Naomi Osaka Teaches Muppets About Melanin in a New Episode of Sesame Street

It may be the start of cold, dark January, but Sesame Street – as any true fan knows – is always thinking about those sunny days. And in a new episode, the show is tackling the need for sunscreen for all skin types with the help of tennis pro Naomi Osaka.

The four-time Grand Slam singles champion visited Sesame Street to give the muppets a tennis lesson, but she first explained that they needed to put on their visors and apply sunscreen – yes, even those with brown or Black skin.

"See, everybody's skin has something called melanin in it," the Japanese athlete said before addressing Segi, a Black muppet. "People with dark skin like you and me have lots of it . . . We all have different amounts of melanin in our skin. That's why our skin comes with so many different colours."

Naomi isn't the only Asian celebrity guest to appear on the series lately. After introducing Ji-Young, the show's first Asian American muppet, in November, other visitors – including Simu Liu and Padma Lakshmi – are stopping by to help spread awareness of anti-Asian racism and how to combat this type of discrimination.

See an exclusive clip featuring Naomi above, and be sure to watch the new episode on HBO Max when it hits the streaming service on Jan. 6.