Kids' TV show Rainbow in homosexual agenda shocker

A pastor has revealed that legendary UK kids' TV show Rainbow may have attempted to "homosexualise all children". In a shock YouTube vid, "Pastor D" of the End Times News Ministry questions the true meaning of the show's title song, which explicitly states the programme makers' plan to "paint the whole world with a rainbow …

[Anonymous Coward]

The Magic Roundabout was all about LSD* and yes Rainbow was camp; tell us something we don't know.

*For younger viewers, LSD was a drug once favoured by "heads" but has now been supplanted in popularity by MDMA and other newer designer drugs.

[Matt 21]

This may well be something I made up by my understanding is that the BBC bought "The Magic Roundabout" from the French but couldn't afford to get it translated. So, they just made up stories and voices to go with the action.

As I say, this may be something I just made up... or not :-)

[Anonymous Coward]

@Matt

No, you didn't make it up. The English voiceover for The Magic Roundabout was done by Eric Thompson (trivia note: Emma Thompson's dad).

I remember watching a documentary about it years ago. Thompson didn't speak French and there was no budget for translation, so he just made it all up as he went along. He must have been a talented guy to do that.

I always thought the "drug" thing was a bit bogus. Things from the 60s might look trippy now but I think it was genuinely just a more innocent time.

[msknight]

There was also a rumour that entertainment narcotics were sold in sweet shops. Jasper Carrott once alluded to them being sold as smarties, stating that children were told by their parents, "Not the blue ones; those are for Mummy and Daddy!"

[Trigonoceps occipitalis]

Blue Smarties

I recall that, several decades ago, the food dye used in blue Smarties was banned for being carcinogenic or something. For a few years there were no blue Smarties.

Maybe, just maybe, cautious parents were removing the blue Smarties giving Jasper Carrot a hook for his joke.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Blue Smarties

Blue Smarties first came out in the late 1980s (I actually remember this because there were no blue ones when I was younger).

According to Wikipedia, the temporary removal of the blue Smarties occurred quite recently- in 2006- because Nestle were moving to natural colourings and couldn't find a suitable blue one.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Blue Smarties

Mix in a bit of vulcan....

[davidp231]

And then they brought it back in the early 90s with Nigel Planer taking over vocal duties. He probably didn't have to practice Dylan very much, considering his role as Neil from Young Ones.

[BebopWeBop]

It was certainly French. Not sure that the BBC couldn't afford to translate it (I have never listened to the original) but Thompson (father of the sainted Emma) did such a wonderful job that I really don't care about budgets.

[Youngone]

Completely OT

God I don't half fancy Emma Thompson.

OT I know, but I needed to share.

[Fungus Bob]

Re: Completely OT

"God I don't half fancy Emma Thompson.

OT I know, but I needed to share."

So you're sharing the half you don't fancy? OK, I'll take it!

[Anonymous Coward]

Must See

Dougal and the blue cat:

The magic roundabout film..

Still makes my hairs stand on end 40 years on..

Buxton, I'm blue, I'm beautiful, i'm best........... Voiced by Fenella Fielding... Phwooarr..

[streaky]

couldn't afford to get it translated

Do you even BBC Monitoring? The beeb employs armies of translators throughout the org, I doubt that would be the actual reason.

[x 7]

they didn't have the spare cash to purchase the copyright to the scripts, so they simply got Eric Thompson to improvise new ones. Nothing to do with translation, all to do with limited budgets. They purchased the films without sound or story

[Anonymous Coward]

Untrue

The reels of film that I used to handle 40 years ago, had a sep mag sound track in English, whilst the com-opt track was mas most definitely in French. We had a chap on my shift who spoke fluent french, and he was most unimpressed with he originals, much preferring the Eric Thompson scripts, which as I understood it were written by watching only the pictures.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Untrue

Well I guess the BBC's actual reasons will be forever lost in the mists of time, as it all happened half a century ago. According to Wikipedia:

"A former BBC employee, interviewed on BBC Radio in 2008, maintained that the original contract with the French owners did not include the scripts that accompanied the original animations (contrary to BBC assumptions). The BBC, instead of making a further payment to acquire the scripts, which would have required translation, decided to commission its own version – without access to the original French, and the English-language version therefore bears no resemblance to it."

Which seems plausible to me. Anyway it doesn't matter, the point is that Eric Thompson winged it and was brilliant.

[davidp231]

I always thought they just couldn't be bothered getting a translator in.

[Vic]

So, they just made up stories and voices to go with the action.

Written and performed by the late great Eric Thompson, father of Emma Thompson.

Vic.

[Alan Brown]

"So, they just made up stories and voices to go with the action."

Which had the odd effect in some countries of being able to see the Magic roundabout with both tracks going at once (the french one as background chatter to the english storylines)

[BoldMan]

No thats not the case, it turned out that the humour in the French Magic Roundabout wouldn't translate. For example Dougal the dog spoke French with a Scottish accent which the French find incredibly funny but everyone else goes "meh". It wasn't a case that they couldn't afford to translate, its the translation wasn't funny, so Eric made the stories up and was utterly brilliant at it.

[CrazyOldCatMan]

> it turned out that the humour in the French Magic Roundabout

Part of the reason that Asterix always has had their own country-specific translations. Humour doesn't (often) translate between launguages - even those as close[1] as English and French.

[1] Heresy! (Yes, yes, English is a (somewhat) Germanic language but you don't fight people for a thousand years and *not* pick up cultural similarities..)

[Tim Jenkins]

For even younger viewers, MDMA was a drug once favoured by "mum and dad" but has now been supplanted in popularity by 'orrible pills and powders spewing out of Chinese fertiliser factories, which is why we can still use the 'Just Say No' approach with you, even though we clearly didn't say No when we were your age...

[Anonymous Coward]

@TIm

Let's give them a bottle of Glen's Vodka or Merrydown Cider instead, after all alcohol isn't a nasty drug that kills tens of thousands of people a year and incites people to commit atrocious acts of violence is it ?

