TVSquad

If the very thought of the fledgling economy makes you just a little bit sad, get some Kleenex and a shoulder to cry on because you're about to bawl your eyes out.

If you are the kind of heartless bastard who won't cry at the discovery of this news, you should. Get a fork, poke yourself in the eyes, and let nature take its course.

The Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization that created the world's greatest kids show in the history of whatever, is laying off a huge chunk of its staff.

The Associated Press story doesn't spill much in the way of details except that they will lay off 20 percent of their workforce, which is roughly 67 jobs. An unnamed producer of Sesame Street confirmed the layoffs are because of the recession.

Now I could make a bunch of tactless jokes about how Sesame Street is one Dow Jones point away from becoming Skid Row or that it looks like everyone will be living in garbage cans and Oscar will rake in the dough as their new slumlord.

But I really don't want to. This flat out sucks. I, like a lot of tubeheads, spent a good portion of my childhood afternoons plopped in front of the TV watching Sesame Street, one of America's oldest and most rock-solid institutions like Safeway, monster trucks and videos of dads getting hit in the testicles with a wiffleball. The effect it had on me and my development has been a strong one. I haven't even cared about the show in the last 20 years, and the news has put me in a mood foul enough to write H.P. Lovecraft fan fiction.

Parents, do yourself a favor and don't tell your kids about this. Unless, of course, they have been misbehaving.

[via AP and Variety]