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'Sesame Street' denies writer's claim that Bert and Ernie are gay: They are 'best friends'

"Sesame Street" released the statement Tuesday after one of the show's former writers, Mark Saltzman, gave an interview to online LGBT magazine Queerty Sunday saying the characters were gay.
Sesame Street Muppets Ernie and Bert pose for photographs during a press conference on the 40th anniversary of the Sesame Street in Hamburg, Germany, (Photo by Revierfoto/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY

The makers of "Sesame Street" say Bert and Ernie, the classic feuding Muppets who appeared on the popular children's television show, are not gay.

The statement came Tuesday after former "Sesame Street" writer Mark Saltzman gave an interview to online LGBT magazine Queerty Sunday saying the characters were gay.

"I always felt that without a huge agenda, when I was writing Bert & Ernie, they were. I didn’t have any other way to contextualize them," Saltzman said. "I don’t think I’d know how else to write them, but as a loving couple."

"Sesame Street" denies the claim, however, saying the characters are simply "best friends."

"They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves. Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most 'Sesame Street' Muppets do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation."

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