The former writer saw Bert and Ernie as "couple in love", Sesame's workshop does not agree: NPR

A new life has been instilled into a perpetual debate this week, when an elder Sesame Street The author revealed that not only did he consider the beloved characters Bert and Ernie as a gay couple, but that he used his own relationship as a source of creative inspiration.

On Sunday, Queerty published an interview with Mark Saltzman, who worked on the series in the 1980s and 1990s, asking if he thought of Bert and Ernie as a gay couple.

"I've always felt that without a huge agenda, when I was writing Bert and Ernie, they were," Saltzman said. "So I do not think I'm able to write otherwise, but as a couple in love."

Saltzman was in a long-term relationship with another man when he joined the series. "That's what I had in my life, a relationship between Bert and Ernie, how could that not permeate?"

Saltzman said Queerty that even though the inspiration behind his writing was clear, he was not exactly open about it at work.

"I never would have told the editor:" Oh, I'm writing this, it's my partner and me, "said Saltzman.

Even though Saltzman expresses it now, his word is far from being the last in the matter.

The organization behind Sesame Street quickly intervened, reiterating his long standing position: Bert and Ernie are only friends.

"As we have always said, Bert and Ernie are best friends," said Sesame Workshop. "They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves.Although they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and features (like most Muhammad Sesame Street), and do not have sexual orientation. "

The back and forth is only the last of a conflict that has been going on for years.

The declaration of Sesame Workshop published Tuesday is the same as that which was published seven years ago. Sesame Workshop was responding to an online petition that called for the duo to get married.

The state of Bert and Ernie's relationship was also particularly marked in 2013 when New Yorker featured the couple huddled on the couch probably looking at the Supreme Court's decision in favor of gay marriage.

He called himself "Moment of Joy" by Bert and Ernie.

He even made his way overseas when a judge ruled in 2015 that a bakery run by conservative Christians in Northern Ireland was discriminating against a customer by refusing to make him a cake Bert and Ernie.

During the debate, are they or not? can never end, some people wonder why it's even important.

Frank Oz, who is credited with Bert's creation in 1969, as well as the original character, tweeted on Tuesday"It seems that Mr. Mark Saltzman has been asked if Bert and Ernie were homosexuals – it's fine that he feels they are not, of course."

Oz continued, "But why is this question really important? Why the need to define people as uniquely gay? There is much more to a human being than straightness or gayness."

Pressed by other Twitter users on how he could contradict Saltzman's point of view, Oz doubled: "I created Bert. I know what and who he is.

"We really have to stop talking about this" tweeted writer R. Eric Thomas. "These are Muppets, I can not summon energy to have a position beyond" anything. "Ernie did not launch the first brick at Stonewall."

But as others have pointed out, Sesame Workshop 's denial of Bert and Ernie' s relationship on the basis that puppets can not have a sexual orientation would seem to contradict the heterosexual romantic feelings expressed by d & # 39; other beloved Muppets, like Kermit and Miss Piggy.

Louis Peitzman from Buzzfeed News tweeted"I do not really care if Bert and Ernie are gay (they are), but I'm definitely more than just straight people who tell me that homosexual identity has not happened. ;importance."