'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Barney the Dinosaur, the purple-colored singing and dancing Tyrannosaurus rex from the much-celebrated and beloved TV series Barney & Friends, was a global phenomenon for several decades. Barney was a symbol of love, compassion, optimism, inclusion, and positivity that brought joy to millions of children around the world.
On October 12, 2022, NBC's Peacock will debut a brand new two-part docuseries titled, I Love You, You Hate Me, which will address the shocking dark side of Barney the Dinosaur's story and why the fictional character was hated by many.
The official synopsis for the documentary series reads:
"I Love You, You Hate Me is a limited series chronicling the rise and fall of Barney the Dinosaur’s furious backlash — and what it says about the human need to hate. From Barney-bashing to frat parties to homicidal video games, something in American society broke into a million pieces, and it’s never been put together again… or is this just who we were all along?"
The title of the documentary series was inspired by the iconic song I Love You, which was made famous by Barney the Dinosaur himself. The limited series, I Love You, You Hate Me, was directed by Tommy Avallone. He has also acted as the executive producer of the docuseries, along with Joel Chiodi, Rob Eric, David Collins, Raymond Esposito, Wendy Greene and Amy Goodman Kass.
Since Peacock released the official trailer and synopsis for the upcoming documentary series, fans have been waiting to see how the highly intriguing docuseries will unfold. Let's get into some lesser-known facts about Barney the Dinosaur before the documentary's release.
Learn 5 interesting facts about Barney the Dinosaur
1) Who is Barney the Dinosaur?
Barney is a fictional character from the fan-favorite television series Barney & Friends and its beloved predecessor Barney & The Backyard Gang, which ruled the hearts of children worldwide for decades.
Barney is a tall purple tyrannosaurus-rex who comes to life through a small child's imagination. He was born two hundred million years ago in Dallas, Texas. He has a green tummy, several green spots on his tail and back, and yellow toes.
The character was designed to teach children about acceptance, positivity, love, and pure joy. Barney usually appears with his dinosaur friends BJ, Baby Bop, Riff and several others.
2) Who is the creator of Barney the Dinosaur?
Sheryl Leach created Barney the Dinosaur. She created the beloved fictional character in 1987 to entertain her then-two-year-old son, Patrick. Barney was supposed to be a blanket at first. But that did not go as planned, so she decided to make a teddy bear instead. Her son Patrick, on the other hand, was fascinated by dinosaurs, particularly the Tyrannosaurus rex.
So Sheryl decided to create Barney, a friendly and loving purple-colored T-rex. She later went on to co-create the iconic show Barney & Friends with Dennis DeShazer and Kathy Parker. Prior to this, Sheryl worked as a teacher and instructional leader in Dallas, Texas. She did, however, leave the popular show in 1998.
3) How did Barney become a household name?
Barney became a household name after the children's series, Barney & Friends became an immediate hit among children all over the world in 1992. The series' lyrical narratives, iconic characters and participatory nature soon turned it into a pop-culture splendor.
It also became a popular merchandising character, with toys, books, clothing, movies, live concerts, and other items available. The show helped launch the careers of several current superstars, including Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez.
However, there is another shockingly dark side to the story. Unfortunately, despite advocating unconditional love and joy, the fictional character, Barney the Dinosaur, instilled a great deal of bitterness and hatred in many people.
4) Who were the costume performers for Barney?
David Voss was Barney's first costume performer from 1988 to 1990. Following that, David Joyner entered the picture, playing Barney from 1991 to 2005. After the costume was enlarged, Carey Stinson, who played Barney from 1991 to 2013 and again in 2019, took over the role.
The list of other costume performers for Barney also includes Josh Martin, Antwaun Steele, Maurice Scott, Sarah Vernon Swartz, Patrick Mcalister, Corby Sullivan and Rick Starkweather.
5) Who were the voices of Barney?
Barney's voice was first given by Bob West. He was the voice of Barney from 1988 to 2000, and again in 2005. David Franks provided the voice of the titular character from 1996 to 1998.
Other voice artists for Barney include Duncan Brannan, Dean Wendt and Tim Dever.
Don't forget to watch I Love You, You Hate Me, arriving this Wednesday, October 12, 2022, exclusively on Peacock.
