The Teletubby Controversy

[Esther]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Now, I do mean for this thread to be for mature discussion. If you cannot handle the information that I am about to feed you I suggest that you click "Back" on your button menu.

I also would like to mention how I got this information from the Wikipedia. Please do not say you disagree with me. You are disagreeing with the people who wrote the articles for this Wikipedia article, do not PM me outraged.

Thank you.


Today I was going through the Wikipedia and came across "Teletubbies" a once popular British T.V show that included 5 "aliens" that live in a world of their own, it consists of a large rolling grass landscape and a little dome which they eat and sleep in. The creatures are called "Tinky-Winky" "Dipsy" "Laa-Laa" and "Po".

Now, most recently the T.V show was considered "not suitable for young audiences", why?

It was considered to have phsycadellic features which relate to drugs and homosexuality. The main reason is the "Tinky-Winky" character.

The creature is a male, but his item of choice is a magic bag (a purse) which he carries around on his arm. At first it was ok, until in one episode he tried on a tutu and a skirt and danced around with the other two female characters. He was then considered a homosexual.

This is when parents started getting antsy about the whole thing. Then they realized that the characters did not speak proper English.

They were found to be either talking in jiberish or Cantonese. Yes, Cantonese. But it doesn't stop here, a Po doll was reportedly saying "Fatty Fatty" "Fa**** Fa****" and "Fai Dee Fai Dee (Faster, faster)"

I myself have heard these little phrases from the red toy, it is quite disturbing.

In one episode a character is crushed by a gigantic E, symbolysing ectasy. As well as the characters living in a phsycadellic enviorment and sometimes getting "zoned out".

What do you think about the Teletubby controversy? Is this all fake? Or do you think somehow the Teletubby company is trying to actually implement these messages? Please discuss.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT]

[Delta]

[COLOR=#A18A58]Man, it takes [i]a lot[/i] of imagination to come up with things like this. It's kinda like that spoof some guy did on Bert and Ernie's segment in Sesame Street, them puppets cavorting in triple-x fashion and all. Unless those kids think waay too old for their age, "faster, faster" won't call up risqué scenes in their little heads (and besides, if it's really in Cantonese then non-Cantonese speakers won't have a clue on what they're saying in the first place, yeah?)

Those who look for sexual innuendo [i]will[/i] find it in even the most well-meaning stuff. They sure got a lot of time in their hands.[/COLOR]

[Raiyuu]

[color=DarkGreen][font=Trebuchet MS]Just people being reactionary as usual.

I've no idea whether it's true or not, but apparently all the characters in [i]The Magic Roundabout [/i]symbolised a different drug; Dylan the rabbit was cannbis, Ermintrude the cow was ecstasy (I think). I don't know if that's why it was discontinued, and I don't know whether it was even true, or just parents watching and jumping to conclusions.

And does anyone remember [i]The Clangers? [/i]The little alien creatures that spoke in whistles. That was abruptly cancelled because the script for one episode contained the word [spoiler]wanker[/spoiler]. The voice actors were whistling, for goodness' sakes. It isn't like anyone, much less children, could turn around and say, "I think that Clanger just whistled a bad word".

I do remember Tinky Winky and his bag, and so what if he was gay? Children are going to find out about homosexuality sometime, it might as well be in the form of a big, friendly TV character that they trust.
[/font][/color]

[Drifting soul]

Ok let's make this clear- People who make kids tv shows only want to do just that, make something that little kids will like. Adults who don't see it in the same way as children will look at it in a different way and get the wrong message.
Think about that Beatles song 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds'. Everyone thought that was about drugs but it was really based on a drawing that a little girl did for her uncle.
I have to admit though it was really annoying when a few years back everyone started talking like the Teletubbies. They could at least teach kids to talk properly and give the parents one less thing to complain about.

[Dragon Warrior]

All I know is the show is actually just mindless dribble. When I watched an episode of it so I could point out things to make fun of in my movie parody I was making, I was dying slowly due to lack of intelligence. Sure, it's for kids, but for five minutes straight the purple teletubby slid up and down the same slide over and over again. (That's not an exaggeration, I clocked how long they did it for). That's five minutes of my life down the drain. And the baby in the sun is just weird, but I'm sure it amuses the kiddies.

