Ted Cruz criticizes Big Bird’s COVID shot — but bird has promoted vaccines for decades
Ted Cruz made headlines after tweeting about Sesame Street’s beloved Big Bird when the fictional character shared that he’d been vaccinated against the coronavirus on Nov. 6.
“My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy,” the “Sesame Street” icon said on Twitter.
Big Bird’s recent shot is part of a public service vaccination campaign from Sesame Street that began shortly after the vaccine’s approval.
Of course, the 6-year-old furry character could only get the Pfizer COVID-19 shot recently once it was authorized for children ages 5 to 11.
However, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wasn’t as pleased with Big Bird’s support for vaccination as others were.
Cruz quote-tweeted the famed bird, writing, “Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!”
Several other conservative politicians piled in on the character, with one declaring Big Bird to be a “communist.”
“Sesame Street” has a history of promoting vaccinations and immunizations that is nearly as old as the 50-year-old senator himself.
As Big Bird noted in his vaccination announcement, he’s been getting shots since he “was a little bird.”
A recent tweet from the Muppet Wiki account showing Big Bird getting vaccinated for measles in 1972 has been viewed over 2 million times.
The clip shows Big Bird coming across a vaccination clinic for measles and reading a sign that implores passersby to “don’t wait, vaccinate.” In another clip, the bird politely gets in line “right away”.
A longer clip shows Big Bird discussing his vaccination status with his pal Mr. Snuffleupagus.
In 1976, “Sesame Street” launched its child immunization campaign, nicknamed the ”Big Shot” campaign, that looked to vaccinate low-income children against polio, whooping cough, measles, tetanus and more, according to Snopes.
Other popular children’s icons historically have been vocal about getting vaccinated.
Similarly, Charles M. Schulz, the artist behind the Peanuts cartoon, began a week-long campaign in his strip to encourage measles vaccinations for children in January 1968. Peanuts previously had encouraged readers to get the polio and smallpox vaccinations, according to comics publication The Nib.
Even ’Star Wars” in 1977 got into the vaccination game.
“Immunize your children, please,” C-3PO said during a commercial posted on YouTube. “And may the force be with you.”
This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Ted Cruz criticizes Big Bird’s COVID shot — but bird has promoted vaccines for decades."
