I remember there was a thread about him on mumsnet wasn’t there? And hadn’t someone slept with him? There was the revelation that he was very into big boobs I think? A surprising number of women were very hot for him. I didn’t see the thread myself but heard about it. I think feelings ran quite high.
I wonder if the reaction people have to him, the feeling he is ‘wrong’, is that he is a pretending to be less human, more like a toy - a large, man-shaped, asexual, neutral, benign, overtly friendly and non-threatening character. It isn’t a very human character he plays.
However, Justin isn’t a man-sized Andy Pandy toy, he is an actor, and as such we expect the usual human quirks and tells and body language. It’s an unsettling mashup of the two characters. He’s a performer and entertainer but is so rarely seen as a man. What we as adults see, is this odd character who is very carefully created to show/act/display emotions and actions exceptionally clearly. Mr Tumble isn’t just a story telling character or entertainment. His character teaches socially acceptable behaviour and communication. And the body language he uses will be choreographed to basic movements with clear visual clues and readable actions. He won’t be using everyday body language that we use to read intent and honesty and base decisions on.
I wonder if that is where the odd reaction comes from. That’s why it feels wrong. It’s a strange juxtaposition and gives a bit of a visceral reaction.
Fwiw my mum knows the women who taught him makaton. She has nothing but good things to say about him.
I’m not sure. I understand the weird feeling completely but I think it’s just character confusion thing. I don’t think it is sinister.
I also think he got an unfairly hard time over that Sarah-Jane Honeywell story too. When she posed in just knickers with her hands over he boobs, lying on her back on a giant plate of food in central London for a PETA campaign, what did she think would happen? At the time she was a CBeebies presenter with Justin at the time and said he froze her out when she got let go. She was sacked I think and claimed they were best friends and he cut ties with her. She did this big DM story moaning about him but really…the FU was all her own
Firstly, I really doubt they were best friends. Maybe they got on very well at work but best friends? Really? I don’t believe it.
Secondly, if I was an children’s presenter (which is just as cut-throat as all tv) just starting to make a name for myself as a niche and (very innocent) character, I’d freeze her out too. No way would I risk my career for a colleague stupid enough to do that whilst employed to be a entertainer on TV for 1-5yr olds.
I dunno. Maybe I’m wrong. I’m not a fan. I hated watching his program with my kids. But I think the weirdness comes from something other than him being a wrong ‘un.
(That presenter on Doodle Doo however….phwoar.
![Zany face :zany_face: 🤪](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/joypixels/emoji-assets@5.0/png/64/1f92a.png)
When he’d say to camera ‘Fancy a Doodle Doo?’ I felt like saying ‘Yes I do! I’ll have several, thanks!’)