Thanksgiving is about helping “Sesame street” debut a historic muppet

Thanksgiving Day, “See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special” will introduce the show’s first Asian American muppet, Ji-Young. In announcing the 7-year-old Korean character, Sesame Workshop said this episode celebrates “the rich diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities as part of the organization’s ongoing racial justice initiative.” Celebrities helping to introduce the historic muppet include Naomi Osaka, Simu Liu, Padma Lakshmi and Melissa King, anall-star judge of “Top Chef.”

USA TODAY spoke to King about her childhood and the special episode. “Sesame Street,” which helped her learn English as she grew up in a Chinese American family in the Los Angeles area.

Her conversation with Editorial Board member Thuan Le Elston has been edited for length and clarity:

Q. Melissa, how did you get to “Sesame Street”?

A.It is an honor and a privilege to be a part. “Sesame Street”To be invited in. It is an API special, and to have their first Asian American muppet, the whole thing is just so exciting, so when they reached out to me, I couldn’t say no. I stopped everything on my schedule to make it happen.

Q. I came over in ’75 as a Vietnam War refugee, and “Sesame Street”They helped me learn English. What was? “Sesame Street”To you as a child

A.“Sesame Street”Definitely taught me English. Growing up, we spoke only Cantonese. By the age of 5, I started watching “Sesame Street.” I remember even juggling Julia Child and Martin Yan cooking shows and “Sesame Street”PBS. So really it’s just been such an inspiring moment for me to be a part of “Sesame Street,”Being able to get to know Cookie Monster, Elmo and all the rest of the gang was truly a bucket list dream.

Melissa King, an all-stars winner of "Top Chef" and now one of its judges, here with Cookie Monster, Elmo and the first Asian American muppet on "Sesame Street," Ji-Young.

Q. Q.

A. You’re going to see me cooking with Ji-Young, Cookie Monster and Elmo. We’re helping children learn about Asian foods, Asian people, and that there are many cultures within the Asian community.

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Q. Q. How did your family react to the news?

A.My family went crazy. It was something I kept secret for quite some time. Once it was announced, my family is so proud of me and to see so much representation out there as well. They were shocked to hear that Ji-Young is the first Asian American muppet (on “Sesame Street”). I think it was just something we never thought about, and so my family is so proud to see just our culture’s being represented, and also to see me be a part of that experience.

Q. Q. How long did it take for this episode to be filmed?

A.It took one day to film.

Q. Was it hard to imagine?

A. Oh my gosh, it was the best day of my life. And I’m not even joking. It was great to be able interact with Cookie Monster and Elmo. It was emotional and made me cry. And it was also incredible to see just how many Asians are part of (the) behind the scenes of it all, from the producers to the puppeteers. It was a really moving experience to just join together as a community and to be a part of an experience that is really all about representation and showing how important representation can be.

Melissa King on the "Sesame Street" set in 2021. She and other celebrities – Simu Liu, Padma Lakshmi and Naomi Osaka – are appearing in the special that will drop Thanksgiving Day on HBO Max, "Sesame Street" social media platforms and on local PBS stations.

Q. Why is Ji-Young debuting on Thanksgiving Day to America – and the world?

A.The whole identity of the episode is coming together with your community, with your family and friends. Thanksgiving is a great day to do it.

Q. What are you and the muppets cooking on the episode?

A.We are currently making dumplings. We are also making dumplings. “tteokbokki,”Korean rice cakes are a classic example of this.

Q. Q.

A. Absolutely. My two little nieces, who are identical twins at age 5, will also be coming over. They are thrilled to find out that Cookie Monster, Elmo and Ji-Young are their friends.

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Melissa King on the set of "Sesame Street" and as a little girl growing up in the Los Angeles area.

Q. Q. Describe your childhood.

A.I grew up on the east side of L.A. Both of my parents worked. Cooking kind of became this thing that I grew attached to, and a lot had to do with just spending time with my mom when she came home from work, and we’d spend that one hour from 6 to 7 p.m. preparing dinner together. When I was 10-11 years old, I began cooking for my family and took on the responsibility. So that when they got home they didn’t have to worry about that. Although cooking was a necessity, it became a hobby and passion. I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, New York. From there, I started my career in San Francisco working at Michelin-starred restaurants.

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Q. Q. “Top Chef,” you came back as a judge this last season where they filmed during the pandemic in Oregon. Was it hard?

A.It was difficult. We didn’t have vaccinations yet, so there were a lot of unknowns. We were heavily quarantined and tested. It was a challenge to be one of the first shows out there in production (during) the pandemic. But we came out very successful. No one got sick. The whole experience of being a judge was a full circle moment for me. I started out as a competitor, and then moved on to being a mentor to competitors. It was a great experience.

Q. Q.

A.Yes, I will serve as a judge at Houston’s. “Top Chef.”

Q. Q. How has the Thanksgiving tradition in your family changed?

A.As a child, turkey was not something we ate. We would have roast duck and always stuff it with Chinese sticky rice. My mom used to stir fry Chinese vegetables. My first Thanksgiving was probably when I was 13-14. There are no rules in Thanksgiving. It’s all about sharing a bounty of food with your family, your friends, and your loved ones.

Thuan LeElston, member of USA TODAYEditorial Board, is the author of “Rendezvous at Altar – From Vietnam to Virginia.” Follow her Twitter:@thuanelston

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