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Watch: ‘Sesame Street’ stars Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Grover give L.A. ‘a big hug’

VIQ Sesame Street lead art of Bert, Oscar the Grouch and Grover
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Los Angeles has been going through a tough time, but in the words of a few friends from “Sesame Street,” we can get through this together.

Last week, some of the characters from the venerated children’s television show — Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Grover — stopped by the Los Angeles Times to chat with Nicholas Ducassi, the host of “Very Important Questions.” While we anticipated (and enjoyed) a light-hearted, fun conversation with these childhood favorites, it was also reminder of how important it is talk about “big feelings” and to support one another, particular when we’re going through a hard time. Emotional well-being is, after all, the emphasis of the latest season of “Sesame Street,” which kicked off in January.

After last month’s devastating wildfires, the city and many of its residents are now trying to process the heartache of having lost so much while trying to figure out what’s next and how to rebuild. But where there’s heartache, there also hope and optimism — something that “Sesame Street” reminds us of on a regular basis.

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“I cannot give you all a hug right now, even though I want to,” Grover said. “So I’m going to ask Nick here to stand in for all of L.A. and I’m going to give L.A. a big hug. I love you L.A. You are going to be OK. Remember that you are strong and super and you can do hard things. Yes, you can.”

Yes, we can.

“You’ve gotta be there for your neighbors, your friends and community,” Bert said. “I mean, we may lose our paper clips and bottle caps, but we always have each other.”

We always have each other. It’s a reminder to all of us that our family and friends — even the furry ones — can help us move forward. Together.

The venerable children’s TV series enters its 55th season Thursday during a time of change, but its mission to educate young viewers remains the same.

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Oscar the Grouch: ‘It’s OK to be grouchy’

“Sesame Street’s” garbage-can dwelling green monster tells us about his favorite piece of trash and how to put on your best grouchy face.

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Bert on his unibrow: ‘I am brave’

In this segment, Bert tells us why his unibrow is sophisticated (and practical), how he handles big feelings and the best way to get through a tough time.

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Grover: ‘I am going to give L.A. a big hug’

Grover tells us some tips on being a waiter (“Do not work at a restaurant with talking fruits and vegetables.”), how he asks for help and why he’s Super Grover’s biggest fan.

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