“When I was a child I had an anatomically correct boy doll who had a penis and testicles. Most notable among these voices was Sally Hines, Chair of Sociology at the University of Sheffield. Criticism is attributed to “mumsnet puritans” and to “gender critical” feminists, who supposedly have a prurient obsession with genitalia. While a large majority of comments have been disapproving, a few lonely voices insisted that the costume was harmless fun and that the widespread outrage was unfounded prudery. Part of the answer is revealed by some of the responses to this affair. The desire to be seen to have the right values is so strong that rational judgement is suspended At no stage, as far as we know, did anybody question the laughably unsuitable costume.
#REDBRIDGE LIBRARY MONKEY COSTUME TWITTER FULL#
Staff at the library will have then seen the monkey, complete with monkey member on full display, preparing to go out and meet the public afterwards, a member of staff posted a video to the library’s Instagram account, commenting “when you’ve got it, flaunt it”. Presumably, after Mandinga Arts was engaged for this event, somebody at the organisation selected the dildo monkey from Mandinga’s costume repertoire to entertain the children of Redbridge. Hardly the sort of thing you’d see on CBeebies. Our priapic primate is shown cavorting with a number of characters resembling the Wizard of Oz’s Tin Man, except with giant phalluses for hats.
Before it was taken down, their website showed a number of carnival costumes that seem more appropriate for an adult audience, including what appear to be pigs in bondage gear, and suggestively shaped “love birds” (“nothing makes them happier than a gentle stroke”). But the question very much remains: how did it come to pass that Redbridge Council’s contractors paid a man to wave a dildo at an event for children?Īt first glance, Mandinga Arts does not seem like an obviously straightforward choice for children’s entertainment. In the days since this controversy erupted, Mandinga Arts, Redbridge Libraries, and local council leader Jas Athwal have all issued public apologies. One can picture audiences gasping with incredulity that library staff would go along with something so ludicrously inappropriate. The scene would not be out of place as part of a skit from one of the aforementioned cringe-comedies. In another image, the monkey is seen bent over on a bench outside a Lidl displaying his plastic buttocks to shoppers. In a video (now deleted) from the Redbridge Libraries Twitter account, we see the rainbow monkey rushing out of the library doors, alongside a giant strawberry and some kind of lizard, to gyrate on the side of the road and flap his sizeable appendage at passing traffic. It’s unclear what, if anything, is meant to be the connection with reading or libraries.Īt no stage, as far as we know, did anybody question the laughably unsuitable costume The costume is, shall we say, “adult”: it was referred to on Twitter as a “furry rainbow monkey with a huge dildo and exposed anus” (though it appears that the monkey’s “exposed anus” and similarly exposed nipples are part of the costume, and not the performer’s own). The aspect that has sparked outrage is the nature of one of the costumes, which really has to be seen to be believed. To promote the Summer Reading Challenge, an annual children’s literacy event, costumed performers were hired from Mandinga Arts, a “carnival, participatory and outdoor performance art organisation” supported by Arts Council England. There was more than a hint of this flavour of humour in the furore that engulfed Goodmayes Library in Redbridge, East London last weekend. Think of the Borat films, or the parable of the Emperor’s New Clothes. This dynamic - testing how far the fear of appearing rude or ignorant will push people to go along with absurdities - is a comedy staple. Again and again, we watch astonished as subjects politely agree to try ideas such as marketing a “poo” flavoured frozen yoghurt, or introducing a live alligator into an electronics store.
The concept of the show is that Fielder, posing as a consultant, offers convoluted and ridiculous suggestions to unsuspecting business owners to boost their sales. I was recently introduced to a show called Nathan For You, starring Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder.
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