Elmo’s Pacifier Video

Is it just me, or does anyone find it odd that Sesame Street is starting a week-long video event featuring Elmo talking to toddlers about giving up their pacifiers? This coming less than a week after the American Academy of Pediatrics warned parents against letting their kids under 2 watch TV? Coincidence? Is this really about national “Put Down the Pacifier Day” or is Sesame Street trying to hook that next generation of toddlers with their cute, fluffy secret weapon? I don’t know…I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but it makes me wonder. What’s Elmo up to?

I watched Elmo’s first installation of “Put Down the Pacifier.” It was really cute. What’s not to love about a furry red monster with a big orange nose who talks baby talk? I’m attracted to Elmo’s cuteness the same way I’m attracted to my dog’s furry cuteness. But could there be an ulterior motive here? Maybe. Elmo’s public service announcements about transitioning from a pacifier-addicted loser into a “big kid” just happen to coincide with the new DVD release of “Bye Bye, Pacifier! Big Kid Stories with Elmo,” which just happens to hit store shelves on November 1, only three days before “Put Down the Pacifier Day” on November 4!

What is it with Elmo, anyway? Is he trying to use his cunning baby-like ways to  take down the American family? Remember when people were tearing down the aisles of WalMart, getting into fistfights at Toys R Us to get their mitts on a Tickle Me, Elmo doll? Are you seeing a trend here?

I would bet that parents could get their kids to stop using pacifiers without Elmo’s help. In fact, I seriously doubt that watching Elmo has any effect on getting a kid to give up the pacifier at all. If any of you all out there have kids that are addicted to the pacifier, start watching the Elmo “Put Down the Pacifier” videos when they’re available to the general public on Friday. Let me know if it works for you. But I will not be responsible for your child’s downward intellectual spiral from watching videos. I’m just curious to know if Elmo’s daily message works.

If it does, maybe we could get Sesame Street to produce a video with the Cookie Monster encouraging adults to give up fatty foods. It could be called “Put Down That Cookie.” And maybe Bert and Ernie could be the stars of a series to get people to stop smoking called “Drop that Cigarette Before It Burns You.”

Sometimes I just get tired of being marketed to, even from Sesame Street.