They’re Just Puppets

Sesame Street celebrated its 40th anniversary back in 2009 by giving the spotlight to each Muppet for a day. One of the main focuses? Bert and Ernie’s relationship. For decades, viewers have debated the sexuality of the characters, who they feel seem to be more than just friends. Pop culture has fed into this rumor, with spoofs like “Ernest & Bertram” and allusions in shows, like in Avenue Q. It got to the point where, in the early 1990s, the show’s producers put out an announcement stating that the characters did not portray a gay couple and that they have no plans for them to do so. The main point they tried to get across? Bert and Ernie are just puppets.