Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce
Encyclopedia
Episode 2895, unofficially titled "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce", is a filmed yet un-aired episode of the popular U.S children's show Sesame Street
. The episode was created for broadcast in 1992
, but shelved by most broadcasters and producers once test audiences to the program were not able to understand the concept of divorce.
Launched in 1969
, the PBS children's series Sesame Street was created with modern, lower-class, urban audiences in mind. While the audience quickly expanded beyond the initial demographic, the program stayed committed to occasionally tackling serious issues such as death
, adoption
, marriage
, and pregnancy
. These episodes are often inspired by national statistics or events within the circle of the show's own cast and crew.
In Season 23 (1991–1992), the subject of divorce
was the big project of the season. As a result, producers filmed an episode "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce", in which Aloysius Snuffleupagus
(also known as Snuffy) and little sister Alice must deal with the separation of their parents. The plot seemed to trouble children who watched it in test screenings, essentially afflicting the comfortable, rather than comforting the afflicted.
announced that he was attempting to examine the issue: "We make a conscious decision on what to look at. My two projects for this year are drugs
and divorce. Divorce is a difficult one. Perhaps we could do it with puppets. I am also writing a script on drugs and peer pressure
."
Not everyone in the production shared Stone's interest. Executive producer Dulcy Singer
vetoed the idea in 1990, before it reached development. While she felt complex social matters should be discussed on the series, she felt the issue was irrelevant to lower socio-economic groups; the initial target audience of Sesame Street was inner city and financially disadvantaged families. Feeling that "divorce is a middle-class thing," she suggested instead that an episode focus on a single-parent family, with the child born out of wedlock
with an absent father.
The topic of divorce was discussed again the following year, after the US Census Bureau released statistics suggesting 40 percent of all children in the United States
, not just the middle classes, would soon live in divorced households.
publicly reported on the difficulties: "We hope to get to it by the end of the season. It always takes us a while to figure out how to do an issue appropriately, from a child's point of view... With puppets, it's slightly less frightening...The kids have somebody to identify with. They see the puppet characters have feelings and work through a difficult issue many of them will have to face." Veteran cast member Jerry Nelson
noted that "Now we delve into things like divorce that are likely to affect small children very heavily. We didn't touch those things before."
According to Bob McGrath
, a decision was finally made to use Muppets, and specifically the family of Mr. Snuffleupagus:
was assigned to the script, which the Children's Television Workshop scheduled to air April 10, 1992 as episode number 2895. Stiles previously wrote episode 1839, in which the adults on Sesame Street
explain Mr. Hooper
's death to Big Bird
.
As with Mr. Hooper's death, the script received great scrutiny by the show's advisory board and developmental psychologists. The board suggested providing greater emphasis to the fact that arguments do not automatically mean divorce. The episode was taped after a script revision, and the completed episode screened before a test audience of 60 children in four daycare centers. Dulcy Singer still had her doubts: "We were really nervous about the show, and we didn't think it was a shoo-in. When you're dealing with something like death, the approach can be universal. But with divorce, it's so personal. People react differently."
The final episode addressed the advisors' concerns via a conversation in which Gordon reassures Elmo
, Big Bird, and Telly
that "Just because parents have an argument, or get upset with each other, doesn't mean they're getting a divorce... Or that they don't love each other anymore." He also reassured Snuffy and his sister Alice that it's not their fault, "No, not even if you spill something."
The reassurances had little effect on the test viewers, however, especially taken in conjunction with the rest of the episode. While Mommy Snuffleupagus had appeared irregularly, Snuffy's father has only appeared in the book See You Later, Mashed Potater!. When he does appear in the episode, arriving for a weekend visit, Alice attempts to bring him inside, but he reminds her that "I don't live here anymore." Children were unclear on where Snuffy's parents lived, especially the father, and believed that Daddy "ran away and Snuffy and Alice would never see their father again."
The realistic depiction of the Snuffleupagus children struggling emotionally with the issue also proved troubling. In one scene, as Alice overhears her parents arguing in the next cave, she pounds and kicks her teddy bear out of frustration. Singer weighed in on the reactions, which despite the care taken, revealed both emotional responses and misunderstandings of the very points which the script attempted to clarify:
With the testing results in, research director Valeria Lovelace recommended scrapping the episode and going "back to the drawing board," and the idea was abandoned, at least for the season. Episode 2895, as aired in many areas, instead focused on Oscar the Grouch
and a visit from his brother. The Children's Television Workshop internally talked of attempting to broach the divorce issue later on, perhaps in multiple parts. However, as producer Michael Loman recalled, "We ate the cost and never aired it. We feel there are a range of issues that we can deal with in the family that do not go to the extreme of divorce."
