We All Live In A Capital I...It's All About The "O"!

I don't know about many of you but when I was a kid in the early 70's, I grew up on Sesame Street and watched it religiously for quite a few years. I'm sure everyone can remember a favorite skit or song no matter what age you are. Many of us watched decades apart as new parents. I did a second tour of duty with my daughters.

One of my favorite cartoons of the series was brought to us by the letter "I". It involved an assortment of little guys that lived in a structure that was a capital letter I. I don't know why I was so attracted to this particular little tune but it had such a catchy little tune and very simple lyrics. I always looked forward to the repeat broadcasts involving the letter I because they always played it. It was my favorite.

Years later I watched Sesame Street again with my daughters and was shocked and dismayed that they had retired the capital I cartoon. I was very disappointed but figured, hey, time moves on. In with the new and out with the old, right?

It wasn't until a few years later when I was playing poker with buddies, that I was able to formulate a theory for its' ommission. Some of my buddies remembered it, some did not. For those who remembered it, they recalled it with the same fondness that I shared. But still, it crept in my mind and festered as I searched for an adequate reason why it was dropped.

It was during my explanation of the skit to my friends that had never seen it, did the reason dawn on me. Then it hit me like a freight train. The skit involves a bunch of little guys living together in a huge capital I in the middle of a desert. All these guys seem to do all day is to clean and polish the I and seemed so ecstatic to do so relentlessly day in and day out. When I started singing the song for my friends, the meaning became crystal clear.

I present the lyrics as exhibit A:

We all live in a capital I
In the middle of the desert
In the center of the sky.
All day long we polish up the I
To make it clean and shiny
So it brightens up the sky.
Rubbing it here
And scrubbing it there.
Polishing the I
So high in the air.

And as we work we sing a lively tune
"It is great to be so happy on a busy afternoon."
And when we're through with the day's only chore,
We go into the I
And we close the door.
Capital I, capital I,
capital I, capital I.

Here is a link to hear the song: http://members.tripod.com/Tiny_Dancer/capital1.mp3

The stanza that clearly stood out as I sang it as an adult was the "rubbing it here, scrubbing it there, polishing the I, so high in the air".

Oh my God! The song is promoting masturbation to young boys!

Now that I see it, I cannot unsee it. As I researched the matter, it became very apparent to me that the Sesame Street folks were very careful putting messages in all of their songs to promote social growth, racial harmony, etc.. Every skit seemingly under the surface had some broad message even if it was not outwardly apparent to children such as the fact that all of the muppets were different colors to instill an understanding of differences in all people and to accept them all (even the grouch).

But I am convinced that this particular cartoon was an inside job and that the writers slipped one past the Sesame Street censors. This cartoon is about guys spending countless hours rubbing an polishing the ultimate phallic symbol...a capital I! And they are even wearing raincoats! In the middle of a goddamn desert!

I think the writers probably made this skit as a joke, thinking it would never get past the decision makers...but it did! And it played for a long time as I recall.

When it was officially pulled from rotation, and the reasons why, are unknown to me. I have never been able to find any stories regarding complaints or an explanation for its' retirement.

But to this day, I get a chuckle out of Sesame Street's pro-masturbation anthem and thank the writers for promoting such a healthy activity for young boys. Some of my friends think I'm nuts, but a few are convinced that I may just be on to something.

For Sesame Street sponsored by the letter I, it was indeed "all about the O"!