‘Barney’ cast received death threats, backlash from the KKK over show
The “Generation Barney” podcast, a seven-segment series from Connecticut Public, appears to be like abet on the show’s affect on audiences and the of us that worked on the show. On the height of the show’s reputation, the podcast shared, the solid and crew confronted serious backlash over the minute one-friendly crimson dinosaur character.
“There had been sure things, sure messages that folks would send that had been moderately threatening,” Bob West, the fashioned tell of “Barney” stated in the series’ third episode.
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“Barney & Friends” used to be a success for PBS, however the character and the show’s solid and crew confronted demise threats and backlash. (Mark Perlstein/Getty Photography)
He renowned it took insist a pair of times “because my email address got leaked.”
“Within the event you discover a demise chance from a middle college minute one who sends you an email, then it would not make me feel corrupt for me. It makes me feel corrupt for them because they’re obviously going thru one thing that is main them to behave out this blueprint,” West added.
Bob West, the fashioned tell of Barney the Dinosaur, stated his email used to be leaked and he got demise threats from of us, including middle schoolers. (Bobby Monetary institution/Getty Photography)
Barney’s swimsuit performer David Joyner got abhor as properly.
“Some of us correct feel the have to abhor,” he stated. “I accomplish not know why. They correct feel the have to abhor.”
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Joyner recalled being at a parade in Unusual York, wearing the costume on a drift, and as they rounded a nook, he stated, “I peek this man yelling, ‘I abhor you Barney! F— you, Barney!’ I’m on this drift, and he’s standing in front of a sea of of us shouting this.”
The actor made up our minds to hang shut a see at to defuse the sigh, explaining, “My ingredient used to be, I gotta flip this guy, I gotta abet him realize. So I correct started pounding my heart indulge in a heartbeat, and then I roughly bowed in front of him.” He stated he persisted gesturing with a heart circulate and “I such as you” in aggregate with the bow.
“Within the event you discover a demise chance from a middle college minute one who sends you an email, then it would not make me feel corrupt for me. It makes me feel corrupt for them.”
— Bob West, fashioned tell of Barney
“By the level the drift will get to him, he’s indulge in, ‘Ugh, I such as you Barney,'” Joyner stated, adding the crowd cheered as properly. “In most cases it’s correct about changing opinions.”
Joyner, who conducted in the costume from 1991 to 2001, also dealt with racially charged backlash in opposition to him from the Ku Klux Klan.
David Joyner, Barney’s swimsuit performer, recalled a particular person yelling curse phrases all thru a parade, and having to defuse the sigh. (Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Photography)
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“I discover a name after I’m doing ‘Barney’ from my fatherland knowledge reporter, from the Decatur Herald & Review, and he requested me to touch upon an article that used to be in Esquire magazine,” he shared in the 2nd episode.
“I had no belief what he used to be talking about, so he requested me if I’d lag discover the magazine and then give him a name with a comment. Successfully, in the magazine, the Klan had came across out that the guy within the Barney costume used to be African American, so they banned their early life from ever watching ‘Barney’ all all over again.”
The reporter requested Joyner’s tips on the parable, and he admitted he “laughed” on the postulate.
“I stated, ‘Successfully in actuality, after I read it, I laughed.’ And he says, ‘What attain you imply you laughed?'” I stated, ‘Successfully, it’s the Klan, and I am unable to trade their notion.'”
Joyner also stated he got racially charged backlash from the KKK. (Desiree Stone; NBC)
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He persisted, “Plus what we’re making an try to attain is characterize cherish. If a persons making an try to characterize abhor, the last ingredient they wish is to indulge in. And if my skin colour then adjustments that notion for any individual, I am unable to attain the relaxation about it because that’s what it’s miles.”
Joyner didn’t let the negativity discover to him, and he conducted in the Barney costume for 10 years ahead of inspiring to Los Angeles to pursue other appearing work.
The now 61-year-aged also grew to turn trusty into a tantric therapeutic massage specialist and spiritual healer.
In 2018, he told Vice he ancient his tantra practicing of deep meditation to discover thru the long put days when he would be stuck in the 70-pound Barney costume for several hours. He credited the be aware for serving to him support “an abundance of enjoyment” whereas wearing the costume in sizzling prerequisites.
“I stated, ‘Successfully, it’s the Klan and I am unable to trade their notion.'”
— David Joyner, Barney costume performer
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Director Tommy Avallone spoke with Fox Info Digital for the show’s 30th anniversary in 2022 and shared Joyner’s philosophy.
“He defined it to us. Or not it’s extra than what you have confidence you studied it’s miles with intercourse. Or not it’s meditation. Or not it’s energy work. And when he talks about his meditation and the energy he would pull from his physique, he tried to push it thru — as uncommon as it sounds — push it thru the tv. That blueprint early life might well presumably presumably feel the connection of Barney.”
Avallone harassed that whereas many folks accomplice Joyner’s tantra tips with intercourse, “that used to be by no blueprint happening with Barney.” As an replacement, he relied on the “energy work and meditation” from his be aware to “heighten Barney’s efficiency” and remark pleasure.
A docuseries titled “I Indulge in You, You Abominate Me,” launched in 2022, also delved into the darker aspect of the PBS series.
Stephen White, “Barney & Friends” head author, stated that despite the demise threats and backlash, “We had been too busy making the show to misfortune that worthy about what diverse critics and trolls had to impart.” (Everett/Shutterstock )
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On the “Generation Barney” podcast, Stephen White, head author of the show, stated in overall the group wasn’t too focused on the negativity they got.
“We had been too busy making the show to misfortune that worthy about what diverse critics and trolls had to impart. And we also knew the integrity of the project we had been engaged on, which used to be top to backside,” White stated.
“The ‘Barney’ community that used to be making the show in actuality used to be indulge in a family. All of us knew why we had been there. All of us wished to make a show that used to be genuinely healthful. So as soon as we might well presumably presumably hear these criticisms, it used to be less difficult to shake off.”
