Big Bird has never been so hot.

US TV shows and hosts including Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Fallon, Piers Morgan, the Today show and Good Morning America have all asked for appearances from the giant yellow Muppet after he was unexpectedly thrust into the presidential campaign by Republican challenger Mitt Romney on Wednesday. Sesame Workshop says Big Bird is declining all appearances.

During the debate with President Barack Obama, Romney called for cutting federal funding to PBS, even though he said "I love Big Bird." It renewed a long-running debate over subsidies to public broadcasting.

PBS chief Paula Kerger says she "just about fell off the sofa" when the issue suddenly came up. She said that if the subsidy goes, so will some PBS stations.