This Blog

This blog is about, but not limited to: Black Folks, my epic battle with Wynton Marsalis, puppies, rainbows and unicorns (because chicks dig that crap), hip-hop (and why I hate most of it), the mundane, the profound, Apple Inc., marriage, White folks, children, chocolate chip cookies… and oh yeah, the meaning of life. So kick off your shoes and make yourselves comfortable. (Leave your socks on though. You don’t need to get that damn comfortable). If you read something you like, feel free to leave a comment.

Call Him by His First and Last Name Roosevelt Franklin (voiced by Matt Robinson who played Gordon), appeared on Sesame Street as the first Black (as in reddish-magenta) muppet from 1970-1974. He attended Roosevelt Franklin (baaaaah) Elementary School along with his friends, Hard-Head Henry Harris (so named because he was a dumbass), Smart Tina (so named because she wore glasses and was therefore obviously smart), Suzetta (so named because she was voiced by Loretta Long who also played Susan). Of all the kids in class though Roosevelt was not only the smartest he was also the coolest and would very often teach the class important lessons before scatting and be-bopping his way out the door. (Come to think of it, I don’t ever recall seeing an adult teacher.)Despite his popularity, Roosevelt was dropped from Sesame Street after letters complained that he and his rowdy counterparts were considered to be negative stereotypes. Being a child at the time, I had no idea what happened to him. I just knew that a muppet I liked was gone. However, in retrospect, I have to admit the characters were pretty obnoxious. I would have probably been just as annoyed by them asking my wife, “Why do we always have to be dancing and/or singing?” Most likely I would have been one of the parents insisting upon his immediate dismissal.Still, I can’t help having fond memories of him. He was after all the first muppet that I thought resembled me. This blog though is not dedicated to the memory of a deceased character but instead ressurects him by casting him in the role of one of the many little Black boys that grew up with him and now have families of their own.I just hope to God nobody sues me.