He rolled onto Sesame Street in a wheelchair with a violin in hand—and left behind one of the most powerful lessons ever aired on children’s TV. In a quiet, gentle voice, Itzhak Perlman told Elmo about things that are easy and things that are hard… and then played the violin like his soul had wings. TikTok is rediscovering the clip, and grown-ups are weeping: “I came for nostalgia and left rethinking my life.” One user commented, “He didn’t just talk about hard things—he showed us grace, grit, and genius.” It was only two minutes—but it changed hearts forever.

Itzhak Perlman Teaches “Easy” and “Hard” on Sesame Street — A Lesson in Music, Perseverance, and Pure Joy

Before he was a household name to young violinists everywhere, legendary virtuoso Itzhak Perlman appeared on Sesame Street in one of the most heartwarming and quietly powerful segments in the show’s history: a simple, meaningful lesson about what’s “easy” and what’s “hard.”

Sitting comfortably with his violin, Perlman—who walks with crutches due to polio—greeted children not with fanfare, but with calm encouragement and gentle wisdom. As he began to play, he explained that some things in life are easy for him, and some things are hard—but that both are okay.

🎻 The magic moment:
Perlman effortlessly played a beautiful, lilting melody on the violin—what’s “easy” for him. Then he slowly stood up and walked across the set with his crutches—what’s “hard.” His message: everyone has different strengths, and that’s perfectly normal.

Children (and adults) watching weren’t just learning vocabulary—they were witnessing dignity, courage, and joy in action.

Why it mattered:

It celebrated inclusion without pity.
It showed disability through capability.
It proved that music is more than notes—it’s heart, resilience, and expression.

Even decades later, the clip remains a beloved Sesame Street classic and a masterclass in kindness, authenticity, and the power of showing, not telling.

“Some things are easy for me. Some things are hard. But that’s okay.”
— Itzhak Perlman, quietly changing lives, one tiny street at a time.