() — There’s a new kid on the block.
“Sesame Street” recently introduced TJ, its first Filipino character, in a segment with Kal Penn. Grover, TJ and her friend ji younga Korean-American muppet who debuted in 2021, talk to the actor about the word of the day: confidence.
Confidence, Penn explains, is “when you believe in yourself and your abilities, or the abilities of others.”
TJ marvels at Grover’s confidence as he tries to jump over the “Sesame Street” sign while riding a unicycle and balancing on a tall stack of books. And when Penn shares with TJ and Ji-Young that he leans on others when he doesn’t feel safe, TJ opens up about his own experiences.
“I’m learning Tagalog. It’s a language my Filipino family speaks and I’m confident because I can always ask my lola for help when I don’t know a word,” says TJ.
puppeteer and actor Yinan Shentu voices the character of TJ, created in part by Bobby Pontillas, Filipino-American entertainer. Pontillas wrote on Instagram that he collaborated on the character with Louis Mitchell, creative director of character design for “Sesame Workshop.” According to Pontillas, TJ’s look was based on the children of two of his friends.
Rosemary Espina Palacios, director of talent outreach, inclusion and content development for “Sesame Workshop,” also celebrated TJ’s arrival on “Sesame Street.”
“I’m so proud to help bring some Filipino representation to the neighborhood, and just in time for AAPI Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to showcase the variety in our diaspora,” wrote on Instagram. “Her first segment with @kalpenn and Ji-Young is all about confidence, something I personally feel can help unravel the model minority stereotype.”
TJ is the latest addition to a diverse cast of new characters on “Sesame Street.” In addition to Ji-Young, the first Asian-American muppet, the show introduced two black muppets in 2021: Wes and his father Elijah.
Last year, Ameera, a character who uses a wheelchair, debuted in “Ahlan Simsim,” the version of “Sesame Street” that airs in the Middle East and North Africa.
