A new muppet character is set to arrive in Sesame Street this Sunday and she’s appearing for at least one night.

Named Lily, the new muppet will grace the children’s program to talk about hunger and poverty.

Lily is a 7-year-old girl and her family has dealt with food insecurity. She will grace the primetime “Sesame Street” special titled “Growing Hope Against Hunger” which is set to air this October 9, 2011 and to be hosted by country star Brad Paisley.

The last time that Sesame Street has introduced a new muppet was four years ago for a TV special on military families at a time of war.

Sesame Street was ranked #27 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. And as of 2009, Sesame Street has received 118 Emmy Awards, more than any other television series.

New Muppet ‘Lily’ to Grace ‘Sesame Street’ Special originally appeared on Starmometer on October 6, 2011.

Filipino-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Peter Gene Hernandez, popularly known as Bruno Mars, will appear on the upcoming series of Sesame Street.

The singer/songwriter will join the elite roster of stars who guested on the iconic children’s show which includes Katy Perry, U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, Natalie Portman, Cameron Diaz, Hugh Jackman and Adam Sandler.

Other stars who are booked to grace Sesame Street’s upcoming new season include Nicole Kidman, Seth Rogen and George Lopez.

Meanwhile, The 25-year-old musician has landed an endorsement deal with local brand Bench. The half-Filipino popstar has finished the photoshoot for the apparel’s upcoming campaign at a studio in West Hollywood, L.A., last July 29. Mars will be fully seen on billboards soon replacing the “Bench on Mars” teaser ads which are currently seen right now:

Bruno Mars to be Seen on Sesame Street and Bench Billboards originally appeared on Starmometer on August 14, 2011.

In a press release posted in Warner Music Philippines’s blog, they announced that they will put up a “Sesame Street” corner with TV and DVD set, and books in a public school for the whole month of March to encourage laughter and learning at an early age. Walkaround Elmo and Cookie Monster will be on hand to join in the education celebration.

As ambassador of the Sesame Street project, Blanco will be the face and voice of the campaign in generating support from the media and sponsors and encourage all his friends and fans of his music to participate. The partners will kickstart the campaign in one school and hope to secure sponsorship to create additional Sesame Street corners in public schools throughout the Philippines.

“Rico, a wonderfully talented artist, truly connects with his fans through the power of media,” said Maura Regan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Consumer Products, Sesame Workshop. “His appeal and influence are undeniable and we are thrilled to be working with him to encourage a love of learning with young children in the Philippines.”

Rico was thrilled at the opportunity to be part of the campaign. “I feel blessed to be given this chance to help.” The self-confessed Sesame Street Kid shares, “We’d watch the program everyday and would never miss an episode. We loved the characters, the skits, the art, the music! We would always sing (and sometimes dance!) along to the songs. In fact, along with the Beatles, I’ve always credited Sesame street as one of my biggest early musical influences, shaping my taste in music as a kid, and the kind of music I would later gravitate to as a grown up.”

“As a part of the “Sesame Street Kid Ako” campaign, Blanco will also be working on rock versions of two classic Sesame Street songs which will be performed at a mall concert series. Details to be announced.”

Viewers can catch Sesame Street programming on Disney Asia.

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that revolutionized children’s television programming with the landmark Sesame Street. The Workshop produces local Sesame Street programs, seen in over 140 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap including The Electric Company. Beyond television, the Workshop produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues including literacy, health and military deployment. Initiatives meet specific needs to help young children and families develop critical skills, acquire healthy habits and build emotional strength to prepare them for lifelong learning. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

Image courtesy of Sesame Workshop

Rico Blanco Teams Up with Sesame Street for Education Campaign originally appeared on Starmometer on March 17, 2011.

Sesame Street is well known for its Muppets characters created by Jim Henson. It premiered on November 10, 1969, the year man first landed on the moon. It is the longest running children’s program on US television and perhaps in the whole world. The show is produced by the non-profit organization Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children’s Television Workshop (CTW), founded by Joan Ganz Cooney and Ralph Rogers.

Executive Producer Carol-Lynn Parente said in a statement that Sesame Street is promising to celebrate the anniversary with some changes:

“When you turn on your TV on November 10, you’ll see a brand-new and spectacularly beautiful opening sequence. We’re also launching an entirely new format for the show — the magazine format of Sesame Street, which has been evolving over the years, has been officially replaced with what we’re calling a ‘block’ format. And it’s just wonderful,” she said.

Google is honoring the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street by putting the show’s famous characters on its homepage. First to grace the homepage was Big Bird followed by Cookie Monster. Check out Google’s homepage right now and see if you know who is the featured muppet of the day.

Sesame Street Celebrates 40th Anniversary originally appeared on Starmometer on November 7, 2009.