'Sesame Street' teaches Elmo Arabic: 'What does salam alaykum mean?'

Ramy, what does salam alaykum mean?Youssef explained that salam means peace and that the greeting is generally a way to say hello.Oh, cool, Elmo replied, before repeating the greeting to the children. Oh, salam alaykum everybody. ... Happy Arab-American Heritage Month.Elmo and Youssef then dove into the Sesame Street word of the day to teach viewers another Arabic word.RELATED: 'Sesame Street' targets children for Pride Month ... again: 'This should not be promoted to kids' - YouTube Muppet madrasaIn a video with 1.2 million views on TikTok, Youssef said, 'I'm so proud of my Arab heritage, and I'm so happy to share this month with my fellow Arabs and Elmo. So, thanks, habibi.Elmo, who is neither Muslim nor a native Arabic speaker, again asked for the meaning of the word.Oh, it's an Arabic word for a special friend, the comedian replied.Really? Uh, well, happy Arab-American Heritage Month, habibi. We love you, Elmo concluded.The video might be more jarring if this type of content wasn't part and parcel of Sesame Street in recent years.The show has been heavily invested in promoting progressive politics to children, even extending that to dipping its furry toes into gender politics.RELATED: 'Elmo says ALL JEWS SHOULD DIE': Elmo X account goes rabid, calls for genocide after alleged hack BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images Street smartsIn 2022, Sesame Street promoted gay and lesbian parents to children through a song, and in May 2020 it showcased Jonathan Van Ness, a man who claims to be nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.Other odd presentations have included Hispanic Heritage Month and Sesame Street: The ABCs of COVID Vaccines.Youssef is reportedly a practicing Muslim and is married to a woman from Saudi Arabia.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!