While Michelle Obama‘s visit to Sesame Street tonight in commemoration of the PBS flagship’s 40th Anniversary was to be the big news of the day, the first lady will unfortunately share the headlines as The legendary children’s program is being blasted by conservative bloggers for being politically laced.

Get this, the lovable Muppet Oscar the Grouch is at the epicenter of a political controversy as conservative bloggers are fuming about a now two year old sketch that allegedly takes jabs at their media headquarters, FOX News.

The show recently rebroadcast a 2007 episode in which Oscar starts his own television channel called “GNN,” for Grouchy News Network. Grundgetta, a female Muppet viewer, calls into Oscar’s show and threatens to turn the dial. “From now on, I’m watching Pox News. Now there’s a trashy news show,” she exclaims.

Obviously a innocent stab at FOX, the conservatives bloggers broke out their online pitchforks.

“PBS – a network partially funded with my tax dollars – has the right to tell my kids that their parents watch “trashy” news?” said conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart of Big Hollywood. “The message is clear, I can’t even sit my kids in front of ‘Sesame Street’ without having to worry about the Left attempting to undermine my authority. “

Would you believe a Sesame Workshop spokeswoman actually felt the need to respond to the foolishness?  The network insists the segment was a harmless parody.  PBS’s ombudsman Michael Getler confesses that the producers should have steered clear of using names as transparently similar to Fox as Pox.

I don’t know what was in the head of the producers, but my guess is that this was one of those parodies that was too good to resist. But it should have been resisted,” Getler said. “Broadcasters can tell parents whatever they think of Fox or any other network, but you shouldn’t do it through the kids.”

Ha ha ha.  Now that’s some funny ish.  What w’e've gotta remember here is that this wasn’t the mastermind of producers to indoctrinate children with subliminal political innuendo.  Children’s programs have been notorious for including subtle humor to appeal to and entertain adult viewers stuck watching the program with their kid instead of the news, sports or soap operas.  HOWEVER, Breitbart does make a very valid point.  If this was any other station it might be cool but given the fact that PBS is funded by contributions from members and government subsidies instead of advertising, they might have a greater responsibility to be neutral.  I still think its funny though.