Mark Saltzman was one of the writers for the popular kids TV show Sesame Street decades ago and helped create the characters Bert and Ernie. According to Saltzman in a new interview with Queerty, he has some surprising information about how the relationship between Bert and Ernie really was.
Saltzman is saying that Bert and Ernie were characters written out to be a gay couple. This isn’t so surprising considering that they slept with each other many times on the show. He added that inspiration for their relationship came from his own relationship with film editor Arnold Glassman.
A spokesperson for Sesame Street is now denying this claim to TMZ. The relationship is supposedly the opposite from what Saltzman is describing.
“As we have always said, Bert and Ernie are 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, they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.”
Frank Oz is a puppeteer for Sesame Street and also shut down Saltzman’s claims of the two characters being gay.
“It seems Mr. Mark Saltzman was asked if Bert & Ernie are gay. It’s fine that he feels they are. They’re not, of course. But why that question? Does it really matter? Why the need to define people as only gay? There’s much more to a human being than just straightness or gayness.”
It seems that one will really know for sure if Ernie and Bert were actually gay and were dating each other. Regardless, the two had a very solid relationship and are two of the most memorable cartoon characters in TV history.