However you are quite right, just so no to drugs.

[Robert Baker]

"Let's give them a bottle of Glen's Vodka or Merrydown Cider instead,"

Whoever downvoted this post is clearly too dumb even to recognise sarcasm, much less understand it.

[RubberJohnny]

You have to listen to the full Rainbow Theme tune song, after the familiar bit, it changes and goes all heavy hippy folk man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJsaujSs7Fw

[chivo243]

@readinthereg

Whoa dude! Wait, wait awwwww man another color! Just wait for it!

Yes, much of the 70's art and such had sometimes awesome reference to the psychedelic experiences people had at the time, but the rainbow was just another art thingy with lots of colors, especially for children. Anyone reading into it should really question what their orientation might be. If you're happy and know it, clap your hands...

[Anonymous Coward]

LSD is much better than MDMA.

[Roq D. Kasba]

Magic Roundabout, does explain why the stories alleys felt a bit retrofitted ;-). That said, treat yourself to the feature-length 'Dougal and the Blue Cat', it has some wonderful lines.

[Charlie Clark]

Rainbow was camp

Don't know if it was really camp. Charmingly naff in the most part rescued by Zippy's childish nastiness.

The soundtrack was just 1970s naff – the flute is this giveaway – virtually all the music for seventies telly was hideous, like the fashion. Maybe there was a law about it? Whatever, some great TV was made and anyone looking for hidden meanings should get out more.

[PaulyV]

Bit of a sad comments about Geoffrey at the end - couldn't end with a more positive note? He was on Pointless a few weeks ago.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure

i read he was a taxi driver now..

Zammo from Grange hill owns a lock shop somewhere...

Fame rarely lasts...

[Andy 97]

Let's hope that they don't find the Christmas Tapes episodes...

[Anonymous Custard]

Or for that matter start investigating quite what the infamous threesome of Rod, Jane and Freddie used to get up to as well...

Still I could have been worse, apparently Freddy was a replacement for Roger Walker, and they were previously known as Rod, Jane and Roger which certainly conjures up some disturbing mental images...

[Teiwaz]

"previously known as Rod, Jane and Roger"

Could have been worse. Roger, Rod and Jane might have risen a few eyebrows (among other things risen).

[x 7]

heres Jane Tucker having her nipple tweaked by the bear, so maybe he was bi..

http://www.retrosellers.com/images/rjf4.jpg

[g e]

Or the Twanger episode

The post is required, and must contain letters.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Or the Twanger episode

" [...] infamous threesome of Rod, Jane and Freddie used to get up to as well."

Not to mention Andy Pandy and Teddy going to bed in a box together - then discreetly closing the lid. Then there were Bill and Ben in a bed with little Weed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLLI7V-xcQA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6zNwBTLSWU

[Robert Baker]

Re: Or the Twanger episode

"Then there were Bill and Ben in a bed with little Weed."

What were Bill and Ben smoking in those pipes of theirs?

Weeeed!

(They say the old ones are the best...)

[davidp231]

Re: Or the Twanger episode

That particular episode was the result of copious amounts of "Christmas Cheer" by all parties involved and done off the cuff. Then it found its way onto Youtube many moons later.

[VinceH]

Re: Or the Twanger episode

This is the best episode of Rainbow I've ever seen: Rainbow Gear - Zippy, George and Bungle doing Top Gear.

[Roq D. Kasba]

Re: Or the Twanger episode

Pretty sure Jane was married to one or both of the chaps at some point.

[andyUK]

Re: Or the Twanger episode

The best episode was the one where they actually zipped zippy up...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Or the Twanger episode

Whats your name?

Carmen.

Thats a nice name, why did you choose that?

Because i like cars and men! Whats your name?

Lager Fanny....

ROFL. New KB, Screen etc...

Or, Whats your name?

Bond.

What as in James?

No, as in Unibond 'cos i wanna fill your........

ANOTHER KB needed...

[Teiwaz]

Sentenced to zippy.

Somebody fit this pastor D bloke with a 'zippy'

He'll be having a go at James and his magic torch next, or Mr Benn. And lord only knows what he'd say about Bosco (RTEs answer to Playschool).

[Don Dumb]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

@Teiwaz - "He'll be having a go at James and his magic torch next, or Mr Benn."

We get stories like this every year in the UK for us to laugh at. Anti-gay idiots in the US decried the Tellytubbies, the character Po was apparently "openly gay", the heinous charges being that 'she' carried a handbag and was purple (apparently that bit of the light spectrum is gay). The rest of us wondered how someone could look that hard for spurious clues of sexuality in a kids TV show.

Harry Potter was demonised for promoting magic and witchcraft, which apparently prevent kids from learning about Christianity.

Probably every kids show that isn't a bible story gets construed as somehow teaching kids to be the devil incarnate. These Pastors are seeing the things they 'despise' everywhere, in a way that wouldn't be at all an indicator of severe repression.

[Thecowking]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Tinky Winky, not Po.

Tinky Winky is male and carries a handbag, Po is female and doesn't carry anything.

Dipsy had the Jamiroquai hat.

Why yes, Teletubbies was on when lectures finished at Uni, why do you ask?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

one had a scooter?

one had a ball?

[Arthur the cat]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Anti-gay idiots in the US decried the Tellytubbies

Well, there genuinely was the time I turned on the TV in order to program the DVR and was greeted by the Teletubbies commentary "Oh no, Noo Noo has sucked off Tinky Winky's ball". Quite surprised me, it did.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

@Don Dumb - I reckon you're right, there.

Remember the hoo-ha there was for a while over the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons? Apparently I and my friends (and many others around the world) were engaging in Black Magic and Satanism. Coo, who'dathunk? If we were, it clearly didn't work, given I'm still a Helldesker (hmmmnnn... y'don;t think...? Nahhh!)

