MORE ON THE BITCH & TINKY WINKY

I decided to also look into entertainment news to see if I could find more articles that mentioned TW is gay because Coulter claimed there were "dozens and dozens." I found three more.


The Toronto Star
April 18, 1998, Saturday, SATURDAY SECOND EDITION
SECTION: STARWEEK; Pg. SW4
LENGTH: 1028 words
HEADLINE: Going gaga Teletubbies makes toddlers titter, but parents wonder if TV should take aim at 1-year-olds
BYLINE: By Louise Brown

When the actor who plays purple Tinky Winky was fired for too much improvising ("Look - he lacked the innocence to pull off this very difficult acting role," explained creator Wood), the British tabloids launched a Save Tinky Winky campaign with more than 20,000 bumper stickers. Gay rights groups rallied to the defence of this male Teletubby who sometimes carries a red handbag, although Viselman explained that Tinky Winky is not meant to be gay, but rather carries a bag to help "break down gender stereotypes. After all, every little boy carries stuff around in his mother's bag at some point."

The San Francisco Chronicle
APRIL 16, 1998, THURSDAY, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: DAILY DATEBOOK; Pg. E10; PERSONALS
LENGTH: 706 words
HEADLINE: Let's Hear It for the Heroes
BYLINE: LEAH GARCHIK


What's with the Teletubbies' Tinky Winky's red patent-leather purse? ''The idea is to break down stereotypes,'' producer Kenn Viselman told Entertainment Weekly. ''There isn't a boy on the planet who hasn't picked up his grandma's purse and carried it around.''

Gay columnist Michael Musto of the Village Voice heralded the purse-carrying character as the ''next step after Bert and Ernie. . . . It's a great message to kids, not only that it's OK to be gay, but the importance of being well accessorized.''


The Toronto Star
April 6, 1998, Monday, METRO EDITION
SECTION: ENTERTAINMENT; Pg. C5
LENGTH: 527 words
HEADLINE: Creepy or cuddly, the Teletubbies are here
BYLINE: By Henry Mietkiewicz TORONTO STAR

For the most part, personalities are interchangeable among Dipsy (green), Laa-Laa (yellow), Po (red) and Tinky Winky (purple), except for Po, who's the most infantile.

And maybe Tinky Winky who's . . . well, we're not sure. Tinky actually became a gay icon in Britain because, for no apparent reason, his voice is male but he sometimes carries a flashy red purse.