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SECOND ANNUAL KIDSNET LAMB CHOP AWARD, HONORING EXCELLENCE IN
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING, HELD JUNE 6, 2001, IN WASHINGTON, DC
Award Recipients Were Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett,
Founders of Sesame Workshop (formerly Children's Television Workshop); and
The Late Jim Henson, for Creation of 'Sesame Street'
WASHINGTON, DC, Thursday, June 7, 2001 -- KIDSNET, a non-profit, national resource that helps parents and professionals use the broadcast media in positive ways, presented the second annual KIDSNET Lamb Chop Award at a gala banquet last night at Washington, DC's National Museum for Women in the Arts. Created in 2000 to honor excellence in children's programming, the KIDSNET Lamb Chop Award was named to commemorate the life and creative legacy of legendary children's entertainer Shari Lewis, a founding member of the KIDSNET Board of Directors, who died in 1998. The Award honors an individual, company or organization demonstrating a continued commitment to providing superior educational and entertainment content for children. This year's recipients were Sesame Workshop (formerly CTW) founders Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, and Muppet creator, the late Jim Henson, for the creation of "Sesame Street."
Hosted by one of the most famous Muppets to date, Kermit the Frog, the evening featured a dinner presentation packed with VIPs from the world of children's entertainment. These included Mallory Lewis (daughter of Shari) along with her "little sister" and award namesake Lamb Chop; Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, Jane Henson, widow of the late Jim Henson and Peggy Charren, founder of Action For Children's Television and recipient of last year's KIDSNET Lamb Chop Award. Also on hand were such officials as FCC Chairman Michael Powell, along with the Commission's Susan Ness and Gloria Tristani; and Representatives including Phil Crane (R-IL), Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA), John Shimkus (R-IL), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Marge Roukema (R-NJ), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), and Nick Smith (R-MI).
Said KIDSNET Executive Director Karen Jaffe, "This award reflects the genius, creativity and intellect of Shari Lewis. 'Sesame Street' has become the single largest teacher of children, reaching over 120 million kids in more than 140 countries. We're proud to give this year's award to Joan Ganz Cooney, Lloyd Morrisett and the late Jim Henson, and we know Shari would be pleased."
Among the evening's highlights were toasts by such guests as Deputy Chief of Mission Mohamed El Zorkany, Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt; and Deputy Chief of Mission Rafael Barak of the Israeli Embassy, and acceptance speeches by Morrisette, Cooney, and Jane Henson, all of whom thanked KIDSNET and Shari for their contributions to children.
Said Morrisette, "In 1984 I had the good fortune to meet Karen Jaffe, and we made one of the initial grants to help start KIDSNET. Since then, the organization has grown to be a potent force for quality children's television. Tonight I am especially pleased to be reunited with KIDSNET as one of the recipients of this wonderful Lamb Chop Award."
Other standouts of the evening included Mallory Lewis singing a heartwarming song with Lamb Chop entitled "Friends Forever." An Emmy award-winning writer/producer who worked on both of Shari's PBS-TV series, Mallory has decided to keep Lamb Chop alive and has brought her own voice and talents to performing with her new partner.
Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett co-founded Sesame Workshop in 1968. Under Cooney's leadership, the Workshop launched its programming inventory with "Sesame Street," the first preschool program to integrate education and entertainment as well as feature a multi-cultural cast. The Workshop invited puppeteer Jim Henson to create a special group of "Muppet" characters for the show, and the rest is television history. More than three decades later, "Sesame Street" has been awarded 76 Emmys and received scores of national and international honors.
And what does Lamb Chop have to say about all of this excitement? At the end of the night, the sock puppet that continues to get into the hearts of young and old, summed up the evening. "I love Sesame Street! First I watched it with Mallory when she was little, now I watch it with Mallory's son. Funny thing, 'cause Kermit and I aren't getting any older!"
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