Trump’s distaste for publicly-funded children’s programming may or may not be connected to Sesame Street‘s character Ronald Grump, a grouch who finagles Oscar into relocating from his trash can to Grump Tower.
First appearing in 1988 according to the Muppet Wikia, Grump is a pitch-perfect parody:
Grump approaches Oscar the Grouch to build his “Grump Tower” on Oscar’s property. In exchange, Oscar will get to reside in the new building, plus receive a small amount of trash. Oscar complies and the new “Grump Tower” is built. However, Oscar decides to opt out when he finds out he can’t keep his pets. Grump instead asks for 40 bags of trash to move his tower. Oscar doesn’t have that kind of currency, so the rest of the adults help him out and defeat Grump.
A very similar muppet named Donald Grump eventually appeared sporting a fancy orange hair hat and looking for an apprentice:
Sesame Street has already moved to HBO, though, so perhaps Trump can take a lesson from their new site: K is for Kindness.
• Classic Sesame Street – Ronald Grump Builds The Grump Tower (via LA Times)