A mom of two young Black girls called out Sesame Place Philadelphia, claiming a performer dressed as a Sesame Street character intentionally dismissed her daughters over the weekend, sparking a fierce backlash online.
In the now-viral video posted on the mother's Instagram account on Saturday, July 16, her two young daughters are seen excitedly reaching out to the popular character Rosita, the first bilingual muppet on Sesame Street.
Although it appears that the performer had interacted with other kids before reaching the girls, the video shows the character shaking her head "no" in the direction of the two young Black children, according to the New York Post.
Mom blasts Sesame Place Philadelphia on Instagram
The mom could not hide her disgust on Instagram, writing, "We were on our way out of sesame place, and the kids wanted to stop to see the characters." She added that this disgusting person blatantly told their kids "NO" and hugged the little white girl next to them.
Sesame Place Philadelphia responded through a statement on Instagram on Sunday, saying that the costumes its performers wear sometimes make it difficult for them to see at lower levels and that sometimes their performers miss hug requests from the theme park's guests.
Sesame Place said the performer who was portraying Rosita did not direct the "no" hand gesture, which was used more than once in the video clip, toward any specific person but was instead gesturing that way in response to multiple requests from someone in the crowd who asked Rosita to hold their kid for a photo which is not permitted.
The statement added that the Rosita performer did not intentionally ignore the girls and is devastated about the misunderstanding. They have already spoken with the family and extended their apologies, with Sesame Place inviting them back for a special meet-and-greet opportunity with their characters.
The angry mom, who has not responded to NBC News' request for comment, reacted to Sesame Place's statement shortly after in an Instagram story, calling the Philly theme park's apology disrespectful and distasteful.
Kelly Rowland chimes in, sides with mom in dispute
She wrote that she wholeheartedly felt as though that statement was released for them to save face. The mom was still mad, writing, "Don't try to tell me he can't see lower levels. He looked at them and said no!!"
Further backlash regarding the incident ensued when star singer Kelly Rowland chimed in with her own frustration. The Destiny's Child member posted on her Instagram stories about the snub, writing that the whole parade would have been in flames if that had been her.
She further expressed her disappointment, questioning why the character did not speak to the child. Rowland then noticed the baby's face at the end of the clip, the little one with the pink on, saying that she deserves an explanation, USA Today reported.
