Joy Junction Explained

Image Upright:1
Genre:Children's
Christian
Country:United States
Language:English
Runtime:30 minutes
Network:WCLF

Joy Junction was an American Christian television program for children produced by and initially broadcast on WCLF in Clearwater, Florida, beginning in 1979.[1] Episodes were also aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (worldwide) and FamilyNet, among others.[2] [3] [4] New episodes were still being produced as of 1990.[5]

Since the show stopped airing reruns, almost all Joy Junction episodes are considered lost media today.[6]

In the show, a cast of characters led by Sheriff Don (played by Don MacAllister)[7] would teach children manners, values and Biblical history.[8] It was targeted at children 4 to 9 years of age.[8] Joy Junction encouraged children to mail weekly to receive Bible lessons and games.[9]

Cast

Controversy

The show became controversial and was quickly pulled from broadcast in the early 2000s after it was discovered that a prominent cast member, Ronald William Brown, possessed child pornography and photographs of dead children and had expressed a desire to rape and cannibalize young boys.[10]

Brown's character on the show was a ventriloquist with a dummy named Marty. The pair taught children lessons about right and wrong, including about the supposed dangers of "dirty pictures" and "evil thoughts". In doing so, Brown often interacted with children on set.[11]

Brown first drew police attention in 1998 when boys' underwear was found in his possession.[12] However, he was let go after claiming they were for his puppet.[12] [13] In 2012, Brown was arrested, and he was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography and conspiracy to kidnap a child.[14] [15] Brown died on August 5, 2020, aged 65, due to a motor neuron disease.[16]

Notes and References

  1. News: Nation's newest Christian TV station begins operations. October 27, 1979. Crossroads 1, 4, 5. Jeanne. Pugh. St. Petersburg Times. Newspapers.com. December 30, 2022. January 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230110065437/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42957088/nations-newest-christian-tv-station/. live.
  2. Web site: Puppeteer Who Wanted to Cook and Eat Children Exposed in Vast International Child Porn Ring . Heather . Clark . Christian News Network . August 6, 2012 . June 15, 2024.
  3. Programming Networks For LPN What's New? . Jacquelyn . Biel . The LPTV Report . June 17, 2024 . July 1990 . 5 . 7 . 14.
  4. Web site: BEFORE THE COPYRIGHT ROYALTY TRIBUNAL Washington, D.C. 20036 . June 15, 2024.
  5. Web site: Broadcasting THE WORD . Tampa Bay Times . July 7, 1990 . Cesar . Alvarez III . June 15, 2024.
  6. Web site: Joy Junction (partially found TBN Christian children's show; mid-1980s) . June 17, 2024 . Lost Media Wiki.
  7. Web site: Ruth JOHNSON Obituary (2017) - St. Petersburg, FL - Tampa Bay Times . 2024-06-17 . Legacy.com.
  8. Web site: Children's Television Programming Report . enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov . September 21, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240616124708/https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/draftcopy/02a2f9816ca04a5eaab2c1b6063ebeb7 . June 16, 2024 . dead . June 16, 2024.
  9. Web site: Interesting folks live next door . Joanne . Walker . Tampa Bay Times . 1993-08-07 . 2024-06-17.
  10. Web site: Largo puppeteer who wanted to cannibalize boys is sentenced to 20 years . Tampa Bay Times . July 30, 2013 . June 15, 2024.
  11. Web site: Engber . Daniel . Another Online Fetishist Gets Punished for His Fantasies . Slate Magazine . August 21, 2013 . June 15, 2024.
  12. Web site: Carreras . Iris . Ronald Brown, Fla. puppeteer, gets 20 year in prison for child porn, report says . CBS News . 2013-07-30 . 2024-06-17.
  13. Web site: REAL LIFE HORROR: The Christian Puppeteer who Planned to Kill and Eat Children . CVLT Nation . 2020-04-22 . 2024-06-17.
  14. https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-mdfl/legacy/2013/04/03/20130325_Brown.pdf
  15. Web site: Murdock . Sebastian . Puppeteer Who Fantasized About Raping, Eating Children, Gets 20 Years . . July 30, 2013 . June 15, 2024.
  16. Web site: Inmate Deaths 2019 to 2022. Bureau of Prisons. July 2, 2024.

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