Late Show host Stephen Colbert has weighed in on Sesame Street’s newest resident Ji-Young, the show’s first Asian American Muppet.
“She is the coolest Muppet since that one episode where Cookie Monster smoked weed,” joked Colbert, noting that her hobbies include riding her skateboard and playing the electric guitar. “It was the ’70s. Why’d you think he eats so many cookies?”
However, Colbert noted that Ji-Young won’t just get to relax and play with her new friends. The hope is that the seven-year-old will also help counter anti-Asian racism, which has notably increased amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That’s great,” said Colbert. “But is it just me, or are we giving some Muppets more responsibility than other Muppets? ‘Okay folks, bring it in here, I got your assignments. You be grumpy in a trash can, you count everything you see, and you solve systemic racism.'”
Once again, Muppets of colour are left to do the heavy lifting.