It's not meant for adults, so I shouldn't say anything, but what does it do for kids? Just a lot of pretty colors and weird sounds. Oh, and a few familiar nursery rhymes (which they repeated seven times, also not an exaggeration).

[x_kr3w_x]

I think the maker made it so that one of the characters are "gay" because u know how the post says that they try to tell the kids about drugs and stuff and mabey he is trying to say that drugs are always going to be a part of the world and homosexual people are goin to be to so that you have to live with it...i guess

[Retribution]

[size=1]Who cares if one of the characters is gay? They're aliens for goodness sake. [b][i]Aliens.[/i][/b] As for the drug and sexual references, I think that's coming from people who are conspiracy theorists and love to come up with reasons why things are indecent, such as Barney.

Who cares if the aliens are saying "Faster, faster" in Cantonese if they're more mumbling than anything else, and the target audience is not those who speak Cantonese, but rather, English speakers.[/size]

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]Interesting, most interesting.

I have but three words: [B]I knew it[/B]. My sister was addicted to Teletubbies when she was growing up and I always found something very creepy about those four aliens and their surreal little environment, and now we have the proof. OK, being serious now, in all honesty I have no idea whether or not this controversy is true, but I did honestly find those four to be very, very alarming.

When you actually look at the "facts" provided however it does make you wonder whether or not there was some kind of ulterior motive for it's production. I suppose we ought to be glad the children still have the far less disturbing Barney the Dinosaur to entertain them. [/SIZE]

[Semjaza]

Is this suddenly 1998?

[Citrus]

[SIZE=1]Heh.

Well, first off Teletubbies are like, weird. And yes, one of the cast members is very feminine even though he is a male. But half the facts you have are true, I did a little research of my own and found that a character does in fact get crushed by a gigantic E. I don't know if that symbolizes ecstasy but it does have a major similarity.

[quote name='Generic NPC # 3']Is this suddenly 1998?[/quote]

Spam. xD[/SIZE]

[Annie]

[size=1][color=indigo]Hm. It seems that for a long time, specifically in the year Generic stated, there was a lot of controversy and talk about all children's programs. Teletubbies, Blues Clue's, Barney, etc.

Now, I have 2 nieces, and they absolutely loved Blue's Clues and Teletubbies. I didn't mind Blue's Clues; I actually enjoyed it, and hated the people who tried to peg that show for being anything more than a children's program. Teletubbies on the other hand frightened me. There is just something about them that freaked me out. It wasn't only because of that feeling that I didn't like this show for my nieces; it was because the program just wasn't as educational and helpful to a child's mind developement as Blue's Clues or Barney.

The baby gibberish doesn't help a child speak much better. And its a proven fact that if you talk to your child [at toddler age] on a normal, adult level, that your child has a better chance at speaking properly. Talking all baby-like doesn't do anything for their speech development.....Anyhow, the whole controversy around Teletubies could be true. It could be some producer who couldn't make it with a certain idea, got pissed off, and decided to get back at people. It's been true for so many movies, television productions, and most definitely in music.

Controversy or not, Teletubbies was not a good show for children; be it because of the sex, drugs and horrible messages, or lack of proper child development. [/size][/color]

[hidaboy]

personally, i think the creators were high well inventing "the teletubbies", wich would suggest drug use.

[DeadSeraphim]

[color=indigo][size=1][font=arial]Really, if you're looking for drug references and in general screwed-upness in a kid's show, Teletubbies are barely the tip of the iceberg. I suggest everyone who found Teletubbies disturbing hunt down H R Puff and Stuff and you'll see just how 'tame' Teletubbies is by comparison.[/font][/size][/color]

[renayiiq]

