'Sesame Street' to introduce poverty-stricken hungry muppet

America's economic downturn affects all of us, from Wall Street to Main Street to Sesame Street.

"Sesame Street," the long-running staple of childhood television, released a statement Tuesday (Sept. 4) stating that a new, poverty-stricken puppet will appear on the show. Lily, the pink-faced hungry puppet, will premiere on a one-hour prime-time special entitled "Growing Hope Against Hunger," airing Oct. 9 and will highlight issues of hunger and wide-spread poverty. 

Hunger is a very real concern and we don't revel in making light of it, but we think Lily looks a bit too upbeat. It's like Chris Rock said: "real homeless people are too hungry to be funny." Though in all seriousness it's good to see "Sesame Street" continuing its long history of social awareness. 

Now about Bert and Ernie's cohabitation...