TV’S Cookie Monster has been ordered by Sesame Street bosses to quit gorging on biscuits — because it gives the wrong diet message to kiddies.
New episodes of the children’s show will see him stuffing his face with fresh fruit and veg instead. The blue furry monster — famed for his love of chocolate chip treats — is also having to abandon his celebrated mantra: “C is for cookie, that’s good enough for me.”
Instead he will croon: “A cookie is a sometimes food.”
Worried Sesame Street chiefs decided to act after an explosion in obesity among youngsters. Sugar-laden fatty foods such as biscuits are blamed. The show is to introduce new characters to promote healthy eating — such as American Fruit Stand.
And celebrity guests including singer Alicia Keys and Hillary Clinton will be seen talking and singing about the benefits of a good diet and keeping fit.
Dr Rosemarie Tuglio, the show’s president of research and education, said: “Sesame Street is concentrating on the need to teach children about healthy foods and physical activity.
“Each episode will open with a health tip about nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest.”
But she stressed: “We are not really putting Cookie Monster on a diet and we would never take the position of no sugar. We’re teaching him moderation.”
This is right, but also wrong somehow.