Look at the people who come up with these sorts of analogies: they're not little kids. Adults are older and can pick things out, unlike small children, who cannot.
While I don't think that Tinky-Winky was homosexual or involved in drugs, i do think that it was a poor show for children. Goddess is right. My brother and sister watched Teletubbies from when my sister was 2 to when my brother was about 2 1/2 or so, until we got cable again. I used to watch it in the morning with them when I didn't have a choice...couldn't even watch soap operas or a movie or something, god forbid that; they'd start screaming and crying and throwing fits.
Anyways, my brother got alot of exposure because he started talking a little early. My sister is okay with her speech. Not brilliant, but at least almost as good as I was when I was her age. My brother, though, has speech problems. He has to get speech therapy. And yes, one of the very few things that we watched the majority of the time (24/7/365) was *gasp* you guessed it, Teletubbies. PBS would have their little "donate money to us or the show will not continue" testemonials, saying how educational it was. Sagwa the Siamese Chinese cat was more educational than those overgrown, overweight, almost completely illerate, uneducational characters. That cartoon at least had a moral in the stories. Teletubbies? They taught you to speak like you no know English, and they very repeating. Okay, that was a sample of how m brother started talking (but my example was more advanced than his speech was).
I grew up with Barney mostly. I take that back. I was obsessed with Barney. I had no siblings (up until I was 10, then Alia was born), and I wasn't around other kids too much, except at school. Me, I talk fine. I started using some pretty big words for a little kid when I was about 6 or 7, or so. My speech is clear, no lisps, and usually (when I'm not tired or just waking up or sick...or stoned or drunk[hardly ever am the last 3]) I have pretty good vocabulary and grammar. that doesn't include how I write online.
Back to the show. What was with all the damn bunnies? That's what I wanna know. And that nu-nu thing? He teaches you to be lazy and not pick up after yourself. I swear, he does! If the teletubbies make a mess, Nu-Nu cleans it up. They're babied and pampered by a vacuum cleaner, they run around doing repetitive things (that drives you up the wall after having to see the show EVERY SINGLE DAY), and they're speech-impaired.
NOT a source for great role models for kids.
There, that's it.

[Esther]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Mhm.

I got the responses I thought I would get. And I agree with most of you, but the one that I can really think is true is the post made by Goddess.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT]

[quote=Goddess]Hm. It seems that for a long time, specifically in the year Generic stated, there was a lot of controversy and talk about all children's programs. Teletubbies, Blues Clue's, Barney, etc.

Now, I have 2 nieces, and they absolutely loved Blue's Clues and Teletubbies. I didn't mind Blue's Clues; I actually enjoyed it, and hated the people who tried to peg that show for being anything more than a children's program. Teletubbies on the other hand frightened me. There is just something about them that freaked me out. It wasn't only because of that feeling that I didn't like this show for my nieces; it was because the program just wasn't as educational and helpful to a child's mind developement as Blue's Clues or Barney.

The baby gibberish doesn't help a child speak much better. And its a proven fact that if you talk to your child [at toddler age] on a normal, adult level, that your child has a better chance at speaking properly. Talking all baby-like doesn't do anything for their speech development.....Anyhow, the whole controversy around Teletubies could be true. It could be some producer who couldn't make it with a certain idea, got pissed off, and decided to get back at people. It's been true for so many movies, television productions, and most definitely in music.

Controversy or not, Teletubbies was not a good show for children; be it because of the sex, drugs and horrible messages, or lack of proper child development.[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]I read this post and I agreed with it 100 %. It was I was going to write earlier today. I had been thinking that maybe the producer's implemented these materials and situations into the Teletubby show to secretly attack people that he/she might not have gotten along with during the whole entire process.

There are many possiblities though, as most people in this thread have brought up, that can relate to these awkward Teletubbies.

I was very interested to read all of your comments. But there is still time to discuss, so don't stop now.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT]

[Guest Ryani]

I personally have to disagree with this. First of all, it seems very unlikely that the creators of this show are trying to enforce ideals on small children, other than the normal good ideals that children's programing usually entails. As for the 'psychadelic imagery', I do not believe that it exists. This is a program for infants, for people of the age of three, and younger, and while I do not think that infants and toddlers should even watch television at that impressionable age, it doesn't seem very likely that the series is teaching them adult ideals, no matter what kind they are. I also doubt that drugs have anything to do with the sources of the imagery in this show.

