TJ is the first Filipino muppet on “Sesame Street.” Image: Screengrab from YouTube/Sesame Street
Long-running American children’s show “Sesame Street” has introduced its first Filipino-American muppet named TJ, who was shown in the company of actor Kal Penn and the lovable blue monster, Grover. The move is said to be show’s thrust to further expand inclusivity and “diversity diaspora.”
TJ, wearing a striped yellow sweatshirt, made his “Sesame Street” debut at a segment where he learned the meaning of confidence with Penn, alongside Grover and Ji-young, who happens to be Asian-American as well, as seen in a video uploaded on the show’s official YouTube channel last Sunday, May 7.
In a short video, TJ seemed perplexed as Grover displayed “a lot of confidence” as a daring stuntman who aimed to jump above the Sesame Street sign using his unicycle. According to Penn, this characteristic is about “believing yourself and your abilities or abilities of others.”
“I’m learning Tagalog,” he said, when asked how he shows his confidence. “It’s a language my Filipino family speaks and I have confidence because I can always ask my lola for help when I don’t know a word.”
The brown-skinned muppet’s personality appeared to be an inquisitive fellow. He was brought to life by Filipino-American animator Bobby Pontillas, who shared on Instagram that the muppet was inspired by his friends’ children.
“I had the amazing opportunity to work with the geniuses at the Sesame Workshop to create a Filipino muppet for @sesamestreet ! Meet TJ,” he began, while showing an initial sketch of the character. “For his look, I based him off of my lifelong friends’ kids, Max and Mateo, thank you for the inspiration lads.”
“I was blessed to collaborate with master puppeteer Louis Mitchell, the loveliest human on earth. Maraming Salamat Rosemary Espina Palacios @rosemvpmary for masterminding this and bringing me along, Yinan Shentu @aznshents for bringing TJ to life, and everyone @sesamestreet for making this happen,” he said.
The Fil-Am muppet’s debut is an ode to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, according to Sesame Workshop’s Director of Talent Outreach, Inclusion, and Content Development Rosemary Palacios on her personal Instagram page. Recently, people of Asian descent in America have been a target of hate crimes.
“Welcome to Sesame Street, TJ! I’m so proud to help bring some Filipino representation to the neighborhood, and just in time for [AAPI] Heritage Month to show the range in our diaspora,” Palacios wrote.
Palacios also shared that TJ’s learning about confidence is a love letter to minorities, which can help in debunking stereotypes.
“His first segment with @kalpenn and Ji-Young is all about confidence, something I personally feel can help unravel the model minority stereotype. I know my mom is watching, and I hope she’s just as excited and proud,” she said, as she hinted on her mother being a Filipina.
Since its 54-year run, TJ and Korean-American Ji-young are the only Asian muppets who appeared on “Sesame Street,” as of this writing.
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