The bosses of children's show Sesame Street are refusing to turn popular puppet characters Bert and Ernie gay, so they can get married.

A longtime fan of the show has posted a petition on website Change.org urging the writers and producers to consider a gay marriage episode now that same sex unions are legal in New York, where the program is set.

Lair Scott, who sparked debate with his Sesame Street gay marriage proposal, wrote: "It can be done in a tasteful way. Let us teach tolerance of those that are different."

But a spokesman for the Sesame Workshop insists the idea will never make it to the show: "Bert and Ernie are best friends.

They were created to teach pre-schoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves."

- AAP