Sesame Street Veterans May Not Been Leaving After All!

by Michael P Coleman

Sometimes, I’m reminded that a voice can make a difference.

Last week, I reported on the firing of three veteran Sesame Street cast members, including Roscoe Orman, who had played “Gordon” since 1974. 

The show’s producers said the terminations were part of an ongoing retooling of the show and its curriculum.  I (and dozens of other journalists) thought otherwise, particularly as everyone fired from the show was over 70.  One of them had been with the show since its premiere in 1969. 

This morning, I received this statement from Orman:

“To all of you who have expressed your appreciation and support for the years of work and service to Sesame Street by me and my colleagues, I thank you!

Due to your overwhelming reaction regarding the status of myself and others on the show, the new producers of Sesame Street have reached out to us with an expressed desire to continue our longstanding relationship, to be initiated with a meeting in September. Hopefully, this will result in the inclusion of veteran cast members in upcoming productions. I look forward to sharing with you at such time, the results of that conversation.

Thanks again for your loving support and devotion to Sesame Street and to what it has meant to the children of the world.”

It sounds like, if the meeting in September goes well, “the people in the neighborhood” will continue to include our elders.  And in my opinion, Sesame Street will be all the better for it. 

I’ll keep you posted on developments — and I’m looking forward to sharing my conversation with Roscoe Orman!