Known for pushing the limits, the Danish public broadcaster DR irritated the penalties with its latest children’s show “John Dillermand”, a comedy about a man whose giant penis puts him in and out of all kinds of problems.
The program, aimed at children aged 4 to 8, was launched earlier this week, causing controversy among some journalists and academics who consider the series unsuitable for young children. Some argue that the program, whose surname of the protagonist is actually Danish slang for penis, sends the wrong message to children, as it follows a man who has no control over his genitals.
To complicate matters further, the program’s launch coincides with Denmark’s first #MeToo movement, which followed the revelations of TV journalist Sofie Linde during an award in late August that she had been the victim of sexual harassment.
Defending the program, however, is Morten Skov Hansen, head of the children’s department at DR, who insists that the series is not about genitals, but “about being true to yourself – including your flaws”. He says the program also “recognizes children’s growing curiosity about the body: both things that are embarrassing and things that are fun.”
“John Dillermand” was developed in collaboration with several professionals, including child psychologist Margrethe Brun Hansen “who read each script to ensure that children interpreted everything in the series as intended”, as well as the Danish organization Sex and Society, which consulted the exposure.
“We always enjoy debates about our content. But it is important to try and not see the program from an adult’s point of view ”, says Skov Hansen.
“The show is made for children and is concerned with the same things as them. I do not agree with the few critics who consider John Dillermand to be sexualized (…) He is the most desexualized he can be ”, observes the executive.
The first episode, which shows John Dillermand tending a barbecue at a distance, was watched by more than 250,000 children in five days, according to a DR spokesman – numbers that count as a “big hit” for the public broadcaster, that takes the program on its linear channel and streaming service.
“John Dillermand” also attracted fans, including a number of Danish TV personalities like Sofie Østergaard, Mads Brügger and Anders Breinholt, as well as the influencer Anders Hemmingsen. Skov Hansen says that the series attracted Danish children who “are already making snowmen, drawings and John Dillermand dolls, and singing songs about him”.
The executive also points out that DR “has a proud history of making children’s content that dares to tackle embarrassing, difficult, quirky and funny topics, and ‘John Dillermand’ fits this tradition perfectly.”
While it is interesting to see if the “John Dillermand” type of Danish humor translates well abroad, the program’s international appeal has yet to be tested. DR’s commercial arm, DR Sales, which would sell both the finished tape and the program’s format rights, is not currently representing the show.