Forum menu
I was in primary school when they first aired it. EVERYONE saw it! Next day, Joey had joined the ever expanding gamut of playground slang. It still makes me smile when I think about it. It's easy to criticize over 25 years into the future when society and attitudes have changed but it doesn't change the impact it had on those who remember him fondly. For some reason, I have a memory of him being in a sailors outfit on a boat when he was young. Did I imagine this?
Chewing the Fat picked up on it and used the Joey insult for several episodes. I nearly pissed myself laughing when I first saw it.
As for the Deaconist website, it was the least pc thing I ever googles but also one of the funniest too.
Joe-a
Joe-b
Joe-c
Joe-d
Joe-eeeeeeeee!
Cr@pHe is a legend from my childhood alongside Mohammed Ali, Barry Sheene, Evel Knievel, Neil Armstrong etc.
Not crap at all. Have a read of the OP, and a few other comments on this thread. KKF still seems to think it's ok to use the expression, indeed:
He was a [b]disabilitist[/b] on Blue Peter, everyone at my school in the 80's called each other a Joey or a Deacon or a Deaconoid etc.
The OP isn't coming on and saying 'bloody hell, weren't we out of order as kids!?', they seem to be saying 'remember this, weren't it funny and it still is!'
The programme backfired in the sense it gave kids more 'ammunition' to use against each other, rather than serve it's real intended purpose of raising awareness of disability. Sure, it did that, but it's greater legacy was to spawn the insulting, abusive put-down. And that kids thought serious disabilities were something to be mocked, laughed at, made fun of.
Sure, we all need to lighten up now and then, and kids are kids, but a line needs to be drawn somewhere.
If, for example, the use of the term 'Joey' was used in reference to someone triumphing over great difficulty, then fair enough. It wasn't. It was used in a negative and abusive manner.
The parallel with people with disabilities sending themselves up is wrong. Bit like the Jewish/Irish jokes thing; if it's done with affection and celebration of others' diversity in a positive manner, great. If it's done to cause offence, it's out of order.
That we remember "Joey" means that he succeeded in raising awareness about disabled children.
A disabled boy came to our primary school for a couple of weeks - he had withered legs but had developed powerful torso and arms. He was far more mobile "walking" on his hands than in a wheel chair. He had a wicked sense of humour and told us to dirty jokes! Great lad.
Does anyone else remember the Not the Nine O'Clock News parody they did of Joey? It was along the lines of a trailer for a film called "Joey and Walter make a cup of tea" with the serious voice over intoning about thus three and a half hour epic where they make a cup of tea...... 😆
For those who are shocked or appalled by everyones reminiscences, don't imagine that your moralistic viewpoint is going to change attitudes. This is, after all, the curious world of the singletrack forum! And please don't assume that because folk still laugh at their memories of Joey that that means they have neither compassion nor perspective on disability. If you find offense, my only advice is never go and see Joan Rivers live - you may end up having a seizure! 😀
I'm 44 now and still known as Joey to my old school mates. Infuriating at my age but I've never really been able to shed the nick name. Still get the odd text to 'Deacon' or 'the Deakster'.
Happy days...
Slightly OT but who remembers Noakesy climbing Nelson's Column without any kind of safety gear to clean it. That still gives me the willies! Blue Peter was the best kid's show -fact!
I'm not a fan of revisionist histories and trying to change the nature of things. We can all find the inappropriate funny.
My view is its not the words that kill its the sentiment. There are a lot of people who have fond memories of events no matter how incorrect they may seem if you shine the harsh light of reality on them.
I cant say how Joey Deacon - the person felt about being parodied. He may not have found it offensive he may have he may not have cared.
If we are making recomdations for things to see I suggest: The Boy who's skin fell off.
The SO worked for Leonard Cheshire, for those not aware basically residential care for those not physically disabled and incapable of looking after themselves, they would freely insult themselves. But in the same way i can refer to myself as a fool, but if you do it is an insult, i would say much the same applies.
It is not just the insult but who is using it that matters. Just because someone disabled calls themselves a spastic doesn't make it ok for someone else to call them that.
mrmo - its a good point.
Another suggested watch - James Corden on BBC breakfast news yesterday morning.
jez, why did i say not physically disabled! i meant physically disabled.
avdave2 - Member
This really is humour for idiots.
You've come to the right place then
I'm not laughing.
Christ! You people can sink so low, I'm so offended and disappointed!
Oh wait, wait just now.
I'm not. It's funny.
Stepping up from level C-Con......
Some folk need to chill out, but then we couldn't read bout them getting all wound up on here.
Keep up the good work everyone.
The whole joey deacon thing was simply a dreadful miscalculation by the producers of blue peter. In their wholesome bubble they assumed that the kids of the period would throw decades of playground behaviour to one side and adopt joey deacon as a hero. They got it about as wrong as they could. For me the humour in the situation is related to the BBC unwittingly starting a completely un pc craze of imitation across the uk. And the glee with which it was taken up. There IS, or can be, humour in this. And there was.
Yes, we've all grown up now and the DDA and equality act have finally given people with disabilities some kind of legal protection to match that of the rest if us. It doesn't alter the fact that the BBC created a monster, primarily because it was utterly out of touch with it's viewers. That is still funny.
I can't help but be reminded of the Mitchell and Webb sketch...
I still find it hilarious even after all these years. all you self righteous P.C. folks on here should just chill out and get a life. I know a bloke with Tourettes - now that's f****** ball achingly funny especially in the pub or supermarket and he finds other folks reactions to his affliction hilarious. And, yes, we always rip the p out of him because it's funny
Have you also got a black mate you so incredibly amusingly call 'Chalky'?
And why are you so wound up you felt the need to post that others should 'chill out'?
nah - we usually call him "boy"
OK I will never ever utter the J word or D word ever again.
I will replace this with Elfinsafeteynoid or Cynic-alnoid but it just does not have the same "ring" to it.
It's called having a sense of humour. Something the current generations seem to have lost.
Almost everyone at school either called other children Mong's or were called Mong's.
Then they go and change the name from Mongol to Down's Syndrome, so now people will just shorten it to Down's.
Why change the name? If someone decided a nice term would be 'Tree', before you know it, that will then be viewed in the same way.
Holy thread resurrection Batman!
IHN, LOL!!!!
Just remembered something else. We used to refer to the three-wheeled cars as Flid-mobiles and velcro shoes as Mong shoes. Today's children don't know what they're missing.
Sorry kingdong your in-correct.
Three- wheel cars were called "Spaz-Chariots"
different names in different places.
'Spazchaz' here
Perhaps I started the name Flid-mobile 🙂 Anyone heard of Mong Shoes?
What about his mate Michael ? He was the only one who could understand what Joey was saying, or so he said. I reckon he knew a good thing when he saw it.....