I recall that 'three in a bed' episode of Rainbow getting sniggered at at the time without any general outpouring of outrage. Methinks Mr Pastor just wants his 30 seconds of 'fame' and has forgotten that pride goeth before a fall.

[Teiwaz]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

"Black Magic and Satanism." Honestly, they needn't have worried, christmas and other special christian holy days were more threatened with impiety by Dark(or milk) chocolate and Santa-ism.

[TRT]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Not to mention Bert and Ernie.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

"Probably every kids show that isn't a bible story gets construed as somehow teaching kids to be the devil incarnate."

In the 1950s in England - from the age of 4 were taught wholesome Christian stories at Salvation Army Sunday School. Like people being: thrown into furnaces; fed to the lions; drowned; massacred; or swallowed by whales. Our RCC friends had the morality tales with pictures of their saints being martyred with burning pincers, or roasted over a fire, or small boys being cut into pieces and sold as barrels of meat. At CofE school - up to the age 12 - we had to attend the adjacent church's services. They had a large statue of a man impaled on a cross with blood dripping down his face and body.

[Suricou Raven]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

The whale is a translation error. The ancient Jewish people did not use our classification system: Whales looked like fish, so they were just thought of as very big fish. The word in the story means 'really big fish.' It could be a whale, or it could be a giant fish. There's a section elsewhere that lists bats as a sort of bird for the same reason.

It's still ridiculous. You could imagine a very bored God sitting beside the whale's stomach, continually pulling apart carbon dioxide from Jonah's blood and shoving the oxygen back in.

[Anthony Hegedus]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Is that the same classification system that classified dolphins and squirrels as "grey animals", making the squirrel essentially just a dolphin with a bushy tail?

Or perhaps foxes and squirrels are both "bushy tailed animals"?

It's no more stupid than believing that a supernatural being did all those goddy things he's supposed to have done. This, from the same species that believes in astrology.

[graeme leggett]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Blame Jack Chick for the D&D morality bonkers business

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Jack_Chick

Links at the bottom take you to his finest works.

[Ian Mason]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

>Remember the hoo-ha there was for a while over the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons? Apparently I and my friends (and many others around the world) were engaging in Black Magic and Satanism.

You've got to remember that most of the Fundamentalist/Pentacostal/Evangelical/Born-again type Christians genuinely believe there is a literal Devil and that humans literally do magic in league with him.

Back in the seventies there was a woman called Doreen Irvine who claimed to have been installed as the "Witch Queen of England" who converted to Christianity and was touted around the various evangelical flavour churches of the UK as a success story come cautionary tale. She wrote a book "From Witchcraft to Christ" and I heard her speak at a meeting on the South Coast. She laid claim to have participated in all sorts of magical rituals with all sorts of fantastical physical outcomes.

In the nineties I got to know quite a few people who were centrally active in the british magic scene in the sixties and seventies, including some prominent academic historians of british magic. Not one of the former knew her and none of the latter could place her into British magical history.

So, she was either a complete fantasist (i.e. crazy) or a complete and utter Tony Blair. Either way, the evangelical christian churches took her to their collective busom and uncritically swallowed every word she said.

The moral to this is, that many, many otherwise well meaning Christians will believe any old baloney if it fits the script and it's fed to them by an authority figure within their religion.

[IsJustabloke]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

"the character Po was apparently "openly gay", the heinous charges being that 'she' carried a handbag and was purple "

Activities usually reserved for Queens.....

Ahem.

[skeptical i]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

re: "Harry Potter was demonised for promoting magic and witchcraft, which apparently prevent kids from learning about Christianity." Right. Because there's nothing supernatural or woo-woo whatsoever about turning water into wine, creating a boatload of bread and fish from nothing, bringing Lazarus back from the dead, walking on water, and so on, izzere. [*rolls eyes*]

[Old Tom]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Po was red, Tinky Winky was purple and had a handbag

[Don Dumb]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

@Old Tom - "Po was red, Tinky Winky was purple and had a handbag"

Self fail. You are quite correct. If I recall, Po wasn't without controversy as she/he was the one played by a communist. That also got the tabloids outraged in the usual "commie beeb" style.

[Allan George Dyer]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

I had Po pegged as Chinese: she did Tai Chi moves, and counts to three in Cantonese in one episode. Most Chinese communists speak Putonghua, not Cantonese.

[Wommit]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

DO NOT let him know about Muffin the Mule.

[Ian Mason]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Muffin the Mule.

Is it legal?

[fruitoftheloon]

@Ian Mason: Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Ian,

dunno, perhaps the donkey in question wasn't entirely straight??

Cheers,

jay

[TRT]

Re: Bible translation errors...

Every wondered why the number 40 crops up so much in the Bible? It's because they used a Pratchett-troll-like counting system* where the word for 40 was the same as the word for lots. Rained for 40 nights, Moses lived in Egypt for 40 years and went to Mount Sinai for 40 days, 40 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.

*Trolls count along the lines of one, two, three, many, many and one, many and two, lots.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

"DO NOT let him know about Muffin the Mule."

keep your bestiality tales to yourself!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

muffin the mule is illeagal, we all know that!

[TRT]

Re: Sentenced to zippy.

Muling the muffin isn't illegal, just unpleasant if you intend to eat it afterwards.

[x 7]

well......lets think about this. Look at the three puppet characters.........a pink effeminate blubbery hippo, a zip/bondage fetishist, and a furry grumpy bear. Difficult to find better gay stereotypes even if you hired the entire troupe of "The Village People". Add to that the Rainbow logo and you're well on the way to promoting a homosexual lifestyle to innocent children. The BBC should have had its broadcast licence revoked for showing such filth

[LesB]

Good job they didn't, then....

Rainbow was on ITV, preuambly to pander to advertisers of {make up your own guess for stereotypical products}

[x 7]

Re: Good job they didn't, then....

"Rainbow was on ITV"

then they should have been shut down as well.

