Sesame Street’s Rosita is branded racist and could be SUED by civil rights attorney Ben Crump for ‘ignoring’ two black girls at Philadelphia parade – but wasn’t she just refusing to carry them?
- Sesame Street was criticized as racist after a theme park actor in costume ‘blatantly’ ignored two black girls
- Video shows character Rosita gesturing ‘no’ towards the girls at Sesame Place
- Their mom says Rosita proceeded to hug a white girl after dismissing her kids
- The amusement park called the incident a misunderstanding
- The park said the actor was gesturing towards another guest seeking a photo op
Sesame Street has been slammed as racist after video surfaced of a character actor in costume seemingly ignoring two young black girls wanting to say hello.
A mom, who goes by __jodiii__ on Instagram, said her daughters were ‘blatantly told no’ when they tried to confront Rosita, a bilingual Muppet character from Mexico, at the Sesame Place amusement park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
A nine-second clip of the encounter shows the two girls eagerly reaching out toward Rosita, who then visibly dismisses them as she walks by.
Their mom claims the actor then proceeded to ‘hug the little white girl next to us.’
Sesame Place, responding to the incident on Sunday, said the actor confirmed the dismissive hand gesture seen in the video was ‘not directed to any specific person’ and instead a response to a photo request from another guest.
The video was met with outrage online, including from famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump who said the actor’s ‘disgusting behavior’ was ‘absolutely heartbreaking.’
Watch the video below:
Sesame Place confirmed the incident occurred in a statement posted to Instagram on Saturday, but said it was a ‘misunderstanding.’
‘Our brand, our park and our employees stand for inclusivity and equality in all forms,’ the park said. ‘That is what Sesame Place is all about and we do not tolerate any behaviors in our parks that are contrary to that commitment.’
‘We also are, and always have been, committed to making sure every family and every child has the best possible experience at our parks and we are incredibly disappointed when that does not happen.’
The park said the actor portraying Rosita ‘did not intentionally ignore the girls and is devastated about the misunderstanding.’
The statement alleged Rosita was gesturing ‘no’ to another guest who had requested they hold hold their child for a photo, ‘which is not permitted.’
Furthermore, the park noted the costumes worn by performers ‘sometimes make it difficult to see at lower levels’ and that actors occasionally ‘miss hug requests from guests.’