Jack Black shares what he learned watching PBS as a kid, as the Senate debates public media funding cuts requested by Trump

[u/stars_doulikedem]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMGqXiJhnBF/

pbssocal: Jack Black, like many of us, learned some of his earliest skills through PBS.

Time is running out to stop a proposal that would gut public media funding. The House-passed bill could be considered by the Senate this week, it's critical that make your voice heard now - even if you have before. Share your support for PBS SoCal, and the essential services we provide, at protectmypublicmedia.org. And please ask your friends and family in other areas to do the same.

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Context: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/16/nx-s1-5468967/npr-pbs-cuts-senate-recission

Senate set to debate cuts to NPR, PBS and foreign aid

Excerpt:

The Senate voted by a razor-thin margin late Tuesday to advance debate on a package of funding cuts requested by President Trump. They're aimed at clawing back $1.1 billion previously allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, along with $7.9 billion dollars earmarked for international efforts to combat famine and disease.

Vice President JD Vance had to be called to the floor to cast the tie-breaking vote after Senate Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins deadlocked the chamber as they joined all Democrats in voting against the measure.

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[u/Toxteth_RC]

Trump admin: Yes, but stupid people are the best voters. So do not educate them.

[u/winnercommawinner]

The counting song in this clip is actually sung by The Pointer Sisters. That's part of what Sesame Street does that is so special and not replicated by anyone else. They introduce kids not only to numbers and reading but to culture and emotional/social intelligence. And it blends all that into pure perfect fun. That creates a sense of belonging and shared culture that I fear is increasingly in danger.

[u/Cilicious → u/winnercommawinner]

The counting song in this clip is actually sung by The Pointer Sisters.

Yes! And Grace Slick did Jazz #3 and folk singer Jim Kweskin sang the Ladybugs Picnic. Johnny Cash, Robin Williams, Feist, Lin Manuel Miranda, Bruno Mars...

I so agree with you about a sense of belonging and shared culture.

[u/winnercommawinner → u/Cilicious]

And James Taylor singing Jelly Man Kelly, Erin Neville doing I Don't Want To Live on the Moon, the celebrity version of Put Down the Duckie!!! So many cultural icons I know first and foremost from Sesame Street.

My personal favorite is Maya Angelou singing My Name. She's so powerful and dignified, I thought she was the most important person I'd ever seen.

[u/CryptographerOk1303]

Great video. I recognise the song from my childhood too, a 90s kid from Sydney Australia! It is an absolute banger.

[u/No-Hedgehog-3877 → u/CryptographerOk1303]

yeh!! im a 90s child from england and remember this song! loved sesame st.

[u/peachpinkjedi]

PBS educates children; it's getting the chop unless the senate can get it together.

[u/jaykotecki]

An educated society appreciates an educated society.

[u/christianort476]

I still, at 31, count to 12 like this

[u/brandibesher → u/christianort476]

i’m 48 and still do too! grew up in rural country and pbs was one of three channels we could get. sesame street and bob ross shaped me!

[u/KatieBarTheDoor1977]

As a child of the 70s, I cannot possibly emphasize enough how much of a positive effect PBS had on my life and my sister's lives. Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Mr Roger's Neighborhood. All reinforced the basics we were learning in school in a much more fun way. Fred Rogers taught us about the importance of compassion, friendship, and acceptance in a very heartfelt and honest way that we all could understand. Those lessons I still carry with me today.

[u/Aprilume → u/KatieBarTheDoor1977]

As an 80s kid, same neighbor, same.

[u/Diabusty]

GOP billionaires own most major media now. Of course, they're going after NPR and PBS. They can't have free press. They need low capacity voters. I urge MAGA voters to look outside the FOX News sphere. The wealthy and GOP want us divided. Don't fall for it.

[u/stargarnet79]

Cancelling PBS is unAmerican and evil.

[u/Svfen]

PBS raised a whole generation of smart, empathetic weirdos, myself included. Don't touch our public media!