I didn't realise both the BBC and ITV had a homosexual agenda. Its not good enough! They should have made more manly kids programmes like "Thunderbirds" and "Bob the Builder" instead!

[LesB]

Re: Good job they didn't, then....

Bob the Builder? Wasn't he one of Village People?

[Teiwaz]

Re: Good job they didn't, then....

"Bob the Builder? Wasn't he one of Village People?"

Well, if he was, Postman Pat must have been too. And Noddy and Big Ears.

Add MR Benn and one or two more and we're all set for a more accurate 'village' people.

Either that or a very strange 'Full Monty' remake...

[Robert Helpmann??]

Re: Good job they didn't, then....

Those poor souls! Thank goodness they never encountered Ernie and Bert or any of the Wiggles characters. Someone's head would have imploded.

[Don Dumb]

Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

"The BBC should have had its broadcast licence revoked for showing such filth"

That would be pretty harsh, considering it was an ITV show.

[Teiwaz]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

an LWT production to be specific.

And the bear wasn't a puppet, but a suited up actor...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

"an LWT production to be specific."

If you want to be pedantic, it was Thames, not LWT.

[Teiwaz]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

Thames, LWT.

Crap, I always used to get those two mixed up... coming from ireland they both seemed...foreign.

And the Anglian logo gave me the shivers, it was so... creepy.

Not as creepy as that damned Angelus on RTE though.

[davidp231]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

And just to muddy the waters even more... Thunderbirds was an ITV production too, originally broadcast by the ATV franchise.

[lybad]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

Surely a Thames production?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

"And the bear wasn't a puppet, but a suited up actor"

That could be construed as overtones of plushophilia and Yiff.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plushophilia

At my fancy dress party on a theme of children's books - my character was a wolf. The costume was home-made out of fur material. It had fur trousers with a long tail, fur sleeves, and a shaman wolf head. A Little Red Riding Hood who I had never met before wanted me to take her upstairs - presumably staying in costume.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

Was the fur only on the outside of the trousers?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

"Was the fur only on the outside of the trousers?"

Fortunately yes. It was a warm evening in June - and the outfit became rather hot even without air-trapping fur insulation inside. The following year in July I learned the lesson and wore a "grass" skirt for a theme of "1920s travel". There is a picture of me sitting on the garden seat with two guests swathed in overcoats - as I tried to persuade everyone to leave the warmth of the kitchen.

The "grass" skirt made another outing at a friend's birthday party - and that also produced an interesting situation.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

Irony : noun, plural ironies.

The use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.

[Rich 11]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

The use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.

I think you're referring to sarcasm, not irony.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

"I think you're referring to sarcasm, not irony."

No, he is right. Sarcasm, from the Greek sarx meaning flesh, is remarks that have a "fleshy" component. "You couldn't find your backside with both hands" is sarcasm.

Irony is indeed the literary device of conveying something by saying the opposite, e.g. "You are of course fully qualified in the art of finding your backside with both hands" would be irony when addressed to a backside-detection-challenged person.

American English frequently uses the word irony to mean paradox, as in "despite his degree in anatomy he was completely unable to find his backside with both hands" (a paradox is something that at first sight appears contradictory but is actually correct.)

[TRT]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

A few different "man in a suit" actually. One of whom went on to sport a nose blaster. And don't 'dis George and Zippy either, or you might just get exterminated.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

" The BBC should have had its broadcast licence revoked for showing such filth"

Reminds me of the David Frost (skit) interview of a "Viewers and Listeners" man who judged the content of TV programmes from their titles. The one he judged as being the most disgusting was "Blue Peter".

[Teiwaz]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

"The one he judged as being the most disgusting was "Blue Peter"."

Bue Peter was disgusting...just not in quite that way...

...and 'Why don't you'(turn off your tv) - I did, it was unwatchable drivel...

[Ken Moorhouse]

Re: "Blue Peter"

My neighbour's dad used to refer to the above programme as "Val's Legs".

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Blue Peter"

"My neighbour's dad used to refer to the above programme as "Val's Legs".

At that time I used to watch it for Val's tits. She usually went bra less.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Blue Peter"

"My neighbour's dad used to refer to the above programme as "Val's Legs".

At that time I used to watch it for Val's tits. She usually went bra less.

That was Sue in Magpie who was bra less

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Blue Peter"

I wuz so innocent I didn't notice, I had to have Charley Dimmock's pointed out to me as well...

[Brewster's Angle Grinder]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

"American English frequently uses the word irony to mean paradox..."

Yes, American English is deeply ironic.

[Commswonk]

Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

"Yes, American English is deeply ironic."

An oxymoron, surely?

[fruitoftheloon]

@Commswonk:Re: Here we find a Daily Mail Journo in training.

Cw,

you are a git, you beat me to it!

Have an xmas bevy on me

I view this whole discussion wit a most amused eye, principally because my Americam mother-in-law is a puritan nut job - and one of the brightest people I have ever had the opportunity to engage in debate with!

Cheers,

Jay

[Voland's right hand]

You missed the sarcasm tags

The rainbow was misappropriated to become a gay symbol in this century. It was not when the show was filmed. Same as the word gay - it had a completely different primary meaning when I learned English a few decades back. If we go back a few more decades the meaning which today is considered primary was not there at all. And so on.

In any case, to the original poster - you should never forget the Sarcasm/Humour tags. This site is visited by quite a few people who have had a humorglandoctomy at a very early age.

