[Closed] Does anyone else remember Joey Deacon ?

the ultimate 80's put down at school

Yes!! I think everyone was a Joey at some point or other at school.

Rachel

Oh yes fond memories 😆

Quite an impressive story about how could communicate through his friend.
When did political correctness begin? 😕

Always caused a titter as my grans pet budgie was called Joey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Deacon

[url]

Joey Deacon

There used to be an awesome homage website but its been taken down

The guy is a legend

Still remember the jokes!
Q What is Joey Deacons ambition A To lick his left ear!
we were about 6 at the time 😳

It was an attempt by blue Peter to get kids to accept people with disabilities more, and to show they are also real people just like anyone else, but sadly, they seriously underestimated just how cruel kids can be, and it kind of backfired.

I still cringe now if I hear or read the expression used, it's horrible. Truly nasty.

Same with:

Biffa = Spina Bifida

Flid = Thalidomide victim.

Spaccer/Spac/Spaz = Spastic (Cerebral Palsy)

Mong = Mongol (Downs Syndrome)

And probbly numerous others.

Fortunately most people grow up though, and realise the use of such expressions is really hurtful and dehumanising.

Thanks Elfin. I'm staggered at (most of) the previous posts, really disappointed.

[edit] and to the OP - pot, kettle, black... wrong forum...?

Grew up in Caterham (Upper) and lived about a mile away from St Lawrence's hospital where Joey Deacon lived for most of his life and I often saw him around the place. The hospital is mostly shut down now and the Mead along Rook Lane is finally being sold off...it's very sad for the residents and community.

Never heard of him

joeydeacon - Member

Never heard of him

I salute you Sir Deacon of Joey

I'm staggered at (most of) the previous posts, really disappointed.

Stop being such a Joey

This really is humour for idiots.

Those making certain comments ought to be mindful of the fact that there are people on here who have loved ones who suffer with such terrible conditions, who may find some of the 'jokes' incredibly offensive and upsetting.

Grow up ffs. You wouldn't make such 'jokes' in the presence of those who suffer, or who have to care for sufferers, so don't make them on here.

Yawn

5-4-3

This is not and never was funny. Take a long look at yourselves if you think it is.

Bunch o'tards

I think that a lot of the people that remarked on the use of the term 'joey' were reminiscing about their childhood and how it was such a popular word at the time. That doesn't mean that they would approve of its use now - those same people have grown up now.

When I was little, I'm sure I used it. I wouldn't even think of it now.

Rachel

+1 allthegear

yes - everytime someone 40+ sees my AM41s

am starting to understand just how much you need to judge people you have never met and dont know to 'fit in' on this forum...

hang on a minute what about Stan?
everyone talks about Joey but it was Stan who translated the belming for Joey's fans.

Pretty sure that was Ernie.

I also bet the PC Brigade like cynic-al al and elfin think that "Little Britain" "Come fly with me" et al are racist, sexist, gheyist etc. Very narrow horizons indeed.

Bad,bad crappy TROLL zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I also bet the PC Brigade like cynic-al al and elfin think that "Little Britain" "Come fly with me" et al are racist, sexist, gheyist etc. Very narrow horizons indeed.

Ooh look Al, an attempt at justification!

And he called you 'PC Brigade!' And basically sed you smell of wee.

You should duff him up after school.

KKF I don't watch Little Britain. It's crap. Actually the vomiting woman is ,OK.

The point is if you say on a public forum how funny it was to laugh at Joey it just doesn't show you in the best light-you may well be ok but it's not looking like that way.

I prob look like a right misogynist tonight, hopefully folk know I was having a half-laugh.

I know two disabled chaps who refer to themselves as spastics. It gets them a laugh and it breaks the ice.

Only the people who laugh nastily need to look at themselves long and hard, the rest need to get out of their own arseholes. Disabled people have senses of humour just like the rest of us and use it just as often as the rest of us do.

to be fair we still had the spastics society until the early 90's so calling someone a spaz or joey was fairly normal for a wee kid in the 80's.

