Report: Sesame Workshop Not Amused By 'Sexy' Big Bird Costume

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The New York-based Sesame Workshop was not pleased this week with a Halloween costume now on the market, depicting Big Bird in a "sexy" women's outfit.

Yandy.com advertises the "three-piece Big Bird Sesame Street costume" with a yellow dress and a textured to resemble Big Bird's feathers and an accompanying multi-ruffle skirt. The costume also features pin and red-striped stirrup knee-highs designed to resemble the pink-ringed orange legs that Big Bird performer Caroll Spinney has been donning since 1969.

The costume is topped off with a Big Bird headband, and advertised with a remark that "learning the ABCs has never been this cute." It costs $55.95, and was out of stock as of Saturday.

But the Sesame Workshop does not believe the costume is cute at all, and wants it off the market.

The nonprofit said in a statement published by E! Online that the costumes "are not licensed or authorized by the Sesame Workshop. We are working with our legal team to have the costumes removed from the market."

The sexy Big Bird costume is not the only Sesame Street-themed outfit up for sale on Yandy.com. The site also features an adult Elmo costume, featuring a red plush, textured dress, a large orange sash, red knee-high stockings and an Elmo character headband.

Yandy.com, also offers the Big Bird and Elmo headbands without the "sexy" costumes, as well as a Cookie Monster headband and Bert or Ernie masks.

But it is Big Bird who has been in the headlines in recent weeks, ever since Republican candidate Mitt Romney remarked in the first presidential debate that while he likes Big Bird, he wants to end the small federal subsidy for public broadcasting.

The remark spurred an appearance by Big Bird – with Spinney at the helm – on "Weekend Update" on Saturday Night Live last weekend. It has also spurred an Obama campaign ad that uses Big Bird's voice, which the Sesame Workshop has asked to have taken off the air.

And as 1010 WINS Holli Haerr reported last week, the remark also spurred a widespread interest in Big Bird costumes for this coming Halloween, although revelers were left to assemble the costumes on their own because the Sesame Workshop limits its licensing.

The workshop does have an authorized Big Bird costume manufactured by Disguise, E! Online reported.

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