Sesame Street is 40 today - Google celebrates in style.

I’m not far behind Sesame Street in the age stakes - and as I was born in the US, I had early and regular doses of inspired madness from the Children’s Televison Workshop before returning to the comparatively limited TV of 1970’s Ireland.

Funded with millions from the Carnegie foundation, the show ploughed this money into the ideas of innovative educationalists, superb musicians - and Jim Henson’s team of anarchic puppeteers. The series had a visual wit and pace that was hugely influential, and they pioneered techniques to present information and knowledge in the most sticky of ways, to the most fickle of audiences. I’m convinced that Sesame Street was one of the influences that made me a visual communicator!

Their website has a brief section on the history of the show, as well as some classic clips that are worth seeing.

Have a Sesame weekend!