It’s long been suggested that Sesame Street’s bachelor-type roomies Bert and Ernie have all the makings of being a homosexual couple but it can now be a topic put sternly to bed as the producers of the long-running TV show have officially claimed Bert and Ernie “best friends (that) 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(please, no fisting jokes), and do not have a sexual orientation.”

The uproar began when an online petition started up at change.org to persuade the creators to marry the duo in an attempt to help put a stop to bullying and the suicides of LGBT people.  The petition re-iterates "In this horrific age of LGBT kids taking their own lives, they need to know that they ARE BEAUTIFUL and their lives are worth living. Aside from those that are committing suicide, the bullies that facilitate these tragedies need to learn that homophobia is NOT okay. They need to know that acceptance of their fellow human beings would indeed plant a seed of peace that will reverberate throughout the world."  

Whilst there has been a favourable response to the petition, almost 9000 people have signed on, the Sesame Workshop has no intentions of hitching the two. Shame, I think ‘Bernie’ would sound great next to Bennifer and Brangelina.