It is 1969. The world is changing, but on a specific set in Manhattan, two puppets are about to redefine how kids understand friendship. Ernie and Bert are the only Muppets to appear in the Sesame Street pilot, and honestly, they’ve been inseparable ever since. But there is one specific image that stuck in everyone's collective memory: Ernie and Bert in bed, side-by-side in their matching twin beds, navigating the hilarious, exhausting, and sometimes surreal hurdles of sharing a room.
Most people think they know the deal with these two. You’ve probably seen the memes. Maybe you’ve even followed the heated Twitter debates about their relationship status. But when you actually look at the history of those bedroom sketches, there is a level of craft and intentionality that most casual viewers totally miss.
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The Bedroom Set was a Technical Miracle
Basically, the apartment at 123 Sesame Street is a basement flat. If you look closely at the windows in the early sketches, they are high up on the wall, just like a real New York garden-level apartment. But here’s the kicker: the bedroom and the living room were actually the exact same set.
The crew would just swap out the armchairs for the twin beds and change the props. It was a masterclass in efficiency.
In the Season 2 premiere (Episode 0131), we got one of the most iconic "nighttime" sketches. Ernie can’t sleep because of a noisy dripping tap. It’s classic stuff. But what’s fascinating is how the physical space of those beds dictates the comedy. Since Frank Oz (Bert) and Jim Henson (Ernie) were literally standing underneath the floorboards to operate the Muppets, the placement of the beds had to be precise to allow their arms to reach.
Bert’s bed is his sanctuary. It’s where he tries to read "Boring Stories" or sleep peacefully before Ernie inevitably starts a brass band at 2:00 AM.
Why the Twin Beds Mattered
Why twin beds? In the late 60s and early 70s, it was a standard sitcom trope—think The Dick Van Dyke Show—but for Ernie and Bert, it served a specific educational purpose. Sesame Workshop has always maintained that the duo exists to show kids that people with completely opposite personalities can still be "old buddies."
- Bert: Serious, studious, obsessed with oatmeal and pigeons.
- Ernie: Free-spirited, chaotic, and deeply attached to a Rubber Duckie.
When you put those two together in a confined space like a bedroom, you get instant conflict. It’s the "Odd Couple" dynamic for the preschool set. In one famous sketch from 1970, Ernie decides he wants to "cooperate" on making the bed. Bert does all the actual tucking and smoothing, while Ernie just "cooperates" by watching. By the end, Bert is exhausted, and Ernie decides he needs a nap because the "cooperation" was so tiring.
It’s a perfect metaphor for every roommate situation ever.
The 2018 Controversy and the "No Orientation" Rule
You can’t talk about Ernie and Bert in bed without addressing the elephant in the room. Or the puppet in the bed. For decades, audiences have speculated about whether the pair is a gay couple. This reached a fever pitch in 2018 when former Sesame Street writer Mark Saltzman mentioned in an interview with Queerty that he always envisioned them as a loving couple based on his own relationship with his partner, Arnie.
The internet went wild.
However, Sesame Workshop was quick to issue a statement. They clarified that while the characters are "identified as male characters and possess many human traits," they "remain puppets and do not have a sexual orientation."
Frank Oz even chimed in on Twitter (now X), basically saying that defining them solely by their sexuality misses the point of their humanity. Whether you see them as a mirror for LGBTQ+ relationships or just two guys sharing rent in a tough city, the core of their "bedroom" scenes is always about the patience required for love.
The Art of the Nighttime Sketch
There is a specific rhythm to an Ernie and Bert bedroom sketch. Usually, it starts with Bert finally getting comfortable. The lights are low. Then, Ernie’s voice cuts through the silence.
"Bert? Bert?"
"What, Ernie?"
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"Are you awake, Bert?"
"I am now, Ernie."
Jim Henson and Frank Oz ad-libbed a lot of this. Their real-life friendship was the engine. They knew exactly how to needle each other. In one sketch, Ernie is worried about his toes. In another, he’s thinking about how many fingers he has. In every single one, Bert’s descent from "calm adult" to "screaming yellow Muppet" is a work of art.
They also used these scenes to teach kids about fear. In the "Noisy Bedroom" sketch, they deal with the anxiety of strange sounds at night. It wasn't just about the jokes; it was about making the bedroom a safe space where even the grumpiest person (Bert) eventually forgives the most annoying person (Ernie).
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How to Apply the "Bert and Ernie" Philosophy
Honestly, we can learn a lot from how these two handle their shared space. If you're living with someone who drives you crazy, keep these "Sesame Street" rules in mind:
- Respect the "Boring Stories": Everyone has their oatmeal. Whether it's a weird hobby or a need for silence, give your partner/roommate space for their version of collecting bottle caps.
- The "Banana in the Ear" Rule: If someone is trying to tell you something is wrong, listen. Don't be the guy with the banana in his ear who can't hear the complaints.
- Forgiveness is the Default: At the end of every sketch, no matter how much Bert yells, they are still roommates the next morning.
The legacy of Ernie and Bert in bed isn't about their relationship status or the physics of how two grown men fit under a puppet stage. It’s about the fact that even in a tiny basement apartment in New York City, there’s enough room for two people who couldn’t be more different.
To really appreciate the craft, go back and watch the "Making the Bed" sketch from 1970. Pay attention to the way the puppets move—the way Bert’s shoulders slump in defeat. It’s a masterclass in non-verbal storytelling that still holds up 50 years later.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch the Originals: Look up the "Sesame Street Lyrics Archive" or the official YouTube channel for the 1970s era "Nighttime" sketches to see the Jim Henson/Frank Oz chemistry.
- Check the Layout: If you're a design nerd, look up the fan-made floorplans of 123 Sesame Street to see how the "shared bedroom" fits into the logic of the building.
- Read the History: Pick up Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis for the full story on how the apartment set was designed.