What's New  

Mixed Reactions Trail Danish Children’s Show About A Man With Huge Penis

By Michael Bamidele

09 January 2021   |   12:15 pm

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on WhatsApp Share on Telegram

Opinions on what is appropriate for children have been left divided after Denmark released a new children’s TV show about a man with a giant penis. John Dillermand, which literally translates to 'penis man' in Danish slang, is an animated series aimed at four-to-eight-year-olds which chronicles the life of a man who has “the world’s…

Still from the first episode of John Dillermand | Image: DRTV

Opinions on what is appropriate for children have been left divided after Denmark released a new children’s TV show about a man with a giant penis.

John Dillermand, which literally translates to ‘penis man’ in Danish slang, is an animated series aimed at four-to-eight-year-olds which chronicles the life of a man who has “the world’s longest penis”.

The show made its debut on DR Ramasjang, a Danish television channel owned by DR targeting children aged 7–10. The debut episode of the controversial series saw John Dillermand floating over the city after an array of helium balloons accidentally became attached to his private parts.

The show’s opening title includes the lyrics: “He has the world’s longest pee-pee. There’s almost nothing he can’t do with it. He has the world’s longest pee-pee. He swings it around; he can get a little embarrassed. He can save the world if he’s allowed.”

From rescue missions and taming lines to flying like a helicopter, lighting barbecues and stealing ice-cream from unsuspecting kids, there is indeed ‘almost nothing he can’t do with it’, as is explained in the show’s theme song.

Still image from Danish children’s TV show John Dillermand about a man with a giant penis (DR)

The first of the 13 episodes has been watched more than 140,000 times and sparked debate over what is appropriate for children aged four to eight – the show’s target audience.

“Is this really the message we want to send to children while we are in the middle of a huge #MeToo wave?” wrote the Danish author Anne Lise Marstrand-Jørgensen.

Christian Groes, an associate professor and gender researcher at Roskilde University, agreed, claiming the show’s celebration of the power of male genitalia could only set equality back, reports the Guardian.

“It’s perpetuating the standard idea of a patriarchal society and normalising ‘locker room culture’… that’s been used to excuse a lot of bad behaviour from men. It’s meant to be funny – so it’s seen as harmless. But it’s not. And we’re teaching this to our kids.”

MP Morten Messerschmidt, a member of the Danish People’s Party, raged: “I don’t think looking at adult men’s genitalia should be turned into something normal for children. Is this what you call public service?”

Taking to its official Facebook page, the public broadcaster insisted that the programme’s aim is to make children more comfortable about their bodies.

“We think it’s important to be able to tell stories about bodies,” DR posted.

“In the series, we recognise young children’s growing curiosity about their bodies and genitals, as well as embarrassment and pleasure in the body.”

Education expert Sophie Munster told AFP: “It’s a very Danish show. We have a tradition to push the limits and use humour and we think it’s totally normal.

“The debate is from an adult perspective, in which the long penis is sexualised. Children have a different perspective. The size of the penis is exaggerated so much, children realise it’s a joke.”