Since the venerable PB kids' prese...

Since the venerable PB kids' present to view "Sesame Street" began highlighting healthy eating habits, the junk-food-loving, Tarzan- syntax-talking Cookie miscreant has been one its tonic spokescreatures.

Lately, he's added wholesome fruit (gasp!) to his longstanding dessert-only diet.

In an unusually hard-hitting interview airing upon the program at 10 a.m. today onward WTTW-Channel 11, NBC "Today" co-host Matt Lauer grills the voracious down in the mouth beastie about his dietary turnaround.

A clew excerpt from their brief exchange:

Cookie Monster: Me like fruit.

Matt Lauer: And there you have it. Cookie miscreant likes fruit, and not cookies.

Monster: No! You members of the media dab story way out of proportion! Me still like cookies!

Lauer: Then on what account fruit?

Monster: to what end not fruit? It delicious! And healthy. Me still eat cookies, like me world-famous for doing, on the other hand now me eat other things, too.

Coincidentally, Lauer formerly had a very similar exchange with President Bush.

The display is scheduled to repeat onward Oct. 16.

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