Times and language change, in another 20 years we may just refer to everyone whatever their colour, physical or mental ability, sexuality etc.. as an "elfin" as by then he will have taken over the world and anyone over 4ft 6 will have been put to sword in his new world order 😯

Pour soul, I remember feeling uncomfortable at school with this being used as an insult. It's not improved any with age.

Plenty of insults in my vocabulary that have the desired effect without trawling up the oldies but not so goodies

+1 For Ernie.

I reckon he just made up what Joey said as no one else could understand him.

'Lost yer shoe in the river'...

omg i ant called no one that for years lol

Elfinsafety - Member

It was an attempt by blue Peter to get kids to accept people with disabilities more, and to show they are also real people just like anyone else, but sadly, they seriously underestimated just how cruel kids can be, and it kind of backfired.

I still cringe now if I hear or read the expression used, it's horrible. Truly nasty

Cr@p

He is a legend from my childhood alongside Mohammed Ali, Barry Sheene, Evel Knievel, Neil Armstrong etc.

Joey via his mate Tom (who was the only one who could communicate with him - and told us his life story, although I must admit I always wondered why no-one ever qustioned this) and Blue Peter taught me what "Spastics" as Joey via Tom was known were all about. Times were different then there was no "care in the community" as it was christened in Thatch's era. All the local "spastics" we're "kept"/ cared for in the local crumbling old converted mansion house around my way (as Joey himself was for most his life). As a 9-10 year old boy Joey's story, especially presented by Janet Ellis 😉 taught me alot about people who, in those days, I would have otherwise have had no real contact with.

BTW. I was looking at those teardrop mini caravan things earlier with my 11 year old daughter. One had the model name "The Joey" I'm guilty, I LOL'd. She didn't get it, sadly.

When did political correctness begin?

Grew up in Caterham. He was a guy that lived there. Get a life.

"care in the community"

****ing hell Elf, you have a sensitive side. +1 mate.

gonetothehills - Member
This is not and never was funny. Take a long look at yourselves if you think it is.

You're wrong, when I was 8 it was pant wittingly funny. Kids would contort themselves into allsorts of weird stances whilst grunting to pull off the best 'deacon'

However now I'm an old fart and wouldn't dream of making such remarks in public areas/forums.

(in the privacy of my own home the childhood memory still makes me smile though)

Another Caterhamist here .
It is an unfortunate thing that most 40 - 45 year olds grew up with Blue Peter. In its day it was great childrens television . I used to see Joey and Ernie on their mobility scooters all the time.
My brother is now called 'Joey' despite the fact his name is Alan . He is a nice enough bloke, but when younger was abit accident prone and weird.
Anyway , didnt BP raise a sheg load of cash ( probably £1.59 back in the day ) by collecting ring pulls or someting else of worthless value for Joey ?
Alan is still Joey in my mobile / email address book ,i know i am a cruel and heartless b'tard ,but its still dead funny 30 years later

He is a legend from my childhood alongside Mohammed Ali, Barry Sheene, Evel Knievel, Neil Armstrong etc.

This.

Sure Joey was used as an insult but there was no real malice in it. I certainly don't think anyone had anything other than admiration for the chap himself. 🙂

This really is humour for idiots.

You've come to the right place then. 🙂

Kids are just harsh, if you dont know any better then its just acceptable. Not even funny just accepted behavior even if its not acceptable behavior. We had a guy called Deacon at school he got called Joey. Just unfortunate timing for him. I got called Rowland because of a very vague resemblance helped by NHS glasses to one grange hill character. Just unfortunate timing for me. Not sure how Deacon felt about being called Joey, dont think anyone ever implied anything other than a linking name. I didnt enjoy Rowland as it was often used with some other form of abusive behavior. These things are transient kids move on, sometimes things get better and sometimes they dont.

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@p

He 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.....