Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney got the whole world talking after the Oct. 3 presidential debate, when he threatened to stop funding for PBS, adding defensively that he still likes Big Bird. Suddenly Big Bird became one of the those talked-about figures in pop culture. The Obama campaign used the character's image to attack Romney, although Sesame Street disapproved. Now another group is fighting on Big Bird's behalf this election season.
According to Zap2it, Michael Bellavia and Chris Mecham recently started a campaign to save PBS funding, creating a website for their movement, as well as a Twitter account. Now they're planning a march on Washington, called the Million Muppet March.
Between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Nov. 3 at the National Mall, protesters are invited "for a morning of fun in the largest gathering of muppets to ever march on Washington in support of public broadcasting." Participants are asked to bring their own puppets with them.
The protest has no official connection with Sesame Street, but it has already garnered support from celebrities like Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder and pop culture icon Pam Grier.
Sesame Street isn't the only PBS program Americans are afraid to lose. Other series, like the British show Downton Abbey, are adored by PBS viewers. Will another protest involve participants dressed in period attire to save the beloved TV import? It seems like only a matter of time.