Blue Peter and Cultural Impact
In 1981, the last year of his life, Joey Deacon was featured on the children's magazine programme Blue Peter for the International Year of the Disabled. He was presented as an example of a man who achieved a lot in spite of his disabilities. Despite the sensitive way in which Blue Peter covered his life, the impact was not as intended. The sights and sounds of Deacon's distinctive speech and movements had a lasting impact on young viewers, who quickly learnt to imitate them. His name and mannerisms quickly became a label of ridicule in school playgrounds across the country.
Deacon's impact continued to be felt into the next decade. In September 1995, Blur toured to eight seaside resorts, and gave themselves pseudonyms when checking into hotels. John Harris' The Last Party reveals that Damon Albarn was 'Bert Hammond', Graham Coxon 'Carmen Guinness', and Alex James 'Reginald Chumfatty'. "In tribute to the golden era of 1970s Blue Peter, Dave Rowntree registered as 'Joey Deacon'."
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