Entertainment
Elmo Is Canceled By The Ultimate Grouch
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
News broke last week via The Hollywood Reporter that Sesame Street would soon be without a streaming home after Warner Bros Discovery decided not to renew the show’s contract with HBO. Since 2018, the most popular children’s educational show in history has been part of HBO and, later, Max, where it will remain, or at least should remain, through 2027, when the streaming contract runs out. What that contract doesn’t cover, though, is the new seasons, with Season 55 being the last one available on Max, and the fate of Season 56 is up in the air.
Sesame Street Is Homeless
Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav may be making shareholders happy with his cost-cutting measures. Still, he’s managed to anger thousands, if not millions, of consumers. By pulling entire animated shows off Max without licensing them out to another company, the amount of shows that may never see the light of day again has spiked under his leadership. Sesame Street, despite being an American institution, was not spared from his cost-cutting, as hundreds of episodes have already been pulled from Max.
Though it was under Zaslav’s direction that Sesame Street had been purged, the massive amount of episodes, over 5,000, appeals to other streaming services that aren’t run by a CEO who thinks the best way to gain viewership is through another spin-off of Property Brothers. Sesame Workshop, the independent company behind the series, still has its deal with PBS. The Public Broadcasting Station has been under fire for years as a potential federal budget cut, and even if it sticks around, its future is uncertain. It can’t support the show on its own anymore, hence the need for a broadcast partner.
Sesame Street Is Going Through Major Changes
Season 56 of Sesame Street may not happen for a while, but when it does, it will not only be the first of the new seasons with its new streaming partner but will also be a dramatic format change. The classic short segment style of the series is being retooled into shorter episodes with a more narrative, Tales from 123. The show has changed formats before, dropping from 60 minutes in 2016 to 30 minutes, but no matter what happens, Elmo’s hatred of Rocco has to be carried over.
The switch to more narrative segments that include world-building might be a response to the current king of children’s programming, Bluey, the unbelievably charming Australian program about what life with kids is really like. The difference between the two is that Sesame Street is more like a traditional classroom, with each segment focused on a lesson to learn, and while it’s fun, thanks to the Muppet characters, it’s obviously learning. Bluey encourages a different type of learning, one that’s focused more on understanding the world and the importance of play in children’s development, and both are exceptional together; they are some of the finest shows ever made, but it’s clear why the older PBS series is again changing with the times.
No One Knows What Warner Bros Is Doing
Warner Bros. Discovery is also going through a period of change, which is why leadership decided that Sesame Street no longer fits the type of content they want on Max. Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Abby, Rosita, Bert, Ernie, and all the rest have been sent out onto the streets because Warner Bros Discovery wants to focus on “family” shows, like the upcoming Harry Potter series no one asked for.
Someone, either Amazon or Netflix, will likely scoop up Sesame Street, but until 2027, the show’s entire back catalog will be trapped on Max, which means you can count on whoever picks up the show to have a huge celebration when all 5,000+ episodes are available again, while at the same time, Zaslav wonders why Max is the laughingstock of the streaming industry.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