[x 7]

Re: You missed the sarcasm tags

"Same as the word gay - it had a completely different primary meaning when I learned English a few decades back"

I'm not so sure about that.........years ago I found a reference to Shakespeare using "gay" as homosexual description, but I can't remember when/where. It was cited as the first known use

[Faceless Man]

Re: You missed the sarcasm tags

'"Same as the word gay - it had a completely different primary meaning when I learned English a few decades back"

I'm not so sure about that.........years ago I found a reference to Shakespeare using "gay" as homosexual description, but I can't remember when/where. It was cited as the first known use'

It did have a completely different use in Victorian times. It meant "on the game". Which is possibly where the modern usage comes from, as male prostitutes seemed to cater mainly to other men, it could be assumed that a "gay boy" was, well, "gay". (Or even "well gay".)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: You missed the sarcasm tags @Voland's right hand

>Same as the word gay - it had a completely different primary meaning when I learned English a few decades back

Larry Grayson was using the phrase "What a gay day" in the early 70's probably so early as to preceed Rainbow and there was definitely no misunderstanding as to it's usage.

[fruitoftheloon]

@ x7

x,

assuming you were posting in jest...

I mean where else could folk with no brains or thoughts of their own turn to for moral guidance:

- The established protector or abusers, sorry 'Church'

- The protectors of themselves, i.e. Politicians

Meanwhile back in the real world.

/sighs

[Zog_but_not_the_first]

It's the drugs officer...

All performed "under the influence". Allegedly.

Typo catch "may have attampted"

[thomas k]

"all children"?

I'd hope they were aiming for kids already exhibiting a sense of flair.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "all children"?

"[...] kids already exhibiting a sense of flair"

Ahh - sounds like the 70s fashions.

[Pen-y-gors]

Interesting theology from this 'pastor'

What's his take on Genesis 9?

13 I do set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.

14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud.

Did the Great Sky Pilot intend that all who see the rainbow should immediately indulge in rumpy-pumpy with members of their own sex?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Interesting theology from this 'pastor'

14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud.

Given that large clouds are generally a bad portent, "when I bring a cloud over the earth" has a clearly ominous sense; surely foreshadowing the terrible prophecies of Revelations! That "the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud" is obviously therefore God himself warning that the apocalypse will be brought about by the liberal gay conspiracy!!!

IT'S IN THE BIBLE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!

[Teiwaz]

Re: Interesting theology from this 'pastor'

"IT'S IN THE BIBLE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!"

Are the Bible People a reactionary version to the Village People?

[Indolent Wretch]

Re: Interesting theology from this 'pastor'

No they're like the Tomorrow People, but opposite.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Interesting theology from this 'pastor'

Discarding all the religious bible tosh, we now know rainbows are nothing more the refraction of white light through raindrops.

Science, myth busting religion, well only since they stopped burning scientists at the stake or stoning them to death for heresy.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Interesting theology from this 'pastor'

"Discarding all the religious bible tosh, we now know rainbows are nothing more the refraction of white light through raindrops."

More interesting than you might think. Roger Bacon used the explanation of the rainbow to suggest that when God said that the rainbow was the sign of his covenant, he meant that since everybody sees their own rainbow, everybody has their own personal covenant. He spent a long time in prison for this and other heresies, but it was one of the things that led to Protestantism - which this "pastor" is supposed to profess.

[Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face]

Re: Interesting theology from this 'pastor'

That's not what a rainbow is. It's what a rainbow is made of. Otherwise you and I would be nothing but bags of chemicals and water, possessing a meaningless existence within a meaningless universe. Were this true, you wouldn't be posting your thoughts here.

[Commswonk]

Re: Interesting theology from this 'pastor'

"Otherwise you and I would be nothing but bags of chemicals and water, possessing a meaningless existence within a meaningless universe. Were this true, you wouldn't be posting your thoughts here."

And there was me thinking that was the precise reason why we post our thoughts on here. Ah well; live and learn.

[Anonymous Coward]

Apparently Rainbow inspired a lot of children to enter the religion profession with all those happy colours and sing songs.

[x 7]

when religion becomes a profession, the words of the religion cease to have meaning or effect

[Anonymous Coward]

Religion is always a profession to which it has no meaning and is absurd; it's used as a method of extortion and mind control on the stupid and vulnerable.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Religion is always a profession to which it has no meaning and is absurd; it's used as a method of extortion and mind control on the stupid and vulnerable."

Does that make it the second oldest profession?

[Teiwaz]

"Religion is always a profession to which it has no meaning and is absurd; it's used as a method of extortion and mind control on the stupid and vulnerable."

Does that make it the second oldest profession?

Organised Religion, certainly. Other beliefs which rely on an authority figure to interpret the will or intent of the spirit world quite probably. Those beliefs (few that they are) that leave interpretation to the spiritual growth of the individual, less likely. The latter were the first and will hopefully be the last and final in humanities history.

[Anonymous Coward]

Unfortunately there are those who treat it as a profession.

The ones who are more "genuine" treat it as a vocation.

[Anonymous Coward]

Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

...like, what *exactly* was the deal with Roland Rat and his "number one Ratfan", Kevin the Gerbil?

Was Roland really so wrapped up in himself that he missed the bleeding obvious, or was that boring "Glenis the Guinea Pig" (who- somewhat suspiciously- arrived later) the beard? Or was he having it both ways?

[Teiwaz]

Re: Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

"...like, what *exactly* was the deal with Roland Rat and his "number one Ratfan", Kevin the Gerbil?

Was Roland really so wrapped up in himself that he missed the bleeding obvious, or was that boring "Glenis the Guinea Pig" (who- somewhat suspiciously- arrived later) the beard? Or was he having it both ways?"

I'm not sure I parsed all that, but it gave me the unsettling mental image of some kind of puppet rodent gang-bang...

[x 7]

Re: Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

personally I was always waiting for guest appearance from Rogered Rabbit and Buggered Bunny, but it never happened. I heard that they had considered a character called Homie Hedgehog at one stage though......dunno how true that is.

[WolfFan]

Re: Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

I'm not sure I parsed all that, but it gave me the unsettling mental image of some kind of puppet rodent gang-bang...