To some extent, parental separation or divorce have been covered in a "Sesame Street News Flash
" segment about a bird whose parents live in different trees. The song, named "They Live in Different Places, But They Both Love Me", first aired in episode 2837.
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. The episode was created for broadcast in 1992
1992 in television
The year 1992 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1992.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:*Hallmark Hall of Fame .*Guiding Light .*The Today Show ....
, but shelved by most broadcasters and producers once test audiences to the program were not able to understand the concept of divorce.
Launched in 1969
1969 in television
The year 1969 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1969.For the American TV schedule, see: 1969-70 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, the PBS children's series Sesame Street was created with modern, lower-class, urban audiences in mind. While the audience quickly expanded beyond the initial demographic, the program stayed committed to occasionally tackling serious issues such as death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, adoption
Adoption in the United States
Adopton in the United States is the legal act of adoption, of permanently placing a person under the age of 18 with a parent or parents other than the birth parents in the United States.-Overview:...
, marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, and pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
. These episodes are often inspired by national statistics or events within the circle of the show's own cast and crew.
In Season 23 (1991–1992), the subject of divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
was the big project of the season. As a result, producers filmed an episode "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce", in which Aloysius Snuffleupagus
Aloysius Snuffleupagus
Aloysius Snuffleupagus, more commonly known as Mr. Snuffleupagus or Snuffy, is one of the Muppet characters on the longest-running educational television program for young children, Sesame Street. He was created as a woolly mammoth, without tusks or ears, and has a long thick pointed tail, similar...
(also known as Snuffy) and little sister Alice must deal with the separation of their parents. The plot seemed to trouble children who watched it in test screenings, essentially afflicting the comfortable, rather than comforting the afflicted.
Conceptual inception
The decision to tackle the issue of divorce was a weighty one for the Children's Television Workshop, and the idea had a long gestation period. As early as 1989, writer/director Jon StoneJon Stone
Jon Stone is best known for writing and producing Sesame Street, and is credited with helping develop characters such as Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. He is regarded by many as one of the best children's television writers. He started working for children's programs in 1955...
announced that he was attempting to examine the issue: "We make a conscious decision on what to look at. My two projects for this year are drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
and divorce. Divorce is a difficult one. Perhaps we could do it with puppets. I am also writing a script on drugs and peer pressure
Peer pressure
Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change his or her attitudes, values, or behavior in order to conform to group norms. Social groups affected include membership groups, when the individual is "formally" a member , or a social clique...
."
Not everyone in the production shared Stone's interest. Executive producer Dulcy Singer
Dulcy Singer
Dulcy Singer served as an American television producer for Christmas Eve on Sesame Street in 1978 and as executive producer for Sesame Street from 1982-1995.She received her B.A...
vetoed the idea in 1990, before it reached development. While she felt complex social matters should be discussed on the series, she felt the issue was irrelevant to lower socio-economic groups; the initial target audience of Sesame Street was inner city and financially disadvantaged families. Feeling that "divorce is a middle-class thing," she suggested instead that an episode focus on a single-parent family, with the child born out of wedlock
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
with an absent father.
The topic of divorce was discussed again the following year, after the US Census Bureau released statistics suggesting 40 percent of all children in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, not just the middle classes, would soon live in divorced households.
Choosing an approach
Crafting an episode from the topic required adjustment from both the performers and production crew alike. The first obstacle was determining how to address the issue in a narrative, and whether to use the Muppet characters or the human cast. Producer-director Lisa SimonLisa Simon
Lisa Simon is an American television producer and director.-Positions held:* Assistant Director on Chavez * Production Assistant on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit * Consulting Producer on Wonder Pets...
publicly reported on the difficulties: "We hope to get to it by the end of the season. It always takes us a while to figure out how to do an issue appropriately, from a child's point of view... With puppets, it's slightly less frightening...The kids have somebody to identify with. They see the puppet characters have feelings and work through a difficult issue many of them will have to face." Veteran cast member Jerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
noted that "Now we delve into things like divorce that are likely to affect small children very heavily. We didn't touch those things before."
According to Bob McGrath
Bob McGrath
Robert Emmet "Bob" McGrath is an American singer and actor best known for playing the human character Bob on Sesame Street. He was born in Ottawa, Illinois. McGrath was named for Irish patriot Robert Emmet....
