Big Ted, Little Ted, Humpty, and Me!
As my friend Fiona is always getting to visit me in the shop, today I decided to visit her where she works: the ABC. I’ve been by the Ultimo location several times but I’d never been inside. I was really looking forward to seeing the inner workings of a well-funded, state-sponsored, lefty-leaning broadcast network. (And let’s face it, I’d give my right arm to work for the ABC.) As I waited for her in the lobby, I was amused to see John Doyle (aka Raging Roy Slaven) walk by. Anyway, Fiona’s a designer on Play School, which is a children’s program that runs twice a day here. As I understand it, it’s been running even longer than Sesame Street! Miss Fee was kind enough to give me a tour of her design “dungeon” down in the bowels of the building. It was just wild, like a kid’s dream art cupboard. That’s her in the midst of all the colour and fun. She even opened The Locked Cabinet for me and showed me all the toys! That’s me with Big Ted, Little Ted, and Humpty. Millions of Aussie kids have grown up knowing these toys, and I got to hug them! (Jemima was in the cupboard too, but she was naked and we didn’t want to display her without her dignity.) Even though I haven’t known these characters my whole life, I could still feel how loved and cared-for and played-with they were. Hugging Big Ted is like hugging Grover or Big Bird!