# Are Bert & Ernie gay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727 "2003-09-10T12:25:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/21 "2003-09-10T16:18:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wumpus \* > \*\*Hmmm, does sexual orientation apply to characters who don’t even exist below the waist? \*\* Is that where \*your \*sexual orientation is located? Besides, they \*do so \*exist below the waist, they’ve got this . . . um . . . huge arm . . . inserted . . . up . . . ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/22 "2003-09-10T16:22:32Z")
I was preschool age in the late 60’s and remember Bert and Earnie sleeping in twin beds. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/23 "2003-09-10T16:25:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*That may be the case nowadays, but I definitely remember them sleeping in the same bed some years ago. \*\* How many years ago? My Sesame Street watching days were about 30 years ago and I remember them having twin beds. ---
**Author:** ![alimarx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@alimarx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alimarx)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/24 "2003-09-10T16:42:47Z")
Think about it. They’re puppets. The both have someone’s hand up their bottomsides. ---
**Author:** ![NaSultainne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NaSultainne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NaSultainne)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/25 "2003-09-10T16:47:36Z")
Yup, twin beds, as I recall from early memories of Sesame Street, which, by the by, began in 1969. The fanpage (I know, can you believe there is one?) identify Bert and Ernie as bestfriends. Right in keeping with their presentation on the show. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/26 "2003-09-10T16:54:30Z")
They’re nonsexual beings who share the same bedroom because it’s a comedy tradition. Their relationship is largely a reflection of the decades long friendship between Frank Oz(Miss Piggy, Bert) and Jim Henson(Kermit, Ernie). In fact, one of the windows of Henson’s house is a stained glass portrait of he and Oz with Bert and Ernie mounted on their arms. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/27 "2003-09-10T17:15:53Z")
Give me a break! Next you will be saying the Teletubbies are gay too! ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/28 "2003-09-10T17:44:46Z")
They have slept in twin beds as long as I can remember- I believe each has his forst initial carved into the headboard, too. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/29 "2003-09-10T18:16:57Z")
They were sleeping in separate beds in the early '70s when I watched the show. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727/30 "2003-09-10T18:33:21Z")
The factual quesion has been answered, so I’ll close this thread. Further discussion of the lifestyles of fictional characters is better suited to Cafe Society than GQ. bibliophage moderator GQ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-bert-ernie-gay/200727.md?page=1)