>>> WELCOME BACK. THE SESAME PLACE PARK THEME — THEME PARK IN PHILADELPHIA HAS APOLOGIZED TO THE FAMILY OF TWO YOUNG BLACK GIRLS WHO DIDN'T GET A WARM RECEPTION FROM ONE OF THE PARK EMPLOYEES DRESSED AS ROSITA. TAKE A LOOK. ♪ >> THE PARK SAID THEY'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING THIS RIGHT BY TRAINING EMPLOYEES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, RECOGNIZE, AND DELIVER INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE AND ENTERTAINING EXPERIENCE TO THEIR GUESTS, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT SESAME PLACE IS A LICENSED PARK PARTNER OF SESAME WORKSHOP.
THE PARK ITSELF IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY SEAWORLD PARKS AND ENTERTAINMENT, AND IF YOU THINK THEY DID NOT CATCH HELL FOR WHAT WAS DONE, IT'S CRAZY, AND I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THE TWO LITTLE GIRLS ARE 6-YEAR-OLDS. THEY'RE COUSINS, AND ROSITA WAS THEIR FAVORITE CHARACTER. >> ROSITA HAS AN EXCUSE THOUGH, DOESN'T SHE? I BELIEVE SHE SAID SOMETHING, LIKE, I COULDN'T SEE CORRECTLY THROUGH THE MASK. >> THIS HAPPENED TO MORE THAN ON ONE — >> THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THEY FIRST SAID SHE COULDN'T SEE. SHE HAPPENED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE OTHER CHILDREN WHO WARRANT BLACK. ROSITA SEEMS TO BE A REPEAT OFFENDER. ANOTHER CHARACTER DID THIS. THERE GOES ROSITA AGAIN. >> ROSITA NEEDS TO BE FIRED. >> THERE GOES ROSITA AGAIN. >> IF YOU HAVE TO TEACH THEM — IF YOU HAVE TO TEACH INCLUSION AND HOW TO TREAT A YOUNG CHILD, THEY NEED TO BE IN ANOTHER JOB. >> YES. >> THAT IS NOT SOMETHING — >> IT'S NOT OKAY. >> OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE NOT VETTING THEM ENOUGH. THEY'RE NOT VETTING THEM.
>> THEY'RE NOT VETTING THE PEOPLE. >> IT'S UNFORTUNATE. >> IT STARTED FROM, WE DIDN'T SEE THEM TO NOW, WE'RE DOING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING. >> I'LL TELL YOU WHY THAT'S HAPPENED BECAUSE I TALKED TO PEOPLE AT "SESAME STREET." OKAY? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DO — I WORK WITH THEM A LOT. >> YOU DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THEM. >> I DO A LOT OF STUFF AND I SAID, WHAT THE HELL? BASICALLY THEY SAID, LISTEN. WE'RE ALL OVER THIS BECAUSE OUR CHARACTERS — >> YEAH. >> — MUST BE — THE CHILDREN MUST FEEL LIKE THESE CHARACTERS ARE THE CHARACTERS THEY EXPECT THEM TO BE, SO WE'RE ALL OVER THIS. I SUSPECT A LOT OF WHAT WE'LL BE DOING, IS COMING FROM SESAME WORKSHOP SAYING, OH, NO. WHOEVER YOU HAVE IN THESE — >> HELL NO. >> WHOEVER IS DEALING WITH THESE CHARACTERS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED. WE'RE SORRY WE HAVE TO TALK TO YOU LIKE THIS, BUT CLEARLY YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITH THESE KIDS.
>> I THINK WHAT'S SO UNFORTUNATE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE TAKEN MY CHILDREN THERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MY SON LOVED ELMO. ELMO, ELMO, ELMO, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN GET AN ELMO TO COME TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY BECAUSE THEY ARE LICENSED CHARACTERS UNLESS YOU WANT TO GET A BOOTLEG ELMO. >> IN TIMES SQUARE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF BOOTLEGGERS. >> THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE HAVEN, AND AS PEOPLE OF COLOR, AS ADULTS, YOU DO GET USED TO THESE HORRIBLE MICROAGGRESSIONS AND BEING MARGINALIZED, BUT WHEN THAT HAPPENS TO YOUR KIDS, YOU FEEL SO ANGRY.
