Sesame Street debuts first Filipino Muppet in effort to expand show’s diversity ‘diaspora’
Heather Hamilton
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Sesame Street’s first Filipino Muppet is the newest friendly neighbor to join the children’s television show as the show looks to expand its diversity “diaspora.”
The show debuted TJ in an episode this week, joining the show’s first Asian American character, Ji-Young, who was introduced during a Thanksgiving episode in 2021.
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TJ and Ji-Young spent time with Grover and actor Kal Penn while discussing the meaning of confidence and how it affects their lives.
“Confidence is when you believe in yourself and your abilities, or in the abilities of others,” Penn explained.
TJ related his understanding of the word to learning Tagalog, a primary Filipino language: “I’m confident because I can always ask my lola for help when I don’t know a word,” referencing the Tagalog term for grandmother.
Sesame Workshop Director of Talent Outreach, Inclusion and Content Development Rosemary Espina Palacios touted TJ’s arrival as “just in time for API Heritage Month [that showed] the range in our diaspora.”
TJ’s character was created by Filipino American animator Bobby Pontillas along with puppeteer Louis Mitchell.
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Pontillas shared his concept artwork for TJ’s character on Instagram, saying, “For his look, I based him off of my lifelong friends’ kids, Max and Mateo, thank you for the inspiration lads.”
TJ’s character is played by voice actor and puppeteer Yinan Shentu.