Urban Legends and Controversies Concerning Ernie
Through the years, some Muppet characters on Sesame Street have been the subject of urban legends. Two of the most frequently mentioned urban legends concerning Ernie include:
- "A rumor spread that Ernie will be dying in an upcoming episode." The rumor began shortly after Henson's death in 1990. Several reasons are cited – including no one else being available to assume the role and helping children learn the concept of death and dying – with several plotlines detailing how he would die. However, Steve Whitmire took over the role of Ernie.
- "It is claimed that Ernie and Bert are a couple". A further rumor is the pending marriage of the pair, indeed an Internet petition advocated this possibility. Sesame Workshop however issued a press release accepting that Bert and Ernie were never intended to be a gay couple.
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