Whew! The BBC reports that classic children’s book/animated TV character Paddington Bear has not, in fact, abandoned his well-known love of sticky orange marmalade in favor of some sort of disgusting-sounding, Vegemite-esque "yeast-based spread." Apparently, this has been the subject of a raging controversy over in the U.K. since said yeast product started airing ads starring the fuzzy little guy. Good thing his elderly creator, Michael Bond, is still alive to set the record straight: "He never would convert," Bond somberly reassures us. "It would require a good deal more than the combined current withdrawals from Northern Rock to wean him off marmalade, if then." Well, that’s a relief.
I’m actually a little ashamed that I missed out on this whole story’til now — I loved those Paddington cartoons (and my very own stuffedPaddington) when I was a small child! What’s next, Amelia Bedelia checking into a hospital for "dehydration"?
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Good thing he didn’t start down that slippery slope. Next thing you know, Paddington Bear would be advertising some footwear other than galoshes or telling you to take trains from some other train station than (of course) Paddington.
Variety is the spice of life. I don’t think I’d be freaking if Pooh took to liking maple syrup. What’s the biggy??
You had a stuffed Paddington? I’m insanely jealous.
I want to know when Paddington and Pooh (both of whom are sitting in stuffed form in my guest room) are going to find out that they are long-lost siblings (or closeted lovers?).
I was a Pooh girl all the way. My mom worked at Sears and Pooh was their licensed character. I still have my Pooh from my 5th birthday; I’m 40 now.
I’ve read that The Giving Tree can no longer support “the boy” because he lives in a tree protection area. So sad.
Paddington had a cartoon? I only knew him from the books.
Ages ago, the million dollar question from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was “What country did Paddington come from?” and I was so psyched I got it right after all those years. I wish I had a Paddington Bear.
Darkest Peruvian bear, surely. Although I might have missed the episode where Paddington went to collect his British passport.
Sure, this controversy seems dumb, but this is how nights of boozing, partying, underwear-free nights start! Don’t bes urprised if his marmalade is spiked and he enters rehab within three months.
You are a very fortunate man for having no idea what marmite is. (And for having a stuffed Paddington, but that’s beside the point)
I highly encourage anyone who is offered a bite of that stuff to run screaming in the other direction. I’m in the military, I’ve eaten some seriously strange and disgusting things, but NOTHING matched the sheer stomach-churning vileness that was Marmite.
Trust me, if you’d ever tried it, you would understand why there is such an uproar over the rumored ‘conversion’. Stay strong, Paddington. Stay strong.
Thanks for posting this – it totally made my day! I LOVE Paddington and I am glad he is still a marmalade fan.
Please take care of this bear!
Anne of Green Gables was caught doing unspeakable things with Pookie The Rabit with Wings. Film at 11.