Ernie and Bert

Ernie and Bert are beloved puppet characters from the children's television program Sesame Street, where they have appeared since 1969.

The pair share an apartment and exhibit contrasting personalities: Ernie is playful, mischievous, and fond of his rubber duckie, while Bert is serious, easily frustrated, and obsessed with pigeons and paperclips.

Their odd-couple dynamic has made them cultural icons representing friendship between opposites.

The characters are sometimes referenced in discussions of same-sex relationships, though the show's creators maintain they are simply friends without sexual orientation.