Voting Station

Joan Ganz Cooney

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Producer

The Resume

    (November 30, 1929- )
    Born in Phoenix, Arizona
    Birth name was Joan Ganz
    Founded the Children's Television Workshop (1968)
    Produced Sesame Street, The Electric Company and 3-2-1 Contact
    Received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy (1989) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1995)

Why she might be annoying:

    She described herself as 'a grim, overwrought little kid' growing up.
    She became anorexic in her 20s.
    When she first met Muppeteer Jim Henson, she worried that he was member of the Weathermen (a group of 60s radicals/terrorists).

Why she might not be annoying:

    She survived breast cancer and a double mastectomy (1975).
    She revolutionized television despite having no background in either children's TV or educational TV before creating Sesame Street.
    She said, 'I wish I could tell you that the Children's Television Workshop and Sesame Street were thanks to my genius, but it really was a lucky break.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 21 Votes: 52.38% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 73 Votes: 68.49% Annoying