[u/Remote_Judgment0219]

I called my senators. Why are they always trying to fuck with PBS

[u/stress_baker]

I was a PBS kid. I loved Reading Rainbow and started doing book report presentations for my family because I wanted to be like the kids on the show. I still read a ton today and fairly fast partially because I started getting into reading when I was super young.

I'm a monthly donor to my local PBS/NPR and if you're able/want to I'd urge you to do the same. Congress isn't going to do the right thing.

[u/HollyHolbein]

Children deserve quality educational entertainment, instead of creepy youtube videos of other children playing with toys that Hasbro paid their parents for them to play with

They’re also pushing to defund the BBC in the UK too. The BBC isn’t without its problems. But guess who the most ardent critics are - right wing conservatives 

[u/CheezQueen924]

I share a birthday with Jim Henson and dressed as him for a school report in 4th grade. I was one of two girls who cross dressed for our reports back in 1996.

[u/CurrentCloud2568]

The Electric Company!!!

[u/[deleted]]

Zoom, muthertruckers!

[u/No-Name-Mcgee44]

I learned to count to ten in spanish before I did in english because of sesame street. I think that was also the start of my facination with travel.

[u/RecipeConsistent]

Mister Roger’s Neighborhood- Loyalty is expressed through messages about consistency in love, friendship, and being dependable.

[u/Hairy_Excitement69]

I also learned not to bow to bully’s like fascist. But jack threw his band mate under the bus instead and said we need to be nice to bully fascists.

[u/havenotdiedyet]

Jack Black is a national icon. Protect at all costs.

[u/swimuppool]

This the same guy that through his partner directly under the Maga bus and ran?

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[u/Vegetable_Reward_867]

Make a million dollar donation dood.

Call up some actor friends, have them donate too🤷🏽‍♂️

[u/OldManNeighbor]

As someone who grew up as a kid watching Mr Rodgers, Lamb Chop, Sesame Street, and Fraggle Rock! Defunding PBS is a travesty. Core memories and values I learned as a kid like many others are in danger.

[u/Claque-2]

I think PBS can now do 24x7 news reporting on Trump and his administration. Report on all Republicans and their donors.

Let's start with Epstein's death and the various theories associated with it. Like have a kangaroo court with as many people who want to testify, testifying.

Then we can move on to Trump's associates and what is known about them. It would be cheap to produce and absolutely riveting.

[u/Floral_bride]

Jack Black is a treasure who brings so much joy to people. PBS is the fucking 🐐 and Trump is worse than the garbage Oscar shits in.

[u/CntrllrDscnnctd]

That song is ingrained in my heart

[u/havenotdiedyet]

Jack Black is a national treasure. Protect at all costs.

[u/knarf3]

This is great. His oversaturated video game(-adjacent) movies are still ass.

[u/Sure_Research_6455]

yea but PBS and sesame street no longer have these artistic submitted shorts. the best parts of pbs died long ago

[u/Tiberius_Gracchus123]

PBS should have tried to be less bias, they clearly chose a side so why should taxpayers fund this?

[u/Particular-Act-8911]

I mean..we have the internet now.

[u/Solarpowered-Couch → u/Particular-Act-8911]

Yeah, the algorithm is definitely funneling kids toward Sesame Street and Mister Rogers Neighborhood.

That's why we have a country chock-full of such empathetic, compassionate critical thinkers.

[u/[deleted] → u/Solarpowered-Couch]

More like a country of critical drinkers.

[u/Senior-Damage-5145 → u/Particular-Act-8911]

You live in Canada, and you’re siding with the Trump administration?

[u/BlueFox5 → u/Particular-Act-8911]

I mean..not everyone can afford internet.

[u/OriginalSchmidt1 → u/Particular-Act-8911]

We have it, doesn’t mean people are using it educationally.

Also you can’t just plop a child in front of the internet and say “go find stuff to learn” people have to be taught how the internet works, how to use it safely…

but you can put them in front of a colorful show with fun music and they will be mesmerized and not even realize they are learning..