We Are Family
Video — 3:14
DVD menu including shot of Robin, who does not appear in the video.
cover for "Special Library Copy" DVD, made available to schools
The We Are Family Foundation produced a cover version of the Sister Sledge song "We Are Family," featuring more than 100 well-known children's characters, to promote diversity and tolerance. The video debuted as a public service announcement on Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and PBS on March 11, 2002, and was issued as an educational DVD free to US public and private elementary schools in March 2005.
The song and video featured the Muppets, Sesame Street, and Bear in the Big Blue House characters together with stars from other children's shows.
The project was coordinated by former Chic lead guitarist Nile Rodgers (co-producer and co-writer of the song "We Are Family" and founder of the We Are Family Foundation), Christopher Cerf, and Bear in the Big Blue House creator Mitchell Kriegman.
Publicity for the video was largely hijacked by U.S. conservative groups, saying it was a vehicle for "pro-gay propaganda." Focus on the Family commented that they "see the video as an insidious means by which the organisation is manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids."[1]
Characters[]
Casts of Sesame Street, Bear, and Between the Lions on the street
The Muppets (credited in DVD booklet to The Muppet Show)
Sesame Street
- Big Bird, Elmo, Hoots the Owl, Oscar the Grouch, Telly Monster, Zoe, Baby Bear, Grover, Snuffy, Alice, Rosita, Count von Count, Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Lulu, Chickens, Bob, Linda, Gordon, Alan, Maria, Luis, Gina, Gabi, Miles
Bear in the Big Blue House
Non-Muppet productions
- The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Arthur, The Backyardigans, Barney, Between the Lions, Blue's Clues (and Blue's Room), Bob the Builder, The Book of Pooh, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Dora the Explorer, Dragon Tales, The Fairly OddParents, Higglytown Heroes, JoJo's Circus, Kim Possible, The Koala Brothers, LazyTown, Lilo & Stitch, Little Bill, Madeline, The Magic School Bus, Oswald, Out of the Box, The Proud Family, Rolie Polie Olie, Rugrats, Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat, SpongeBob SquarePants, Stanley, Zoom; unlisted: PB&J Otter
Human Stars
- Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg, Nile Rodgers, and Diana Ross
Credits[]
- Executive Producers: Christopher Cerf, Nile Rodgers
- Producers: Nancy Hunt, Mitchell Kriegman, Gina Legnani, Michael Levine, Nile Rodgers
- Directors: Bill Berner, Scott Bryce, Rick Fernandes, Ken Ferris
- Writers: Christopher Cerf, Rick Fernandes, Mitchell Kriegman, Noel MacNeal, Nile Rodgers, Norman Stiles
- Special Thanks: Pam Arciero, Anthony Asbury, Heather Asch, Fran Brill, Tyler Bunch, Kevin Clash, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Melissa Dino, Vicki Eibner, The Jim Henson Co., John Henson, Eric Jacobson, Nancy Kanter, John Kennedy, Jim Kroupa, Tim Lagasse, Peter Linz, Rick Lyon, Noel MacNeal, Sonia Manzano, Joey Mazzarino, Debbie McClellan, Bob McGrath, Jerry Nelson, Roscoe Orman, Carmen Osbahr, Frank Oz, Marty Robinson, Dave Rudman, Carroll Spinney, John Tartaglia, Matt Vogel, Steve Whitmire
Notes[]
- On the menu for the DVD release, Kermit appears with Robin the Frog, but no such shot is included in the final video.
- Eric Jacobson had prerecorded his vocals for the video when Diana Ross requested to appear alongside Miss Piggy for the video. Due to Jacobson's schedule on Sesame Street, he was unavailable for such a performance, so Frank Oz was brought in to record her scene alongside Ross and lip-synced to Jacobson's vocals.[2]
- The song "We Are Family" was also covered by the Sesame Street characters on two other occasions. The first was in the Sesame Street Live show Out of This World, and the second was in the Sesame Street Party Parade at the Sesame Place and SeaWorld theme parks.