You, you poor, culturally deprived person, have obviously not seen Animanics. Or you'd not be 'unsettled', not after the antics of the Warner Brothers (and the Warner Sister, Dot). One wonders exactly what went on inside the water tower... Hint: other characters included Herr Professor Doktor Scratchnsniff, Hello Nurse, and Minerva Mink, who had several of her segments deleted 'cause she went _too_ far. And for those with a They're Gay! fixation, there were Pinky and the Brain. And Rita and Runt, especially 'cause Runt, who wasn't too bright, thought that Rita was not merely a dog but a guy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Animaniacs_characters

[Teiwaz]

Re: Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

@WolfFan

You're sick, The most the often demented 'puppy children' (Wally Llama) engaged in was 'we're not going to do it for art, we're not going to do it for you, Mr Michaelangelo, we're going to do it because 'we like painting naked people'". Hello Nurse, I got the impression, never seemd to notice the effect she had on men (probably tsundere to boot), scratchnsniff I could see clearly gave the impression he'd be inclined to masochism (I'll give you that)

My personal faves were Mindy and Scrappy Squirrel and I dare you to 'suggest' (with either).

The best shows, the ones that endure, often have the odd reference designed to go over a younger persons head and reach the adult also watching. The Goodies, The Muppets, others from the time when the entire family sat round the tv together looking to be entertained had these. Those shows that are sanitised into total safety have no re-watch value (i.e. Tom and Jerry kids) as you grew older. This does not necessarily mean innuendo in a sexual way, but more subtle meaning.

[WolfFan]

Re: Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

@WolfFan

You're sick

Yes I am. And proud of it, too.

Exits, humming the theme from Pinky and the Brain.

[micheal]

Re: Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

"The best shows, the ones that endure, often have the odd reference designed to go over a younger persons head and reach the adult also watching. The Goodies, The Muppets, others from the time when the entire family sat round the tv together looking to be entertained had these."

Captain Pugwash

Cow and Chicken

2 Stupid Dogs

Johnny Bravo

[davidp231]

Re: Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

"Mmmmmmmmwahhh! G'night everybody!"

-Yakko

[WolfFan]

Re: Seriously? There are far more important issues to consider...

...like, what *exactly* was the deal with Roland Rat and his "number one Ratfan", Kevin the Gerbil?

Did Kevin have a very good friend named 'Richard', by any chance?

Was Roland really so wrapped up in himself that he missed the bleeding obvious, or was that boring "Glenis the Guinea Pig" (who- somewhat suspiciously- arrived later) the beard? Or was he having it both ways?

Hint: Glenis was not the one who was doing the, ahem, boring.

[Roger Greenwood]

All we got in my day . . .

were Bill & Ben, the flower pot men.

[LesB]

Re: All we got in my day . . .

Notorious promoters of illicit substances:

Weeeeeeeeed!

[Arthur the cat]

Re: All we got in my day . . .

Bill & Ben, the flower pot men

Don't forget Andy Pandy, who used to sleep with Teddy and Looby Loo.

Exposure at a young age to two guys with weed, troilism and Muffin the Mule, it's no wonder my generation acted like we did in the 60s.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: All we got in my day . . .Muffin the Mule

Was Muffin the Mule the source of Bill and Ben's weed?

I wonder how many drug (and other) terms do have their origin in these early TV shows?

[Anonymous Coward]

Obligatory

Did you hear about the bloke who thought "Muffin the Mule" was a sex offence?

[Zog_but_not_the_first]

Re: Obligatory

It must be close to the diamond jubilee for that joke.

[Chris G]

Re: All we got in my day . . .

Mostly we acted like we did, because we could. The Muffin the Mule joke was around in those days too, just.

I wonder what the Reverend would say if Morcambe and Wise were still on TV, in the early '70s they were often seen in bed together on TV, sometimes with audiences as large as 28 million at Christmas and probably seen by the Queen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Daz9fFrL-Y

[SImon Hobson]

Re: All we got in my day . . .

> I wonder what the Reverend would say if Morcambe and Wise were still on TV, in the early '70s they were often seen in bed together on TV ...

Yay, have an upvote for that. Took until the third page for a M&W reference. I gather they took the attitude that "it was OK for Laurel & Hardy, it's OK for us".

[Chronos]

Cue

Bagpuss promoted sex toys - all those references to the marvellous mechanical mouse organ and Yaffle's book-end.

How about we just stop listening to these religious nutbars who are so concerned about, or more likely jealous of, what other people do in the bedroom? Is that an option?

[heyrick]

Dear Pastor,

What does more damage to children? A camp children's TV programme from the 70s, or the religion that you purport to represent?

[Your alien overlord - fear me]

"lesbian on-line magazine" - don't believe it unless there are pictures to prove it - and not Playmobil ones !!!

[Hollerith 1]

Well, one on-line anyway.

Will this comment count?

[John 104]

I want my rainbow back

Now every time I look up on a cloudy day and see a rainbow, I must assume that the clouds are gay. Such a shame.

[x 7]

"the clouds are gay"

and rain is the lesbian mother goddess giving you a golden shower

as to thunder, you can work that out yourself

[Paul Shirley]

Rainbow = 20min of blatant, hilarious innuendo

Many fond memories of the daily Rainbow session at university, 100% spill your beer quality innuendo with a little bit of campness slipped in ;)

[BebopWeBop]

that the Indie have removed the report in question and you have to go 'way back' to see their faux pas

[jason 7]

There is one constant in the Universe...

...those that complain and decry the most about a human trait...are usually the ones doing it.

[annodomini2]

Re: There is one constant in the Universe...

Or in denial and have no wish to be reminded of it...

[Anonymous Coward]

I can see the problem

Loud music waking everyone up, junk all over the floor, someone's eaten all the cereal, no milk in the fridge, lazy bastard lying in bed reading comics - I think they might be students.

[SMabille]

The proof is in the pudding

There was also a short version intended for internal diffusion / spoof (available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgbcQIT7BMc) that has large amount of camp humour.

There was a better quality copy around but can't seem to find it.

Just to made it clear, this was not targeted at children and has never been broadcast.

