. ♪ and sesame workshop often develops new muppets, local characters created to address the needs ofure. earlier this summer, i went to lebanon, to meet with some of the children that would benefit from this project, like 6-year-old azeesa and her brother evibrahim. i walk with them to this school. it's a haven. you can feel it instantly. his teacher tells me he's changed since i starthe startede here. and the children get a surprise visit. it's tom-tom, a muchity from the local version of sesame street produced in nearby jordan. every single detail is thought out, every aspect designed to teach with the local culture in mind. >> we wanted to make sure that he looked afghan. so afghan children could also see themselves when they see him on skrin on-screen. we looked at variousab >> reporter: the next project, a muppet for the what's part of a rescue effort. >> the great american story is that the privileges of the few can be taken to the many. >> reporter: and elmo knows the difference that can make. what do you hope for those kids when they grow up? >> well, elmo hopes the same thin

and sesame workshop often develops new muppets, local characters created to address the needs ofhat cultures little charmer. >> oh, hello, friends. >> reporter: from "sesame's" south africa show, "takalani sesame." >> one in four children was affected by aids. we ended up cathy the first ever hiv positive muppet. her name was cammie. >> the other children at school don't want to play with me because i'm hiv positive. >> we were able to teach children you couldn't catch aids from playing with cammie. but most of all we were able to give children a lexicon with which they could talk about lexicon. >> salam aleikhem. >> another great example is in afghanistan, where only a third of girls are educated. when we created our first local muppet, we thought long and hard but we knew she was going to be a girl. ♪ you know i'm a girl who's going to change the world ♪ ♪ she's going to make this world a better world ♪ >> little boys who watch test 30% higher on gender equity, thinking it's okay for their sister to go to school. and that's the power of media and muppets. >> are you thinking of a characte

and sesame workshop often develops new muppets, local characters created to address the needs of thatanon to meet with some of the children that would benefit from this project, like 6-year-old aziza and her brother, 5-year-old ibrahim. they fled here with their family from aleppo, syria, in 2014. i walk with ibrahim and aziza through the dusty camp to their school. this is the arts center here. this one you did? it's a haven. you can feel it instantly. ibrahim's teacher tells me he's changed since he started coming to class here. then in this little school in lebanon so far from their homes, the children get a surprise visit. it's tong-tong! she's a visit from the local version of "sesame street" from nearby jordan. every part thought out, every aspect designed to teach with the local culture in mind. >> we also wanted to make sure that he looked afghan so afghan children can also see themselves when they see them on screen. so we looked at various fabrics and we looked at different outfits that little boys wear. >> reporter: the next project, a muppet for the refugees, all part of w

. >>> in "pop news" this morning a new addition to the muppets. the new voice of kermit stepping in for steve whitmire lending his pipes to the youtube channel. listen up, here is the new kermit. >> and now for another muppet thought of the week. ♪ >> dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. life is how we get there. i'm headed this way. >> what do you think? >> i mean, it's good. very good. i'm so impressed. >> we were studying it in the investigative unit of "pop news," we were studying the voice and heard a slight difference but pretty darned close. the new voice sounds so familiar. kermit serving up a wise and witty thought of the day and you know before vogel and whitmire, kermit was portrayed by the late, great muppet creator jim henson. we wish you luck, matt vogel as the new kermit, part of the disney family. >>> finally celebrities showing continued support for the people of texas including beyonce. the grammy winner sharing a tribute on instagram saying, texas, you are in my prayers and the houston native pledging to work closel

know i got a new college and then it just was same up all new fenian it has when you are single or might they still feed while some with a major muppet they will feed it to monday and there was a pause me my. thought was more that was as bad as me why you have always be enabled both coming. up. for now praised. the mothers who removed. there's a pill fair there without fail there was it with the phrases was theirs was a mere words of your god was there really no wonder there was said there is a kid those who are this discipline is so important right they could back up a little bit in mechanical myth there is some for you to be really supposed to be with my number one kid in your world who is looking to commit their will feel the right. things on the. phone but i'd rather go for. the little. budget on a boat with. dog on the road i may be limited by the dog. all that will begin to. get your ball. but i couldn't be anybody. teaching just based on. the. justice of my disability or the six foot. six when. it gets a problem. oh yeah what am. i why am i not. i don't mean i've but i wasn't if there's a machine. going. i. think we'll see thi

still ahead he's the most well known muppet creation and this morning we are hearing kermit the frog's new for the first time. >> all right. later an unusual duo. we won't tell you why amazon and microsoft are teaming up to make their vi voice assistans work together. 7:22. >> ♪ >> kid rock getting into the restaurant business. the musician announced his new endeavor made in detroit. it's a contemporary food and music restaurant set to open in little caesar's arena in downtown detroit. kid rock says he plans to keep true to his larger than life reputation making a loud bang in the restaurant business. >> looks nice. kid rock does a lot for his hometown. >> i thought he was going to run for office. >> figure out where we want to go. life is how we get there. hm. >> sound different to you al. >> i was trying to zone out. >> if you close your eyes and listen to it. >> let me hear it. >> ♪ >> okay. >> that's the new voice. >> figure out where we want to go. >> it's doable i mean, it's not the voice but, you know -- >> it's pretty close. >> yeah, but it's close. that's what i doable. >> i'm a s