[Billie_Forever]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]For starters i never REALLY liked the idea of four different coloured aliens living in a glass dome eating "tubby-toast" and "tubby-custard" being shown on T.V...but oh well..im getting off subject...

When the show first came on over here in the UK many things were said about the characters in the Tellitubbies..The fact that the two male characters "Tinky-Winkey" and "Dipsy" both sported rather female pieces ofd clothing set most adult of on a large scale homo-sexual rant and called them "obscene" and "outragous"...but personally i think that, as long as it keeps the children happy and doesnt warp their minds too much with the idea that they live in a world where they can wear a cow printed hat on their heads with out being shouted at or beaten up..then its perfectly fine...

Next the argument that the show provokes the children to speak in strange tounges or even de-gress may actually be true but in the society we live in right now the tellitubbies is the least of our problems...Most young adults and adolecents are rotting the minds of children as it is and they are tearing up the english laungage with stupid words and the lingering of letters when it is utterly un-nessisary...

And finally for those who may think that the message that taking drugs is O.K was delivered daily by the four hyperactive aliens..i think that this is a rather strange thing to say as i dont think that the BBC would actually let something so obserd be broadcast without a thorough search through the messages and morals of the storylines..therefore if a episode did actually contain that message then it would be cut...The fact that these things have been said is rather stupid and were probably started by a bunch over overly protective parents who like to look deeper for meanings...even though their children will have NO IDEA what these messages are and with the small attension span that some children have..they probably wouldnt take in half of the show anyhow....In my opinoin the show was made to be bright..colourful and let children watch somewthing enjoyable...and was not made to rot the minds of the next generation as many think...

This though..is only the opinion of a 15 year old.... :animeswea [/COLOR]

[Boba Fett]

[color=green]Those Teletubbies. I always knew they were created by evil liberals to corrupt our children and turn them into drug-using homosexual degenerates.

Just like those satanic Harry Potter novels and those falafels they sell at that Middle Eastern food store. I heard those turn you into a terrorist.[/color]

[Semjaza]

[quote name='Citrus][SIZE=1']Spam. xD[/SIZE][/quote]

Yeah. Except not at all. People at this board need to learn the difference between a short comment that says all it needs to be said and actual, real spam.

In any case, I think it's all that has to be said here. Since every one else just skipped over my comment, I guess I'll spend more time fluffing it up for no reason, as it expected here.

The show hasn't been in production for like [I]five years[/I]. This "controversy" started almost right after it came out in the mid-late 90s and pretty much fell off the public radar not long afterwards. It's not a "controversy" at this point and I wonder what there is to say in 2006.

This popping up sure as hell makes me feel like I'm back in 1998 when it was even a remote issue. If people are still latching on to this, they must be caught in a time warp... there's new things to complain about and find non-existant hidden messages in.

[Drifting soul]

[QUOTE=Boba Fett][color=green]Those Teletubbies. I always knew they were created by evil liberals to corrupt our children and turn them into drug-using homosexual degenerates.

Just like those satanic Harry Potter novels and those falafels they sell at that Middle Eastern food store. I heard those turn you into a terrorist.[/color][/QUOTE]


Ok, why would they even want to make a show to turn children into drug using homosezual degenerates? Why would the author of Harry Potter make her books satanic? And how the hell could a falafel turn you into a terrorist?!
I mean come on people! You say the teletubbies have corrupted children but it seems your'e the ones who've been corrupted by the media that makes you think these ludicrisly untrue things.

[2010DigitalBoy]

[QUOTE=Drifting soul]Ok, why would they even want to make a show to turn children into drug using homosezual degenerates? Why would the author of Harry Potter make her books satanic? And how the hell could a falafel turn you into a terrorist?!
I mean come on people! You say the teletubbies have corrupted children but it seems your'e the ones who've been corrupted by the media that makes you think these ludicrisly untrue things.[/QUOTE]

Dude, he was obviously being sarcastic.

Also, I think that even if there are evil messages, sex notes and gay people in telletubbies, kids don't know that so who cares? I like telletubbies more becuse of it XD. If any show is turning kids evil, it's the Wiggles.