Politician slams diverse new Wiggles line-up
Coalition senator Matt Canavan has launched a targeted attack on The Wiggles after it revealed their new racially diverse characters.
Along with the existing ensemble of Anthony, Simon, Emma and Lachy, the children’s entertainment group has added four new members, in a bid to make it more culturally inclusive.
15-year-old Tsehay Hawkins, 15, is from Ethiopia and will wear red, while Evie Ferris is a 24-year-old Indigenous woman who will be the blue Wiggle.
Kelly Hamilton, 45, is Asian-Australian and will wear yellow, and John Pearce, 28, from the pop group Justice Crew, is Filipino and will wear purple.
Founding blue Wiggle Anthony Field revealed to NCA NewsWire he came up with the idea, saying: “morally, we have to do this”.
“I looked around the world and I thought: ‘We have to reflect our audience’.
“Our audience is not just one culture; we want children to see a mirror of themselves. I hope people, mums and dads as well, will feel included.”
The new characters will be feature on a new YouTube series called Fruit Salad TV.
Today we’re announcing our new YouTube exclusive, #FruitSaladTV! For the first time ever, #TheWiggles have expanded their line up to eight Wiggles, which is sure to double the fun! 💛💛💙💙❤❤💜💜
Fruit Salad TV premieres on our YouTube on Saturday September 4th! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PS6kvUYjid— The Wiggles (@TheWiggles) August 21, 2021
However, QLD Nationals senator Matt Canavan couldn’t help but voice his distaste for the new line-up.
The conservative is not shy about raising his voice against progressive social issues, and he hasn’t stopped at the new Wiggles cast.
Senator Canavan told The Australian that the recent announcement will destroy The Wiggles.
“The Wiggles are free to do what they like. It was nice while it lasted. But you go woke, you go broke,” Senator Canavan told the newspaper.
The Wiggles outfit is one of the most successful in Australian entertainment history, and rakes in at least $30 million annually thanks to their major global following.