Lemont Native Wins Emmy For Work On 'Sesame Street'

LEMONT, IL — Lemont native and now New York City resident Ed Kulzer recently won an Emmy for his work on the show "Sesame Street." Kulzer was part of the editing team that won an Emmy for Outstanding Multiple Camera Editing this year.

Kulzer grew up in Lemont and graduated from Lemont High School. He credits his former art teachers at LHS: Mr. V and Ms. Mandel for pushing him and recognizing that art is a viable path.

Kulzer said he went to Northern Illinois University as an art major and then moved to New York for grad school where he started editing.

"I got into editing as a means to not starve," Kulzer joked. He freelanced for about 15 years at various companies including Chase and Goldman Sachs, before getting a job at "Sesame Street." He was able to get a job at "Sesame Street" when he was contracted to create a library of past "Sesame Street" content so that HBO could assemble a library of content for HBO GO.

Now he edits about three-quarters of the show and has been working there for three years.

Kulzer's advice for young artists is to keep working.

"There will be tough times and it's going to be a big struggle," he said. "Keep dreaming, and you have to keep working hard."

Photo provided by Ed Kulzer.