana), Jill Scott, Idina Menzel, etc. The real sin was that her peformance was awful, she can’t sing, she couldn’t even sing a fun kid’s song, as Psychic Eyes pointed out, and she’s just selling herself – nothing more. How is she able to get these gigs when there are so many better singers out there?
    The further real sin is this no talent idiot is the guest “singer” on SNL this saturday. Have the producers of pop culture been slumming so long they no longer know – or care – what real talent is; that’s the real crime not her pathetic outfit, song, and performance.

  40. Missy Aggravation says:

    I’m more offended by the fact that the likes of Katy Perry get to shill their mediocrity to babies (!!!), than I am by babies seeing Katy Perry’s breasts.

    Still, the fact that she felt compelled to wear a low-cut lime green number on a children’s show says a lot about her (and how far she’ll go to remain relevant).

    The big question remains; Why does PBS allow “artists” to market their dribble to children?
    That’s what pisses me off the most.

  41. sam says:

    My favorite quote on the whole thing taken from a New Zealand newspaper:

    The New York Magazine described the decision as “a rather harsh reaction, considering that her scene partner Elmo wasn’t wearing anything at all.”

  42. Ursaline says:

    I agree with hanh and Missy Aggravation. It’s not the boobies that are the problem. It’s the fact that I see absolutely NO benefit to the song or lesson from her wearing a costume that is designed for another venue. If she wore it to the MTV awards, no one would care. But this is supposed to be one of the few places that doesn’t shove commercialism down the kids’ throat and they blew it. If the mesh had even been a darker color than nude it could have helped, but I didn’t even know there was mesh until I read it. It just comes across as yet another disrespectful, unnecessary distraction that is being used to sell her image, versus dressing to suit a younger audience.

  43. Ursaline says:

    And when REM, Queen Latifah, and Norah Jones were on Sesame Street, none of them felt it necessary to start stripping on stage next to Elmo. Why should she?

  44. Lushus L. says:

    I lived in France many years ago and I was not impressed by Euro T.V. at all. It totally exploits women and is plenty violent. You can’t watch a candy bar commercial without seeing boobs or worse. Anyone remember Mylene Farmer? Her music videos where shown uncensored on a show that was watched by kids. In fact, kids called in video requests. Really, it blew my mind. Anyways, the Europeans are the hypocrites on this topic.

  45. gg says:

    It’s very inappropriate for Sesame Street. It’s not just her “cleavage” – most of both boobs are open-air. If you can see all the way around both boobs, it’s more like large pasties.

    Inappropriate. And Sad she still has to poke her boobs out, even on a kids show.

  46. Bubbles says:

    There are 3 issues w/ the cleavage:

    Adults “model” behavior to kids, her cleavage is distracting from the song, and maybe parents don’t want their kids focused on boobs?

    I wouldn’t want my 4 year old wanting to dress like her. Only in America …

  47. Bopa says:

    She should know better she did gospel music before she started doing pop. It’s not like she’s always performed with her boobs in the breeze.

  48. fwozbo says:

    I had my 6 year old daughter watch and then I asked if anything was wrong with the video and she said yes, and I said what are you thinking and she said, it is wrong for a boy (Elmo) to play dress-up with a girl (Katy). No comment on the clothes.

  49. Andrea-2 says:

    @Lushus L:
    I know; I lived in France and was appalled by some of their programming. Women were parading around naked, like big, dumb bimbos and were totally sexualized and demeaned. How “open-minded” of them. They think our “prudishness” comes from narrow-minded attitudes, but a lot of times it’s about not making women second-class citizens.

  50. Sean says:

    It’s crazy that anyone would object to this, or think that it’s inappropriate for kids. Kids only see things as “dirty” when we, the parents, push our own insecurities and hangups onto the kids. Such a shame, really. Without our up tight attitudes, from a kid’s point of view, this video becomes nothing more than a fun little segment.

  51. jayem says:

    Love the comment from the New York Magazine about Elmo wearing nothing. That pretty much sums it up for me.

    And I would also like to “investigate” what’s in Colin Farrell’s pants! LOL! I didn’t hear a thing poor Elmo said during that whole clip.

  52. flourpot says:

    She looks like a whore. On Sesame Street. That’s the issue. Not where we live, how we were raised or which country has higher morals. Would you wear this to the office? Then don’t wear it on my children’s programming.

  53. ViktoryGin says:

    Oh, so the Chistian couldn’t cover up for a children’s educational learning program?

    @ Jo Mama Besser: hear, hear! I, too, am tiring of the insipid disdain of American prudishness by Europeans despite that I often tend to side with Europeans ideologically on most issues.

    My feeling toward this whole “issue” is one of ambivalence. There are two schools of thought operating. One says that children shouldn’t be exposed to nudity. The other says that by stigmatizing them we effectively create the issue. It’s important to include context in this argument: the US is NOT Europe. We are a country that was largely founded by religious ascetics from England. Along with their relgious fervor, we also inherited a rather ambivalent relationship toward sexuality. Trust, had the French won the French and Indian War, America could possibly be a different place with much different values less objectionable to “liberated” Europeans as they exist today. Context is key.

    I work in a culture that is very conservative regarding any form of what can be perceived as sexual display, and when something is patently sexual they sometimes react very juvenilely. I’m speaking of the adults. So, I understand the frustration. I think, however, that it is short-sighted to think that it doesn’t subliminally effect the young, especially girls. Girls are targeted at such young ages and this is where the self-worth wear and tear starts. I worked in a lingerie store for three years, and the girls that came in were younger and younger thinking that they had have this push up bra for boys to notice them. After all, “this what the boys like.” Their self-worth becomes over-associated with what physical assets they can offer. This is why I have an issue with KP’s outfit.

    In the West, nudity has become intrinsically tied and, indeed, emblematic of our oft-touted FREEDOM; but I query all of you to think of the limitations of this presumptuous thinking. It seems to be that this new seemingly, culturally mandated nudity is just weak ideology that promises liberation that ironically is just another cage.

  54. Linna says:

    Kinda silly considering the seseme street age viewers are the ost subjected to boob and cleavage, I mean how many pregnant moms, nursing moms and sitters are walking around with huge breast and t-shirts, it is nothing to these youngins, heck many of them just quit nursing, we are taking 1-4 yr olds. People need to chill out and think.

  55. melanie says:

    I’m not sure the logic behind this but I don’t really care if my kid sees cleavage just not on sesame street. Cleavage is ok but you don’t take it certain places….like church…and sesame street apparently.