The Outing of Tinky Winky (2014)
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- Teletubbies, a BBC show for 1- to 4-year-olds, sparked polarized reactions upon its 1997 debut, with some praising its educational value and others finding it strange or frightening.
- The character Tinky Winky was controversially labeled as gay by media and evangelical figures like Jerry Falwell, leading to a decade-long homophobic panic despite the characters being asexual and fictional.
- Original actor Dave Thompson was fired before the show aired, with rumors claiming it was for 'acting too gay,' but the real reason may have been his risky on-set behavior.
- The controversy boosted the show's popularity and merchandise sales, with Tinky Winky becoming an unintentional gay icon and sparking political debates worldwide.
- Poland's child rights ombudsman Ewa Sowinska investigated Tinky Winky's supposed homosexuality in 2001, but later retracted after criticized for wasting resources.
- The show's educational value was questioned by experts, leading to its discontinuation in the UK in 2001 and US in 2005, though it was renewed for 60 episodes in 2022.