Elmo and Cookie Monster will be joined by “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Black-ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross and actress Anne Hathaway on “Sesame Street” to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
“Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate” airs today across all WarnerMedia’s television networks, including HBO, HBO Latino, TBS, TNT, truTV, Cartoon Network and Boomerang. (WarnerMedia is the parent company for CNN and HBO, which has a deal to show new “Sesame Street” episodes.)
The new “Sesame Street” special follows Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster and others as they figure out new ways to play together given the constraints of social distancing. The program highlights the roles of EMTs and doctors helping us all through this public health crisis, as well as those can help us bake cookies at home.
Miranda leads rounds of singing “Old McDonald Had a Farm” and Hathaway sings “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” with Elmo.
Ross joins “Sesame Street” regulars singing in a video chat chorus. The episode also features sing-alongs, games, and virtual snacks with Cookie Monster.
“This special will bring family members together for a unique in-home viewing experience that will provide laughter, joy and relief during this challenging time,” Bob Greenblatt, the chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment, said in a statement.
It’s no surprise that Sesame Street, the children’s show which has explained racism, death and other societal troubles in past episodes, would tackle how the pandemic is affecting little ones.
Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind the show, recently launched its Caring for Each Other initiative, which provides “ideas to help your family find ways to breathe, laugh, and play together” during the pandemic.
Besides providing entertainment for kids, the special also offers caregivers ways they can create playful learning opportunities at home.
