ICYDK, there's a Filipino Muppet, and his name is TJ. He's been hanging out on Sesame Street since his debut in May 2023 and making history!
"Meet TJ! TJ is a second generation Filipino-American boy, and a proud kuya (older brother) to his baby sister. He's learning to speak Tagalog with his grandparents, and he is so proud when he gets to put it to use when his family comes to visit from California, where his parents are from. He loves it when they all get together so he can help his mom make lumpia with all the veggies he picked, and so he can play basketball and have a dance off with his cousins," wrote the Sesame Street Workshop.
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The Making of TJ, Sesame Street's first-ever Filipino Muppet
The creation of TJ was a thoughtfully crafted effort. Yinan Shentu brings the character to life as his puppeteer, while Bobby Pontillas, a Filipino-American animator, designed TJ's appearance. Pontillas drew inspiration from two of his friends' children and worked closely with Louis Mitchell, Sesame Workshop's creative director of character design, to ensure that TJ authentically represents Filipino culture.
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TJ made his first appearance on Sesame Street in a segment about confidence. In the episode, he joins Kal Penn, Grover, and Ji-Young, the first Korean-American muppet, to talk about what confidence means.
The brown Muppet shares how he feels confident speaking Tagalog with his lola and asking for help when he needs it. He also admires Grover's confidence as he tries daring stunts, like balancing books on a unicycle. It's a sweet moment where TJ shows how leaning on family and trying new things can build confidence.
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Click here to meet Sesame Street's first autistic Muppet.
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