[Alan J. Wylie]

Re: The proof is in the pudding

http://rainbow.arch.scriptmania.com/rainbow_tv_episode.html

Zippy: "One skin, two skin, three skin, four.... "

...

Bungle: "Geoffrey, I can't get it in"

Geoffrey: "You managed it last night"

...

And more, much much more innuendo.

[Aqua Marina]

All these TV programmes...

... full of sexual innuendo, and not one person mentions Captain Pugwash!

Yes yes, I know it was an urban legend, but Captain Pugwash still comes up regularly in topics like this.

[John H Woods]

We should promote homosexuality

It's a win-win: (1) it forms a scientific trial; if after a few years of promoting it, the incidence of homosexuality stays roughly constant (within statistical bounds) we will at least confirm that all these people are talking rubbish but (2) if it causes a massive increase in homosexuality, we can reap the consequent benefits of population reduction.

[thedroog]

Dirty bitch Jane

Personally I think the only homo material in the show was when Rod and Freddy spit roasted Jane

[x 7]

Re: Dirty bitch Jane

photo please

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Dirty bitch Jane

or Playmobil re-enactment, please.

[JimmyPage]

Surprised to read this far

and no mention of Captain Pugwash with the oft-repeated urban legend of Seaman Staines and Master Bates ?

E2A: In a typical example of Sods law someone else posted about CP whilst I was typing.

[Teiwaz]

Re: Surprised to read this far

"and no mention of Captain Pugwash with the oft-repeated urban legend of Seaman Staines and Master Bates ?

E2A: In a typical example of Sods law someone else posted about CP whilst I was typing."

Probably 'soddoms' law (any 'conversation' involving questionable childrens tv will have reference to Pugwash)

(another biblical ref, but what the f**k is a gamorah/gomorah? I've always wondered why nothing was named after the other mythical? city...)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Surprised to read this far

"[...] but what the f**k is a gamorah/gomorah?"

Given the near homonyms regularly seen in most British online newspapers - then it is probably believed to be the name of an STI.

[dogged]

Re: Surprised to read this far

Ah, that tiresome old rubbish again.

[Intractable Potsherd]

Re: Surprised to read this far @dogged

Well, with Pugwash's adenoidal speech, "Master Mate" certainly sounded like "Master Bate". Also, I can't be the only one to think that "Pirate Willy" could have an alternative meaning ...

John Ryan, the creator of "Captain Pugwash", was a bit of a knob for taking a libel case over a few jokes (which are still being told - early Streisand Effect?)

[dogged]

Re: Surprised to read this far @dogged

> John Ryan, the creator of "Captain Pugwash", was a bit of a knob for taking a libel case over a few joke

Well, no. If creating children's books and TV is your living, you don't need a reputation for adding smut.

[Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face]

I'm not sure the rainbow had such connotations back when the kids tv program was popular.

[Michael Strorm]

BINGO. The gay pride flag was apparently created in the late-1970s, by which point "Rainbow" had been on the air for several years.

In both cases, it probably had more to do with the fact that rainbows seem to have been a relatively common graphical motif in the 1970s.

(Similarly, the rainbow-striped Apple logo which people try to rationalise with an Alan Turing association- because Turing was gay- came out (no pun intended) in 1977, the year *before* the gay pride flag).

It's like how "bow chukka wow" wah-wah pedal guitar music is associated with porn now. The fact it became associated with porn in the first place has more to do with the fact that style of music was in fashion when porn first became reasonably widespread in the early 1970s. If porn had come along ten years later (i.e. during the early 1980s), stereotypical "porn music" would likely have been synth-based or something similar.

[Teiwaz]

The 'rainbow' was an image often adopted by 'hippie' groups. Pre 'burning man' there were festivals held over the world using the name 'Rainbow' and had nothing to do with sexual orientation.

I had this thought several hours ago but couldn't express it succinctly other than the though that this pastor was being ignorantly revisionist. Kind of like seeing a swastika dating from several hundred maybe thousands of years ago and assuming this meant nazis carved it.

The rainbow was heavily used as a symbol of christianity in the 'Good new' bibles and childrens 'religious education' in the seventies and early eighties from what I remember.

[Ken Moorhouse]

RE: festivals held over the world

There were also concerts which featured Purple man Ritchie Blackmore fronting Rainbow, the band. And Deep Purple were originally called (apparently) Roundabout.

[Charles Manning]

Where's the shock?

It's called Rainbow: colourful and bent.

Now I'd have been shocked if it was on a show called Cirrus, where you'd expect mostly white and straight.

[Teiwaz]

Re: Where's the shock?

"a show called Cirrus, where you'd expect mostly white and straight."

Dear gods, don't give the 'right wing christians any more ideas, it'd be horrible...

[x 7]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCG9U_qTPjU/UWSg4gbyhAI/AAAAAAAAESY/2nIwt3JHKag/s1600/Rainbow.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8eiZPhKdFNI/UTkdAvI_1EI/AAAAAAAAD78/VAWi6aVt2tg/s1600/Rainbro.jpg

NSFW

[Haku]

Rude Rainbow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgbcQIT7BMc

[Deltics]

Rainbow and LGBT associations

Only really became established in the late 70's - 1978.

Rainbow - the TV show - started in 1972. At that time, since the 60's, the rainbow was associated primarily with the peace movement. "Paint the whole world with a rainbow" = Make the world a world of peace.

Just saying.

[Anonymous Coward]

I can understand what's going on here....

After a couple hours of watching this, or the Teletubbies with the "gay" member (Tinkywinky if I recall correctly) I'd be willing to see a grown man naked as an alternative....

[x 7]

Re: I can understand what's going on here....

""gay" member "

this is even worse........a naked penis on kids TV

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I can understand what's going on here....

"this is even worse........a naked penis on kids TV"

The BBC Parliament channel regularly shows upstanding members in real time. Some of them are in response to requests from viewers.

