Democrat Mocks GOP Attacks on PBS, NPR Execs at Hearing: ‘Are Bert and Ernie Part of an Extreme Homosexual Agenda?’

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A Democratic representative at a congressional hearing on Thursday criticized the Republican proposal to cut funding for American public broadcasting, labeling it as unfounded during discussions about perceived bias in PBS and NPR.

10 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, a hearing chaired by the DOGE subcommittee in the House of Representatives, titled “Anti-American Airwaves: Making Executives from NPR and PBS Responsible,” commenced. During this session, both PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR CEO Katherine Maher were called to testify and answer questions.

At the hearing, Subcommittee Member Robert Garcia from California expressed his viewpoint, suggesting that instead of conducting a substantial discussion, the purpose was to criticize NPR and PBS.

Later, Garcia playfully criticized PBS’s Kerger. He inquired about the Sesame Street characters, Bert and Ernie, saying, “These two characters actually reside together. They’re friends, they support each other.” He jokingly suggested that this might be a sensitive topic for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), who chairs the DOGE subcommittee, and others on the committee. Garcia then posed a sarcastic question to Kerger, “Are Bert and Ernie part of an extreme LGBTQ+ agenda?” To this, Kerger replied, “No.

Inquiring about Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s hunts for alleged Communists in the U.S. government during the 1940s and ’50s, Garcia posed a similar question to Kerger: “Has Elmo ever been, or is he currently, a member of the Communist Party of the United States? I need a simple yes or no.

In response to Garcia’s question, “Are you sure, Mrs. Kerger? He appears quite red,” Kerger replied, “Yes, indeed. However, he’s just a puppet, not the real thing.

Garcia went on to say, “I’m employing some humor here, but the reality that we’re discussing defunding public television isn’t a laughing matter. In these times when we can’t even agree on basic truths, and as the free press is under threat, we need independent media such as PBS and NPR more urgently than ever.

On Wednesday, Greene referred to PBS and NPR as “progressive strongholds that cater to a limited, primarily affluent, urban crowd of liberal and progressive whites who often disregard rural America with contempt.” Additionally, she asserted that these public broadcasters engage in the inappropriate practice of “sexualizing children.

Taylor-Greene stated that for a prolonged period, the federal taxpayer has been required to finance biased news. She believes this practice should cease immediately.

During a different part of the hearing, Representative William Timmons (R-South Carolina) questioned Kerger concerning “Drag Queen Story Hour,” a digital program where drag queens read stories to kids that was briefly available on the PBS website. He inquired if it was considered “inappropriate” or a “mistake.” Greene expressed her feelings about one of the drag queens from the series, stating that if she had stumbled upon this individual in her living room or any of her children’s bedrooms, and observed them targeting her children, she would become extremely upset. This is how most parents across the nation feel about the situation now.

In response to Timmons, Kerger clarified that “Drag Queen Story Hour” was never broadcasted on PBS’s stations. She explained that a video of it had been inadvertently uploaded by WNET to the PBS website and was promptly removed.

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2025-03-26 21:52