The rumor is unfounded. Bert will remain alive and kicking.
Rumors that Bert and/or Ernie were going to be killed off have been
circulating for nearly fifteen years, starting around the time that
the Muppets' creator Jim Henson died.
Here is an official statement from the rec.art.henson+muppets FAQ:
"No. No way, no how. No 'Sesame Street' Muppet character is dead,
dying, or planning to die. This is a rumor that has been circulating
since Jim Henson died in 1990 -- people were afraid that since Henson
died, the producers of 'Sesame Street' were also going to make Ernie
die on the show, so that children could learn about death (as they did
when Will Lee, the actor who played Mr. Hooper, died). This rumor has
since spread and mutated to include Bert, Grover, and other
characters, and any number of diseases and fatal accidents. However,
the producers have no intention of 'killing' any character on 'Sesame
Street.' Jim Henson's characters are kept alive on the show by
rerunning sketches that were recorded in the first twenty years of the
show, and new Ernie sketches are also being made with Steve Whitmire
performing Ernie. Please help to stop this rumor when you hear it.
Anyone who is afraid for the life of any character should be
encouraged to actually watch an episode of 'Sesame Street,' where they
will see Ernie, Bert, and all the gang, still alive and well."
rec.arts.henson+muppets Frequently Asked Questions
http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~csilvers/muppet-faq.html
More on the rumors:
"Though there weren't any real reasons for them... rumors about
Ernie's imminent death spread. Everyone heard a different version of
how Ernie was going to die, and the stories always fell into one of
two categories: death by disease or death by traffic accident. In the
disease category, cancer, AIDS, and leukemia were the front runners.
Traffic accident deaths included pedestrian Ernie being hit by a bus,
truck, or car; or his being a passenger in a vehicle involved in a
fatal crash.
Though most of the whispers named Ernie as the Muppet marked for death
(the late Jim Henson had been Ernie's voice, after all), Bert also
came in for mention. In addition to rumors about Bert being the one
who'd be done away with (by the same methods ascribed to Ernie),
stories also circulated that the man who voiced Bert had either been
killed in a car crash or had died of AIDS."
Snopes Urban Legends Reference Pages
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/deadmupp.htm
Incidentally, there is a muppet who is HIV-positive:
"Sesame Street has offered a variety of social messages and images
since its debut in 1969. Its regular characters include adults and
children of different ethnic and racial backgrounds, and it has
featured characters and guest stars with various disabilities.
In September 2002 it added to its cast of muppets a female character
who is HIV-positive. Segments including this new muppet will air only
in South Africa (where the show is called Takalani Sesame - takalani
means 'be happy' in the Tshivenda language), but it is possible that
eventually this character will appear in shows broadcast to the other
eight nations that air Sesame Street.
The South African character has been named Kami and will be a female
mustard-colored furry Muppet who likes nature, telling stories and
collecting stuff. Kami is a 'monster Muppet' like Grover or Elmo, the
least human-like of the Sesame cast, said Joel Schneider, vice
president of Sesame Workshop. The muppet will associate freely with
the show's other characters as a way to fight stereotypes about people
with the virus, said Yvonne Kgame of the South African Broadcasting
Corporation."
Snopes Urban Legends Reference Pages
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/aidsmupp.htm
My Google search strategy:
Google Web Search: bert muppet hiv
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=bert+muppet+hiv
I hope this is helpful. If anything is unclear or incomplete, please
request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further assistance before
you rate my answer.
Best regards,
pinkfreud |
