The greatest thing in children’s programming since
Barney, the
Teletubbies premiered on British television on March 30, 1997, and soon became an international sensation. Producers Anne Wood and Andy Davenport created the live character troupe--Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa , Noo Noo and Po—to meet the physical, social, and cognitive needs of infants and toddlers, but the show's surreal flavor, colorful imagery and hypnotic pacing also resulted in a cult following amongst twentysomethings. An immediate sensation in its native Britain, Teletubbies were also ratings h
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its in the U.S., as well, although Tinky Winky became the center of a media controversy in 1999 when
Christian leader
Jerry Falwell suggested the character was secretly gay. Despite the imbroglio, the Teletubbies marketing machine remained in high gear, and in addition to the usual toys and apparel there were also several officially-licensed recordings, among them 1999's Say Eh-Oh and Nursery Rhymes and Other Fun Songs. Bedtime and Playtime Stories was issued a year later. Teletubbies songs remain strong sellers worldwide, as the show continues to be broadcast to an international audience. Nobody can quite explain what makes the Teletubbies so mesmerizing, but you don’t have to answer this question to enjoy Teletubbies music.
