Tinky-Winky Eulogizes Jerry Falwell

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Jerry Falwell helped make Tinky Winky a star, albeit in the worst possible way. In a 1999 National Liberty Journal article, the late Reverend Falwell, who died by hexing earlier this week, shocked the world by outing Tinky Winky.

The world went wild, thrusting Tinky Winky into the spotlight brighter than anything he’d ever known and alienating him from the other Teletubbies. Nothing would ever be the same. Years on and healing Tinky Winky describes finally chats with King Kaufman about his harrowing journey:

It was traumatizing, really. I’m a very private Teletubby. I just wanted to get away, go over the hills and far away. But when you’re 7 feet tall and purple with an antenna on your head and a TV screen in your belly, where are you going to go?

Where? Where, goddamn it!?! Where???

Tinky Winky now lives a quiet life in England, where he owns a holistic center. Though he still won’t discuss his sexuality, he did have some words on Falwell’s death:

I’m not going to pretend I’m sadder than I am. There were late nights during the dark times when I wished to hear news like this. I’d be lying if I denied that. I don’t feel that way anymore. I like to think I’ve grown over the years, gotten past all that pain… But at the end of the day, I’m not terribly sad, and I think a lot of people feel the same way.

The purple entertainer goes on to extol the virtues of love, virtues he thinks we should all hold in our hearts. Perhaps the world has found a new leader…

Tinky-Winky Says Bye-Bye to Jerry Falwell [Salon]

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