[Anonymous Coward]

Zippy

A friend of mine met Roy Skelton many years ago, definitely not gay but a right filthy funny bastard all the same.

I always thought NoNo out of Ulysses 31 was a bit that way inclined, he also ate nuts.

[Captain DaFt]

Oh well,

At least in my day we had wholesome kid's shows with no innuendo.

"Bananas in pajamas, are coming down the stairs."

"Bananas in pajamas, are chasing teddy bears."

Uh... Oh my... Nevermind!

[wolfetone]

I don't think Bungle was snoring....

[IanTP]

Thanks everyone

135 comments, I'm proud of you guys, really brightened my evening, have a Monday beer :)

[Anonymous Coward]

The pastor is worried about a few queers?

Think of the children, pedobear was working on a children's TV show. Exactly how old was George the Hippopotamus?

[Slx]

While we can all laugh at the absurdity of this, I would hate to be the gay son or lesbian daughter of one of these guys or stuck in a household filled with this poison hatred.

There are still a lot of people getting a really horrible time over their sexuality. Things have moved on but knuckle dragging, right wing, religious nutters of various flavours seem determined to keep up the homophobia.

Also what's wrong with having a camp hippo character!? We're not all some grey, macho, emotionless stereotype of 1950s maleness. It's one thing that I think gets forgotten about; how many guys get bullied for being not into sports, being a little less than macho or whatever. Homophobia and passive gay bashing actually impacts a lot of straight victims too because being gay is still being seen as a negative or shameful thing by some. Nobody should be going around "checking themselves" to ensure they're not a bit too gay.

I'm just hoping that the broad acceptance of gay people and the end of nonsense taboos actually breaks a whole straight jacket of crapology that a lot of people have put up with over the years. Nobody should be going around living in fear of just being themselves.

Religious bullies need to be ignored or told where to go!

[Kiwi]

While we can all laugh at the absurdity of this, I would hate to be the gay son or lesbian daughter of one of these guys or stuck in a household filled with this poison hatred.

I grew up with a lot of this. It was only in her last months that my mother accepted me. I can say this without a doubt though - she loved me deeply and did the best she could with the tools she had. She made a lot of mistakes, but they weren't out of laziness or abusiveness or power tripping or whatever. She did what she did because she wanted the best for her children.

There are still a lot of people getting a really horrible time over their sexuality. Things have moved on but knuckle dragging, right wing, religious nutters of various flavours seem determined to keep up the homophobia.

Just recently I had the honour of sitting down and chatting with the man I am named after. It was quite an eye-opener for me, when we got on to the subject of my sexuality (we have not spoken for many years - but he had so much of an impact on me I can still remember hearing him speak as a child - and I found out this week that I had yet to reach my 3rd birthday). Anyway, he encouraged me - it's not a problem for him, he has no issue with people being gay. He looks at how they live before he thinks they may have problems with their faith. And he's an Anglican reverend.

There are many of all faiths who do a lot to discredit what they believe in (I do include Atheists here, but I also include Christians, Jews and Muslims and so on). But there are those real gems who are true to their faith. Not all of us are evil!

[x 7]

"Just recently I had the honour of sitting down and chatting with the man I am named after"

A Mr Kiwi? I take it he's a bit of a fruit............

" she loved me deeply and did the best she could with the tools she had"

those New Zealand sheep farmers have some interesting knives and rubber bands.

[Anonymous Coward]

@x7

Low, even for someone like you.

[x 7]

Re: @x7

"Low, even for someone like you."

after what he said about his mother and her tools, I assumed "low" was the safest place to hit him. He's not going to feel it........

[Putters]

Am I missing something.

Hmm - three "non human" characters.

None of whom has identifiable gender - Bungle, a six foot bear with a suspiciously high voice for such a creature, a pink hippo (George - short for Georgia, Georgina ?) and Zippy - and I still don't know what Zippy was, let alone gender.

So, forget the homosexuality. If you're gonna bitch about something, bitch about the interspecies sex !

George and Zippy don't have anything below the waist to walk with, let alone misbehave with ...

[Anonymous Coward]

TBH this is claptrap

When I grew up I managed to watch Kenny Everett, Rainbowm Magic Roundabout etc and I managed to stay relatively normal.

Adults read far more into these things than watching children do - any campness was simply a funny use of words, I was completely unaware of rainbows being a gay flag either and I wouldn't have understood its significance if I had.

Children simply dont analyse their viewingto the extent necessary to be that corrupted. Its watched, its fun (or not) and move on...

I enjoyed the drawings that were made with all the sound effects though...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: TBH this is claptrap

"[...] any campness was simply a funny use of words,"

A friend's son went through an apparently homophobic phase in his early teens. At dinner one evening we were discussing something about TV - and it was mentioned that a popular show host was gay. The teenager was visibly shocked - "Julian Clary is gay??" That camp show was one of his favourites.

[Paul Shirley]

Re: TBH this is claptrap

You have to wonder whether management and regulators were fully aware that children wouldn't understand any of it, or so detached from reality they couldn't understand the innuendo either ;)

Both are believable.

I remember not liking Rainbow as a youngster and refusing to watch it. Eternally grateful to the mates that reintroduced me to it as a student when i was old enough to understand.

[andyace]

One minute i'm working on securing a network after the admin has been laid off. the next i'm watching Rainbow and 2 fat gentlemen that i remember from over 30 years ago.... lost in the moment, the ever surprising El Reg.

And i don't feel any more homosexual than when i woke up, wife will be pleased.

[Yugguy]

Rod Jane and Freddy?

I thought that was a stage direction.

[James Anderson]

If he was upset by Rainbow....

He obviously has never watched Captain Pugwash!

Not a single female character and as for Seaman Staines!

Historical note: the original script was full of Gay references which the script writers thought would be picked up and censored -- but the innocents at the BBC were ready to broadcast it "as was" until the shame faced writers fessed up at the last moment and hurriedly cleaned up the scipt.