, a decision was finally made to use Muppets, and specifically the family of Mr. Snuffleupagus:
Test results
Staff writer Norman StilesNorman Stiles
Norman Stiles is a television writer, best known for his work on the show Sesame Street from 1971 until approximately 1995. As part of the Sesame Street writing team, he received eight Daytime Emmy Awards.-External links:*...
was assigned to the script, which the Children's Television Workshop scheduled to air April 10, 1992 as episode number 2895. Stiles previously wrote episode 1839, in which the adults on Sesame Street
Sesame Street, New York, New York
Sesame Street is a fictional street located in the Manhattan neighborhood of New York, New York. The street serves as the location for the American children's television series, Sesame Street, which is primarily set at 123 Sesame Street, a fictional apartment building.-Location:The fictional Sesame...
explain Mr. Hooper
Mr. Hooper
Harold Hooper was a character on Sesame Street, played by Will Lee, who was the original proprietor of Mr. Hooper's Store, which still retains his name.-Biography:...
's death to Big Bird
Big Bird
Big Bird is a protagonist of the children's television show Sesame Street. Big Bird, like many of the other Sesame Street characters, is a Muppet character. He is sometimes referred to simply as "Bird" by his friends....
.
As with Mr. Hooper's death, the script received great scrutiny by the show's advisory board and developmental psychologists. The board suggested providing greater emphasis to the fact that arguments do not automatically mean divorce. The episode was taped after a script revision, and the completed episode screened before a test audience of 60 children in four daycare centers. Dulcy Singer still had her doubts: "We were really nervous about the show, and we didn't think it was a shoo-in. When you're dealing with something like death, the approach can be universal. But with divorce, it's so personal. People react differently."
The final episode addressed the advisors' concerns via a conversation in which Gordon reassures Elmo
Elmo
Elmo is a Muppet character on the children's television show Sesame Street. He is a furry red monster and currently hosts the last full 15 minute segment on Sesame Street, Elmo's World, which is aimed at toddlers. His puppeteer, Kevin Clash, uses falsetto to produce his voice...
, Big Bird, and Telly
Telly Monster
Telly Monster, known usually as just Telly, is an eternally worrying, fuchsia monster Muppet on Sesame Street. He is puppeteered by Martin P. Robinson....
that "Just because parents have an argument, or get upset with each other, doesn't mean they're getting a divorce... Or that they don't love each other anymore." He also reassured Snuffy and his sister Alice that it's not their fault, "No, not even if you spill something."
The reassurances had little effect on the test viewers, however, especially taken in conjunction with the rest of the episode. While Mommy Snuffleupagus had appeared irregularly, Snuffy's father has only appeared in the book See You Later, Mashed Potater!. When he does appear in the episode, arriving for a weekend visit, Alice attempts to bring him inside, but he reminds her that "I don't live here anymore." Children were unclear on where Snuffy's parents lived, especially the father, and believed that Daddy "ran away and Snuffy and Alice would never see their father again."
The realistic depiction of the Snuffleupagus children struggling emotionally with the issue also proved troubling. In one scene, as Alice overhears her parents arguing in the next cave, she pounds and kicks her teddy bear out of frustration. Singer weighed in on the reactions, which despite the care taken, revealed both emotional responses and misunderstandings of the very points which the script attempted to clarify:
With the testing results in, research director Valeria Lovelace recommended scrapping the episode and going "back to the drawing board," and the idea was abandoned, at least for the season. Episode 2895, as aired in many areas, instead focused on Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch is a Muppet character on the television program Sesame Street. He has a green body , has no nose , and lives in a trash can. His favorite thing in life is trash; evidence for this is the song "I Love Trash". A running theme is his compulsive hoarding of seemingly useless items...
and a visit from his brother. The Children's Television Workshop internally talked of attempting to broach the divorce issue later on, perhaps in multiple parts. However, as producer Michael Loman recalled, "We ate the cost and never aired it. We feel there are a range of issues that we can deal with in the family that do not go to the extreme of divorce."
To some extent, parental separation or divorce have been covered in a "Sesame Street News Flash
Sesame Street News Flash
The Sesame Street News Flash was a recurring segment on the children's television show Sesame Street. First aired in 1971, the series starred Kermit the Frog as a trench coat-dressed roving reporter who interviews Muppet versions of characters from fairy tales, Mother Goose nursery rhymes and key...
" segment about a bird whose parents live in different trees. The song, named "They Live in Different Places, But They Both Love Me", first aired in episode 2837.
External links
- Sesame Workshop, official site of show producers
- Muppet Wiki: "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce"